the Concubine, the Princess, and the Teacher: Voices from the 0ttoman Harem, translated and edited by douglas scott brookes (original) (raw)
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Life after the Harem Female Palace Slaves, Patronage and the Imperial Ottoman Court-Cambridge University Press (2020), 2020
This is the first study to explore the lives of female slaves of the Ottoman imperial court, including the period following their manumission and transfer from the imperial palace. Through an analysis of a wide range of hitherto unexplored primary sources, Betül İpşirli Argıt demonstrates that the manumission of female palace slaves and their departure from the palace did not mean the severing of their ties with the imperial court; rather, it signaled the beginning of a new kind of relationship that would continue until their death. Demonstrating the diversity of experiences in non-dynastic femaleagency in the early-modern Ottoman world, Life after the Harem shows how these evolving relationships had widespread implications for multiple parties, from the manumitted female palace slaves, to the imperial court, and broader urban society. In so doing, İpşirli Argıt offers not just a new way of understanding the internal politics and dynamics of the Ottoman imperial court, but also a new way of understanding the lives of the actors within it.
THE SULTAN’S HAREM IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE: The Power within the Walls
The subject of this paper is the Harem of the Sultan during the Ottoman Empire, especially after the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent, which was followed by important changes in the dynastic politics. The purpose of the paper is to examine to what extent, for what reason and in what ways the inhabitants of the imperial harem would acquire power and influence the politics of the empire. The main thesis is that different members and categories of the harem would manage to gain leverage beyond the harem walls and become important players in the Ottoman political scene. The physical proximity to the Sultan and the center of power would not let the harem unaffected, but, by contrast, some of the power would be passed to it. Such conclusions not only challenge the common portrayal of the harem as a symbol of despotism and submission but they have a lot to say about the Ottoman society and culture, primarily about the nature of the harem, the role of women and the function of slavery.
Al-Albab, 2015
The urgency of exploring the history of the harem is important, not only because of being a rare phenomenon today or no longer in existence but perhaps this work is like opening the pandora’s box, a nightmare for women. This paper is presented as an academic review to portrait the fact that power is always in contact with wealth and attractive women, especially during a period when patriarchy was dominant. Sultan Sulaiman I was in power between 1520 to 1566 AD, in the 16th century AD. In western literature, Sultan Sulaiman was known as Suleyman the Magnificent. The work concludes, first, that the harem to the people of the Middle East in the medieval times was considered respectable for the family, especially for women both in the context of the imperial and domestic harem, where it was constructed in the name of honor, comfort and safety for women. Second, the construction of social, cultural and religious institutions of harem is the integration between the will to protect and mai...
ORIENTAL HAREMS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF OTTOMANS AND MUGHULS
2023
The etymology of this word related to Arabic word "Harim" means a sacred place which is forbidden for outsiders. In Turkish word seraglio is used and in a Persian harem it is better known as Zenana. A place where women apartments are situated especially, the women of royalty and this place is not accessible for men except for the King/Sultan. In medieval Islamic world, this institution was very much common where the empire sustains this institution which has always remained mysterious and controversial. In Muslim civilisation two harems were contemporary, Mughuls and Ottomans. These two harems were over exaggerated by all travellers of Muslim world. This paper highlights the compositions of these two harems-Mughuls and Ottomans. It is the estimated study which deals with those queens who changed the fate of empires with their political sagacity and wisdom. The harem intimates of Ottomans and Mughuls who belonged to ordinary background how they raised the status of chief queens and contributed to the public and private life of Sultan/King. The critical analysis of war of succession in which harem played a decisive role created the golden chapters of medieval history which is also the part of the last section of this paper. The research method is descriptive used both primary and secondary sources to analyze the institution.