We offer in text and audio several essays from the Russian broadcast of the Voice of Turkey radio about the history and morals of the most famous eastern harem in modern history - the harem of the Ottoman sultans in Istanbul..
Let us recall that the harem was initially located in the Tiled Pavilion separately from the palace, and since the time of Sultan Suleiman, from the mid-16th century, it was moved directly to the Topkapi Palace (Topkapi) - the office and residence of the Sultan. (The transfer was achieved by the well-known Ukrainian Roksolana (Hurrem), who became the most influential concubine in the entire history of the harem Turkish sultans).
Later, when the Ottoman sultans abandoned Topkapi in favor of the new European-style Istanbul palaces of Dolmabahce and Yildiz, the concubines followed them.
Harem - current state as part of the museum in former palace Turkish Sultans Topkapi in Istanbul.
The harem is a state-of-the-art part of a museum in the former Topkapi Palace of the Turkish Sultans in Istanbul. In the background is the Bosphorus Strait, in the foreground is the wall of the courtyard of the former harem.
A shot from the Turkish national broadcaster TRT.
Before moving on to the text of the Turkish source, a few important notes.
When you read this review of harem life, broadcast by the Voice of Turkey, you notice some contradictions.
At times the review emphasizes the almost prison-like severity in which the people of the harem who surrounded the Sultan lived, and at times, on the contrary, it speaks of rather liberal morals. This discrepancy is due to the fact that during the almost 500-year existence of the Sultan's court in Istanbul, morals at the Ottoman court changed, usually in the direction of softening. This applied to the lives of simple concubines and princes - brothers of the sultans.
In the 15th century, during the period of the Turkish conquest of Constantinople (Istanbul) and some time later, the brothers of the sultans usually ended their lives from a noose thrown by eunuchs on the orders of the successful brother who became the sultan. (A silk noose was used because shedding the blood of a royal person was considered reprehensible).
For example, Sultan Mehmed III, after his accession to the throne, ordered the strangulation of 19 of his brothers, becoming the record holder for the number.
In general, this custom, which was in use before, was officially sanctioned by the conqueror of Constantinople, Sultan Mehmed II Fatih (Conqueror) in order to protect the empire from civil strife. Mehmed II pointed out: “For the sake of the well-being of the state, one of my sons, to whom God grants the sultanate, can sentence his brothers to death. This right has the approval of the majority of lawyers."
Later, a number of sultans began to save the lives of their brothers by locking them in the so-called. "golden cage"- isolated chambers in the Sultan's Topkapi Palace, next to the harem. By the 19th century, morals had liberalized even further, and the "cage" was gradually abolished.
Liberalization, as already mentioned, also affected the concubines of the harem. Concubines were originally slaves, sometimes brought to the palace directly from the slave market, sometimes presented to the Sultan - powerless, at the mercy of the ruler. If they did not give birth to heirs for the Sultan, then they were either resold, or after the death of the ruler they were sent to the so-called. the old harem (outside the main Topkapi Palace) where they lived out their days in oblivion.
So, with the liberalization of morals, these concubines in the late period of the Ottoman Empire turned into free women who entered the harem with the consent of their parents in order to make a career. Concubines could no longer be resold; they could leave the harem, get married, receiving a mansion and a monetary reward from the Sultan.
And, of course, the cases of antiquity were forgotten when concubines were simply thrown out of the palace in a bag into the Bosphorus for transgressions.
Speaking about the “career of concubines,” let us recall that the Istanbul sultans (with the exception of Sultan Suleiman, who married Roksolana) never married; the concubines were their family. But about all this in the material from the original source (listen also to audio file below).
“Girls with and without burqas,” or where researchers get information about the harem of Turkish sultans
“From the 15th century, European stories about the Ottoman palace began to appear. True, the harem for a long time remained a forbidden place where Europeans could not penetrate. The concubines and children of the Sultan lived in the harem. The harem in the Sultan's palace was called "darussade", which translated from Arabic means "gate of happiness". (The Arabic word “harem” means “forbidden.” Approx. website).
The inhabitants of the harem had extremely limited connections with outside world. They all spent their lives within four walls. By the way, due to the fact that the Sultan’s concubines did not leave the palace until the beginning of the 19th century, i.e. Before the accession of Mahmud II to the throne, concubines did not cover their heads with a burqa. They began to cover their heads in the Muslim manner from this period, when they were allowed to leave the palace and participate in picnics. Over time, concubines even began to be taken outside of Istanbul to the Sultan’s palace in Edirne. Of course, the women completely covered their faces so that no one could see them.
The eunuchs who served in the harem took very strict measures to prevent outsiders from entering this holy of holies of the Sultan's palace. For the time being, it was the eunuchs who were the people who could tell at least something about the harem. However, the eunuchs did not do this and took their secrets to the grave. Special precautions were also taken when recording what was connected with the economic life of the harem. For example, the names of concubines were almost never mentioned in these documents. Only when the Sultan’s decree is promulgated when creating this or that charitable foundation the names of the concubines could be mentioned, whom the Sultan appointed, so to speak, “chairmen of the board of these funds.”
So there were very few documents that shed light on life in the Sultan’s harem. Only after the deposition of Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1908 did strangers begin to be allowed into the harem. However, their notes were not enough to completely lift the veil from the secrets concerning the harem. As for the notes written before 1909, they can hardly be considered anything reliable, because the authors of the notes were forced to be content only with rumors, often quite incredible. Naturally, there were no images of the concubines left. Historians have only notes from the wives of Western ambassadors, and the authenticity of the images of the Sultan’s concubines in the museum of the Sultan’s Topkapi Palace is very doubtful.
For the time being, the Sultan's palace, surrounded by high walls, was carefully guarded. The harem was protected to an even greater extent. It was almost impossible to get here. The harem was guarded by eunuchs. The guards could not look into the faces of the concubines if they had to conduct a conversation with them. Actually, the courtiers, no matter how much they wanted, could not do this, because these conversations were conducted only from behind the curtain. (But the concubines of nobles at various festive ceremonies and weddings appeared before the Sultan with their heads uncovered). Moreover, even eunuchs, when entering the harem premises, had to announce their arrival with a loud exclamation of “destur!” . (Literally, the exclamation means “road!” Note site). Secret entry into the palace, not to mention the harem, was impossible. This despite the fact that the territory of the palace was quite extensive. To you it may seem that the Sultan's harem was a kind of prison. However, this was not entirely true.
Concubines of the Sultan's harem: from slave to free status
When we mention a harem, concubines, who were essentially slaves, come to mind. The institution of slavery appeared, as we know, at the dawn of mankind. The Arabs were also involved in the slave trade. Incl. and in the pre-Islamic period. Prophet Muhammad did not abolish this institution. However, during the Islamic period, slaves, who consisted mainly of captives, could gain freedom different ways. During the Abbasid period, Baghdad was home to the largest slave market in the East. Moreover, the Abbasid caliphs levied tribute from some regions not in money, but in slaves And. (The Abbasids are the second dynasty of Arab caliphs. The ancestors of the Ottomans, the Seljuks, served with them. After the Abbasid caliphs, it was the Ottoman sultans who became the caliphs of the faithful, so the Ottomans were accustomed to looking back at the traditions of the Abbasid court. Note site).
In accordance with Islamic law, the owner of a slave could use him as a thing with all the ensuing consequences. True, the Prophet Muhammad said that slaves should be given food and clothing from what is available in the house, and not subject slaves to torture. This is why Muslims treated slaves well. (So in the text of “Voices of Turkey” Note website). In addition, the release of a slave was considered a great benefit. The Prophet Muhammad said that a Muslim who frees a slave will be freed from the nightmares of hell. That is why the Ottoman sultans gave dowries, even mansions, to their concubines. Concubines who were released were also given money, real estate and various expensive gifts.
The most beautiful slaves in Ottoman times were assigned to harems. First of all, in the Sultan's. And the rest were sold in slave markets. There was a custom of presenting concubines to the Sultan by viziers, other nobles, and the Sultan’s sisters.
The girls were recruited from among slaves who came from different countries. In the 19th century, the slave trade was prohibited in the Ottoman Empire. However, after this, representatives of various Caucasian peoples themselves began to give girls to the Sultan's harem.
The number of concubines in the Sultan's harem began to increase from the 15th century, from the reign of Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror.
Based on the above, concubines of foreign origin became the mothers of the sultans. It was the Sultan's mother who ruled the harem and controlled harem life. Concubines who bore sons to the Sultan achieved an elite position. Naturally, most of the concubines turned into ordinary maids.
Few became the favorites of the sultans, the concubines with whom the sultans met constantly. The sultans knew nothing about the fate of the others.
Over time, three groups of concubines formed in the Sultan's harems:
The first group included women who were no longer young by the standards of those times;
The other two groups included young concubines. They were trained in a harem. At the same time, the smartest and most intelligent people were taken into training. beautiful girls who were taught literacy and rules of behavior in the Sultan's palace. It was understood that girls from this group could eventually become the mothers of future sultans. Girls selected for the second group, among other things, were taught the art of flirting. This was due to the fact that after a certain period of time, concubines could be taken out of the harem and sold again;
And the third group included the most expensive and most beautiful concubines - odalisques. The girls from this group served not only sultans, but also princes. (The word “odalık” - (“odalisque”) is translated from Turkish quite trivially - “maid”. Note site).
Concubines entering the palace were first given a new name. Most of these names were of Persian origin. Names were given to girls based on their character, appearance, and characteristics. As an example of the names of concubines we can cite: Majamal (moon-faced), Nergidezada (a girl who looks like a daffodil), Nerginelek (an angel), Cheshmira (a girl with beautiful eyes), Nazlujamal (flirty). In order for everyone in the harem to know these names, the girl’s name was embroidered on her turban. Naturally, the concubines were taught Turkish. There was a hierarchy among the concubines, which also depended on the length of their stay in the harem.
About “devshirma” and sultans - eternal bachelors
One of the features of the Ottoman Empire is the uninterrupted power of the same dynasty. The Beylik, created by Osman Bey in the 12th century, then grew into an empire that lasted until the 20th century. And all this time, the Ottoman state was ruled by representatives of the same dynasty.
Before the transformation of the Ottoman state into an empire, its rulers married the daughters of other Turkmen beys or Christian nobles and rulers. At first, such marriages took place with Christian women, and then with Muslim women.
So until the 15th century, the sultans had both legal wives and concubines. However, with the growing power of the Ottoman state, the sultans no longer saw the need to marry foreign princesses. Since then, the Ottoman family began to be continued by the children of slave concubines.
During the Abbasid Caliphate, a court guard was created from slaves, which was much more loyal to the ruler than representatives of other local clans. During the Ottoman period this approach was expanded and deepened. Christian boys were converted to Islam, after which the young converts served only the Sultan. This system was called “devshirme”. (According to the “devşirme” system (lit. “devşirme” is translated as “collection”, but not “tax in blood” - as is often translated into Russian), recruits were recruited into the “Janissary” regiments, but only the most talented boys were sent to study at the Sultan’s palace for preparation for military or civil service, the rest were given to Turkish families in the regions around Istanbul until they came of age. Then these young people, already Turkish and converted to Islam, were assigned to the civil service of the Sultan or to the army. Note website). This system began to operate in the 14th century. Over the next hundred years, this system strengthened and expanded so much that Christian youths converted to Islam occupied all places in the state and military hierarchy of the Ottoman Empire. And so it continued.
The most gifted converts were raised at the Sultan's court. This system of civil palace education was called "enderun". Despite the fact that these people were officially considered slaves of the Sultan, their position differed from the position of slaves, so to speak, of the “classical type”. In the same way, concubines recruited from Christian women enjoyed a special status. Their education system was similar to the “devshirme” system.
It is noteworthy that the recent strengthening of the influence of foreigners converted to Islam led to the fact that in the 15th century, devshirme men began to occupy not only all military, but also all the most important government positions, and devshirme girls from ordinary concubines began to turn into persons whose role in palace and state affairs increased more and more.
One version of the reasons why the Ottoman sultans switched to living with only concubines in Europe was said to be a reluctance to repeat the bitter and shameful fate of Sultan Bayezid I. However, this version was far from the truth. In 1402, a battle took place near Ankara in which the Ottoman troops were defeated by the troops of Timur. Sultan Bayazid was captured, and Bayazid’s wife, the Serbian princess Maria, whom Timur turned into his slave, was also captured by Timur. As a result, Bayezid committed suicide. (The victory of Timur, also known as Tamerlane, slowed the expansion of the Ottoman Empire and delayed the fall of Constantinople and Byzantium by several generations (more than 100 years). Note site).
This story was first described by the famous English playwright Christopher Marlowe in his play “The Great Timurleng” written in 1592. However, what is the truth in the fact that it was this story that forced the Ottoman sultans to stop taking wives, completely switching to concubines? English professor Leslie Pierce believes that the refusal of official dynastic marriages was associated with a clear decline in their political importance for the Ottoman sultans in the 15th century. In addition, the harem tradition traditional for Muslims has taken its toll. After all, the Abbasid caliphs (with the exception of the first) were also children of harem concubines.
At the same time, as evidenced by the story told by the daughter of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, who ruled in the last third of the 19th century (until 1908), by the end of the 19th century monogamy had become widespread in Istanbul. Abdul Hamid II had one favorite concubine, who was distinguished by her coldness of feelings. In the end, the Sultan realized that he could not see the love of his concubine, and gave her as a wife to a clergyman, giving her a mansion. True, during the first 5 days after the wedding, the Sultan kept the husband of his former concubine in the palace, without letting him go home.
XIX century. More freedom for the concubines of the Sultan's harem
The status of a concubine in the harem depended on the degree of closeness to the Sultan. If a concubine, and even more so the Sultan’s most beloved concubines, odalisques, managed to give birth to a son to the Sultan, then the status of the lucky woman immediately rose to the level of the Sultan’s woman.
And if the concubine’s son in the future also became a sultan, then this woman took control of the harem, and sometimes the entire palace, into her own hands.
Concubines who did not manage to fall into the category of odalisques were eventually married off, while being provided with a dowry. The husbands of the Sultan's concubines were, for the most part, high-ranking nobles or their sons. Thus, the Ottoman ruler Abdul Hamil I, who ruled in the 18th century, offered one of his concubines, who had been close to the Sultan since childhood, as a wife to the son of his first vizier.
Concubines who did not become odalisques, but at the same time worked in the harem as maids and teachers of younger concubines, could leave the harem after 9 years. However, it often happened that concubines simply did not want to leave their familiar walls and find themselves in unfamiliar conditions. On the other hand, concubines who wanted to leave the harem and get married before the expiration of the required nine years could make a corresponding application to their master, i.e. the Sultan.
Basically, such requests were granted, and these concubines were also provided with a dowry and a house outside the palace. Concubines who left the palace were given a diamond set, gold watches, fabrics, and everything they needed to furnish their home. These concubines were also paid a regular allowance. These women were respected in society and were called palace women.
From the palace archives we learn that pensions were sometimes paid to the children of former concubines. In general, the sultans did everything to ensure that their former concubines did not experience financial difficulties.
Until the 19th century, concubines handed over to the crown princes were prohibited from giving birth. The first to allow the concubine to give birth was Crown Prince Abdul Hamid, who became Sultan Abdul Hamid I after his accession to the throne. However, due to the fact that the concubine gave birth to a daughter, the latter was raised outside the palace before Abdul Hamid’s accession to the throne. So the girl was able to return to the palace with the rank of princess.
The palace archives preserve many documents telling about the romances between the crown princes and the Sultan's concubines. So, when the future Murat V was 13-14 years old, he was in the palace carpenter's room, at that moment a concubine entered here. The boy was terribly confused, but the concubine said that he had nothing to be ashamed of and that he had 5-10 minutes at his disposal, which he should use for the proper purposes.
It happened that concubines even had affairs with eunuchs. Despite all the problematic nature of these novels. Moreover, it happened that eunuchs killed each other out of jealousy.
In the later stages of the existence of the Ottoman Empire, romances occurred between concubines and musicians, educators, and painters who came into the harem. Most often, such love stories took place between concubines and music teachers. Sometimes the senior concubines-educators turned a blind eye to the novels, sometimes not. So it is not at all by chance that in the 19th century several concubines were married to famous musicians.
There are also records in the archives concerning love stories between concubines and young men who were converted to Islam, and after this sent to the palace for education and training.
Similar stories also happened between concubines and foreigners who, for one reason or another, were invited to work in the palace. So in late XIX centuries a tragic story took place. An Italian artist was invited to paint part of the Sultan's Yildiz Palace. The artist was watched by his concubines. (Yildiz (“Star”) Palace, built in the European style, was the second sultan’s residence built according to European models - after the Dolmabahce Palace. Yildiz and Dolmabahce were strikingly different from the ancient residence of the sultans - Topkapi Palace, built in oriental style. Topkapi was abandoned by the last Ottoman sultans, who moved first to Dolmabahce and then to Yildiz. Note website).
After some time, there arose between one of the concubines and the artist love affair. The teacher, who learned about this, declared the sinfulness of a Muslim woman’s relationship with an infidel. After this, the unfortunate concubine committed suicide by throwing herself into the oven.
Many similar things happened in the lives of concubines. tragic stories. However, it happened that such stories did not end tragically and the adulterous concubines were simply expelled from the palace.
Concubines who committed one or another serious offense were also expelled. However, in any case, the concubines were not abandoned to their fate. This happened, for example, at the end of the 19th century. Once three concubines entertained Sultan Abdul Hamid II while he was working in a carpentry workshop (all sultans had different hobbies). One fine day, one concubine became jealous of another of the Sultan and set fire to the workshop. The fire was extinguished. All three concubines refused to admit guilt, however, in the end, the palace guards managed to identify the culprit of the fire. The Sultan forgave the jealous woman, who nevertheless had to leave the palace. However, the girl was paid a salary from the palace treasury.
Roksolana-Hurrem - “Iron Lady” of the harem
Hurrem is one of the most famous Sultan's concubines, who at one time had a strong influence on Ottoman politics. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska first became the beloved woman of the Sultan, and then the mother of his heir. We can say that Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska's career was magnificent.
In Ottoman times, there was a practice of sending crown princes to the provinces as governors in order for future sultans to gain skills in government. At the same time, their mothers also went with the crown princes to the district designated for them. Documents show that the princes had great respect for their mothers, and that the mothers received salaries that exceeded the salaries of the princes. Suleiman - the future Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century, when he was crown prince, was sent to govern in (the city of) Manissa.
At that time, one of his concubines, Makhidevran, who was either an Albanian or a Circassian, gave birth to a son. After the birth of her son, Makhidevran received the status of the main woman.
At the age of 26, Suleiman ascended the throne. After some time, a concubine from Western Ukraine, which was then part of Poland, entered the harem. The name of this concubine, a cheerful, beautiful girl, was Roksolana. In the harem she was given the name Khurrem (Hurrem), which means “cheerful” in Persian.
At the very a short time Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska attracted the attention of the Sultan. Mahidevran, the mother of Crown Prince Mustafa, became jealous of Hurrem. The Venetian ambassador writes about the quarrel that occurred between Makhidevran and Khyurrem: “Makhidevran insulted Khyurrem and tore her face, hair and dress. After some time, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was invited to the Sultan's bedchamber. However, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska said that she could not go to the ruler in this form. However, the Sultan called Hurrem and listened to her. Then he called Mahidevran, asking if Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska told him the truth. Mahidevran said that she was the main woman of the Sultan and that other concubines should obey her, and that she had not yet beaten the treacherous Hurrem. The Sultan was angry with Mahidevran and made Hurrem his favorite concubine.”
A year after joining the harem, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska gave birth to a son. Following this, she gave birth to five children, including one girl. So the harem rule, according to which one concubine could give birth to only one son to the Sultan, did not apply to Hurrem. The Sultan was very much in love with Hurrem, so he refused to meet with other concubines.
One fine day, one governor sent the Sultan two beautiful Russian concubines as a gift. After the arrival of these concubines in the harem, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska threw a tantrum. As a result, these Russian concubines were given to other harems. This is another example of how Suleiman the Magnificent violated traditions in the name of love for Hurrem.
When the eldest son Mustafa turned 18, he was sent as governor to Manissa. Makhidevran was sent along with him. As for Hurrem, she broke another tradition: she did not follow her sons to the places where they were appointed governors, although other concubines who bore sons to the Sultan still went with them. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was simply visiting her sons.
After Makhidevran was removed from the palace main woman Hurrem became the harem. Hurrem also became the first concubine in the Ottoman Empire, with whom the Sultan married. After the death of the Sultan's mother, Hamse Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska took full control of the harem. Over the next 25 years, she ruled the Sultan as she wanted, becoming the most powerful person in the palace.
Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, like other concubines who had sons from the Sultan, did everything to ensure that her son (or rather one of them) became the heir to the throne. She managed to undermine the Sultan's trust in crown prince Mustafa, who was very loved by the people and who enjoyed great love from the Janissaries. Hurrem managed to convince the Sultan that Mustafa was going to overthrow him. Makhidevran constantly ensured that her son was not poisoned. She understood that conspiracies were being woven around, the goal of which was to eliminate Mustafa. However, she failed to prevent the execution of her son. After that, she began to live in (the city of) Bursa, living in poverty. Only the death of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska saved her from poverty.
Suleiman the Magnificent, who led most of the campaigns, received information about the situation in the palace exclusively from Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska. Letters have been preserved that reflect the Sultan’s great love and longing for Hurrem. The latter became his main adviser.
Another victim of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was the chief vizier, Sadrazam Ibrahim Pasha, who was also once a slave. This was a man who had served the Sultan since Manissa and was married to the sister of Suleiman the Magnificent. Moreover, because of Khyurrem’s machinations, another loyal confidant of the Sultan, Kara-Ahmet Pasha, was killed. Hurrem was helped in her intrigues by her daughter Mihrimah and her husband, Croatian by birth, Rustem Pasha.
Hurrem died before Suleiman. She did not get to see her son ascend the throne. Hurrem entered Ottoman history as the most powerful concubine,” the station reported in its essays on the history of Turkey. (Suleiman’s son from Mahidevran, Mustafa, was strangled on the orders of Suleiman, because the Sultan was inspired that Mustafa was preparing treason. After the death of Roksolana, Years passed by when the deceased Suleiman was succeeded by his son from Hurrem, Selim, who became famous for writing poetry, as well as drunkenness. Ottoman history he now appears under the nickname Selim the Drunkard. In total, Roksolana gave birth to five children to Suleiman, incl. four sons, but only Selim outlived his father. Roksolana's first son Mehmed (life 1521-1543) died at a young age, as did the youngest son Dzhangir (1533-1553); another son of Roksolana, Bayezid (1525-1562), was executed by order of his father after, during a feud with his brother, Prince Selim (who later became the Sultan), he fled to Iran, hostile to the Ottomans, but was then extradited back. Roksolana's tomb is located in Istanbul's Suleymaniye Mosque. Note website).
This series of essays was broadcast by the Turkish state foreign broadcasting Radio “Voice of Turkey” during the winter-spring of 2007, by its Russian edition. This publication provides a transcript of the texts of the essays dated 01/02/2007; 01/16/2007; 01/23/2007; 01/30/2007; 02/27/2007; The subtitles for the essays are arranged by Portalostranah.
What were the living conditions of concubines in the harem of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire, says Alexandra Shutko, candidate of art history, author of the studies “Roksolana: Myths and Realities”, “Letters of Roksolana: Love and Diplomacy” and the novel “Hatije Turhan”.
MYTH ONE About the immensity of harems and group sex
Upon returning home, European ambassadors spoke about the Sultan's harem, which was filled with beauties from all over the world. According to their information, Suleiman the Magnificent had more than 300 concubines. His son Selim II and grandson Murad III allegedly had even more women - he had 100 children.
However, the granary books of the Topkapi Palace contain accurate information about the costs of maintaining the harem. They testify that Suleiman the Magnificent had 167 women in 1552, Selim II - 73, Murad III - about 150. The sultans did not have intimate relationships with everyone, and the family circle included only 3-4% of the total number of concubines : favorites and mothers of children.
So, Suleiman the Magnificent since the 1530s lived in a monogamous marriage with. This was a precedent, because according to Islamic law, the Ottomans could have four official wives and an unlimited number of concubines (mistresses). After Roksolana, sultans married concubines for almost a century. Selim II was faithful to his Greek wife Nurban for most of his life. The Albanian Safiye was the favorite of Murad III and the mother of his five children.
Until the 15th century, sultans married only women of noble birth: Christian princesses and daughters of Turkic tribal leaders.
“The Court of the Elect” is the Sultan’s harem in Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace. Photo: Brian Jeffery Beggerly / Flickr “The Court of the Chosen” is the Sultan’s harem in Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace. Photo: Brian Jeffery Beggerly / Flickr Imperial Hall in the Harem of Topkapi Palace. Photo: Dan/Flickr
The second myth is about the aimless and depraved life of concubines
The harem was not a house of debauchery, but a complex mechanism for the coexistence of the Sultan's family. The lowest level was occupied by new slaves - adjems. I picked them up valid- the mother of the Sultan, who traditionally headed the harem. The Adjem were housed in common rooms under the care of experienced maids.
Girls under 14 years old were taken from captivity of the Crimean Tatars and Ottoman pirates. Then for a long time they were taught in a harem school: read the Koran in Arabic, write in Ottoman, play musical instruments, dance, sing, sew and embroider. Main conditions for casting: young age, beauty, health and chastity are a must.
Evidence of discipline in the harem Arabic script, which decorates the walls of the rooms and corridors of Topkapi. Guides mistakenly claim that these are lines of love poetry. In fact, these are suras of the Koran. So, above the carved marble gates it is written: “O you who believe! Do not enter other people's houses until you have asked permission and greeted their inhabitants with peace. It's better for you". (Surah An-Nur, 27).
No man except the Sultan and eunuch servants had the right to enter these doors into the women's chambers. These were mostly Africans who were castrated by Egyptian Christians during the slave caravans. The law prohibited Muslims from doing this. Prophet Mohammed said: “In Islam, castration is only possible in the form of fasting.”
Arabic calligraphy on a stained glass window in the harem of Topkapi Palace. Photo: Brian Jeffery Beggerly / Flickr Arabic calligraphy on the walls of the Topkapi Palace harem. Photo: Brian Jeffery Beggerly / Flickr Arabic calligraphy on the door in the harem of Topkapi Palace. Photo: Brian Jeffery Beggerly / Flickr
Myth three about unbearable slavery in the Sultan's harem
The life of concubines was radically different from slave labor on the plantation. “All slaves had a surprisingly large amount of free time, which they could dispose of as they wished, freedom of speech and action within the harem.”, notes American researcher of Turkish origin Asli Sancar.
Ottoman nobles dreamed of marrying the Sultan's concubine. Firstly, these were the most beautiful women in the empire, selected for the ruler from among the many enslaved peoples of Europe and Asia. Secondly, they had an excellent upbringing, were taught etiquette and respectful attitude towards their husband. Thirdly, this would be the highest favor of the Sultan and the beginning of career growth in government positions.
Such a marriage was possible for concubines who did not have intimate relationships with the Sultan. After 9 years, such people were freed from slavery and given a large dowry: a house, gold jewelry and a pension, that is, regular payments from the palace treasury.
List of maidservants of the Sultan's harem. Photo courtesy of Alexandra Shutko
Myth four about the death penalty for minor offenses
The West loved horror stories about how disobedient concubines were sewn into leather bags and thrown from the windows of the harem into the Bosphorus. It was rumored that the bottom of the strait was strewn with the bones of girls. But anyone who has been to Istanbul knows that Topkapi Palace was built at a sufficient distance from the water. In our time, the hypothesis about the existence of an underground tunnel to the Bosphorus has not been confirmed.
For misdeeds, concubines were given mild punishments - detention in the basement or beating with a stick on their heels. The worst thing is removal from the harem. This was the case with the concubine of Selim I the Terrible, who had an obnoxious character and started fights with other girls. Pregnant from the Sultan (a unique case!), she was married off to the Pasha's close associate.
Kizlyar Agha, senior eunuch of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, 1912. Source: Wikipedia
Myth five: how the Sultan’s children were taken from their slave mothers
The Sultan's children from slaves were full members of the Sultan's dynasty. Sons became successors to the throne. After the death of their father, the eldest or most dexterous of them received power, and his mother received the highest title for women in the Ottoman Empire. Valide Sultan. The new ruler had the legal right to execute the brothers in order to prevent a fight for the throne that would be destructive to the state. This rule was unconditionally followed until the 17th century.
The Sultan's daughters from his concubines had the title sultans. Marriage with them could only be monogamous. The emperor's sons-in-law had to abandon other wives and concubines: the Sultana was the only mistress in the house. Intimate life was completely controlled by the high-born wife. The husband could enter the bedroom only with the permission of his wife, and after that he did not lie down, but “crawled” onto the bed.
The Sultan's daughters had the right to divorce and remarry. The record was set by Fatma, daughter of Ahmed I, who changed men 12 times. Some were executed by their father, others died in war or died from disease. Then they said that marrying Fatima Sultan meant throwing yourself into the arms of trouble.
"Odalisque". Artist Mariano Fortuny 1861.
Not much is known about how the first Ottoman sultans lived. Turkish scientists to this day, literally, piece by piece, collect information about the rulers themselves, their closest relatives, wives, etc.
The more time passes, the more difficult it is to find true information regarding the first Ottomans.
So, it is still not known exactly how many wives and children the first rulers, Osman and his son Orhan, had. However, according to the discovered historical data, it can be assumed how exactly marriages took place in the early Ottoman beylik.
It is known that Osman’s tribe was not so strong, as a result of which neighboring states did not want to marry off their noble girls to the sons of the Sultan. Men had to choose between neighboring tribes, as well as some Christian peoples, with whom either there was a war, or, on the contrary, there were good neighborly relations.
As we know, a Muslim has the right to have four wives, but in conditions where marriage is sometimes the only opportunity to conclude a peaceful union, such a restriction is very problematic.
Accordingly, it was decided to take foreigners into his harem, giving women all the same rights as official wives with whom the nikah was concluded.
One of the European scientists who is interested in the history of the Ottoman Empire is A.D. Alderson claims that Orhan, the son of Osman, had 6 women in his harem. All of them were women of noble origin: some of them were Byzantines, including the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor John VI, one was the daughter of the Serbian King Stephen, and two local women, including an uncle’s cousin.
Thus, harems were a necessity, which later became traditions. As the empire grew, there were more and more women in the harems, and most of them did not come of their own free will, as in the case of Orhan’s family, but were brought from military campaigns and were captives.
But, as we know, each such slave had a chance to become a mistress.
Did the Sultan only want virgins?
Girls from different parts of the planet came to Topkapi Palace. From everywhere the Ottoman army reached, the soldiers brought women of different origins and ages to Turkey. Among them were rich merchant women, poor peasant women, noble ladies, and rootless girls.
However, not everyone ended up in the Sultan’s harem. Girls for the ruler were chosen according to several criteria at once, in addition to beauty. This includes a healthy body, healthy teeth, beautiful hair and nails. Fair-haired girls with light brown hair and untanned skin were highly valued.
The figure was also important - the slave should not be too thin or overweight. A thin waist and wide hips, a small tummy were valued, but no one really cared about breast size.
Having thoroughly studied the girls at the slave market, they selected the best. They were sent for examination to a doctor, where their health and virginity were checked again. The last parameter was especially important, because each of the slaves could subsequently become the Sultan’s concubine.
Yes, the purity of a woman was important to the Sultan. Despite the fact that a slave is far from a legal wife, her main purpose remained the birth of an heir. Like any eastern man with a hot temperament, the Sultan could not allow the possibility of a connection with a previously used girl.
Moreover, the girls had to keep secret even the fact that while living in their homeland they were engaged or in love. It was necessary to maintain the appearance that the Sultan was the only man interested in his concubines.
However, in addition to virgins, older women, or young women who had already lived, were also taken into the harem. family life. They were needed for housework, cleaning, and cooking.
Were there non-virgins in the Sultan's harem?
The girls for the Sultan's harem were carefully selected. Not only beauty was important, but intelligence and the ability to present oneself. Of course, there were certain standards that a concubine had to meet. These standards were generally known, so if the slave traders came across a suitable girl, they already knew who to offer her to.
As a rule, girls no older than 14 years old were selected. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska fell into the harem at the age of 15 - and this is quite late, for this reason there are many rumors around her life before Suleiman. But she got into the harem already trained in everything necessary, which is why she so quickly ended up in the Helvet of the young Sultan.
But let's return to the concubines. Most often they were completely young girls, from which they “molded” what the Sultan liked. But it is also known that there were older women, and even those who had already been married and had children.
Of course, they were not suitable for the Sultan’s chambers, but they still remained in the palace as laundresses, maids and cooks.
However, there is some evidence that several of the Sultan’s concubines, once in the palace, were no longer virgins.
For example, it is assumed that Safiye Sultan originally belonged to a noble pasha, and then was transferred to Murad II, as the Sultan really liked it.
It is also known that Selim I stole from the Safivid Shah Ismail one of his wives, Tajla, who remained in the Ottoman harem for several years, but was later given to one of the political figures.
Not only Muslims, but also Orthodox princes had harems
The people have the opinion that harems are a primordially Eastern tradition. It is assumed that polygamy is characteristic only of Muslims, and Christians have never practiced such a thing.
However, such a statement is fundamentally incorrect. Even in the Bible we find lines about King Solomon that say “...and he had 700 wives and 300 concubines...”. In general, King Solomon is considered the richest man in the entire history of the Earth, so he could well afford to support such a huge number of women.
As for Rus' specifically, here monogamy began to be instilled only after baptism, and this took more than one century.
It is known that Prince Vladimir could match any Ottoman Sultan with his voluptuousness.
Vladimir had several official wives: Rogneda, who bore him four sons and two daughters; there was also a wife - Greek by nationality, who gave birth to a son; there were wives from the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. In addition, there are 300-500 concubines in Belgorod and Brestov. It is also known that Vladimir did not stop there. He could easily point to any girl he liked, and she was immediately taken to his chambers.
After the baptism of Rus', Vladimir calmed down. He disbanded his harem and even divorced his wives, leaving only one of them. He married the rest to his closest associates.
It took Rus' itself a lot of time to put an end to its “lustful” past. Even several centuries later, many peasants continued to practice polygamous marriages, although the church did not marry them.
Rights of slaves in a harem
Despite the fact that society has a stereotype that states that in the East a woman is a creature without rights, in reality this is far from the case. Of course, we are not discussing countries such as Afghanistan, where only the name remains of religion.
If you study the history of developed Muslim states, it becomes obvious that the attitude towards women there is very stilted. Yes, there are some peculiarities that seem to a European either eccentricity or immorality, but it should be understood that these are completely different laws of life.
For example, take harems. The Sultan's harem is a place where hundreds of women, gathered under one roof, wait for their turn to spend the night with the ruler. Some waited for years and were left with nothing.
However, it's not all that bad. Girls who did not get to the Sultan were married to noble pashas, they were provided for by rich devotees. And, moreover, if they wanted, they could get a divorce and even ask to return to the harem, as a servant or kalfa, for example.
Every girl received an education. Over the years of living in the harem, she accumulated a good fortune, because everyone was paid a salary.
The fact is that a Muslim, regardless of his position, taking a woman into his possession, also took upon himself the obligation to maintain her. He had to dress her, feed her deliciously, and treat her well.
And, meanwhile, a Muslim could not take any woman into his harem. Either it had to be a legal spouse, or a prisoner captured in war. A Christian or Jewish woman could not get into a harem, being a free woman.
And, by the way, the harem slaves could also communicate with their relatives. This was not prohibited, but on the contrary, it was encouraged. Islam does not approve of breaking family ties, so the girls could easily correspond with relatives.
The position of a slave who became pregnant by the Sultan
The ultimate dream of every girl living in the Sultan's harem was the birth of a child to the ruler. Pregnancy opened up completely new opportunities for slaves, increasing their status and living conditions. Although the girls of the harem were already taken care of in the best possible way.
Nevertheless, the slaves dreamed of going to the Helvet. To achieve this, any tricks and even bribery of eunuchs were allowed in. It should be noted that the latter had a very good income from the harem girls.
However, the concubines did not enter the harem in a chaotic order, but in accordance with which of them was capable of conceiving a child. Each girl had to keep a calendar where she noted her menstrual cycle and its features. If the Sultan summoned a girl to him not intentionally, but at the discretion of, for example, a eunuch or Valide, then the one who, according to calculations, was ovulating, was sent to his chambers.
After some time, if the concubine reported menstrual delay, she was taken to the doctor, who, based on the results of the examination, reported whether there was a pregnancy.
If a slave was pregnant, she was housed in separate chambers. She received gifts and decorations from the Sultan and Valide, and a maid was given to help her.
The birth itself often took place in the presence of several midwives; a male doctor could communicate with the woman in labor and give instructions only through a screen.
The pregnant favorite was taken care of in the best possible way. The girl herself prayed to give birth to a son for the Sultan, that is, a shahzade. Girls in ruling family they loved no less, but the birth of a son brought the slave to a different level. The boy could participate in the struggle for the throne. True, if this struggle was defeated, then the Shahzadeh, as a rule, faced death. But they tried not to think about it.
Why did slaves sleep in the same room?
Topkapi is a huge palace complex, the size of which is comparable to a small town. The main Topkapi Palace was very functional. The residence of the ruling sultan, the kitchen, and the harem were located here. It was the latter that aroused the most interest, both among the Turks themselves and among guests of the capital.
IN different time there were up to several hundred slaves in the harem. And only a few of them had a privileged position, while everyone else had to be content with less.
Thus, only the Sultan’s favorites lived in their own chambers. The rest slept in one large hall. Here they had meals, spent leisure time, and even celebrated holidays.
In the series Magnificent Century, the same large room was shown where the life of the concubines took place. However, the question arises, for what reason did all the girls live together?
There were several reasons for this. Firstly, it was less expensive in terms of landscaping and heating.
But more importantly, it was easier to keep track of the slaves. Calfs and eunuchs had to control everything that the concubines did. The rules of behavior in the harem were very strict, so constant supervision was required. God forbid, the concubine would commit some indecent act. Even the harem duty officer could have paid for this with his life.
If the girls had separate rooms, it would be much more difficult to keep track of them. Thefts and quarrels would become more frequent; concubines, having felt freedom, would not be afraid of relationships with eunuchs and male servants.
Nobody wanted such problems. So the life of the slaves was arranged as simply as possible.
Did the Sultans sleep with black slaves?
The original function of the harem was to prolong the line of the ruling sultan. Each ruler had to have at least about ten sons in order to provide himself with heirs.
Unfortunately, a large number of shahzade eventually led to fighting between them, and even fratricide. But, apparently, so that the brothers would not be so offended by killing each other, the rule was introduced: “One concubine - one son.”
The Sultan's concubine could be of any nationality. For a long time On the Ottoman throne sat blond rulers born from Slavic and European women. But over time, Circassian women came into fashion, and the sultans “darkened.”
However, there were never black concubines in the harem. That is, they were used very successfully as servants, since they were hardy and unpretentious, but they were not destined to get into the Sultan’s chambers.
Of course, it was a matter of succession to the throne. A black sultan could not ascend to the Ottoman throne.
And in general, black women were perceived by Turkish men as something exotic, but completely unattractive. Since ancient times, Turks have had a lust and interest in fair-skinned and fair-haired women.
But, of course, it cannot be ruled out that occasionally the sultans did sleep with black women.
By the way, as for Turkish TV series about the reign of the sultans, we didn’t see black women in the Magnificent Century, but in the Kösem empire we were still shown what place they occupied in the hierarchy of the harem.
Why did men dream of marrying a girl from a harem?
As is known, the Sultan's harem could number from several dozen to several hundred young and beautiful girls. Slaves were brought here from all over the world, each of whom was distinguished not only by beauty, but by intelligence and many talents.
It would seem that if the Sultan invests so much money in ensuring that his slaves are the best women in the country, then they can belong exclusively to him. But this issue is not so simple.
Indeed, they put a lot of effort into raising concubines, and money into their maintenance. But at the same time, not every slave was lucky enough to get into the Sultan’s chambers on the Helvet, and giving birth to an heir is generally happiness.
So dozens of young healthy women were left, as they say, not destiny. A few were destined to become favorites, while the rest whiled away their days studying, sewing, and music lessons.
Such an idle life could not continue forever. By the age of 19-20, the girl was approaching the threshold when she was no longer considered young. Yes, yes, at that time girls matured by the age of 13-15. At this age, they were quite capable of conceiving children and were already coping well with childbirth.
As a result, it turned out that dozens of girls of “advanced” age simply lived in the palace, without any benefit or benefit. At the same time, each was smart, educated, knew how to play musical instruments, danced beautifully, cooked - well, in general, a miracle, not a woman.
What to do with such a miracle? The only way out is to get married. Oddly enough, suitors lined up for such a beauty. At the same time, they didn’t even look to see if the girl was a virgin. Even if she was once with the Sultan, but was not in favor, there was still a groom for her.
Moreover, even those concubines who gave birth to a child to the Sultan could be given in marriage, but that one, let’s say, was not destined for a long life. These girls also found their family happiness outside the walls of the palace.
Why would life in a harem seem like hell to you?
There is a false opinion among people that life in a harem was pure pleasure for a woman. No worries, there are caring eunuchs around - and you know, eat sweet delight, and satisfy the Sultan, if he even remembers about you, because there are hundreds of people like you.
However, it was precisely the latter fact that often led to bloody events in the harem. Oddly enough, but for the slaves of the Sultan main goal life was to get to the Helvet to the ruler. It would seem that there is every chance to quietly sit out in a harem, and after 9 years successfully marry some rich pasha - but no, the concubines were not happy with this prospect.
The girls fought a fierce battle for the ruler's attention. Each wanted to become his favorite and give birth to an heir, or, at worst, a girl.
What is the reason for such an unbridled desire to become a sultana? After all, not every ruler was handsome, and many were so - not only were they not distinguished by beauty, but they also had a lot of addictions - alcoholism, opium addiction, and some were generally mentally retarded.
Obviously, most women were attracted to the possible prospects. The truth is that for some reason few people cared about the future fate of their children. After all, the Fatih law was in force in the palace, which allowed the Sultan to kill all male heirs in order to rid the country of possible unrest.
One way or another, women used every opportunity to attract attention to themselves. Rivals were eliminated in the most cruel ways - poisoned, strangled, damaged, etc.
Agree, it is a very dubious pleasure to while away your life in such conditions. But there were still those who wanted it.
In what cases could a concubine become free?
Spectators of the Magnificent Century remember that Suleiman granted Hurrem freedom, and then married her, making her his legal wife. In fact, such a practice was so rare before Suleiman that such cases are only legendary. It was Suleiman’s descendants who began to marry one after another, and their ancestors treated this with great skepticism.
However, the concubine could still receive the long-awaited freedom and become an independent woman.
Surely you already guessed what was required for this. Yes, give birth to a son for the Sultan. However, this alone was not enough. Then it was necessary to wait until the Sultan left this world. He will give his soul to God, in other words.
Only after the death of her master did the concubine become free. But if her child died in infancy, and the Sultan was still alive, healthy and his business was prosperous, she still remained a slave.
A clear example similar situations- Mahidevran and Gulfem. As we know, both lost their children during the Sultan’s lifetime, never receiving freedom.
However, all this looks quite simple only in theory. In fact, it turned out that after the death of the Sultan, his concubines, who gave birth to sons, not only did not receive freedom, but were also sent to the Old Palace, unable to see their children, who meanwhile lived for years in cafes - golden cages.
Only a few slaves managed to live to see their sons become sultans. Then they were returned with honors to the capital's palace, where from now on they were free and ruled the harem.
The real position of concubines in the Sultan's harems
The Sultan's palaces are shrouded in many secrets, most of which are not usually remembered in Turkish society. Much of what is known about the life of the people of the medieval Ottoman state is kept, as they say, under seven seals. And only the descendants of the sultans themselves, their courtiers and employees know how the people of that time actually lived.
These stories are passed down from generation to generation. It is not customary to distribute or make them public. However, we still learn more and more facts every day.
So, one of the most important questions that worries people of our time is how the concubines actually lived in the harem? All over the world there is an opinion that the harem is a kind of place of debauchery and vulgarity, where the sultans satisfied their lust.
However, in fact, it is completely wrong to compare a harem with some kind of brothel. In reality, up to several hundred women could live in a harem at a time. These were young girls who came here, usually at the age of 13-15 years. And if you are now thinking about child molestation, then you are mistaken.
In the Middle Ages, as we know, women matured earlier. By the age of 15, the girl was ready to start a family and become a mother. And in the harem, by this age, girls were taught everything necessary to not only be able to please a man, but also to be a full-fledged member of society.
The girls were taught language, literacy and various skills. And by the time the training was over, the slaves were so accustomed to their position that many did not even think about another life for themselves.
The girls from the harem were treated quite carefully, taking care of their mental and physical condition. They were well fed, dressed in the best clothes, and given jewelry. After all, any of them was a potential favorite of the Sultan, capable of giving birth to a shahzade.
But such a pastime also had its downsides. The first is huge competition. And as a result - constant intrigues, conflicts, reprisals.
At the same time, the behavior of the girls was monitored quite strictly. Any mistake could lead to depressing consequences, even severe punishment.
What could have caused the anger of the overseers, whose role was played by eunuchs and calfs? Any quarrel, God forbid - a fight, a disrespectful look, loud laughter. Yes, yes, laughing and having fun loudly in the palace was strictly prohibited. And not only for girls and servants, but even for members of the Sultan’s family.
As for those girls who were lucky enough to give birth to a child for the Sultan, their lives were a little more interesting. However, not everyone was lucky. Plus, there was a rule according to which after the birth of a son, a slave could no longer visit the ruler’s chambers. Only a few managed to occupy a significant place in the heart of the Sultan and be something more than an “incubator” for the gestation of shahzade.
In a word, the fate of the harem girls was not the most enviable. Living in luxury, each of them was limited in her own will. Birds in one big golden cage.
What associations do we have when we mention the harem? Beautiful girls, sitting on sofas and drinking sherbet, saunas where concubines rub themselves with aromatic mixtures, expensive jewelry, a battle in which hundreds of beauties fight for the attention of the ruler. This is a place saturated with bliss, charm, temptation, feminine fluids and the aroma of musk.
While we compete with all our might with men for equal rights, sometimes forgetting about our essence, women of the East treat a man as a ruler. They use ancient techniques that delight men and turn them into slaves of love for a long time.
I propose to travel back several centuries, to the times of prosperity of the Great Ottoman Empire and look at the life of the harem from the inside. Let's lift the veil of secrecy and take a few lessons in preparing for intimacy and developing attractiveness among the Sultan's concubines.
Protected paradise
The word "harem" means secret, inaccessible and closed. Indeed, the place where the Sultan's concubines and wives lived was closed to everyone except selected members of the Sultan's family.
The Turkish chronicler Dursun Bey once wrote: “If the sun were a man, even he would be forbidden to look into the harem.”
The most famous harem was the Seraglio Palace, located in Istanbul. It consisted of 400 spacious rooms, where more than two thousand concubines lived. The palace was the size of small town surrounded by high walls. Only a true beauty who had passed a strict selection could become an inhabitant of this paradise.
Casting
Random girls never ended up in the Sultan's harem. There was a special plan according to which a certain number of blondes and brunettes were selected. Most of all, the eastern padishahs valued the hips and waist. The ideal ratio was considered to be 2/3 (waist/hips).
The difference between the waist and hips should have been about thirty centimeters. But the girls’ breasts and height were secondary indicators. Slavic beauty was held in special esteem.
The girls were selected not only according to external criteria. The future concubine had to be smart. Candidates who were lucky enough to get into the harem underwent a thorough medical examination.
Seduction courses
Girls selected to serve the Sultan underwent a special two-year training. They were taught by calfas - old, experienced slaves. Future concubines learned the language, the basics of the Koran, literature, poetry, and calligraphy.
We studied poetry and playing musical instruments. The girls were constantly supportive physical fitness, spending a lot of time dancing. Odalisques thoroughly studied court etiquette, learned to serve coffee and sweets, fill a pipe and conduct conversations with the Sultan.
In the second year of study, the harem residents studied the art of self-care. They prepared masks and special aromatic compositions and applied makeup. We learned to dress properly and choose jewelry.
All the girls studied the dance “Raks Sharkhi”. This is a cross between belly dancing and striptease. This dance aroused the love mood and desire of the Sultan.
Then they mastered the subtleties of intimate gymnastics, which we call wumbling. At the end of training, each girl took an exam. In addition to dancing, poetry and etiquette rules, the exam included several very piquant exercises.
Exercise one: jade egg. The girl was seated on a bench with a hole. The legs were spread wide apart, and a small jade egg, to which several threads were attached, was placed in the subject’s vagina. The girl had to squeeze her muscles so that the threads would break when they were pulled.
Exercise two: dance “Raks Sharkhi”. 100 ml of colored liquid was poured into the bowl. The girl injected liquid into her womb and danced. The dance lasted for half an hour. During this time, the future odalisque should not have lost a drop of liquid.
If all tests were passed successfully, she became a legal resident of the harem.
Along the Golden Path
It was not enough just to get into the harem. You can stay there for several years and never get around to being invited to the Sultan’s bedroom. Hundreds of the most beautiful, seductive girls showed off before the Sultan every day. But luck smiled on only a few. To attract the attention of the padishah, the concubines carefully looked after themselves. Dressed the most beautiful dresses, spent several hours a day on makeup. They trained their gait and posture, learned to seduce with just one glance.
If the padishah liked one of the slaves, she received an invitation to the Sultan’s chambers. The girls prepared very diligently for intimacy with the Sultan, because it depended on their skills whether they would be lucky again. The path from the common bedroom to the master's chamber was called Golden. To walk along it, the girl went through a number of beauty rituals.
Hammam
One of the most important rituals of self-care for concubines was going to the hammam (bathhouse). The girls bathed in water infused with hibiscus and violet petals. This product not only softened the skin, but also filled it with a subtle aroma. Then a clay mask was applied to the hair and skin.
Before going to the sauna, the girls removed hair from all parts of the body using a special cream. It consisted of eggs, honey and lemon juice.
In those days, peeling for oriental women was replaced by kese. The steamed skin of the concubine was massaged with a hard silk mitten. This procedure removed dead skin cells and made it soft, like a child’s.
A body worthy of a Sultan
After washing with soap, my hair became stiff. To soften them, Ottoman beauties used hair cream made from mallow flowers. Hundreds of kilograms of these flowers were delivered to the palace every year.
Eastern beauties carefully looked after their hair. Masks were prepared from henna and ground walnut shells. After such a mask, my hair grew very quickly.
To keep the bodies of the concubines elastic and young, clay masks with infusions of flowers and herbs were applied to their skin.
After a thorough bath, the girl’s steamed body is ready for a massage. Specially trained maids relaxed the muscles and bodies of the concubines in anticipation of the night of love.
Steamed skin quickly hardens and wrinkles. Therefore, the girls’ skin was smeared with oils after the hammam. A few drops of aromatic oil were added to olive or sesame oil. In summer they usually added oil of violet or rose, and in winter - cloves.
Before going to bed, the beauties washed their faces with rose water. It softens the skin and smoothes out wrinkles. Turkish rose oil is still used in the manufacture of luxury cosmetics.
Makeup
Before going to the Sultan's bedchamber, the concubines applied makeup. Special attention was given to the eyes. So that the eyes would strike the heart of the padishah at first sight, the girls drew arrows with antimony mixed with ash. To give their lips a scarlet tint, Eastern women chewed betel - a paste with pepper, lime and flax seeds. Cinnamon sticks helped freshen my breath the night before.
It was not so easy to inflame the desire of the Sultan, spoiled by female attention. Each girl tried to highlight her best features. Henna drawings helped complete the look. Slave artists painted patterns on the bodies of odalisques. They covered the hands, ankles, back of the neck or collarbone. Sometimes they were applied to the lower back or under the navel, drawing a path to pleasure.
Unlike Christianity, in the Islamic religion pleasure from intimacy was not considered a sin. But the Koran prohibited anal, group and same-sex relationships. Therefore, the orgies and lesbian pleasures between bored concubines imagined by many Europeans were most likely a fairy tale.
Thanks to the series “The Magnificent Century,” women got the opportunity to immerse themselves in oriental tales about love, deceit and romance. In a television film you can find a huge number beautiful women And courageous men. Influenced by what she saw, one young resident of Moscow left for Turkey, where she married a local guy, and then entered one of the universities in Istanbul. While studying at this university, she came across amazing documents that described in detail the methodology for preparing concubines for life in the Sultan’s harem. The Muscovite shared these secrets with us.
The university is located on the territory of the Old Palace, where women for the harem were trained during the Middle Ages. Among them were those who were being trained for Sultan Suleiman the First, one of the main characters in the series “The Magnificent Century”. The Russian girl really wanted to get acquainted with these ancient documents and learn their secrets. After studying them, it was found that the series contains a large number of fictions and myths. This was all done, of course, to improve the plot.
Features of the life of concubines
IN real life There was real boredom in the harem. But women did everything possible to remain slim and beautiful for as many years as possible. For them, entire complexes of moderate physical activity and nutrition have been developed. With the help of these measures, the Muscovite herself lost 10 kg. excess weight. The word harem can be translated into our language as “prohibition, taboo, protected area.” Only the sultan and the eunuch could enter it. It was a special VIP zone for women with beauty salons, fitness centers and others useful places For beautiful ladies. Naturally, in a medieval format, without modern devices.
Documents indicate that there was a well-thought-out plan to fill the harem with women. They were not simply transported from all over the empire or captured during raids. Statistics show that approximately 87% of women were brunettes, with fewer blondes. As for red-haired people, there were none AT ALL. In the Middle Ages, such ladies were considered unclean.
Secrets of a thin waist
The height of the girl was almost not taken into account when determining whether to join the harem. The main requirement that was placed on them was to be slim. The Sultan primarily paid attention to the waist and hips. Breasts were almost as unvalued as height. Best difference between the hips and waist is described as 2/3. This roughly corresponds to the modern ideal of 60/90. The Sultan's harem consisted of approximately 500 rooms and a large park. Only the monarch's beloved wife could ride in the carriage.
The rest walked, which was the first medieval fitness activity. Every day a competition was held: the running girl had a handkerchief in her hand, and other concubines caught her. Whoever managed to catch the scarf was chosen as the queen of the day. The winner received a massage and other privileges. This was a luxurious reward, since such procedures were performed on those women who were preparing to spend the night with the Sultan. Moreover, the bathhouse could not accommodate a huge number of people, because more than 1000 people could live in the harem.
Young? Dance while you can
There was a lot of dancing. The concubines danced until the orchestra literally collapsed from extreme fatigue. Documents clearly show that women learned approximately 20 types of different dances. Moreover, they all had loads.
Both during rehearsals and when dancing in front of the Sultan, the concubines wore heavy bracelets on their ankles and wrists. They could also wear necklaces. Sometimes the girls held pomegranates, oranges and other fruits in their hands. If you dance in this outfit a couple of times a week, it will guarantee an unforgettable effect.
Another type of physical activity was swimming. There were 3 in the harem large swimming pools. In the 15th century, the first elements of aerobics in water were already present: concubines became pairs and did stretching. It was near the pool that the Sultan watched his wives and chose the one who would please him at night. Dancing, swimming, and running were not super energy-intensive exercises. Therefore, their effectiveness was at a high level.
Rule of seven meals
Historical documents found at the University of Istanbul state that the concubines in the harem ate food 7 times a day. This was the best diet of the time:
- on an empty stomach in the morning they drank ayran, which in the Ottoman Empire was most often served salted;
- for breakfast there were fruits, vegetables, boiled eggs, chicken and ayran again. But only now greenery was added to it;
- coffee. This drink in the Middle Ages was not just a drink of the elite; women could hardly drink it. The exception was the Sultan's concubines. The indispensable companions of coffee were raisins and dates;
- for lunch we always ate lentils or vegetable soup. Olives, meat, thin lavash rolls filled with greens and feta cheese were served at the table;
- lunch with octopus and other seafood. And again vegetables, olives, cheese. It is worth noting that the amount of food consumed was strictly dosed. The girl was not allowed to eat more than 250 grams. in one go. Therefore they ate from small plates;
- for dinner there were mostly fruits. And for the lucky one who went to the Sultan’s bedroom, coffee was allowed;
- At night, I drank a glass of ayran with chopped herbs in it.
But it was not sweet with sweets. The baked goods were given to the girl who spent the night with her master. And she ate it in the first half of the day. Since not all concubines were with the Sultan, they might not eat baked goods for years.
Protection against pregnancy in a harem
Separately, it is necessary to say about the methods of contraception in the harem. Not all the Sultan's concubines had the right to give birth to children. At least for a certain period of time. The fact is that all boys born both from the main wife and from concubines had the right to claim the throne. The eldest son could become the sultan first; the rest could claim the role of ruler in order of seniority.
Therefore, birth control was very important for political purposes in order to avoid possible civil strife between contenders for the throne in the future. In those distant times they were used quite little effective means contraception. They were decoctions and homeopathic ointments. So, it is worth mentioning olive and cedar oils, lead salts. The latter option posed an even greater health threat.
To prevent pregnancy, tampons made from pomegranate pulp and cotton were used. They were laced with some drugs, including hashish. A completely unusual method of contraception for harem concubines was the use of... a mixture of animal excrement, earwax and cabbage (!!!). This truly hellish method very often led to the most dire consequences.
There were other tampons against pregnancy. They were made from (and here we go again) cotton, honey and crocodile dung. There were also male methods of contraception. Moreover, they were distinguished by higher efficiency. For example, there were condoms made from animal intestines and fish skin. Less effective was the use essential oils and onion juice, which was used to treat the Sultan’s genitals.
An extremely radical method of preventing pregnancy was the removal of the concubine's uterus and ovaries. This guaranteed 100% protection against having children. But such cases were not particularly common. And therefore, almost always after a night with the Sultan, the wife or concubine became pregnant.
Features of national cuisine
Turkish cuisine is best suited to those people who want to lose excess weight. After all, all products are prepared in olive oil and only dietary meat is used - chicken, lamb, veal. Vegetables with salads should never be seasoned with mayonnaise. It is best to use them instead olive oil, lemon juice, a small portion of vinegar. Vegetables are good for health, the more of them, the better. Pay attention, in particular, to baked eggplants, which were invented for the Sultan's harem. In modern Turkish cuisine, yogurt is highly valued, in which they can cook meat dishes. Nowadays, in addition to this healthy food and water procedures, Women's Viagra can improve a woman's sex life; you can order this amazing drug on the website of our online pharmacy.