Ottoman Imperial Harem

"Imperial Harem" redirects here. For other uses, see Mughal Harem, Imperial Chinese harem system, and Harem.
A cariye or imperial concubine.

The Imperial Harem (Ottoman Turkish: حرم همايون, romanized: Harem-i Hümâyûn) of the Ottoman Empire was the Ottoman sultan's harem – composed of the wives, servants (both female slaves and eunuchs), female relatives and the sultan's concubines – occupying a secluded portion (seraglio) of the Ottoman imperial household.[1] This institution played an important social function within the Ottoman court, and wielded considerable political authority in Ottoman affairs, especially during the long period known as the Sultanate of Women[2] (approximately 1533 to 1656).

Historians claim that the sultan was frequently lobbied by harem members of different ethnic or religious backgrounds to influence the geography of the Ottoman wars of conquest.[2] The utmost authority in the imperial harem, the valide sultan, ruled over the other women in the household. The consorts of the sultan were normally of slave origin, including the valide sultan.

The Kizlar Agha (Kızlarağası, also known as the "Chief Black Eunuch" because of the Nilotic origin of most aghas) was the head of the eunuchs responsible for guarding the imperial harem.

  1. ^ "Harem". Merriam-webster.com. Merriam-Webster, Inc. n.d. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  2. ^ a b Iyigun, Murat (July 2013). "Lessons from the Ottoman Harem on Culture, Religion, and Wars" (PDF). Economic Development and Cultural Change. 61 (4): 693–730. doi:10.1086/670376. S2CID 144347232.