Characteristic of the ancient Ottoman Empire, the harem was the part of the sultan’s palace intended for the women who served it. Among them were his wives, mother, daughters and slaves, or concubines, who were responsible for taking care of the palace’s household chores. The origin of the harems comes from the historical cultural construction of the Ottoman empire, which depended on slave labor and saw concubinage, or the taking of women as sex slaves, a way to guarantee the continuation of the lineage without worrying about possible betrayals or intrigues. that could form around the families of their original wives.
Concubines and odalisks were the names given to women who were part of the harems. However, while the odalisks, or “women of the court”, were slaves, usually prisoners of war or young people who surrendered to the palace in the hope of living in luxury and comfort, the concubines were women considered extremely beautiful, educated, trained in the arts of reciting poetry and with musical skills. These were generally given as a gift or an offering to the sultan.
The hierarchy of a harem
The harem had a hierarchical order that was headed by the sultan’s mother. She was seen as the sultan’s immediate representative in his absence from the harem, while the other wives, concubines and odalisks were found to be lower in the hierarchical scale. However, the hierarchy was not fixed between odalisks and concubines. Slave women could move up the hierarchy of the harem depending on their relationship with the sultan, and could even become the favorite or even carry a legitimate heir.
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The most powerful women in the harem were Valide and the Kadins. Being recognized as the empire’s elder, Valide was commonly consulted by ministers and religious chiefs when they believed that the sultan’s decisions were wrong. Valide was also seen as responsible for the creation and education of the future sultan, her son, who would rule the entire empire one day. The Kadins, in turn, were the sultan’s four favorite women. They had the same status as the official wife and enjoyed great luxury, such as a house, jewelry, slaves and eunuchs under his command.
