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130-650: Dolmabahçe Palace was ordered by the Empire's 31st Sultan, Abdulmejid I , and built between the years 1843 and 1856. Previously, the Sultan and his family had lived at the Topkapı Palace , but as the medieval Topkapı was lacking in contemporary style, luxury, and comfort, as compared to the palaces of the European monarchs, Abdülmecid decided to build a new modern palace near the site of the former Beşiktaş Sahil Palace, which

260-429: A concubine, Roxelana somehow caught the attention of Sultan Suleiman I and he continued to call for her to return to his bed. Roxelana bore her first son, Mehmed, in 1521, after the sultan's first two sons passed away. The couple soon had more children. That Roxelana was allowed to give birth to more than one son was a stark violation of the old royal harem principle of "one concubine mother — one son," and it signaled that

390-550: A council to report the needs of their region. This was the prototype of the First Ottoman Parliament (1876). Another notable reform was that the turban was officially outlawed for the first time during Abdülmecid's reign, in favour of the fez . European fashions were also adopted by the Court. (The fez would be banned in 1925 by the same Republican National Assembly that abolished the sultanate and proclaimed

520-480: A finger in every aspect of harem life. Haseki sultan : This was the title reserved for the favorite chief slave consort of the Ottoman sultan. A haseki sultan had an important position in the palace, being the most powerful woman and enjoyed the greatest status in the imperial harem after the valide sultan and usually had chambers close to the sultan's chamber. The haseki had no blood relation with

650-498: A higher and more meaningful position to black eunuchs due to an increase of crime by white eunuchs. Despite all of this, many black eunuchs suffered oppression from white eunuchs because of their physical bodies and race. During the Sultanate of Women ( Kadınlar Saltanatı ), eunuchs increased their political leverage by taking advantage of minor or mentally incompetent sultans. Teenage sultans were "guided" by regencies formed by

780-467: A new sultan came to the harem with pomp and circumstance and assumed the title of valide sultan or sultana mother upon her son's ascension. She would become a prominent leader, whose power extended over the harem as well as the members of the dynasty. The valide sultan who influenced the political life of the Ottoman Empire during various periods of history (such as the Sultanate of Women in

910-534: A political institution, where royal women lived and worked at the center of the government. Roxelana completely changed the way in which women were treated within the harem and helped modernize the Ottoman Empire. Ottoman imperial palaces were managed by a legion of special employees and slaves, called eunuchs. Eunuchs were castrated men recruited and trained to serve in the apartments of the princes, also called kafes (cage), as well as women's quarters of

1040-547: A powerful woman was emerging in Suleiman's court. Sometime around 1533–1534, Suleiman declared Roxelana a free woman and married her, violating yet another 300-year-old custom of the Ottoman harem in which sultans were not to marry their concubines. It marked the first time a former harem slave was elevated to the powerful role of spouse. No other children were born to Suleiman from another concubine during his entire reign. Suleiman wrote love poetry and letters to Roxelana while he

1170-496: A quarter of the yearly tax revenue. Actually, the construction was financed through debasement , by massive issue of paper money, as well as by foreign loans. The huge expenses placed an enormous burden on the state purse and contributed to the deteriorating financial situation of the Ottoman Empire, which eventually defaulted on its public debt in October 1875 , with the subsequent establishment in 1881 of financial control over

1300-470: A receipt was discovered showing it had been paid for in full by the Sultan. Dolmabahçe has the largest collection of Bohemian and Baccarat crystal chandeliers in the world. The famous Crystal Staircase has the shape of a double horseshoe and is built of Baccarat crystal, brass and mahogany . Expensive stones such as Marmara (Proconnesian) marble, Egyptian alabaster ( calcite , also known as onyx-marble), and Porphyry from Pergamon were used for

1430-467: A suite with a bedroom, throne room, bath, rooms for her servants, a bakery, commissary, and kitchens which were all grouped around the largest court of the harem, known as the Queen Mother's Court. Over the course of the sultans' residences at Topkapı Palace, the harem was first a residence for slave girls, then became an area run by the sultan's favorite wife, and finally a spacious area focused on

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1560-501: A word derived from the Turkish Oda, meaning chamber, was a chamber girl or attendant, but was not a term synonymous with concubine. However, in western usage, the term has come to refer specifically to the harem concubine. The cariye s, often introduced into the harem at a young age, were brought up in the disciplines of the palace. This was the largest group of women in the harem. Inexperienced female slaves who newly entered

1690-558: Is the largest palace in Turkey. It has an area of 45,000 m (11.1 acres), and contains 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 baths ( hamam ) and 68 toilets. The design contains eclectic elements from the Baroque , Rococo and Neoclassical styles, blended with traditional Ottoman architecture to create a new synthesis. The palace layout and décor reflect the increasing influence of European styles and standards on Ottoman culture and art during

1820-482: The Edict of Gülhane , also known as Tanzimat Fermanı, was proclaimed, consolidating and enforcing these reforms. By these enactments it was provided that the sultan's subjects of all classes should have their lives and property protected; that taxes should be fairly imposed and justice impartially administered; and that all should have full religious liberty and equal civil rights. The scheme met with strong opposition from

1950-541: The Kaaba and to provide financial assistance to the local population of Hejaz . On the wall to the right is a painting signed by Rudolf Ernst depicting the fire at the Paris Municipal Theater and another painting of a Dutch Village Girl by Delandre . Decorated with French style furniture, this room also contains very valuable porcelain vases. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk spent the last days of his life in

2080-572: The Muslim governing classes and the ulema , or religious authorities, and was only partially implemented, especially in the more remote parts of the empire. More than one conspiracy was formed against the sultan's life on account of it. The 1840s saw the creation of the first banknotes and the establishment of the Ottoman lira . The financial system was reorganised after the French model. Tax farming

2210-420: 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. This institution played an important social function within the Ottoman court , and wielded considerable political authority in Ottoman affairs, especially during

2340-544: The Tanzimat period. The exterior, in particular the view from the Bosporus, shows a classical European two-wing arrangement which is divided by a big avant-corps with two side avant-corps. Functionally, on the other hand, the palace retains elements of traditional Ottoman palace life, and also features of traditional Turkish homes. It is strictly separated structurally in a southern wing ( Mabeyn-i Hümâyûn , or Selamlık ,

2470-458: The " sick man of Europe " by the European powers. The palace was home to six Sultans from 1856, when it was first inhabited, up until the abolition of the Caliphate in 1924: The last royal to live here was Caliph Abdülmecid Efendi . A law that went into effect on March 3, 1924, transferred the ownership of the palace to the national heritage of the new Turkish Republic. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk ,

2600-558: The 1550s further expanded the empire's reach and access to slave caravans. Eunuchs served in the palace from the times of Sultan Mehmed I onwards. They were given the charge of guarding the harem and rose in rank after serving in many positions. The harem eunuchs and the harem organization were under the command of the chief harem eunuch, also called the Master of the Girls ( Kızlar Ağası ) or chief black eunuch . Castration meant they were

2730-446: The 16th and 17th centuries) had the authority to regulate the relations between the sultan and his wives and children. When a prince left the capital for his provincial governorate, he was accompanied by his mother. In this way, she was able to fulfill her duty of directing the prince's domestic household and provide training and supervision of harem inhabitants. At times, the valide sultan acted as regent for her son, particularly in

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2860-419: The 18th and 19th centuries ultimately forming a palace complex named Beşiktaş Waterfront Palace. The area of 110,000 m is confined by Bosporus on the east side, while a steep precipice bounds it on the west side, such that after the building of the new 45,000 m monoblock Dolmabahçe Palace a relatively limited space has remained for a garden complex which would normally surround such a palace. Dolmabahçe

2990-475: The British Ambassador to Turkey, allowing her to spend time in the Ottoman Empire and write extensively about her experiences there. In her writings, she explained that the Ottoman women did not lack in their privileges due to their control over property, autonomy in the harem, and sexual liberty through the wearing of veils. Montagu admired Ottoman slave institutions and actively defended them, which

3120-605: The Dolmabahçe Palace. Given that this new site did not have enough space to support the number of women in the imperial harem, it was downsized with wives, unmarried sisters, and servants being moved elsewhere. In 2014 a project began to restore and refurbish the harem chambers at Yıldız Palace and open them to tourism. As part of this project, scholars and others began to research the harem architecture, ornate decor, furnishings, and everyday lives of its inhabitants. Much of this work has yet to be published. The mother of

3250-554: The Dolmabahçe palace is extensively decorated with gold and crystal. Fourteen tonnes of gold were used to gild the ceilings. Over 100 kg of gold was used to decorate the palace, this weight today costs US$ 6 million. The world's largest crystal chandelier is in the Ceremonial Hall. It has 750 lamps and weighs 4.5 tonnes. The chandelier was originally assumed to have been a gift from Queen Victoria ; in 2006, however,

3380-524: The English should attempt to better understand the Turkish woman. She wrote that the Turkish woman is "proud" and "insists that her dignity be respected." Ellison also spoke extensively on the institution of slavery in the Ottoman Empire and voiced her desire to save the women in the harem. She "longed to break down for them the lattice-work which is always there between them and the sun," and lamented about

3510-759: The Medhal are towards the sea and the land. The rooms facing the sea were used by the leading Ottoman officials, the Grand Vizier and the other state ministers, while the rooms facing the land were used by various administrators of the palace and the state, such as the Palace Marshall, Şeyhülislam , and members of the House of Representatives ( Meclis-i Mebusan ) and the Senate ( Meclis-i Ayan ). Guests would first wait in this hall and then would be led inside at

3640-593: The Medhal to the right is the Clerk's Hall, also referred to as the Tiled Room. The largest painting in the palace collection, a depiction of the Surre Procession by Stefano Ussi , hangs on the left wall of this hall. Surre was used to refer to the caravans which travelled from Istanbul to Mecca during the religious month of Recep, bearing the monetary aid used to support the maintenance and the decoration of

3770-699: The New palace and 1,500 in the Old Palace, and that there were 1,100 – 1,200 in 1604–1607, but these numbers are likely overestimated. The actual number of women are estimated to have been 49 in 1574 and 433 in 1633. In the 18th- and 19th-century, the official mevacib register is sometimes preserved, and notes that the harem contained 446 slave women during the reign of sultan Mahmud I (r.1730–1754), 720 during sultan Selim III (r. 1789–1808), and 473 during sultan Mahmud II (r.1808–1839). The Ottoman Imperial Harem, like other aspects of Ottoman and Middle Eastern culture,

3900-526: The Ottoman Court." Ellison condemned the act of veiling as form of "slavery". In 1868, Empress Eugénie of France visited the Imperial Harem, which had significant consequences. She was taken by Sultan Abdülaziz to greet his mother, Valide Sultan Pertevniyal Sultan . Reportedly, Pertevniyal became outraged by the presence of a foreign woman in her harem, and so she slapped the empress in

4030-518: The Ottoman Empire in 1839. Abdülmecid was a mild-mannered monarch, giving the Sublime Porte the autonomy needed for its reform projects. One of the main goals of the Tanzimat was to encourage Ottomanism among the millets to stop rising nationalist movements within the empire, but despite new laws and reforms to integrate non- Muslims and non-Turks more thoroughly into Ottoman society, in

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4160-467: The Topkapı harem. Young slave girls inhabited a large dormitory. Women's sexual relations with the sultan determined their living quarters. Once a slave girl had sex with the sultan she received her own chamber, attendants, kitchen maids, a eunuch, and pay. All of these were increased if she became pregnant. If she bore a child she might be moved into an even larger apartment. Sultan Murad III alone tripled

4290-539: The Turkish Republic in 1923). When Lajos Kossuth and his comrades sought refuge in Turkey after the failure of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 , the sultan was called on by Austria and Russia to surrender them, but he refused. According to legend, plans were made to send humanitarian aid of £ 10,000 (£1,225,053.76 in 2019 ) to Ireland during its Great Famine , but later it

4420-505: The affairs of the Ottoman Empire were in a critical state. His father Mahmud II died at the start of the Second Egyptian–Ottoman War , the news reached Istanbul that the empire's army had just been defeated at Nizip by the army of the rebel Egyptian viceroy , Muhammad Ali . At the same time, the empire's fleet was on its way to Alexandria , where it was handed over to Muhammad Ali by its commander Ahmed Fevzi Pasha on

4550-552: The age of 38 on 25 June 1861 in Istanbul, and was buried in Yavuz Selim Mosque , and was succeeded by his younger half-brother Sultan Abdulaziz , son of Pertevniyal Sultan . At the time of his death, Abdülmecid had one legal wife and queen consort, Perestu Kadın , and many concubines. Abdülmecid would not allow conspirators against his life to be put to death. The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica says of him, "He bore

4680-503: The artists who illustrated the Ottoman Imperial Harem, very few actually visited the empire, and all were male, so it is highly possible that these depictions were neither accurate nor authentic. There were quite a few women who traveled to the Ottoman Empire and published their opinions on the harem. Lady Mary Montagu , an early eighteenth century English aristocrat and writer, was one such woman. Her husband served as

4810-471: The beauty and manners of Fatima, a Turkish woman, to that of European women. Fatima would be considered beautiful "either in England or Germany " and could be "suddenly transported upon the most polite throne of Europe nobody would think her other than born and bred to be a queen, though educated in a country we call barbarous." Grace Ellison was another woman who traveled to the Ottoman Empire and wrote of

4940-534: The borrowed money. An addition to Dolmabahçe Palace (1853), Beykoz Pavilion (1855), Küçüksu Pavilion (1857), Küçük Mecidiye Mosque (1849), Teşvikiye Mosque (1854) are among the main architectural works of the period. Again in this period, as was done by Bezmiâlem Sultan 's Gureba Hospital (1845-1846), the new Galata Bridge was put into service on the same date. In addition, many fountains, mosques, lodges and similar social institutions were repaired or rebuilt. Abdülmecid died of tuberculosis (like his father) at

5070-463: The character of being a kind and honourable man, if somewhat weak and easily led. Against this, however, must be set down his excessive extravagance, especially towards the end of his life." Abdülmecid had one of the most numerous harem of the dynasty . He is known to be the first sultan whose harem was not composed of slave girls but, due to the progressive abolition of slavery in the Ottoman Empire, of girls of free birth, noble or bourgeois, sent to

5200-490: The collection are 23 paintings by Ivan Aivazovsky which he created as a court painter during his stays in Istanbul. The collection also includes paintings by Gustave Boulanger , Jean-Léon Gérôme , Eugène Fromentin , Stanisław Chlebowski , Félix Ziem , Karl Joseph Kuwasseg , Fausto Zonaro , Théo van Rysselberghe and Alexander Sandor Svoboda. There are also paintings by Turkish painters such as Osman Hamdi Bey , Halil Pasha and Osman Nuri Pasha in this art museum. From

5330-400: The communal and honored aspect of the haram . As the sultan became increasingly sedentary in the palace, his family members, previously dispersed between provincial capitals, were eventually relieved of their public duties and gathered in the imperial capital. The official move of members of the Ottoman dynasty to the harem at Topkapi Palace in the sixteenth century gradually transformed

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5460-434: The confidence of the sultan, even when he was away on military campaign, and had unique access to the sultan's bedchamber, including arranging appointments with harem consorts. Some of the eunuch's basic duties were watching over the women in the harem, negotiating and speaking to both the sultan and their relatives, and supervising the palace and keeping everyone safe. Meanwhile, the chief white eunuch ( Kapı Ağası ),

5590-417: The costs of war, placed a burden on the treasury. All of the debts received from Beyoğlu consumers exceeded eighty million gold liras. Some of the debt securities and hostages were taken by foreign traders and bankers. The Grand Vizier Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha , who criticized this situation harshly, was dismissed by the sultan on 18 October 1859. The Egyptian governor Mehmed Ali Pasha , who came to Istanbul as

5720-672: The country to confusion. His attempts at strengthening his base in the Balkans were overshadowed by incidents that took place in Montenegro in 1858 and Bosnia . In 1861 he was forced to give up Lebanon through the creation of the Mutasarrifate of Mount Lebanon . The major European states had taken the opportunity to intervene in their own interests. Ottoman statesmen panicked in the face of this situation. The fact that Abdülmecid could not prevent this situation further increased

5850-479: The decoration. The palace includes a large number of Hereke palace carpets made by the Hereke Imperial Factory. The Hereke carpet featured in the main hall happens to be the largest Hereke rug in the world. Also featured are 150-year-old bearskin rugs originally presented to the Sultan as a gift by Tsar Nicholas I . A collection of 202 oil paintings is on display in the palace. A highlight of

5980-648: The dissatisfaction caused by the Edict of Tanzimat. The opponents formed the Society of Fedâis  [ tr ] which sought to eliminate Abdülmecid and put Abdulaziz on the throne in order to prevent the European states from acting like a guardian. This revolt attempt, the Küleli Incident , was suppressed before it even started on 14 September 1859. Meanwhile, the financial situation deteriorated and foreign debts, which were taken under heavy conditions to cover

6110-399: The empire from greater embarrassment. Like his father, Abdülmecid was an advocate of reforms and was lucky enough to have the support of progressive viziers such as Mustafa Reşit Pasha , Mehmet Emin Âli Pasha and Fuad Pasha . Abdülmecid was also the first sultan to listen directly to the public's complaints on special reception days, which were usually held every Friday. Abdülmecid toured

6240-454: The empire's territories to see in person how the Tanzimat reforms were being applied. He travelled to İzmit , Mudanya , Bursa , Gallipoli , Çanakkale , Lemnos , Lesbos and Chios in 1844 and toured the Balkan provinces in 1846. In compliance with his father's express instructions, Abdülmecid immediately carried out the reforms to which Mahmud II had devoted himself. On 3 November 1839,

6370-412: The eye of the sultan. In some cases, they were also concubines. They, too, were ranked among one another by the sultan in order of preference. Cariye : These were the slave women who served the valide sultan , ikbal 's, kadin 's and the sultan's children. They could be promoted to kalfa s which meant they earned wages, otherwise they were the property of the sultan and would reside in

6500-420: The face, almost provoking an international incident. The visit of the empress, however, did lead to a dress reform in the harem. Western fashion grew popular among the harem women, who continued to dress according to Western fashion from then on. However, women from the west also started to become more curious about the fashion of the harem women. Lady Montagu was one of the women who became very passionate about

6630-475: The far back of the palace, hidden away from much of the palace population. In the layout of the Topkapi Palace, the harem was located in the right wing just behind the imperial council building. For the first time in history, the imperial harem was central and visible in Ottoman political life. The centralization of the harem's living quarters in Topkapi Palace reflected a changing in power dynamics between

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6760-406: The first instance of a sultan marrying one of his slaves. The last haseki was Rabia Sultan , the haseki of the sultan Ahmed II . Over time, the term haseki was no longer used because, it became very apparent that it didn't support the custom of honoring the valide sultan. Kadın : Among the women of the Imperial Harem, the kadın was the slave woman (or women) who had given

6890-591: The founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, used the palace as a presidential residence during the summers and enacted some of his most important works here. Atatürk spent the last days of his medical treatment in this palace, where he died on November 10, 1938. Today, the palace is managed by Milli Saraylar Daire Başkanlığı (Directorate of National Palaces) responsible to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey . The site of Dolmabahçe

7020-540: The founding of an Ottoman school in Paris. Many army reforms were also implemented in the early 1840s, including the introduction of conscription . In 1844, an Ottoman national flag was adopted and Abdul Mecid's anthem was adopted as the Ottoman imperial anthem . In 1853 the General Council of Reorganization ( Meclis-i Âli-i Tanzimat ) was established. Two representatives from each eyalet were summoned to

7150-492: The greater Ottoman world outside of the harem walls. The imperial harem occupied a large section of the private apartments of the sultan at the Topkapi Palace which encompassed more than 400 rooms. The harem had been moved to Topkapi in the early 1530s. After 1853, an equally lavish harem quarter was occupied at the new imperial palace at Dolmabahçe . The structure of the imperial palace was meant to communicate "both

7280-423: The group who came next in rank to the valide sultan . Right below the kadın s in rank were the ikbal s, whose number was unspecified. Last in the hierarchy were the gözde s. During 16th and 17th centuries, the chief consort of the sultan received the title haseki sultan or sultana consort. This title surpassed other titles and ranks of a prominent consort, known as ( hatun and kadın ). When

7410-529: The harem at Topkapı Palace . At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the corps of Topkapı harem eunuchs numbered between 800 and 1,200. This was, and would remain, the highest number of eunuchs ever employed. These eunuchs were Nilotic slaves captured in the Nile vicinity. The sultans were able to obtain these slaves because of the conquest of Egypt in 1517 , which gave direct access to slave caravans that used those routes. The conquest of northeastern Sudan in

7540-442: The harem varied over time, and the harem itself was regularly renewed as a result of the practice of manumission . Manumission of the previous sultan's concubines was especially common upon the enthronement of a new sultan. Most enslaved girls were Christian and came from various countries, regions, and ethnic groups, including Circassia, Georgia, Russia, and Africa. There was no standard practice that determined what age girls entered

7670-432: The harem was to ensure there were separate quarters built for the royal family and their leisure. It was common practice for the Sultan's personal concubines to reside within the harem. Rooms meant to house and educate the children of the Sultan as well as the Sultan's own living quarters are included in what would be considered the harem. Usually most Sultans beforehand had restricted their wives and concubines from being in

7800-425: The harem, founded on family-based relationships among the women. This family was not limited to blood connections but included the whole royal household, consisting mainly of slaves. Following the evolution of the imperial harem, from the sixteenth century onward, shows that while the organizational structure of the harem was never static and the numbers and roles of servants within the palace was constantly fluid, there

7930-433: The harem. Roxelana became Suleiman's most loyal informant when he was away and after his mother's death. She became a legendary and influential woman of her time. Roxelana established grand foundations to assist the needy, and showed special compassion towards slaves. She also ensured that the talented women of the harem left palace service to marry deserving partners. She transformed the royal harem at Topkapi Palace into

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8060-462: The harem. Newly arrived slave girls were called Acemi (novice) and Acemilik (novicitiate), and then Sakird (apprentice). Gedikli were the personal maidservants of the sultan. Cariye-women were manumitted to go after nine years of service, after which a marriage was arranged for them. The number of women in the harem is contested and only possible to estimate during some periods. Contemporaries claimed that in 1573, there were 150 women in

8190-416: The harem. Some arrived as children, while others entered at a later age. This slave trade was formally banned in 1854 but the ban was on paper only. After 1854, almost all court lady-slaves were of Circassian origin. Circassians had been expelled from Russian lands in the 1860s and impoverished refugee parents sold their daughters in a trade that was formally banned but continued in practice. Upon arrival at

8320-459: The harem.Their status was inferior to the preferred concubines. They were also not identified among the family elite of the harem. When court ladies had contact with the outside world it was through the services of intermediaries, such as the Kira . However, such exposure was rare. The harem was intentionally very cloistered and hidden from public view. This inaccessibility was maintained to preserve

8450-399: The identity of the sovereign's residence as the central arena of the empire and the difficulty of obtaining access to the sovereign within that arena." The strategic location and architectural design of the harem quarters within Topkapi Palace reflected a vital shift in the harem's newfound influence and power within the palace. In previous palaces, the harem quarters were always located in

8580-401: The imperial harem into a well-organized, hierarchical, and institutionalized social and political structure, with rigid protocols and training. At the end of the sixteenth century, except for the sultan himself, no member of the royal family, male or female, left the capital. Both children and mothers were permanent occupants of the inner world of the palace. The harem was the ultimate symbol of

8710-478: The imperial harem. In An Englishwoman in a Turkish Harem published in 1915, Ellison sought to "correct" the prejudice and hatred that dominated the British national attitude towards Turkey. She wrote of the beauty and grandeur of the Ottoman Empire and of the great friends she had made there. She spoke highly of the progressive movements in Turkey and claimed that rights for women were increasing. Ellison claimed

8840-406: The imperial palace were called acemi (novice), and their early period of service and training was known as acemilik (novitiate) before they were eligible for promotions. There was a strict hierarchical system of status and roles within the harem and cariye s. They were promoted according to their capacities, intellect, and skills. The harem was broken into two main groups: those who directly served

8970-498: The life of the palace. For example, he abandoned the Topkapı Palace , which the Ottoman dynasty had used for four centuries, and constructed the more modern Dolmabahçe Palace . Between 1847 and 1849 he had repairs made to the Hagia Sophia mosque. He also founded the first French Theatre in Istanbul. Many reconstruction activities were also carried out during the reign of Abdülmecid. Palaces and mansions were built with some of

9100-439: The long period known as the Sultanate of Women (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. 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

9230-651: The long term, the movement failed. Abdülmecid forged alliances with the major powers of Western Europe, namely the United Kingdom and France , which fought alongside the Ottoman Empire in the Crimean War against Russia . During the Congress of Paris on 30 March 1856, the Ottoman Empire was officially included among the Concert of Europe . Abdülmecid was succeeded by his brother, Abdul Aziz . Abdülmecid

9360-513: The men of the palace and the women of the harem. Topkapı Palace served as the royal residence of the Ottoman sultan for four centuries. There is a wealth of sources about this structure making it one of the most fully documented buildings in the Islamic world. The architectural structure of the harem changed over time due to consecutive sultans' renovations. During the time of Murad III , (1574–1595) each of his 40 wives had separate quarters within

9490-418: The men were often painted as darker. The portraits of notable imperial harem women were less sexualized with many of them resembling traditional European portraits in their dress and physical features. Italian artist Titian's paintings of Hurrem Sultan and her daughter Mihrimah Sultan are extremely similar to his popular Portrait of a Lady , with the only notable difference being the Ottoman headdress. Of

9620-473: The mosque. The tower was ordered by Sultan Abdülhamid II and designed by the court architect Sarkis Balyan between 1890 and 1895. Its clock was manufactured by the French clockmaker house of Jean-Paul Garnier, and installed by the court clock master Johann Mayer. Abdulmejid I Abdülmecid I ( Ottoman Turkish : عبد المجيد اول , romanized :  ʿAbdü'l-Mecîd-i evvel , Turkish : I. Abdülmecid ; 25 April 1823 – 25 June 1861)

9750-535: The most recognizable orientalist artwork based on the imperial harem. The Turkish Bath and Harem , (both pictured), are two such examples. These images were described as constituting the "imaginative geography" outlined in Edward Said's Orientalism . There was a prevalence of nudity in the bath scenes and the depiction of polygyny with multiple women and usually one man in the paintings. The women in these paintings were often portrayed as fair-skinned while

9880-448: The natural or divine order," that all other societies must work towards achieving. In particular, European notions of race, sexuality, and gender heavily influenced their perception and depictions of life and politics in the Ottoman empire . The West's assumed social organization was that of "public/commonwealth/male and private/domestic/female." Conversely, in Ottoman society , politics and imperial activity occurred in private. Seclusion

10010-480: The official invitation of the sultan on 19 July 1846, was shown privileged hospitality by the sultan and the vükela (government ministers). So much so that the old vizier built the Galata bridge in 1845 so that he could drive between Beșiktaș Palace and Bab-ı Ali . Although he emphasized his commitment to the ceremonial rules imposed by his ancestors at the ceremonies reflected outside, he adopted radical changes in

10140-417: The only males allowed and entrusted to be in the presence of the female population of the palace. As eunuchs also had direct access to the sultan and the sultan's family, they had great influence and power in the court and empire. The office of the chief harem eunuch was created in 1574. The chief black eunuch was sometimes considered second only to the grand vizier (head of the imperial government). He had

10270-451: The outside world, the main entrance for the visitors is located on the narrow southern side. There, the representation rooms are arranged for receptions of visitors and of foreign diplomats. The harem area includes eight interconnected apartments for the wives of the sultan, for his favourites and concubines, and for his mother, each with its own bathroom. Whereas the Topkapı Palace has exquisite examples of Iznik tiles and Ottoman carving,

10400-505: The palace as his health deteriorated. He died at 9:05 A.M. on November 10, 1938, in a bedroom located in the former harem area of the palace. All the clocks in the palace were stopped and set to 9:05 after his death. The clocks outside of his room now are set to the actual time in Turkey , but the clock in the room in which he died still points to 9:05. The harem was a traditional feature of many Middle Eastern architectural structures throughout history. The point of Abdulmecid's construction of

10530-615: The palace became available to the sultans, their families, and the harem. The imperial harem chambers were placed at the back of Dolmabahçe Palace, and functioned much the same as within Topkapi up until the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in 1922. The history of the Yıldız Palace begins in 1795 when Selim III built a pavilion there for his mother, marking a moment when valide sultans began managing and inhabiting their own hilltop estates. The complex later became widely known as having been

10660-463: The palace, women and girls began a rigorous transformation process. They were converted to Islam, learned religious precepts through recitation of core Islamic creeds, and were given new Muslim names that matched their physical appearance or personality. They were trained in court manners and activities and taught the Turkish language. As part of this total transition to a new life, the women were prohibited from contacting their families. An Odalisque ,

10790-401: The position of valide sultan was vacant, a haseki could take on the valide 's role, having access to considerable economic resources, and serving as the sultan's advisor in political matters, foreign policy and international politics. Such cases happened during the eras of Hürrem Sultan and Kösem Sultan . Concubines who were not consorts of the sultan became "forgotten women" of

10920-408: The possible mother of a future sultan gave them much influence and power in the harem. Ikbal : These slave women needed not necessarily to have given a child to the sultan, but simply needed to have taken his fancy. Ikbals were women who were chosen to become the new Kadin. Many of these women were referred to as gözde (meaning 'favorite'), or 'in the eye', having done just that: caught

11050-488: The power of prominent male and female members of the imperial household. According to Edward Said , Orientalist paintings , reflected Europe's eroticized view of Islam with luxury, leisure, and lust being common motifs. Similarly, writers focused on slavery and sexuality, and frequently compared Ottoman practices with those of the West. French artists such as Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and Fernand Cormon painted some of

11180-420: The premises of the harem without the explicit permission of the valide sultan . The power of the valide sultan over concubines even extended to questions of life and death, with eunuchs directly reporting to her. Court ladies either lived in the halls beneath the apartments of the consorts , the valide sultan and the sultan, or in separate chambers. The kadın s, who numbered up to four, formed

11310-578: The pretext that the young sultan's advisers had sided with Russia . However, through the intervention of the European powers during the Oriental Crisis of 1840 , Muhammad Ali was obliged to come to terms, and the Ottoman Empire was saved from further attacks while its territories in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine were restored. The terms were finalised at the Convention of London (1840) which saved

11440-421: The privacy and sanctity of the consorts, future sultans, and harem at large. Hurrem Sultan, also called Roxelana , was a female concubine who completely transformed the harem system and left a lasting impact on the Ottoman Empire. Roxelana is believed to have been kidnapped from Ruthenia or "Old Russia" located in modern-day Ukraine. She was renamed Hurrem, "the cheerful one," upon her arrival in Istanbul. As

11570-435: The proper time by a palace protocol officer. On entering the Medhal, one sees Boulle tables on both sides of the room, which bear the monogram of Sultan Abdülmecid on top. The royal monogram of the sultan is also on the fireplace. The English chandelier hanging in the middle of this room has sixty arms. The Hereke fabrics used as upholstery for the furniture and as draperies are in the royal shade of red. The second room after

11700-492: The public, however Abdulmecid unprecedentedly allowed them to leave the palace to shops and bazaars under supervision. A number of further residential buildings are located near the palace including the palace of the Crown Prince ( Veliaht Dairesi ), the quarters of the gentlemen-in-waiting ( Musahiban Dairesi ), the dormitories of the servants ( Agavat Dairesi , Bendegan Dairesi ) and of the guards ( Baltacılar Dairesi ),

11830-473: The quarters of the Chief Eunuch ( Kızlarağası Dairesi ). Further buildings include imperial kitchens ( Matbah-i Amire ), stables, an aviary ( Kusluk ), a plant nursery ( Fidelik ), a flour mill, a greenhouse ( Sera ), a Hereke carpet workshop ( Hereke dökümhanesi ), a glass manufactory, a foundry, a pharmacy etc. A baroque style mosque designed by Garabet Balyan was built near the palace in 1853–1855. It

11960-493: The quarters reserved for the men) which contains the public representation rooms, and a northern wing ( Harem-i Hümâyûn , the Harem ) serving as the private residential area for the Sultan and his family. The two functional areas are separated by the big Ceremonial Hall ( Muayede Salonu ) with a floor area of 2,000 m (22,000 sq ft) and a 36 m (118 ft) high dome. Since the harem had to be completely isolated from

12090-446: The queen mother ( valide sultan ), the grand vizier and the valide 's other supporters – and the chief black eunuch was the queen mother's and chief consorts' intimate and valued accomplice. Kösem Sultan, mother of Sultan Ibrahim (r. 1640–1648) and grandmother of Sultan Mehmed IV (r. 1648–1687), was killed at the instigation of the mother of Mehmed IV, Turhan Sultan, by harem eunuchs in 1651. Kızlar ağası : The kızlar ağası

12220-465: The reigning sultan but ranked higher than the sultan's own sisters and aunts, the princesses of the dynasty. Her elevated imperial status derived from the fact that she was the mother of a potential future sultan. This term haseki sultan was given to any woman who entered the sultan's bed. Hurrem Sultan was the first to hold this title after she became legally married to Suleiman the Magnificent ,

12350-553: The reorganization of the Civil and Criminal Code and the reorganization of education. The General Council of Education ( Meclis-i Maarif-i Umumiye ) was created in 1841, followed by the Ministry of Education  [ tr ] . A new system of civil and criminal courts was established with both European and Ottoman judges. The first modern universities and academies in the European tradition were established in 1848, coinciding with

12480-498: The residence of the Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II, beginning in 1880. The palatial complex is demarcated by the Çırağan Palace on the waterfront and extending up to a valley between Besiktas and Ortaköy. After assassination attempts, Abdülhamid II moved his immediate family to the Yıldız Palace to live in a two-story mansion known as the Şale Kiosk. This became the new harem quarters following its location at

12610-439: The rule. The imperial harem also served as a parallel institution to the sultan's household of male servants. The women were provided with an education roughly equal to that provided to male pages. At the end of their respective educations, the men and women would be married off to one another and "graduated" from the palace to occupy administrative posts in the empire's provinces. There was a distinct hierarchical structure within

12740-563: The seventeenth century, when a series of accidents incapacitated the sultan. Regencies endowed the valide sultan with great political power. The valide sultan even influenced the way Ottoman sultans waged wars. The ethnic background of the valide sultan was a major determinant of whether a military target would be aimed at North Africa, the Middle East, or Europe. The sultans were likely to be mindful of their matrilineal descent when determining their next conquest. Matrilineal background

12870-417: The size of the Imperial Harem from 1574 to 1595. By the mid 18th century, an imperial hall, also known as the "privy chamber," took on Europeanizing decorations and inscriptions dating from the renovations made by Osman III. This was a spacious, domed hall that overlooked the garden and was the place where official ceremonies and festivities took place. The Queen Mother's quarters during this time consisted of

13000-425: The sultan a child, preferably a son. The kadıns , or official concubines, were individually ranked by the sultan in order of preference. Most sultans kept four kadıns . These women had the social, but not legal, status of wife. The first kadın reported was during the reign of Mehmed IV . Baş kadın : The first/most senior slave consorts were called baş kadın or birinci kadin . The consort who held

13130-444: The sultan as consorts, and those who worked in the service of the sultan, the dynasic family, and other high-ranking members of the harem. All women and girls would enter the harem as acemi cariyes and work their way up to acemilik. The next step was sakird (apprentices), with the goal of being promoted to a gedikli (directly waiting on the sultan), usta (mistress), or even kadin (consort), if they were lucky. The cariye s with whom

13260-693: The sultan by the will of the families. He was also the first sultan whose harem assumed a defined hierarchical structure which included four Kadın , followed by four Ikbal , four gözde and a variable number of minor concubines. Abdülmecid I had at least twenty-six consorts, but only two were also legal wives: Abdülmecid had at least nineteen sons: Abdülmecid I had at least twenty-seven daughters: [REDACTED] Media related to Abdül Mecid I at Wikimedia Commons [REDACTED] Works by or about Abdülmecid I at Wikisource Imperial Harem The Imperial Harem ( Ottoman Turkish : حرم همايون , romanized :  Harem-i Hümâyûn ) of

13390-421: The sultan shared his bed became a member of the dynasty and might rise in rank to attain the status of gözde ('the favorite'), ikbal ('the fortunate') or kadin ('the woman/wife'). The highest position was the valide sultan , the legal mother of the sultan who, herself, used to be a wife or a concubine of the sultan's father and rose to the supreme rank in the harem. No court lady could enter or leave

13520-425: The sultan's daughters, who were also called sultans. These princesses were admired and could rival their father for popularity and recognition. They were also useful for the political alliances their marriages secured for the empire. These women were known throughout the empire and had important reputations to uphold. Consequently, only a small fraction of the women in the harem actually engaged in sexual relations with

13650-480: The sultan's family run by the Queen Mother . The rank of individuals residing in the harem was reflected in its architecture. Quarters were continuously remodeled according to new requirements and changing fashions. This resulted in harem space being a collection of ever more fragmented units. In 1842, the Dolmabahçe Palace started to be built. It was created for entertainment and "relaxation" purposes. In 1856,

13780-420: The sultan's power. His ownership of women, mostly slaves, was a sign of wealth, power, and sexual prowess. The emphasis on seclusion of the harem and dynastic life away from the public gaze also communicated his power, as only those closest to him had the privilege to interact with him privately. The only person in the harem with "ritual and retinue appropriate to her status," was the valide sultan. The institution

13910-489: The sultan, as most were destined to marry members of the Ottoman political elite, or else to continue service to the valide sultan. Within the harem, the valide sultan and the sultan's favorite concubine or concubines were effectively able to create factional support for themselves and their sons, creating a bridge between the palace and the outside world. Harem politics revolved around the establishment of matrilineal legacies and finding ways to garner alliances and support from

14040-470: The title baş kadın was in the second rank and most powerful after the valide sultan in the harem. She had a great influence in the harem. Before the creation and after the abolition of the title haseki , the title baş kadın was the most powerful position among the sultan's consorts. A sultan did not have more than four kadin s (the same law used for legal wives in Islam). Their position as

14170-644: 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. The word harem is derived from the Arabic harim or haram , which connotes the sacred and forbidden. The term further emphasizes that only women household members, and some related male family members, were able to enter these areas. The word has also been traced back to meaning "sanctuary," reflecting

14300-469: The very beginning, the palace's equipment implemented the highest technical standards. Gas lighting and water-closets were imported from Great Britain, whereas other palaces in continental Europe were still lacking these features at that time. Later, electricity, a central heating system and an elevator were installed. A visit to the Dolmabahçe Palace begins at the Medhal Hall. Rooms leading off

14430-680: The war and were winning signatories at the Treaty of Paris (1856) . The Empire would be inducted into the Concert of Europe . In a compromise with the Great Powers , Abdul Mecid issued another reform edict in February 1856 known as the Imperial Reform Edict (Islâhat Hatt-ı Hümâyûnu) which was perceived by many subjects as relinquishing sovereignty. The Ottoman Empire received the first of its foreign loans on 25 August 1854 during

14560-421: The war. This major foreign loan was followed by those of 1855, 1858 and 1860, which culminated in default and led to the alienation of European sympathy from the Ottoman Empire and indirectly to the later dethronement and death of Abdülmecid's brother Abdülaziz . On the one hand, financial imperfections, and on the other hand, the discontent caused by the wide privileges given to the non-Muslim subjects again led

14690-413: The white eunuchs, acting as a chief servant and procurer. Valide sultan : The valide sultan was the mother of the reigning sultan and the most powerful woman in the harem, not to mention the empire. She was the absolute authority in the seraglio, and she, with the help of the kapı ağa and the kızlar ağası , often her confidantes, or even men she herself had chosen upon her accession, had

14820-443: The women's ignorance of life outside the harem: "If they stay it is because they wish to stay, and are therefore happy. Their existence, however, seems a most heartrending waste of human life." Her analysis of cruel and antiquated Ottoman practices was not limited to the concubines, as she described her interaction with eunuchs : "It is difficult for me, however, to remember that these poor mutilated anachronisms are great personages at

14950-414: Was a strong sense of institutional continuity and unchangingly rigid hierarchies within the harem. The valide sultan , the sultan's mother, held power over the harem and this power sometimes extended over aspects of society. She was the custodian of imperial power, and worked to consolidate both her son's rule and continuation of the dynasty. She resided at the top of the female hierarchy. Next in line were

15080-402: Was abolished and aşar was to be equally levied everywhere. Plans were also set to abolish slave markets . After the Imperial Reform Edict , further reforms towards equality between millets were implemented, including the abolition of a capitation tax which imposed higher tariffs on non-Muslims and the right to serve as soldiers in the Ottoman army . Other French-inspired reforms included

15210-470: Was agreed to reduce it to £1,000 (£122,505.38 in 2019 ) at the insistence of either his own ministers or British diplomats to avoid violating protocol by giving more than Queen Victoria , who had made a donation of £2,000. Food and grain were also sent. On 16 October 1853, the Ottoman Empire entered another war against Russia that would be known as the Crimean War , where it was soon joined by France and Britain. The Ottomans successfully participated in

15340-421: Was away at war. He even had grand monuments built to exhibit his love for her. She became known as Haseki, "the favorite," but some accused her of seducing Suleiman with sorcery. Many in the Ottoman court were bewildered by Suleiman's total devotion to one woman and the ensuing radical changes in the harem hierarchy. But Roxelana's great perseverance, intelligence, and willpower gave her the edge over other women in

15470-537: Was born on 25 April 1823 at Beşiktaş Palace or at Topkapı Palace , in Istanbul . His mother was the Georgian consort Bezmiâlem Kadın . Abdülmecid received a European education and was the first sultan to speak fluent French. Like Abdülaziz who succeeded him, he was interested in literature and classical music. When Abdülmecid acceded to the throne on 2 July 1839, he was only sixteen and inexperienced, and

15600-534: Was commissioned by queen mother Bezm-i Âlem Valide Sultan. Since 1948 the building housed the Naval Museum, but the museum was moved to another location in 1960 after the coup d'état of May, 27th . In 1967, the mosque was returned for worship. A clock tower ( Dolmabahçe Saat Kulesi ) was erected in front of the Imperial Gate (Saltanat Kapisi) on a square along the European waterfront of Bosporus next to

15730-506: Was demolished. Hacı Said Ağa was responsible for the construction works, while the project was realized by architects Garabet Balyan , his son Nigoğayos Balyan and Evanis Kalfa (members of the Armenian Balyan family of Ottoman court architects). The construction cost five million Ottoman gold lira , or 35 tonnes of gold , the equivalent of ca. $ 1.9 billion in today's (2021) gold values. This sum corresponded to approximately

15860-456: Was depicted by European artists, French artists, writers, and travelers. As Leslie Peirce writes, Europe found that all the power that the Ottoman Empire had was established in the Harem. According to Scott, through their depictions of the Harem, members of European imperial powers imposed their constructions of social organization onto other cultures, assuming their social hierarchies as "part of

15990-576: Was in charge of 300 to 900 white eunuchs as head of the "Inner Service" (the palace bureaucracy, controlling all messages, petitions, and State documents addressed to the Sultan), head of the Palace School , gatekeeper-in-chief, head of the infirmary, and master of ceremonies of the Seraglio, and was originally the only one allowed to speak to the Sultan in private. In 1591, Murad III began to give

16120-515: Was introduced in the Turkish society with adoption of Islam, under the influence of the Arab caliphate , which the Ottomans emulated. To ensure the obedience of the women, many were bought and kept in slavery. However, not all members of the harem were slaves. The main wives, especially those taken into marriage to consolidate personal and dynastic alliances, were free women. This was the exception, not

16250-409: Was not as actively gendered in a strict binary, because the privacy of both male and female members of the imperial family symbolized their power over the rest of society. Western depictions of the imperial harem also worked to gender the meaning of the title sultan. Western tradition made this term synonymous with the male ruler of the empire, while the Ottomans themselves utilized this term to denote

16380-551: Was originally a bay on the Bosporus which was used for the anchorage of the Ottoman fleet. The area was reclaimed gradually during the 18th century to become an imperial garden, much appreciated by the Ottoman sultans ; it is from this garden that the name Dolmabahçe (Filled-in Garden) comes from the Turkish dolma meaning "filled" and bahçe meaning "garden." Various small summer palaces and wooden pavilions were built here during

16510-486: Was so important that a sultan descended from a European mother was more than 70 percent less likely to orient the empire's imperial venture in the West. For the perpetuation and service of the Ottoman dynasty , slave girls were either captured in war, given as gifts to the Sultan and the dynastic family on special occasions, recruited within the empire, or procured from neighbouring countries to become imperial court ladies ( cariyes ). The number of female slaves within

16640-466: Was the 31st sultan of the Ottoman Empire . He succeeded his father Mahmud II on 2 July 1839. His reign was notable for the rise of nationalist movements within the empire's territories. Abdülmecid's greatest achievement was the announcement of the Tanzimat Edict upon his accession, prepared by his then Foreign Minister Mustafa Reshid Pasha , which effectively began the reorganization of

16770-399: Was the chief black eunuch of the Ottoman seraglio . The title literally means 'chief of the girls', and he was charged with the protection and maintenance of the harem women. Kapı ağası : Whereas the kızlar ağası was responsible for guarding the virtue of the odalisques , the kapı ağası was a chamberlain to the ladies. His name means "lord of the door," and he was the chief of

16900-645: Was uncommon among British authors at that time. Montagu believed that conditions were worse for women in Europe than they were for women in the harem. In championing the way in which Ottoman women were treated, it appears Montagu may have been trying to bolster the feminist agenda in England. Like other female writers, Lady Mary also focused on the appearance of the women and their homes as markers of social status: ornate decoration, detailed dresses, and an abundance of jewels reflected higher social status. Lady Mary compares

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