They were considered to be general servants in the harem. Odalisques were at the bottom of the harem hierarchy. The amount of properties, clothing, jewelry, and allowances given, was all-proportional to the affection the Sultan held for them. For example, during the reign of Selim II (the Sot), his favorite, the bas kadin Nurbanu had an entourage of one hundred and fifty ladies-in-waiting. Kadins were equivalent in rank to that of a legal wife, and were given apartments, slaves, and eunuchs. Tradition allowed only four principal Kadins but unlimited number of concubines. Often, she was asked to intervene upon the Sultan's decisions when the Mufti (head of the Muslim religion), or the Viziers (ministers) felt that the Sultan may have made an erroneous decision. Being a female elder in the Imperial family, the Valide was expected to serve as a guide and teacher to her son by educating him about the intricacies of state politics. The Valide Sultan was responsible for the maintenance of order and peace inside the harem. The most powerful women in the harem were the Valide Sultan and the Kadins. It was possible for these odalisques to rise through the ranks of the harem hierarchy and enjoy security through their power and position. For example, the Mistress of the Robes, or the Keeper of Baths, or the Keeper of Jewels, etc. Generally, odalisques would be assigned as servants to the oda (or court) of a harem mistress. Only the most gifted odalisques were presented to the Sultan as his personal gedikli (maids-in-waiting). They learned to dance, recite poetry, play musical instruments, and master the erotic arts. Those that were of extraordinary beauty and talent, were seen as potential concubines, and trained accordingly. Odalisques were not usually presented to the Sultan. All slaves that entered the harem were termed odalisques or "women of the court" - general servants in the harem. Many Georgian and Caucasian families encouraged their daughters to enter concubinage through slavery, as that promised to be a life of luxury and comfort. They were usually bought from slave markets after being kidnapped or else sold by impoverished parents. Numerous harem women were Caucasians, Georgians, and Abkhazians. Young girls of extraordinary beauty were sent to the Sultan's court, often as gifts from the governors. Many of the concubines and odalisques of the Imperial harem were reputed to be among the most beautiful of women in the Ottoman Empire. After all, men could take as many concubines and odalisques as they desired, but they only had one mother. The retention of the title of Sultan for the mother indicated the power of the Valide Sultan. Henceforth, only the mother of the reigning Sultan was addressed as a Sultan: the Valide Sultan. As the role of the royal favorite concubine (title: Sultan) eroded during the 17th century, the title designation also changed to " kadin" or " haseki," which were names originally reserved for less prominent members of the royal family. Although they had no legitimate claim to power, as their favor grew with the Sultan, they acquired titles such as " Sultan Kadin" which solidified their notion of political power and legitimacy within the royal family was reflected with titles including "Sultan".ĭuring the 16th century, both male and female members of the imperial family used the title of "Sultan". The powers of the harem women were exercised through their roles within the family. This led to the evolution of slave concubines as an equal form of reproduction that did not carry the risks of marriage, mainly that of the potential betrayal of a wife. Wives were feared to have vested interests in their own family's affairs, which would interfere with their loyalty to their husband, hence, concubines were preferred, if one could afford them. Slave concubines, unlike wives, had no recognized lineage. It served to emphasize the patriarchal nature of power (power being "hereditary" through sons only). Slave concubines was the taking of slave women for sexual reproduction. Ottoman tradition relied on slave concubines along with legal marriage for reproduction. The reasons for harem existence can be seen from Ottoman cultural history. Many of the harem women would never see the Sultan and became the servants necessary for the daily functioning of the harem. It also contained all the Sultanas (daughters of the Sultan) households. The Imperial harem (also known as the Seraglio harem) contained the combined households of the Valide Sultan (Queen Mother), the Sultan's favorites ( hasekis), and the rest of his concubines (women whose main function was to entertain the Sultan in the bedchamber). The harem was defined to be the women's quarter in a Muslim household.
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