Thanks to the series “The Magnificent Century,” women had the opportunity to immerse themselves in oriental tales of 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 prepared for Sultan Suleiman the First - one of the main characters series "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. All this was 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. Entire complexes of moderate temperatures have been developed for them. physical activity and nutrition. 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 area for women with beauty salons, fitness centers and other 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.
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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. The best difference between hips and waist is described as 2/3. This roughly corresponds to modern ideal 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 large pools in the harem. 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:
- I drank ayran on an empty stomach in the morning, which Ottoman Empire most often served salted;
- for breakfast there were fruits, vegetables, boiled eggs, chicken and again ayran. 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 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, rather ineffective means of contraception were used. They were decoctions and homeopathic ointments. So, it is worth mentioning olive and cedar oil, 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 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 of essential oils and onion juice, which were 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 meat dishes can be cooked. Nowadays, in addition to this healthy food and water procedures improve sex life women can use Women's Viagra, you can order this amazing drug on the website of our online pharmacy.
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, everything became in harems more women, 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 and healthy body, healthy teeth, beautiful hair and nails. Much appreciated blonde girls, With brown hair and untanned skin.
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 anyone oriental 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, these were very young girls, from whom 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 richest man throughout the 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 dissolved 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 the best 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 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 so that his slaves are the most the best women countries, then they can belong exclusively to himself. 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 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, for the Sultan’s slaves the main goal in 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 of such situations is Makhidevran 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 best outfits, gave 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.
Concubines under the supervision of a eunuchThe word “harem” translated from Arabic means “separated, forbidden.” This place in the house was always hidden from prying eyes and was carefully guarded by servants. Women lived in this secret room. The main one was either the wife who had the honor of marrying first and held a high title together with her betrothed, or the eunuchs.
Often there were a huge number of women in the Sultan's harems, the number of which could reach several thousand. The wives and concubines for the Sultan were always chosen by his mother - this is a strict rule. It was very easy to find yourself in a harem - all you had to do was be a beautiful young virgin. But even after finding themselves in a harem, not everyone managed to establish a relationship with their “husband” and give him an heir.
Such high competition among wives allowed only the most intelligent, calculating, dexterous and cunning women to advance to the top. Those who did not have such talents were doomed to perform household duties and serve the entire harem. They might never see their betrothed in their entire lives.
Who will be your favorite today? Harems also had their own special rules that could not be violated. Moreover, everything was far from as romantic as in the popular TV series “The Magnificent Century”. The overlord could get carried away new girl, and those who “sore their eyes” could be executed. Moreover, the methods of reprisal were striking in their cruelty.
One option to get rid of your annoying wife is to immerse her in a leather bag with snakes, tie her tightly, tie a stone to the bag and throw her into the sea. The easy way execution - strangulation with a silk cord.
Almost in heaven. If you believe the documents, the first harems arose in the Ottoman Empire. Initially, it was formed exclusively from slaves, and the sultans took as wives only the heirs of Christian rulers of neighboring states. However, during the reign of Bayezid II, the usual attitudes underwent changes. From that time on, the Sultan did not limit himself to marriage at all, and acquired children from his slaves.
Undoubtedly, the most important thing in the harem was the Sultan, then in the chain of hierarchy was his mother, called the “valide”. When the ruler of the country changed, his mother always moved to a luxurious mansion, and the moving process itself was accompanied by a luxurious procession. After the Sultan’s mother, his betrotheds, who were called “Kadyn-effendi,” were considered the most important. Next came the powerless slaves, called “jariye”, with whom the harem was often simply filled.
How did you end up in a harem?
The Caucasian princes wanted their daughters to end up in the Ottoman harem of the Sultan and marry him. When putting their daughters to bed, caring fathers sang songs to the little ones about a happy destiny, a luxurious fairy-tale life in which they would find themselves if they were lucky enough to become the wives of the Sultan.
The rulers could buy their future slaves when the babies were five to seven years old, they raised them and raised them until puberty, i.e. up to the age of 12-14 years. Parents of girls renounced their rights to their child in writing after they voluntarily sold their daughter to the Sultan.
Serving the Sultan is a whole science. While the baby was growing up, she learned not only all the rules of bonton, but also how to give a man pleasure. Upon reaching adolescence, the grown-up girl was shown in the palace. If, during examination, a slave was found to have defects in her appearance or body, she never learned etiquette and showed bad behavior, she was considered unfit for the harem and was worth less than others, so her father was paid a smaller amount than what he expected.
Ordinary days of slaves
The lucky ones, whom the Sultan was supposedly thinking of taking as his concubines, had to know the Koran perfectly well and master female pre-marriage. And if the slave still managed to take the honorable place of the wife, her life changed radically. The Sultan's favorites were organizing charitable foundations, financed the construction of mosques. They revered Muslim traditions. The Sultan's wives were very smart. The high intelligence of these women is confirmed by letters that have survived to this day.
The concubines were treated with relative dignity, they were well taken care of, and they were regularly given gifts. Every day, even the simplest slaves received a payment, the amount of which was set personally by the Sultan. On holidays, be it a birthday or someone's wedding, slaves were given money and various gifts. However, if the slave was disobedient and regularly violated established orders and laws, the punishment for her was severe - severe beating with whips and sticks.
Being beautiful is the main task. After 9 years of living in the harem, the slave received the right to leave it, but on the condition that the master approves of it. If the Sultan made a positive decision, the woman received from him a document stating that she was a free person. In this case, the Sultan or his mother necessarily bought her a luxurious house, gave her an additional dowry, and looked for her a husband.
Well, before the onset of heavenly life, especially passionate concubines tied intimate relationships between their own kind or with eunuchs. By the way, all the eunuchs were brought from Africa, so they were all black.
This was done for a specific purpose - in this way it was not difficult to identify the person who committed adultery with the servant. After all, in case of pregnancy, black babies were born. But this happened very rarely, because slaves often ended up in the harem already castrated, so they could not have children. Love relationships often began between concubines and eunuchs. It even got to the point that women who left the harem left their new husbands complaining that the eunuch gave them much more pleasure.
Roksolana's real name is Anastacia. Until the 16th century, persons from Russia, Georgia, Croatia and Ukraine ended up in the harem. Byazid tied himself in marriage with a Byzantine princess, and Orkhan Ghazi chose the daughter of Emperor Constantine, Princess Caroline, as his wife. But the most famous Sultan's wife was from Ukraine. Her name was Roksolana, she remained in the status of betrothed to Suleiman the Magnificent for 40 years.
Roksolana's real name is Anastasia. She was the daughter of a priest and was distinguished by her beauty. The girl was preparing for the wedding, but shortly before the celebration she was kidnapped by the Tatars and sent to Istanbul. There, the would-be bride ended up in a Muslim market where slave trade took place.
As soon as the girl found herself within the walls of the palace, she converted to Islam and learned the Turkish language. Anastasia turned out to be very cunning and calculating, therefore, through bribery, intrigue and collusion, in a short time she reached the young padishah, who became interested in her, and then married. She gave her husband three healthy heroes, among whom was the future Sultan - Selim the second.
Harem interior. There are no more harems in modern Turkey, and the last one disappeared at the beginning of the twentieth century. A museum was later opened in its place. However, among the elite, polygamy is still practiced today. Young 12-year-old beauties are given as wives to older rich men against their will. This is mostly done by poor parents who do not have enough money to feed a large number of children.
IN United Arab Emirates and in a number of other Muslim countries, polygamy is legalized, but at the same time it is allowed to have no more than 4 wives at the same time. The same law imposes on a polygamous man the obligation to adequately support his ladies and children, but not a word is written about respectful attitude. Therefore, despite beautiful life, wives are often kept in extreme strictness. In case of divorce, children always remain with their father, and mothers are prohibited from seeing them. This is the price to pay for a comfortable and luxurious life with an influential Arab man.
The Turkish chronicler Dursun Bey once wrote: “If the sun were a man, even he would be forbidden to look into the harem.”
The harem was a haven for several hundred odalisques (concubines) and the ruler's wives. Only selected members of the Sultan's family had access there, and the most famous of the harems was the Istanbul Seraglio Palace, which was a small city of amazing beauty, surrounded by high walls and having its own guards. The Seraglio had about 400 rooms in which more than 2,000 beauties lived.
However, getting into the harem was very difficult. It was a careful selection, and random girls never ended up there. A strict number of brunettes and blondes were selected for the harem, and Slavic appearance was also highly valued. Most often, attention was paid to the hips and waist, while height and bust size were of secondary importance.
But not only appearance was important - having a tenacious mind was always welcomed. After the girl managed to get into the harem, a two-year general education course awaited her: it was inappropriate to approach the Sultan unprepared. The concubines studied languages, the Koran, literature, danced, learned to play various musical instruments, composed poems and even knew how to fill the Sultan's pipe.
The training course also included knowledge of the intricacies of body care - odalisques knew how to prepare this or that mask and what to rub themselves with. The girls were also taught to dress properly and choose jewelry. In addition, they mastered the art of seduction and learned the subtleties of intimate gymnastics. It was a special striptease and wumbling dance aimed at training the vaginal muscles.
In those days, cosmetics were only of natural origin and were very expensive. Mallow oil was in particular use - hundreds of kilograms of these flowers were delivered to the palace every year. There were also supplies of rare clay, henna and various herbs and flowers. What can we say about cinnamon, lemons, antimony and tons of jewelry.
However, no matter how diligently the girl studied, there was no guarantee that she would ever appear before the Sultan. It often happened that a concubine lived in a harem all her life, but she never got an appointment with the master. And this is not surprising, because hundreds of magnificent girls showed off in front of the Sultan every day, and it was necessary to spend a lot of effort to be among them. Therefore, no one canceled intrigues and competition.
But if the Sultan did notice the girl, the “golden path” awaited her - the road from the common bedroom to the coveted chambers of the ruler. Especially talented concubines won the attention of the Sultan for many years, sometimes turning him into a dependent person.
Sometimes it happened that the favorites not only pleased the ruler, but also carried out state affairs on his behalf. A striking example is Hurrem Haseki Sultan, better known as Roksolana.
In the harems of the sultans there were always beautiful and well-groomed girls, capable of conquering any man with just one glance. But few people know how the concubines were prepared for the night, what subtleties these procedures have.
Hair
After washing their hair, their hair became very stiff and to soften it, Ottoman beauties used a special cream made from mallow flowers, because every year tons of these plants were delivered to the Sultan’s palace. The inhabitants of the harem are always with special attention looked after and looked after their hair. Masks made from ground walnut shells and henna were regularly used. After using this product, not only did the condition of the hair improve, but its growth also significantly accelerated.
Body
The bodies of the concubines were always supposed to remain young and elastic, so they applied cosmetic masks, prepared from clay, infusions of herbs and flowers. First, the girls bathed thoroughly, after which the body was ready for the massage. On the eve of the wedding night, specially trained maids performed a massage, thanks to which almost all the muscles of the body effectively relaxed. Steamed skin has the ability to quickly harden and begin to wrinkle. That is why, after taking hamam, the girls applied to their skin essential oils. As a rule, sesame and olive oil were used, to which a few drops of ether were added for aroma. In summer, rose or violet oil was used, and in winter, clove oil. Before going to bed, concubines always washed themselves with rose water, as it softens the skin and also smoothes out wrinkles. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that Turkish rose oil is still used today in the production of luxury cosmetics.
Makeup
Before going to the Sultan's chambers, the girls always did their makeup, with special attention paid to their eyes. The girls used antimony mixed with ash to apply arrows in order to hit the Sultan at first sight. Eastern women chewed betel (paste with pepper, flax seeds and lime) to give their lips a deeper scarlet hue. The night before, cinnamon sticks helped freshen my breath.
The Sultan was spoiled by female attention, so inflaming his interest was quite a difficult task. To become the favorite and favorite of the padishah, the girls tried to highlight their best features, using all available means for this. To make the image harmonious and complete, the girls applied henna designs. The patterns covered the ankles, hands, collarbone and back of the neck. In some cases, the design was applied in the navel area, on the lower part of the lower back.
Selection of girls for the Sultan
Any girl could not get into the harem, because a certain number of brunettes and blondes were always chosen for the padishah, according to a special plan. Most of all, the rulers of the east valued the waist and hips. At the same time, the least attention was paid to the height and breast volume of girls, since these were secondary indicators. Girls of Slavic appearance have always been held in special esteem by the sultans.
When choosing girls, not only their external beauty played an important role, because the concubine must also be smart in order to entertain the Sultan with conversations. After entering the harem, the girls were required to undergo a full medical examination. Despite the fact that the girls were in a harem, they could live in luxury for years, but never get into the Sultan’s bedroom, because for this they had to receive a special invitation.
Hundreds of beautiful concubines stood before the padishah every day, but luck did not smile on everyone, so the girls looked after themselves with special attention, trying to attract attention to themselves.
