The Imperial Harem: Women and Sovereignty in the Ottoman Empire (Studies in Middle Eastern History)

The unprecedented political power of the Ottoman imperial harem in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries is widely viewed as illegitimate and corrupting. This book examines the sources of royal women's power and assesses the reactions of contemporaries, which ranged from loyal devotion to armed opposition. By examining political action in the context of household networks, Leslie Peirce demonstrates that female power was a logical, indeed an intended, consequence of political structures. Royal women were custodians of sovereign power, training their sons in its use and exercising it directly as regents when necessary. Furthermore, they played central roles in the public culture of sovereignty--royal ceremonial, monumental building, and patronage of artistic production. The Imperial Harem argues that the exercise of political power was tied to definitions of sexuality. Within the dynasty, the hierarchy of female power, like the hierarchy of male power, reflected the broader society's control for social control of the sexually active. THE IMPERIAL HAREM......Page 2 Contents ......Page 4 Preface ......Page 6 Acknowledgments ......Page 10 Glossary of Essential Terms ......Page 12 Notes on Transliteration and Translation ......Page 14 List of Illustrations ......Page 16 Harem: Sacred, Protected, Forbidden ......Page 22 The Spatial Dimensions of Gender and Power ......Page 25 The Inner as the Source of Power ......Page 29 I ......Page 32 The Women of the House ......Page 34 Controlling Power: Seniority, Sexuality, and Succession ......Page 37 Marriage and Concubinage: An Overview ......Page 47 Why Concubinage? ......Page 56 Single-Son Concubines ......Page 61 The Princely Household ......Page 64 Mother of the Prince ......Page 66 The Iconography of Royal Tombs ......Page 69 Sexuality and Power in the Princely Household ......Page 71 The Last Concubine of the Provinces: Mahidevran Khatun ......Page 74 The Age of the Favorite: 1520-1566 ......Page 76 The Concubine as Favorite ......Page 77 The Sultan’s Counselor ......Page 82 The Problem of Succession ......Page 98 Conclusion ......Page 105 The Age of the Queen Mother: 1566-1656 ......Page 110 Lapse of the Princely Governorate ......Page 116 The Transition to Seniority ......Page 118 Decline of the Haseki: Reproductive Politics From Mehmed III to Mehmed IV ......Page 122 The Imperial Harem Institution ......Page 132 Hierarchy of the Harem Institution: The Family Elite ......Page 144 The Valide Sultan ......Page 145 Princess and Prince ......Page 149 The Hierarchy of the Harem: The Household ......Page 151 The Hierarchy of the Harem Institution: The Physical Structure ......Page 155 The Harem as a Training Institution: Purpose and Organization ......Page 158 Harem Networks of Power ......Page 162 II ......Page 170 Shifting Images of Ottoman Sovereignty ......Page 172 The Caliph of Islam ......Page 178 Lapse of Sultanic Ghaza ......Page 187 The Palace Sultan ......Page 191 The Display of Sovereign Prerogative ......Page 205 The Valide Sultan and the Symbols of Imperial Dominion ......Page 206 Display of the Body Sovereign: Ceremonies and Progresses ......Page 210 The Philanthropy of Royal Women ......Page 217 The Philanthropy of the Valide Sultan ......Page 224 Sources of the Valide Sultan’s Wealth ......Page 231 Conclusion ......Page 235 The Politics of Diplomacy ......Page 238 The Haseki as Diplomat ......Page 239 Mother of the Prince: Guardian and Tutor ......Page 248 The Valide Sultan; Mentor and Guardian ......Page 255 Conflict: Uncertain Boundaries of Power ......Page 260 The Valide Sultan as Regent ......Page 267 The End of the “Sultanate of the Women” ......Page 274 Reproducing the Dynasty ......Page 278 Preserving Dynastic Continuity ......Page 279 Women, Sovereignty, and Society ......Page 286 APPENDIX: Genealogical Charts......Page 307 Preface......Page 309 NOTES TO CHAPTER 1......Page 312 NOTES TO CHAPTER 2......Page 314 Notes to Chapter 3......Page 321 NOTES TO CHAPTER 4......Page 328 Notes to Chapter 5......Page 333 NOTES TO CHAPTER 6......Page 340 Notes to Chapter 7......Page 346 Notes to Chapter 8......Page 353 NOTES TO CHAPTER 9......Page 356 Notes to Conclusion......Page 360 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 365 INDEX......Page 383 The Unprecedented Political Power Of The Ottoman Imperial Harem In The Sixteenth And Seventeenth Centuries Is Widely Viewed As Illegitimate And Corrupting. This Book Examines The Sources Of Royal Women's Power And Assesses The Reactions Of Contemporaries, Which Ranged From Loyal Devotion To Armed Opposition. By Examining Political Action In The Context Of Household Networks, The Author Demonstrates That Female Power Was A Logical, Indeed An Intended, Consequence Of Political Structures. Royal Women Were Custodians Of Sovereign Power, Training Their Sons In Its Use And Exercising It Directly As Regents When Necessary. Furthermore, They Played Central Roles In The Public Culture Of Sovereignty--royal Ceremonial, Monumental Building, And Patronage Of Artistic Production. This Text Argues That The Exercise Of Political Power Was Tied To Definitions Of Sexuality. Within The Dynasty, The Hierarchy Of Female Power, Like The Hierarchy Of Male Power, Reflected The Broader Society's Control For Social Control Of The Sexually Active. Map Of The Ottomans In Anatolia And Rumelia After Their Defeat By Timur (tamerlane) In 1402 -- Map Of The Ottoman Empire And Its Vassals During The Reign Of Suleyman The Magnificent (1520-1566) -- Introduction: Myths And Realities Of The Harem -- Pt. 1. The Politics Of Reproduction -- 1. The House Of Osman -- 2. Wives And Concubines: The Fourteenth And Fifteenth Centuries -- 3. The Age Of The Favorite: 1520-1566 -- 4. The Age Of The Queen Mother: 1566-1656 -- 5. The Imperial Harem Institution -- Pt. Ii. Women And Sovereign Power -- 6. Shifting Images Of Ottoman Sovereignty -- 7. The Display Of Sovereign Prerogative -- 8. The Politics Of Diplomacy -- 9. The Exercise Of Political Power -- Conclusion: Women, Sovereignty, And Society -- Appendix: Genealogical Charts. Leslie P. Peirce. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 345-361) And Index. From the beginning of the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent in 1520 until the mid-17th century, high-ranking women of the Ottoman dynasty enjoyed a degree of political power. This text examines the sources of their power and assesses the reactions of their male contemporaries.