In the article we will describe in detail the Women's Sultanate of the Ottoman Empire. We will talk about its representatives and their reign, about the assessments of this period in history.
Before considering the Women's Sultanate of the Ottoman Empire in detail, let's say a few words about the state itself, in which it was observed. This is necessary to fit the period of interest to us in the context of history.
The Ottoman Empire is otherwise called the Ottoman Empire. It was founded in 1299. It was then that Osman I Gazi, who became the first sultan of this empire, declared independence from the Seljuks of the territory of a small state. However, some sources report that only Murad I, his grandson, officially took the title of Sultan for the first time.
Rise of the Ottoman Empire
The reign of Suleiman I the Magnificent (from 1521 to 1566) is considered the heyday of the Ottoman Empire. The portrait of this Sultan is presented above. In the 16-17 centuries, the Ottoman state was one of the most powerful in the world. The territory of the empire by 1566 included lands located from the Persian city of Baghdad in the east and the Hungarian Budapest in the north to Mecca in the south and Algiers in the west. The influence of this state in the region since 17century began to gradually increase. The empire finally collapsed after losing the First World War.
The role of women in government
For 623 years, the Ottoman dynasty ruled over the country's lands, from 1299 to 1922, when the monarchy ceased to exist. Women in the empire we are interested in, unlike the monarchies of Europe, were not allowed to govern the state. However, this situation was in all Islamic countries.
However, in the history of the Ottoman Empire there is a period called the Women's Sultanate. At this time, the fair sex actively participated in government. Many famous historians have tried to understand what the Sultanate of women is, to comprehend its role. We invite you to get to know this interesting period in history.
The term "Women's Sultanate"
For the first time this term was proposed to be used in 1916 by Ahmet Refik Altynai, a Turkish historian. It is found in the book of this scientist. His work is called “Women's Sultanate”. And in our time, disputes about the impact this period had on the development of the Ottoman Empire do not subside. There is disagreement as to what is the main cause of this phenomenon, which is so unusual for the Islamic world. Scholars are also arguing about who should be considered the first representative of the Women's Sultanate.
Causes of occurrence
Some of the historians believe that this period was generated by the end of campaigns. It is known that the system of land conquest andobtaining military booty was based precisely on them. Other scholars believe that the Sultanate of Women in the Ottoman Empire appeared due to the struggle to abolish the law "On Succession" issued by Mehmed II Fatih. According to this law, all the brothers of the Sultan must be executed without fail after ascending the throne. It didn't matter what their intentions were. Historians who hold this opinion consider Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan to be the first representative of the Women's Sultanate.
Hyurrem Sultan
This woman (her portrait is presented above) was the wife of Suleiman I. It was she who in 1521, for the first time in the history of the state, began to bear the title "Haseki Sultan". In translation, this phrase means "the most beloved wife."
Let's tell you more about Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan, whose name is often associated with the Women's Sultanate in Turkey. Her real name is Lisovskaya Alexandra (Anastasia). In Europe, this woman is known as Roksolana. She was born in 1505 in Western Ukraine (Rogatin). In 1520, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan came to Istanbul's Topkapi Palace. Here Suleiman I, the Turkish sultan, gave Alexandra a new name - Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska. This word from Arabic can be translated as "bringing joy." Suleiman I, as we have already said, bestowed on this woman the title of "Haseki Sultan". Alexandra Lisovskaya received great power. It was further strengthened in 1534, when the Sultan's mother died. Since that time, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska began to manage the harem.
It should be noted that this woman was very educated for her time. She spoke several foreign languages, so she answered letters from influential nobles, foreign rulers and artists. In addition, Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Haseki Sultan received foreign ambassadors. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska was actually a political adviser to Suleiman I. Her husband spent a significant part of his time on campaigns, so she often had to take on his duties.
Ambiguous assessment of the role of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan
Not all scholars agree that this woman should be considered a representative of the Women's Sultanate. One of the main arguments they present is that each of the representatives of this period in history was characterized by the following two points: the short reign of the sultans and the presence of the title "valide" (mother of the sultan). None of them apply to Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska. She did not live eight years before the opportunity to receive the title of "Valide". In addition, it would be simply absurd to believe that the reign of Sultan Suleiman I was short, because he ruled for 46 years. As, however, it would be wrong to call his reign "decline". But the period of interest to us is considered a consequence of just the "decline" of the empire. It was the bad state of affairs in the state that gave rise to the Women's Sultanate in the Ottoman Empire.
Mihrimah replaced the deceased Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska (in the photo above - her grave), becoming the head of the Topkapi harem. It is also believed that this womaninfluenced her brother. However, she cannot be called a representative of the Women's Sultanate.
And who can rightfully be attributed to their number? We bring to your attention a list of rulers.
Women's Sultanate of the Ottoman Empire: list of representatives
For the reasons mentioned above, most historians believe that there were only four representatives.
- The first of them is Nurbanu Sultan (years of life - 1525-1583). She was a Venetian by origin, the name of this woman is Cecilia Venier-Baffo.
- The second representative is Safie Sultan (about 1550 - 1603). She is also a Venetian whose real name is Sophia Baffo.
- The third representative is Kesem Sultan (years of life - 1589 - 1651). Her origin is not exactly known, but it is presumably the Greek Anastasia.
- And the last, fourth representative - Turhan Sultan (years of life - 1627-1683). This woman is a Ukrainian named Nadezhda.
Turhan Sultan and Kesem Sultan
When the Ukrainian Nadezhda was 12 years old, the Crimean Tatars captured her. They sold her to Ker Suleiman Pasha. He, in turn, resold the woman to Valide Kesem, the mother of Ibrahim I, a mentally handicapped ruler. There is a film called Mahpeyker, which tells about the life of this sultan and his mother, who actually stood at the head of the empire. She had to manage all the affairs, since Ibrahim I was mentally retarded, so he could not properly perform his duties.
This ruler took the throne in 1640, at the age of 25. Such an important event for the state occurred after the death of Murad IV, his elder brother (for whom Kesem Sultan also ruled the country in the early years). Murad IV was the last sultan belonging to the Ottoman dynasty. Therefore, Kesem was forced to solve the problems of further rule.
Question of Succession
It would seem that getting an heir in the presence of a numerous harem is not at all difficult. However, there was one catch. It consisted in the fact that the weak-minded Sultan had an unusual taste and his own ideas about female beauty. Ibrahim I (his portrait is presented above) preferred very fat women. Records of the chronicle of those years have been preserved in which one concubine was mentioned that he liked. Her weight was about 150 kg. From this it can be assumed that Turhan, which his mother gave to her son, also had considerable weight. Maybe that's why Kesem bought it.
Fight of two Valide
It is not known how many children were born to Ukrainian Nadezhda. But it is known that it was she who was the first of the other concubines to give him the son of Mehmed. This happened in January 1642. Mehmed was recognized as the heir to the throne. After the death of Ibrahim I, who died in a coup, he became the new sultan. However, by this time he was only 6 years old. Turhan, his mother, was supposed to receive the title "Valide" according to the law, which would elevate her to the pinnacle of power. However, things did not turn out in her favor. Hermother-in-law, Kesem Sultan, did not want to give in to her. She achieved what no other woman could do. She became Valide Sultan for the third time. This woman was the only one in history who had this title under the reigning grandson.
But the fact of her reign haunted Turhan. In the palace for three years (from 1648 to 1651) scandals flared up, intrigues were woven. In September 1651, 62-year-old Kesem was found strangled. She gave up her seat to Turhan.
End of the Women's Sultanate
So, according to most historians, the start date of the Women's Sultanate is 1574. It was then that Nurban Sultan was granted the title of valid. The period of interest to us ended in 1687, after the accession to the throne of Sultan Suleiman II. He was already in adulthood received supreme power, 4 years after the death of Turhan Sultan, who became the last influential Valide.
This woman died in 1683 at the age of 55-56. Her remains were buried in a tomb, in a mosque completed by her. However, not 1683, but 1687 is considered the official end date for the period of the Women's Sultanate. It was then at the age of 45 that Mehmed IV was deposed from the throne. This happened as a result of a conspiracy that was organized by Köprülü, the son of the Grand Vizier. Thus ended the sultanate of women. Mehmed spent another 5 years in prison and died in 1693.
Why has the role of women in government increased?
Among the main reasons for the increased role of women in government, there are several. One of them is the love of the sultans forrepresentatives of the fair sex. The other is the influence that was exerted on the sons of their mother. Another reason is that the sultans were incompetent at the time of accession to the throne. You can also note the deceit and intrigues of women and the usual combination of circumstances. Another important factor is that the Grand Viziers were often replaced. The duration of their tenure at the beginning of the 17th century averaged a little over a year. This, of course, contributed to the chaos and political fragmentation in the empire.
Starting from the 18th century, the sultans began to take the throne at a fairly mature age. The mothers of many of them died before their children became rulers. Others were so old that they were no longer able to fight for power and participate in solving important state issues. It can be said that by the middle of the 18th century, the valides no longer played a special role in the court. They did not participate in the government.
Estimates of the period of the Women's Sultanate
The female sultanate in the Ottoman Empire is estimated very ambiguously. The fair sex, who were once slaves and were able to rise to the status of a valid, were often not prepared to conduct political affairs. In their choice of applicants and their appointment to important posts, they relied mainly on the advice of those close to them. The choice was often based not on the ability of certain individuals or their loy alty to the ruling dynasty, but on their ethnic loy alty.
On the other hand, the Women's Sultanate in the Ottoman Empire also had positive aspects. Thanks to him, it was possible to preserve the monarchical order characteristic of this state. It was based on the fact that all sultans must be from the same dynasty. The incompetence or personal failings of rulers (such as the brutal Sultan Murad IV, pictured above, or the mentally ill Ibrahim I) were compensated for by the influence and strength of their mothers or women. However, one cannot ignore the fact that the actions of women carried out during this period contributed to the stagnation of the empire. To a greater extent, this applies to Turhan Sultan. Mehmed IV, her son, lost the Battle of Vienna on September 11, 1683.
In closing
In general, we can say that in our time there is no unambiguous and generally accepted historical assessment of the impact that the Women's Sultanate had on the development of the empire. Some scientists believe that the rule of the fair sex pushed the state to death. Others believe that it was more a consequence than a cause of the country's decline. However, one thing is clear: the women of the Ottoman Empire had much less influence and were much further from absolutism than their contemporary rulers in Europe (for example, Elizabeth I and Catherine II).
