The Hidden World of the Harem

Now for something completely different: The Hidden World of the Ottoman Imperial Harem.  This is a longer documentary to be shown in the classroom.
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The Ottoman Imperial Harem brings together a variety of historians to talk about the controversies of the Ottoman Harem.  It is a system steeped in mystery and misunderstanding.  The harem was closed off to the world.  Who were the people that made up?  Was it a place of hard partying?  Or was it a place where great learning took place?  This documentary brings in a prince who lived in the harem all his life.  He was one of the last people to have lived in the harem.

During the time of the harem, it was forbidden to write about it.  This is part of why the harem is shrouded in mystery.  However, this mystery gave rise to some fantastical stories about the harem.  Ambassadors wrote about the decadence in the harem and how the harem was organized.  In 1520 a newcomer entered the harem, her name was Alexandra.  She was the daughter of a priest and sold to the harem.  She would have become known as Hurrem.

Prince Osman talks about the harem and growing up in the harem.  He believes that it would have been a lonely lifestyle.  He was surprised to learn that once he got out of the harem other people thought it was an extraordinary life.

Once inside the Harem, they were examined and taken directly to the bathhouse.  They were taught how to wash and cleaned according to traditions.  They needed to be healthy because they were expected to produce healthy sons.  The concubines were slaves and had no rights over their children.  They were also expected to take classes every day. Outside ambassadors wrote that a selected girl would be given a handkerchief as a token.  They were looked after by eunuchs and the eunuchs were Africans because if the girls would get pregnant it would be obvious as to who was the father of the child.  Older women also looked after the younger girls.  Many concubines never got the chance to sleep with the Sultan.

The system was flipped on its head when Hurrem started sharing Suleyman’s bed.  She had one son after another.  Normally once a woman had a son, she would be kicked out of bed and a new favorite was chosen.  Hurrem and Suleyman changed the rules, concubines were married to the sultan’s advisors and Hurrem became the number one woman in his life.  Only one of them could be a sultan and the survivors would be killed because, under the law, inheritance went to only one son, it could not be divided.  It was a winner takes all environment.  The boys were murdered when their brother became sultan.  Prince Osman talks about how in the old days he would have been strangled and then buried in a great ceremony.  The system continued to be changed when Suleyman married Hurrem and she was the first Queen the Ottomans had.  Sultans never married their concubines.  Hurrem was freed and then the Suleyman was able to marry her.

Hurrem was given apartments next to her husband and had a great deal of influence.  While Suleyman was on campaign, he and Hurrem exchanged many letters.  She was worried about her sons and what would happen to them once their half-brother took the throne.  Slowly she started to turn Suleyman against his chosen heir and his grand vizier.  Like the women before her, Hurrem would have to fight to make sure one of her sons made it to the throne.

​To continue to learn more about the harem watch this documentary.

This documentary is an interesting look at the harem system.  It could be something that you can show in a history classroom, only if you had time for it.