In the world there are few publicly known phenomena, the true meaning of which remains hidden veil of secrecy from most people.One example, however, can serve as a harem.Of them at least once in my life heard anyone but the true destination, device, the rules of life in which few know.But almost everyone is interested in the question "harem: what is it?»
Background
word "harem" has an interesting history.Turkish language it was borrowed from Arabic, and there came from the Akkadian dialects.But any nation it represents something sacred, secret and protected from view space.
sultan's harems of as a phenomenon of social life in the East has its origins back in 1365 when Sultan Murad I built a magnificent palace, which reflected the power of his supreme power.However, the classical harem of the palace with a properly organized economy appeared in the Ottoman Empire after the conquest of Constantinople by Sultan Mehmed Fatih, in 1453.And the need for it arose from the fact that the aggressive and gaining the power of the Ottoman sultans was nowhere to take wives.It was during this period begins the real story of the harem.Then he added concubines from all over the world and his wife at the official sultans became much smaller.
XV century are dated and the first written mention of the harem.Therefore, you can reliably say that at that time it contained only a slave.Spousal sultans became the daughter of Christian rulers of neighboring countries.Only at the end of the XV century, in 1481, Sultan Bayezid II introduced the tradition to choose among the residents of the harem of wives.
Harem: actual facts and fantastic
Now let's try to understand the question "harem - what is it?" Is it a place of constant uncontrollable depravity, or becomes a "maximum security prison"?
Harem called just closed to strangers who are not family members of the house, inhabited by women relatives of the Sultan: sister, mother.In some periods it found shelter in the brothers of the ruler, and eunuchs lived here, and the other servants.That closeness of the houses explains multiple errors related to Muslim harems.Some see them rich castles, where a lot of young virgins in languid poses lie by the pool and just live with the idea to attract the attention of the Sultan, and to appease his imagination.For other harem it seems to place the horrors soaked envy, injustice, perforce, killings, arbitrary.It is not surprising that fancy so different, after all look at least one eye to the eastern harem, reveal this mystery was possible only to a select few.
realities of harem
Indeed, life in different times in the harem was tumultuous.There were murders and corruption, but they pale in comparison to orgies, European-satisfied aristocracy in the XVIII century.
Yes, there was Sultan Murad III, who managed to acquire for the lives of the 112th children.You can try to imagine how much he liked his harem and the act of love.
There were precedents for the mass killings.For example, Ibrahim I drowned in the Bay of nearly 300 inmates of his harem.But medicine has been proven that he was mentally ill person.But the disorders of this kind, apparently, had not only the Turkish sultans, but also some well-known Russian personalities.For example, Lieutenant General Izmailov tortured to death fifty serfs concubines.
In fact, even the sultan could not be so easy to go to the harem.First he had to notify its intention, and then preparing the concubines, lined up like soldiers on the parade ground.Only then invited the Sultan, but his whole visit was painted literally step by step.
Manners and Customs of the sultan's court have changed greatly over time.The rulers were oppressive, but they were not alien to human feelings.If at the beginning of the Ottoman Empire, the new Sultan who ascended the throne of his slain brothers, the penalty was subsequently replaced by confinement in a "golden cage", which have become a thing of the past in the XIX century.In the same century concubines in a harem began to come either by themselves or they were brought representatives of the Caucasian peoples.
Harem and its internal hierarchy
actually existed inside the harem rigorous system, which should have been subject to all of its residents.The main considered Walid - the mother of the Sultan.She had to listen to all the concubines - odalik (Odalisque), of which the sultan could afford to choose wives.The wife in the harem on the steps of the hierarchy was the next after Walid, if it was not Mr. native sisters.
Dzhariye - this is the lowest level of the hierarchy - the potential concubine of the Sultan, who were able to adequately pass the exam valid.If a girl could spend at least one night with the sultan, she became gёzde (gyuzde), which means "beloved."If it is turned into a favorite of then given the status Iqbal (Iqbal), of which there are in the harem, there were no more than 15. His "level" girl could improve if she managed to get pregnant, and then she became Kadin.The one who was lucky enough to become a lawful wife, received the title of Kadyny Effendi.These women had the privilege in the form of salaries, their own apartments and slaves.
life of women in the harem
women in the harem was a lot.Although Islam is allowed to have no more than four legal wives, concubines, the number is not limited.In the XV century, when manners were more stringent, and the girls come here often on their own, they just changed the name.In addition, they were required to convert to Islam (for this it was enough to lift a finger to the sky, saying, "There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed - his prophet") and to abandon all family ties.
opinion, due to the fact that women in the harem all day languidly waiting for the Sultan honors them with his attention, is erroneous.In fact, they were busy almost all day.Concubines in the harem of the Sultan taught Turkish language, reading the Koran, needlework, court etiquette, music, the art of love.They had the opportunity to relax and have fun by playing different kinds of games, sometimes noisy and moving.Harem of the time can be compared with the preferred closure of schools for girls, appeared in Europe only in the XX century.
concubines in the harem of the Sultan is not just learned.They then take the exam, which she took Valide Sultan.If the girls coped adequately, they could count on the attention of Mr.Concubine in the harem was not a prisoner in the fullest sense of the word.For girls often came to visit, and performance artists summoned here.Arranged as various celebrations, and even concubines were taken on the Bosphorus - a ride on boats, get some fresh air, take a walk.In short, life in the harem was intense.
What kind of women elected to the harem: the selection criteria
women in the harem, of course, were different in physical and mental data.Often slaves got here with the slave market at the age of 5-7 years, and here they were brought up to full physical maturity.It should be noted that Turkish women among the concubines of the Sultan had never been.
Girls were supposed to be smart, slyly, attractive, with a nice physique, sensuous.It is believed that an important role in the choice for the beauty of the Sultan was playing not only her physical beauty, but also the structure and beauty of her sexual organ.By the way, in some modern harems this selection criterion still relevant.It was very important to the future concubine in the harem it was not too big vagina.And before the woman was allowed to Sultan's box, she held a series of tests with holding the stone eggs and colored water, which should not have been spilled during belly dancing, into the vagina.This may explain the fact that not all of the wife or mistress of the sultan had a nice appearance.Some beauty attracted other parts of the body.
bit differently was arranged Arab harem and his life.At least harem Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, gain power in Iran in 1848, pulled down all established in terms of beauty female stereotypes.Of course, as they say, the taste and color ... But the Shah's harem was clearly an amateur.Judging from the photos (and they then left the governor a lot since he was interested in doing this), the woman he loved in the body.The sources mentioned that concubines deliberately fed tight and did not allow them to move actively.
eyebrows all the girls were fused.But if we raise the fashion history of the XIX century, we remember that when it was fashionable, but "baleen" Women have never been "trending."But Shah and such like.
eunuchs and their role in the harem concubines
For the Sultan was taken to monitor closely.This function was performed by the old slaves and eunuchs checked.Who are eunuchs?It slaves brought mainly from Central Africa, Egypt, Abyssinia, which later castrated.Preference in this regard gave blacks because they effect the physical characteristics of good transferred the operation and lived to a ripe old age, while the Circassians, having a more fragile health, subjected to partial castration and often seduced charges.
However, it should be noted that sometimes the young men offered themselves as candidates to recruiters in the harem.What it is?The dream of becoming a servant castrated?No, just for weasely, cunning youngster it was a good opportunity to get some status and power in a much shorter time frame than if he sold or served in the army of the Sultan.And the rise was much.The chief of the black eunuchs were 300 horses and an unlimited number of slaves.
Hjurrem Sultan (Roxelana) - "Iron Lady" of the harem
Despite the fact that the history of the harem as a social phenomenon has a long and sultans had many wives, the names of only a few of them come to us.Harem Sultan Suleiman became largely known it was thanks to a Ukrainian by birth, which according to various sources named Anastasia Toli toli Alexandra Lisovskaya.Muslims, however, was renamed Woman Hjurrem.
She was abducted by the Crimean Tatars during one of the raids, on the eve of his wedding.Judging from what is known about it, we can say that the woman she was clever, strong, with an extraordinary mind.She has attempted not only to the life of the sultan's sons from his first wife, a living-in-law, but also the lives of his own young son.But she was truly extraordinary, if 15 years was able to ward off the harem of Sultan Suleiman and become the only female ruler.
Topkapi - the eternal resting place
harem Topkapi palace complex was founded by Sultan Mahmed as the official residence of the Ottoman rulers.And everyone knows the harem of Sultan Suleiman also resided here.It is with supply Hjurrem (or Roxelana) has made a major overhaul of the palace ensemble in its history of existence.At various times in the harem could be located between 700 and 1,200 women.
For a person who is in the first Topkapi, the harem and the palace itself will seem a real labyrinth of rooms, corridors, courtyards scattered on it.
All the walls in the harem in those days were lined izninskoy exquisite mosaic tiles, which is in almost perfect condition preserved to this day.She and today continues to amaze visitors with their beauty, brilliance, precision, detail drawing.Making the wall so it was impossible to create two identical rooms, so every boudoir harem was special.
Topkapi occupy a huge territory.The palace has 300 rooms, 46 bathrooms, 8 baths, 2 mosques, 6 closets for supplies, swimming pools, laundries, hospitals, kitchens.Does all this harem, or part of the premises were classified as part of the Sultan's palace, is not known.Today, for the inspection tour is only open on the first floor.The rest continue to carefully hide from the prying eyes of tourists.
All the windows were barred in the harem.However, there are clearly several dwellings in which windows and was not at all.Most likely, this was the room of eunuchs and slaves.
But no matter how beautiful and interesting in the harem was not, to be in it as postoyalitsey would not want any girl.Life in the harem are always subordinate to the internal strict rules, laws and regulations of which we still do not know.
Modern harems
As paradoxical as it may sound, but in modern Turkey (at least in its central part) harems to date there.But the Turks themselves, smiling, added that it is only according to official figures, well in rural areas, especially in the southeast, this way of life is important.
polygamous marriages - it is a reality for 40% of women living in Jordan, Pakistan, Yemen, Syria, Madagascar, Iran, Iraq and the countries of the African continent.But it is worth noting that such a luxury as a harem, remains the privilege of the rich men, because only they are able to contain the financial equality of his official wives, all of which can be four.Each spouse should be your home (or at least private bedroom with its own entrance), ornaments, clothes, servants.
majority of women in the modern harem are in such a position on their own, but some, as in the past, held by force.But there are times that women are contracts on the expiry of which they can come back to the familiar before this life, markedly enriched.Because of the generosity of the modern sultans rumors.
As before, for the women of the harem were selected not by the owners themselves, and "specially trained people" - the so-called mashate who scour the world in search of another beauty.But a pretty face - is not the only "entrance ticket" to the harem.She must be quite passionate in bed, able to seduce the owner must understand how to resolve conflicts and quarrels.In order to establish all the criteria have special inspection (or, if you prefer, test), only after which a woman shows directly to the owner of the harem.
After all of the above still remains ambiguous impression of the harem.Some will continue to perceive it as a relic of the past with the restriction of freedom and an infringement of women's rights, others - as an opportunity to enrich themselves and to provide for some time, and some - like the chance to find your real prince on a white horse.But this is the harem.What is it for you to decide just yourself.
