After the formal ceremonies and private meeting have ended, the woman chosen by the Grand Signior is returned to the care of the Kadın Kahya, also called the Mother of the Maids. She is escorted back with the same music and singing that accompanied her earlier. This return procession follows strict custom and order, reflecting the ceremonial nature of life within the Seraglio.
Once returned, she is bathed and cleansed again, both as a matter of tradition and preparation for her new status. From that moment, she is given a separate lodging and attendants appropriate to her position. If she has gained particular favor, she is recognized as a Hünkâr Asakişi, meaning a royal concubine, and receives privileges above those of the other women.
Titles and Honors of the Sultan’s Consorts
If it is her fortune to conceive and give birth to a son, her status rises greatly. She is then called Haseki Sultan, a title of high honor. On this occasion, she is formally celebrated and symbolically crowned with a small golden coronet decorated with precious stones. This ceremony marks her elevated position within the court and secures her influence Customized Tours Istanbul.
Other women who bear children to the Sultan do not receive the same degree of honor but are still distinguished by rank. They are given titles such as Baş Haseki or İkinci Haseki, meaning first or second concubine, and are treated with respect according to their position.
Marriage of the Sultan’s Daughters
The daughters born to the Grand Signior are often married at a very young age, sometimes at four or five years old. These marriages are arranged with powerful officials, such as pashas or governors, and are celebrated with great ceremony and splendor. From that time onward, the husband is responsible for the daughter’s education, household, and court.
He must provide a palace suitable to her rank and maintain her with the honor and dignity appropriate to a princess of the Ottoman house. These marriages are less about companionship and more about political alliance, loyalty, and status.
A Notable Example from the Royal Family
Sultan Ibrahim, the father of the present Grand Signior, is said to have married three of his daughters while they were still very young. One of them, known as Gevher Han Sultan, is reported to have had several husbands in succession. Despite these marriages, it was widely believed that she remained untouched, as her husbands were often elderly or died soon after marriage.
Her most recent husband was Gürcü Mehmed Pasha of Buda, a man of great wealth and advanced age. Though able to support the magnificence of her court, he was far removed from the vigor of youth. Like her previous husbands, he fulfilled the political and ceremonial duties of marriage rather than any personal role.
Power, Ceremony, and Control
These customs reveal how marriage, honor, and rank within the Ottoman court were closely tied to politics and power. Personal life was strictly governed by ceremony, tradition, and the authority of the Sultan, leaving little room for private choice.