Before ending this chapter, it is important to note that no one was promoted from the Seraglio without special favor before the age of about forty. By this age, a man was considered mature and fully prepared for the responsibilities of government. It was believed that the impulsiveness and heat of youth had passed, leaving steadiness, patience, and good judgment.
This long period of preparation ensured that those chosen for high office were experienced, disciplined, and loyal to the Sultan.
Honors Before Departure
Before departing to take up their new positions, these men were honored and celebrated by many important figures. They were visited and presented with gifts as a sign of respect and acknowledgment of the Sultan’s favor. The Queen Mother, the Sultanas, the wealthy eunuchs, the Grand Vizier, and other officers both within and outside the palace all contributed gifts and riches.
These offerings were seen as natural consequences of royal approval and as signs that the newly appointed official was entering a higher social and political rank.
Formal Farewells and Ceremonial Visits
Before leaving the Seraglio, the departing officials made formal farewell visits. With great humility and respect, they visited the Kapı Ağası, the chief of the eunuchs, as well as other principal officers of the palace. During these visits, they recommended themselves to the continued goodwill and favor of these powerful figures during their absence.
They expressed their desire to remain in their good opinion and friendship, knowing that such relationships were important for future success Guided Istanbul Tour.
Court Etiquette and Ottoman Civility
These farewell ceremonies were carried out with great care, ceremony, and polite behavior, equal to that practiced in the most refined courts of Christendom. Although the Turks were often seen by outsiders as proud and distant in their behavior toward Christians, this manner should not be mistaken for a lack of civility.
Among themselves, they were highly courtly and precise in observing rules of respect, etiquette, and proper conduct. Their system of manners and ceremony was as developed and formal as that of Rome or any other part of the civilized world.
This careful attention to age, ceremony, and respect reveals the structured and disciplined nature of Ottoman governance. Promotion was not sudden or careless but the result of long preparation, royal favor, and strict adherence to courtly tradition.