The Ottoman Empire
Short History Of...
00:00
The Harem and Palace Life
Sultans would move their private chamber into the harem after Suleiman. Westerners were never able to see it, so they built up fantasies about what went on there. Everything was highly regulated - once a concubine gives birth she is no longer permitted to sleep with the sultan or remain in the harem. An important aspect of the harem and palace life in general are the eunuchs. These men, usually enslaved, have been castrated at an early age. They wield a surprising amount of power and therefore have high status. The presence of these African men at the very core of the Ottoman Empire catches the imagination of the West.
Play episode from 29:50
Transcript
