Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society Inside the Royal Harems of the Ottoman Empire
Dec 12, 2025
Dr. Michael Talbot, a Professor specializing in Ottoman history and the imperial harem, reveals the hidden lives of women in the Royal Harem of the Ottoman Empire. He discusses the empire's overlooked significance and the Western misrepresentation of the harem. Listeners learn about the social dynamics of the harem, the influential roles of women like Hürrem Sultan, and the political power wielded by valide sultans. Talbot also touches on the complex nature of enslavement and the lives of ordinary women within this elite institution.
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Empire's Massive Span And Western Blindspot
- The Ottoman Empire spanned from around 1299 to 1922 and connected Europe, Asia and Africa across six centuries.
- Michael Talbot stresses its global importance and puzzling Western neglect of its history.
Orientalism Colours Ottoman Perceptions
- Orientalist tropes still shape popular views of the Ottoman Empire as exotic or decadent.
- Talbot argues these tropes link sexuality and gender to narratives of imperial decline.
Harem Is Real But Misrepresented
- The harem was a real, state-centered institution but misconceptions arose because it was closed and inaccessible.
- Western art and hearsay filled the gaps, producing eroticized fantasies about the harem.
