Page 22 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent
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of maintenance,  supplies,  the  mint, the  arsenal,  the kitchens,  Hürrem  and  Mihrimah,  the  wife  and  daughter  of Süleyman,
    and  the  stables as well  as tutors, physicians, standard-bearers,  were  among  the  most  energetic  patrons.
    gatekeepers,  gardeners,  guards, architects, and  artisans em-  Royal  marriages  had  been  performed  during  the  early years
    ployed  by the  palace.                                    of  the  empire  in  order  to  form  alliances with  the  neighboring
      The  second  courtyard, open  only to  those  who  had  official  states,  but  this practice  was  abandoned  by the  fifteenth  cen-
    business  in  the  palace, contained  chambers  for the  Divan-i  tury.  Süleyman  was  one  of the  very  few  sultans  to  officially
    Hümayun,  the  grand  vezir,  and  his  staff.  It also included  the  take  a  wife,  marrying  Hürrem  shortly  after  his  accession.  Hür-
    imperial  kitchens, which  provided  meals  for the  residents,  rem,  thought  to  have  been  of Ukranian or  other  Slavic de-
    and  the  imperial stables, where  the  sultan's horses  and riding  scent,  may  have  met  Süleyman  when he  was in  Kefe  and  at-
    equipment  were kept.                                      tracted  his attention  with  her  amiable  outlook  and
      The third courtyard was  the  inner  sanctum  of the palace  intelligence.  Süleyman  adored  his  wife  and  remained  loyal to
    and  housed  the  staff  of the  Enderun  School,  whose  primary  her  throughout  his  life.  Before  meeting  her,  Suleyman's  ha-
    responsibility  was  to train the  novices chosen  from  the  dev-  seki  had  been  Gülbahar,  who  had  given birth  to Mustafa in
    §irme boys.  The  novices  were  subjected to  a  rigid  education  1515. 8  After  their  marriage  Hürrem  produced  five  sons  and  a
    and  advanced  according to their  capabilities  and  competence.  daughter:  Mehmed  (1521-1543),  the  sultan's  favorite and
    Upon graduating they  were  assigned  as pages  to  various im-  chosen  heir  apparent;  Abdullah (1522-1526), who  died  at
    perial  chambers,  the  highest  of which  were  the Hazine  the  age  of four;  Mihrimah  (1522-1578),  his only  daughter,
     (Treasury),  Kiler  (Pantry),  Seferli  Oda  (Campaign Room), and  who  married  in  1539  the  grand  vezir Rüstem  Pa§a;  Selim
    Has  Oda  (Royal  Room). In  time  they  were  promoted  to join  (1527-1574), who  succeeded  him  in  1566,  being  the  only
    the  ranks of Enderun  officers.  Some  of them  were  later  sent  living  son  at  the  time;  Bayezid (1525-1561),  accused  of in-
    to  head  departments  in  the  Birun, others  were  given  commis-  citing  a  civil  war  and  executed  with  his  sons  after  fleeing  to
    sions in  the  provinces or  in  the  military forces. Included  in  the  Safavid  court;  and  Cihangir (1531-1553),  a  crippled  and
    the  third courtyard  were  the  Arz Odasi  (Reception Room),  sensitive  child.  Süleyman  was  very  supportive  of his  children;
    where dignitaries and  foreign  envoys  were  received;  the Ha-  he  assigned  sancaks  to  his  sons,  gave them  military  com-
    zine,  where  the  sultan's  private collection  of rare  and  pre-  mands  during  campaigns,  and  appointed  them  as  regents
    cious  objects was  kept;  the  Has Oda,  which  functioned  as  the  while  he  was  engaged  in battles  along  the  frontiers.
    Throne  Room; 7  and  facilities  for the  Enderun  staff.   The  history  of Suleyman's  reign  was  tightly woven  with  in-
      The  Harem  (literally  meaning  "sacred  place")  was  the pri-  ternational  politics,  and  the  sultan  became  an  important  pro-
    vate  domain  of the  sultan, where  members  of his  family  re-  tagonist  in  European  affairs  shortly  after  his  accession.
    sided.  Originally  women  and  children  were  housed  in  the  Charles  V, the  Habsburg king  of Spain,  and  Francis  I, the  Va-
    Old  Palace  situated  in  the  center  of the  city  and  not  allowed
    into  the  Topkapi  Palace. They began  to  reside in  the  Topkapi
    Palace  after  the  1550s  and  the  Harem  grew  to  include  over
    360  chambers  with  suites for  the  valide  sultan  (queen
    mother),  hasekis  (favorites),  §ehzades  (princes), eunuchs,  tu-
    tors,  and  a  large number  of attendants  and  servants.
      Although  the  Harem  was  not  a formal part  of Ottoman  ad-
    ministration,  it was  organized  in  a  fashion  similar to  the  En-
    derun  School. At the  top  was the  valide sultan,  whose  son
    was  the  reigning sultan;  she  was  by far the  most powerful
    woman   and  frequently  advised  the  sultan  on  household  as
    well  as national and  international  affairs.  Below  her  were  the
    hasekis,  who  had  produced  male  offspring.  Most  of  the
    women   in  the  Harem  were  of slave origin who  had  been  cap-
    tured,  purchased,  or  given as  gifts;  they  were  trained  either  in
    the  Istanbul palace  or  in  the  provincial courts  and  presented
    to  the  sultan. In  some  ways  their  lives resembled  those  of the
    dev§irme children;  they  received  an  excellent  education  and
    could  advance  in  rank.  Many  were  married  off to  governors
    and  commanders;  they  could  divorce  their  husbands,  return
    to  the  palace,  or  be  married  to  other  officials,  if they  so  de-
    sired.  Some  enterprising  individuals  established  their  own  Fig.  4.  Portrait  of Emperor  Charles  V by Titian  (detail), dated  1548  (Munich,
     charitable  institutions and  sponsored  architectural  complexes.  Alte Pinakothek,  632)

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