List of consorts of the Ottoman sultans

This is a list of Consorts of the Ottoman sultans, the wives and concubines of the monarchs of the Ottoman Empire who ruled over the transcontinental empire from its inception in 1299 to its dissolution in 1922. The imperial consorts held the titles of Hatun, Sultan (including Valide Sultan and Haseki Sultan), Kadınefendi, and Hanımefendi.

Honorific and titles

Hatun

Hatun (Ottoman Turkish: خاتون) was used as an honorific for women in the Ottoman period, roughly equivalent to the English term Lady. The term was being used for the Ottoman sultan's consorts. When the son of one of the consort ascended the throne she became Valide Hatun.

Sultan

Sultan (سلطان) is a word of Arabic origin, originally meaning "authority" or "dominion". By the beginning of the 16th century, the title of sultan, carried by both men and women of the Ottoman dynasty, were replacing other titles by which prominent members of the imperial family had been known (notably hatun for women and bey for men), with imperial women carrying the title of "Sultan" after their given names. Consequently, the title "Valide Hatun" also turned into "Valide Sultan". In this time, the title "Haseki Sultan" was created and used for the legal wife or Chief Consort of the Ottoman Sultan. For example, Hafsa Sultan, Suleiman’s mother and first Valide Sultan, and Hürrem Sultan, Suleiman’s legal wife and first Haseki Sultan. This usage underlines the Ottoman conception of sovereign power as family prerogative.^[1] Towards the end of the seventeenth century the title hatun and sultan for imperial consorts was replaced by Kadınefendi and Hanımefendi.

Kadınefendi

Kadınefendi (Ottoman Turkish: قادين افندی) was the title given to the official wives of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. The title first came in use during the reign of Sultan Suleiman II. The Sultan could have up to four and some times five women i.e. wives with the imperial rank of Kadınefendi and unlimited number of wives with the rank of Hanımefendi.

Hanımefendi

Hanımefendi (Ottoman Turkish: خانم افندی) was the title given to the official consorts of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, who came below the rank of Kadınefendi. The title was given to the Ikbals and Gözdes of the Sultan, which appeared for the first time in the reign of Sultan Mustafa II, the end of the seventeenth century, the start of the Ottoman Decline

Consorts of Ottoman Sultans

See also

• Ottoman dynasty
• Ottoman Empire
• Ottoman Sultans' concubines
• List of the mothers of the Ottoman Sultans
• List of Valide Sultans
• List of Ottoman Sultans

Notes

References

• Açba-Ançabadze, Leyla, Fürstin: Harem Hatıraları, Timaş Yayınları, Istanbul 2010.
• Afife Rezzemaza: Saray'dan Sürgüne, Istanbul 2013
• Aredba, Rumeysa, Fürstin: Sultan Vahdeddin'in San Remo Günleri, Istanbul 2009
• Bardakçı, Murat: Şahbaba. Pan Yayıncılık, Istanbul 1998.
• Mislimelek, Prinzessin: Saray'dan Sürgüne Bir Osmanlı Prensesi, Istanbul 2012 (Memoiren der Nichte von Emine Nazikeda und Schwiegertochter von Sultan Abdulhamit II.)
• Öztuna, Yılmaz: İslam Devletleri. Istanbul 1989 (Devletler ve Hanedanlar, Band 2).
• Uluçay, Çağatay: Padişahların Kadınları ve Kızları, Ankara 1992
• Ünüvar, Safiye: Saray Hatıraları, Istanbul 1965