Podcasts · The Ottoman Empire: How It Ruled Three Continents for 600 Years — Fexingo History
The Sultanate of Women: Ottoman Queens Who Ruled from the Harem
· 5:48 · S4 E185
Episode The Sultanate of Women: Ottoman Queens Who Ruled from the Harem
We've discussed Janissaries, grand viziers, and the devşirme system, but the 17th-century Ottoman Empire was also shaped by the powerful women of the harem, especially the Valide Sultans. In this episode, we explore the Sultanate of Women—a period when queen mothers wielded immense influence behind the throne. We delve into the life of Kösem Sultan, the formidable Greek-born consort who became the most powerful woman in Ottoman history, ruling as regent for her son and grandson. We trace her rise from a slave in the harem to the architect of palace politics, her complex relationship with the Janissaries, and her tragic assassination at the hands of her own daughter-in-law, Turhan Hatice Sultan. Then we examine Turhan's own regency, her patronage of the Yeni Mosque in Istanbul, and how her reign marked the end of the Sultanate of Women. This episode uncovers the inner workings of the imperial harem, the political machinations of the Ottoman court, and the shifting dynamics of power during the empire's early modern period.
#OttomanEmpire #SultanateofWomen #KosemSultan #TurhanHaticeSultan #ValideSultan #Harem #17thCentury #Janissaries #TopkapiPalace #YeniMosque #OttomanHistory #FexingoHistory #QueenMothers #EmpressDowager #History #WomenInHistory #Istanbul #MiddleEastHistory
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Transcript
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