As women living in Eastern harems, or what is not told in romantic movies

The word "harem" most of the people come up with colorful painting — the abundance of seductive half-dressed women, bubbling water fountains, sweet wine, and constant bliss. In General, a heavenly pleasure. But do not forget that the times when there were harems, was cruel, and a woman's life is even harder.

So what is actually the Sultan's harems were far from this idealistic picture.

In Arabic "harem" means "set apart, forbidden". This place is in the house was always hidden from prying eyes and carefully guarded by servants. In this secret room lived the women. Chief among them was recognized as either the wife, who had the honor to marry first and held along with betrothed the highest title, or the eunuchs.

Often in the Sultan's harems were a huge number of women, whose number could reach several thousand. Wives and concubines for the Sultan always chose his mother is a strict rule. To be in the harem can be very easy — it just needed to be a beautiful young virgin. But even in the harem, not everyone was able to have relations with her "husband" and give him an heir.

Such a high competition among the wives was allowed to run in the first only the most intelligent, calculating, clever and cunning to women. Not possessing such talents were doomed to execution of household duties and care of the harem. Their love for life they could not see.

In the harems, there was a special order that could not be broken. So it was not as romantic as, for example, in the popular TV series "Magnificent century". The Lord would be attracted to the new girl, and those who namozolil eyes, could be executed. And methods of dealing amazed by their cruelty.

One of the ways to get rid of annoying wife — to put her in a leather bag with the snakes, to tie tight, to bind to the bag a stone and throw into the sea. An easy method of execution was strangulation with a silk cord.

According to the documents, the first originated in the harems of the Ottoman Empire. It was originally formed exclusively of slaves, and wives of the sultans took only heirs of the Christian rulers of the States next door. However, during the reign of Bayezid II the usual setup has been changed. From this time the Sultan did not restrict himself to the marriage and the children acquire from their slaves.

Undoubtedly, the most important in the harem was the Sultan, then in the chain of hierarchy was his mother, called "Walid". When the ruler of the country was changed, then his mother definitely moved into a luxurious mansion, and the moving process was accompanied by a gorgeous procession. After the mother of the Sultan was considered the main it suganya, which was called "kadyn-Effendi." Next was powerless slaves, called "dearie", which often harem was just captivated.

The Caucasian princes wished their daughter was in the Ottoman Sultan's harem and married him. Putting his daughters to bed, caring dads little girls were singing songs about happy destiny, chic and glamorous life in which they will be if they happen to be wives of the Sultan.

Future slaves masters could buy, when little girls were five to seven years, they raised them and raised to maturity, i.e. until the age of 12-14 years. The parents of the girls in writing has waived its right to his child after voluntarily sold to the Sultan's daughter.

Everyday slaves

Lucky ladies, where the Sultan supposedly thought to take a concubine, had excellent knowledge of the Koran, and to learn women's wisdom. And if the slave still managed to occupy an honored place of a wife, her life radically changed. Concubines of the Sultan were engaged in the organization of charitable funds, financed the construction of mosques. They honored the Muslim tradition. The wife of the Sultan was very smart. High intelligence of these women is confirmed by surviving to our times letters.

Marriage and adultery

After 9 years of living in a harem slave received the right to leave it, but on the condition that the master will approve. In the case of a positive decision of the Sultan woman received from him a paper that she is a free man. The Sultan or his mother in this case must buy her a luxurious house, advanced dowry, looking for her husband.

Well, until the heavenly life especially passionate concubines tied intimate relationship with each other or with eunuchs. By the way, all the eunuchs are brought from Africa, so they were all black.

This was done for a purpose — thus it was easy to deduce the lady that committed adultery with a servant. After all, in case of pregnancy appeared dark-skinned babies. But this happened very rarely, because often the slaves were in the harem were castrated, so children could not have. Between concubines and eunuchs would often start a love relationship. It even reached the point that emerged from the harem women went out of their husbands, lamenting the fact that the eunuch was giving them a lot more fun.

Roksolana

Until the XVI century in the harem were girls from Russia, Georgia, Croatia and Ukraine. Based tied the knot with a Byzantine Princess, and Orhan Gazi chose as his wife a daughter of Emperor Constantine, Princess Caroline. But the most famous Sultan's wife, according to legend, was originally from Ukraine. Her name was roxelana, she remained in the status of the bride of Suleiman the Magnificent 40 years.

According to the literary works of the time, real name roxelana — Anastasia. She was the daughter of a priest and was beautiful. The girl was engaged to be married, but shortly before the celebration was abducted by Tatars and sent to Istanbul. There is a would-be bride was on the Muslim market, where the trade in slaves.

In modern Turkey the harem is no more, the latter disappeared in the early twentieth century. His place subsequently became a Museum. However, among the elite polygamy is practiced in our days. Young 12-year-old damsels against their will, give the wife age rich. Basically, do the poor parents who have not enough money to feed a large number of children.

In the United Arab Emirates and other Muslim countries polygamy is legalized, but at the same time allowed to have up to four wives. The same law imposes on a man-polygamist duty worthy of their ladies and children, but about respect has not written a single word. Therefore, despite the good life, wives contain often in extreme rigor. In the case of divorce, the children always remain with the father and the mothers are forbidden to see them. Here's a have a payoff for a comfortable and luxurious life with influential Arab man.