Kadın was the title given to the imperial consort of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire towards the beginning of the seventeenth century. The title came into official usage at the end of the century, and remained in usage until the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Ranks and titles

A kadın was a titled consort, and recognised as such by the Sultan. The sultans usually had four kadıns, although they might have more over a lifetime, because from time to time, one would die or be retired to the Old Palace, or were divorced. They were ranked as baş kadın (senior kadın, senior consort), ikinci kadın (second kadın, second consort), üçüncü kadın (third kadın, third consort), dördüncü kadın (fourth kadın, fourth consort), and so on, in order of their elevation to that position. The kadıns usually held the prefix titles of devletlü ('illustrious', 'highness'), ismetlü ('the virtuous'), iffetlü ('honest', 'virtuous'), saadetlü ('prosperous', 'felicitous'), and inayetlü ('gracious'), and the suffix titles of kadınefendi ('her ladyship'), and hazretleri ('highness').

Status and promotion

The kadıns were chosen from among the gediklis. They had their own apartments within the harem, or sometimes isolated kiosks. In the nineteenth century, they had two rooms on the second floor of the palace, one facing the Bosphorus Straits, and serving as a salon, and the other facing the palace gardens, and serving as a bedroom. They had their personal servants. Each kadın had her 'night turn' (nöbet gecesi). Sometimes she was invited to dine with the sultan, and when this happened in the early years of the Ottoman dynasty, she used to sit at a separate table. The sultans came to visit a kadın, namely, if she was sick, or if she had children. The kadıns were not permitted to receive outside visitors or to leave the palace except to accompany the sultan to another of his abodes. When they left Topkapı Palace for one of the other places, the utmost care was taken to prevent them from being seen. They left the palace before sunrise, were driven through the palace grounds in curtained carriages, and covered with shawls. A long line of imperial carriages would be formed according to protocol. They embarked from Yalı Köşkü in boats where they were seated in enclosures. The whole convoy was closely guard by other boats. The kadıns were allowed to join Friday mosque processions if they wished. Each kadın received an allowance from the state according to her rank. In the eighteenth century the senior kadın was given ten kese (piasters), or 5,000 kuruş, while the other kadıns were allocated allowance according to their ranks. In the nineteenth century it was 20,000 kuruş. The kadıns were subjected to the same law of inheritance as the other women in the harem. However, they were usually buried in places of honour. In the nineteenth century, if a kadın died, the laying out of the corpse and the wrapping in the winding sheet took place at the Topkapı Palace. The cloths and sashes laid over them were there. The kadıns received two sashes. If the valide sultan were deceased, authority over the harem devolved to the senior kadın, a position appointed by the monarch for life. Upon the death of a kadın, each kadın that ranked below her advanced one step in rank. The ikbals, who ranked below the kadıns, could only take the position of the kadıns if one of them died, or was divorced. If a vacancy arose among the kadıns, the senior ikbal was moved up to kadın status. Upon the death of a sultan, any of his kadıns who had not borne a child, or who had born a child who had died, was married to a statesman. The others retired to the Old Palace.

List of senior consorts

Sources