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Rating: 
Summary: Women and Power within the Ottoman Empire.
Review: First off the book explains WHY female harems existed in the first place. The simple answer is this. If the sovereign gets married to a Princess of another power that power could lay claim to the throne. BUT if he has offspring with a bunch of slaves, women who are not of the Muslim faith and are not linked to powerful families, than outsiders could not lay claim to the throne by right of blood.
Yet don't think these concubines were powerless. In fact, through their sons and daughters, through networks based on retainers, son-in-laws and slaves, they gained great influence and wealth. Mothers of princes, wives and royal mothers to the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, they were a big part of the inner workings and political events within the palace.
They were eyes and ears of the Sultan when he was away, they were symbols of benevolence and powerful diplomats for the Empire, they were tutors and guardians for their sons.
The book has a helpful glossary, a two page genealogical chart, two maps and is VERY detailed. I would suggest this book ONLY to people interested in the Ottoman Empire, the Middle East or women in history. It is also VERY dry.
Rating:
Summary: Women and Power within the Ottoman Empire.
Review: First off the book explains WHY female harems existed in the first place. The simple answer is this. If the sovereign gets married to a Princess of another power that power could lay claim to the throne. BUT if he has offspring with a bunch of slaves, women who are not of the Muslim faith and are not linked to powerful families, than outsiders could not lay claim to the throne by right of blood.
Yet don't think these concubines were powerless. In fact, through their sons and daughters, through networks based on retainers, son-in-laws and slaves, they gained great influence and wealth. Mothers of princes, wives and royal mothers to the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, they were a big part of the inner workings and political events within the palace.
They were eyes and ears of the Sultan when he was away, they were symbols of benevolence and powerful diplomats for the Empire, they were tutors and guardians for their sons.
The book has a helpful glossary, a two page genealogical chart, two maps and is VERY detailed. I would suggest this book ONLY to people interested in the Ottoman Empire, the Middle East or women in history. It is also VERY dry.
Rating: 
Summary: A serious look at the lives of women in Ottoman Turkey
Review: I found this book to be boring. Plain and simple. This book read like a college text book and not a colorful interpretation of Ottoman life.I have read other interpretations of historical periods and found that the ones that read like a novel and not like a book for geared towards individuals studying for their doctorial thesis are more interesting and allow the average reader the opportunity to truly develop a sense of history.
Rating: 
Summary: A disappointment...much to my suprise
Review: I found this book to be boring. Plain and simple. This book read like a college text book and not a colorful interpretation of Ottoman life. I have read other interpretations of historical periods and found that the ones that read like a novel and not like a book for geared towards individuals studying for their doctorial thesis are more interesting and allow the average reader the opportunity to truly develop a sense of history.
Rating:
Summary: A serious look at the lives of women in Ottoman Turkey
Review: This book might be a disappointment to someone looking for gossip about life in the harem as envisioned by writers of fiction. But for anyone really interested in understanding the role of women and the domestic household in the royal court of a great Muslim Empire, this is the real thing, brilliantly researched and thoughtfully presented.
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