Kadın (Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: قادین) 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.
A was a titled consort, and recognised as such by the Sultan.[1] The sultans usually had four s, 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.[2] They were ranked as (senior, senior consort), (second, second consort), (third, third consort), (fourth, fourth consort), and so on, in order of their elevation to that position.
The s usually held the prefix titles of [3] ('illustrious',[4] [5] 'highness'), [3] ('the virtuous'),[6] [7] ('honest', 'virtuous'),[8] [9] ('prosperous',[4] 'felicitous'),[5] and [10] ('gracious'),[4] and the suffix titles of [3] ('her ladyship'), and ('highness').[11]
The s were chosen from among the s. They had their own apartments within the harem, or sometimes isolated kiosks.[11] 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 had her 'night turn' . 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, namely, if she was sick, or if she had children.
The s 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 s were allowed to join Friday mosque processions if they wished.
Each received an allowance from the state according to her rank. In the eighteenth century the senior was given ten (piasters), or 5,000, while the other s were allocated allowance according to their ranks. In the nineteenth century it was 20,000 . The s 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 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 s received two sashes.
If the valide sultan were deceased, authority over the harem devolved to the senior, a position appointed by the monarch for life.
Upon the death of a, each that ranked below her advanced one step in rank. The s, who ranked below the s, could only take the position of the s if one of them died,[12] or was divorced.[2] If a vacancy arose among the s, the senior was moved up to status. Upon the death of a sultan, any of his s 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.
| Name | Became senior consort | Ceased to be senior consort | Death | Spouse | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emetullah Kadın | 1703 husband's ascension | 20 September 1730 husband's abdication | 1732 | Ahmed III | |
| Alicenab Kadın | 20 September 1730 husband's ascension | 13 December 1754 husband's death | Unknown | Mahmud I | |
| Leyla Kadın | 13 December 1754 husband's ascension | 30 October 1757 husband's death | 1794 | Osman III | |
| Mihrişah Sultan | 1758 after husband's ascension | 21 January 1774 husband's death | 16 October 1805 | Mustafa III | |
| Ayşe Kadın | 21 January 1774 husband's ascension | 1775 | Abdul Hamid I | ||
| Ruhşah Kadın | 1775 fellow consort's death | 7 April 1789 husband's death | 1807 | ||
| Safizar Kadın | 7 April 1789 husband's ascension | 30 May 1792 | Selim III | ||
| Unnamed | 30 May 1792 fellow consort's death | 29 May 1807 husband's deposition | 1858-59 | ||
| Şevkinur Kadın | 29 May 1807 husband's ascension | 28 July 1808 husband's deposition | 1812 | Mustafa IV | |
| Unnamed | 28 July 1808 husband's ascension | 20 April 1809 | Mahmud II | ||
| Dilseza Kadın | 20 April 1809 fellow consort's death | May 1816 | |||
| Kamerfer Kadın | May 1816 fellow consort's death | 1823 | |||
| Nevfidan Kadın | 1823 fellow consort's death | 1 July 1839 husband's death | 25 December 1855 | ||
| Servetseza Kadın | 2 July 1839 husband's ascension | 25 June 1861 husband's death | 22 September 1879 | Abdulmejid I | |
| Dürrünev Kadın | 25 June 1861 husband's ascension | 30 May 1876 husband's deposition | 4 December 1895 | Abdulaziz | |
| Mevhibe Kadın | 30 May 1876 husband's ascension | 31 August 1876 husband's deposition | 1936 | Murad V | |
| Nazikeda Kadın | 3 August 1876 husband's ascension | 7 February 1895 | Abdul Hamid II | ||
| Bedrifelek Kadın | 16 September 1895 fellow consort's death | 21 January 1909 husband's deposition | 6 February 1930 | ||
| Kamures Kadın | 27 April 1909 husband's ascension | 3 July 1918 husband's death | 30 April 1921 | Mehmed V | |
| Nazikeda Kadın | 3 July 1918 husband's ascension | 1 November 1922 husband's deposition and empire abolished | 4 April 1941 | Mehmed VI | |
| Şehsuvar Hanım | 19 November 1922 husband's proclaimed as caliph | 3 March 1924 husband's deposition and caliphate abolished | 1945 | Abdulmejid II | |