2 - Departure from the Imperial Palace and Changing Relationships with the Imperial Court

Summary

There were several career paths available for female slaves within the Ottoman imperial harem. Only a small group was linked directly to the sultan, serving as his concubines or consorts. Some slaves rose within the harem service and were, eventually, promoted to one of its administrative offices. The majority of women were manumitted after serving for a period of time and then left the imperial harem. Chapter 2 examines the process of manumission of female palace slaves and their departure from the palace from various angles. It also explores the extent of their later relationship with the imperial court. The chapter demonstrates how their departure from the palace did not mean an end to their relationship with the imperial court, but rather signaled the creation of a new kind of relationship between the two parties that continued in various ways throughout their lives. The chapter examines the various ways and factors that enabled manumitted female palace slaves to continue their bonds with the imperial court. It argues that the continuation of the women’s relationship with the imperial court paved the way for the continuity of the patronage relationships throughout their lives and this situation was loaded with various implications for both the palace women and the imperial court.