Kadın () was a title given to consorts 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 twentieth century.

Ranks and titles A was a titled consort, and recognised as such by the sultan. The sultans usually had four s at a time; occasionally, one would die, retired to the Eski Saray (Old Palace), or was divorced. They were ranked as (first , first consort), (second , second consort), (third , third consort), and (fourth , fourth consort), in order of their elevation to that position.

The s usually held the prefix titles of ("illustrious"), ("virtuous"), ("honest"), ("prosperous"), and ("gracious"), and the suffix titles of ("ladyship"), and ("highness").

Status and promotion The s were chosen from among the s. 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 Strait, 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 earlier years, 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 on boats in which they were seated in enclosures. The whole convoy was closely guarded 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 , 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 honor. 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.

If the valide sultan were deceased, authority over the harem devolved to the senior .

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, or was divorced. 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.

List of senior consorts NameBecame senior consortCeased to be senior consortDeathSpouse Emetullah Kadın 1703husband's ascension 20 September 1730husband's abdication 1732 Ahmed III Alicenab Kadın 20 September 1730husband's ascension 13 December 1754husband's death Unknown Mahmud I Leyla Kadın 13 December 1754husband's ascension 30 October 1757husband's death 1794 Osman III Mihrişah Sultan 17 March 1758promoted to the position 21 January 1774husband's death 16 October 1805 Mustafa III Ayşe Kadın 21 January 1774husband's ascension1775 Abdul Hamid I Ruhşah Kadın 1775fellow consort's death 7 April 1789husband's death 1807 Safizar Kadın 7 April 1789husband's ascension30 May 1792Selim III Unnamed 30 May 1792fellow consort's death 29 May 1807husband's deposition 1858–59 Şevkinur Kadın 29 May 1807husband's ascension 28 July 1808husband's deposition 1812 Mustafa IV Fatma Kadın 28 July 1808husband's ascension 20 April 1809 Mahmud II Dilseza Kadın 20 April 1809fellow consort's deathMay 1816 Kameri Kadın May 1816fellow consort's deathbefore 1825 Nevfidan Kadın before 1825fellow consort's death 1 July 1839husband's death25 December 1855 Servetseza Kadın 2 July 1839husband's ascension 25 June 1861husband's death 22 September 1879 Abdulmecid I Dürrünev Kadın 25 June 1861husband's ascension 30 May 1876husband's deposition 4 December 1895 Abdulaziz Mevhibe Kadın 30 May 1876husband's ascension 31 August 1876husband's deposition 1936 Murad V Nazikeda Kadın 31 August 1876husband's ascension 11 April 1895 Abdul Hamid II Bedrifelek Kadın 11 April 1895fellow consort's death 27 April 1909husband's deposition 6 February 1930 Kamures Kadın 27 April 1909husband's ascension 3 July 1918husband's death 30 April 1921 Mehmed V Nazikeda Kadın 3 July 1918husband's ascension 1 November 1922husband's deposition and empire abolished 4 April 1941 Mehmed VI Şehsuvar Hanım 19 November 1922husband's proclaimed as caliph 3 March 1924husband's deposition and caliphate abolished 1945 Abdulmejid II

See also List of Ottoman titles and appellations Khatun Haseki sultan Ikbal (title) Valide sultan Cariye

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