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Ottoman women, freer than you think
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25 Feb 2008 Mon 03:15 pm |
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What would one call a strong, dominant Turkish woman? A sultan! Yes, the word is both masculine and feminine but is only rarely applied to the latter.
Although such a woman is an exception in Turkish society today, she does exist. Actually in western society, one might refer to such a woman as your majesty even if there was no royal connection at all - but this has connotations of mockery. How is it that the Turks came to use the title of sultan in this way?
http://www.turkey-now.org/Default.aspx?pgID=785
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26 Feb 2008 Tue 08:22 pm |
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Quoting Roswitha: What would one call a strong, dominant Turkish woman? A sultan! Yes, the word is both masculine and feminine but is only rarely applied to the latter.
Although such a woman is an exception in Turkish society today, she does exist. Actually in western society, one might refer to such a woman as your majesty even if there was no royal connection at all - but this has connotations of mockery. How is it that the Turks came to use the title of sultan in this way?
http://www.turkey-now.org/Default.aspx?pgID=785
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I've spoken with more than a few Turkish people who claimed the Sultanate of Women, also known as the Tulip Era, was the downfall of the Ottoman Empire. It was in fact the begining of the downfall in as much as it was a period of stagnation.
The intrigues and manipulations of the women in the harem, and in particular of the Valide Sultans who ruled through their boy sultan sons did not fare well for the Empire. In particular Hurrem Sultan, aka:
Roxelana
Although she rose to a very high and powerful position in the empire, her actions were not particularly commendable.
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