Year of the Poet 2026 XIII August

Foreword

The Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire has been, and continues to be, an enticing subject of in-depth research around the globe. Having ruled for over 6 centuries －623 years, it is one of the longest-lasting empires in world history. Scholarly works generally revolve around the military prowess of the Ottoman sultans and the phenomenon called "Harem." Studies on the development of the sciences, medicine, agriculture, economy, social structure, and literature are few and in-between.

With the onset of Orientalism, stemming largely from 19th century Europe, the orientalizing conceptualization of the "Harem" created a widely accepted portrayal of Ottoman women as an object of oppression and suppression. A large number of highly respected research findings can be cited here to demonstrate the opposite of the mentioned view. Due to space restrictions, however, only a counterexample will have to suffice.

Within the Ottoman Empire, a "Sultanate of Women" ruled between the mid-16th and late-17th centuries. This "Sultanate" operated from the Imperial Harem through which women －called Queen Mother (Valide Sultan) or Chief Consort (Haseki Sultan), held positions of power as regents, as leaders of expansive and extensive architectural projects, and oversaw diplomacy.

Then, there were the female poets, among whom many became the forerunners of a feminist movement within and outside the Ottoman Empire. Zeynep Hatun and Mihri Hatun are two names of female poets who used their actual names in their public literary collections. Numerous others had chosen their public names to be of male origin, as was the most common practice of the era.

It seems appropriate to end this write-up with a few lines by Zeynep Hatun (15th century):

O heart, why should your portion
not be the water bright with life,
And for a thousand times you may pursue
Alexander's dark path.
O Zeyneb, leave behind you
the woman's love of earthly show;
Go forth, like a man, with a true heart,
forsaking all adornment!

hülya n. yılmaz, Ph.D.