Probably everyone heard about the girl-concubines, but few people know what is actually hiding under this word. What duties the girls were supposed to fulfill, what rights they had and how the concubines in different countries of the world differed - this is what today's conversation will be about.
Concubine - who is it?
So who is such a concubine? This is a girl who occupied a special place in the court of the ruler. Her status was lower than that of an official wife, but she had much more advantages than all other women. Although the content of harems and concubines in different countries was slightly different, for most girls falling into a harem and becoming a concubine was a great success. So what is the difference between concubines in the countries of the east and, for example, in Europe?
Sultan's Concubine
When it comes to concubines, Turkey is most often recalled. The tradition of holding harems and making concubines existed there for more than seven centuries. What was the concubine of the sultan?
In contrast to the generally accepted opinion, which was most likely due to modern cinema, it was not slaves, captives, or girls from the street who became concubines most often. There was a kind of restriction in the harem, how many girls should be blondes, and how many brunettes or redheads.
Most often, parents themselves sold their daughters in a harem. Thus, they wanted to provide them with a good future, which, by generally accepted standards, was considered life in a harem. Russian concubines, as, indeed, any girls of Slavic origin, were most valued in the harem.
What place did the concubine take in the harem of the sultan
The sultan could contain simultaneously 700-800 concubines. Among them there was a rigid hierarchy. Naturally, all 800 could not have “access to the body” of the ruler. Most often, the sultan had one or more wives, as well as several beloved concubines. Other girls could not see their master for years. The favorites of the Sultan had more rights than the rest of the girls. A child born of a beloved concubine, naturally, could not claim to take the place of his father. However, the ruler arranged all his children in life. The exclusive right to succession only had children born in an official marriage. But given the constant struggle for power, it is not known who was more fortunate: the child of the concubine, who was not in danger, or the little heir, who every day risked becoming a victim of someone else's plans.
In addition, the position of the official wife was not much different from the position held by the concubine. This means that all of them were the property of their master and lived, albeit in a golden, but cage.
Girls who could not get into the ranks of the favorites performed many other duties. First of all, household. Since the entrance to the harem by strangers was strictly prohibited, all the housework was completely placed on the shoulders of the unfortunate concubines. One could monitor the cleanliness, the other - the routine, the third - the health of the entire "family", the fourth - the process of making coffee … and so on and on. Responsibilities, like working hands, were enough.
Concubines in Europe
If someone thinks that the concubine is a phenomenon that spread only in the East, he is greatly mistaken. Almost all European monarchs had concubines, but they were only called favorites. However, the name does not change who these women actually were.
Almost always, the emperor chose his wife, guided solely by political considerations. However, very soon a girl appeared at the court, whom the emperor recognized as his official favorite. Often, the emperor maintained relations with such a girl long before he entered into an official marriage. In addition, there could be several favorites.
In fact, European emperors can be called polygamists. Both the wife and the favorite lived in the same house, and the monarch was the biological father of their children. As in the east, children born of their legal spouses had the right to succession, but history knows many cases when it was the bastards who took the place of their fathers. In addition, the concubine in Europe had much more rights than in the East, and often it was imperial concubines that influenced the fate of the whole state.
