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Ottomans ruled over one of the
most expansive, rich, and powerful empires in history. Numerous history
books have been written about the mighty Turks’ military conquests, but no battleground victory has evoked
as much wonderment as the royals’ extravagant lives played out
within the confines of impenetrable imperial walls. The image of beautiful
and sensual women hailing from the four corners of the earth, competing
to serve the aging, yet lustful Sultans, is etched in the universal
consciousness. The delicate exquisiteness of these gorgeous slaves,
thriving in captivity, has been a favorite subject of art and literature
for centuries.
The harem by definition is the
women’s quarter in a Muslim household.
The imperial Harem at the Topkapi Palace (which was later relocated to
the Dolmabahce Palace), on the other hand, was a sprawling 400 room compound
containing the households of the Valide Sultan (Queen Mother), the Sultan’s
favorites, and the concubines --whose main job was to please the Sultan
in the bed chamber. While few of these concubines rose through the ranks
of the hierarchy to enjoy security, power, and fineries, most performed
as the servants necessary for the Harem’s daily functioning.
Those lucky enough to bear a child
to the Sultan were ordained ‘Sultanas’ and
enjoyed a life of luxury in opulent surroundings. The historical articles
displayed at the Topkapi Palace Museum offer clues as to how these mythical
creatures lived. The imagination, artistry, and craftsmanship making
this lush existence a possibility still survives. Today the best examples
of time honored Turkish handcrafts can be seen at the Grand Bazaar, locally
known as Kapali Carsi (pronounced "char-shi"). Ottoman
inspired hand woven carpets embellished with intricate ethnic designs,
exquisitely embroidered tunics, silk tapestries, sumptuous pillows and
draperies, stunning gold and silver jewelry, detailed leather clothes
and accessories, elaborately hand painted ceramics and more can be discovered
in this colossal marketplace.
The origins of Kapali Carsi can
be traced back to two large warehouses that were converted into a market
immediately after Fatih the Conqueror invaded Istanbul. As the years
went by, workshops and small stores continued to sprout around this
area, slowly expanding and morphing into the world’s largest
covered market.
Bargaining at the Grand Bazaar
is a necessity. Every shop owner inflates prices with the expectation
that customers will demand a discount. Even if you don’t intend
to buy, in order to experience the magic of the Orient one must see
the Grand Bazaar -- magnificent with its endless labyrinth of colorful
shop windows, traditional Turkish coffee houses, restaurants emanating
delicious scents of spicy delicacies, and lively crowds.
Historical Note: Ottoman Fashion as Seen through the Eyes of
a Westerner
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, the wife of the English ambassador to Turkey,
spent two years in Turkey in the early 1700's, and during her stay wrote
many letters describing the traditional garbs and habits of Turkish women.
Here is a glimpse of what she had to say:
"The
first piece of my dress is a pair of drawers, very full, that reach to
my shoes and conceal the legs...They are of a thin rose color damask
brocaded with silver flowers, my shoes of white kid leather embroidered
with gold. Over this hangs my smock of a fine white silk gauze edged
with embroidery...The anterior is a waistcoat made close to the shape,
of white and gold damask, with very long sleeves....My caftan of the
same stuff with my drawers is a robe exactly fitted to my shape and reaching
my feet..." (Halsband 326).
Nowadays close reproductions of similar folkloric attire can be found
at the Grand Bazaar. To reinvent the glory days of the Ottomans, don
an embroidered tunic with matching shalvar pants and enjoy a Turkish
coffee at the Ciragan Palace located on the Bosporus.
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