Book

The chief eunuch of the Ottoman harem : from African slave to power-broker

Hathaway, Jane, 1962- author

Overview

\"Eunuchs were a common feature of pre- and early modern societies that are now poorly understood. Here, Jane Hathaway offers an in-depth study of the chief of the African eunuchs who guarded the harem of the Ottoman Empire. A wide range of primary sources are used to analyse the Chief Eunuch's origins in East Africa and his political, economic, and religious role from the inception of his office in the late sixteenth century through the dismantling of the palace harem in the early twentieth century. Hathaway highlights the origins of the institution and how the role of eunuchs developed in East Africa, as well as exploring the Chief Eunuch's connections to Egypt and Medina. By tracing the evolution of the office, we see how the Chief Eunuch's functions changed in response to transformations in Ottoman society, from the generalized crisis of the seventeenth century to the westernizing reforms of the nineteenth century\"-- Provided by publisher.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Subject: Eunuchs Turkey History. / East Africans Turkey History. / Harems Turkey History. / Turkey History Ottoman Empire, 1288-1918.
• ISBN: 9781107108295, 9781107519206

Item info:

1 item available

1 item total in all locations

Holdings :

Call Number	Copies	Material	Location
HQ449.H37 2018	1	BOOK	GENERAL