Istanbul Guide

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MUHARREMZ/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE During the great days of the empire, foreign ambassadors were received at Topkap ı on days when the janissar ies (the sultan’s per sonal bodyguards) were scheduled to receive their pay. Huge sacks of silver coins were brought to the Imperial Council Chamber in the Second Court and court officers would dispense the coins to long lines of the tough, impeccably costumed and fault lessly disciplined troops as the ambassadors looked on in admiration. SULTANAHMET & AROUND TOPKAPI PALACE

Gate of Felicity

would be schooled in Islam and in Turkish culture and language, as well as the arts of make-up, dress, comportment, music, reading, writing, embroidery and dancing. They then entered a meritocracy, first as ladies-in-waiting to the sultan’s concubines and children, then to the sultan’s mother and finally – if they were particularly attractive and talented – to the sultan himself. The sultan was allowed by Islamic law to have four legitimate wives, who received the title of kad ı n (wife). If a wife bore him a son she was called haseki sultan; if she bore him a daughter, haseki kad ı n . Ruling the Harem was the valide sultan (moth er of the reigning sultan), who often owned large landed estates in her own name and controlled them through black eunuch servants. Able to give orders directly to the grand vizier, her influence on the sultan, on his wives and concubines, and on matters of state was often profound. The earliest of the 300-odd rooms in the Harem were constructed during the reign of Murat III (r 1574–95); the harems of previous sultans were at the now-demolished Eski Saray ı (Old Palace), near present-day Beyaz ı t Meydan ı . The Harem complex has six floors, but only one of these can be visited. This is approached via the Carriage Gate . Inside the gate is the Dome with Cupboards , the Harem treasury where financial records were kept. Beyond it is a room where the

Sultan İ brahim I (r 1640–48), known as ‘ İ brahim the Crazy’, spent his early life imprisoned in the kafes before succeed ing his brother Murat IV in 1640. His reign was marked by extrav agance and instability, and he was deposed and strangled in 1648. The Spoonmaker’s Diamond in the Topkap ı collection is one of the largest diamonds in the world. According to legend, it was found in a rubbish dump in E ğ r ı kap ı and purchased by a wily street peddler for three spoons before eventually being pur chased by a grand vizier and becoming part of the Imperial Treasury. SPOONMAKER’S DIAMOND