The Sultanate of Women is a term used for a period in the Ottoman Empire in which powerful women of the imperial harem, especially the mothers and wives of sultans, are said to have wielded great political influence. It is usually associated with figures such as Hurrem Sultan, the wife of Suleiman the Magnificent, and later Nurbanu, Safiye and Kosem, who acted as regents for young sultans. The harem and its women took part in court politics, in the choice of officials, and in building mosques and charities. The term was coined by later writers who disapproved of this influence, and modern historians generally regard it as biased and argue that the women acted within a system of dynastic politics. The period ended when the Koprulu viziers restored the power of the grand vizierate.
Before and after
- from February 1519 to August 1521Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire
- 2 May 1519Death of Leonardo da Vinci
- from 10 August 1519 to 8 September 1522Magellan-Elcano expedition
- from 1520 to 1600Mannerism
- from 1520 to 1648Sultanate of Women
- 1520Stockholm Bloodbath
- 6 April 1520Death of Raphael
- from 30 June 1520 to 1 July 1520La Noche Triste
- from 1521 to 1523Swedish War of Liberation
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- from 15th century to 18th centuryAge of Discovery
- from 15th century to 18th centuryEarly modern period
- from 1525 to 1947Prussia
- from 16th century to 18th centuryBaroque
- from 1616 to 1912Qing dynasty
- from 22 October 1721 to 1 September 1917Russian Empire
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 16th century.