The role and position of court women in the ottoman endowment system of the Ottoman Empire from the period magnificent of Suleiman to Abdelhamid ii

Subject Areas : Epistemological and methodological researcher of historical research

kobra shavandi ¹ , AHMAD KAMRANIFAR ² , mohammad reza barani ³

1 - Department of History' Najafabad Branch' Islamic Azad University' Najafabad' Iran
2 - Department of History' Najafabad Branch' Islamic Azad University' Najafabad' Iran
3 - Department of History' Najafabad Branch' Islamic Azad University' Najafabad' Iran' Faculty member of AL-Zahra University

Received: 2020-07-30 Accepted : 2021-02-06 Published : 2020-11-21

Keywords: role, Ottomans, Waqf, Waqif women, courtiers,

Abstract :

The Ottoman Empire was one of the most stable Muslim states that ruled over the Islamic world for over six centuries and the culmination of its authority began in the time of Suleiman the Magnificent. In examining the power diagram, court women played a role in various developments as behind-the-scenes rulers in the form of the sultan's mother or a minor. Among these areas are endowments and charitable affairs. Waqf is an eternal legacy through which good deeds and public benefits continue in society. Examining the history of waqf in the Ottoman Empire without considering the role and status of women is incomplete research. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize the activity of court women as influential elements, to provide a clearer picture of the endowment system of that period. Religious tendencies and favorable economic influences of court women caused their social and religious presence in the phenomenon of waqf, especially in the period of Suleiman the Magnificent to the end of the reign of Abdul Hamid II. In this article, as a research issue, we will try to examine the extent of the influence of court women in the Ottoman endowment system according to the mentioned hypotheses. Findings indicate that the positive performance of women in the Ottoman court led to the strengthening and increasing development of the endowment system. The presented materials have been provided in a descriptive-analytical manner and by using valid scientific books and articles.