Children of the Ottoman Seraglio

The family life of the masters of the Ottoman palace and the daily lives and clothing of the children of the sultans are topics which unfortunately have not been the subjects of detailed consideration. This deficiency has not only resulted incorrect assumptions, deep ignorance and erroneous opinion regarding their way of life and family relationships, but has also led to the incorrect interpretation of their place in Ottoman civilization. This is so because those distinguished persons who represent a particular cultural circle must be known well. Moreover, the persons of that milieu obviously affect the course of history, and that milieu produces select and distinguished persons who are unique to it. Among the members of the dynasty are artist sultans, princes and princesses; the life style of the dynasty is based on a unique tradition and that these works, among the wealth of the many objects in our museum, bear witness to the institution’s historical and cultural identity.

The Topkapı Palace Museum’s worthy expert Doc. Dr. Hülya Tezcan, known for her publications on the historical topography of the palace and its pre-Ottoman works as well as her contribution to the work İpek, on the textile collections of the Palace, now presents this invaluable research on the lives and costumes of the princes and princesses who were members of dynasty.

Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı