Cariye

08:45 May 29, 2012 

http://www.osmanli.org.tr/en/yazi.php?bolum=29&id=332

“We may now consider the question of the Sultans’ personal lives and that of the female slaves. What does the term female slave (câriye) denote? It may be understood from the facts given later in the book that in Islamic law this term refers only to female slaves. However, there are two categories of cariye:

The First are female slaves the masters of whom could only benefit from their daily labors, and with whom sexual relations were prohibited; they could not be used as concubines. There was no difference between these and what today are known as domestic servants and cleaners and even permanent staff. They would go to their masters’ houses early in the morning; do the cleaning, prepare food, or look after small children. Their male owners’ relations with them resembled those of any contract of employment. Although they were only slaves, they were not lawful for their masters. In any event, the majority of them were married to slaves like themselves. Only, as is described later, female slaves of this category in the Harem could not marry so long as they did not ‘retire’ from the Palace (çirâg[). Mankind has undergone vari