The Sultanate of Women 3/3: Kösem & Turhan

In Germany, Christmas really glitters! In fact many of the traditions we associate with the festive season in Britain, the US and around the world come to us via Germany. The Christmas Tree, Santa Claus, Advent Calendars, nutcrackers, toys, Christmas Markets and a cornucopia of C ...  Show more

Jane Austen was born in the 16th of December, 1775, which means this month marks her 250th birthday. Jane lived a quiet, mostly happy life in the English countryside, surrounded by the balls, romantic intrigues and family dramas that fill her novels. Her writing was always her tr ...  Show more

Exploring the Early Life of Kösem Sultan: The Rise of a Legendary Figure Kösem Sultan's journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most powerful and influential women in Ottoman history is truly remarkable. Born in humble surroundings, she navigated the complex world o ...  Show more

When we last left Kosem Sultan, she was already super powerful, but with the death of her eldest son, Murad IV, she's now about to start a life of a new kind of power under her unwell son, Ibrahim. Ibrahim, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire has gone down in history as Ibrahim the Mad, ...  Show more

What was life like for women in the Ottoman Empire? Was the Sultanate of Women the golden era? What was the role of the Harem? Listen as William and Anita are joined by Bettany Hughes to discuss the role of women in the Ottoman Empire. LRB Empire offer: lrb.me/empire Twitter: @ ...  Show more

"If you have to take an beautiful enslaved convert boy from another province to become your lover, and then you fall hopelessly in love with him, and then promote him and he attains great power, do be aware than he might actually want to take your throne." Somehow, this extrem ...