Abstract
Harem was a part of all rich houses, but the Sultan's Harem always attracted the biggest attention. It was a residence, which was inhabited by family, mainly by women with small children, daughters and slave girls.
The Ottoman Sultan's Harem, where mostly several hundreds of girl slaves were situated, was ruled by the Sultan's mother - valide sultan. Sultans were not in a personal contact with all girls.
Only between ten and twenty women were in their immediate vicinity. They were represented by wives - kadın, felicities - ikbal, favourites - gözde and maidservants.
The Sultan's Harem was an institution, which had a strict protocol and the given function hierarchy.