# Kadın (title)

Kadın (Ottoman Turkish: قادین) was the title given to the imperial consort of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire towards the beginning of the seventeenth century. The title came into official usage at the end of the century, and remained in usage until the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

## Ranks and titles

A kadın was a titled consort, and recognised as such by the Sultan. The sultans usually had four kadıns, although they might have more over a lifetime, because from time to time, one would die or be retired to the Old Palace, or were divorced. They were ranked as baş kadın (senior kadın, senior consort), ikinci kadın (second kadın, second consort), üçüncü kadın (third kadın, third consort), dördüncü kadın (fourth kadın, fourth consort), and so on, in order of their elevation to that position.
The kadıns usually held the prefix titles of devletlü ('illustrious', 'highness'), ismetlü ('the virtuous'), iffetlü ('honest', 'virtuous'), saadetlü ('prosperous', 'felicitous'), and inayetlü ('gracious'), and the suffix titles of kadınefendi ('her ladyship'), and hazretleri ('highness').

## Status and promotion

The kadıns were chosen from among the gediklis. They had their own apartments within the harem, or sometimes isolated kiosks. In the nineteenth century, they had two rooms on the second floor of the palace, one facing the Bosphorus Straits, and serving as a salon, and the other facing the palace gardens, and serving as a bedroom. They had their personal servants. Each kadın had her 'night turn' (nöbet gecesi). Sometimes she was invited to dine with the sultan, and when this happened in the early years of the Ottoman dynasty, she used to sit at a separate table. The sultans came to visit a kadın, namely, if she was sick, or if she had children.
The kadıns were not permitted to receive outside visitors or to leave the palace except to accompany the sultan to another of his abodes. When they left Topkapı Palace for one of the other places, the utmost care was taken to prevent them from being seen. They left the palace before sunrise, were driven through the palace grounds in curtained carriages, and covered with shawls. A long line of imperial carriages would be formed according to protocol. They embarked from Yalı Köşkü in boats where they were seated in enclosures. The whole convoy was closely guard by other boats. The kadıns were allowed to join Friday mosque processions if they wished.
Each kadın received an allowance from the state according to her rank. In the eighteenth century the senior kadın was given ten kese (piasters), or 5,000 kuruş, while the other kadıns were allocated allowance according to their ranks. In the nineteenth century it was 20,000 kuruş. The kadıns were subjected to the same law of inheritance as the other women in the harem. However, they were usually buried in places of honour. In the nineteenth century, if a kadın died, the laying out of the corpse and the wrapping in the winding sheet took place at the Topkapı Palace. The cloths and sashes laid over them were there. The kadıns received two sashes.
If the valide sultan were deceased, authority over the harem devolved to the senior kadın, a position appointed by the monarch for life.
Upon the death of a kadın, each kadın that ranked below her advanced one step in rank. The ikbals, who ranked below the kadıns, could only take the position of the kadıns if one of them died, or was divorced. If a vacancy arose among the kadıns, the senior ikbal was moved up to kadın status. Upon the death of a sultan, any of his kadıns who had not borne a child, or who had born a child who had died, was married to a statesman. The others retired to the Old Palace.

## List of senior consorts

| Name | Became senior consort | Ceased to be senior consort | Death | Spouse |
| Emetullah Kadın امت اللہ قادین | 1703 husband's ascension | 20 September 1730 husband's abdication | 1732 | Ahmed III |
| Alicenab Kadın عالی جناب قادین | 20 September 1730 husband's ascension | 13 December 1754 husband's death | Unknown | Mahmud I |
| Leyla Kadın لیلی قادین | 13 December 1754 husband's ascension | 30 October 1757 husband's death | 1794 | Osman III |
| Mihrişah Sultan مہرشاہ سلطان | 1758 after husband's ascension | 21 January 1774 husband's death | 16 October 1805 | Mustafa III |
| Ayşe Kadın عائشہ قادین | 21 January 1774 husband's ascension | 1775 | 1775 | Abdul Hamid I |
| Ruhşah Kadın رخشاہ قادین | 1775 fellow consort's death | 7 April 1789 husband's death | 1807 | Abdul Hamid I |
| Safizar Kadın | 7 April 1789 husband's ascension | 30 May 1792 | 30 May 1792 | Selim III |
| Unnamed | 30 May 1792 fellow consort's death | 29 May 1807 husband's deposition | fl. 1858-59 | Selim III |
| Şevkinur Kadın شوق نور قادین | 29 May 1807 husband's ascension | 28 July 1808 husband's deposition | 1812 | Mustafa IV |
| Unnamed | 28 July 1808 husband's ascension | 20 April 1809 | 20 April 1809 | Mahmud II |
| Dilseza Kadın دل سزا قادین | 20 April 1809 fellow consort's death | May 1816 | May 1816 | | Mahmud II |
| Kamerfer Kadın قمرفر قادین | May 1816 fellow consort's death | 1823 | 1823 | | Mahmud II |
| Nevfidan Kadın نوفدان قادین | 1823 fellow consort's death | 1 July 1839 husband's death | 25 December 1855 | Mahmud II |
| Servetseza Kadın ثروت سزا قادین | 2 July 1839 husband's ascension | 25 June 1861 husband's death | 22 September 1879 | Abdulmejid I |
| Dürrünev Kadın درنو قادین | 25 June 1861 husband's ascension | 30 May 1876 husband's deposition | 4 December 1895 | Abdulaziz |
| Mevhibe Kadın محبہ قادین | 30 May 1876 husband's ascension | 31 August 1876 husband's deposition | 1936 | Murad V |
| Nazikeda Kadın نازك ادا قادین | 3 August 1876 husband's ascension | 7 February 1895 | 7 February 1895 | Abdul Hamid II |
| Bedrifelek Kadın بدر فلك قادین | 16 September 1895 fellow consort's death | 21 January 1909 husband's deposition | 6 February 1930 | Abdul Hamid II |
| Kamures Kadın کامورس قادین | 27 April 1909 husband's ascension | 3 July 1918 husband's death | 30 April 1921 | Mehmed V |
| Nazikeda Kadın نازك ادا قادین | 3 July 1918 husband's ascension | 1 November 1922 husband's deposition and empire abolished | 4 April 1941 | Mehmed VI |
| Şehsuvar Hanım شہسوار خانم | 19 November 1922 husband's proclaimed as caliph | 3 March 1924 husband's deposition and caliphate abolished | 1945 | Abdulmejid II |