The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-29
THE SULTAN'S HAREM
About the Biggest MOhammedan
Matrimonial Establishments.
ATS HUNDREDS OF INMATES.
"a ow the Sultan Chooses His Wives-What
Slave Girls are Notwithstanding of
the Expenses i'm the Palace.

CuNST AETINorLE, September 9. lSS9-
Special CORRESPONDENCE of The HER.LD.
There were more than one thousand women
In the halem Of the last Sultan, and there
are probably as many in the imperial serag-
lio Of Abdul Hamid The number is re-
s.ruited every year by
SLAVES FROM GEORGIA AND CIEcAssIA,
a4ud it is curious thing that none but
slave girls can be part of the Sultan's
female establishment All of the Sultans
81 the past have had slave mothers. and it
r. contrary to the custom of Turkey for
the Sultans to marry. The reason for this
SIS the prevention of political intrigue
which might arise from an extended royal
family, and MahmOund II, the grandfather
at the present Sultan, who died when
Martin Van Buren, was President in order
40 make his throne more safe. sewed up
tbe ia wives of his predecessor in sacks,
loaded them with shot, and dropped them
juto the cool waters of the BosphoIus
8e had a royal harem himself, however,
FOR all that, and when | visited the treas
airy of the Sultan the other day / saw
dozens of mirrors set in diamonds which
ais ladies used in doing up their back hair.
{ saw
SEVERAL PECKs OF PEARLS
g1hicir belonged TO his slave favorites and
rhdsc of his successors, and ] looked at a
little gold cradle set with jewels, in which
niS children were rocked. The father of
the present Sultan was very fond of
women, and he spent several fortunes in
building palaces for them. He had his
furniture made in Europe, and it is said
that he was especially fond of blue-eyed
beauties with golden hair. Abdul Azziz,
who was dethroned in 1876, and who, with
The exception of the three months reign of
MUrad was the predecessor of the present
Sultan, had 200 female slaves in his
harem, and he spent as high as $4,000 600 a
wear in decorating his seragliO and III graf
flying the wants of his ladies' The ex-
pcRses Of his harem for presents and
dresses consumed SSO0,0OO year. and dur
Tag some of the years of his reign he paid
ais high rs half million dollars for jewels.
THE EXPENSES OF THE PRESENT SULTAN
~ this same respect are undoubtedly enor-
nous, and though, am told, that he over
looks the accounts himself, they can net
hut run high into the hundreds of thou
sands of dollars. There are thousands of
servants about the palaces of the Sultan
Ge G has several hundred eunuchs, and
Shesc receive salaries according to their
position The chief eunuch is quite as i'm
Bortant man as the grand vizier. He
lakes part in the imperial councils, and is a
nu9u OF great influence ! saw him on the
day that the Sultan took his yearly visit
when he went to kiss the mantle of Ma
AlGmet. A tall, broad -shouldered negro
with dull, black eyes, but with features
expressive of intellect and will He was
dressed in clothes embroidered in gold lace
and he rode a magnificent Arabian horse
The Sultan probably bought him as a slave
and the most ordinary
GUNUcHs ARE A COSTLY ARTICLE.
They are imported by slave dealers from
Africa, where they are raised. They are
Of rs different grades as are other men, and
the SIltan has ali kinds. The more i'm
portant of them have separate establish
Inents of their own in the palace. Each of
tue more favOrite slaves of the harem must
nave her eunuchs to wait upon her. She
uses them as her servants, but they are
guards as well. This chief eunuch has
charge OF all the women of the palace and
Il is through Cheir power with the Sultan
that much of his influence comes. He is
new to his position, and he will probably
simass fortune before he dies. The last
chief ounuch wore a uniform of scarlet and
gold, and he built mosque to serve as his
comb. He was courted during his life
time. and it is said that his influence was
pnrchasable.
The eunuchs, however, form but a small
part Of the servants of the palace. There
are something like seven thousand people
about the Sultan, and the greater part Of
these are employees. The kitchens of the
last Sultan had
THREE UT-N,DRFD SFRyANTS