Ottoman Sultans' concubines

This is a list of Consorts of the Ottoman sultans, the wives and concubines of the monarchs of the Ottoman Empire who ruled over the transcontinental empire from its inception in 1299 to its dissolution in 1922.

Hatun (Ottoman Turkish: خاتون) was used as an honorific for women in the Ottoman period, roughly equivalent to the English term Lady. The term was being used for the Ottoman sultan's consorts. When the son of one of the consorts ascended the throne she became Valide Hatun.

Sultan (سلطان) is a word of Arabic origin, originally meaning "authority" or "dominion". By the beginning of the 16th century, the title of sultan, carried by both men and women of the Ottoman dynasty, was replacing other titles by which prominent members of the imperial family had been known (notably hatun for women and bey for men), with imperial women carrying the title of "Sultan" after their given names. Consequently, the title "Valide Hatun" also turned into "Valide Sultan". In this time, the title "Haseki Sultan" was created and used for the legal wife or Chief Consort of the Ottoman Sultan. For example, Hafsa Sultan, Suleiman’s mother and first Valide Sultan, and Hürrem Sultan, Suleiman’s legal wife and first Haseki Sultan. This usage underlines the Ottoman conception of sovereign power as family prerogative. Towards the end of the seventeenth century the title hatun and sultan for imperial consorts was replaced by Kadınefendi and Hanımefendi.

Kadınefendi (Ottoman Turkish: قادين افندی) was the title given to the official wives of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. The title first came in use during the reign of Sultan Suleiman II. The Sultan could have up to four and some times five women i.e. wives with the imperial rank of Kadınefendi and unlimited number of wives with the rank of Hanımefendi.

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