Topkapı Palace. Life in the Ottoman court

Rede, Elizabeta. (2018). Topkapı Palace. Life in the Ottoman court. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Hungarian, Turkish and Jewish Language and Literature > Chair of Turkish Language and Literature. [mentor Kursar, Vjeran].

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Abstract

Topkapı Palace was the main residence of Ottoman sultans since 1456 until 1856. It was comprised of two big sections: birun or outer services and enderun or inner services. Birun was made up of first two courts, whereas the third and fourth make up enderun. The first court used for outer services connecting the sultan and outer world is reached through the Imperial gate. Going through Salutation gate one reaches the second court with administrative services. Third gate or Gate of Felicity marks the border between public and private sphere, and through it one reaches enderun. In Enderun school young slaves were schooled and the most competent ones were later selected for the most important services in the Empire. His Privy Chambers were also settled here. Harem with its tenants - concubines, their servants and black eunuchs - made a special unit of the court. The fourth court was a name for pavilions in the third court.

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