Beshir Agha - Chief Eunuch of the Ottoman Imperial Harem (Hardcover)

This book explores the life of el-Hajj Beshir Agha (ca. 1657-1746), the most powerful Chief Harem Eunuch in the history of the Ottoman Empire. In this capacity, he helped to shape and propagate the official Ottoman brand of Sunni Islam.El-Hajj Beshir was one of hundreds of East African eunuchs who served as guards and interlocutors for the imperial mothers, sisters, wives, and concubines who inhabited Topkapy Palace's enormous harem. Enslaved in his native Ethiopia as a boy, then castrated in Egypt, Beshir may initially have been purchased by one of Egypt's grandees before being introduced into the palace. Once installed in the palace, he quickly rose through the ranks of harem eunuchs to become harem treasurer by 1707. The mosques, theological schools, sufi lodges, and libraries that he founded throughout the empire helped to shape the religious and intellectual profile of the Ottoman state.

General

Imprint:	Oneworld Publications
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Series:	Makers of the Muslim World
Release date:	February 2006
First published:	April 2006
Authors:	Jane Hathaway
Dimensions:	216 x 135 x 15mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover
Pages:	160
ISBN-13:	978-1-85168-390-1
Categories:	Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Non-Christian religions > Islam Books > Religion & Spirituality > Non-Christian religions > Islam
LSN:	1-85168-390-9
Barcode:	9781851683901

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