The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
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The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de, 1522-1592
On the other hand, if the wife has a father of high rank, or has
brought a larger dowry than usual, the husband promises on his part
that he will take no concubine, but will keep to her alone. Otherwise,
the Turks are not forbidden by any law to have as many concubines as
they please in addition to their lawful wives. Between the children of
wives and those of concubines there is no distinction, and they are
considered to have equal rights. As for concubines they either buy them
for themselves or win them in war; when they are tired of them there
is nothing to prevent their bringing them to market and selling them;
but they are entitled to their freedom if they have borne children to
their master. This privilege Roxolana, Solyman’s wife, turned to her
own advantage, when she had borne him a son while still a slave. Having
thus obtained her freedom, and become her own mistress, she refused to
submit any longer to his will, unless, contrary to the custom of the
Ottoman Sultans, she was made his lawful wife. The only distinction
between the lawful wife and the concubine is, that the former has a
dowry, while the slaves have none. A wife who has a portion settled on
her is mistress of her husband’s house, and all the other women have to
obey her orders. The husband, however, may choose which of them shall
spend the night with him. He makes known his wishes to the wife, and
she sends to him the slave he has selected. Hardly a pleasant task, one
would fancy, for a wife, whatever the feelings of the other might be!
Only Friday night, which is their Sabbath, is supposed to belong to the
wife; and she grumbles if her husband deprives her of it. On all the
other nights he may do as he pleases.
Divorces are granted among them for many reasons which it is easy for
the husbands to invent. The divorced wife receives back her dowry,
unless the divorce has been caused by some fault on her part. There is
more difficulty in a woman’s getting a divorce from her husband. Among
the reasons which are considered sufficient for granting a divorce are
the deprivation of the necessaries of life by the husband, and certain
kinds of ill treatment. In the latter case the woman goes before the
judge, and makes a declaration that she is unable to remain any longer
with her husband; when the judge asks the reason, she gives no answer,
but takes off one of her shoes and turns it upside down. This the
judge accepts as sufficient evidence that her husband has treated her
improperly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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