Investigating the Status of women of the Safavid kings’ harem from the Perspective of European travelers

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of History Department, Lorestan University

2 Graduated from Lorestan University, Master of History of Islamic Iran

Abstract

With the formation of the Safavid government and the establishment of stability and authority in Iran, the ground was laid for communication between Iran and other European countries. Subsequently, ambassadors and agents from these countries traveled to Iran for various reasons, and a number of them wrote these travel itineraries. Among the issues that the travelers have addressed are the court life and the Harem of the Safavid kings. The present study tried to investigate the viewpoints of European travelers regarding the Safavid royal women of Harem and the power and influence of the Haram in the administration of the country by using descriptive-analytical method and first-hand sources. According to the findings, there were certain customs and laws within the Harem, and the Safavid kings had complete control over their Harem, assigned various forces to govern it, and prevented their influence and interference in the affairs as long as they were in power and controlled the population of women and princes and their authority in different ways. But if the king did not have enough authority, he would easily be influenced by the power of the harem women and run the monarchy according to their wishes.

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