The bitter truth about the Sultan's harem, far from TV series

Fans of the TV series "Magnificent Century" imagine the harem as a place of endless luxury and lavish feasts. According to their imagination, women spent their days chatting around tables filled with sweets and delicacies. However, historical facts are significantly different from these portrayals.

In reality, the diet in the Ottoman Sultan's harem resembled the army's rations. The scenes in the series depicting Hürrem relaxing and enjoying Turkish delight (lokum) and other sweets are far from the truth.

What did concubines eat in the harem?

Historical records indicate that the amount of food in the harem was very limited and strictly controlled. Concubines received no more than 250 grams of food per meal. They were allowed meals only twice a day, with no additional snacks permitted. To prevent dizziness caused by hunger, women were only permitted one or two sips of thick, sweet syrup.

These strict rules were not a result of Ottoman stinginess. The Ottomans understood very well that hundreds of women confined in the harem with little physical activity, eating excessive sweets and dishes, would quickly gain excess weight. Of course, slightly fuller women were also considered beautiful at the time, but even this had to stay within limits.

Did all the women in the harem eat the same?

No, there was a clear hierarchy in the harem. The diet for each woman depended on her rank. Ordinary concubines had to be satisfied with basic, ordinary meals, while the sultan and his closest circle had access to varied and delicious dishes.

The halva, Turkish delight, and other sweets frequently shown in the series appeared on tables for most harem women only on holidays. However, for those women who gained special favor from the sultan, a special menu was prepared for two or three days, as it was believed that proper nutrition increased fertility. Pregnant concubines also received several additional dishes in their diet.

Thus, fans' imaginations about life and food in the harem, shaped by the TV series, often do not match historical reality. The real Ottoman harem was a place of strict discipline and, in some aspects, harsh conditions, far from the glamorous image portrayed in TV shows.