Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[brainlessone]

p 173 houghton mifflin

introduction to womens role :

the arabic word for for harem means santuary and sacred place
the harem women had great political influence and negotiated with foreign powers

Slaves were unique in the ottoman empire
Some people wanted their children to become slaves. to be a slave of the sultan was a great honor. The jannissaries were a kind of slave that parents wanted their children to become.
Most janissaries were christians who converted to Islam. they then went to schools. the grand vizier and many officials were slaves.

Translation for someone who knows nothing else:

a harem is a good thing and women were powerful

slaves are also good and they were a good thing under the ottoman empire.

the word dhimi never comes up