Head of the eunuchs who guarded the imperial harem of the Ottoman sultans
Image of a 17th-century Kizlar Agha, from the Rålamb Book of Costumes
The kizlar agha (Ottoman Turkish: قيزلر اغاسی, Turkish: kızlar ağası, lit.'"agha of the girls"'), formally the agha of the House of Felicity (Ottoman Turkish: دار السعاده اغاسي, Turkish: Darüssaade Ağası),[1] was the head of the eunuchs who guarded the Ottoman Imperial Harem in Constantinople.
Established in 1574, the post ranked among the most important in the Ottoman Empire until the early 19th century, especially after the stewardship of the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina and the supervision of all waqfs (charitable foundations) in the Empire came under his purview. The wealth thus amassed, the proximity to the sultan, and the role the harem ladies played in court intrigues ("Sultanate of Women") meant that its occupant had considerable political influence; several kızlar aghas were responsible for the downfall of grand viziers and the accession of sultans. Soon after its creation and until its abolition, close to the abolition of the Ottoman sultanate, the post came to be occupied by Black African eunuch slaves, and hence is also referred to as the Chief Black Eunuch.
The kizlaragha (Ottoman Turkish: قيزلر اغاسی, Turkish: kızlar ağası, lit. '"agha of the girls"'), formally the agha of the House of Felicity (Ottoman...
Seraglio until the late 16th century, when this post was taken over by the KizlarAgha. In juxtaposition with the latter office, also known as the Chief Black...
From the early 17th century, Athens came under the jurisdiction of the KizlarAgha, the chief black eunuch of the Sultan's harem. The city had originally...
the valide sultan. The KizlarAgha (Kızlarağası, also known as the "Chief Black Eunuch" because of the Nilotic origin of most aghas) was the head of the...
From the early 17th century, Athens came under the jurisdiction of the KizlarAgha, the chief black eunuch of the Sultan's harem. The city had originally...
lieutenant-general or navy vice-admiral) Liva (major general or rear-admiral) The KizlarAgha (chief black eunuch, the highest officer in the Topkapı Palace; three...
rebels, the kızlarAgha Suleiman Agha, the vizier Dilaver Pasha, the Kaim-makam Ahmed Pasha, the defterdar Baki Pasha, the segban-bashi Nasuh Agha, and the...
Government. Husayn Pasha was dismissed and senior officials such as the kizlaragha (chief eunuch), Aboukouf, and the former wali of Damascus, As'ad Pasha...
Hannibal, kammermohr of Peter the Great Chamberlain (office) Court dwarf Kizlaragha Zwarte Piet Court Jew Atlantic understandings: essays on European and...
male slaves employed in the royal harem. The chief black eunuch, or the KizlarAgha, came to acquire a great deal of power within the Ottoman Empire. He...
eunuchs, often from pagan Africa. The eunuchs were headed by the KizlarAgha ("agha of the [slave] girls"). While some interpretation of Islamic law forbade...
"had closer contact with the pages of the privy chamber, the kapi agha, the kizlaragha or with other courtiers than he did with the Grand Vizier, and these...
mother of pearl. The keys to the box were traditionally held by the KizlarAgha. It became associated with the Ottoman Empire, and was exhibited whenever...
The chief black eunuch was known as the KizlarAgha, and the chief white eunuch was known as the Kapi Agha. Murad took great interest in the arts, particularly...
Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and was administered by the KizlarAgha (the chief black eunuch of the Imperial Harem). Usually, however, its...
themselves often from pagan Africa. The eunuchs were headed by the KizlarAgha ("agha of the [slave] girls"). While Islamic law forbade the emasculation...
mothers, was originally responsible to the Kapi Agha, but after the 17th century to the KizlarAgha. The latter often used educated members of the Old...
Pasha, Hoca, etc.) or their informal status within the society (such as Bey, Agha, Hanım, Efendi, etc.). Later, family surnames were made mandatory in Turkey...
Harem. An important figure in the Ottoman court was the Chief Black Eunuch (Kızlar Ağası or Darüssaade Ağası). In control of both the harem and a net of spies...
Ottoman conquest of Constantinople the monastery, known by the Turks as Kızlar Kilisesi ("women's church"), continued to be inhabited for a while. Between...
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