The Reign of the Favored Women [Hardcover]

Ann Chamberlin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1998

From harem slaves to empresses with global power, the Reign of the Favored Women was a watershed period in world history. The great Turkish empire of the seventeenth century, the most powerful of its day, was ruled by women who had been brought to Constantinople as slaves for the Sultan's pleasure -- but used their slavery to acquire power on a global scale.

The Venetian-born Safiye, "the Fair One" as she is known, is the embodiement of the newly coined term "Machiavellian". With her perfumed body and bewitching eyes, she rules the men who own her. She controls the Empire from within the veiled harem walls, her web of intrigue reaching far beyond Constantinople and into Europe. Her touch is felt in wars, acts of sabotage, and the machinations of both European and Asian politics. The aim of her ambition? To see that her son becomes ruler of the Ottoman Empire. She will allow nothing to stand in her way.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A complex historical tale of two formidable women, related by one of the eunuchs who guard them, the third novel in Chamberlin's trilogy of 16th- and 17th-century Turkey (after Sofia and The Sultan's Daughter) concerns the seraglio machinations and murderous pillow-talk that decide who will inherit the Ottoman throne. Brought as a slave to Constantinople, Safiye climbs to power when she becomes the lover of Sultan Murad, who is an heir to the throne, and the mother of his only son, Muhammed, whom she is determined will someday rule the empire. The most powerful of her many enemies is Murad's cruel, vindictive mother, Nur Banu, imperial head of the harem, "whose very curves had been the route to power." Added to the mix are Mitra, Muhammed's poetry-writing concubine, who dreams of escaping to Persia with her children and eschews the intrigues of harem life. Then there is Esmikhan, a half-sister to Murad whose daughter could force Safiye to share power if she marries Muhammed. In addition to conveying such intrigue with skill, Chamberlin provides a cast of characters and a glossary to guide readers through this elaborate, lush historical fiction.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In the third in a series of novels about harem life in the Ottoman Empire of 16th-century Turkey, Chamberlin continues the story of Sofia, mother of the sultan-in-waiting; Esmikhan, daughter of a sultan and wife of the grand vizier; and Abdullah, the eunuch who tries to love and protect both women. In contrast to a traditional Western belief that life behind harem walls is one of lush and lazy sensuality, the reader is drawn into a world of Machiavellian intrigue where the struggle for power among the women of the seraglio influences the politics of both the East and the West. Individual characters are not well fleshed out, however, with the exception of Abdullah. Chamberlin seems to imply that individuality within the harem is not only undesirable but dangerous, that the milieu itself is so all-encompassing that the whole is of more importance than its separate parts. Although this book can stand alone, it is recommended that Sofia (LJ 3/15/96) and The Sultan's Daughter (LJ 4/15/97) be read first to provide the necessary background.?Jane Baird, Anchorage Municipal Libs., AK
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 415 pages
• Publisher: Forge; 1st edition (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312865929
• ISBN-13: 978-0312865924
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,520 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OSMANLI SARAYINDA BÝR VENEDÝKLÝ, April 18, 2000

By 

arama beni (Ulus Ankara Türkiye) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Reign of the Favored Women (Hardcover)

safiye sultan venedikli bir esir ama Osmanlý Sarayýnda sultanlýða kadar yükseliyor. Kendisine aþýk olan tek insanýn hadým edilmiþ olmasý onun büyük aþkýný engellememektedir. Bir yabancý gözüyle osmanlýya gerçekci bir yaklaþým sergileyen bu eser için yazarýna teþekkürler.