The Imperial Council or Imperial Divan, was the de facto cabinet of the Ottoman Empire for most of its history. Initially an informal gathering of the senior ministers presided over by the Sultan in p
Reception of the French ambassador by the Grand Vizier and the Imperial Council in 1724
The gate of the Imperial Council chamber at the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul
The grille-covered window from which the Sultan or Valide Sultan could observe Council meetings and issue orders on some controversial or critical issues
Kadi'askers from the Turkish Costume Book by Lambert de Vos, 1574
Haseki sultan
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Haseki Sultan was a title used for the favorite consort of an Ottoman sultan. It was created for Hürrem Sultan, the legal wife of Suleiman the Magnificent. The title lost its exclusivity under Ibrahim
Hürrem Sultan, the first haseki of the Ottoman Empire
Valide Safiye Sultan
Turhan Hatice