Kadın (Ottoman Turkish:قادین) was the title given to the imperial consort of theSultan of theOttoman Empire towards the beginning of the seventeenth century.^[1] The title came into official usage at the end of the century,^[2] and remained in usage until the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Akadın was a titled consort, and recognised as such by the Sultan.^[3] The sultans usually had fourkadıns, although they might have more over a lifetime, because from time to time, one would die or be retired to the Old Palace,^[4] or were divorced.^[5] They were ranked asbaş kadın (firstkadın, first consort),ikinci kadın (secondkadın, second consort),üçüncü kadın (thirdkadın, third consort),dördüncü kadın (fourthkadın, fourth consort), and so on, in order of their elevation to that position.^{[4][6][7][8][9]}

Thekadıns usually held the prefix titles ofdevletlü^[10] ("illustrious"),^[11][12][13]ismetlü^[10] ("virtuous"),^[13]iffetlü^[14] ("honest"),^[15]saadetlü^[16] ("prosperous"),^[11][12] andinayetlü^[17] ("gracious"),^[11] and the suffix titles ofkadınefendi^[10][18] ("ladyship"),^[18] andhazretleri ("highness").^[19]

Thekadıns were chosen from among thegediklis.^[20] They had their own apartments within the harem,^[4] or sometimes isolated kiosks.^[19] In the nineteenth century, they had two rooms on the second floor of the palace, one facing the Bosphorus Straits, and serving as a salon, and the other facing the palace gardens, and serving as a bedroom.^[21] They had their personal servants.^[22] Eachkadın had her 'night turn' (nöbet gecesi).^[23] Sometimes she was invited to dine with the sultan, and when this happened in the early years of the Ottoman dynasty, she used to sit at a separate table.^[23] The sultans came to visit akadın, namely, if she was sick, or if she had children.^[23]

Thekadıns were not permitted to receive outside visitors or to leave the palace except to accompany the sultan to another of his abodes.^[24] When they leftTopkapı Palace for one of the other places, the utmost care was taken to prevent them from being seen. They left the palace before sunrise, were driven through the palace grounds in curtained carriages, and covered with shawls.^[25] A long line of imperial carriages would be formed according to protocol.^[26] They embarked from Yalı Köşkü in boats where they were seated in enclosures. The whole convoy was closely guard by other boats.^[25] Thekadıns were allowed to join Friday mosque processions if they wished.^[27]

Eachkadın received an allowance from the state according to her rank. In the eighteenth century the seniorkadın was given tenkese (piasters), or 5,000kuruş, while the otherkadıns were allocated allowance according to their ranks.^[28] In the nineteenth century it was 20,000kuruş.^[29] Thekadıns were subjected to the same law of inheritance as the other women in the harem. However, they were usually buried in places of honour.^[30] In the nineteenth century, if akadın died, the laying out of the corpse and the wrapping in the winding sheet took place at the Topkapı Palace. The cloths and sashes laid over them were there. Thekadıns received two sashes.^[31]

If thevalide sultan were deceased, authority over the harem devolved to the seniorkadın, a position appointed by the monarch for life.^[8]

Upon the death of akadın, eachkadın that ranked below her advanced one step in rank.^[18] Theikbals, who ranked below thekadıns, could only take the position of thekadıns if one of them died,^[32] or was divorced.^[5] If a vacancy arose among thekadıns, the seniorikbal was moved up tokadın status.^[33] Upon the death of a sultan, any of hiskadıns who had not borne a child, or who had born a child who had died, was married to a statesman. The others retired to the Old Palace.^[25]

• List of Ottoman titles and appellations
• Hatun
• Haseki Sultan
• Ikbal (title)
• Valide Sultan
• Cariye

• Ottoman titles
• Concubinage
• Concubinage in the Ottoman Empire
• Slave concubines

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