Rosewood: Chapter 38 What is a Harem?

"Lord Abdul Scorpion, what is your home like? Is it so different from Rosewood?"

"Lord Henry Lionheart, it is very different. For one thing, we are on the edge of the desert."

"That close to the sand?"

"We are on the other side, in the desert."

"I see. So it must be hard to grow food and raise animals."

"It is not nearly so hard to find an oasis on the edge of the desert, or at least it is not in our kingdom. I have a fine home with a good oasis."

"What is an oasis?"

"Water in the desert. I have water in a lovely pool in the sand with palm trees growing 'round it."

"That does sound rather fine. And of course there are peasants that grow food on their lands to support you."

"Well yes, but there is also a small garden on my lands and fruit trees."

"Meat must be in short supply. Not as much hunting."

"Since we are on the edge of the desert it is not far to the woods. Some raise animals for food. I instead raise fine horses."

"Horses? So you have a few?"

"More than a few. I have a large herd."

"Truly? More than 10?"

"Lord Henry, I have over 100. All colors too! My harem loves them. Why, they care for them more than the servants do."

"Harem? Lord Abdul, what pray tell is a harem?"

"You don't know what a harem is?"

"Forgive me Lord Scorpion, I do not."

"Then what does your father call all his women?"

"All his women? He has but one wife and no daughters."

"A wife! He must be very close to her."

"He loves her dearly."

"But what of the other women who live with him, to pleasure him."

"My father has never lived with another woman in his adult life. Mother is his first wife, and hopefully his last."

"But he is a nobleman!"

"Yes. So noble he has taken no mistress."

"Lord Henry, what is a mistress?"

"A mistress is any woman taken on by a man outside of his marriage...for... Forgive me, I can not think of a more polite way to say it. A mistress is for sex. And not one time and for money like a lady of the night. A mistress is a woman a man has an affair with outside of his marriage. Sometimes he may house her and keep her...in his own home or elsewhere. My father is too noble for this."

"There is no need for a mistress when one has a harem. Or even for a wife really."

"I do not understand. What is a harem?"

"How to explain... Each man in the kingdom after he separates from his father takes on women. For sex, for love, to be doted upon in every way. The greater the man, the bigger the harem. The sultan he has several, but even a peasant has at least 2. It is important to not take on a bigger harem than your betters. But if your betters lose a harem woman, like if she should die, one is not required to turn a harem woman away, even if your harem is now bigger than those above you. It is quite an embarrassment to have a smaller harem than lower class men."

"Each man lives this way?"

"I am having both my sons wait until they have finished their collegiate studies before giving them harems. Most men make their sons wait unless they are peasants or if they die, Allah forbid."

"Who is Allah?"

"That is just the Ottoman word for God."

"The Ottoman kingdom is very different indeed. So many wives for one man."

"Most men do not marry any of their wives. I only know of one who has, Mustafa Tailor. I do not think it wise. It changes forever the pecking order of the harem and of your children."

"Pecking order?"

"Yes, the rank of each member of the household."

"Oh, like My father and brother are higher in rank because they are elder, and my mother lower because she is a lady instead of a gentleman. Is it the same for the Ottomans?"

"Similar. When I first received my harem, each is ranked by my desire for them. The lowest rank in the harem serve the rest of the harem...but not so much in mine as I am a nobleman. If they were different ages this would not matter, so long as they are of age to carry child."

"Wait...you don't have harem girls younger than....that can't carry a child..."

"Not like you are thinking. It is preferable to only have harem girls of the proper age. But if they grow old they lower in rank below that of the harem that can still bear a child. It is best not to take on a girl to young to bear children, but sometimes that happens to keep the proper #. But she is in no way touched like an older harem girl. She is more a servant to the rest of the harem until of proper age. It hasn't happened in my lifetime, but it is possible."

"That is a relief. So a woman is only valued while she can bear children? And she loses all rank as she ages? It is not like that here. The eldest women of a class have the highest rank, unless she has a titled husband."

"It is more complicated than that. If a man marries a harem woman, she is forever the highest ranking woman regardless of age, even above his daughters."

"Daughters have higher rank than mothers?"

"Yes, because they are of the same blood. Daughters are ranked by age, the eldest the higher ranked."

"What about sons?"

"Eldest male highest ranked regardless of relation, on down to the youngest. Then the wife if there is one. Then eldest daughter on down. Then of the women who can bear children the woman who has born the eldest son, on down to the woman who has born the youngest son. Then the woman who has born the eldest daughter on down to the woman who has born the youngest. Then the woman who is most pregnant. Then of the remainder of the harem of those who have lain with the man. Then the most desirable who have not yet lain with him. Then the eldest under age girl on down. Then of the elders the same rules apply, but they are the lowest ranking."

"Good Lord! How do you keep track? And they must all get horribly jealous."

"Sometimes that makes me cross. If a harem woman makes her man angry, she may temporarily drop to the lowest rank, unless she is wife. And daughters don't lose rank due to anger...but they are not part of the harem, simply born of the harem."

"How do you handle it? And how do you remember who outranks who?"

"Mostly I let the women sort the jealousy out for themselves. But I do have a secret."

"Yes?"

"I have only consummated with one of my harem women. At some point I may choose more among them for my bed. For now I only choose the mother of my sons. Mine are all of age to bear child, so I rank them by how I desire them, and they all know the order. Of course I have less chance of having children....but I do have 2 sons."

Some of his respect for Lord Abdul was returned in Lord Henry's mind.

"And now Lord Henry I should go. It is quite late and the journey is long."

Henry walked to the door and held it open.