Ikbal () was the title given to the imperial consort of the sultan of the Ottoman Empire, who came below the rank of kadın.
Etymology The word () is an Arabic word, which means good fortune, or lucky. Historians have translated it either 'fortunate one' or 'favorite'.
Ranks and titles An was a titled consort, and recognised as such by the sultan. The number of s varied. They were ranked as ("first , first favourite, first fortunate one"), ("second , second favourite, second fortunate one"), ("third , third favourite, third fortunate one"), ("fourth , fourth favourite, fourth fortunate one"), and so on, according to the order in which they had caught the sultan's eye, and elevated to that position.
The s usually held the prefix titles of ("honest"), and ("virtuous"), and the suffix titles of and .
Status Eighteenth century The rank first appeared toward the end of the seventeenth century, during the reign of Sultan Mustafa II (reigned 1695–1703). Two 18th-century sultans Mahmud I (reigned 1730–1754), and Mustafa III (reigned 1757–1773), also had s.
However, in the 18th century, the s held the title kalfa which means 'assistant master, mistress'. This suggests that at that time they were eligible for both kinds of high level harem career. They also appeared in the list of cariyes, which did not include the sultan's , or the , or , emphasizes their identity as part of the household rather than family in the 18th century. In the nineteenth century the term appears to have been used exclusively for members of the household staff.
In the 18th century, the s had personal servants, and were paid 250 every three months.
Nineteenth century This tradition of naming s continued until the nineteenth century. The s were chosen from among the s. Each had her "night turn" (). and a stipend of 20,000 . They had personal servants. and wore rich fabrics, and in winter stuffed dresses that reflected their high status in the harem hierarchy.
s resided in their own apartments, or sometimes isolated kiosks. In the nineteenth century, they each had two rooms on the second floor of the palace, one facing the Bosphorus Strait and serving as a saloon, and the other facing the palace gardens and serving as a bedroom. The sultan visited an if she was sick or if she had children.
Although previously it was thought that after an became pregnant she was promoted to the rank of , this was not always the case. Eric Newby states that after an gave birth she was elevated to the title of , and that the were four favourites who had each given birth to a male heir.). If four s had already been named, and could only become a if one of the s died or was divorced. If that happened, the senior assumed the status of . Upon the death of a sultan, any who had a living child would retire to the Old Palace. The others would be given in marriage to statesmen.
The s were subjected to the same law of inheritance as the other women in the harem. However, they were usually buried in places of honour.
Honorific Imperial consorts who were traditionally addressed as include: Nükhetsezâ Hanım (1827–1850), wife of sultan Abdulmejid I Navekmisal Hanım (1827–1854), wife of sultan Abdulmejid I Şayeste Hanım (1836–1912), wife of sultan Abdulmejid I Serfiraz Hanım (1837–1905), wife of sultan Abdulmejid I Müşfika Kadın (1867–1961), wife of sultan Abdul Hamid II Peyveste Hanım (1873–1943), wife of sultan Abdul Hamid II Fatma Pesend Hanım (1876–1928), wife of sultan Abdul Hamid II Behice Hanım (1882–1969), wife of sultan Abdul Hamid II Nevvare Hanım (1901–1992), wife of sultan Mehmed VI Nevzad Hanım (1902–1992), wife of sultan Mehmed VI
See also Cariye List of Ottoman titles and appellations Haseki Sultan Hatun Kadın (title) Valide Sultan
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