The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire had his harem with his many wives and concubines. Within the harem there were bitter political conflicts and intrigues as the women fought for power and position. The younger ones wanted to get more time in bed with the Sultan. The older ones who had born him a son wanted to gain favors for the boy in the hope that he would be the next Sultan. Some of the women even achieved actual political power and sat behind the Sultan hdden by a screen during Councils of State and had thhe title of Valide Sultan.

The Sultan's sons lived within the harem, and when they were young men they had to be careful of being caught with their father's concubines. They also plotted against each other in their own efforts to become Sultan. There were betrayals, entrapments, lies, deceptions. After all, this is the place where "Byzantine plot" was invented.

While some people talk about a market between hobbyists and providers, sometimes my view is that we have a created a "shared harem". Not one Sultan, but many Sultans (maybe some are vizars, some are merchants, ...) As in the Ottoman harem, much of the real power,  knowledge, strength, and wisdom is with the women. At times there are intrigues, conflicts, conspiricies, like in the harem of the Ottoman Empire.

Of course, there are differences. Now the Sultan leaves a gift in a white envelope, as opposed to ...

-- Modified on 5/29/2008 10:38:19 AM