Beshir Agha

Jane Hathaway is Associate Professor of Islamic and world history, Ohio State University.

• AcknowledgmentsNote on transliterationIntroduction 1 PRELIMINARIES: ELITE SLAVERY AND HOUSEHOLD MEMBERSHIPElite slavery in Islamic societiesHousehold politics and patron–client ties 2 EUNUCHS IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVEEunuchs in antiquityEunuchs in medieval Islamic empiresEunuchs under the Mamluk sultanateEunuchs under the Ottomans 3 BESHIR AGHA’S ORIGINSOttoman AbyssiniaEnslavement and castrationPost-castration conditionsSale in CairoThe political culture of Ottoman EgyptIsmail Bey 4 EARLY YEARS IN THE PALACESultan’s companionThe sultan’s motherThe “Edirne Incident” (1703)Harem treasurer 5 EXILE IN CYPRUS AND EGYPTCyprusEgypt 6 CHIEF OF THE TOMB EUNUCHS IN MEDINAShi‘ismMedinaThe mosque of the ProphetThe tomb of the ProphetThe tomb eunuchsRelations with Medina’s and Egypt’s notables 7 CHIEF EUNUCH OF THE TOPKAPI PALACE HAREMReturn to IstanbulReturn to the haremVizier makerNevshehirli Ibrahim PashaThe Tulip EraThe Book of Festivals 8 BESHIR AGHA DURING THE REIGN OF MAHMUD IThe Patrona Halil rebellion, 1730Mahmud I (r. 1730–54) 9 BESHIR AGHA AND THE ARAB PROVINCESThe pilgrimage caravan and the governorship of DamascusBeshir Agha and Egypt’s grandees 10 BESHIR AGHA’S LIBRARIES AND PIOUS FOUNDATIONSLibrariesHoldings of Beshir Agha’s library outside the palaceOther librariesFoundationsConclusion 11 BESHIR AGHA’S DEATH AND BURIALFuneral and burialBeshir Agha’s tomb 12 BESHIR AGHA’S LEGACY THROUGH THE LENS OF OTTOMAN “DECLINE”Morali Beshir AghaChief harem eunuchs and grand viziers in the post-Beshir eraBeshir Agha and the question of Ottoman “decline”Conclusion 13 SOURCES ON BESHIR AGHAPrimary sourcesSecondary sources Works cited Index