Sıradan bir Osmanlıailesinin bile özel yaşamıkutsal bir sır gibidir. Yabancı erkeklerin girmesine izinverilmeyen, kadınların yaşadığı harem her ailenin namusu,kutsal bir köşesidir. "Zevce"anlamını da taşıyan ve aslı Arapçaya dayanan "harem""kutsal"lığın ve mahremiyetin simgesidir.

The harem was an establishment managed in military style. It was a school where young women from different nationalities and cultures were aducated according to their talents. There haven't been many publications focusing on this aspect of the harem until now. This book provides information on the harem drawn from trust-worthy sources that have managed to reach our day.