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HAREM, AND THE OTTOMAN WOMEN

Ibrahims' penchant for women correlates with the increase in harem population. As he increased his harem size, he required more furs and jewels and thus dipped further and further into the State treasuries in order to support his extravagent tastes. His many concubines and favourites also meant that an increase in stipends was necessary, as befitted their role in his pleasures.

The general increase in harem women population also meant that the total amount of stipends required increased. The growth of the harem population follows a roughly parallel pattern with the harem expenditures. The increased spending caused a strain on the state treasury as the Sultan was spending increasing amounts of time in the harem rather than leading the Janissaries on conquest of infidel lands.

Other factors that led to the diminishing of state income were the lack of campaigning or Ghazi (warfare on "infidels"- non-Muslim lands); the overall inflation of the economy, and the increase in bribery and corruption of state officials.

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