Social-economic position of woman in the Ottoman state (1789-1850)

Although the origin of gender roles is as old as human history, women have taken a direct or indirect role in social life. The secondary role of women under male domination, which started to be kept under control with the emergence of civilizations and religions, is based on a historical process of thousands of years. It was in the 18th century that women began to question their social status and existence all over the world. The French Revolution, which emerged in 1789, became an important threshold in the struggle for women's rights. As a matter of fact, the concepts such as equality, rights and freedom that the revolution promised to all citizens became a spark for women's rights struggles. For this reason, the French Revolution is seen as the turning point of women's rights. However, these struggles of women did not occur at the same time in all societies. The struggle for women's rights, which originated in France, spread to other European countries over time. In the Ottoman society, women's attempts and the search for rights coincide with the Tanzimat Period. The Tanzimat Edict's promise to bring equality to all segments of society, as in the French Revolution, led to the emergence of the idea of Ottoman women to benefit from these rights. With the Tanzimat period, almost every issue related to women such as inheritance, law, marriage, divorce, education began to be discussed. The 60-year period from the French Revolution to the Tanzimat Period, which is the two cornerstones of women's struggle to become individuals in Europe and the Ottoman Empire, constitutes the subject of our study. In our study, it is aimed to examine the development of women's rights in Europe and the Ottoman Empire, the developments in this process, the results of the Revolution and the Edict, its benefits to women, the daily life of the Ottoman women and their socio-economic position.