Concubinage

the practice concubinage

1. EVOLUTION, HISTORY OF THE WORLD AND PRESENT SCENARIO IN INDIA BY: AAYUSHI SHANKAR LLM 1885021 THE PRACTICE OF CONCUBINAGE

2. An interpersonal and sexual relationship in which the couple are not or cannot be married. The inability to marry may be due to multiple factors such as differences in social rank status, an existing marriage, religious or professional prohibition , or a lack of recognition by appropriate authorities. The female counterpart- CONCUBINE CONCUBINAGE

3. Originated from word ‘CONCUMBERE’ (Latin verb ) D eveloped in Middle English in 13th Century. Hebrew word- PILEGESH (non- semitic loanword) A woman who with whom a man cohabits without being married: such as one having a recognized social status in a household below that of a wife. (Merriam Webster) Concubines often bore children to the rulers that they served. In some cases, these children were treated as legal offspring especially if the concubine or consort was an official one that was recognized by a court. CONCUBINES: WHO ARE THEY??

4. Concubinage a woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife. Signifies a relationship where the male is the dominant partner, socially and economically A woman kept by a man who is high in hierarchical society in addition to his wives, e.g in the imperial harem or within a household. A person who performs sexual activity for payment, especially a woman. No significant relationship Form of a service provided by a woman to more than one male. CONCUBINAGE VS PROSTITUTION Prostitution

5. In many ancient cultures, rulers not only had wives. Depending on the culture that they belonged to, they kept  CONCUBINES  as well. These w omen were commoners or even slaves. V oluntary entry- Provided a measure of economic security Involuntary entry or servile- Forced   sexual slavery  CONCUBINES IN ANCIENT CULTURE

6. CONCUBINAGE IN DIFFERENT CULTURES & ERA

7. E arly Israelite history during patriarchal times. Bible- Wives had dowries but concubines did not C oncubines were not to be mistreated ( Exodus 21:7-101) N or could they be violated by other males ( Gen 35:22) with impunity ( Gen 49:3-4). They seem to have received higher status if they bore sons, or at least they are remembered by name ( Gen 21:10 ; 22:24 ; 30:3 ; 36:12 ) In Mesopotamia, where the king maintained a harem and where a private citizen might have one or two concubines in addition to his primary wife. Both types of concubinage are referred to in the Bible.  A concubine was often a slave or part of the booty of war (Judg 5:30) BIBLICAL TIMES

8.   F amous keeper of concubines in the Bible- King Solomon (1011 BCE to 931 BCE) Gideon had a concubine (Judg 8:31), as did an unnamed man of Levi's tribe (Judg 19). (The Period of Biblical Judges) Royal harems existed in many other cultures of that time, including Egypt, Persia ( Est 2:14), and Babylon ( Dn 5:2-3, 23). ….. Contd.

9. Biblical Times Illustration from the Morgan Bible of the  Benjamites   taking women of  Shilohas as concubines.

10.   Concubinage - C omplex practice P roduction of an heir S ymbol of status and wealth Live burials- Song Dynasty(960-1276 AD) abolished Ming Dynasty rulers- Torture & A buse Only high ranking concubines lived in luxury, others were just treated as sex slaves. CHINESE CULTURE ( 中國文化 )

11. Consort Wu- Famous Concubine Emperor Zuanzong (713-756 CE )- Highest rank After the Emperor’s wife died in 724 CE, Consort Wu was treated like an Empress by all of the servants living in the palace. …. Contd.

12. Chinese Culture Portrait of a Concubine during Emperor Yongzheng’s reign.(1722-1735)

13. Concubines- Bhogastrees . The Bhogastrees- de facto wives of the respective kings, chiefs, noble men. Yajnavalkya (II. 290) AVARUDDHA - O ne who kept in the house and forbidden to have contact with any other male. BHUJISHYA - One who is not kept in the house but is specially meant for one person . If any other person had relations with them- Fine of fifty panas . ANCIENT INDIA

14. Some Examples- Erakama Mahadevi as Bhogam manishi of the chief Sammangiraju who had a son by her called Sanikyaraju and who held Pottapinadu region (East Godavari district) as his Vritti . ( Bhimavaram 1201 AD) Kasadi Suramadevi - Bhogastree of Kota Ketu . King Asoka- 500 Concubines The Smritis & Dharmasastras - Maintenance of concubines …. Contd .

15. Concubinage- recognized institution Harem System (also known as Seraglio). In verse 23:6 in the Quran it is allowed to have sexual intercourse with concubines. Women were abducted and captured to be kept as concubines. Major focus of Islamic Slave Hunting. Prophet Muhammad himself had taken at least three slave-girls as his concubines. ( Bukhari 3:46:717) ISLAMIC CULTURE

16. Quranic verses 23:5–6( mentioned concubinage) Hedayah - cohabitation and generation of children .   Clearly sanctioned in the Quran, the  Sunnah  and the Sharia Examples- Abd al- Rahman III (d. 961) in Cordoba contained over 6,000 concubines.  Africa to Europe, from the Middle East to India — rulers and noblemen had accumulated concubines in their thousands. …. Contd.

17. Islamic Culture Depiction of Concubines in Harem of an Arabic ruler.

18. Shared lower status ( Sultanate and Mughal Period) No legal limitation - number of concubines Virtue of right of ownership C alled ' chacha ' and ' unchahar ," sarari ‘ Harems were colossal and magnificient . Imperial concubines were well provided INDIAN ISLAMIC CULTURE

19. Jahangir called the concubines Khawas-i Khidmatgar Important concubine had her own set of apartments where she maintained her own household. Akbar’s reign witnessed largest number of harems (5000 women)  The nawabs were themselves in possession of a huge Harem full of dozens of concubines. (Prince of Oudh) Muta wives were considered Concubines. ....Contd.

20. Mughal Period !7 th Century painting depicting a ruler enjoying the company of his concubine.

21. Concubinage is still in practice. Issue are often raised in issue of succession and maintenance. Section 18(2) of the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956. Privy Council- ‘ Avaruddhastree ’ would be entitled to maintenance.( Akku Prahlad vs. Ganesh Prahlad AIR 1945 ). Property gifted to concubine- has the right to property( S. Shetty v. Konatham Lakshmma (2012) ) Section 14 (1) of Hindu Succession Act – Right to property as a pre-existing right. Not liable for cruelty against the wife. [ Sunita Jha v. State of Jharkhand, 2010 ] MODERN SCENARIO IN INDIA

22. The condition is degraded. Considered a mistress Social Stigma Illegitimacy PROBLEMS FACED

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