Babüssaade Organization of Akhadims in Topkapı Palace and the Last Strong Representative of this Organization: Chief White Eunuch Gazanfer Agha

Abstract

Although Enderun comes to mind immediately when it comes to Palace Organization, the organization that existed before Enderun, is the Babüssaade Organization. Since all the Babüssaade agha sare white-skinned eunuchs, they are also named as ak aghas, and their term of office in the palace is much longer than the Enderunites. Although Babüssaade Agha / Kapı Aghasi, the Supervisor of this Organisation, is encountered in all sources, it is not possible to reach detailed information about the organization. Perhaps, the fact that the aghas forming the organization, being akhadims caused it to be censored in every period. As it is well known by everyone that the chronicles are reluctant to talk about the issues related to the palace, the unquestionable power of chief white eunuch in government, in addition commanding the Old Palace, Edirne Palace, Galata Palace, Ibrahim Pasha Palace, Enderun and Harem-i Hümayun, may have made it dangerous to provide information about them.