Queens, Eunuchs and Concubines in Islamic History, 661-1257 - (Edinburgh Studies in Classical Islamic History and Culture) by Taef El-Azhari

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of women, mothers, wives, eunuchs, concubines, qahramans, and atabegs in medieval Islamic politics.

Drawing on specific historical case studies and events, it explores gender and sexual politics and power from the time of the Prophet Muhammad through the Umayyad and Abbasid periods to the Mamluks in the 15th century.

The book covers geographically Iran and Central Asia to North Africa and Spain, providing a critical and systematic analysis of the role of these groups in shaping medieval Islamic politics.

Key features include studies on the military-political power of eunuchs and their relations with women under the Fatimid dynasty, the appearance of the first queen in Islamic history, the power of Turkmen women in politics, and the impact of the Mongol invasion on the Muslim world.

With a foreword by Professor Taef El-Azhari, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of gender and sexual politics in medieval Islamic society.