Ester Handali

Ester Handali was the most famous among several Jewish woman, known as kieras (tur. lady) who performed various service for the women of the Ottoman royal harem in Istanbul, acting as a link between the harem and the outside world.

She started career as a peddler and worked with her husband Eliyah Handali as an intermediary with the royal harem, buying and selling cosmetics, clothing and jewelry for the harem's women. After the death of previous kiera, a certain Karaite Strongilah, and already a widow, she started an independent business activities in the harem of sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520-1566), acting as secretary and intermediary of Hurrem Sultana (1500-1558). After the sultan Selim II (r. 1566-1574) ascended to the throne, Esther became a kiera in the service of Nur Banu (1525-1583), Selim's favorite consort of Venetian origin who had a powerful influence on the affairs of the Ottoman Empire. Besides her services as supplier of luxury goods, Ester acted as Nur Banu's reliable intermediary, personal emissary, translator, and trustee at the highest levels. She participated in Nur Banu's correspondence with the doge and Venetian senate. When in 1584 Catherina de Medici (1519-1589), Queen Mother of France wrote to Nur Banu seeking the support of the Turkish fleet against Spain, Ester was employed either to make sure of the accuracy of the Turkish translations accompanying the Italian texts, or as a spy, bringing copies of correspondence to Venice.

For these, and many other services Ester was rewarded in 1587 with a letter of recommendation and approval to start a lottery in Venetian Republic, which recently became an ally with the Ottoman Empire. That was the first time that a foreigner, moreover a Turkish Jew, was granted this privilege in Venice. Through the years of service on the royal court, Handali gathered a great fortune. Various diplomat observers regarded her as one of the most influential persons at the Ottoman court, and also mentioned her practice to accept gifts and bribes in return for her favors.

At the same time, Ester was the protector of Jewish community in the city, and was well known for charity and good works. She helped Jewish merchants whose properties were ruined in anti-Jewish riots and assisted in rebuilding of Jewish quarter after the great fire in 1569. She also helped the poor and widows, supported scholars and financed the printing of Jewish books.

Although some sources mentions her violent death after the new sultan Mehmed III (r. 1595-1603) succeeded the throne, that information most likely refers to her successor, kiera Esperanza Malchi.