The term 'Sultans' Groups of Wives' is a reference to the harems of the Ottoman Empire. A HAREM was a group of wives and concubines that were kept by the Sultan, or ruler, of the Ottoman Empire. The term 'HAREM' comes from the Arabic word for 'FORBIDDEN' or 'SACRED'. Harems were typically composed of female slaves, concubines, and wives of the Sultan. The women in the HAREM were often treated as property and were not allowed to leave without permission.