With the signing of the Treaty of Constanza, Queen Mother Shevkyevza and all the upper echelons of the Ottoman Empire let out a long breath.
They had finally, at least for the time being, shaken off the Russians' entanglement. Istanbul blazed with lights through the night. Countless lavish banquets were held, and people reveled to their hearts' content. Some even set off fireworks, as if they had won a great war.
Unlike the celebrations of high society, the families at the bottom who had lost fathers, husbands, and sons were steeped in misery.
Within the mosques, the chanting of scriptures went on without end. Countless soul lamps and celebratory fireworks illuminated the entire city.
No one cared about the cries of women, the old, and the weak. Instead, plenty of people had set their sights on their property.
According to Ottoman tradition and law, a wife could inherit only one-eighth of the family's property.
If there was an adult male heir, things were manageable. If not, a daughter could receive only half the share of a male heir, while the remainder would be inherited by male heirs among the relatives.
Generally speaking, daughters and wives could receive only one-third of the property, or even less.
If the heirs were minors, the situation became even worse. The property due to underage heirs would be held in trust by the family until they came of age.
The Ottoman Empire was a polygamous society, so widows' property would be diluted even further.
As stated in the Qur'an:
The portion of an estate disposed of by will must not exceed one-third of the deceased's total net assets—that is, the assets remaining after settling debts incurred during the deceased's lifetime and deducting funeral expenses. This portion was to be used to aid neighbors, close friends