"Concubinage" as a formal, institutionalized legal status has been abolished globally. However, the practice of a man having multiple female partners outside of legal marriage, in arrangements often described colloquially as concubinage or as having "secondary wives" or "mistresses," still exists informally and is sometimes implicitly tolerated in some regions, particularly in countries where polygamy (polygyny) is legal under civil, religious, or customary law.
In China and the Muslim world, the concubine of a king could achieve power, especially if her son also became a monarch.
Islamic views on concubinage. In classical Islamic law, a concubine was an unmarried slave-woman with whom her master engaged in sexual relations. Concubinage was widely accepted by Muslim scholars until the abolition of slavery in the 20th century.
Concubinage still exists today in various forms. Women are not forced into it like they were, and it is still mostly among Asian wealthy class. Having a concubine or mistress is accepted as part of the culture in Asia.
Polygamous marriages are legally recognized for men in Saudi Arabia, in accordance with Islamic Sharia law, which allows for Muslim men to marry up to four wives, provided that he treats them equally and shares all his wealth equally.
Acts such as hugging, kissing, or holding hands are typically reserved for private spaces, even among married couples. This cultural expectation upholds the values of privacy and decorum and is a part of Saudi society's adherence to Islamic principles, which encourage modest interactions.
Countries that recognize polygamous marriages
Gabon: Both men and women can join in polygamous marriage with the other gender under Gabonese law. In practice, the right to multiple spouses is reserved for men only. Kenya: Polygamy legal under legislation passed in 2014.
The ladies-in-waiting worked as personal assistants, tending to the emperor's wardrobe, assisting the emperor's baths, serving meals, performing and attending court rituals. Ladies-in-waiting could be appointed as concubines, consorts or even empresses by the emperor or the heir to the throne.
Indulge in the latest fashion, make connection with other concubines (and wives of officials), share/gather gossip as needed, entertain themselves, if they are talented in something, try to hone those talents to catch the emperor's eyes...., host parties and improve their (and the family's social standing) ... ..
Harems, in the sense of secluding women from the outside world and keeping them under the control of men, can still be seen in many Islamic countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The most extreme examples include Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Common Types of Evidence in Concubinage Cases. Testimony of the wife or other witnesses who have direct knowledge of the husband's acts. Neighbors or household helpers can testify if they have personal observation of the husband's cohabitation with another woman or her stay in the conjugal dwelling.
A consort is typically the legally recognized, high-ranking spouse of a monarch (like a Queen Consort), holding official status, while a concubine is a woman in a long-term relationship with a man (often a ruler) without being a legal wife, generally holding lower status and fewer rights, though in some cultures (like Imperial China), concubines held official ranks and were part of the imperial system, with 'consort' often referring to higher-ranked concubines. The key difference is legal standing and rank: consorts are married partners, while concubines are partners outside of a formal legal marriage, though the terms blur in historical contexts.
Although the Old Testament describes numerous examples of polygyny (one male, one wife with multiple concubines) among devotees to God, most Christian groups have historically rejected the practice of polygamy and have upheld monogamy alone as normative.
“Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) is the most important woman in Chinese history. She ruled China for decades and brought a medieval empire into the modern age. At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, Cixi was chosen as one of the emperor's numerous concubines and sexual partners.
Concubines were recognized sexual partners and companions for men, often of high status or wealth, whose primary roles included providing sexual pleasure, bearing children (especially heirs), and running households, though their specific duties varied from social entertainment (music, arts) to household management, with their status always secondary to a legal wife. Their lives could involve leisure, intrigue, and maintaining family lines, often in elaborate households like imperial palaces where they engaged in pastimes like embroidery, music, and social maneuvering, sometimes as a way to gain influence or secure their children's future.
The seishitsu had a status above other wives, called sokushitsu (側室, concubine). The system dates back to the ritsuryō system in the Nara and Heian periods. At the time, the main wife was called chakusai (嫡妻). The last Japanese emperor to have official concubines was Emperor Meiji.
The age of the candidates ranged mainly from 14 to 16. Virtues, behavior, character, appearance and body condition were the selection criteria. Despite the limitations imposed on Chinese concubines, there are several examples in history and literature of concubines who achieved great power and influence.
For China's Han majority, marriage is a monogamous institution – the days of multiple wives and concubines in the Imperial court have passed, and now, taking more than one spouse is a criminal offense, though having an extra-marital lover is more common today than many would like to admit.
Concubines in ancient Korea played a huge role in paving the way for the next heir to the king. Their ranks determine who would be the closest to the King. Even though they were of lower ranks than the queen, they were still higher in rank than most court ladies, making them part of the royal family.
Princess Diana's "dark side" involved significant mental health struggles, including depression, bulimia, self-harm, and mood swings, alongside perceived manipulative, attention-seeking, and vindictive behaviors, often stemming from insecurity and an unstable upbringing, creating deep conflict within her marriage and with royal staff, despite her public image as a compassionate figure. She confessed to these struggles, including affairs and self-harm, in her famous interview, revealing a complex, wounded individual overwhelmed by pressure and emptiness.
In the 'Ritz' episode, The Crown recreates a little-known real event when the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, then aged just 19 and 14, 'escaped' the palace on VE Day 1945. They were granted permission by their father, King George VI, to join the crowds in London to celebrate (with chaperones).
11 Successful men often had concubines until the practice was outlawed after the Communist Party of China came to power in 1949. The position of the concubine was generally inferior to that of the wife. Although a concubine could produce heirs, her children would be inferior in social status to "legitimate" children.
Mormon men can lawfully have one wife. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strictly prohibits polygamy (or plural marriage) today.
Polygamous marriage is indeed regulated and limited by laws in most countries. However, it is generally accepted in some societies. Similar to most governments, the Turkish government abolished polygamy, which was officially criminalized with the adoption of the Turkish Civil Code in 1926.
Polygyny is especially widespread in West Africa, with the countries estimated to have the highest polygyny prevalence in the world as of 2019 being Burkina Faso (36%), Mali (34%) and Gambia (30%). Outside of Africa, the highest prevalence is in Afghanistan, Yemen and Iraq.