Ottoman Empire
Sultan Murad III’s cavalry executed Esther, the wife of a Jewish merchant, along with one of ther sons. She was known as a Chiera or Kiera, which means the women in charge of all relations (including commercial) between the wives in the sultan’s royal harem and the outside world. Esther was extremely influential with Safiyeh, the favorite wife of the Sultan. Jealousy on the part of other power players led to their arrest (officially for interfering in a military appointment) and execution.
– after Eli Birnbaum