The subject
of this video is about how Christians are presented
in Ottoman miniatures depicting two official procedures:
the devşirme and the reception of European
Christian ambassadors by the Ottoman Sultans.
These two official procedures also represent different geographies
and different statuses of the depicted Christians.
The devşirme in Balkan lands.
The image involves the gathering of the children
of Christian Ottoman subjects through the devşirme system.
These children were employed in the military and administrative
institutions of the Ottoman Empire,
both to become elite soldiers or the Ottoman military, joining
the jenizars corpse or to serve in the Sultan's palace
in provincial posts, in central administration,
and even to become vizirs and grand
vizirs.
The miniature in question
depicts the first stage of the devşirme process
when these children were separated from their families
and conscripted by the officials sent from the Ottoman capital.
The uniqueness of this miniature arise from the fact that
it might be the only miniature that has been identified
so far to illustrate the devşirme process.
It is extremely important in terms of showing the situation
of the children, the families and the officials.
The scene
takes place in a Christian town in the Rumelian provinces of the Empire:
the Balkans.
On the left side,
we see the officers in charge of the recruitment process,
preparing the records in two copies
in which the name of the village of the recruited boys,
the name of their father.
the date of birth, their full physical descriptions up to the color
of their eyes, and some other details were written. On the right side
we see men and women, probably
the fathers and mothers of the children recruited
and among the gist representative of the town
who gathered in front of the buildings in an Ottoman style.
In the middle of the scene,
in between the officers and the families,
we see the selected children in red clothes
and with their small bags on their backs.
The fact that they were presented in between the Ottoman officers
and their families symbolizes the transition
from their natal culture towards the ruling Ottoman culture.
Almost all of to selected children were depicted
as having the same height and red cheeks, which was an indication
of health, an important criterion for being selected.
The solemnity and the ceremonalness of the Ottoman officers
and the anxiety of the children is evident in the illustration.
Nevertheless, the depiction of the families seems to represent
the ambivalence in their reaction to the recruitment of their children.
Most of the families in the scene seems to be extremely unhappy,
which is reflected in their manners of talking with the officials.
Some seems to be happy with the situation
which can be observed in their facial appearance.
Such differences probably represent the fact that although forcibly
separating the children
from their families is cruel and creates suffering,
this would be a path towards
power and influence in the administration of the empire.
Back in the scene, two children are barely seen
in a tower looking out of the window.
Maybe they are the children
the families tried to hide from the Ottoman officials,
which often was a reality.
Diplomatic receptions.
Ottoman political thought, was based on the concept of
Nizam-i alem literally the order of universe,
a concept that defined, among other connotations,
the Ottoman ideals of world domination.
The Ottomans acted for most of the 16th century as an imperial power
that did not recognize any other state on equal terms.
States that wanted to enter into a relationship
with the Ottomans were required to show signs of submission
in recognition of Ottoman supremacy by dispatching diplomats.
The main attributes of Sultanic dignity and the emphasis on
his supremacy were manifested in the elaborate ceremonials
and audiences granted to foreign envoys. In the protocol
in addition to the practice of delivering gifts
sent by their sovereigns,
diplomats were forced to perform an act of deep prostration
before the Sultan as part of the semiotics of diplomatic behavior
with which the hierarchical status of Sublime Porte was exhibited.
Despite
distinctions made between rival and friendly powers,
Ottoman treatment was always from superior to inferior.
In the light of this background,
I would like to present a selection of miniatures
that depicts the reception
of Christian ambassadors by the Ottoman Sultans.
Diplomatic receptions of Austrian Habsburg
representatives.
The first miniature
represents the audience given by Suleiman the Magnificent
to the Austrian delegate during his 1532 campaign.
The painter depicts the reception scene in the Sultan's encampment
and the Imperial Pavilion,
which symbolically corresponds to the Topkapi Palace.
The Sultan is placed in the center of the composition, dominating
the whole scene with hierarchical superiority over other figures.
He sits cross-legged on a throne, holding a red globe
in his right hand and the red handkerchief in his left hand.
Clear iconographic symbols of world domination and sovereignty.
This iconography is highly meaningful,
demonstrating the superiority of the Sultan over
his Austrian Habsburg rival, Ferdinand I
whose ambassador is depicted at the foot of the throne,
kneeling down with his hat in his hand.
This act of putting the hat down, bowing in front of the Sultan
and kissing the foot of the throne are the traditional protocol
and practices performed in these ceremonies.
The presence of two private chamber Ağası and four vizirs standing
in silence and bowing respectively, add to the solemnity of the ceremony.
The second miniature depicts the reception
of the Austrian ambassador sent by the emperor Maximilian II,
to congratulate Selim II enthronement.
The scene
takes place in the Topkapi in the so-called chamber of petition,
where the Ottoman Sultans used to receive foreign ambassadors.
The miniature depicts a much rigid protocol
for the ambassador, who prostrates in front of the Sultan,
being held by his arms, by palace officers.
The other member of the Austrian delegation is watching the ceremony
in amazement, being himself firmly grasped by his arms,
by the officers.
Diplomatic reception
of the French envoys.
The first miniature depicts the reception given by Suleiman I
to the French envoy sent by Francis I where
establish an anti Habsburg alliance with Suleiman the Magnificent.
Although the French ambassador was subjected to the same rigid
protocol of prostration like the Austrians,
the setting of the scene demonstrates a privileged reception ceremony
totally different from that given to the Habsburg envoy.
It is clearly seen that Ottomans organized a militar parade
in honor of this delegation, with the ceremonious presence of almost
all the regiments of the Ottoman army and its commanders.
Moreover,
the French ambassador and the other five members of the French delegation
were given robes of honor as a gift by the Sultan,
an emphasis of power and the respect.
Interestingly, on the right top corner,
there is a person depicted with a red big hat watching the ceremony.
This person is thought to be a member of the Habsburg delegation
who might have been invited to see how Suleiman treats
the friendly states.
The second miniature
represents the reception given by the Sultan Murad III
to the French ambassador sent by Henry III.
The miniature has an arrangement that parallels
the traditional diplomatic reception just seen. The sultan is depicted
sitting cross-legged, looking at the ambassador who was brought
before the throne with his arms grasped by the Ottoman officers.
What is novel with respect
to the previous miniature is the depiction of Ottoman officials
carrying the gifts sent by the French king as a demonstration
of his alliance and friendship with the Ottoman Sultan.