An Examination of Abdulhamid II’s Governing Style in the Context of Birth Anniversary Celebrations

Kamil Çayır

Makale detayları

An Examination of Abdulhamid II’s Governing Style in the Context of Birth Anniversary Celebrations

Yazarlar:

Kamil Çayır

Yayıncı:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tarihsel Çalışmalar (Diğer)

Dergi:

İSTEM Issue 44, pp.539-560

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

12/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001337240

pISSN:

1304-0618

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Sultan Abdulhamid II, who was on the Ottoman throne in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first years of the 20th century was one of the sultans most talked about for and against. During his reign, the continuity of the modernization efforts that started with the Tanzimat Edict was ensured, the foundations of many institutions and organizations were laid, and new intellectual movements emerged. Abdulhamid II faced many political, social, military and economic problems in the first years of his reign and developed some unique practices to deal with these and made efforts to re-establish the reputation of the Ottoman Empire, which was described as a sick man. Essentially, in the 19th century was a period in which legitimacy crises occurred not only in the Ottoman Empire but also in the whole world, due to the influence of the French Revolution. Kings and dynasties implemented new practices to overcome these crises; trying to invent festivals and ceremonies. Wedding anniversaries, crown princes reaching puberty, anniversaries of the crusades, French revolution and Serbian revolt anniversaries are among the ceremonies and festivals that were invented and started to be celebrated in this century. In the case of the Ottoman Empire, celebrating the birth anniversary of the sultan on the throne is one of the similar efforts of this period. It is possible to say that many purposes were pursued in the birth anniversary celebrations held with the participation of the public and officials throughout the Ottoman lands, including the capital and the provinces, in a century when separatist-nationalist movements intensified. To increase the sultans influence by strengthening and confirming his legitimacy, to give the appearance of unity inside and outside by bringing the society together around common values, to ensure solidarity and cohesion in the society that has reached the breaking point due to the wars in the recent past, to make people forget the painful memories of the wars, to encourage the subjects with the grants and awards distributed on this special day and confirming the loyalty and commitment of government officials can be counted among the benefits expected from the celebrations. Moreover, it is possible to say that the holding of these celebrations abroad was the result of the Ottoman ruling elites effort to present themselves to Europe with an image that Europe would understand. In this study, the emergence of the tradition of celebrating the birth anniversary of the sultans in the Ottoman Empire, its implementation and the reflection of Abdulhamid IIs management style on these celebrations will be discussed.

 Sultan Abdulhamid II, who was on the Ottoman throne in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first years of the 20th century was one of the sultans most talked about for and against. During his reign, the continuity of the modernization efforts that started with the Tanzimat Edict was ensured, the foundations of many institutions and organizations were laid, and new intellectual movements emerged. Abdulhamid II faced many political, social, military and economic problems in the first years of his reign and developed some unique practices to deal with these and made efforts to re-establish the reputation of the Ottoman Empire, which was described as a sick man. Essentially, in the 19th century was a period in which legitimacy crises occurred not only in the Ottoman Empire but also in the whole world, due to the influence of the French Revolution. Kings and dynasties implemented new practices to overcome these crises; trying to invent festivals and ceremonies. Wedding anniversaries, crown princes reaching puberty, anniversaries of the crusades, French revolution and Serbian revolt anniversaries are among the ceremonies and festivals that were invented and started to be celebrated in this century. In the case of the Ottoman Empire, celebrating the birth anniversary of the sultan on the throne is one of the similar efforts of this period. It is possible to say that many purposes were pursued in the birth anniversary celebrations held with the participation of the public and officials throughout the Ottoman lands, including the capital and the provinces, in a century when separatist-nationalist movements intensified. To increase the sultans influence by strengthening and confirming his legitimacy, to give the appearance of unity inside and outside by bringing the society together around common values, to ensure solidarity and cohesion in the society that has reached the breaking point due to the wars in the recent past, to make people forget the painful memories of the wars, to encourage the subjects with the grants and awards distributed on this special day and confirming the loyalty and commitment of government officials can be counted among the benefits expected from the celebrations. Moreover, it is possible to say that the holding of these celebrations abroad was the result of the Ottoman ruling elites effort to present themselves to Europe with an image that Europe would understand. In this study, the emergence of the tradition of celebrating the birth anniversary of the sultans in the Ottoman Empire, its implementation and the reflection of Abdulhamid IIs management style on these celebrations will be discussed.

 Sultan Abdulhamid II, who was on the Ottoman throne in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first years of the 20th century was one of the sultans most talked about for and against. During his reign, the continuity of the modernization efforts that started with the Tanzimat Edict was ensured, the foundations of many institutions and organizations were laid, and new intellectual movements emerged. Abdulhamid II faced many political, social, military and economic problems in the first years of his reign and developed some unique practices to deal with these and made efforts to re-establish the reputation of the Ottoman Empire, which was described as a sick man. Essentially, in the 19th century was a period in which legitimacy crises occurred not only in the Ottoman Empire but also in the whole world, due to the influence of the French Revolution. Kings and dynasties implemented new practices to overcome these crises; trying to invent festivals and ceremonies. Wedding anniversaries, crown princes reaching puberty, anniversaries of the crusades, French revolution and Serbian revolt anniversaries are among the ceremonies and festivals that were invented and started to be celebrated in this century. In the case of the Ottoman Empire, celebrating the birth anniversary of the sultan on the throne is one of the similar efforts of this period. It is possible to say that many purposes were pursued in the birth anniversary celebrations held with the participation of the public and officials throughout the Ottoman lands, including the capital and the provinces, in a century when separatist-nationalist movements intensified. To increase the sultans influence by strengthening and confirming his legitimacy, to give the appearance of unity inside and outside by bringing the society together around common values, to ensure solidarity and cohesion in the society that has reached the breaking point due to the wars in the recent past, to make people forget the painful memories of the wars, to encourage the subjects with the grants and awards distributed on this special day and confirming the loyalty and commitment of government officials can be counted among the benefits expected from the celebrations. Moreover, it is possible to say that the holding of these celebrations abroad was the result of the Ottoman ruling elites effort to present themselves to Europe with an image that Europe would understand. In this study, the emergence of the tradition of celebrating the birth anniversary of the sultans in the Ottoman Empire, its implementation and the reflection of Abdulhamid IIs management style on these celebrations will be discussed.

 19. yüzyılın son çeyreği ile 20. yüzyılın ilk yıllarında Osmanlı tahtında bulunan Sultan II. Abdülhamid, lehinde ve aleyhinde en çok konuşulan sultanlardan birisi olmuştur. Saltanatı süresince Tanzimat Fermanı ile başlayan yenileşme çalışmalarının sürekliliği sağlandığı gibi birçok kurum ve kuruluşun temeli atılmış, yeni fikir hareketleri ortaya çıkmıştır. Saltanatının ilk yıllarında siyasî, sosyal, askerî ve ekonomik birçok problemle karşı karşıya kalan II. Abdülhamid bunlarla başa çıkabilmek için kendine özgü birtakım uygulamalar geliştirmiş, hasta adam olarak nitelenen Osmanlı Devletinin itibarını yeniden tesis etmek için çaba göstermiştir. Esasında 19. yüzyıl, Fransız İhtilâlinin etkisiyle sadece Osmanlı Devletinde değil bütün dünya üzerinde meşruiyet krizlerinin yaşandığı bir dönem olmuştur. Kral ve hanedanlar bu krizleri aşmak için yeni uygulamalar arayışına başlamış; şenlik ve merasimler icat etmeye çalışmıştır. Evlilik yıl dönümleri, veliahtların büluğ çağına ermesi, haçlı mücadelelerinin yıl dönümleri, Fransız İhtilâli ve Sırp isyanının yıl dönümleri gibi uygulamalar bu yüzyılda icat edilen ve kutlanılmaya başlanan merasim ve şenlikler arasındadır. Osmanlı özelinde ise tahttaki sultanın doğum yıl dönümünün kutlanması bu dönemdeki benzer çabalardan biridir. Ayrılıkçı-milliyetçi hareketlerin yoğunlaştığı bir yüzyılda, başkent ve taşra olmak üzere Osmanlı topraklarının tamamında, halkın ve resmî görevlilerin katılımıyla gerçekleştirilen doğum yıl dönümü kutlamalarında birçok amacın gözetildiğini söylemek mümkündür. Sultanın meşruiyetini tahkim ve teyit ederek nüfuzunu arttırmak, toplumu ortak değer etrafında bir araya getirerek içeriye ve dışarıya birliktelik görüntüsü vermek, yakın geçmişteki savaşlar dolayısıyla patlama noktasına gelen toplumdaki dayanışma ve kaynaşmayı sağlamak, savaşların acı hatıralarını unutturmak, bu hususi gün vesilesiyle dağıtılan ihsan ve taltiflerle tebaanın ve devlet görevlilerinin sadakat ve bağlılıklarını teyit etmek kutlamalardan beklenen faydalar arasında sayılabilir. Ayrıca bu kutlamaların yurtdışında da gerçekleştirilmesi, Osmanlı yönetici elitinin Avrupa karşısında Avrupanın anlayacağı bir imajla karşılarına çıkmak gayretinin neticesi olduğunu söylemek mümkündür. Bu çalışmada Osmanlı Devletinde sultanların doğum yıl dönümü kutlama geleneğinin ortaya çıkışı, uygulanışı ve II. Abdülhamidin yönetim tarzının bu kutlamalara yansıması ele alınacaktır.

Makale detayları

An Examination of Abdulhamid II’s Governing Style in the Context of Birth Anniversary Celebrations

Yazarlar:

Kamil Çayır

Yayıncı:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tarihsel Çalışmalar (Diğer)

Dergi:

İSTEM Issue 44, pp.539-560

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

12/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001337240

pISSN:

1304-0618

Abdulhamid II

Velâdet-i Humâyûn

Ceremony

Festival

GovernmentII. Abdülhamid

Velâdet-i Hümâyûn

Merasim

Şenlik

Yönetim

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Kamil Çayır

Yayıncı: Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar: Tarihsel Çalışmalar (Diğer)

Dergi: İSTEM Issue 44, pp.539-560

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 12/2024

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001337240

pISSN: 1304-0618

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Kamil Çayır

Yayıncı:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar:

Tarihsel Çalışmalar (Diğer)

Dergi:

İSTEM Issue 44, pp.539-560

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

12/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001337240

pISSN:

1304-0618