DOCSLIB.ORG

Orthodox Christians Under Ottoman Rule, 1400-1550 Neil Paradise University of North Florida

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Orthodox Christians Under Ottoman Rule, 1400-1550 Neil Paradise University of North Florida University of North Florida UNF Digital Commons All Volumes (2001-2008) The sprO ey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry 2006 In the Lion’s Den: Orthodox Christians under Ottoman Rule, 1400-1550 Neil Paradise University of North Florida Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/ojii_volumes Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons Suggested Citation Paradise, Neil, "In the Lion’s Den: Orthodox Christians under Ottoman Rule, 1400-1550" (2006). All Volumes (2001-2008). 67. http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/ojii_volumes/67 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the The sprO ey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry at UNF Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Volumes (2001-2008) by an authorized administrator of UNF Digital Commons. For more information, please contact Digital Projects. © 2006 All Rights Reserved harshness of Janissary training and the In the Lion’s Den: Orthodox strict discipline enforced upon new Christians under Ottoman recruits, and gives numerous examples as to the slave-like status these men are Rule, 1400-1550 reduced.1 Ogier Busbecq offers a different contemporary understanding Neil Paradise from the mid 16th century. The Holy Roman Empire’s ambassador writes in 2005 History Paper Prize Winner glowing terms of the discipline and courtesy of the Janissaries. He also Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Francis, remarks that Janissary detachments are Associate Professor of History scattered throughout the Empire not only to guard against external threats but also The Ottoman Empire’s conquest to protect Christians and Jews from the of the Balkans and subsequent “violence of the mob”.2 The contrast administration left a perplexing religious between Ogier’s and Ludlow’s reactions legacy. The Islamic Ottoman presence speaks to dual Western European lasted almost five centuries, yet reactions to the empire during the time Christianity remained the overwhelming period studied, alternating between fear religion of choice in the area. The and respect for its successes. As Europe Ottoman treatment of subject Christians advanced and the Ottoman military and has been long debated, with technological advantage became a thing characterizations ranging from a of the past, this strong reaction to the cosmopolitan haven of freedom to a Empire and its subject Christians would brutal rule of forced conversion. fade to relative silence.3 However, the real picture appears far Modern historians have offered a more complex than these generalizations more detailed look at the Church / State – the Ottoman relationship with relationship. Greek historian G. Orthodox Christianity in the Balkans Georgiades Arnakis focused on the changed over time, depending in part on Church in Constantinople for an article religious tenets but also largely on the published in 1953. Arnakis portrays the realities and varying situations facing the rights of the Church as legally Ottoman state over time. A glance at the established and binding, but far from Orthodox Christian church under the inviolable in practice.4 He paints a Ottoman Empire from the early fifteenth to mid sixteenth century gives a 1 "The Tribute of Children, 1493," July 1998 revealing glimpse at some of the [cited 2004]. Available from changing relationships of conquered http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/islam/1493janiss aries.html., 1. Christians to the state. 2 Accounts of historians from "The Turkish Letters, 1555-1562," July 1998 [cited 2004]. Available from various perspectives have viewed the http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1555busbe Orthodox/Ottoman relationship in vastly cq.html., 1. different lights. Englishman James 3 Mark Mazower, The Balkans: A Short History, Ludlow’s report on the Janissary system (New York: Modern Library, 2000), xxxiii to in the late fifteenth century gives an xxxv. 4 G. Georgiades Arnakis, "The Greek Church of impression of Islamic religious Constantinople and the Ottoman Empire," The domination. Ludlow emphasizes the Journal of Modern History 24, no. 3 (1952): 239. picture of persecution, citing part to difficulties in reorienting a conversions of churches to mosques, previously decentralized religious martyrdom of patriarchs in the mid organization into an administrative seventeenth century, and characterizes successor to the Byzantine state10. The Ottoman authorities as valuing Ottoman state exerts substantial pressure Christians as little more than a tax base indirectly (and occasionally directly), to be exploited.5 Arnakis presents the but Runciman finds Christian difficulties relationship as a power struggle, by a stemming from the second-class stature church “waging a struggle for typical to subjugated minorities in Christianity” against the “islamicization Islamic states. and turkification” presumably desired by Recent examinations of the the Ottoman government.6 Overall, Balkans have used very different Arnakis views the continued existence of approaches to discover a new Christianity in Ottoman lands as perspective. Braude and Lewis’s evidence of the triumph of the Orthodox collection from a 1978 research seminar Church in an unequal religious struggle. builds on Runciman’s legacy in Steven Runciman takes a more examining the status of Christians at comprehensive look at the Church under particular points in time through various Ottoman rule in his book, published in articles. They elaborate that Christian 1968. Runciman characterizes the minority status under Islam was a “millet” system of semi-autonomous self compact between the rulers and ruled – government used by the Ottomans as it could be used to keep Christians in along traditional Islamic lines, and states their proper place, but also to prevent the practice was so well known that it government abuses. The authors was unlikely to have ever been officially characterize the treatment of Christians written down.7 He does find codified by the authorities as variable depending legal restrictions on Christians, and on the circumstances.11 Overall, the characterizes them as second-class editors summarize the contributions and citizens.8 He also discusses the conclusions on the status of Christians as Church’s ongoing difficulties in one governed more often by practical maintaining urban churches and considerations than strict Islamic law. establishing schools thanks to Ottoman Dennis Hupchick also offers a different interference, but he concludes this is as perspective on the Church-State much an inherent result of the Ottoman relationship in his 1993 article focusing conception of the place of subjugated on Bulgarian ethnic awareness. peoples rather than any systematic Hupchick describes the church as a persecution9. Runciman finds the “veritable department” in the Ottoman problems of the Church to be in large 5 Arnakis, 238, 243-248. 6 Arnakis, 245. 10 Runciman, 206-207. 7 Steven Runciman, The Great Church in 11 Benjamin Braude and Bernard Lewis eds., Captivity: a Study of the Patriarchate of Christians and Jews in the Ottoman Empire: The Constantinople from the eve of the Turkish Functioning of a Plural Society, (New York: Conquest to the Greek War of Independence Holmes & Meier Publishers, Inc., 1982), 9. (London: Cambridge U.P., 1968), 167, 170. Braude remarks that enforcement of restrictions 8 Runciman, 79. depended most on whether the state felt 9 Runciman, 192, 218. threatened. government.12 He also finds active Muslims, a confirmation of their subject efforts by the Ottomans to assimilate status.16 This sort of pointed legal Bulgarian lands through resettlement of framework is not surprising, given the Turks coupled with displacement of circumstances in which Mohammed Bulgarians from towns, though he created Islam. Near Eastern minds had admits the practice was spotty and always respected the founders of the inconsistent.13 Hupchick agrees with other great monotheistic faiths.17 Even earlier historians in that Ottoman policy Arabia still contained minority changed over time, but his contribution communities at the time of to the general debate is his focus on the Mohammed’s death, and it offered church as a means of enhancing cultural precedents such as treaties made with the and ethnic identity. He concludes that Christian community of Najrān (who the Church promoted Greek Orthodoxy promised aid to the Prophet).18 As the over the interests of its various religious and legal backbone of Islamic constituencies, and that the “millet” behavior, the Koran’s tolerance for system drowned out competing cultures specific religious minorities was a major under Greek ideals. factor in the attitude of Muslims to these Perhaps the most profitable conquered peoples. starting point in deciphering the status of The reality of dramatic Islamic Christians in the Ottoman Empire is the military successes also served to legal and religious traditions regarding promote a policy of conciliation to religious minorities the Ottomans conquered peoples. The origin of Islamic inherited from early Islamic law and tolerance for the practice of other practice. Early Islamic law took care to religions seems to stem from the very impart a special status to people of earliest period of Muslim conquest, as monotheistic, confessional faiths such as the numerically inferior Muslim Arabs Christianity. The Koran’s statement that found themselves needing security “there is no constraint in religion” was precautions over their new subjects.19 generally interpreted as an The contemporary Muslim Balādhurī encouragement of tolerance towards shows a striking example of the reality
Load more

Recommended publications
  • İBRAHİM TELLİOĞLU, Trabzon Rum Devleti, Serander, Trabzon 2009
    İBRAHİM TELLİOĞLU, Trabzon Rum Devleti, Serander, Trabzon 2009. 183 pages. ISBN 978-9944-374-23-1 Introduction İbrahim Tellioğlu, who is a professor at Ondokuz Mayıs University, Faculty of Letters, History Department, displays his knowledge and talent to address a highly debated issue: Trebizond Greek State11 from a perspective unlike the common Western historiography in that he discusses it introducing several sources such as the Chronicle of Michael Paneretos the major source of the period of III. Aleksios (1349-1390), the most important source, regarding the relations of the Comnenos dynasty with the Turks and Venetians and Geneose in the neighbourhood, the Byzantine sources such as the the Chronicle of Georgios Acropolites, which enlightens the struggle of David Comneos with Theodore Laskaris, the Chronicle of Nikephoras Gregoras, Ioannes Kantakouzenus, and Laonikas Chalkokondyles and the Chronicles of Papadopoulos regarding Trebizond included at the end of the works ofJ. P. Falmerayer, G. Finlay, W. Miller, S. I. Karpov and F. I. Uspenski. Besides, he introduces the Venetian and Geneose sources related to the political situation of the Black Sea region and the Comnenos, especially from the last quarter of the 13th century onwards (p.xııı-xvı). In addition, he uses the tavelogues of Clavijo, sent as a Spanish envoy to Tamerlane. He asserts that the travelogues of Clavijo are highly important in that they give detailed information about the period of Manuel related the sovereignity of the Comnenos in the Black Sea region. The other source he uses is the “Anonymous Georgian Chronicle” published by Brosset titled as “Historie de la Georgia” in 1849 and the Chronicle of Cardinal Bessarion.
    [Show full text]
  • Martin Luther in His Table Talk Once Said, ―True Theology Is Practical
    LUTHER’S ESCHATOLOGY AND THE TURKS NICHOLAS D. PROKSCH, BETHANY LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 2010 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON MEDIEVAL STUDIES, KALAMAZOO, MI Martin Luther in his Table Talk once said, ―True theology is practical.‖1 For Luther, the doctrines of Scripture existed to show how a Christian should believe and live. Nothing was speculative; nothing was superfluous. By the same token, Luther’s eschatology and interpretation of prophecy were not merely obscure predictions or trivial details, but were determined realities for the end times with practical implications for a Christian’s life and actions. The eschatological role of the Turks likewise established practical consequences for a Christian. Although Luther’s political and pastoral engagement of the Turks are generally separated from his eschatological understanding of their role in history, in fact it seems more likely that the eschatology provided the basis of his political and pastoral advice. From the prophecy of Daniel 7, Luther concluded three determined realities that shaped his entire perspective on the Turks: (1) the Turks would never conquer European Christianity; (2) they would never be conquered by European Christianity; and (3) they would always oppress Christianity militarily. These details taken as a whole gave the Turks a unique role as a temporal scourge in the hand of God to work repentance and to purify the Christian church. Furthermore, the predetermined role of aggressor for the Turks allowed Luther generally to advocate war against the Turks by secular authorities because of its defensive nature. In spite of some outward appearances, Luther’s eschatological perspective of the Turks was not pessimistic but practical in that he used predetermined realities as a basis for advising secular rulers and Christians in general.
    [Show full text]
  • THE MYTH of 'TERRIBLE TURK' and 'LUSTFUL TURK' Nevs
    THE WESTERN IMAGE OF TURKS FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE 21ST CENTURY: THE MYTH OF ‘TERRIBLE TURK’ AND ‘LUSTFUL TURK’ Nevsal Olcen Tiryakioglu A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of Nottingham Trent University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy December 2015 Copyright Statement This work is the intellectual property of the author. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed in the owner(s) of the Intellectual Property Rights. i Abstract The Western image of Turks is identified with two distinctive stereotypes: ‘Terrible Turk’ and ‘Lustful Turk.’ These stereotypical images are deeply rooted in the history of the Ottoman Empire and its encounters with Christian Europe. Because of their fear of being dominated by Islam, European Christians defined the Turks as the wicked ‘Other’ against their perfect ‘Self.’ Since the beginning of Crusades, the Western image of Turks is associated with cruelty, barbarity, murderousness, immorality, and sexual perversion. These characteristics still appear in cinematic representations of Turks. In Western films such as Lawrence of Arabia and Midnight Express, the portrayals of Turks echo the stereotypes of ‘terrible Turk’ and ‘lustful Turk.’ This thesis argues that these stereotypes have transformed into a myth and continued to exist uniformly in Western contemporary cinema. The thesis attempts to ascertain the uniformity and consistency of the cinematic image of Turks and determine the associations between this image and the myths of ‘terrible Turk’ and ‘lustful Turk.’ To achieve this goal, this thesis examines the trajectory of the Turkish image in Western discourse between the 11th and 21st centuries.
    [Show full text]
  • History of the Turkish People
    June IJPSS Volume 2, Issue 6 ISSN: 2249-5894 2012 _________________________________________________________ History of the Turkish people Vahid Rashidvash* __________________________________________________________ Abstract The Turkish people also known as "Turks" (Türkler) are defined mainly as being speakers of Turkish as a first language. In the Republic of Turkey, an early history text provided the definition of being a Turk as "any individual within the Republic of Turkey, whatever his faith who speaks Turkish, grows up with Turkish culture and adopts the Turkish ideal is a Turk." Today the word is primarily used for the inhabitants of Turkey, but may also refer to the members of sizeable Turkish-speaking populations of the former lands of the Ottoman Empire and large Turkish communities which been established in Europe (particularly in Germany, France, and the Netherlands), as well as North America, and Australia. Key words: Turkish people. History. Culture. Language. Genetic. Racial characteristics of Turkish people. * Department of Iranian Studies, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Republic of Armeni. A Monthly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International e-Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories Indexed & Listed at: Ulrich's Periodicals Directory ©, U.S.A., Open J-Gage, India as well as in Cabell’s Directories of Publishing Opportunities, U.S.A. International Journal of Physical and Social Sciences http://www.ijmra.us 118 June IJPSS Volume 2, Issue 6 ISSN: 2249-5894 2012 _________________________________________________________ 1. Introduction The Turks (Turkish people), whose name was first used in history in the 6th century by the Chinese, are a society whose language belongs to the Turkic language family (which in turn some classify as a subbranch of Altaic linguistic family.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 the Turks and Europe by Gaston Gaillard London: Thomas Murby & Co
    THE TURKS AND EUROPE BY GASTON GAILLARD LONDON: THOMAS MURBY & CO. 1 FLEET LANE, E.C. 1921 1 vi CONTENTS PAGES VI. THE TREATY WITH TURKEY: Mustafa Kemal’s Protest—Protests of Ahmed Riza and Galib Kemaly— Protest of the Indian Caliphate Delegation—Survey of the Treaty—The Turkish Press and the Treaty—Jafar Tayar at Adrianople—Operations of the Government Forces against the Nationalists—French Armistice in Cilicia—Mustafa Kemal’s Operations—Greek Operations in Asia Minor— The Ottoman Delegation’s Observations at the Peace Conference—The Allies’ Answer—Greek Operations in Thrace—The Ottoman Government decides to sign the Treaty—Italo-Greek Incident, and Protests of Armenia, Yugo-Slavia, and King Hussein—Signature of the Treaty – 169—271 VII. THE DISMEMBERMENT OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE: 1. The Turco-Armenian Question - 274—304 2. The Pan-Turanian and Pan-Arabian Movements: Origin of Pan-Turanism—The Turks and the Arabs—The Hejaz—The Emir Feisal—The Question of Syria—French Operations in Syria— Restoration of Greater Lebanon—The Arabian World and the Caliphate—The Part played by Islam - 304—356 VIII. THE MOSLEMS OF THE FORMER RUSSIAN EMPIRE AND TURKEY: The Republic of Northern Caucasus—Georgia and Azerbaïjan—The Bolshevists in the Republics of Caucasus and of the Transcaspian Isthmus—Armenians and Moslems - 357—369 IX. TURKEY AND THE SLAVS: Slavs versus Turks—Constantinople and Russia - 370—408 2 THE TURKS AND EUROPE I THE TURKS The peoples who speak the various Turkish dialects and who bear the generic name of Turcomans, or Turco-Tatars, are distributed over huge territories occupying nearly half of Asia and an important part of Eastern Europe.
    [Show full text]
  • The Armenians
    THE ARMENIANS By C.F. DIXON-JOHNSON “Whosoever does wrong to a Christian or a Jew shall find me his accuser on the day of judgment.” (EL KORAN) Printed and Published by GEO TOULMIN & SONS, LTD. Northgate, Blackburn. 1916 Preface The following pages were first read as a paper before the “Société d’Etudes Ethnographiques.” They have since been amplified and are now being published at the request of a number of friends, who believe that the public should have an opportunity of judging whether or not “the Armenian Question” has another side than that which has been recently so assiduously promulgated throughout the Western World. Though the championship of Greek, Bulgarian and other similar “Christian, civilized methods of fighting,” as contrasted with “Moslem atrocities” in the Balkans and Asia Minor, has been so strenuously undertaken by Lord Bryce and others, the more recent developments in the Near East may perhaps already have opened the eyes of a great many thinking people to the realization that, in sacrificing the traditional friendship of the Turk to all this more or less sectarian clamor, British diplomacy has really done nothing better than to exchange the solid and advantageous reality for a most elusive and unreliable, if not positively dangerous, set of shadows. It seems illogical that the same party which recalled the officials (and among them our present War Minister) appointed by Lord Beaconsfield to assist the Turkish Government in reforming their administration and collecting the revenue in Asia Minor, and which on the advent of the Young Turks refused to lend British Administrators to whom ample and plenary powers were assured, should now, in its eagerness to vilify the Turk, lose sight of their own mistakes which have led in the main to the conditions of which it complains, and should so utterly condemn its own former policy.
    [Show full text]
  • Terrible Turk”
    Chapter 1 The Return of the “Terrible Turk” It seems that they [the Turks] were made only to murder and destroy. In the history of the Turkish nation you will find nothing but fighting, rob- bery, and murder. Every nation has turbulent times in its past, but along- side them also times that are crowned with the marvelous fruits of quiet effort and beneficial work; our nation, for example, has the age of the Hussites, but also the era of the Fathers of Our Country – the unforget- table Charleses. But in the history of the Turks you would search in vain for even a short period devoted to quiet, useful patriotic work. That is also why the images compiled here, in which only fear and terror and gloomy desolation reign, might seem chilling. Nevertheless, the history of the Turks is important, for the fight that Europe has conducted in its defense against the nations of this race has been waged by Christians alone and by the nations of our monarchy in particular. For this reason, the main consideration is given to the scenes that unfolded either in the countries of the Balkan Peninsula or those of Austria-Hungary. kodym, 18791 There have been few other non-Christian figures in European history that have been the object of such a vast range of visual representations as “the Turk.” From the warrior depicted in medieval and early modern German woodcuts, to the Turk as a symbol of wealth woven into the patterns of Renaissance French carpets, the captive Sultan who appeared on the stages of 18th-century Vene- tian opera houses, not to mention the pipe-smoking Turk on the signboards of coffee shops in many European cities and the harem women pictured in 19th- century Orientalist paintings, images of the Turks have accompanied Euro- peans for centuries.
    [Show full text]
  • Turkey's Role in the Western Balkans
    SWP Research Paper Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik German Institute for International and Security Affairs Alida Vračić Turkey’s Role in the Western Balkans RP 11 December 2016 Berlin All rights reserved. © Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, 2016 SWP Research Papers are peer reviewed by senior researchers and the execu- tive board of the Institute. They reflect the views of the author(s). SWP Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik German Institute for International and Security Affairs Ludwigkirchplatz 3­4 10719 Berlin Germany Phone +49 30 880 07-0 Fax +49 30 880 07-200 www.swp-berlin.org [email protected] ISSN 1863-1053 This research and its publi- cation have been enabled by the generous support of Stiftung Mercator, Essen. Table of Contents 5 Issues and Conclusions 7 Turkey’s Comeback in the Balkans 12 Turkey’s Economy and Non-state Actors in the Western Balkans 15 Turkish Military in the Balkans 18 Countries of Particular Interest to Turkey 18 Bosnia and Herzegovina 22 Kosovo 24 Macedonia 27 Can Old Animosities Die? Serbia-Turkey Relations 30 Turkey’s Activism as Seen from the Balkans 32 Western Balkans – EU’s Forgotten Post? 33 Outlook 34 Abbreviations Alida Vračić is IPC-Stiftung Mercator Fellow 2015/2016 at SWP Issues and Conclusions Turkey’s Role in the Western Balkans For the past two decades, Turkey has been rediscover- ing the Balkans. The end of the Cold War and the dis- solution of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s and the subsequent violence were decisive points in Turkish foreign policy. New openings toward southeast Europe and the creation of new states greatly transformed the foreign policy strategies of Turkey, which was aiming for far-reaching political impact.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ottoman Policy Towards Non-Muslim Communities and Their Status in the Ottoman Empire During the 15Th & 16Th Centuries: Interaction of Civilizations Mughul, M
    2137 THE OTTOMAN POLICY TOWARDS NON-MUSLIM COMMUNITIES AND THEIR STATUS IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE DURING THE 15TH & 16TH CENTURIES: INTERACTION OF CIVILIZATIONS MUGHUL, M. Yakub* PAKİSTAN/PAKISTAN/ПАКИСТАН ABSTRACT This paper focuses on Ottomans liberal policy and tolerance towards the non- Muslims and other religious communities during 15th, 16th century. In particular, it explores the key role of Sultan Mohammad-II in consolidating and harmonizing different cultures and religions across Europe and Asia. The paper also addresses the Islamic attitude towards inter-religious relations, which was at that time quite unknown in rest of Europe, where they were burning its heretics at the stake, whereas races and religions coexisted under the Ottoman rule. It will highlight how the advent of Ottoman Rule in Eastern Europe brought the Muslim and European Civilizations face to face, which ultimately created an interaction among them. Finally, it will describe the image of the millet system introduced during this period, which brought all non-Muslim communities within the Turkish commonwealth, and allowed them to govern itself by its own laws and live in peace in the Ottoman Empire. Key Words: Ottoman, policy, Empire, Constantinople, Turkish, history. INTRODUCTION The Ottoman Empire1 would be defined as a mosaic of different cultures and religions, which provided peace and harmony among members of society without distinction between Muslim and non-Muslim, race, and color. The story of Ottoman history involves not only the Ottoman dynasty but the many peoples who ruled the Empire and were ruled by it: Turks, Arabs, Serbs, Greeks, Armenians, Jews, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Albanians, North Africans and others.
    [Show full text]
  • Selling the Richness of Turkey by RONEN PALDI This Year ASTA Is
    Selling The Richness Of Turkey BY RONEN PALDI This year ASTA is holding its International Destination Expo, April 19-22, in Istanbul, exposing travel agents to the richness of travel in a country that is nearly as varied as its landscape. I’ll be there to help educate agents on how to better sell travel to Turkey and its many regions. But here’s a quick summary of what you should know about this beautiful and fascinating country. Turkey’s legacy of the Roman and Ottoman empires includes exquisite palaces, churches and mosques. Its cities brim with personality, exotic cuisine and ancient treasure. Istanbul alone is worth the trip, but there is so much more to see as well as something for everyone. Building trips around client interests can introduce new travelers to Turkey – and those trips can be easily built around four areas: architecture tours, faith or pilgrimage tours, culinary programs, shopping tours, agricultural tourism and soft adventure. Architecture: Istanbul has the famed Blue Mosque, so named for its interior walls with 20,000 blue tiles. There is also the lesser known but equally impressive Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman sultans for 400 years. Also in Istanbul is Hagia Sophia, a former church and mosque that is now a museum. The building was built in a short five years, from 532 to 537 A.D., and is on par with the grandeur of St. Paul’s in London, but built 1,000 years earlier. Dedicated architecture buffs also will want to get to Gaziantep to see the recently rediscovered mosaics on display there and visit Trabzon in the north along the Black Sea.
    [Show full text]
  • Three Trabzon Tales by ADAM SMITH ALBION
    Three Trabzon Tales BY ADAM SMITH ALBION TRABZON, Turkey 17 October 1995 ALI, THE DRONE It all began one summer evening. Trabzon was shutting up shop for the day. From my balcony I could see the shutters being drawn down, crates of oranges stacked, fish-carts trundled away, and the whole class of esnaf Turkey's industrious, busy-bee middle stra- tum packing up to pray at mosque and go home. The evening call to prayer had already echoed around the city. The muezzins' voices are artificially pumped up though loudspeakers and ring at ear- splitting volume through this conservative, religious, moral town. As everyone knows, decibels are the proper measure of faith, and the amplifiers attached to the minarets have been turned up since the Is- lamist Welfare Party took control of Trabzon's town hall. Soaring above the din are the Pontic Mountains, emerald-green and lush. They looked grand with the sun, aloft but losing altitude fast, crash- ing down on them. Glinting at their feet, the Black Sea was changing in the light into a somber, impossibly vast zinc disk when the tele- phone rang. wished it would stop but it didn't so dragged myself indoors off the balcony and answered it. It was Mustafa. He was a neighborhood estate agent, always eager to show off his knowledge of American sports over tea in his office. liked him well enough although we had no interests in common, and certainly not American sports. noted at once the apologetic tone to his voice. "My wife's nephew Temel was driving the car.
    [Show full text]
  • Black Sea Coast--Trabzon
    NOT FOR PUBLICATION ASA-3 WITHOUT WRITER'S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Trabzon, 7 December 1994 Mr Peter Bird Martin, Executive Director Institute of Current World Affairs 4 West Wheelock Street Hanover, NH 03755 USA Black Sea Coast-, Trabzon: football, hamsi I set up shop last month in Trabzon, a port on Turkey's far north-eastern coast, to get a first- hand look at how Soviet disintegration has affected a Turkish town. Trabzon (population about 250,000) is a 90-minute flight from Istanbul and a 3-hour drive (198 km) from the Georgian border. It is a long, skinny town squeezed along the coast by mountains which are strikingly green and usually covered in mist. It rains very often. Because of these conditions and the dramatic green I have heard this part of the coastline referred to as Turkey's Shangri-La and I like to repeat it. Tea and hazelnuts are grown on the slopes since the climate is more humid as a rule than one might expect. A few of the peaks are snow- capped now because 18 inches of snow fell last week, a freak fall such as has not happened in a decade. The sea is fiat and grey as gun-metal with a sharp wind coming off it. As a result I am always cold but the truth is that after the hot summer in Istanbul I rather like it. I remember the end of Brave New World when the Controller gives the rebel Helmholtz a choice of exile in the Falklands or Samoa, and he chooses the Falklands because he thought the cooler weather would focus his mind.
    [Show full text]