Ottoman-Southeast Asian Relations (2 Vols.): Sources from the Ottoman Archives 9004409998, 9789004409996

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Ottoman-Southeast Asian Relations Volume 1

Handbook of Oriental Studies Handbuch der Orientalistik section one

The Near and Middle East Edited by Maribel Fierro (Madrid) M. Şükrü Hanioğlu (Princeton) Renata Holod (University of Pennsylvania) Florian Schwarz (Vienna)

volume 133

The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/ho1

Ottoman-Southeast Asian Relations Sources from the Ottoman Archives volume 1

By

İsmail Hakkı Kadı A.C.S. Peacock With contributions by

Giancarlo Casale, Annabel Teh Gallop, Rıfat Günalan, Patricia Herbert, Jana Igunma, Midori Kawashima, Abraham Sakili and Michael Talbot

LEIDEN | BOSTON

Cover illustration: Ottoman passport of Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid BOA HR.SYS. 563/1 The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available online at http://catalog.loc.gov LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov

Typeface for the Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic scripts: “Brill”. See and download: brill.com/brill-typeface. ISSN 0169-9423 isbn 978-90-04-40461-8 (hardback, set) ISBN 978-90-04-41748-9 (hardback, vol. 1) ISBN 978-90-04-41750-2 (hardback, vol. 2) isbn 978-90-04-40999-6 (e-book) Copyright 2020 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Hes & De Graaf, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Rodopi, Brill Sense, Hotei Publishing, mentis Verlag, Verlag Ferdinand Schöningh and Wilhelm Fink Verlag. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. This book is printed on acid-free paper and produced in a sustainable manner.

Contents volume 1 Preface xxiii Acknowledgements xxvii Signs and Abbreviations xxix Notes on Transliterations, Translations and Spelling xxxi List of Contributors xxxiv Introduction: The Language of Letters Southeast Asian Understandings of Ottoman Diplomatics 1 Annabel Teh Gallop, A.C.S. Peacock and İsmail Hakkı Kadı 1 Documents on 16th Century Ottoman Contacts with Aceh 33 1 Letter from the Sultan of Aceh Alauddin Kahhar to the Ottoman Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent requesting cooperation against the Portuguese, 2–12 January 1566. Transcribed and translated by Giancarlo Casale 33 2 Patent for Kurdoğlu Hızır’s appointment as the commander of the ships and soldiers going to Aceh upon Sultan Alauddin of Aceh’s requests for help against the Portuguese attacks on Muslims, 17 September 1567 52 3 Imperial order to the governor of Egypt about Kurdoğlu Hızır’s appointment as the commander of the ships and soldiers going to Aceh upon Sultan Alauddin of Aceh’s requests for help against the Portuguese attacks on Muslims. 17 September 1567 54 4 Kurdoğlu Hızır’s appointment as admiral and commander in accordance with the request for help from Sultan Alauddin of Aceh, 17 September 1567 56 5 The ambassador of the Sultan of Aceh is allowed to purchase horses, arms, copper, and other goods from Yemen, Jeddah, and Aden, 17 September 1567 58 6 The Sultan of Aceh requests that carpenters, blacksmiths, caulkers, painters, and other craftsmen be sent with the ambassador, 17 September 1567 59 7 Any of the Egyptians who, of their own volition, desire to go to Aceh, shall not be impeded, 17 September 1567 60 8 The ambassador of Aceh should be greeted and escorted to Egypt by the bey of Rhodes, 17 September 1567 61

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9 The Sharif of Mecca should assist the men of the Sultan of Aceh with their travel, 19 September 1567 61 10 Nobody should interfere with the ambassador of the Sultan of Aceh on his way back, 19 September 1567 62 11 Letter to the Sultan of Aceh, 19 September 1567 63 12 The captain who took the Acehnese ambassador away should be supplied with an adequate number of garrison soldiers, 5 October 1567 69 13 The captains and other personnel sent to the Sultan of Aceh should continue to receive their salaries on their return providing they carry out their mission successfully, 20 November 1567 70 14 The appointment of the suitable captains from among those sent from Istanbul as captains for the ships to be sent to Aceh, 26 November 1567 71 15 The deployment of the navy to Aceh is postponed until the suppression of the revolt in Yemen, 15 January 1568 71 16 The ships and the personnel previously appointed to the expedition to Aceh are this time appointed to the expedition to Yemen, 16 February 1568 72 17 The transportation of the ambassador of the padishah of Aceh to his land, March 1571 73 2 Royal Correspondence and Appeals for Help, 1824–1905 75 1 Documents pertaining to the letter of the Sultan of Kedah, Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah requesting aid against the Siamese from the Ottoman government, 1824 75 2 Documents relating to the Acehnese embassy to Istanbul, 1849–52 81 3 Documents relating to the request of Raja Ali bin Jaʿfar, Yang Dipertuan Muda of Riau, to become Ottoman subject, 1856–7 142 4 Documents relating to the petition of the Sultan of Jambi to the Ottoman Sultan, 1858 and 1902–5 153 5 Documents relating to the petitions of Sultan Mansur Shah of Aceh for Ottoman protection, 1868–9 168 6 Documents relating to the letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier, 1869 185 7 Documents relating to the Acehnese mission to the Ottoman court and Ottoman attempt to mediate between Aceh and The Netherlands, 1872–73 195

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8 Documents relating to the letter of Sultan Zainal Abidin of Tembusai and the complaints of Southeast Asian Muslims about their English, Dutch and Siamese overlords during the Frigate Ertuğrul’s visit to the region, 1889–90 243 9 Documents relating to the initiatives of Sharif Ali to bring Aceh under Ottoman sovereignty 264 10 Documents relating to the letter in Malay and Arabic from Sultan Alauddin Muhammad Daud Shah in Kota Keumala, Aceh, requesting aid from the Ottoman consul in Batavia, 1893 287 11 Documents related to the clandestine letter of the Sultan of Aceh to the Ottoman sultan and the legal position of the Arabs in Indonesia, 1898 295 12 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the clandestine visit of the ruler of Pontianak to the Ottoman consulate to express his obedience to the Caliph, 1898 316 13 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the sultan relating that the ruler of Aceh sent repeated messages requesting help against the Dutch, 1900 317 14 Dutch embassy in Istanbul to the Foreign Ministry communicating the gratefulness of governor-general of the Dutch East Indies for the medal he received, 1901 318 15 Letter from Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam of Brunei to Sultan Abdülhamid, 15 May 1903 319 16 From the chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier about the congratulations of the Raja of Surakata, 1905 325 3 Royal Visits to Istanbul, 1891–1909 328 1 Documents relating to the visit of Prince Damrong to Istanbul, 1891 328 2 Documents relating to the ruler of Johor’s visit to Istanbul and the Ottoman embassy in Vienna, 1893 363 3 Sultan Zainal Abidin of Tembusai’s alleged clandestine visit to Istanbul, 1898 368 4 Documents relating to Sulaiman Khan of Patani’s plan to visit Istanbul and the Batavian Hadramis’ request for Ottoman protection, 1898 369 5 Documents related to Siamese medals awarded to Ottoman dignitaries in connection with Prince Damrong’s visit to Istanbul, 1894 377

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6 Siamese King Chulalongkorn expresses his gratitude to Ottoman ambassador in Rome for the hospitability shown for prince Damrong during his visit to Istanbul, 1897 381 7 Documents relating to Siamese Prince Chakrabongse’s visit to Istanbul, 1899 382 8 Documents relating to Siamese medals awarded to Ottoman dignitaries in connection with Prince Chakrabongse’s visit to Istanbul, 1901 405 9 Deputy of the Ottoman consul in Singapore to the Foreign Ministry about the passport given to the ruler of Johor who is planning to visit Europe, 1903 411 10 Documents relating to Siamese Prince Boworadet’s visit to Istanbul, 1909 414 4 Consuls 418 1 Correspondence from the Ottoman Ambassador in The Hague, Kostaki Karaca Bey, to the Ottoman Foreign Minister, concerning the establishment of Ottoman consulates in Dutch colonies, 1856 419 2 Grand Vizier to the sultan giving information about the agreement with the Dutch for the establishment of Ottoman consulates in the Dutch Indies, 1857 420 3 Ottoman ambassador in London to the Foreign Ministry requesting the appointment of Sayyid Abdullah bin Amr al-Junaid as the Ottoman consul in Singapore, 1864 422 4 Request of a Dutchman called Hymans for his appointment as the Ottoman consul in Semarang, 1865 423 5 Brother of the deceased Ottoman consul in Singapore, Junaid bin Amr al-Junaid, to the sultan communicating the death of his brother and giving information about the number of Ottoman ships visiting Singapore, 1866 426 6 Teuku Muhammad Arifi[n] to the sultan giving a short description of his dynastic background and requesting his appointment as the Ottoman consul in Singapore, 1871 427 7 Grand Vizier to the sultan introducing the note of the Foreign Ministry for the appointment of an honorary consul to Batavia, and the Sultan’s response, 1882 430 8 Grand Vizier to the Sultan requesting the appointment of Sayyid Junaid as the honorary Ottoman consul in Singapore in place of his deceased brother, 1882 431

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9 Note to the Foreign Minister for the appointment of Galib Bey as the Ottoman Consul General in Batavia, 1883 432 10 Foreign Ministry to the Grand Vizierate requesting the payment of the rent of the Consulate General in Batavia, 1883 435 11 Grand Vizier to the Sultan requesting a medal for Galib Bey, Ottoman Consul General in Batavia, 1883 436 12 Report of the department of consultation on Lord Salisbury’s proposal for the establishment of an Ottoman consul in Singapore, 1886 437 13 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier about the appointment of Ismail Bey to the Consulate General in Batavia along with other appointments, 1886 438 14 Ottoman embassy in Stockholm to the Foreign Ministry requesting a medal for the French Consul General in Batavia for administering the affairs of the Ottoman consulate during the absence of the Ottoman consul, 1886 440 15 Note to the Foreign Minister about the amount of the per diem to be paid to the Consul General in Batavia on his departure, 1886 441 16 Emir of Mecca and the governor of Hijaz advise the Sublime Porte to send someone to the ruler of Sulu to establish contact, 1899 442 17 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting the appointment of Sadık Beliğ Bey to the Consulate General in Batavia, 1900 443 18 Decision to appoint Hacı Atâullah Ahmed Efendi as the Ottoman consul to Singapore and Sayyid Hamid Efendi as his honorary chancellor, 1901 445 19 Hacı Atâullah Ahmed Efendi to the Ministry of Education requesting a medal before departing for his mission, 1901 447 20 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting the payment of the per diem of Hacı Atâullah Ahmed Efendi departing for his mission as the deputy Consul General to Singapore, 1901 448 21 Ibrahim, ruler of Johor, to the sultan announcing the death of Ottoman Consul General in Singapore, 1903 449 22 Order of the Sultan for the replacement of Sadık Beliğ Efendi, the Consul General in Batavia, with a religious person, 1903 450 23 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier proposing the appointment of Kamil Bey to the Consulate General Singapore along with other appointments, 1904 451

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24 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting the payment of the perdiem of Kamil Bey, the newly appointed Consul General in Singapore, 1904 452 25 Documents pertaining to a letter from an individual in Java to the Sultan requesting the appointment of a diplomat for their protection, 1910 453 26 The appointment of Necib Hacı Efendi to the consulate in Manila, 1910 456 27 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting permission for the acceptance of the medal awarded by the Romanian government to Reʾfet Bey, Ottoman consul in Batavia, 1911 457 28 Foreign minister to the Grand Vizier about the appointment of Medenî Molla Ahmed Daud Efendi to the consulate in Rangoon, 1913 458 29 Ottoman Foreign Ministry thanks German Consul General in Singapore for protecting the Ottoman subjects during the absence of an Ottoman consul, 1914 459 30 Ottoman chargé d’affaires at The Hague to the Foreign Minister about his initiatives to preserve the confidentiality of the correspondence between the Consulate General in Batavia and the Foreign Ministry, 1915 460 31 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the importance of his consulate with regard to informing the Muslims of the region about the ongoing war, 1915 462 32 Ottoman ambassador at The Hague to the Foreign Minister about his initiatives to preserve the confidentiality of the correspondence between the Consulate General in Batavia and the Foreign Ministry, 1915 464 33 Approval of the request of Reʾfet Bey, Consul General in Batavia, to return to Istanbul for medical reasons, 1921 466 34 Note on the annuity payable to Reʾfet Bey, Consul General in Batavia and his deputy who will carry out the business of the consulate during his absence, 1921 467 35 Admiral Bristol, USA High Commissioner in Turkey, hands over the documents of the Ottoman consulate in Singapore to the Turkish government, 1925 468 5 Information about the Region 469 1 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry introducing two books about the region he sent, 1884 469

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2 Documents pertaining to the assistance of Mr De Sturler for the preparation of an booklet on the Dutch East Indies and the Ottoman administration’s gratification, 1885 470 3 Ottoman ambassador in Madrid to the Foreign Ministry about the Spanish troops in Philippines, 1885 474 4 A report of the Ottoman consul in Bombay about the Dutch East Indies, 1886 476 5 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry on German military operations in Borneo, 1890 486 6 Ottoman consul in Batavia to Foreign Ministry giving a summary of a book written in Malay about Aceh’s relation to the Ottoman Empire and the Dutch actions against Aceh, 1890 488 7 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the earthquake in central Java, 1891 491 8 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the importance of Aceh and the relevant policies of the Europeans, 1891 492 9 Documents pertaining to Franco-Siamese conflict, 1893 494 10 Documents relating to the developments with regard to the Aceh war, 1896 498 11 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the demonstrations of the Chinese against the Dutch in Singapore, 1897 508 12 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about Snouck Hurgronje’s activities to manipulate Muslims, 1897 510 13 Documents pertaining to the report of the Ottoman consul in Batavia on Islam and the Dutch administration in Indonesia 512 14 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the sultan on Dutch actions against Teuku Umar, 1898 520 15 Ottoman ambassador in The Hague to the Foreign Ministry on the deliberations in the Dutch parliament about Islam in Indonesia, 1899 523 16 Documents relating to Spanish defeat in Philippines, 1898 528 17 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the public debate provoked by the Dutch banners that were put on display during the celebrations of the enthronement of the queen, 1898 532 18 Ottoman ambassador in Berlin to the Foreign Ministry on the rumours about and agreement between Germany and Spain entailing the partition of the colonies, 1899 533

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19 Foreign minister to the Grand Vizier on the defeat of the Dutch in Aceh and the activities of Snouck Hurgronje, 1899 535 20 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the revolt of the locals against the Dutch in Banjarmasin, 1899 537 21 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier relating that the Raja of Brandan expelled the Dutch who wanted to build railway in his territories, 1900 538 22 Documents relating to Dutch response to newspaper articles about Dutch colonial administration in Indonesia, 1900 539 23 Documents related to the prohibition on the publication of a treatise on the history of Siam, 1900 543 24 Documents related to a book on Indonesia prepared for the Ottoman Sultan by a civil servant of the Dutch colonial administration, 1901 545 25 Reports of the Ottoman consul in Batavia on Sarekat Islam, 1913 548 26 Ottoman chargé d’affaires in The Hague to the Foreign Minister about the propaganda war between the Ottoman and English consuls in Batavia, 1915 556 27 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the Dutch position with regard to the war, 1915 557 28 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the economic impact of the war in Java 559 29 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry relating that the English consul sent coded messages to his home authorities despite being forbidden since the beginning of the war, 1916 561 30 Ottoman ambassador in Stockholm to the Foreign Ministry about a newspaper article on European politics and Japanese intentions with regard to Indonesia, 1916 563 31 Ottoman consul in Amsterdam to the Foreign Ministry about Dutch plans to increase the number of the ships of its colonial navy, 1916 564 32 Foreign Ministry to the Grand Vizier on the Sarekat Islam gathering, 1920 567 33 Note on a communiqué of the Ottoman ambassador in The Hague about American request for permission to search for oil in the Dutch East Indies, 1921 569

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volume 2 6 Religious Ties, Propaganda and Ottoman Interest in the Affairs of Muslims in Southeast Asia 571 1 Ottoman propaganda for the unity of Islam, in the Hijaz, during the hajj, c. 1880 572 2 Grand Vizier to the Sultan requesting the distribution of Qurʾans to the prominent people in Java, 1883 574 3 Petition sent by thirteen Acehnese individuals to the Ottoman court requesting help against Dutch aggression, 1885 575 4 Grand Vizier to the sultan requesting a medal for doctor Dorderma[?], a member of the medical commitee of Batavia, for his services, 1886 577 5 Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to Foreign Ministry communicating that Ertuğrul Frigate will be welcome in Batavia, 1890 578 6 Osman Paşa, commander of Ertuğrul Frigate, communicating that they have arrived at Saigon and the note of the Minister of the Navy notifying the Sultan about the news, 1890 579 7 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier relating Sultan’s consent for the implementation of the requirements with regard to oppression in Java, 1890 579 8 Ottoman ambassador at The Hague to the Sultan requesting Ertuğrul Frigate’s visit to Dutch ports in Indonesia, 1890 580 9 Minister of the Navy to the Grand Vizier asking permission to order the commander of Ertuğrul Frigate to visit Batavia, 1890 583 10 Galib Bey, former Ottoman consul in Batavia to the sultan relating his reflections about the improvement of Ottoman relations with Indonesian archipelago, 1891 585 11 Documents pertaining to the activities of Monsieur Herring and the Ottoman administration’s rewarding of him, 1891 590 12 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry asking permission to accept the request of some local noblemen for collecting aid for the orphans of those martyred in the Ottoman-Greek war, 1897 598 13 Consul General in Batavia about his activities to arrange the mentioning of the name of the caliph during khutbas, 1898 600

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14 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Minister requesting his assistance for the endowment of a donation to the mosques and school construction in Batavia, 1898 601 15 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting a solution for the dispute on a second mosque in Palembang, 1898 603 16 Documents on a newspaper article suggesting that the Ottomans provoke the Muslims of the Dutch Indies against the Dutch government, 1898 605 17 Documents relating to the delivery of Qurʾans to the Muslims of Java, 1899 612 18 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier about the Sultan’s response to the felicitations of the Muslims of Singapore on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr, 1902 619 19 Mustafa Şükrü to the Shaykh al-Islam communicating a request from Naban for books for a library established there, 1903 620 20 Documents pertaining to the publication of a Qurʾan with the Malay translation of the tafsir of Qadi Baydawi on the margins, 1903–1905 621 21 Ottoman ambassador in London to the sultan about his initiatives to promote English intervention into Dutch oppression of the Javanese, 1904 623 22 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry on his activities to ensure the mentioning of the Caliph at the mosques in the region, 1904 625 23 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating that the felicitations of the consulate in Batavia have pleased the Sultan, 1908 625 24 Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting that Sayyid Osman, the mufti of Java, be rewarded with a medal, 1908 626 25 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating that the felicitations of the Meccans in Singapore have pleased the Sultan, 1908 628 26 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating that the felicitations of Burmese Muslims have pleased the Sultan, 1909 629 27 From the Ministry of Education to the palace about the Qurʾans that are going to be sent to the Malay Muslims in South Africa, 1911 630

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28 Noradounghian Efendi to the Consul General in Batavia communicating the Dutch government’s report on the education of Muslims in the Dutch East Indies, 1912 631 29 Donation of Bangkok committee of Islam to the Ottoman Red Crescent, 1912 632 30 Documents relating to Central Powers’ war propaganda and Muslim soldiers’ uprising against the English in Singapore, 1915 632 31 Donations sent to the Ottoman Empire by Southeast Asian Muslims during World War I, 1915 642 32 Resolution of the Ottoman cabinet for remitting a contribution for the needs of the people of Java, 1916 651 33 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about a letter which he received from the leader of a rebellion against the Dutch around Batavia, 1916 652 34 Ottoman ambassador in The Hague requests advice on whether to deny the news in Dutch newspapers about the activities of a certain Hacı Abdurrahman who claims to be acting on the orders of the sultan, 1916 654 35 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry relating his general opinions about the bad state of Muslims, 1921 655 7 Pilgrimage and Quarantine 661 1 A letter of Jawa pilgrims to Hasib Paşa enclosed with a poem, expressing their gratefulness for suspending some charges extracted from Jawa pilgrims, 1850 661 2 Dutch ambassador in Istanbul requests the assistance of Ottoman authorities for the operation of steamships directly between Jeddah and the Dutch Indies to transport the pilgrims, 1866 666 3 Petition of Acehnese pilgrims to Ottoman authorities complaining about Dutch consul’s interference with them upon their arrival in Jeddah, c. 1872 667 4 Complaints about the Dutch consul in Jeddah who obliged the pilgrims to travel on ships which he has chartered, 1873 672 5 Request for assistance with regard to Ottoman ship detained in Penang while transporting pilgrims from Jeddah to Banda Aceh, 1873 674 6 Documents related to quarantine on Indian and Jawa pilgrims because of the outbreak of cholera in Sumatra, 1882 675

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7 A petition of a Jawa resident of Mecca about the abuses of Osman Paşa, the governor of Hijaz, 1886 678 8 Governor of Hijaz to the chamberlain of the Sultan on the joy caused by the order prohibiting the exploitation and molestation of the pilgrims, 1888 680 9 Governor of Jeddah requests the removal of the quarantine inspector who suggested the prohibition of departure of poor Jawa and Indian pilgrims from their homeland to Hijaz, 1889 681 10 Dutch embassy requests information about thieves and the money they stole from Javanese pilgrims in Hijaz, 1890 682 11 Documents related to quarantine of Indian and Jawa pilgrims, 1893 683 12 Council of Ministers’ decision on refunding the excessive fees obtained from Indian and Jawa pilgrims, 1894 692 13 Allegations about burglary and insecurity on the Roads in Hijaz, 1896 695 14 Governor of Hijaz to the Ministry of the Interior about the hajjis and students in Hijaz who could not return to their home country due to the war, 1915 697 15 Governor of Hijaz to the Ministry of the Interior reporting that the Dutch consul in Mecca and 218 hajjis have left Hijaz with a Dutch ship, 1915 698 16 From Hijaz to the Ministry of the Interior about the miserable state of Jawa hajjis who could not return to their home, 1916 698 8 Southeast Asians in the Ottoman Empire 700 1 The Shaykh al-Azhar requests Ottoman passport for a Jawa who lived for a while in Mecca, to avoid taxation by the Dutch in Java, 1862 701 2 Documents pertaining to Southeast Asian students in the Ottoman Empire, 1895–1907 704 3 Documents pertaining to foreign Muslims’ real estate ownership in the Hijaz, 1881–1910 750 4 Documents pertaining to problems with regard to foreign diplomatic intervention in the Holy Lands through Jawa and Indian residents, 1883 757 5 Documents pertaining to Dutch subjects from Java who were moved from Hijaz and Syria to Adana and Yozgat, 1917–1918 762

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9 Ottoman Citizens in Southeast Asia, the Question of Their Legal Status and the Citizenship of Hadramis in the Dutch Indies 769 1 The newly appointed Ottoman Consul General in Batavia giving information about his journey to Batavia and the Hadramis in the city, 1883 769 2 Legal opinion on whether the Hadramis residing in Dutch colonies can be treated as Ottoman subjects, 1883 772 3 Advice to the Ottoman government to reiterate the connection with Hadramawt to ensure the subject status of the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1883 773 4 Legal opinion about the citizenship status of the Arabs who reside in the Dutch East Indies, 1884 774 5 Ottoman Consul General in Batavia fails to register the Ottoman citizens in the Dutch East Indies, 1886 777 6 Documents pertaining to the problem of inheritance of Abdulaziz Baghdadi, 1887 778 7 Documents pertaining to the expulsion of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Shawi from Batavia and its consequences, 1888 789 8 Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry giving information about the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1890 791 9 Documents pertaining to the Spanish government’s prohibition on Ottoman citizens’ migration to Cuba and Philippines, 1890 793 10 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting, in connection with the affronts to which Ahmed bin Ali Yamaki from Mecca was subjected, official initiatives with the Dutch government to prevent the Batavian government’s limitations on the movement and settlement of Ottoman citizens and Hadramis in the Dutch Indies, 1891 798 11 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry announcing the migration of Sayyid Muhammad bin Saqqaf and his family from Singapore to Jeddah, 1891 802 12 Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the mysterious connections of a subject of the Porte who travelled from Bombay to Batavia, 1898 803 13 Documents on Dutch administration’s regulations and practices with regard to the Hadramis in Indonesia, 1898 805 14 Ottoman embassy at The Hague to the Foreign Minister informing him about the initiative to establish a school in Batavia for Arab children to prevent them from going to Istanbul, 1899 820

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15 Ottoman authorities investigate the identity of Hüsameddin Efendi bin Şerif who is planning to go to Philippines, 1899 821 16 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the difficulties created by the Dutch government with regard to the travel and settlement of the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1899 822 17 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the difficulties created by the Dutch government with regard to the travel of the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1899 825 18 Note stating that the Ottoman subjects in Dutch colonies possess most favoured nation status, 1902 827 19 Report to the Ottoman sultan on the history of Islam and Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, and the state of the local and Arab Muslims with regard to Dutch administration and suggestions to improve the positions of the Hadramis, 1903 828 20 Foreign Ministry to the Ministry of the Interior about thirty Javanese who want to adopt Ottoman citizenship, 1904 836 21 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting medals for some prominent individuals for their contribution to the construction of a new mosque in Batavia, 1906 837 22 A subject of the Porte residing in Palembang to the sultan requesting intervention against the Dutch authorities who prevent him from entering Palembang, 1907 840 23 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry giving information about the legal status of Ottoman subjects compared to Europeans and the Japanese, 1909 842 24 Ottoman diplomatic initiatives to secure the rights of Ottoman citizens in the Dutch Indies 1910–14 845 25 Ottoman ambassador in St Petersburg reporting the response of Russian Foreign Minister to Ottoman requests to intervene into the issue of the status of Asian Muslims in the Dutch Indies, 1911 855 26 Board of consultation to the Foreign Ministry on their expectation that the Ottoman ambassador at The Hague take initiatives to ensure that Ottoman citizens enjoy the same rights as the Japanese in the Dutch Indies, 1911 859 27 Note to the Foreign Ministry about Chinese involvement in the issue of improving the state of the Asians in Dutch colonies, 1911 862 28 Report of the Ottoman consul in Batavia about the disturbances between the Arabs and the Chinese in Java, 1913 864

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29 Petition to the Foreign Ministry complaining about the disrespectful practices of the Dutch officials in Surabaya, 1914 868 30 Petition to the sultan on the torments which the Dutch officials inflict on Arabs who travel with Ottoman passports to the Dutch Indies, 1914 872 31 Resolution of the Ottoman cabinet to prevent Ottoman women from being deceived by Arabs who bring them to Java to sell them as slaves, 1920 873 32 Documents pertaining to a woman in Istanbul who seeks to contact her husband in Batavia, 1925 875 10 The “white man’s burden” and the Islamic Movement in the Philippines: the Petition of Zamboanga Muslim Leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 877 Kawashima Midori 11 The Ottoman Empire, United States and the Muslims of Moro Province 930 1 Documents related to the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 930 2 Documents relating to the Ottoman Shaykh al-Islam to Philippines, 1915–1916 954 12 Ottoman Prisoners of War in Burma 958 1 American Embassy in Istanbul informs the Ottoman Foreign Ministry about the establishment of a detention camp in Thayetmyo for Ottoman prisoners, 1915 958 2 American Embassy in Istanbul informs the Ottoman Foreign Ministry about the state of Ottoman officers detained in Thayetmyo, 1916 959 3 Documents related to a report on detention camp in Thayetmyo, 1916 960 4 British Foreign Office rejecting Ottoman allegations regarding the health conditions in Thayetmyo detention camp and requesting inspection about the health conditions of Ottoman detentions camps of British prisoners, 1916 964 5 American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry about payment to Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo, 1916 965

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6 American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry communicating British request for a report about the health conditions of Ottoman detention camps of British prisoners, 1916 966 7 American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry on the promotion of Ottoman prisoners in British detention camps, 1916 967 8 British Foreign Office to American Embassy on the list of Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo and Sumerpur and their ranks, 1916 968 9 American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry delivering the messages of Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo, 1916 968 10 British Foreign Office to the Dutch Embassy providing information about Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo upon the request of Ottoman government, 1917 969 11 Documents related to the circumstances in the Thayetmyo detention camp, 1917 969 12 British Government requesting information about the ranks of Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo, 1917 972 13 Documents related to the death of an Ottoman prisoner in Thayetmyo, 1918 973 14 British Foreign Office to the Swedish Embassy requesting information from the Ottoman authorities about the rank of a certain Ottoman prisoner in Thayetmyo, 1918 978 13 Economic Ties 979 1 Documents related to the expenses incurred by Dutch authorities for the victims in an Ottoman ship which had an accident near Cirebon, 1866 979 2 Note to the sultan from his aide communicating that he has purchased 35 different types of birds from China, Java and Sumatra, 1876 981 3 Note to the sultan informing him about a consignement of plant seeds that was ordered for the gardens of the palace, 1883 982 4 List of seeds sent from the botanic garden in Batavia 982 5 Ottoman cabinet resolution regarding Spanish plans to buy a place around the southern entrance to the Red Sea to establish a coal depot for the ships to Philippines, 1887 983

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6 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about three Ottoman Greek subjects who ended up in Batavia after they were deceived by a captain, 1907 985 7 Ministry of Public Works to the Foreign Ministry about the request of Ottoman consul in Batavia for Ottoman textile products that would be marketable in Batavia, 1908 988 8 Ministry of Commerce to the Ministry of the Interior on preventing the mixing of Manila fibre with that of Kastamonu hemp while producing rope, 1911 989 9 Note of the Ministry of the Interior introducing the communiqué of Consul General in Batavia about quinine production and prices there, 1912 991 10 A Dutch Police Officer from the Dutch Indies requesting his acceptance in Ottoman service, 1914 992 11 Dutch Embassy’s invitation to the fair of the Dutch Indies, 1923 993 12 Petition of Hacı Ibrahim to the governorate of Gerede requesting the restitution of his losses caused by his expulsion from Rangoon by English policemen, 1923 994 Bibliography 997 Archival Sources 997 Primary Sources 998 Published Sources 998 Index 1013

Preface The enduring relationship between two far-flung parts of the Islamic world, Southeast Asia and the Ottoman Empire, has long attracted the attention of scholars. The majority of interest has come from specialists in Southeast Asia, aware how Ottoman influences from the sixteenth century onwards affected both the political and cultural history of the region (e.g. Reid 1967, 1969a; for more recent surveys in Turkish and Malay respectively see Göksoy 2004, Rozali 2016). From the time of the Ottoman alliance with the Aceh sultanate against the Portuguese in the sixteenth century, the Ottoman empire was perceived as a potential source of aid, and indeed political legitimacy, for as the documents published in the present volume indicate, numerous Southeast Asian rulers in the nineteenth century sought to have themselves recognised as Ottoman vassals in the hope of warding off colonial encroachment. At the same time, Ottoman influences are attested in intellectual, textual and cultural practices across premodern Muslim Southeast Asia (see e.g. Gallop 2004, Akbar 2015, Peacock and Gallop 2015, Braginsky 2015a, 2015b). However, research on the field has remained limited owing to the fact that the bulk of relevant documents are in Ottoman Turkish, a language unfamiliar to most scholars of Southeast Asia, and are held in Istanbul. These records, then, with individual exceptions, have not been widely used by scholars. This is quite understandable when we consider the linguistic barriers which render the Ottoman archives inaccessible to non-experts including the Turks themselves. It is probably at least partly due to underestimation of the wealth of Ottoman sources with regard to Southeast Asian history that scholars in the field did not venture to overcome the barrier and to explore Ottoman sources for the study of their particular topics. In any case it is tempting to say that due to this shortcoming, the historiography on the interactions between Southeast Asia and Europe ended up with a picture of interactions between two furthermost landmasses with a quite a big hole in between, where the Ottoman Empire was located. Meanwhile, although a few Ottomanists have recently evinced some interest in the empire’s relations with Southeast Asia (e.g. Casale 2005), research remains in its infancy, and is also hampered by the fact that while the overwhelming bulk of the Istanbul documents are indeed in Turkish, some of the most important ones held in the Ottoman archives are in Arabic or Southeast Asian languages – most prominently Malay, but there are also individual specimens in Tausug, Thai and Burmese which are in the main letters dispatched to Istanbul by Southeast Asian rulers.

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It therefore became clear that the full potential of the Istanbul archives could only by realised through a research project that made use of expertise in both Ottoman and Southeast Asian studies. The main aim of this volume is to make the most crucial archival material from the Ottoman archives available to a wider public including specialists on Southeast Asian studies through providing an edition or facsimile and English translation of the texts. Even a number of the highest level contacts between the Ottoman Empire and Southeast Asian countries seem to have hitherto remained unnoticed. Various letters from the rulers of the region to the Ottoman sultan which are published in this volume come to light for the first time: the letter of Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah, Sultan of Kedah, requesting aid from the Ottoman Government against the Siamese invasion around 1824, and a letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier as well as three Siamese royal visits to Istanbul are only a few examples. Nevertheless the prime contribution of this volume to the field goes beyond these sporadic discoveries and lies mainly with the fact that it illuminates the Ottoman perspective on world events. If of less significance from the point of view of the rarity of form, most of the remaining documents, typical products of the Ottoman bureaucracy, are of interest for the insights they give into the ways in which Ottoman officials tried to grapple with their relationship of a distant part of the Islamic world about which, at least at times, they knew very little, but which played an increasingly important part in promoting the legitimacy of the Ottoman dynasty as Caliphs (e.g. Kadı 2015). They also indicate very clearly the truly global character of both international relations and the Ottoman role in them during the 19th century and early 20th century. To take a couple of random but illustrative examples, in document 9.25, we find the Ottoman ambassador in St Petersburg lobbying the Russian Foreign Minister Sazonov to intervene with the Dutch authorities over the status of Ottoman subjects in the Dutch East Indies (present day Indonesia), most of whom were Hadramis, originating from Yemen, while in document 2.7.8, we find the ruler of Aceh attempting in 1873 to persuade the Ottoman sultan to afford the Acehnese the same aid the Ottomans had sent to Kashgar in Chinese Central Asia, under the rule of a Muslim rebel, Yaqub Khan. One of the most valuable insights provided by the present volume is into the globalised character of this world, and the very clear realisation of all players that actions in one single part of it could have vast consequences far away. The documents published in this volume date from the 16th, 19th and early 20th centuries, and are presently housed, with two exceptions, in the Ottoman Section of the Turkish Presidential Archives in Istanbul (Cumhurbaşkanlığı

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Devlet Arşivleri Başkanlığı).1 These dates are not set by the editors but rather by the availability of official archival documents, which in turn reflects the presence or absence of any official contacts between the Ottoman Empire and Southeast Asia during the given period. Thus the documentation in the Ottoman Archives pertaining to Southeast Asia remains limited to the contacts during the 16th century Ottoman expeditions to combat Portuguese activities in the region and the 19th and early 20th century contacts of various nature. While relations between the two regions were maintained through, for example, economic ties in the intervening period (e.g. Peacock 2015), these are not documented in the official records which concern only matters which came in some form to the attention of the imperial government. Thus the Ottoman archival material cannot be claimed to be the sole source for understanding Ottoman-Southeast Asian relations, but it does constitute the single most important one. The selection of the documents started with locating the relevant archival material at the Ottoman Archives. For this purpose the entire digitalized catalogues were searched for keywords which included especially various spellings of place names in Southeast Asia. These searches rendered hundreds of entries leading to thousands of documents in various collections of the Ottoman Archives. Beyond the digitalized catalogues, the collections with the potential of containing relevant material but lacking digitalized catalogues such as Nâme-i Hümâyûn defterleri and mühimme defterleri as well as the records of the Foreign Ministry which are classified in files (dosya envanter sistemi) and lack therefore digital catalogues (such as HR.MTV., HR.H. and HR.H., catalogue numbers 974, 975 and 1097 respectively) were searched for relevant material. After the documents were located, copies were obtained based on a preliminary selection. At this stage, only the documents that contained excessively repetitive information were excluded. Following this, copies of more than ten thousand documents were classified according to their subjects. This classification has then determined the main chapters of this volume. The decisions 1  Formerly known as the BOA (Başbakanlık Osmanlı Arşivi). The two exceptions are Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi Arşivi E-8009 (document 1.1), and the Brunei letter (document 2.15). Although the Topkapı archive was closed for most of the duration of the research for the present publication, preliminary researches on its reopening have not indicated that it holds any substantial body of material relating to Southeast Asia. However, it may repay further research, and a recent publication (Roemer and Vatin 2015) has shown how Ottoman material held in other archives may also provide evidence. However, the Ottoman section of Turkish Presidential Archives on which the present volume is based constitutes by far the largest single source of Ottoman archival materials.

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on whether to include or exclude a particular document was made per chapter based on the importance, originality etc. of each document. This means that in certain chapters such as “Documents on 16th Century Ottoman Contacts with Aceh” and “Royal Correspondence and Appeals for Help” most, if not the entire material is presented here while in other chapters only more important samples were included while excluding mainly repetitive material. After completing the selection procedure, the Ottoman Turkish documents were handed over to Rıfat Günalan for transcription. The bulk of this material was then translated to English by İsmail Hakkı Kadı. The Arabic documents were translated by Andrew Peacock. A number of Turkish documents were also translated by Michael Talbot, whom we also thank for his editorial contributions. Documents in other languages were translated and commented upon by scholars with expertise in these languages: Malay documents by Annabel Teh Gallop, a Tausug document by Kawashima Midori, a Burmese document by Patricia Herbert and a Thai letter by Jana Igunma. A few documents in English and French are included in their original languages. As this volume is intended primarily as a sourcebook for scholars and historians, the documents themselves are not subjected to detailed analysis, although brief contextual notes and explanations have been added at the beginning of each chapter. Some documents are discussed in more detail in contributions in Peacock and Gallop 2015, and other relevant publications of which we are aware are noted where appropriate. An exception, however, has been made for the important Southeast Asian letters from the Istanbul archives, which, owing to their rarity and importance have been supplied with detailed commentaries on both their formal features and historical context. The principal stylistic features of both the Ottoman and Southeast Asian diplomatic documents are also discussed in the introduction.

Acknowledgements The research for this volume, which started in April 2009, has been funded mainly by the British Academy-sponsored project “Islam, Trade and Politics across the Indian Ocean.” An additional contribution for the research on the Siamese material was made by TICA (Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency) and Department of European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. The translation of document 1.1 by Giancarlo Casale is reprinted with minor amendments from Casale, Giancarlo, 2005, “‘His majesty’s servant Lutfi’: the career of a previously unknown sixteenth-century Ottoman envoy to Sumatra based on an account of his travels from the Topkapi Palace Archives.” Turcica, 37: 43–81. We are grateful to the original publishers, Peeters, for permission to reprint this translation. Midori Kawashima’s contribution to chapter 10, is reprinted with minor revisions from the Monograph Series No. 17 of the same title, published by the Institute of Asian Cultures of Sophia University (Presently, the Institute of Asian, African, and Middle Eastern Studies) in 2014 (with the permission from the Institute), and it is a revised and expanded version of the paper in Japanese (Kawashima 2013). It is also based on this author’s presentation, “Petition of Hadji Nuño et al., and the Dispatch of an Islamic Missionary from the Ottoman Empire to the Philippines,” at the International Workshop “From Anatolia to Aceh: Ottomans, Turks and Southeast Asia” held on Jan. 12, 2012 in IAIN Ar-Raniry, Banda Aceh. The author’s field trips to the Philippines and the U.S. were supported by the Grants-in-aid for Scientific Research of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (GSR-JSPS) and the Institute of Asian Cultures at Sophia University. Professor Kawashima would like to express heartfelt gratitude to those who organized and participated in the workshop, and is also indebted to Professor Abraham Sakili (The University of the Philippines), who transliterated and translated the Tausug texts, Dr. Satoe Horii of J. F. Oberlin University, who translated the Arabic text into Japanese, and Atty. Moctar W.I. Haron of the National Commission of Muslim Filipinos of the Philippines, and the late Aleem Usman Imam Shiek Al-Aman of the Ulama Conference of the Philippines who helped her research in various ways. The authors owe much gratitude to Michael F. Laffan, who carried out a meticulous review of the entire work prior to its publication, and advised us about numerous issues which improved the work considerably. Moreover, Selim Karahasanoğlu, M. Mert Sunar, M. Talha Çiçek, Güneş Işıksel, Elif

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Bayraktar Tellan, Zahit Atçıl, Serhan Afacan and Ekrem Tak from İstanbul Medeniyet University History Department read different parts of the work and greatly improved the text. Maurits van den Boogert and Franca de Kort from Brill Academic Publishers deserve many thanks for making this publication possible.

Signs and Abbreviations (?) unreadable/cannot read (no guess is made) [?] not sure/clear (guess is made) ( ) word absent in the original text [ ] addition by transliterator/editor { } correction by transliterator (as) footnotes by Abraham Sakili (km) footnotes by Kawashima Midori # The number preceded by hashtag (#) is the unique seal database number recorded in Gallop 2019. ⟨ ⟩ in elevatio ⟨…⟩ gaps in the text emulating the practice of elevatio. … Text omitted by editors, author, translators A.DVN Bab-ı Asafi Divan-ı Hümayun Kalemi A.DVN.MHM Bab-ı Asafi Divan-ı Hümayun Mühimme Kalemi A.MKT.MHM Sadaret Mektubi Mühimme Kalemi Evrakı A.MKT.MVL Sadaret Mektubi Kalemi Meclis-i Vala Evrakı A.MKT.UM Sadaret Mektubi Kalemi Umum Vilayat Evrakı BOA Cumhurbaşkanlığı Devlet Arşivleri Başkanlığı, Osmanlı Arşivleri DH.EUM.2.Sb Dahiliye Nezareti Emniyet-i Umumiye İkinci Şube DH.EUM.4.Sb Dahiliye Nezareti Emniyet-i Umumiye Dördüncü Şube DH.EUM.5.Sb Dahiliye Nezareti Emniyet-i Umumiye Beşinci Şube DH.EUM.7.Sb Dahiliye Nezareti Emniyet-i Umumiye Yedinci Şube DH.EUM.KLU Dahiliye Nezareti Emniyet-i Umumiye Kalemi Umumi DH.EUM.MEM Dahiliye Emniyet-i Umumiye Memurin Kalemi Evrakı DH.KMS Dahiliye Nezareti Dahiliye Kalem-i Mahsus Evrakı DH.MKT Dahiliye Nezareti Mektubi Kalemi HAT. Hatt-ı Hümayun HR.H Hariciye Nezareti Hukuk Kısmı Evrakı HR.HMŞ.İŞO Hariciye Nezareti Hukuk Müşavirliği İstişare Odası Evrakı HR.İM Hariciye Nezareti İstanbul Murahhaslığı HR.SYS Hariciye Nezareti Siyasi HR.TO Hariciye Nezareti Tercüme Odası Evrakı İ.DH İrade Dahiliye İ.HR İrade Hariciye İ.HUS İrade Hususi İ.MBH İrade Mabeyn-i Hümayun İ.MF İrade Maarif

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İ.MMS İrade Meclis-i Mahsus İ.MVL İrade Meclis-i Vala İ.SH İrade Sıhhiye İ.TAL İrade Taltifat MD. Mühimme Defterleri MF.MKT Maarif Nezareti Mektubi Kalemi MV. Meclis-i Vükela Mazbataları Y.A.HUS Yıldız Sadaret Hususi Maruzat Evrakı Y.A.RES Yıldız Sadaret Resmi Maruzat Evrakı Y.EE Yıldız Esas Evrakı Y.MTV Yıldız Mütenevvi Maruzat Evrakı Y.PRK.A Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Sadaret Maruzatı Y.PRK.ASK Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Askeri Maruzat Y.PRK.AZJ Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Arzuhal Jurnal Y.PRK.AZN Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Adliye ve Mezahib Nezareti Maruzatı Y.PRK.BŞK Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Başkitabet Dairesi Maruzatı Y.PRK.EŞA Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Elçilik Şehbenderlik ve Ateşemiliterlik Y.PRK.HR Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Hariciye Nezareti Maruzatı Y.PRK.MK Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Müfettişlikler ve Komiserlikler Tahriratı Y.PRK.MŞ Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Meşihat Dairesi Maruzatı Y.PRK.MYD Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Evrakı Yaveran ve Maiyyet-i Seniyye Erkan-ı Harbiye Dairesi Y.PRK.NMH Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Evrakı Name-i Hümayunlar Y.PRK.SRN Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Serkurenalık Evrakı Y.PRK.TŞF Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Evrakı Teşrifat-ı Umumiye Dairesi Y.PRK.UM Yıldız Perakende Evrakı Umumi Crossreferences to documents refer first to the chapter in this volume in which the document is published, then to the number of the document within that chapter. Thus document 9.25 refers to Chapter 9, document 25, and document 2.7.8. refers to document 7.8 in Chapter 2

Notes on Transliterations, Translations and Spelling It has been a great challenge to outline consistent rules of transliteration for a work containing documents in several languages (Ottoman Turkish, Arabic, Malay, English, French, Tausug, Burmese and Thai Languages). Nevertheless, we have tried to follow certain rules. First of all, in the English texts, whether authored by contributors or translated from Ottoman Turkish, Arabic, Malay or Tausug documents we have used a standard spelling for the same words (e.g. Şah in Ottoman-Turkish transliterations, Syah in Malay transliterations but Shah in all English texts). In general, names are spelt in the translation according to the conventions of the area to which the individual belonged. Thus Hadrami names are transliterated according to the conventions for Arabic in the English translation (although their Turkicised form is retained in the transliterations of Turkish texts), while names of Ottoman officials are transliterated according to the conventions for Turkish. Similarly, Southeast Asian names appear in the forms in which they should be familiar to scholars of Southeast Asia. Clearly, on occasion there are ambiguities and thus inconsistencies, and some exceptions are made for names of individuals who are already well-known in a certain form, thus the Malay-style transliteration Abdurrahman al-Zahir is preferred to the Arabising Abd al-Rahman al-Zahir. The work contains transliterations only in three languages: Ottoman Turkish, Malay and Tausug. Full photographs of the original documents in Arabic and other languages are provided which are sufficiently legible not to require transcription. The documents in Ottoman Turkish are transliterated in line with a method that has become increasingly popular among Ottomanists in recent years. Several collections of documents (including İstanbul Kadı Sicilleri by İSAM)2 have been transliterated and published in line with this method recently, which is based on modern Turkish orthography with as few diacritical marks as possible. Hamza and ʿayn in Arabic words are indicated with ʾ and ʿ respectively, except when these letters are at the beginning of the word. Moreover, long vowels are indicated with a ^ on the related vowel. Although this method

2  The details of this system has been outlined in Aydın & Tak 2008: 65–67. Nevertheless, in this volume the standards outlined there are not strictly applied. For instance, Arabic names in Ottoman Turkish are treated as Arabic words in the aforementioned work while we treat them like Turkish words and opt for their modern Turkish orthography in this volume.

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is not sophisticated enough to remain consistent in all instances, it has proven to be the most comprehensible one for readers of Turkish. Malay documents are transliterated according to the guidelines established in Gallop 1994: 193, and Arabic loan words in Malay are spelled according to their entries in standard national dictionaries from Malaysia (KD3: Kamus Dewan, 3rd edn, 1994). Kawashima Midori on her part has basically followed the spelling found in Ta‌ʾu-Sug – English – Tagalog Dictionary by Hamsali S. Jawali (Mandaluyong City: National Book Store, 2006). For Arabic words found in the Tausug text, she basically followed the spelling which are commonly used by the Tausugs. For proper nouns (personal names and place names) found in the Tausug text, she basically followed the ALA-LC Romanization table for Jawi. In general the translation of the texts aims to keep as close to the original as is congruent with English style. The Ottoman documents, in particular, are often expressed in extremely flowery language which we have chosen to reproduce as closely as possible, for all its inevitable redundancies and verbosity. To attempt to remove these would result in providing a summary, rather than a translation, and in accordance with our aim to make the exact contents of these documents accessible, and of greater use to historians, we have opted for the latter. Some common set phrases are noted here. We appreciate that sometimes the style of the documents does not make easy reading in translation, but in that respect they are faithful to the originals. For all their verbosity, the Ottoman documents are often imprecise when it comes to geography. Those lands now comprising Indonesia is commonly referred to as “India” or the “Indian islands”. We have maintained this ambiguous usage in the translation. The Ottoman term Cava, meanwhile, like Arabic Jawa, can refer both to the island of Java and the whole of maritime Southeast Asia. In this instance we have distinguished between the island of Java and used Jawa to denote the region more generally and its peoples (see Laffan 2009). Finally, it should be noted that identifying European and Southeast Asian proper nouns behind the Arabic script of the Ottoman documents is no easy task. Often the names were unfamiliar to the clerks of the Ottoman bureaucracy who copied them, and frequently the forms of the consonants are ambiguous while vowels are not written. While every effort has been made to establish the correct form, there are plenty of instances where we have had to resort to guess work. Any names indicated with [?] in the text or index must be regarded as uncertain and the transcription merely an approximation of the Arabic script.

Notes on Transliterations, Translations and Spelling



xxxiii

Common Ottoman Epistolographic Set Phrases

cennet-mekân heaven-dwelling – the late, deceased çâker-i kemîneleri humble servant – a set formula for officials of the Ottoman empire to address their superiors Dersaʿâdet Abode of Felicity – Istanbul Devlet-i Aliyye Sublime State – Ottoman Empire enâmil-i zîb-i taʿzîm from the fingertips of beauty and honour – a set phrase in documents issued by the Grand Vizier Südde-i Saʿâdetüm My Threshold of Felicity – Istanbul, the imperial court (16th C)

List of Contributors Giancarlo Casale holds a PhD in History and Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University, and is currently Chair of Early Modern Mediterranean History at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. His published works include The Ottoman Age of Exploration (Oxford, 2011), and his research interests include the history of cartography, the comparative history of empires, and of explorations. Since 2010, he has served as the executive editor of the Journal of Early Modern History. Annabel Teh Gallop is Head of the Southeast Asia section at the British Library, London. Her main research interests are in Malay and Indonesian manuscripts, letters and seals; Islamic chancery practice; and the art of the Qurʾan in Southeast Asia. With Andrew Peacock she co-directed the British Academy research project Islam, Trade and Politics across the Indian Ocean (2009–2012), and co-edited the volume From Anatolia to Aceh: Ottomans, Turks and Southeast Asia (Oxford, 2015). Her catalogue of Malay Seals from the Islamic World of Southeast Asia will be published by NUS Press, Singapore, in 2019. Rıfat Günalan is a Professor at the Department of Information and Records Management at Istanbul University. He finished his BA and MA at Marmara University, İstanbul and obtained his PhD in 2005 from the same university. His PhD thesis focused on the Organisation of Ottoman finance department and its records in the 16th century. This work was published in 2010 with the title Osmanlı İmparatorluğunda Defterdarlık Teşkilatı ve Bürokrasisi (The Organization and Bureaucracy of the 16th Century Ottoman Finance department). His main field of study is Ottoman Empire’s record systems, with an emphasis on history of archives, organization of Ottoman institutions and Ottoman diplomatics. Patricia Herbert studied Southeast Asian history at the School of Oriental and African Studies and at the University of Michigan. She lived in Burma for three years in Burma while learning the language and undertaking research on Burmese nationalism. In 1975 she joined the British Library where she became Curator of the Southeast Asia collections, and since retiring has worked as an independent scholar. She has published a book on the Life of the Buddha, and an

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annotated Burma Bibliography, and co-edited a Bibliography of Southeast Asian Languages and Literature, and is the author of many articles on Burmese manuscript art and other subjects. Jana Igunma is Henry Ginsburg Curator for Thai, Lao and Cambodian at the British Library, London. She completed her MA in Southeast Asian History at Humboldt-University, Berlin, in 1996 and obtained another MA in Library and Information Science from the same university in 2003. She has been working at the British Library since 2004 and has been involved in several projects to digitise manuscripts from Southeast Asia which have resulted in the book Buddhism Illuminated: Manuscript Art from Southeast Asia that she co-authored with San San May (London: British Library, 2018). İsmail Hakkı Kadı is an Associate Professor of History at Istanbul Medeniyet University. He finished his BA and MA at Marmara University, Istanbul and obtained his PhD in 2008 from Leiden University. His PhD thesis investigated the trade between the Ottoman Empire and the Dutch Republic in the eighteenth century with a focus on the role of Ottoman merchants. This work was published by Brill in 2012 with the title Ottoman and Dutch Merchants in the Eighteenth Century: Competition and Cooperation in Ankara, Izmir, and Amsterdam. Since 2009, he has been engaged in The British Academy financed research project Islam, Trade and Politics across The Indian Ocean, investigating Ottoman archival sources on the interactions between the Ottoman Empire and Southeast Asia. This project has already resulted in the book (authored with A.C.S. Peacock) The Ottoman Empire and The Kingdom of Siam Through the Ages (Bangkok: Institute of Asian Studies, 2017). Kawashima Midori is Professor Emeritus at Sophia University. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in social anthropology from Tokyo Metropolitan University and a Master’s degree in international relations from Tokyo University, and taught at the Faculty of Global Studies of Sophia University. She specializes in Philippine politics and modern history, with a special focus on Muslims in the Philippines, and continues research on political, social, and religious movements and thoughts of Muslims in the Philippines. She has written extensively on these subjects. Her publications include “The Journeys of Two Mindanao Ulama in the Late Eighteenth to Early Nineteenth Century” (Journal of Philippine Local History & Heritage, vol. 3, no. 1, 2017) and Bangsa and Umma: Development

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of People-grouping Concepts in Islamized Southeast Asia (coedited with H. Yamamoto, A. Milner, & K. Arai. Kyoto University Press, 2011). A.C.S. Peacock is Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic History at the University of St Andrews, and has published widely on the history of the Islamic world. His publications include the edited volumes, From Anatolia to Aceh: Ottomans, Turks and Southeast Asia, coedited with Annabel Teh Gallop (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015. Proceedings of the British Academy, no. 200) and The Frontiers of the Ottoman World (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. Proceedings of the British Academy, no. 156). Abraham Sakili is a professor of Humanities and Muslim Art History at the Department of Art Studies at the College of Arts and Letters of the University of the Philippines (UP). He finished his BA at Mindanao State University – Marawi and MA at UP, and obtained his PhD in 1999 in Philippine Studies from UP. He has written extensively on the arts, culture, and history of the Muslims in the Philippines and the Mindanao problem. His major work is Space and Identity: Expressions in the Culture, Arts and Society of the Muslims in the Philippines (Quezon City: UP-Asian Center, 2003). He is also an artist, and paints Muslim subjects and illustrates Muslim designs. He currently serves as a Commissioner of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Michael Talbot is Senior Lecturer in the Department of History, Politics and Social Sciences at the University of Greenwich, London, and specialises in Ottoman relations with the wider world. His publications include British-Ottoman Relations, 1661–1807: Commerce and Diplomatic Practice in Eighteenth-Century Istanbul (Woodbridge: Boydell & Brewer, 2017).

Introduction

The Language of Letters

Southeast Asian Understandings of Ottoman Diplomatics Annabel Teh Gallop, A.C.S. Peacock and İsmail Hakkı Kadı 1 Introduction The cornerstone of the research project ‘Islam, Trade and Politics across the Indian Ocean’ was the methodical search undertaken during the period 2009–2011 for documents relating to Southeast Asia held in the Ottoman section of the Turkish Presidential Archives (Cumhurbaşkanlığı Devlet Arşivleri Başkanlığı, BOA) in Istanbul. The results confirmed impressions arising from earlier historical studies that direct political relations between the Ottoman empire and the Malay world were concentrated in two distinct periods, the mid-16th century and then the 19th century, although the intervening period was nonetheless marked by ongoing religious, intellectual and cultural links mainly centred on the Hijaz. To a large extent the story is told from the Ottoman point of view, through scribal copies of outgoing correspondence, minute books, and records of council meetings. Of particular interest, therefore, was the discovery in the 19thcentury archives of a few examples of original correspondence from Southeast Asia: the very pieces of paper which had traversed oceans for months before finally arriving at the Sublime Porte. These include a number of royal letters in Arabic or Malay sent to Istanbul from the rulers of Malay kingdoms such as Kedah, Riau, Jambi and, most prominently, Aceh, as well as other letters from the envoys of these diplomatic missions in Arabic or Turkish, some of which may have been written on arrival in the Middle East. These letters have already aroused great interest because of their contents, in some cases providing the first firm evidence of previously unsuspected direct contacts between parts of Southeast Asia and the Ottoman world. But a fuller appreciation can also be gained from the perspective of diplomatics, through a detailed study of the formal structure of the documents. This involves an analysis of the constituent elements of each letter, starting with the opening protocol – typically comprising a religious invocation followed by names of the correspondents with accompanying benedictions – before moving on to the text or contents proper, and ending with the closing protocol which would usually state the date and place of writing. The composition of each of these

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_002

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parts, and the formalised transitions between different segments of the text, were governed by precise rules in different cultures and at different times. An equally important aspect of diplomatics, which in recent years has become the focus of a considerable number of published studies, is an analysis of the external or material characteristics of the document.1 That this study has traditionally attracted less attention than that of the structure of the text itself is hardly surprising, for while textual analysis is still possible for documents preserved in the form of scribal copies, only original documents can be investigated materially. Yet every physical element of an original letter can be made to ‘speak’ if given due consideration: the medium upon which it is written; the spatial arrangement of the writing on the page; the choice of script, and the size and competence of the hand; the colour of the ink; the seal used and its positioning and medium; any illumination or decoration added to the letter; and the envelope or external wrapper. All the letters under consideration from Southeast Asia were sent to the Ottoman sultan, whose very name had for centuries been revered in the Malay world, or his representatives. The Ottoman lands were known in Southeast Asia as Rum, after the Arabic term for the Roman empire and its eastern heir Byzantium. The sultan of Rum occupies a fabled position in Malay, Acehnese and Javanese epics, and the ruling houses of Kedah, Johor, Perak and Jambi trace their descent from the Raja Rum. Legendary connections were reinforced by memories of the direct relationship established in the 16th century between Aceh and the Ottoman court, links which were thereafter claimed by association by states such as Kedah and Perak which had themselves been subjugated by Aceh in the 17th century. When in 1517 the Ottomans conquered Egypt and gained control of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina and thus also of the administration of the hajj pilgrimage, the sultan took on the mantle of khalifa and spiritual leader and protector of Muslims worldwide. From this time onwards, the Ottoman sultan was thus a natural focus for pleas from Muslims in Southeast Asia for help against infidel aggressors, whether Spanish, Dutch, British or even Siamese. The letters which are the focus of our attention were all written at times of great duress and were designed to exact support, both moral and material, from the Ottoman authorities. Sometimes accompanied by expensive gifts, most of the letters were entrusted to the hands of foreign, often Hadrami envoys, and it was many months or even years – if it all – before the sender received any information on whether or not the letter and gifts had reached their destination safely, let alone solicited a positive response. Thus alongside 1  Cf Steen 2001; Daybell 2009; Allinson 2012; Kolodziejczyk 2000: 35–46; Werner 2003.

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the explicit written expression of their intent, we can assume that the writers of the letters drew to the fullest possible extent upon their knowledge and understanding of diplomatics in the composition of these letters, in order to maximise the chances of attaining their aims. It would have been planned that from the very moment when the letter was extracted from its envelope and unfolded in Istanbul, the epistle should make the best possible impression, conveying both humble supplication and urgent need, expressed in words and phrases designed to resonate with Ottoman sensibilities. In other words, all the formal aspects of the letter would have been designed to support its contents. What is particularly interesting is that some letters, particularly those written in Arabic, diverge from Malay practice in adopting some of the norms of Ottoman epistolography, a characteristic that is particularly apparent in the accompanying letters composed by Southeast Asian envoys. Therefore, the question which naturally arises is the extent to which Southeast Asians were aware of the principles of Ottoman diplomatics, and how successful they were at incorporating these elements in their own letters. 2

The Diplomatics of Islamic Documents

The science of diplomatics was developed to complex levels within the great Islamic chanceries, to define and regulate the myriad documents generated in the course of the workings of the state. Occupying a pre-eminent position is alQalqashandi’s early 15th-century encyclopaedia of Mamluk chancery practice, the Kitāb ṣubḥ al-aʿshāʾ fī ṣināʿat al-inshāʾ, while similarly detailed textbooks and manuals were compiled in the Ilkhanid and Mughal chanceries.2 Until the nineteenth century when certain style manuals and books were published, the rules of Ottoman diplomatics were mentioned in various münşeâts – compilations of official documents.3 As might be expected, there has been copious modern scholarship on Ottoman diplomatics,4 with the main focus of attention naturally being on documents drawn up in the royal chancery in the name of the Sultan.5 Royal letters, however, presented particular conceptual problems, for while complex chancery prescriptions could be promulgated relatively easily within a unified 2  Cf. Korobeinikov 2004. 3  Kütükoğlu 1994: 5–6. 4  See references in Reychman & Zajaczkowski 1968; Nedkov 1972; Gök 2000, 2001, 2001a, 2001b, 2002, 2002a, 2007, 2008. 5  For an analysis of the distinction between fermān and berāt see Gök 2003.

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cultural zone where both issuers and recipients shared the same cultural understanding, letters sent by one sovereign head of state to another could not be slotted so easily into such clear-cut categories. Difficulties naturally arose because probably the single most important factor determining the composition of letters in any culture was relative social status.6 Mahmud Gawan, author of Manāẓir al-Inshāʾ, written in fifteenth century South India, did not even define a specific category of royal letters, for he treated all correspondence emanating from the king as addressed to inferiors only.7 A similar philosophy prevailed in the Ottoman chancery, and Ottoman sultans addressed all their royal colleagues in the style of decrees. Thus many of the formal written communications between the Ottomans and European powers – initially primarily with the Venetians, Byzantines, Poles and Russians, and latterly with the Portuguese, French, English and Dutch8 – took the form not of royal letters proper, but of articles to regulate trade or ‘capitulations’ (ʿahdname), or negotiated treaties for peace or timed truces at the cessation of hostilities. In evaluating the 19th-century letters from Southeast Asian rulers to the Ottoman sultan, it is essential to ensure that we are comparing like for like. But the ‘top-down’ approach which has dominated the study of Ottoman diplomatics means that very little material has been published suitable for comparison with our corpus of Southeast Asian letters. The letters to Istanbul were written by Malay rulers who proclaimed themselves to be Ottoman vassals, whether on historical, legendary or religious grounds, and were therefore written from a self-avowedly humble standpoint. Therefore correspondence between the Ottomans and other great Muslim powers such as the Mughals and Safavids or Qajars would not provide an accurate basis for comparison; nor would communications with infidel European powers, whether friendly or hostile. Our comments below are therefore of necessity based on the primary sources of the Southeast Asian letters themselves, with occasional reference to a few other contemporaneous letters addressed to the Ottomans by Muslim polities of comparable ‘rank’ to the Malay states.9 6  In Mughal India, Mawlana Hakim Yusufi’s Badāʾiʿ ul-Inshāʾ (1533/4) divided types of letters (makātib or mufāwaḍāt) into six further categories, depending on whether it was written in the first instance (khiṭābī) or a reply ( jawābī), and then whether from a superior to an inferior, between equals, or from an inferior to a superior (Islam 1979: 5). 7  Islam 1979: 9. 8  Cf. Skilliter 1971; Ménage 1980; Kolodziejczyk 2000; Boogert & Fleet 2003. 9  From the BOA are two letters from the Sharif of Mecca to the Ottoman Sultan (then Mahmud II), one dated 1237 (1821/22 AD) and the other undated (respectively BOA HAT. 561 and 563); a letter from Sultan ʿAbd al-Rahman b. Hisham of Morocco to Sultan Abdülmecid, dated Shawwal 1257 (November/December 1841) (BOA ID. 57/28290); and a letter from al-Hadi al-Ghalib, Imam of Sanaa to the Ottoman governor of the Yemen, dated 1267/8 (1851/52 AD)

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The Language of the Letter

In preparing a letter to a foreign potentate, the single most important decision to be taken – upon which a host of other choices depended – was the language to be used. The Ottomans themselves had a liberal attitude towards the language they used in official documents. They generally used Arabic and Persian for writing to Muslim rulers and Turkish for writing to Christian sovereigns, at least in the 16th century, but also produced official documents in Greek, Serbian, Bosnian, Hungarian, Italian, Latin, Armenian and German.10 Within the courts of the Malay archipelago, the acknowledged lingua franca for letterwriting, even to Europeans, was Malay, although Arabic, Portuguese and even Persian were occasionally used, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries.11 The potential problems arising from the use of the vernacular beyond acknowledged linguistic borders would certainly have been familiar from literary sources: in the Malay Hikayat Iskandar Zulkarnain,12 Iskandar sends his emissary the Prophet Khidir with a letter to a far-away ruler, King Abud. On opening the letter in the audience hall, the king’s minister is unable to read it out because it is written in ‘the language of Rum’ (bahasa Rum). King Abud then chides the Prophet Khidir: O noble youth, your royal master’s letter is written on gold paper with silver ink, a sign of his sophistication and good taste; but it is written in a language unknown to us, showing a lack of manners and breeding. Even though he has sent us a letter, he might just as well not have done so.13 The Prophet Khidir manages to placate King Abud by explaining that Iskandar had written in his own language as a sign of intimacy, knowing that Khidir would be present to translate it, but the diplomatic damage had already been done. (BOA IMVL. 230), all in Arabic. Other documents which may also be referenced for comparative purposes include publications of 19th-century Arabic letters from Ethiopia and Sudan (Rubenson 1987; O’Fahey and Abu Salim 2003) and northern Nigeria (Bivar 1959). 10  Gökbilgin 1979: 28. 11  For Arabic see Peacock 2016, Peacock 2018b; for Persian see Peacock 2018a. 12  The Malay version of the Alexander romance, which was probably translated into Malay in the early 15th century in Pasai via Arabic from a Persian original (Braginsky 2004: 176). 13  Maka sabda Raja Abud akan Nabi Khidir, ‘Hai orang muda yang baik rupa, adapun surat rajamu ini dengan kertas emas dan dakwatnya perak itu. Telah nyatalah daripada sempurna akalnya. Adapun disuratkan dengan bahasa yang tiada kami ketahui itu tanda kurang budi bicaranya. Sungguhpun ia berkirim surat, serasa tiada jua adanya.’ (Khalid 1986: 151, cited via MCP, Malay Concordance Project).

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Despite this cautionary tale, while some letters from Southeast Asia arrived in Istanbul written in Arabic, others were in Malay. Arabic was the medium of the letters from Kedah (1824), Riau (1857) and Jambi (1858), and Malay for letters from Tembusai (1889) and Brunei (1903), while both Malay and Arabic were used for letters from Aceh. In a letter of 1849 written in Malay, Sultan Mansur Shah of Aceh explained that this was the fourth such letter despatched to Istanbul over a period of some twelve years, without any news at all being received of the fate of the three previous letters.14 When Mansur Shah next wrote to Sultan Abdülmecid a year later, without having heard any news in the meantime as to whether or not the letter of 1849 had reached its destination, he wrote in Arabic, a seeming acknowledgement that Arabic might be a better choice than Malay for ensuring a response from Istanbul. Yet when Mansur Shah’s grandson Muhammad Daud Shah wrote to Istanbul in 1897, for much the same purposes but in even more dire straits, he wrote in Malay. A hint of the complexities governing linguistic choices is manifest in a hybrid document from Muhammad Daud Shah in 1893. The document is presented in the form of a royal decree rather than a letter – presumably because the intended recipient was the Ottoman consul in Batavia rather than the sultan – but while the ritualistic preamble is in Malay, the message to the consul itself is in Arabic. Yet it is an Arabic heavily mixed with Malay idioms, suggesting a lack of familiarity with the language on the part of the scribe, who nonetheless evidently felt obliged to deploy what he saw as the appropriate language for such a missive. Aside from the need for comprehension, the choice of language was immensely significant because in most cultures different languages entailed the use of completely different epistolary protocols, affecting both textual composition, literary style, and the graphic layout of the letter.15 Letters in different languages looked different, and this is strikingly illustrated by the early pair of Aceh letters mentioned above. In the Malay letter of 1849 the seal is at the top in the left-hand corner, there is a religious heading just above the text in the centre, and the letter text reaches the bottom of the page, while in the Arabic letter of 1850, the seal is at the bottom in the left-hand corner, with wide margins at both top and bottom of the letter, and there is no religious invocation. A similar contrast can be made between the appearance of letters written in 14  No information is given on the language of the three previous letters. 15  At the court of Elizabeth I, the responsibility for producing royal letters in certain languages was devolved to completely different officials: letters in English were produced in the signet office, while those in Latin, French and other foreign languages were produced in the secretariat (Allinson 2012: 28).

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Arabic and Persian from the Imam of Muscat to the Dutch Governor-General in Batavia in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.16 Notable differences include the position of the seal, the style of calligraphy, and the shape and curve of the lines of writing, with two foreshortened initial lines of text only found in the Persian epistles. Letters in Arabic and Malay were generally written in straight lines, but in Persian and Ottoman documents lines turn up markedly towards the end, and are said to resemble a ‘Turkish scimitar’.17 In terms of script, the letters from Kedah, Jambi and Aceh are all written in characteristically Southeast Asian hands in naskh. The similarity in handwriting between the two Aceh letters – one in Malay dated 1849 and the other in Arabic dated 1850 – is so marked that they might even have been written by the same scribe a year apart. The hand of the Kedah letter is also so similar in style with those of numerous other contemporaneous royal Malay letters from Kedah that there is little doubt that it was written by a scribe in the royal chancery.18 Quite different in style, though, is the Arabic letter from Riau of 1858. Apart from the few lines in the hand of the viceroy Raja Ali accompanying his seal at the bottom, the letter is written in riqʿa script which is otherwise rarely seen in Southeast Asia. This observation leaves open the possibility that the Riau letter was not written by a local Malay, but perhaps by one of the two Arab envoys entrusted with the letter,19 which may also explain the exceptionally elaborate Islamic imagery in the letter commented on further below. 4

Malay, Arabic and Turkish Epistolary Protocol

Throughout the island world of Southeast Asia, and across at least three centuries, there is remarkable uniformity in the composition and style of Malay epistles, as remarked on by William Marsden, writing in 1812: ‘there is striking consistency in the style of writing, not only of books in prose and verse, but also of epistolary correspondence, and my own experience has proved to me that no greater difficulty attends the translation of letters from the princes of the Molucca islands, than from those of Kedah or Trangganu in the peninsula, 16  Witkam 2013. 17  Kolodziejczyk 2000: 42. Kütükoğlu (1994: 63–64) suggests that this was especially the case when divāni or celī dīvanī script was used. 18  Cf. a letter from the Sultan of Kedah to the Governor of Penang, 1824 (Gallop 1994: 58). 19  Sayyid Shaykh Ahmad al-Jawi and Sayyid Zayn ibn Sayyid Husayn Muhziri were the two envoys who carried the letter, and they had been instructed by Shaykh Ismail Efendi (Kadi 2015: 170).

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or of Minangkabau in Sumatra’.20 The formal structure of Malay letters is welldocumented in kitab terasul or guides to letter-writing, numerous manuscripts of which survive, and in analytical studies. The opening protocol of letters in Malay generally adheres to the standard formulary: ‘This letter / from me / may it be conveyed / by God (or man) / to / you / who live / at x / amen’, every element of these compliments or puji-pujian allowing for elaboration as necessary to reflect the relative social status of the correspondents. This section would be followed by the contents proper, the letter then ending with the date and place of writing.21 The opening compliments in the Malay letter from Mansur Shah of Aceh of 1849 both deprecate the sender and greatly honour the recipient. Mansur Shah describes himself as a ‘born slave’ (hamba anak emas) in the most miserable and impoverished of circumstances, and grants to Abdülmecid rather than himself the uniquely Acehnese sovereign title johan berdaulat, ‘sovereign champion’. In the later Malay letter from Aceh to Sultan Abdülhamid of 1897, it is notable that Muhammad Daud Shah does not even claim the title ‘sultan’ for himself, using the lesser title of ‘raja’, even though he is styled ‘sultan’ on his seal. One of the main differences between the formal structure of Malay and Arabic letters from the Ottoman world of this period – at least those addressed to a superior – is that while Arabic letters commence with prayers followed by the name of the recipient (the inscriptio in diplomatic nomenclature) in full and grandiloquent form with his appropriate titles (elkab, in Ottoman documents), accompanied by lengthy benedictions (salutatio or duʿa), the name of the sender is not included in the opening protocol.22 In the Arabic letters from Kedah, Aceh and Jambi, the author of the letter is not named in the text of the letter at all. In the Arabic letter from Riau, and in some of the Arabic letters from Southeast Asian envoys such as Abdurrahman al-Zahir, the name of the sender only occurs after the letter proper, in the form of a signature alongside the seal. It is therefore interesting to note that in the Malay letter from Sultan Hashim of Brunei to Sultan Abdülhamid II written in 1903, the ‘from me’ element is missing from the initial compliments, and the sender’s name is only given towards the end of the letter, and even then it is introduced with misgivings 20  Marsden 1984: 2.iii. 21  Wilkinson 1907; Gallop 1994: 33, 67. 22  Cf. examples in Rubenson 1987. This accords with earlier Ottoman practice (Gallop 2011: 132). For further discussion of the differences between Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern practice see Peacock 2016.

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(inilah nama hamba yang kirim ini surat, jika ada khilafnya harap dimaafkan oleh maulana al-sultan al-muʿazzam, iaitu daripada hamba al-sultan Hashim bin al-marhum maulana al-sultan Umar Ali, ‘the name of your servant who sends this letter – begging the pardon of our lord the great sultan in case of any impropriety – is the sultan Hashim, son of our late lord the sultan Umar Ali, in the state of Brunei’), which may reflect some awareness on the Brunei side of the usual absence of this element in Arabic letters to superiors. As noted above, one of the Aceh documents is particularly unusual for having the opening protocol in Malay in the form of a decree and the body of the message in Arabic. Linguistic hybridity can also be observed in some of the Arabic letters from Southeast Asians, where the Arabic body of the text is preceded by honorifics in Ottoman Turkish, arranged in a distinctive configuration, spaced out widely along a single line at the top of the letter. This is particularly evident in the collection of documents dating from 1872 to 1873 relating to the petition of the ruler of Aceh, Sultan Alauddin Mahmud Shah, for Ottoman protection, and the exact honorific forms of address used in these letters are discussed further below. 5 Invocations In the Malay world, the ‘letter heading’ (kepala surat) – a short religious phrase in Arabic – was an integral component of almost all letters written in Malay, normally inscribed at the top of the sheet of paper.23 The two oldest Malay letters extant, written in Ternate in 1521 and 1522, both bear headings.24 Turning to the Southeast Asian letters in Istanbul, the Malay letter from Aceh of 1849 has a heading, the basmala, placed in the centre immediately above the text, while the letter from the sultan of Tembusai of 1889 bears the heading Qawluhu al-haqq, ‘His Word is the Truth’, in fact the most commonly-encountered heading in use on Malay letters. However, the latest letter from Aceh, of 1897, lacks a kepala surat. It is therefore startling to note the absence of a religious invocation on the four Arabic letters from Kedah, Aceh, Jambi and Riau, as the many examples of royal Malay letters from these states invariably bear kepala surat. Looking at other letters in the Ottoman archives, invocations are not found either on letters from Mecca in Arabic, nor on the correspondence in Arabic and Turkish of the Acehnese envoys Muhammad Ghauth or Abdurrahman al-Zahir, 23  Gallop 1994: 56–61. 24  Gallop 1994: 123.

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suggesting a deliberate decision.25 This is doubly surprising because the invocatio was a standard element of Ottoman documents26 and indeed of many Arabic and Persian letters.27 A possible reason is that these communications from social inferiors might all be classified as a particular genre of Ottoman document – for example, a petition, rather than a letter – which would not bear an invocatio. After all, Malay legal documents such as edicts and passes did not bear religious headings either; and this reasoning may explain the lack of a heading on the hybrid ‘edict’ from Aceh of 1893. 5.1 Elevatio In one particular aspect it can be shown Southeast Asians were certainly aware of a distinctive Ottoman diplomatic device and were able to employ it in Arabic letters, even though it played no part in Malay epistolary protocol. This is elevatio: the elevation of an important element such as the name of God or of the addressee from the body of the text, and its placement in the upper regions of the sheet of paper, as a mark of honour. Elevatio can usually be recognized in letters from the presence of two complementary parts: a name (or other word elements) situated above the text block, and a corresponding gap in the letter text indicating the place from where the name has been ‘elevated’. When reading the letter, on encountering the distinctive gap the contemporary recipient would know to seek the ‘missing’ name of the addressee above the letter text and ‘insert’ this into the letter text, treating the physically-separated units of text as a seamless syntactic whole. In a seminal study, Victor Ménage (1985: 291–299) traced the diplomatic practice of elevatio from its origins in China along its journey westwards by way of the Khanate of the Crimea. Elevatio first makes an appearance in the Ottoman chancery during the reign of Süleyman (1520–1566), manifesting itself in a distinctive form primarily in treaties (ʿahdname) with Europeans. Here we find the name of God (and sometimes also those of the prophet and the four orthodox caliphs), which would originally syntactically have formed part of the title of the sultan (‘I, by the grace of God etc., am sultan so-andso …’) given at the start of the document, raised to a position above the sultan’s 25  There are two exemptions however, Huwa, ‘He’ [i.e. God] is present at the top of the Turkish letter of the envoy of Riau to the Grand Vizier (1848/9), explaining his mission (BOA İ.DH. 368/24377 (2)) and also at the top of the Turkish letter of the Acehnese envoy to the Grand Vizier announcing the last state of his country, 1873 (BOA A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (30)). 26  ‘As a rule, each Ottoman document begins with an invocation to God’ (Kolodziejczyk 2000: 8). See also Gök 2002: 3. 27  Cf. Rajabzadeh 1992: 293.

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tughra. Ménage’s breakthrough was to identify this element – previously generally described as a ‘second invocatio’ or religious invocation – as an elevated constituent of the intitulatio or formulaic identification of the author of the document, despite the absence in the text of any gap or caret or other mark which would normally serve to alert the reader to the need to reinstate an elevated portion of text. In later years Ottoman practice of elevatio became more conventionalised, most commonly seen in the raising of the word sultanım, ‘my lord’, in submissions to a superior (Ménage 1985: 296). Some minor variants are encountered, including ‘graduated elevatio’ when a letter was addressed to two or more officials of varying ranks, with one name raised slightly higher than the other (Ménage 1985: 296), or ‘semi-elevatio’, where the letters sulṭā are elevated, but with the nım left on the line below (Heywood 1998: 252). And yet, even now, the practice of elevatio in a letter is not always recognized as such by modern scholars. Sometimes an editor is evidently aware of the ‘convention’ of reading in the gap the name of the addressee in the form given at the top of the paper, but without acknowledging the formal diplomatic device used.28 In other cases, the presence of the name of the addressee at the top of the sheet of paper is just regarded as identifying the recipient of the letter, while the distinctive gap seen in the letter text is generally assumed to be an inadvertent lacuna, perhaps reflecting a lack of clarity about the correct form of the name and title of the addressee, and which the scribe may have intended to fill in later.29 A few years ago an example of elevatio in an 18th-century Arabic letter from the sultan of Aceh to the commander of the Danish East India Company factory in Tranquebar in south India was published. It was then the sole known example from Southeast Asia, but did at least serve to show that the practice was understood in the royal chancery of Aceh at that time.30 The presence of elevatio in all four of the 19th-century Arabic letters sent to Istanbul from Kedah, Aceh, Riau and Jambi now confirms a broader awareness across Southeast Asia of this epistolary feature. Yet elevatio is not found in the Malay letters sent to Istanbul from Aceh and Brunei, implying an understanding within Southeast Asia of the appropriateness of using elevatio in letters written in Arabic but not in Malay.

28  Cf. Römer 1995: 78; Rubenson 1987. 29  Cf. ‘It is interesting to note that the scribes did not know the name of the ruler of Sweden at the time when the letters were compiled; we find an empty space left by the scribe for the name of the Swedish sovereign’ (Ianbay 2000: 3). 30  Gallop 2006: 47.

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It is therefore intriguing to find that the only two examples so far known of elevatio manifested in letters in Malay were both written in Mecca by resident Malay scholars, hinting at the role of the Jawa community (i.e. Muslims from Southeast Asia) in the Hijaz as likely intermediaries between Ottoman conventions and Malay understandings. The first example is in a letter of 1864 from Muhammad Yunus bin Abdul Rahman al-Khalidi, originally from Batu Bara in north Sumatra, to the Sultan of Asahan, on the north-east coast of Sumatra, with the elevated portion of the sultan’s title reading ke bawah duli hadrat saadat maulana al-Sultan Muhammad Shah Yang Dipertuan Besar bin al-marhum Yang Dipertuan Tuha, ‘to the majestic presence of our lord the Sultan Muhammad Shah, the Great Lord, son of the late Elder Lord’ and a corresponding gap in the letter text.31 The second example is a more unusual hybrid, and may be regarded as confirmation that elevatio was not standard practice within a Malay world context. This is a letter of 1866 written in Malay and Arabic, from a scholar from Kelantan, Abdul Rahman, studying Ottoman calligraphy (menyurat Istanbul) in Mecca.32 It is addressed to the sultan of Pontianak, on the west coast of Kalimantan (Borneo), and in the hope of royal patronage Abdul Rahman states that he is sending the sultan an example of his calligraphic skills in the form of the shahadah written in gold ink set in a silver frame. On the letter itself, inscribed in gold ink diagonally across the top of the sheet is the name and title of the sultan: saadat maulana al-sultan ʿAbd al-Hamid raja Matun Pontia[nak] … Allah baqahu amin, ‘his majesty our lord the sultan Abdul Hamid, ruler of Matun Pontianak, may God keep him, amen’, to all intents and purposes typical of the ‘elevated’ element. Yet at the precise spot in the letter text where we would expect to find a gap within which to insert the above-quoted titles, the scribe has written in Malay: ‘whose majestic name is signified in the elevated position above in gleaming gold ink’ (yang diisyaratkan namanya yang maha mulia di atas tempat yang tinggi dengan air emas yang bercahaya). This message therefore acts both as a sign-post to the location of the name of the addressee, and as an implicit acknowledgement that without these words of explanation, the spatial treatment of the name would not necessarily have been understood by the royal Malay recipient. 31  National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia, Riauw 119, Letter from Muhammad Yunus bin Abdul Rahman al-Khalidi Batu Bahara in Mecca to Sultan Muhammad Shah of Asahan, 15 Safar 1281 (20 July 1864). 32  Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, 1998.1.3680, letter in Malay and Arabic from Abdul Rahman Istanbul bin Muhammad Saman al-Jawi al-Kalantani in Mecca to Sultan Syarif Abdul Hamid of Pontianak, 12 Safar 1283 (26 June 1866), reproduced in Gallop & Porter (2012: 46).

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The examples of elevatio in the letters from Aceh, Riau and Jambi to Istanbul are all regular in form, as shown in the following excerpts from the letters, with the elevated portions (shown in angled brackets, which also represent the gaps in the text) set at varying angles above the text block: Aceh 1850: wa-bāsiṭ basāṭ al-amn wa-al-āmān ⟨ḥaḍrat saʿādat mawlānā al-sulṭān ʿAbdülmecid Khān⟩ khallada Allāh taʿālā sulṭānahu wa-mulkahu, ‘the spreader of the carpet of safety and security ⟨His Majesty our lord sultan Abdülmecid Khan⟩ may God Exalted make his sultanate and his reign eternal’ Riau 1857: al-malik al-mubdiʾ al-muʿīd ⟨mawlānā wa-sayyidnā ḥaḍrat al-sulṭān Abdülmecid adāmahu Allāh wa-adāma ayāmahu⟩ wa-jaʿala al-mulk fihi wa-fi ʿabihi ila yawm al-qiyāma, ‘the king of everything conceivable ⟨our lord and our master his majesty sultan Abdülmecid, may God prolong him and his days⟩ and give him and his descendants rule until the day of resurrection’ Jambi 1858: al-sulṭān bin al-sulṭān bin al-sulṭān mawlānā ⟨al-sulṭān al-ghāzī Abdülmecid Khan⟩ bin al-marḥūm al-sulṭān Maḥmūd Khān, ‘the sultan, son of the sultan, son of the sultan, our lord ⟨the sultan, the warrior, Abdülmecid Khan⟩ son of the late sultan Mahmud Khan’ The Kedah letter of 1824 is rather different. The clear gap in the text indicates elevatio, as does the text on either side: mawlānā al-sulṭān bin al-sulṭān bin al-sulṭān ⟨…⟩ aʿnī bihi sulṭān al-salaṭīn, but the name of the Ottoman sultan himself is nowhere to be seen on the upper half of the letter. This may not be an isolated example, for in a study of 17th-century letters by Crimean noblewomen, written in Crimean Turkish by the mother and principal wife of the Khan to the queen of Sweden (Ianbay 2002), all four letters published exhibit the same feature as the Kedah letter: a gap in the text where the name of addressee would normally be found, but without the corresponding name and title inscribed above the letter text. Although the letters are not reproduced in full facsimile, in each case details are given of the invocation (usually a variation on Huwa, ‘He’) inscribed at the very top of the paper, implying that no other inscriptions are found on the sheet. Ménage’s article has already hinted at the multiplicity of graphic manifestations that the principle of elevatio took during the course of its evolution, with varying placements of the name of the addressee and/or of God, and with the relevant place in the text indicated by a gap, or carets, or, in the case of Süleyman’s ahdnāme, not indicated at all. It is therefore possible that the Kedah letter (and perhaps the Crimean letters) are

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exhibiting a variant form of elevatio, with the name of the addressee inscribed on some other material part of the missive, such as the envelope (which, in the case of the Kedah letter, bears the Ottoman sultan’s title in fine thuluth script) or address slip. Finally, we should consider a letter in Malay from Sultan Zainal Abidin of Tembusai, situated on the Rokan river on the east coast of Sumatra (in the present-day province of Riau), dated 14 Rabiʿ II 1307 (8 December 1889). This letter is only known today from a faint brownish photograph, taken in 1889 by the Commander of the Ottoman frigate Ertuğrul while stationed in Singapore and sent back to Istanbul, for the original probably went down with the ship off the coast of Japan in 1890. Although barely legible today, there was a clear attempt to use elevatio: there are distinct gaps in the letter text relating to the names of the Ottoman representative and of the sultan, in the form wazir ⟨…⟩ al-sultan ⟨…⟩ al-Stambul, ‘the representative ⟨…⟩ of the sultan ⟨…⟩ of Istanbul’; however there is no corresponding elevated portion of text visible. Although this may be a similar case to that found in the Kedah letter, another possibility – in view of the generally unsophisticated presentation of the letter, and the fact that the text reads smoothly even without an elevated portion – is that this letter represents a localised Malay attempt to mimic the visual effect of elevatio without a sound understanding of its practice. To what extent is elevatio also found in other letters from the Islamic world in the same period? In a small cache of eight letters sent from the Imam of Muscat to the Dutch Governor-General and Shahbandar of Batavia from 1798 to 1806 (Witkam 2013), elevatio is found in three of the six Arabic letters, but in neither of the two Persian ones.33 In a published collection of Ethiopian documents, elevatio is found in a group of seven letters in Arabic, all sent in 1844, from five different Ethiopian notables in Gonder to Ottoman officials in Sudan (Rubenson 1987: 93–104). In these letters, the elevated name is presented in a distinctive tughra-like form, being placed in the top left corner and enclosed in a frame formed of extensions of one or more of the letters of the name. In the BOA archives, elevatio is clearly manifested in an Arabic letter of 1850 to Hasib Paşa, Ottoman Governor of the Hijaz, from Muhammad Ghauth, the Acehnese envoy to Istanbul,34 and also in an Arabic letter of Habib Abdurrahman al-Zahir, the Hadrami envoy from Aceh to Istanbul, to the Sharif of Mecca by the end of 1872 or the beginning of 1873.35 Fine examples of elevatio are also seen clearly 33  According to Fragner (1999: 286–287, 291), the practice of elevatio is noted both in Persian farmān and in Safavid letters to European potentates. 34   B OA İHR 66/3208 (4); Kadı, Peacock & Gallop 2012: 267–270. 35   B OA A.MKT.MHM 457/55 (24).

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15

in two letters from the Sharif of Mecca to the Ottoman sultan, with the words mawlānā al-sulṭān khalīfat rasūl al-raḥmān, ‘Our Lord the Sultan, Vicegerent of the Messenger of the Merciful One’ in bold thuluth script elevated horizontally above the letter text leaving a clear gap within the text. However, other royal letters in Arabic sent to Istanbul, from the sultan of Darfur and from the sultan of Morocco, do not use elevatio. Overall, the evidence does suggest that by using elevatio, the Southeast Asians were able to show their familiarity with an epistolary device which, though not used in every Arabophone state, was developed in the Ottoman chancery and continued in use in Ottoman territories well into the 19th century. 6

Forms of Address

The forms of address used in most of the royal letters from Southeast Asia reflect a degree of familiarity with Ottoman titulature. Even the Kedah letter, written in a period when there is little other evidence of direct links, manages to use some of the principal Ottoman titles correctly: malik al-barrayn wa-l-baḥrayn (king of the two lands and two seas) and khādim al-ḥaramayn al-sharīfayn (servant of the two holy places, Mecca and Medina). The later letters show an even greater mastery of the correct forms. In Mansur Shah’s Arabic letter of 1850, Abdülmecid is addressed as ḥaḍrat al-sulṭān al-aʿẓam wa-l-khāqān al-afkham wārith al-khilāfa wa-l-salṭana malik al-ʿarab wa-l-ʿajam wa-l-turk, ‘the greatest sultan and most glorious khaqan, inheritor of the caliphate and the sultanate, king of the Arabs, Persians and Turks.’ These forms of address nicely play on the sultan’s multiple claims to legitimacy, mixing religious claims (the Caliphate) with more secular ones (the sultanate and kingship) and Turkish traditions of rulership (as khāqān). Similar imagery is found in the Riau letter, where Abdülmecid is called ‘the glory of Islamic kings and God’s Caliph over the rest of humanity, the sultan of the two lands and the khaqan of the two seas’ ( fakhr al-mulūk al-islāmiyya, khalīfat allāh ʿalā sāʾir al-barriya, sulṭān al-barrayn wa-khāqān al-baḥrayn). It is perhaps in the letter from Riau that the Islamic imagery is at its most elaborate: O God, our hearts raise sincerest prayers and our tongues speak in a state of happiness and sublimity, humbly asking by spreading out the hands of humility and need that You aid us by prolonging this blessed fortunate sultanic Ottoman dynasty with more glory and supporters and power and to realise our hopes in it by raising the Word. For thereby the bases of the supports of religion are raised, and the wiles of heretics are repressed

16

Gallop, Peacock and Kadı

for it is the dynasty which is free from committing oppression and injustice and is secure from the tyrants of the pen and sword. May God dress it in the garb of might combined with continuity, and adorn it with the ornament of continual victory with the passage of nights and days. O God we ask you, the compassionate, the generous, the Judge, the longcharitable, and we seek intercession with you through the planetary conjunctions and the lord son of Adnan [Muhammad] that You perpetuate the Muhammadan divine law and the protection of the Islamic nation by preserving Your humble slave, who glorifies your greatness and the glory of your magnificence, the sultan of Islam and the Muslims, protector of the divine law of the lord of messengers, servant of the Two Holy Shrines, the spreader of the banner of justice over the al-Aqsa mosque, Yemen and the two Iraqs, our lord His Majesty Sultan Abdülmecid, may God perpetuate his days and give him dominion and also in the afterlife until the resurrection Amen. All these letters show an understanding of the means by which the Ottoman dynasty sought to establish its own legitimacy. It is interesting to note that while all, as one would expect, make much of the religious imagery, of the sultan’s role as Caliph and therefore protector of all Muslims, the secular title khāqān is also used, along with variations on the form of address ‘lord of the two lands and two seas’ which dates back to the Ottomans’ predecessors the Seljuks, the title of ‘lord of the two seas’ having been adopted in the wake of their conquest of both the Black Sea and the Mediterranean in 1214–5.36 Although the titles khāqān and ghāzī had been used occasionally by Malay sultans in Aceh, Kedah and Johor in the 17th and 18th centuries, usage declined thereafter, for no examples have been traced in Malay sources of the 19th century, and so their presence here in combination with the other elements of titulature seems to suggest that these letters were composed by individuals who had some acquaintance with the correct forms of address for the Ottoman sultans. In other words, the chanceries in Southeast Asia were not merely sending out letters into a void, reliant only on local epistolographic traditions. Despite the absence of other evidence for Ottoman-Southeast Asian links prior to the Kedah letter – itself existing in something of a vacuum with no other documents till the Acehnese ones a quarter of a century later – in reality the sophistication and accuracy of the titulature suggests a longer tradition of engagement than 36  Redford and Leiser 2008: 98.

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we have attested, or at least access to well-informed sources of information, perhaps through the Hijaz. This phenomenon of ‘ottomanisation’ is most noticeable with the non-royal letters which, although written in Arabic, frequently address the recipient with Turkish titles. Abdurrahman al-Zahir’s letter, for instance, in the elevatio refers to the recipient, the Sharifs of Mecca, as Devletlü siyâdetlü efendim hazretleri (My exalted illustrious and princely lord). The letter sent by the ruling elite of Aceh, concluding with their seals, starts in mixed Turkish – Devletlü efendim hazretleri – before moving on to Arabic.37 The use of these Turkish forms in otherwise Arabic letters suggests how strongly their writers felt that the success of their mission depended on using exactly the correct formulas and titulature which would be recognised by the recipient, or at least the receiving chancery. As the evidence of the seals (explored below) suggests that some of these letters were written in Ottoman territories, this particular expertise may have been proffered by sympathetic parties in the Hijaz. 7

The Significance of the Seal

Seals are generally subject to extremely locale-specific principles of use, with their positioning on letters determined by the relative status of the correspondents. When the Mughal emperor Jahangir wrote to King James I in 1619, the seal was sent loose along with the letter, for ‘if it were on top itt sheweth superyoryte; if underneathe, Inferyorytye; but being loose, equallytye’ (Foster 1899: 668). Despite its highly developed seal culture, there are few known prescriptions on the spatial positioning of Ottoman seals on letters. In early centuries of the Ottoman empire, the letters of Ottoman sultans mostly bore only the tughra at the top without a seal, although on the letters of high-ranking Ottoman officials sometimes a stylised signature called pençe was placed vertically in the right margin in combination with a seal. In 1876 the Ottoman sultans started to place their seals at the end of the text. Later on they abandoned stamping seals on the letters and simply signed them.38 Kütüoğlu states that the minutes of the councils – that were established in the course of the 19th century – were 37   B OA, A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (24) and A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (13) For other examples see: A.MKT.MHM.457/55 (3): Maʿrûz-ı çâkerleridir ki; A.MKT.MHM.457/55 (5): Şevketlü azametlü kudretlü merhametlü …; A.MKT.MHM.457/55 (16):Maʿrûz-ı dâʿîleri; A.MKT.MHM.457/55 (20): Devletlü siyâdetlü efendim hazretleri; A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (29); fehâmetlü devletlü hazretleri; İ.MMS. 37/1524 (16) Devletlü efendim hazretleri. 38  Kütükoğlu 1994: 95, 155–158, 449, 457. See also Uzunçarşılı 1945: 292.

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stamped by the members in a hierarchical order from left to right at the bottom of the document. According to a 19th-century Malay manual on letter-writing (kitab terasul), there were two options for the placing of the seal on a letter: either at the top of the paper above the letter text, or in the wide margin down the right hand side, with both locations then further governed by the relative status of the correspondents. If the seal was to be placed at the top, the horizontal axis was used to reflect social status: a ruler would place his seal on the right, a minister would place his seal in the middle, and a commoner would place his seal on the left. The vertical axis could also be brought into play: ‘If the recipient is a subordinate, then we can raise the position [of the seal] by about one line; if he is of much lower status, then we can go about two or three lines higher.’39 If the seal was to be placed in the right-hand column, it should be positioned alongside the start of the first line, but the vertical axis could then be used to express differences in rank between the sender and recipient. In the Malay letters to Istanbul, we find examples of both scenarios outlined above. In the Aceh letter of 1849 the seal of the sultan is placed above the text on the extreme left, in the position described in the kitab terasul as appropriate for the seal of a commoner (hamba, literally ‘slave’), illustrating the use of the horizontal axis at the top of the sheet to reflect the relative status of the sender vis-à-vis the recipient. In the letter from Brunei of 1903, on the other hand, the sultan’s seal is placed in the lower half of the right-hand margin, at the ‘humble’ end of the vertical axis.40 In both cases, never before has the sovereign seal of the rulers of either of these two states been seen in a position of such humility on a letter. In view of the symbolism of the placement of the seal on the Aceh letter of 1849, the position of the seals on the last Malay letter from Aceh, dated 1897, is 39  A kitab terasul from Brunei, 19th c., cited in Gallop 1994: 53. It is interesting to find almost identical prescriptions for English letter-writing in the 16th century (once compensations have been made for left-to-right script), whereby the placement of the signature at the end of the letter moved both from right to left, and along a vertical axis bounded by the end of the text and the bottom of the page, as the social distance between writer and recipient narrowed or enlarged. As stated in the first English epistolary manual to be published, William Fulwood’s The Enimie of Idlenesse (1568), ‘For to our superiors wee must write at the right side in the neither end of the paper, saying: By your most humble and obedient sonne, or seruaunt, &c. Or, yours to commaund, &c. And to our equals we must write towards the middest of the paper, saying: By your faithfull friend for euer, &c. Or, yours assured, &c. To our inferiours wee may write on high at the left hand, saying: By yours, &c.’ (quoted in Daybell 2009: 654). 40  See pages 319–325.

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rather surprising. Here Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah uses not his great ninefold seal of state, but his ‘medium seal’, the cab teungoh, and his signet ring, cab euncin,41 and these are positioned above the letter text right in the middle of the sheet of paper, while the seal of the co-signatory (and regent) Teuku Hasyim is stamped at the end of the letter alongside the date. It is possible that during the course of the long war, and countless displacements, the sultan’s great seal may have been inaccessible. A further, pragmatic, consideration is that in this long letter spanning three pages, it was felt important to have seal impressions to authenticate both the beginning and the end of the missive. Nonetheless, from the perspective of Malay protocol the position of the sultan’s seals does not accord with the humble tone adopted in the text of the letter. The overall impression arising from this letter, and the slightly earlier ‘edict’ of 1893 addressed to the Ottoman consul in Batavia, is that after two decades of the Dutch war on Aceh, although the pleas for help are just as heartfelt as before, there is less attention and care paid to the outer form of the letters, which are both written on lined factory-produced paper. Of the four Arabic letters from Southeast Asia, in those from Aceh, Kedah and Riau the seal is placed in the bottom-left corner of the letter, below the letter text. In all the Arabic letters from Ethiopia the seal is also always in this position (Rubenson 1987), as it is too in the letters from Muhammad Ghauth and Abdurrahman al-Zahir referred to above, and in the letter from the Imam of Sanaa. Overall, it can be concluded that in the Ottoman world of the 19th century, the standard position of the seal on a letter addressed to a superior was in the bottom left corner, and therefore the Southeast Asian seals conformed to accepted practice. A consideration of seal usage can also help to throw light on an enigmatic group of documents, dating from 1872 to 1873, relating to an Acehnese mission to the Ottoman court led by Aburrahman Zahir, bearing a request from the ruler, Sultan Alauddin Mahmud Shah, for Ottoman suzerainty, supported by petitions sealed by the leading chiefs of Aceh.42 The letters are all in Arabic, and as mentioned above, some commence with customary Turkish honorifics, and some of these documents were certainly drawn up in the Hijaz. But at what stage were the letters from the sultan and the chiefs – who did not leave Aceh – sealed? In some cases the answer can be found through a close examination of the seal impressions.

41  Cf. Snouck Hurgronje 1906: 129–130. 42  See pages 195–201.

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In most of the Islamic world, including Ottoman lands, the standard sealing medium was black ink, dabbed on to the seal matrix with a fingertip, while the owner of the seal would whet another finger on his tongue and moisten the paper at the place where the seal was to be stamped.43 Uniquely in the Malay archipelago, seals are stamped in lampblack, by holding the oiled seal matrix above a candle flame, and then impressing the seal on slightly dampened paper. The documents in this group can therefore be divided into those with lampblack seal impressions, which were most likely sealed in Aceh, and those with black ink seal impressions, which were almost certainly sealed in the Hijaz or Istanbul. Three of the documents bear the lampblack seal of the Panglima Polem Cut Banta, head of the XXII mukim – a five-petalled circle inscribed with his title Seri Muda Perkasa – and in each case, the paper underneath the seal impression is stained dark brown, probably from the betelstained saliva of the Panglima. On one document, the brown stain extends through the last line of the letter. If the seal had been stamped after the letter was written, the ink of the last line would inevitably have been smudged by the moisture. But there are no signs of smudging, suggesting that blank sheets of paper were first sealed in Aceh, before being carried with the mission to Ottoman territory, where the Arabic text was then added. 8

Layout of the Letter

The placement of the text on the sheet of paper differs from letter to letter, guided by what could be termed the social politics of space. In many societies, fine sheets of paper on which letters were written were expensive de luxe goods, and therefore both the quality of paper, and the quantity used relative to the amount of text, functioned as an index of the importance attached to the letter by the sender.44 According to Fekete, in Ottoman diplomatics the space between the invocatio and the main text depended on the status of the addressee in relation to the writer. In case the correspondence concerned two persons of the same rank the main text started halfway down the paper. If the addressee was considered inferior to the writer the text started before and in case the addressee was considered superior the text started below the halfway

43  Description by Edward Lane from Cairo in 1835 (Lane 1890: 26). 44  Antoine de Courtin’s The Rules of Civility, translated from French into English in 1671, prescribed the use of ‘large’ sheets of paper, even for short letters, as a mark of respect (Daybell 2009: 659).

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point. As for the spaces between the lines; these were to be kept wide.45 The letter from the Imam of Sanaa to the governor of the Hijaz was certainly obeying the principle of leaving as much blank space as possible at the top: the text of the letter is fitted into the bottom third of the sheet of paper, with a large array of empty space above. And yet there was a thin dividing line between the extravagant use of paper being both intended as a mark of respect by the sender and being interpreted as such by the recipient, and conversely functioning as a sign of ostentation. In Elizabethan England, ‘since good quality paper was an expensive commodity, blank space left between the text and the signature represented a kind of conspicuous consumption’.46 Exactly the same nuance is attached to the use of space in royal Mamluk decrees, though in this case blank acreages were to be found at the sides of the document and within the text, rather than just at the foot of the sheet: ‘A wide margin was left at the right-hand side of the page, with wide spaces between lines which contain only a few words, all in an obvious attempt to display the ruler’s wealth and power by his conspicuous consumption of paper’.47 These concerns led to a very different and more circumspect approach to the treatment of space in letters in a Persian context in the 14th century. The Jalayirid writer Muhammad bin Hindu Shah Nakhchiwani, author of the epistolary manual Dastūr al-Kātib fi Taʿyīn al-marātib, advised a cautiously humble approach when addressing social superiors with respect to the amount of paper used, to avoid any appearance of presumption: If the addressee is superior to the writer, the size of the paper should be medium, the distance between the lines appropriate to the size of the paper, the pechīdan (curves?) in keeping with the blank space between the lines, and the thickness of the pen proportionate to the size of the blank spaces. If the addressee is inferior, the size of the paper should be larger, the space between the lines broader, the pen bolder, and the blank space at the top wider. Islam 1979: 39

45  Fekete 1926: XII–XIII; Gökbilgin 1979: 26–27. 46  Allinson 2012: 29. 47  Little 1984: 24–25. On a Mamluk letter from Sultan Qaitbay to the Venetian Doge Nicolo Trono of 1473, the gaps between the lines measured 10 cm, on a letter 17 cm wide and which would have originally been ca. 700 cm long (Wansbrough 1961: 203). The Ottomans too used to leave a 5–7 cm long margin on the right side of the texts (Fekete 1926: XII; Gökbilgin 1979: 26).

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Gallop, Peacock and Kadı

Malay letterwriting conventions also supported leaving blank a certain quantity of paper as a mark of respect. An 18th-century Malay kitab terasul from Palembang in southeast Sumatra advised leaving as large a blank margin as possible at the top of the sheet of paper: ‘If possible leave at least a third of the sheet of paper blank at the top; if you can leave more space so much the better’.48 What is evident from many of the Southeast Asian letters is that the sheet of paper was first folded, and the folds then used as guidelines for the text, as prescribed in a number of Malay letter-writing manuals. A copy of an 18th-century terasul from Aceh advises when writing to a superior first folding the paper first into three and then writing on the bottom third only, leaving the top two-thirds blank, while for a letter between equals the paper should be folded in two, and written on the bottom half only.49 The text of the letter from Kedah of 1824 does start exactly halfway down the paper, with the writing guided by the fold, while the letter from Jambi starts one third of the way down. Naturally such prescriptions would need to be balanced pragmatically with the intended content of the letter, and most of the letters from Aceh are of considerable length: the long Arabic letter from Aceh of 1850 was folded into six, and the writing commenced after the first sixth. Finally, in this section on paper should be mentioned (for the benefit of future puzzled scholars) the presence of numerous small vertical ‘cuts’ through the paper of the Aceh letter of 1849, and also some other documents in the BOA. This was due to an Ottoman government directive to cut through envelopes in order to disinfect the documents within as a precautionary measure against diseases.50 9 Envelopes It was long a custom in many parts of the Islamic world for royal letters to be delivered in envelopes of rich and luxurious materials such as silks and brocades. In the Ottoman empire, Kütükoğlu notes that the letters sent to the foreign potentates were put into covers made of serâser – a cloth made of gold, silver and silk. In 1567 the rulers of Gilan, the emperors of Austria, Spain, France, Poland and Portugal and the Russian czar and the Venetian doge were to receive their letters in Serâser. However, in due time profound changes took 48  Gallop 1994: 35. 49  Leiden University Library, Cod.Or.8214, p. 32. 50  With thanks to Rıfat Günalan for this information (pers. comm. to İ.H. Kadı, 6 August 2012).

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place in with regard to these conventions.51 Several entries in the catalogue of the Cevdet tasnifi (collection) indicates that green atlas (a silk fabric with a satin weave) was the conventional cloth used for Sultan’s outgoing letters to most Muslim potentates, including in Oman and Morocco, and for documents such as imperial diplomas during the eighteenth century.52 A rich collection of Ottoman, Persian and Tartar silk envelopes from royal correspondence from the 16th to 18th centuries is still held today in Swedish collections.53 Similar traditions applied in Southeast Asia, with a particular emphasis on yellow, the royal colour; the illuminated letter from Sultan Iskandar Muda of Aceh written to James I in 1615 was sent in a yellow silk envelope with a lining of white cotton.54 A few of the Southeast Asian letters now held in the BOA still have their original envelopes. The Kedah letter of 1824 was enclosed in an envelope of white cotton with the name of the addressee written directly on the envelope. The two letters from Aceh, dispatched a year apart, were sent in identical richly brocaded maroon silk envelopes, implying that the same stock of cloth was used for both envelopes. The Malay letter of 1849 has a paper label stuck onto the cloth envelope with gum, while the envelope of the Arabic letter of 1850 has a paper label stitched on. In each case the silk envelope was enclosed in a paper wrapper. The Riau letter of 1857, however, was wrapped in an envelope of green silk with red and silver trim and red silk threads. This choice of colour – relatively unusual in the Malay world55 – may reflect an awareness of the privileged status of green atlas envelopes in the Ottoman chancery, in this case too suggesting that the Riau court may have enjoyed advice from someone particularly well-versed in Ottoman diplomatic protocol.

51  Kütükoğlu 1994: 162. 52   B OA C.DH. 79/3901; 21/1040; 30/1457; 55/2724; 78/3868; 78/3890; 79/3901; 171/8514; 121/6057. Likewise the letters of the Sadrazams (Grand Viziers) seem to have covered with red atlas BOA C.DH. 225/11221; 225/11222; 225/11234; 321/16007; 321/16024; 110/5470; 166/8251; 166/8258; 84/4185. The colour of the atlas cover depended probably also on the faith of the addressee. The ruler of Bukhara received his letter from the Sadrazam in white atlas, BOA C.DH. 84/4189. 53  Geijer & Lamm 1944. 54  Gallop 1994: 93–97. 55  The trading permit issued to Sir Harry Middleton by Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah of Aceh in 1602 was wrapped in an envelope of green silk (Gallop 1994: 94).

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10 Amulets It is perhaps difficult in the present age of instantaneous communications to grasp the degree of worry and uncertainty which must have accompanied the despatch of these letters from the Malay courts of Southeast Asia as they set off on their long journeys across the seas, with no assurance of their safe passage, especially when such weighty matters of state security were at stake, and when the letters were accompanied by gifts of great value. One precaution commonly taken was the inscription of an amulet, usually in the form of a sequence of letters or words, believed to be charged with protective powers.56 The most common such amulet used to safeguard letters throughout the Muslim world was called Budūḥ. Budūḥ is an artificial talismanic word made up of the letters b.d.w.ḥ, equivalent in the abjad system to the numbers 2 4 6 8, and the name Budūḥ is also sometimes applied to the number sequence itself. These numbers are derived from the corner elements of the three by three magic square of the numbers one to nine, whereby the sum of the three numbers in any direction – vertical, horizontal or diagonal – is always 15.57 The 2468 amulet was in widespread use throughout the Islamic world to safeguard letters. It is found on the back of a letter from the sultanate of Darfur to the Ottoman authorities in 1790/1, and on the envelope of a letter from the Imam of Muscat written in 1820,58 and even on a letter of 1894 from Mozambique, written in KiSwahili in Arabic script.59 The letter from Kedah has the numbers 2468 written very prominently on the envelope under the title of the addressee, the ‘Ottoman Sultan’. (Although no amulets are found on the Riau and Jambi letters, these may of course have been written on a paper address label or envelope which no longer exists.) The two early Aceh letters are richly embellished with amulets, which is hardly surprising in view of the non-arrival of three previous letters sent from Aceh, each accompanied by expensive gifts, as reported in the Malay letter of 1849.60 Both letters have 2468 inscribed on the address label on the envelope, but both also bear a quintessentially Malay amulet. This is the name of Maʿruf al-Karkhi, a Sufi shaykh who died in Baghdad in 800 AD, which uniquely in 56  For a general introduction to Islamic amulets see Porter 2011: 131–132. 57  Porter 2011: 166. 58  Gallop & Porter 2012: 107. 59  Letter from Omar bin Nacogo Farallahi, brother of Sultan Ibrahim of Angoche, to the Portuguese military commander at Parapato, 3 June 1894 (Bonate 2008: 137). 60  Kadı, Peacock & Gallop 2010: 164.

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Southeast Asia is used as an epistolary amulet, always written with disconnected letters, a form of writing believed to enhance the protective power of the words so written.61 Compared with the well-known Budūḥ, the Acehnese appear to have had an awareness that the Maʿruf al-Karkhi amulet might not be recognized elsewhere, for on the 1849 letter it is only written discretely on the reverse in the bottom right corner, in the form bi-barakat Shaykh Maʿrūf al-Karkhī, ‘with the blessings of the Shaykh Maʿruf al-Karkhi’. But by the time the Arabic letter of 1850 came to be written, with still no news of the safe arrival of the 1849 letter, the overriding concern was clearly that the letter should be afforded every degree of protection possible, and this time the Maʿruf alKarkhi amulet is written boldly on the bottom of the letter itself, as well as on the envelope. Perhaps the most striking epistolary amulets found on a Southeast Asian letter in the Ottoman archives are inscribed on the cover of a petition in the Tausug language sent from the Muslims of Zamboanga in Mindanao to the Ottoman ambassador in Washington D.C. in April 1912, requesting that a teacher of Islam be sent to the Philippines. On the back cover are two four by four magic squares: 320 323 326 313 325 314 319 324 315 328 321 318 322 317 316 327

and 507 511 514 500 513 501 506 512 502 516 409 505 510 504 503 515

61  Gallop 2013.

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Venetia Porter (2011: 168) has shown how complex magic squares can sometimes be reduced to a recognizable simple square by the subtraction of a certain number. If 312 is subtracted from each cell within the first magic square shown above, this yields the perfect four by four magic square recorded in the influential Arabic work on magic, Shams al-Maʿarif, attributed to the 13thcentury writer al-Buni, in which each line – horizontal, vertical or diagonal – adds up to 34:62 8

11

14

1

13

2

7

12

3

16

9

6

10

5

4

15

Porter (ibid.) has also demonstrated that it is not uncommon, over the ages, for errors to occur in magic squares such as are engraved on seals and amulets, necessitating correction. Thus it is the case that in the second of the two magic squares inscribed on the Philippine petition cover, a number of corrections should be made (as indicated in brackets below), after which the subtraction of 500 from each cell will yield the same four by four magic square as identified above. (508) 513 (503) 510

511

514

(502) (507) 516

409

(505) (504)

(501) 512 (506) 515

62  The Shams al-Maʿarif was certainly known in Southeast Asia, for there are three copies of it in the National Library of Indonesia: A 19b, A 20b and A127, the first two of which are from Banten.

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Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah al-Kahhar’s Letter of 1565 (TSMA E.8009): a Diplomatic Reappraisal

In contrast with the wealth of discoveries in the 19th century archives, the research project did not uncover any substantial new material from earlier periods. Nevertheless, diplomatics may fruitfully be employed in a reappraisal of the most important surviving document relating to Southeast Asia from the 16th century: a letter from the sultan of Aceh, Alauddin Riayat Shah al-Kahhar, addressed to Süleyman the Magnificent, dated early August 1565, now held in the Topkapi Palace Museum Archives (Topkapı Saray Müzesi Arşivi, TSMA) with the shelfmark E.8009. The document has recently been the focus of an important study by Giancarlo Casale (2005), who also gives a full transliteration of the text accompanied by English translation. Highlighting the absence of the name of the sender and, conversely, the emphasis within the text on ‘His Majesty’s servant Lutfi’, together with the use of Turkish and the wide-ranging contents ‘more reminiscent of a travel narrative than a piece of diplomatic correspondence’, Casale (2005: 47) proposes that the document ‘rather than the first-hand composition from the Sultan of Aceh, is instead the work of an individual from the Ottoman Empire, who travelled to Aceh, penned a letter for its ruler, and included within it his own extensive observations about the region and its inhabitants’. He further explores the exceptional role played by Lutfi in both shaping and carrying out Ottoman policy in the Indian Ocean in the 16th century, most likely as part of a plan masterminded by Sokullu Mehmed Paşa. Against the background of her pioneering study of khuṭba or duʿā networks in the Indian Ocean, promising prayers for patronage,63 Elizabeth Lambourn is able to offer a significant corrective by suggesting that the large portions of the text viewed by Casale as more ‘report’ than ‘letter’ may in fact fit into the framework of a formal khuṭba request, citing as crucial supporting evidence a letter of 1393 from the qadi of Calicut on behalf of the leading Muslims of the town to the Rasulid ruler of Yemen, which adduces similar facts about existing khuṭba relationships in neighbouring polities.64 Thus rather than focusing on whether or not the letter was authored by the Sultan of Aceh or by Lutfi, Lambourn profitably suggests re-reading this document ‘as a more complex hybrid, the grafting of a Turkish envoy’s aspirations and interests onto an Acehnese epistolary

63  Lambourn 2008, 2011. 64  Lambourn 2011: 142.

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root, itself tinged by earlier traditions of khuṭba request’.65 On the materiality of the letter, Lambourn comments: As an object, the document unfortunately adds very little to our understanding of its complex authorship; what survives is clearly an Ottoman archival copy of a so far lost original. The apparent loss of the original letter undoubtedly robs us of a considerable body of material evidence that might have helped clarify its authorship and place of production. We also do not know the language in which the original letter was composed – as diplomatic correspondence was routinely translated, the language of the copy is not necessarily that of its original composition – a fact that again limits our ability to identify its author. Lambourn 2011: 141

Although it has not been possible to examine personally the document and the paper upon which it is written,66 it has been studied from a high-resolution digital image provided by the TSMA. The document is 132 cm long and 21.5 cm wide, containing 121 lines of text, and there is no visible watermark on the paper or annotation on the reverse.67 At least two, and most probably three, pieces of paper have been glued together to form the long scroll.68 The top 10 cm of the paper above the beginning of the text is left blank, with a tiny letter heading on the very top edge, Huwa, ‘He’ [i.e. God]. Huwa was a standard invocatio in Ottoman documents at least from the 15th to 18th centuries, and was also favoured in Aceh in the early 17th century.69 The document commences with 13 lines of Arabic comprising the opening protocol with religious salutations, and the name and title of the addressee – Sultan Süleyman Khan – with benedictions, followed by the lengthy contents proper in Turkish, and ending with the date, the middle of Jumada II, 973. The text is written in strong black ink in a small neat hand; there is no distinction in handwriting style between the sections in Arabic and those in Turkish. The above physical description encompasses a number of features all of which suggest that this is an original letter written in the name of Sultan 65  Lambourn 2011; 143. For a critique of Casale’s approach to this letter by Ottomanists, see Soucek 2008: 106–110, Işıksel 2011. 66  During the period of the research project 2009–2012, the TSMA was inaccessible to researchers. 67  Information from TSMA provided to İ.H. Kadı, 21.5.2013. 68  A join in the paper can be seen just above line 80, with another possible join either just beneath line 31, or obscured by the crease just below line 26. 69  Gallop 2011: 131.

Introduction: The Language of Letters

29

Alauddin Riayat Shah al-Kahhar of Aceh for presentation to Sultan Süleyman, rather than an archival copy made on arrival in Istanbul. These include the presence of an invocatio at the very top of the sheet; the extent of blank space above the text – typically a mark of respect to the recipient, as noted above, and a material extravagance unlikely to be retained in an archival copy; the fact that the document comprises a single long scroll made up of several pieces of paper pasted together, rather than being on separate sheets, or copied into a defter; and the relatively good hand, neater than that of most Ottoman archival copies of correspondence in the 16th century. In terms of the formal composition of the letter, the absence of the name of the sender is merely in accordance with standard epistolary protocol for a letter in Arabic or Turkish to a superior;70 nor is the lack of a seal surprising.71 The use of Turkish was another feature that led Casale to question the authorship of this letter. Yet as discussed above, a wide range of linguistic choices were made in early royal epistles, and since Ottoman agency in the shaping of the E.8009 is undoubted, it seems entirely pragmatic that the decision was taken for the whole letter to be written in Turkish, apart from the customary introductory duʿā in very good Arabic (certainly of a better standard than noted in any other Southeast Asian letter of the period). Another, non-mutually-exclusive scenario, is that E.8009 may originally have been accompanied by another letter from the Sultan of Aceh, perhaps written in Malay. The letter to Istanbul from King Mindon of Burma in 1869 was written in Burmese but was sent together with parallel Persian and English versions,72 while in 1899 King Chulalongkorn of Siam wrote to Sultan Abdülhamid in Thai and English. Closer in time to E.8009, in 1661 Sultanah Taj al-Alam Saifyyat al-Din of Aceh wrote to King Charles II in Malay. But while the Malay letter mentions that the East India Company servant Henry Gary, who had been in Aceh for 18 months, has been allowed to build a warehouse in Aceh, the contemporary English translation continues with the granting of an exit permit to Gary to return to Surat, and the naming of Francis Cobb as the Company’s representative – phrases not found in the Malay letter.73 Furthermore, while the Malay letter is undated the English version gives the date in the Hijra and 70  Gallop 2011: 132–3, an earlier version of which was cited by Lambourn 2011: 142. 71  On the absence of seals on numerous Islamic letters see Gallop & Porter 2012: 30–31, 46– 47. The one-metre long letter from Sultan Iskandar Muda of Aceh to James I of 1615 does not bear a seal (Gallop 2011: 108). 72  See Patricia Herbert’s article in this volume, pp. 185–190. 73  ‘[T]he 1/5 of three shipps customes that shall come every monsoone bringing freight goods belonging to moores merchants, is alsoe freely granted allowed and given them with many other libertys all which in regard hee hath desired our licence for his departure

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Julian calendars.74 The implication is that the English version is not a later archival translation, but is (or is based on) a document drawn up in Aceh, perhaps a short while after the original Malay letter was written. Such a time-lag between the Malay original and the English version may parallel the case with E.8009, which includes references to events in Lutfi’s homewards voyage from Aceh. In such a scenario, one possibility for consideration is that the E.8009 may have been put together in the Hijaz, a repository then – just as in the 19th century – of linguistic expertise in Malay and Ottoman as well as Arabic. 12

Concluding Thoughts

This analysis of the letters sent from Southeast Asia to Istanbul from the perspective of diplomatics has highlighted the complex concerns governing the composition of documents in different states and at different times, with royal letters posing particular problems for chancery courtiers. In reflecting local epistolary conventions whilst simultaneously seeking to anticipate those of the ‘other’, with the level of effort and sensitivity exerted determined both by the matter at stake and realpolitik, royal letters can rarely be correlated exactly with the prescribed diplomatic protocols of either the sender or the recipient. And yet the reality was that such letters were necessarily and regularly exchanged between sovereign courts, across a very wide range of power relationships. A recent study of the diplomatic correspondence of Elizabeth I (r. 1533– 1603) provides a fascinating picture of material, textual and linguistic diversity, with a very wide range of approaches adopted in correspondence with different heads of state, in some case on the basis of seemingly contradictory principles. Thus European monarchs were flattered by the use of Elizabeth’s small signet seal as a sign of intimacy, but a larger seal was necessary for letters to Russia and Turkey as the expected sign of majesty. When Elizabeth wrote to the Ottoman Sultan Murad III and Tsar Ivan IV, ‘the Terrible’, her letters were decorated or ‘limned’ with illuminated borders, but these were not applied to her correspondence with western European powers ‘who valued simplicity of form over ostentatious embellishment’.75 Regarding choice of language, to Suratt, wee have ratified unto Francis Cobb in the behalfe of the said Company’ (Gallop 2011: 256). 74  28 Safar 1072 and 12 October 1661 (Gallop 2011: 257). 75  Allinson 2012: 29–30.

Introduction: The Language of Letters

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Elizabeth wrote to Murad III in the European diplomatic lingua franca of Latin, but she wrote to Tsar Ivan in English ‘perhaps to reciprocate the letters he had sent in his own vernacular’.76 Particularly significant in Elizabeth’s correspondence with Murad III over a course of 17 years is evidence of constant ‘experimentation with different modes of ornamentation and rhetorical strategies’ in response to the practical, moral and political issues involved in establishing and maintaining diplomatic relations with a non-European, Muslim state.77 At the outset the question was raised about the extent to which the letters from the Malay world reflect an understanding Ottoman diplomatics. From the evidence of their letters, the Southeast Asians certainly showed themselves very well aware of, and able to apply, certain principles of Ottoman diplomatics, some of which involved radical departures from Malay epistolary norms: the use of elevatio; the application of Ottoman forms of address; the omission of the name of the sender of the letter; the positioning the seal in the bottomleft corner of a letter, and the absence of an invocation. And yet a great variety of responses was also observed over the period in question, particularly in the letters from the sultans of Aceh, who despatched pleas to Istanbul with increasing desperation over a period of half a century. Over the course of the decades, there is a marked sense of increasing emphasis on content over form: less and less care is taken over the formal presentation of letters, which by the end of the century are written on cheap lined paper without any marked condescension in the placing of the seal, while at the same time the content becomes ever more harrowing and the tone more urgent. And yet the question of whether it mattered – whether formal compliance to certain standards of diplomatics was expected in the Ottoman chancery, and whether or not it smoothed the passage of these letters (and their accompanying envoys) on arrival in Istanbul – is less certain. Ottoman documents concerning the letters from Southeast Asian rulers do not include any comments on the diplomatics of the epistles received. In fact, the only case noted is, conversely, a concern with the propriety of the form of official response from Istanbul, when the Grand Vizier suggested that the Acehnese petitions of 1873 should receive in response not an imperial letter but a Grand Vizierial one.78 In his study of Ottoman ahdnames issued to Poland from the 15th to the 18th centuries, Daniel Kolodziejczyk stresses – just as we have – the importance of making meaningful comparisons, and he gives a long list of variables to bear 76  Allinson 2012: 28. 77  Allinson 2012: 131–150. 78   I .HR.260/15583.

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in mind: chronological compatibility, for Ottoman chancery documents themselves evolved over time;79 regional origin; the nature of content (supplicatory request; neutral relations; belligerent); the formal category of document (request, petition, letter); and the ‘human factor’, manifested in inconsistency on the part of chancery officials. Lastly, and very importantly, was the perception of the level of sophistication of the addressee. Kolodziejczyk (2000: 18, 44) saw in this factor an explanation perhaps for why the size of the tughra on even the most magnificent ahdname issued to Poland never approached the size of the tughra on Venetian treaties. Kolodziejczyk was discussing ‘outbound’ documents drawn up in the Ottoman chancery, but the same principles might also apply to incoming documents: namely that the degree of fierce scrutiny to which letters to the sultan would be subjected would depend on a perception of the level of familiarity of the sender with Ottoman protocol, and that the Southeast Asians might well have been treated with a greater measure of diplomatic indulgence than they had anticipated. 79  Ortaylı 1988: 161.

Chapter 1

Documents on 16th Century Ottoman Contacts with Aceh The relations between the Ottoman empire and the sultanate of Aceh in the sixteenth century have attracted considerable attention from scholars, starting with the pioneering studies of Reid (1969a; revised version in Reid 2005: 69–93). More recently see Göksoy 2004: 11–56, Casale 2010: 117–51, Göksoy 2011, Lambourn 2011, Alves 2015. However, as Casale (2005: 44–5) has pointed out, it has rarely been based on a thorough understanding of the surviving Ottoman documents. All the sixteenth century documents to have come to light are Ottoman summaries of their dealings with the Acehnese with the problematic exception of our first document TSMA E.8009. It should be noted that the relationship predates the earliest references in the Turkish sources, probably to around 1538, and there were certainly other embassies beyond those documented in the Istanbul archives (Reid 1969a: 401–2, Reid 2005: 75–7; Göksoy 2004: 31–2). New light has recently been shed on some of these activities by the discovery of a mühimme defteri in Vienna covering the period 1563–4, which confirms that Alauddin Kahhar sent several embassies requesting help (documents transcribed, translated and discussed in Römer and Vatin 2015) 1

Letter from the Sultan of Aceh Alauddin Kahhar to the Ottoman Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent requesting cooperation against the Portuguese, 2–12 January 1566. Transcribed and translated by Giancarlo Casale1 Previous publications: Şah 1967 and Göksoy 2004:193–8 (Turkish text only); Casale 2005, with English translation (reprinted here) and extensive commentary and discussion. While there is no doubt as to the sixteenthcentury date of the letter, to what extent it is actually an authentic letter from the Acehnese is debatable, given it is written in Turkish rather than

1  The transcription and translation of the letter is taken from Casale 2005: 43–81, though the transcription is adjusted to the standards of this volume.

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_003

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the Arabic that one would expect to have been used, and the very precise acquaintance of the author with the correct formulas for addressing the Ottoman sultan. Casale considers it to be the work of the Ottoman captain Lutfi who had been sent as ambassador to Aceh. For further discussion see Lambourn 2011, Işıksel 2011, Römer and Vatin 2015 and the introduction to the current volume, pp. 27–29 above. [The first thirteen lines in Arabic, consisting for the most part of an extended opening invocation and brief Qurʾanic quotations are not transcribed] Pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh zilluʾllâh hazretlerinün dergâh-ı âʿlâ ve bârgâh-ı muʿallâlarından özge mesnedimüz ve melceʾimüz ve mahall-i şikâyetimüz olmayup zâhir[en] ve bâtın[en] iʿtikâdımuz müteyekkindür ki eğer şimdiye değin bu bendelerinün keyfiyet-i ahvâlinden ve işbu diyârda ve Tahta‌ʾr-rîhʾde küffâr-ı hâksâr ile aʿlâ meddiʾş-şuhûr veʾl-eyyâm-ı cihâd fî sebîliʾllâh olduğı husûsda ol dergâh-ı muʿallâya zâhir ve bâhir olaydı terahhum ve şefkat-ı şâhâneleri hâʾil-i hâl-i nâ-muradân olup murâdât ve maksûdâtımız biʾl-külliye hedef-i icâbete makrûn olunurdı. Aleʾl-husûs selâtîn-i adl-âyîn üzerine vâcibdür ki dîn-i hakka takviyet idüp iʿânet buyuralar. Nice ki Kurʾân-ı Mecîdʾde vâriddür ki -yâ eyyüheʾllezîne âmenû künû ansârʾullâh- ol hâk-i âsitân-ı refîʿüʾl-mekân ki matlaʿ-i nûr u ihsân ve şâmil-i hâl-i bendegândur ricâ olunur ki bu fakîr ve miskin ve yetîm ve düşman arasında müfred ve yalnız kalmış bendelerine rahm ve şefkat idüp bi-resmiʾl-gazâʾ-î fî sebîliʾllâh ve tedmîrüʾl-keferetiʾl-müşrikîn ve aʿdâüʾd-dîn hasbet[en] lillâh ve resûlihî asâkiri mansûre ve âlât-ı cihâd ve mesâlih-i harb bilüp görmiş müdebbir kullarından ihsân olmasına inâyet buyurula -vemâ tefʿalü min hayri tecidüni iʿndʾallâh- feemmâ delâil-i iʿcâzda ve ahâdis-i nebevîde vârid olan fezâil-i gazv veʾl-iʿânet-i aliyye ol halîfetüʾllâhi fiʾl-âlemîn hazretlerine rûşen ve mübeyyendür ve şimdiki hâlde küffâr-ı hâksârlarda ve tamâm vilâyet-i Hindistan kâfirlere muhib ve pâdişâhlarda ol âsitân-ı aʿlâ kıbelinden bu bendelerine resâyil vusûl olduğı meşhur ve mübeyyendür. Ol ecillden sürʿatle üzerlerine varmakdan havf ve hazer iderler. İmdi Allâhʾun hürmeti hakkiçün olsun ve Muhammed Mustafa salla‌ʾllâhu aleyhi ve sellem hürmeti hakkiçün ve ecdâd-ı merhûmîn ruhları hakkiçün olsun ki bu bende-i üftâdelerine ve bu diyârlarda olan ehl-i İslâm ve hüccâc hâllerine şefkat ve rahm buyurup iʿânet ve imdâdları ahsen-i vechile ve esrâʿ-i vaktile ihsân buyurula mübâdâ ki küffâr-ı hâksâr ve cümle eʿâdîyyüʾd-dîn ol dergâh-ı muʿallâdan imdâd irişmeden ittifâkla üzerimüze gelüp muhârebe ile istikdâm ideler ve bundan akdem Ömer ve Hüseyin kullarımuz dergâh-ı aʿlâ kıbeline revâne olduklarında cemîʿ Hindistan vilâyetlerinden küffâr-ı hâksârla müttefik olan pâdişâhlara ilm olundı anlar dahî Portugal pâdişâhına elçi

Documents on 16th Century Ottoman Contacts with Aceh

35

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Documents on 16th Century Ottoman Contacts with Aceh

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Figure 1

Chapter 1

Letter from the Sultan of Aceh Alauddin Kahhar to the Ottoman Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent requesting cooperation against the Portuguese, 2–12 January 1566

gönderüp ol küffâr-ı aʿdâiʾd-dîn ve fecere-i melâʿînden iʿânet istidʿâ idüp arz eylediler ki Açi pâdişâhı istidʿâ ve iʿânet ve imdâd Rum pâdişâhından eylemişdür, bizüm dahî Portugal pâdişâhından iltimâsımuz vardur, görelim Açi pâdişâhına Rûm pâdişâhından murâdı hâsıl olur veyâ bizüm Portugal pâdişâhından hâsıl olur. Lâkin iʿtikâdımuz âyet-i kerîme muktezâsı üzere vâsıkdur ki -zâlike biʾennallâhi mevlellezîne âmenû ve ennel-kâfirîne lâmevlâ lehüm. Bizüm iʿtimâdımuz ve iʿtikâdımuz Allâhʾın fazlına ve pâdişâh-ı âlempenâh zılluʾllâh hazretlerinün tasaddukâtlarına sâbit ve vâsıkdur ve pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh zılluʾl-lâh hazretlerinün tasaddukâtlarından meʾmûlât ve mesʾûlâtımuz hâsıl olması mukarrerdür ve dahî dergâh-ı muʿallâya arz olunur

Documents on 16th Century Ottoman Contacts with Aceh

39

ki bu diyârla Mekke-i Şerîfe -şerrefehuʾl-lâhu teʿâlâ- arasında Dîvâ dimekle maʿrûf yirmi dört bin cezîredür. Ol cezîrelerün bir ucı Frenk Gova‌ʾsına ve bir ucı zulümât deryâlarına ulaşmışdur ve ol yirmi dört bin cezîreden on iki bin cezîresi âdemle meskûn ve on iki bin cezîreleri harâb gayr-i meskûndur. Ve ol cezâyirün ahâlisi kâffet[en] Peygamber-i âhiriʾz-zamân salleʾllâhu aleyhi ve sellem hazretlerinün ümmetlerinden Şâfiʿi mezheb-i dîn-i mübîn olduğı vech üzere namaz kılıcı ve oruç tutıcı her cezîrelerinde câmiʿler binâ idüp pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh zılluʾllâh hazretlerinün mübârek ve âlî ism-i şerîflerine hutbe okuyup izdiyâd-ı ömr ü devlet-i rûz-ı efzûnlarına biʾl-gudüvvi veʾl-âsâl Fâtihâ-hân fukarâ ve zuʿafâ ve mesâkinlerdür ve kuvvet-i yevmiyyeleri balık olmağla ve kûr-i hindî yemekle ve nârcîl ağacından hâsıl lifden kumbâr ipin büküp ol cezîrelere uğrayan gemilere satmağla geçinür zuʿafâ ve mesâkinlerdür. Ve ol cezîrelerün ekser yirlerinde anber-i hâm bulunur ve bundan akdem ol cezîrelerün bir pâdişâhı olup küffâr-ı hâksârla alâ meddiʾd-dehr veʾl-asr husûmet ve muhârebe itmekle küffâr-ı hâksâr ol cezîrelere dahl idemezlerdi. Şimdiki hâlde sene dokuz yüz yetmişinci târîhinde küffâr-ı melâʿîn-i aʿdâiʾd-dîn kesretle ol pâdişâh üzerine gelüp ve anı zebûn eyleyüp pâdişâh zaʿif-i hâl olmağla kendi ehl u iyâli ile azîmet idüp Mekke-i Şerîfe gider iken âhir-i mevsîm olmağla Moha ve Aden canibine çıkup pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün taht-ı livâʾ-i adâletlerinde zelîl ve hazîn ve miskîn kalmışdur. Elʾân ol cezîreler kamusı küffâr-ı hâksârlarun hükmine girüp yıldan yıla değin ol fukarâ ve zuʿafâ ve mesâkinden yirmi dört bin kantar kumbâr ipin gemilerine âlât ve istiʿdâd itmek içün zulm[en] ve cebr[en] alurlar ve dahî cemîʿ Tahta‌ʾr-rîh iskelelerinden hacılar ve tâcirler gemileri Mekke-i Şerîfe -şerrefehuʾl-lâhu teʿalâ- canibine revâne olduklarında cezâyir-i mezkûrenün arasından geçerler ve cezâyir-i mezkûre dahî birbirinden bir ok iki ok atımı mikdârınca dûr olup yirmi dört bin cezîre arasında hemân dört yirden gemi geçecek yol vardur bâkî cezâyirler arasından gemi geçmeğe yol yokdur. Şimdi ol geçid olacak yirleri kâfirler bekledüp cemîʿ Tahta‌ʾr-rîhʾden Mekke cânibine sefer eden tâcirler ve hacılar gemileri ol geçit üzerine varduklarında kimini fırsat bulup esîr iderler ve her kimini ki fırsatları olmayup ahz idemezler anı ırakdan top darbiyle batururlar. Ol gemide olan müslümanlarun kimileri deryâda gark olup ve kimileri deryâ yüzünden devşirüp esîr iderler. Sene dokuz yüz yetmiş ikinci târîhinde Lütfi kulları bu cânibe gelüp muʿâvedet itdüklerinde anlar ile Hindistanʾın vilâyet-i Gucerat vezirlerinden Çingiz Hân gemilerinden Samedî dimekle maʿrûf ve meşhûr azîm ve büyük gemi bu diyârdan on altı kantar fülfül ve ibrişim ve dârçîn ve karanfil ve kâfur ve hisâlbend ve sâʾir Tahta‌ʾr-rîh metâʿlarından yüklenüp Mekke-i Şerîfe cânibine müteveccih olduklarında zikr olunan cezîrelere varduklarında üç pâre galyot ve yedi pâre kadırgaya sataşup dört gün ve dört gece küffâr-ı kâhsârlarla muhârebet eyleyüp

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kâfirler ol gemi ahzına fırsat bulamaduklarında ırakdan top darbıyla batırup ol geminun içinde beş yüz nefer Müslüman kimileri deryâda gark olurlar ve kimileri kâfirler su yüzünde devşirüp esîr eylediler ve dahî ol dergâh-ı muʿallâya arz olunur ki Seylan pâdişâhı bir kâfir pâdişâhdur. Anun vilâyetinde cevâhir maʿâdenleri olup gicelerde cevâhir nûrı ile evleri rûşen olup çerâğ yandurmağa ihtiyâçları yokdur. Ol vilâyet dahî bizüm diyârımuzdan deryâ yolından sekiz günlük mesâfe ve ol diyârun baʿzı ahâlîleri ehl-i İslâm dîn-i mübîn üzere namaz kılıcılardur. Ve anun vilâyetlerinde on dört yirde câmiʿler binâ idüp pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün mübârek ve âlî ism-i şerîflerine hutbe okuyup izdiyâd-ı ömr ü devletleri içün Fâtiha okurlar. Ve Kalikut pâdişâhı dahî Sâmerî dimekle maʿrûf ve meşhûr ve kâfir pâdişâhdur. Anun vilâyetleri reʾâyâsı ekseri Müslümanlardur ve anun gibi vilâyetinde dahî yirmi dört yirde câmiʿler binâ idüp anda dahî pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün mübârek ve âlî ism-i şerîflerine hutbe okuyup izdiyâd-ı ömr ü devletleri içün Fâtiha okurlar. İşbu iki kâfir pâdişâhları dahî vilâyetleri biri birine yakındur. Anlar dahî küffâr-ı hâksâr ile meddüʾd-dehr veʾl-asr muhârebet idüp küffâr-ı hâksâr anlarun vilâyetlerine dahl idemezler. Çünki Lütfi kulları bu cânibe vusûl bulduklarında Seylan ve Kalikut pâdişâhlarına haber olundukda anlar bu cânibe elçiler gönderüp arz eylediler ki biz pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh-ı zılluʾllâh hazretlerinün hidmetkârlarından olup ahd ve mîsâkları olundı kim inşâʾallâhüʾl-aliyyiʾl-aʿlâ pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün mübârek donanma-yı hümâyûnları bu diyârlara uʿbûr bulunduklarında kendileri imâna gelüp şehâdet getüreler ve kendi vilâyetlerinde olan küffâr reʿâyâları dahî cemîʿ[an] îmâna getürüp dîn-i bâtıldan dîn-i hakka doğrı yola giderler. İnşâʾallâhüʾl-aliyyi pâdişâh-ı âlempenâh hazretlerinün ulyâ himmetleri ile maşrıkdan mağrıba değin cümle küffâr âsârları mahv olup İslâm dînine gireler. Ve dahî maʿrûz olunur ki nice cevâhir ve altun ve gümüş maʿâdenleri bî-hesâb olunur. Bunca zamandan berü küffâr-ı hâksârlara nasîb olunur olmışdı. İnşâʾallâhüʾl-kadîr anlar dahî pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün asâkir-i mücâhidîn ve guzzât-ı muvahhidîn kullarına nasîb ve kısmet olacakdur. Ve dahî ol dergâh-ı muʿallâya ricâ-yı vâsıkamuz oldur ki bu bendelerini sâʾir pâdişâhlar aʿdâdından saymayup kendi kullarından diyâr-ı Mısır beğlerbeğisi ve yâhud Yemen beğlerbeğisi veyâ Cidde ve Aden beğleri kulları aʿdâdından pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh-ı zılluʾllâh hazretlerinün etrâf-ı vilâyetlerinde sadaka yiyen garîb ve miskin ve hazîn kulları aʿdâdından maʿdûd buyuralar ve dahî ol dergâh-ı muʿallâdan istidʿâ olunur ki bizüm ricâmuz ol dergâh-ı muʿallâdan katʿ olmayup bunca hacılara ve zuʿafâ ve mesâkine kâfirlerden olan hayf ve gadr hâtır-ı âtır-ı cihân-muhîte takdîr itdirüp rahm ve şefkat-ı hüsrevâneleri bu fukarânun hâline zuhûr bulup pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün gayet-i tasaddukâtlarından beresmiʾl-gazâveʾl-cihâd fî sebîliʾl-lâh âlât-ı cihâd ve eslihâ-i gazâ ve imdâd-ı

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asâkir-i mensûre -kemâ hüveʾl-maksûd veʾl-meʾmûl min iʿânetikümüʾl-aliyyericâ olunması bâbında ihsân buyuralar. -İnnellâha lâ yudıʿil ecreʾl-muhsinîn-ve eğer ol dergâh-ı muʿallâ ki melce-i zuʿafâ ve gurebâ ve mesned-i erbâb-ı hâcâtdur bu bende-i kemterînlerine rahm ve şefkat idüp donanma-yı hümâyûnları asâkir ve âlât ve yarak inâyet ve ihsân olunursa inşâʾallâhüʾl-kadîrüʾl-muktedir dîn-i mübîn uğrına ve Allâh yolına gazâ idüp pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün mübârek ve ulyâ himmetleri ile küffâr-ı hâksârlarun âsârların bu diyardan ve cemîʿ Tahta‌ʾr-rîhʾden mahv itmeğe bu bendeleri zâmin ve kefîldür. Şöyle ki ol dergâh-ı muʿallâdan bu bendelerinün murâdâtı hâsıl olmayup gazâ-i fî sebîliʾllâh asâkir ve âlât ve yarak inâyet olunmaz ise sonra bu bendelerinün hâline ve cemîʿ Tahta‌ʾr-rîhʾde olan ehl-i İslâm ve hüccâca kâffet[en] teʾessüf olunmak mukarrerdür ve hüccâc yolları kâfirlerden makfûl olup cemîʿ Müslümanlara hayf olacakdur. Ammâ bizüm ricâmuz pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh zılluʾllâhi fiʾl-âlemîn hazretlerinün eltâf-ı âmmelerine vâsıkdur ve her kim ki ol dergâh-ı muʿallâya ilticâ itmiş ise ricâsı hâʾib olmamışdur bu diyârun ve Hindistan pâdişâhları biʾl-külliyye Portugalʾdan imdâd ve iʿânet temennâ eylediler ve bizüm murâd ve gayet-i temennâmuz ol dergâh-ı muʿallâdan râfiʿ ve mufevvaz olmışdur. Zirâ ki kendi canımız ve cehdimiz ve mâlımız gazâ-i fî sebîliʾllâh yolına koyup ümîdimüz budur ki gazâ silâhları sâyesinde hadîs-i Nebevî muktezâsınca ki -el-cennetü tahte zılâliʾs-süyûf- mütezellil ve âsûde-hâl olmakdur ve rûz-ı kıyâmetde -yevmüʾl-vükûf beyne yediʾllâhi teʿâlâ tahta‌ʾl-livâʾi seyyidnâ Muhammed rasûliʾllâhi sallellâhu aleyhi ve sellem-, ol pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün taht-ı ikdâmlarında mücâhidîn zümrelerinde haşr olmak nasibimüz ola. -ve hüveʾl-müvaffıku veʾl-muʿîn- Ve dahî ol dergâh-ı muʿallâdan ricâ olunur ki bacaluşka ve havayî ve şayka toplardan hisâr dövmek içün ihsân buyurula ve diyâr-ı Mısır beğlerbeğisi ve Yemen beğlerbeğisi ve Cidde ve Aden beğleri kullarına fermân-ı cihân-mutâʿ-ı vâcibüʾl-inkıyâd veʾl-ittibâʿ sâdır oluna ki her gâh bu cânibden dergâh-ı aʿlâ kıbeline âdemlerimüz irsâl olunduklarında yollarda taʿvîk ve taʿtîl itdirmeyüp esrâʿ vechile dergâh-ı aʿlâ kıbeline revâne oluna ve her mevsimde ol nevâhîden bu bendeleri içün at ve nühâs ve yarak alındukda bu diyara getirmek husûsına mâniʿ olup teʾhîr olunmaya ki ol cevânibden dahî ahbâr-ı bekâʾ-ı devâm-ı devlet-i rûz-efzûnlarını işidüp mesrûrüʾl-hâtır ve tayyibüʾl-meʾâsir olmakdur. Zirâ ki vallâhiʾl-azîm işbu Açî dahî pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün köylerinden bir köydür bu bendeleri dahî hidmetkârlarından hidmetkârım. Eğerçi kemâl-i eltâfa gayetle kelâm-ı tavîl ile tasdîʿi evkât-ı şerîfleri olundı ise lâkin Lütfi kulları cemîʿ ahvâlimüze ve efʿâlimüze ve gazâ uğruna cedd ü cehdimüze pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün hidemât-ı şerîflerine iʿtikâdımuza ve ihlâsımuza şâhid ve vâkıfdur. Ve dahî maʿrûz olunur ki ol cânib-i kımme-i kubbe-i hazrâdan Lütfi kulları bu diyara irsâl olundukda ahsen

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zamânda -keʾl-menni veʾs-selvâ veʾl-mâʾide-Hazret-i İsâ gibi nâzil olup cânımuza cân-bahş ve rûhımuza râhat-resân olmışdur. Yine ol mevsimde cemîʿ hidemât ve mesâlihlerin her ne ise evvel[en] ve âhir[en] vech-i maksûd üzere görüp ve bizüm âdemlerimüzle Rahmetüʾl-yakîn dimekle maʿrûf gemimüze binüp üç gün ve üç gice bâzergânlar gemileri ile sefer eyledüklerinde gemileri sulanup maʿraz-ı helâke müteveʾccih olmışken hazret-i Rabbiʾl-erbâb ve müsebbibüʾl-esbâb eltâf-ı rahmetinden ve Muhammed Mustafa salevâtüʾllâhi ve selâmuhû aleyh aʿtâf-ı kereminden ol demde Lütfi kullarına uyku hâʾil olup vâkıʿada görür kim ol pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh zılluʾllâh fiʾl-âlemîn hazretleri ol gemide bulunup pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün fermân-ı hümâyûnları vezir-i azîm hazretlerine olur kim bu gemiyi kendi âdemleriyle çıkduğı yire râciʿ eyleyün. Ol demde Lütfi kulları uykudan uyanup -kâdir-i kün feyekünkendi kemâl-i kudretinden karşıdan rüzgâr esüp yine selâmet üzere bu cânibe muʿâvedet eylediler. -İnnehû alâ mâ yeşâʾü kadîr- İşbu hâl dahî pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün kerâmât velâyâtlarındandur kim bunca gemiler arasından iki rüzgâr peydâ olup Lütfi kulları olduğı gemiye dönmek rüzgârın ihsân olundı ve bâzergân gemilerine gitmek rüzgârı inâyet kılındı. -Nehmeduʾllâhialâ niʿmâtihî- ve dahî sâbıkâ diyâr-ı Gucerat vilâyetleri vezirlerinden Karamanlıoğlı Abdurrahman kulları yarar ve kâr-güzâr ve sâʾir hidemâta sezâvâr bendeleridür. Ve Lütfî kulları iʿtâb-ı aliyyeden bu diyara irsâl olundukda Cidde benderine geldüklerinde bu cânibe gelmek içün gemi bulmamağla hayrân ve mütefekkir olduklarında zikr olunan Abdurrahman kulları pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün emr-i aliyyelerine taʿzîm ve tekrîm idüp kendi mâlından bi-gayri hesâb harç eyleyüp bir gemisini Lütfi kulları ve cemâʿatlarını bu canibe ulaştırmağa irsâl eyledi ve dâʾimüʾl-evkâtda pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün hidemât-ı şerîflerinden taksirât eylemeyüp cân u gönül ile hâdim-i iʿtâb-ı aliyyelerdendür, eyle olsa ol dergâh-ı muʿallâdan ricâ olunur ki Abdurrahman bendelerine Cidde-i maʿmûre sancağın inâyet ve erzânî buyurulmasına inâyet buyurula. Bâkî fermân ulüʾl-emre mufevvazdur. Ve dahî Lütfi kulları ve cemâʿatları fermân-ı hümâyûn müteʿallik olduğı vech üzre şol ki kemâl-i emânet ve istikâmet ve hüsn-i ihâle-i hidmet ve ubûdiyet getürmek husûsında bi-vusʿiʾt-tâkat veʾl-kudret ve kadriʾl-istitâʿati veʾl-mekneti müraʿât-ı sülük-i sebîl-i sedâd ve riʿâyet-i tarik-i cedd ve ecdâd idüp kemâ yelîk ve yenbâğî meşhûrüʾl-mesâʿî vâkiʿ olup ve bu diyârun ahâlisini kâffe[ten] müşâr[ün] ileyh bendelerinün hüsn-i sîret ve ahlâk-ı pesendîdeleri müstağrak-ı hadd-ı kemâlde şükrân gösterdükleri ile pâdişâh-ı âlem-penâh hazretlerinün her vechile mezkûrüʾl-mefâhir ve meşhûrüʾl-meʾâsir bendelerinden olmağın biz dahî kemâ hüveʾl-maksûd râzı ve hoşnûd olmışuzdur. Eyle olsa âtıfet-i şâmile-i şâhâne ve rahmet-i kâmile-i hüsrevâneleri canibine dergâh-ı aʿlâ

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kıbeline revâne olundı. Mercûdur ki inâyet-i aliyyeleri manzûr ve himâyât-ı seniyyeleri ile mesrûr kılınup dergâh-ı âlem-medârdan müyesserüʾl-murâd ve mecbûrüʾl-fuʾâd kılınmasın erzânî buyuralar ki istihkâk-ı temâm ve liyâkat-ı mâlâ-kelâm ile müstahak ve lâyık bendeleridür inşâʾallâhüʾl-aliyyi murâd olunur ki mezkûr bendelerini yine bu canibe irsâl olunması bâbında inâyet buyurula zîrâ ki tamâm vilâyetimüzün ahvâline ve sâʾir Hindistan diyârınun ahvâline kimini nazar ile görmek ile ve kimini hikâyâtdan işitmekle vâkıf ve mâhir olmuş bendeleridür. Ve dahî ricâ olunur ki bu canibe irsâl olunan kullarına sipâriş idüp ki bu diyara geldüklerinde bizüm itâʿatımuzda olup bize muhâlefet eylemeyeler ve sekiz nefer topçu ki ol dergâh-ı muʿallâdan bu bendelerine ihsân olundı idi cemîʿ[an] sıhhat ve selâmet üzere bu canibe vâsıl olup anlarun makâmı bizüm yanımuzda cevâhir dağlarından azîm ve muʿteberdür ve ol dergâh-ı muʿallâdan birkaç aded at kâmilüʾt-taʿlîm ve hisâr ve kadırga yapıcılardan istidʿâ olunur, inâyet buyurula. Elʾân ol âsitâne-i aʿlâkıbeline yüz sürmek içün kendi kullarımuz Hüseyin el-muhâtab be-rütbet-peymâyî-i maʿrife gönderildi. Lâ cerem ber-mûcib-i ihyâ-yı ulûm-ı kavânîn-i nasafet ve icrâ-yı kavâʿid-i âyin-reʾfet hurşîd-i tâbân-ı inâyetleri meşârık-ı izzet u iclâlden tâlîʿ ola. Hemîşe kıyâm-ı hıyâm-ı saltanat ve devâm-ı memleket pâyende bâd bi-rabbiʾl-iʿbâd. Tahrîr[en] fî evâsıt-ı şehr-i Cemâziʾs-sânî fî sene selâse ve sebʿîn ve tisʿa miʾe. 1.1 Translation [The first thirteen lines of the document and numerous isolated passages throughout the rest of the text are in Arabic. These consist for the most part of an extended opening invocation and brief Qurʾanic quotations added for emphasis, while the main body of the text, with most of its substantive content, is in Turkish. In the translation below, passages from Arabic have been indicated with italics.] The most appropriate means of abrogating the causes of abandonment and remoteness, and the most suitable way to secure [lasting] devotion and sincere affection, is through the rendering of services that stem from a conscience whose pureness is witnessed by God, and through the offering of prayers that are carried by angels to the seventh heaven, and that are dedicated to the most just, illustrious, and glorious of honourable rulers, [i.e. Sultan Süleyman Khan]. He is the sun of the sultanate, of rulership, and of rightful guidance, who singes the infidels and the enemies of the state through the heat of his strength. And he is [likewise] the moon of the caliphate of the religion of God the Adjudicator, who erases the darkness of infidelity from the face of our times. The flags of his benevolence and grace flutter among the kings, and all mankind has sung his praises

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and professed deep gratitude to him. In pride and glory, he has surpassed both his predecessors and his descendants, by constantly exerting himself in holy war for the victory of the religion of God. The tongues of men have become exhausted from describing the beautiful adornments of his virtues, just as their pens have tired from recording the charming qualities of his deeds. The thrones [of ordinary kings] are too narrow to accommodate his magnificence, and the eyes of the people of the two ages have blinded themselves in a [ fruitless] search for his equal. He is the guardian of the two holy Shrines [of Mecca and Medina], who has acquired the virtues of both this world and the next. He is the keeper of God’s secrets. He is the magnificent authority, the Caliph of God, the successor of [the four rightly guided] caliphs, like Abu Bakr in honesty and truthfulness, like Omar in justice and contentment, like Uthman in good manners and modesty, and like Ali2 in courage and [generosity].3 He is the crown of the Muslim sultans and the spirit of all the believers, the fierce lion of God, the relentless sword of God, the grace of God on all mankind, and the bestowment of his mercy on the devoted worshipers. His generosity abounds in the East and West. He is the embodiment of the signs, attributes and names of God. The pure denomination [of believers]4 has been fortified thanks to his existence, while the unbelievers have been subdued by his authority, their breath and members left quivering [by his might]. He is the most excellent of his contemporaries, and the thunder of belief upon the princes of the infidels. The lustre of his sultanate and the brilliance of his state [illuminate] the crowns of all kingdoms, as they wait for the kindness of the [sultan of ] all of the sultans of the Arabs, the Persians, of Yemen and Iraq. The one who has spread the banner of glorious, pure Islam throughout the world,5 and realized all the hopes of the hopeful, the demolisher, the terminator, has he not been designated by God as the Compassionate King, the All-knowing Sultan, the Great Emperor, Sultan Süleyman Khan (may God Almighty prolong his rule as long as months and years follow each other, and preserve the solid basis of his glorious state for the sake of the prophet, his family, and noble companions)? By God almighty, and the noble prophet Muhammad (God’s blessings and peace be upon him) [it is presented] that:6 2  �‫ا �ل���ع��ل‬.

‫ي‬ َّ َ ‫�ََ ف ّ ة‬ ‫ – ا لم�ل��ة ا �ل‬could also be interpreted more specifically as “the adherents of Hanafi schools of 4  ����‫ح ن��ِ��ي‬ ِ 3  This word appears as a blank in the text.

Islamic jurisprudence.” 5  May also be read “the glorious banner of Hanafi Islam” (see previous note). 6  My thanks to Malik Sharif for his help in translating this introductory portion of the text from Arabic.

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Our special supporter and protector is the Sublime Porte and Audience Chamber of his Imperial Majesty, Refuge of the World and Shadow of God [on earth], of which we have no cause for complaint. It is our firm belief, both inwardly and outwardly, that if the circumstances of your devoted servant [the Sultan of Aceh], and [the nature of] the righteous struggle which has been waged in these “Lands below the Winds” for many days and months against the miserable infidels, were exposed and made visible [to your Majesty], Imperial compassion and mercy would sweep away all undesired states, and all of our wishes and desires would be aligned towards the target of a positive response. After all, it is only proper for righteous sultans to strengthen the True Religion. May they therefore send assistance! For as it says in the Most Glorious Qurʾan: Oh you who believe, be helpers of God! Thus, to the dust [which lies before] the threshold of [the Sultan’s] Illustrious Abode, the source of light and goodness which comprehends the condition of his servants, the following request is made: Have mercy and compassion on me, your servant, who has been left solitary and alone [to struggle] among the miserable, wretched, and forsaken enemy. Out of faith in God and His prophet, and in the manner of the holy warrior who fights for the heavenly destruction of the infidel polytheists and enemies of religion, muster your victorious troops and tools of war and weapons of destruction and battle-hardened soldiers as a kindness [to your devoted servant]. God will reward you for the good you do, something which is clearly visible and illustrated to your Majesty, God’s Caliph of the World, by the guiding principles of the Qurʾan and the traditions of the prophet. The arrival [previously] of messages from your Majesty’s Illustrious Personage to me, your devoted servant [here in these lands] is by now a wellknown and established fact among both the wretched infidels of the Indies and among all the local rulers who have allied with them. Because of this, they have become alarmed and are speedily making preparations against [us]. Now, for the sake of the veneration of God and Muhammad (Peace be upon him!) and for the souls of [our] late ancestors, have mercy on this, your prostrated servant, feel compassion for the condition of the Muslims and pilgrims of this land, and grant the kindness of sending help and assistance by the most effective and swiftest of means, lest the miserable infidels and all the enemies of religion should form an alliance and come against us in a pre-emptive strike before help from [your Majesty’s] Illustrious Court can arrive. Previously, when our servants Omar and Hüseyin travelled to [your Majesty’s] Illustrious Court, news of their arrival reached all of the rulers of the Indies who are allied with the wretched infidels. They therefore sent an ambassador [of their own] to the King of Portugal and requested assistance

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from those infidel enemies of religion and accursed sinners, saying: “The Padishah of Aceh has asked for aid and succour from the Padishah of Rum, so we also have a request to make of the Padishah of Portugal. Let us then see whose request is granted, ours or theirs!” For our part, we firmly believe in the holy Qurʾanic verse which reads: God is the helper of those who believe in him, but the unbelievers have no helper. Our reliance on the munificence of God and our faith in the generosity of your Imperial Majesty, refuge of the world and shadow of God [on earth], is firm and unshakeable, and we have no doubt that the generosity we have hoped for and requested from your Imperial Majesty is bound to materialize. It is furthermore humbly stated to [your Imperial Majesty’s] Illustrious Court that: Between this land and the city of Mecca (may God Almighty ennoble her!) there are twenty-four thousand islands, known [collectively] as Diva [the Maldives].7 At one extremity of these islands lies Goa of the Franks, while the other extremity reaches to the Lands of Darkness. Of these twentyfour thousand islands, twelve thousand are inhabited by men, while the other twelve thousand are desolate and uninhabited. The people of these islands, in their entirety, belong to the community of [Muhammad] the Prophet of the Last Day, and pray and fast in the manner of the Shafiʾi school [of Islam]. They have built mosques on all of the islands, and read the call to prayer in the noble name of your most high and blessed Imperial Majesty, refuge of the world and shadow of God [on earth]. They are poor, weak and humble people who do nothing but pray from morning until night for the longevity and prosperity of [your Majesty’s] state. Their daily sustenance is derived from fishing, weaving Indian cotton, and spinning yarn from the fibres extracted from coconut trees, which they then sell to the ships which frequent those islands.8 [In short,] they are a weak and abject people, but there is raw ambergris to be found on most of those islands, and besides this they have a padishah who has been ceaselessly struggling against and opposing the miserable infidels for quite some time, and [because of his efforts] the infidels were unable to interfere with those islands. Recently, in the year nine hundred and seventy (1562–3), a great abundance of these accursed enemies of religion came against this padishah and weakened him considerably [with their attacks], to such an extent that he was forced to flee in the direction of Mecca along with all of his household. Since it was close to the end of the [sailing] season, he got only as far as Mocha and Aden, and 7  ‫د �يوا‬. 8  See the remarkably similar description of the Maldives and the local production of rope from coconut fibres in Ibn Battuta 2001: 242–243.

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remained there, humble and abject beneath the just banner of your Imperial Majesty, refuge of the world. Now the seas around those islands have been subjugated by the accursed infidels, who every year use oppressive force to compel those poor abject people to make ready twenty-four thousand kantars of rope for loading onto their ships. In addition to this, the pilgrim and merchant vessels from all the ports of the Lands below the Winds have to pass through these abovementioned islands while on their way to the City of Mecca (May God Almighty ennoble her!). Now these islands are only the distance of one or two arrow shots one from another, and between all twenty-four-thousand of these islands there are just four places where a ship can pass through safely, while between all the other islands there is no way through at all. The infidels have taken to waiting around the entrances to these passes. When the merchant and pilgrim ships from the “Lands below the Winds” heading towards Mecca arrive there, the infidels stop and take possession of all of them that they can, and any ship they don’t manage to capture they sink from afar with cannon fire, either leaving the Muslims aboard to sink into the sea and perish, or gathering them up and enslaving them. In the year nine hundred and seventy two, His Majesty’s servant Lutfi came here, and on his return journey he loaded sixteen kantars of pepper, silk, cinnamon, cloves, camphor, hisalbend, and other products from the “Lands below the Winds” onto a large and famous ship known as the “Samadi”9 and belonging to Chingiz Han, one of the lords of Gujarat in India. While on its way to the noble City of Mecca, this ship arrived at the above-mentioned islands and encountered three infidel galleots and seven galleys, which they fought against continuously for four days and four nights. Unable to take the ship captive, the infidels finally opened fire and sank it. Five hundred Muslims were drowned in the ocean, while others were hauled from the water and enslaved. It is furthermore presented to [your Imperial Majesty’s] Illustrious Court that: The ruler of Ceylon is an infidel ruler, and in this land there are so many mines of precious gems that at night time the people’s houses are illuminated by the brilliance of the stones and they have no need of burning lamps. It is a country which lies a distance of eight days journey by sea from our land, and some of its inhabitants are Muslims who pray as followers of the true religion. They have built a total of fourteen mosques and read the call to prayer in the noble name of your most high and blessed Imperial Majesty, refuge of the world, and pray for the longevity and prosperity of [your Majesty’s] state. ََ

9  ‫�د �ى‬ ِ ‫�صم‬.

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Likewise, the ruler of Calicut is a famous infidel ruler known as the “Samuri.”10 Most of the inhabitants of his country are Muslims, and they have built twenty-four mosques and also read the call to prayer in the noble name of your most high and blessed Imperial Majesty, refuge of the world, and pray for the longevity and prosperity of [your Majesty’s] state. The kingdoms of these two infidel rulers are close to one another, and they have been fighting against the miserable infidels for quite some time, and these miserable [Portuguese] are barred from entering their lands. In fact, when the rulers of Ceylon and Calicut received news that your Majesty’s servant Lutfi had arrived here, they sent ambassadors to us who proclaimed: “We are servants of his Imperial Majesty, Refuge of the World and Shadow of God [on Earth]” and then took an oath swearing that if your Imperial Majesty’s propitious fleet were to journey to these lands, they themselves would come to the faith and profess the religion of Islam, and that likewise all of their infidel subjects would forsake the way of false belief for the straight path of the one true religion. God willing, with the illustrious assistance of your Imperial Majesty, all traces of the infidels in both the East and the West will be destroyed, and they will finally join the Islamic faith. It is also attested that [in these lands] there is a wealth of jewels, gold and silver which is beyond reckoning, but which for a long time has fallen to the lot of the wretched infidels. If the Almighty so wills it, one day a rightful share [of these riches] will belong to the warriors of your Imperial Majesty’s army of the faithful. We sincerely request that your Imperial Majesty should no longer consider me, your servant in this land, to be an independent ruler, but instead to accept him as a poor, humble and downtrodden slave who lives thanks to the charity of your Imperial Majesty, Refuge of the World and Shadow of God [on Earth], in no way different from the governors of Egypt and Yemen or the beys of Jeddah and Aden. We beg your Imperial Majesty not to cut us off from [the benevolence of] his Illustrious Court, to direct his exquisite and all-encompassing intellect towards the extreme cruelty and injustice which these pilgrims, paupers and supplicants have suffered at the hands of the infidels, and to show Imperial mercy and compassion for their plight. May your Imperial Majesty act with munificence with regards to our plea, in fulfilment of the sacred obligation of taking up armed struggle for the faith, by distributing alms in the form of weapons, materials of war and the assistance of your victorious armies from your sublime assistance which we hope for and expect. God will not cause the 10  We are indebted to Michael F. Laffan who commented that this might be Samudra Raja or Zamorin (editors).

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wages of those who do good to be lost. If your Imperial Majesty, who is the refuge of the weak and downtrodden and the support of those in need, does take mercy on me, his servant, and grants [the requested] troops, weapons and supplies, then I promise to take up a holy armed struggle for the well-being of the True Religion and the path of God and, if the Almighty so wills it, I guarantee that, with the propitious and illustrious assistance of your Imperial Majesty, all traces of the miserable infidels will be erased from this land and from all of the “Lands below the Winds.” On the other hand, if the desire of this humble servant remains unrealized, and the gift of troops, supplies and weapons is not granted, then both I and all of the Muslims and pilgrims of the “Land below the Winds” will be overcome with sadness, the pilgrimage route will be cut off by the infidels, and a great injustice will be done to the people of Islam. We trust in the universal kindness of your Imperial Majesty, Refuge of the World and Shadow of God [on Earth], since no one who seeks to be sheltered by your Illustrious Court is disappointed in his desires. The other rulers in these lands and in India have all sought help and assistance from the Portuguese, but we have [instead] presented and committed our request to the charge of your Majesty’s Illustrious Court, because we have devoted our souls, our strength and all of our worldly possessions to the task of undertaking a holy armed struggle, and hope that thanks to these efforts we will be granted protection and find ourselves in a state of tranquillity according to the prophetic traditions which say: “Paradise lies beneath the shadow of swords” and “On the day of resurrection God will grant safety beneath the banner of our lord Muhammad the Apostle of God.” Let us take part in the host of holy warriors which is being collected under the auspices of your Imperial Majesty, and He shall grant success and assistance! Your Imperial Majesty is requested to grant [us] bajalushka, havayi and shayka-type siege cannons, and to issue a world-encompassing Imperial Firman to the governor of Egypt, the governor of Yemen, the bey of Jeddah and the bey of Aden ordering them never to hinder or place obstacles in the path of our men when they are sent from here to your Majesty’s Illustrious Court. Let them proceed to your Sublime Presence in the swiftest manner possible, and may they never be prevented from or delayed in bringing back to this country horses, brass, and weapons which they purchase there for my use. This will ensure that news of your Majesty’s long-lived and enduring rule can reach us and render us glad of heart and steadfast in our endeavours for, with God as my witness, this [city of] Aceh is one of your Majesty’s own villages, and I too am one of your servants. Your official Lutfi can personally attest to our circumstances and to our deeds, to the great endeavours we have undertaken for the sake of holy war, and to our firm and sincere longing to enter your Imperial Majesty’s

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service, although to do so adequately would require so many words that its telling might test the limits of your Majesty’s patience. It is also presented [to your Imperial Majesty] that: When your servant Lutfi and his companions were sent here from [your court, which is] the summit of the celestial dome, [they arrived] in the shortest possible time, like mana and quail and a table, and descended upon us like Jesus’ table, easing our souls and bringing comfort to our spirit. Once he had accomplished all of the duties and services requested of him, he boarded one of our ships, known as “The Mercy of Certain Belief,” along with some of our men [and set out on the return journey]. After three days and three nights of travel in the escort of several merchant ships, the vessels began to take on water, [to such an extent that] they were on the verge of being destroyed. However, thanks to the merciful intervention of the Lord of Lords and the Producer of all Secondary Causes, and through the noble benevolence of his prophet Mohammed (may the peace of God be upon him!), your Majesty’s servant Lutfi, who was fast asleep at the time, saw in a dream that your Imperial Majesty was himself present on the ship, and was giving an order to his Grand Vizier saying: “Send that ship and all of its men back to where it came from!” At that instant, your servant Lutfi woke up, and immediately there began to blow a wind which was propelled by the forces of the Almighty and Eternal One, and thus the ship and its crew were able to return whence they had come in safety. He is omnipotent to do as he wishes. Indeed, such are the miraculous powers of protection of your Imperial Majesty that not one, but two distinct winds began to blow, one taking the ship which Lutfi was on back to its point of departure, and the other allowing the merchant ships to continue on their original course. We praise God for his blessings! [It is also presented to your Imperial Majesty] that: Karamanlıoğlu Abdurrahman, one of the viziers in the land of Gujarat, is a capable and conscientious servant who is worthy of [being entrusted with] further duties [in your Majesty’s service]. While Lutfi was making his outward journey to this land from [your Majesty’s] exalted presence, he became greatly perplexed upon his arrival in Jeddah, because he was unable to find any ships there that would take him the rest of the way. [Thankfully], the above mentioned Abdurrahman, out of respect for the illustrious orders [which Lutfi had received] from your Imperial Majesty, sent Lutfi and all of his entourage all the way here in one of his own ships, and covered all of the expenses for the journey himself. He has in fact never at any time failed in his duties to your Imperial Majesty, and in heart and soul is a devoted servant of your Exalted Personage. This being the case, it is requested that your Illustrious Court might see it fitting to grant your servant Abdurrahman the sancak of Jeddah or whatever else you see fit.

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As for your Majesty’s servant Lutfi and his companions, these demonstrated perfect faithfulness and trustworthiness and were most conscientious in carrying out all of their duties and responsibilities just as they were outlined in the Imperial orders issued to them. In his obedience and resourcefulness, [Lutfi] respectfully kept the road of right and proper action and held in esteem the way of the ancestors. In every respect he is one your Imperial Majesty’s servants who are the greatest sources of just pride and most worthy of admiration, and we, for our part, were most pleased and satisfied with him. With these accomplishments to his credit, he has now headed back towards your Illustrious Personage, the direction of all-encompassing Imperial kindness and perfect regal compassion. It is hoped that there he will be looked upon with Imperial favour, that he will be gladdened by [your Majesty’s] exalted protection, and that your Majesty will find it proper to bring into realization his hopes and desires, for he is most deserving of every favour and worthy of every praise. God willing, the kindness of sending him back to this country will be bestowed [upon us], for he is a man who has become familiar with the Indies and is knowledgeable about the situation there, thanks both to his own experience and to what he has heard from others. It is also requested that any servants who are sent here [with him] be ordered to enter into obedience to us once they arrive, and not to oppose us [in any way]. The eight artillery experts who were [previously] granted to us by your Imperial Majesty all arrived here in safety and health. Their place is at my side, and they are greater and more precious [to me] than mountains of jewels would be. Some well-trained horses and some craftsmen for building fortresses and galleys are also requested from your Imperial Majesty. Now, in order to pay humble respect to your Majesty’s Illustrious and Exalted Person, our own servant Hüseyin, who is called “The Rank Measurer of Knowledge,” has been sent. May the shining sun of Imperial favour rise above the horizon of honour and magnificence in accordance with the revivification of the sciences of the laws of justice and the application of the principles of compassion. May the endurance of the Sultan’s war tents and the continuation of his rule be eternal. Written in the middle of the month of Jumada II in the year three and seventy and nine hundred [January 1566]. Sources: Transcription and Translation: Casale 2005: 43–81; see also Şah 1967 Image: Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi Arşivi E-8009

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Patent for Kurdoğlu Hızır’s appointment as the commander of the ships and soldiers going to Aceh upon Sultan Alauddin of Aceh’s requests for help against the Portuguese attacks on Muslims, 17 September 156711

[Derkenar] Yazıldı [Derkenar] Elçi ile bile irsâl olunan mezbûr Mustafa Çavuşʾa verildi. Fî 17 Rebîʿüʾl-evvel sene 975 Nişân-ı hümâyûn hükmü oldur ki: Hâliyâ Açi pâdişâhı olan cenâb-ı emâret-meʾâb Sultân Alaeddin -dâmet maʿâlîhi- Âsitâne-i saʿâdetümʾe mektûb ve âdem gönderüp, ol cevânibde baʿzı ehl-i İslâm üzerine Portugal keferesi müstevlî olup ve kendi vilâyetine dahî dahl ve tecâvüz üzre olup ol cevânibde olan ehl-i İslâmʾın muʿâveneti içün atabe-i ulyâmdan bir mikdâr gemiler ve yarak ve asker recâ itmeğin selâtîn-i âlî mikdârun istidʿâ ve iltimâsları hayyiz-i kabûlde vâkiʿ olmak âdet-i hasenei havâkîn-i evreng-nişîn olmağın ol cevânibde olan ehl-i İslâm husûslarında mezîd-i merhamet-i hüsrevânem zuhûra gelüp küffâr-ı hâksârun defʿ ü refʿleri içün Bender-i Süveysʾden on beş pâre kadırga ile iki pâre barça ve sâʾir levâzımı virmek emr idüp zikr olunan gemilere ve asker-i zafer-rehbere bir serdâr-ı âlî mikdâr-ı azîmüʾl-iktidâr lâzım olup eyle olsa, bundan akdem mahrûse-i Mısır İskenderiyyesiʾnde sancak ile kapudân olan iftihârüʾl-ümerâiʾl-kirâm Kurdoğlu Hızır – dâme izzühû-nun vüfûr-ı firâset ve kıyâset ve fart-ı şecâʿat ve şehâmetine iʿtimâd-ı hümâyûnum olmağın irsâl olunacak merâkib-i kevâkib-şomâr ve asâkir-i nusret şiâra mûmâileyhi serdâr ve kapudân nasb idüp bu nişân-ı hümâyûn-ı saʿâdet-makrûnı virdüm ve buyurdum ki: Fermân-ı celîlüʾl-kadrüm üzre taʿyîn olunan gemiler ve asker ile müşârünileyh taraflarına teveccüh eyleyüp inâyet-i Hakk celle ve aʿlâ ile inşâʾallâh varup müşârünileyhe mülâkî olunca eğer gemileri eğer askeri hüsn-i tedârük ile hıfz eyleyüp varup mûmâileyhe vusûl buldukda, eğer küffâr-ı hâksârun defʿ ve refʿinde eğer teshîri lâzım olan kalʿalarun istihlâsında müşârünileyh Açi pâdişâhı vech ve münâsib gördüği üzre hidmet ve yoldaşlıkda bulunup müşârünileyhin sözine muhâlefet itmeye ve bile koşulan eğer Dergâh-ı muʿallâm kullarından ve mahrûse-i Mısır kullarından ve sâʾir asker halkı ve gemi reisleri ve sâʾir halkı ve biʾl-cümle asâkir-i mansûrenün vâzi ve refîʿi ve sagîr ve kebîri müşârünileyhi kendilere serdâr bilüp sözine aslâ muhâlefet ider ise mecâl virmeyüp hakkından gele ki, sâʾirlerine mûcib-i ibret vâkiʿ ola.

11  The decree was drafted on the Imperial Council’s gathering on 17 September 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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[On the margin] It was written. [On the margin] [This was] Given to Mustafa Çavuş who was dispatched together with the envoy. On 21 September 1567. The command of the imperial sign is that: Now the padishah12 of Aceh, his excellency the repository of rulership Sultan Alauddin (may God preserve his excellent qualities) sent a letter and a representative to my Threshold of Felicity, saying that in this region, the infidels of Portugal have overcome certain of the people of Islam, and have also entered and attacked his own land. In order to help the people of Islam in those parts, a number of ships, arms, and soldiers were requested from my exalted threshold. As it is the praiseworthy custom of emperors [khaqans] who occupy the throne to accept the requests and demands of favour from exalted sultans, my imperial mercy has increased with regard to the Muslims’ affairs in those places. It is commanded that fifteen galleys13 with two carracks and other necessities are to be given from the port of Suez in order to repel and remove the wretched infidels. It is necessary that these ships and the ever-victorious soldiers be under the command of a strong and determined exalted commander. As our imperial confidence is placed in the great intellect and wisdom, and the abundance of courage and intelligence of his Excellency Kurdoğlu Hızır (may God preserve him him), formerly admiral and governor in Alexandria in Egypt, he is to be dispatched. I thereby give this felicitous imperial order, that the aforementioned be appointed commander and admiral of the ships as numerous as the stars and the victory-starred soldiers, and I command that: In accordance with my noble and binding command he should depart towards the aforementioned [places] together with the appointed ships and soldiers and maintain the good level of supplies of the ships and soldiers and arrive, God willing, at that land through the help of God almighty. On arriving they are to provide service and comradeship to the padishah of Aceh as the latter sees fit, and may not act contrary to his instructions whether in repelling or removing the miserable infidels, or whether in the duties of capturing fortresses that are required to be conquered. Moreover, in this regard, all of the subjects of my Exalted Gate, or the subjects of well-protected Egypt, or other military men, ship captains and other personnel, and all of the victorious soldiers, whether high or low [in rank] are to regard the said [Kurdoğlu Hızır] as 12  The Ottoman text calls the sultan of Aceh padishah, an unusual mark of respect as this title was generally reserved for the Ottoman sultans and not used for foreign rulers. See Kolodziejczyk 2012: 177–179. 13  Ottoman kadırga is frequently mistaken for galleon despite the fact that kadırgas were rowing ships with low freeboard. See Gürkan 2018: 110.

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their commander, and [anybody] who opposes his words should be punished by death as an example to others. Source: BOA MD. 7/233. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 123–124. Partial translation and comments in Casale 2005: 45.

3

Imperial order to the governor of Egypt about Kurdoğlu Hızır’s appointment as the commander of the ships and soldiers going to Aceh upon Sultan Alauddin of Aceh’s requests for help against the Portuguese attacks on Muslims. 17 September 156714

[Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Bu dahî. Fiʾt-târîhi m. Mısır beğlerbeğisine hüküm ki: Hâliyâ Açi Pâdişâhı olan cenâb-ı emâret-meʾâb Sultân Alâʾeddîn Südde-i Saʿâdetümʾe elçi ve nâme gönderüp; ol cevânibde olan ehl-i İslâmʾun ekser vilâyetine Portugal keferesi müstevlî olup kendi vilâyetine dahî dahl ve tecâvüz üzre olup aʿdâ-yı dînün defʿi içün bir mikdâr gemi ve asker ve yarak gönderilmek bâbında istidʿâ-yı inâyet idüp dâʾimâ ehl-i İslâm-ı fevz-encâm haklarında merhamet ve şefkat-i pâdişâhânem makrûn olmağın Bender-i Süveysʾden on beş pâre kadırga ve iki pâre barça ve hisâr döğmek içün kifâyet mikdârı bazaluşka ve şakloz ve hevâyî top ve âna göre barut virüp ve üç yüz kazma ve üç yüz kürek virilmek emridüp bu bâbda irsâl olunacak gemilere sâbıkâ İskenderiyye Kapudânı Kurdoğlı Hızır – dâme izzühû- kapudân ve askere serasker taʿyîn olunmışdur. Müşârunileyhün elçileri dahî müteferrika reʾislerden mukaddemâ ol cânibden bile gelen Lütfî ve Mısır çavuşlarından olup hâliyâ Dergâh-ı muʿallâm çavuşlarından olan Mustafâ -zîde kadruhümâ- bile koşılup irsâl olundı buyurdum ki: Varup vusûl buldukda, teʾhîr ve terâhî itmeyüp fermân-ı şerîfüm üzre bender-i mezbûrdan on beş pâre yarar kadırga ve iki pâre barça tedârük ve ihzâr eyleyüp eğer reʾisleridür ve eğer tüfenkcileridür ve âlet-i cengleridür ve eğer (…) ve eğer kürekcileridür ve sâʾir at ve yarağ ve mühimmâtıdur; bî-kusûr müheyyâ eyleyüp dahî erbâb-ı mevâcibe ve bile irsâli lâzım olan askerün birer yıllık mevâciblerin ve zahîrelerin dahî tedârük idüp barçalara tahmîl eyleyüp müşârünileyh Hızır – dâme izzühû-ya teslîm idüp elçileri ve mezbûr Lütfî ve Mustafa‌ʾyı bile koşup irsâl eyleyesin ve barçalar, ol cevânibde bahâr vardur; anı tahmîl idüp getüreler ve biʾl-cümle – buʿd mesâfedür – eğer gemilerün 14  The decree was drafted on the Imperial Council’s gathering on 17 September 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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eğer gidecek askerün mühimmât ve levâzımlarında kusûr ve noksân olmaya; deryâda muzâyaka lâzım gelmeyüp inâyet-i Hakk -celle ve alâ- ile mürûr ideler. Bu hükm-i şerîfüm ne gün varup ne vechile tedârük olunup ne zamânda irsâl olunmak kâbil olduğın yazup bildüresin ve müşârünileyh içün âdemleri at ve yarak ve nühâs ve sâʾir levâzımların alup gitmelü olduklarında kimesne mâniʿ ve dâfiʿ olmaya ve askerün emrolunan bir yıllık zahîrelerin kadırgalara, kifâyet itmez ise barçalara tahmîl eyleyesin; öteden berü bahâr yüklene. [On the margin] It was written. [On the margin] This as well [was given to Mustafa Çavuş] on the same date. The padishah of Aceh, his excellency the repository of rulership Sultan Alauddin, sent an ambassador and a letter to my Threshold of Felicity [communicating that] in that surrounding, the infidels of Portugal have occupied most of the provinces of the people of Islam, and are penetrating and attacking his province as well. In order to repel the enemies of the faith, [Sultan Alauddin] has petitioned for a number of ships, soldiers, and munitions to be sent. As my imperial mercy and compassion are always bestowed upon the victorious people of Islam, it is ordained that fifteen galleys, two carracks, a sufficient number of basilisks, small culverins, and mortar guns as well as enough gunpowder, three hundred pickaxes, three hundred shovels are to be given. In this regard, the former admiral of Alexandria, Admiral Kurdoğlu Hızır (God preserve him) is appointed as admiral of the ships and commander of the troops. Moreover, the ambassadors of the aforesaid [Sultan Alauddin] and Lutfi, one of the special corps of sea captains15 who previously came from that place together [with the ambassador], and one of the officials16 of my Exalted Court, Mustafa (God strengthen them) have been sent together. It is my command that: On the arrival [of this order], you should not delay or tarry, but, in accordance with my noble command, ready and prepare fifteen galleys and two carracks, and make entirely ready the captains, musketeers, arms of war, (…), oarsmen, and the other horses, equipment and necessities of war. Moreover, procure and load onto the carracks one year’s salaries of the salaried [personnel] and soldiers to be sent as well as the supplies and provisions and entrust it to aforesaid Hızır (God preserve him). You should also send the ambassadors and Lutfi and Mustafa together [with the fleet]. In that place there are spices. 15  The exact translation of mütefferika reis is not entirely clear: “special corps of sea captains” is given by Casale 2005: 47–8; Imber 1996: 68 suggests it means a “captain without a detachment, first in line to be appointed to the command a detachment of azab.” 16  Çavuş: an official of the Imperial Council (Divan-ı Humayun) tasked with executing imperial orders in the provinces. See Imber 1996: 65.

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They should be loaded onto the carracks and brought. In sum, there shall not be any deficiency or want in the requirements of either the ships or troops who are to go since the distance is far. By the grace of God almighty’s assistance, may they travel [safely] and misfortunes may not befall them at sea on their journey. Write and inform me about what day you received this imperial decree, and by whatever means, and whenever it is possible to send [the ships and troops]. In addition, no person may prevent or hinder the men of the said [sultan Alauddin] in purchasing for him horses, weapons, copper, and other necessities. Moreover, if the decreed yearly provisions for the soldiers do not fit into the galleys, they should be loaded into the carracks, and on their return they should load the spices. Source: BOA MD. 7/234. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 124–125.

4

Kurdoğlu Hızır’s appointment as admiral and commander in accordance with the request for help from Sultan Alauddin of Aceh, 17 September 156717

[Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Bu dahî. Fiʾt-târîhi mezbûr. Sâbıkâ sancak ile Bender-i İskenderiyye Kapudânı olan Hızırʾa hüküm ki: Hâliyâ senün hüsn-i firâset ve vüfûr-ı kiyâset ve fart-ı şecâʿat ve kemâli şehâmetüne iʿtimâd-ı hümâyûnum olmağın cenâb-ı emâret-meʾâb Açi pâdişâhı -dâmet maʿâlîhi-ye irsâl olunan on beş pâre kadırga ve iki pâre barça ile gidecek askere seni serdâr ve kapudân nasbidüp ol-bâbda zikrolunan asker seni serdâr bilmek içün sana berât-ı hümâyûnum irsâl olunmışdur. Gemileri ve askeri ihzâr idüp ve bir yıllık mevâcibleri ve zahîrelerin tedârük idüp sana teslîm idüp göndermek içün Mısır beğlerbeğisine hükm-i şerîfümle müşârünileyhden gelen elçi ve bile koşılan hâssa reʾislerden Lütfi ile Mustafa Çavuş -zîde kadruhümâ- gönderilmişdür. Buyurdum ki: Vusûl bulduklarında, emrüm üzre varup müşârünileyhe mülâkî olup gemileri ve lâzım olan cengci ve yarağı ve sâʾir mühimmâtı tedârük idüp müretteb ve mükemmel idüp dahî vakti ve mevsimi geldükde inşâʾallâhü teʿâlâ müşârunileyh elçi ve sâʾirleri ile girüp Hakk -celle ve alâ-nun inâyet-i bî-gâyetine tevekkül ve server-i kâʾinâtın muʿcizâtına tevessül idüp teveccüh eyleyüp inâyet-i Bârî yârî kılup varup müşârünileyh Açi pâdişâhına mülâkî oldukda eğer kalʿalar fethinde, eğer sâʾir küffâr-ı hâksârun haklarından 17  The decree was drafted on the Imperial Council’s gathering on 17 September 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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gelmekde müşârünileyh vech ve münâsib gördüği üzre dîn bâbında ve devlet-i hümâyûnuma müteʿallik olan cumhûr-ı umûrda bezl-i makdûr eyleyesin. Mûmâileyhe inâd ve muhâlefetden hazer idesin ve asker halkın dahî gereği gibi zabt u rabt eyleyesin; inâd ve muhâlefet idenlerün haklarından gelesin. Anda varıldukda mâdâm ki anda duralar, eğer askerün virilen mevâciblerinden sonra vâcib olan mevâcibleri ve sâʾir meʾkûlât ve levâzımları anlar görecek olmışlardur; âna göre taleb oluna ve uğur-ı hümâyûnumda cân [u] baş ile çalışup dîn bâbında ve devlet-i ebed-peyvend-i husrev[â]neme müteʿallik olan hidemâtda bezl-i makdûr [ve] saʿy-i meşkûr zuhûra getürenlere müstehıkk olduklarına göre ol câniblerde sancağa müstehıkk olanlara sancak ve ağalığa müstehıkk olanlara ağalık ve sâʾirlerine dahî istihkâklarına göre ol vilâyetde murâd idenlere tevcîh eyleyesin ve berü câniblerde murâd idenlere dahî müstehıkk olduklarına göre tevcîh [ve] defter idüp arz eyleyesin ki, arz itdüğün üzre hidmetde olanlar inâyetüm ile behre-mend olalar. [On the margin] This was also [given to Mustafa Çavuş]. Written on the said date. The command to Hızır, formerly admiral of the Port of Alexandria with the rank of Sancakbey, is: Due to my confidence in the fineness of your intellect, fullness of your intelligence, the abundance of your courage and the perfection of your bravery I have appointed you as the commander and admiral of the fifteen galleys, two carracks, and accompanying soldiers to be sent to his excellency, the embodiment of rulership the padishah of Aceh (may God preserve him). On this issue my imperial diploma has been sent to you so that the soldiers acknowledge you as their commander. My noble command has been sent to the Governor-general of Egypt together with the ambassador of the said [padishah of Aceh] and the privateers Lutfi and Mustafa Çavuş (may God strengthen them) to prepare the ships and soldiers and to deliver to you one year’s provisions and salaries. It is my command that: When they arrive, in accordance with my command you should meet with the said [ambassador] and procure, organise and complete the ships, required troops, arms and other munitions. When the time and season come, God willing, you should depart with the said ambassador and the others, putting your faith in the infinite help of God almighty and seeking the help of the miracles of the Lord of the Universe. When you arrive and meet with the padishah of Aceh, you should exert yourself in all affairs relating to the faith and our imperial state, whether in conquering castles or other things related to punishing the wretched infidels, in accordance with what the said [padishah] deems appropriate. You must avoid quarrelling with and opposing the said [padishah], and you should also control and discipline the soldiers as is necessary. You should punish

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[to death] any who quarrel or oppose [you]. Once they arrive there they should stay. After the salaries which have been paid [are spent], they [the Acehnese] should pay the required salaries of the soldiers and their rations and other provisions. These should be demanded accordingly. Those working diligently for my Imperial Person and endeavouring in the service of matters of the faith and my eternal imperial state should, if they wish, be granted either provinces or commandership or so on in that region in accordance with their merit. For those who want it in these [Ottoman] places you should submit a register with their merit and appointment so that they will get a share through my benevolence according to what has been submitted. Source: BOA MD. 7/236. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 125–126.

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The ambassador of the Sultan of Aceh is allowed to purchase horses, arms, copper, and other goods from Yemen, Jeddah, and Aden, 17 September 156718

[Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Bu dahî fiʾt-târihi mezbûr. Yemen beğlerbeğisine hüküm ki: Cenâb-ı emâret-meʾâb Açi pâdişâhı tarafından Südde-i Saʿâdetümʾe elçi gelüp girü ol canibe gönderilmişdür. Mûmâileyh içün at ve yarak ve nühâs alup gitmelü oldukda kimesne mâniʿ olmamak içün emr-i şerîfümi taleb eyledüği ecilden buyurdum ki, Müşârünileyhün elçileri varup vusûl buldukda, müşârünileyh içün at ve yarak ve nühâs alduklarunda mâniʿ olmayup ve alınan esbâblarına yollarda kimesneyi dahl itdürmeyesin, emîn ve sâlim mürûrr ide ve biʾl-kânûn kendiye ve esbâb ve âdemlerine bir ferdi dahl itdürmeyesin her ahvâllerinde muʿâvenet idesin. [Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Bu dahî. Fiʾt-târih-i mezbûr [Derkenar] Bir sûreti Cidde beğine, vech-i meşrûh üzre [Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Bu dahî. Fiʾt-târih-i mezbûr [Derkenar] Bir sûreti Aden beğine.

18  The decree was drafted on the Imperial council’s gathering on 17 September 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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[On the margin] This was also written on the same date The command to the Governor-general of Yemen is: The ambassador sent by the great ruler, the padishah of Aceh, to my Threshold of Felicity, has been sent back to that place. Since he has requested a noble command that no person prevent him from purchasing horses, arms, or copper for the said [padishah], it is my command that: When this ambassador arrives, you should ensure that he is not prevented from purchasing horses, arms, or copper for the said [padishah], and you should allow noone to interfere with the goods he has taken on his journey. He should pass safe and sound, and you should allow noone to interfere, on the grounds of administrative law and practice, in anyway with his person, baggage, or retinue. You are to assist him in every way. [On the margin] On the same date there was also written: a copy to the governor of Jeddah, as it is written above; and a copy to the governor of Aden on the same date Source: BOA MD 7/237. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 126–127.

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The Sultan of Aceh requests that carpenters, blacksmiths, caulkers, painters, and other craftsmen be sent with the ambassador, 17 September 156719

[Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Bu dahî fiʾt-târîh-i mezbûr Mısır beğlerbeğisine hüküm ki, Açi pâdişâhı tarafından Südde-i Saʿâdetümʾe gelen elçileri mûmâileyh tarafından baʿzı kimesneler taleb idüp ol dülger ve demürci ve kalafatcı ve nakkâş ve gayri sanʿat ehlinden taleb itdükleri kimesneler defter olunup sana gönderilmişdür buyurdum ki, Vusûl buldukda ol defterde mestûr olan ehl-i sanâyiʿden eğer ulûfe tasarruf idenlerdür ve eğer ulûfesüzlerdür taʿyîn olunanları zikrolunan elçilere koşup bile gönderesin. [On the margin] This was also written on the same date. The command to the Governor-general of Egypt is:

19  The decree was drafted on the Imperial council’s gathering on 17 September 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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The ambassador who has come to my Threshold of Felicity from the padi­ shah of Aceh [relates that] the latter has requested various individuals such as carpenters, blacksmiths, caulkers, painters, and other craftsmen, a register of whom has been sent to you. It is my command that: When [this command] arrives, you should send the appointed craftsmen (whether salaried by the administration or not) together with this ambassador in accordance with the notes in that register. Source: BOA MD. 7/238. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 127.

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Any of the Egyptians who, of their own volition, desire to go to Aceh, shall not be impeded, 17 September 156720

[Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Bu dahî fiʾt-târîh-i mezbûr Mısır beğlerbeğisine hüküm ki, Açi pâdişâhı tarafından Südde-i Saʿâdetümʾe gelen elçileri mûmâileyh tarafından baʿzı kimesneler taleb idüp ol dülger ve demürci ve kalafatcı ve nakkâş ve gayri sanʿat ehlinden taleb itdükleri kimesneler defter olunup sana gönderilmişdür buyurdum ki, Vusûl buldukda ol defterde mestûr olan ehl-i sanâyiʿden eğer ulûfe tasarruf idenlerdür ve eğer ulûfesüzlerdür taʿyîn olunanları zikrolunan elçilere koşup bile gönderesin. [On the margin] This was also written on the same date. The command to the Governor-general of Egypt is: The ambassador who has come to my Threshold of Felicity from the padi­ shah of Aceh [relates that] the latter has requested various individuals such as carpenters, blacksmiths, caulkers, painters, and other craftsmen, a register of whom has been sent to you. It is my command that: When [this command] arrives, you should send the appointed craftsmen (whether salaried by the administration or not) together with this ambassador in accordance with the notes in that register. Source: BOA MD. 7/238. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 127.

20  The decree was drafted on the Imperial council’s gathering on 17 September 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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The ambassador of Aceh should be greeted and escorted to Egypt by the bey of Rhodes, 17 September 156721

[Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Bu dahî. Fiʾt-târîhı m. Rodos beğine hüküm ki: Hâlâ Südde-i Saʿâdetümʾe gelen Açi pâdişâhı elçisine hüsn-i icâzetüm mukârin olup kadırga ile Mısır cânibine irsâl olunmışdur. Buyurdum ki: Fermân-ı şerîfüm ile müşârünileyh elçi sana varup vusûl buldukda, eğlendürmeyüp biʾz-zât alup yanında olan kadırgalar ile emîn ve sâlim Mısırʾa ulaşdurasın ve Mısırʾa varup dâhil oldukdan sonra binüp gitdüği kadırgayı alup atabe-i ulyâma gönderesin. [On the margin] This was also written on the same date The command to the governor of Rhodes is: The ambassador of the padishah of Aceh to my Threshold of Felicity having received my noble permission [to depart] is sent to Egypt with a galley. It is my command that: When this ambassador comes to you with my noble order, you should not delay him, but personally escort him to ensure that he reaches Egypt safe and sound. When he arrives in Egypt and after he has disembarked, you are to send the galley he travelled with to my Exalted Threshold [Istanbul]. Source: BOA MD. 7/240. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 127–128.

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The Sharif of Mecca should assist the men of the Sultan of Aceh with their travel, 19 September 156722

[Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Bu dahî, elçi ile bile giden Mustafa Çavuşʾa virildi. Fî 17 Rebîʿüʾl-evvel sene 975 Mekke-i Mükerreme şerîfine hüküm ki: Hâliyâ Açi pâdişâhınun Südde-i Saʿâdetümʾe gelen âdemleri girü icâzet-i şerîfem ile ol cânibe gönderilmişdür. Müşârünileyh içün baʿzı at alup gitmek

21  The decree was drafted on the Imperial Council’s gathering on 17 September 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry. 22  The decree was drafted on the Imperial Council’s gathering on 19 September 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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murâd idüp ve su ve sâʾir zahîreleri bâbında muʿâvenet olunup ve kulaguz lâzım oldukda virmek bâbında hükm-i hümâyûnum taleb itmeğin gerekdür ki: Hükm-i şerîfüm ile varup vusûl bulduklarında anun gibi eğer suları ve eğer zahîreleri ve eğer kulaguz bâbında gereği gibi muʿâvenet ve muzâheret olunup emîn ve sâlim irsâl itmek bâbında envâʿ-ı mesâʿî-i cemîle zuhûr ide ve müşârünileyh içün at alduklarında dahî kimesne mâniʿ olmaya. [On the margin] This was also written on the same date and was given to Mustafa Çavuş who went together with the ambassador. 21 September 1567 The command to the Sharif of Honoured Mecca is: The men of the padishah of Aceh who came to my Threshold of Felicity have been sent back there with my noble permission. They desire to buy and take away some horses for the said [padishah]. They requested my imperial command for assistance with regard to water and other provisions, and to provide a guide in case of need. It is required that: Upon their arrival with my noble command, every effort should be made to send them [on their journey] safe and sound by providing them with whatever assistance they require with regard to water, provisions and a guide. No person should prevent them from purchasing horses for the said [padishah]. Source: BOA MD. 7/242. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 128.

10

Nobody should interfere with the ambassador of the Sultan of Aceh on his way back, 19 September 156723

[Derkenar]Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Bu dahî, bile giden Mustafa Çavuşʾa virildi. Fî 16 Rebîʿüʾl-evvel sene 975. Mısır beğlerbeğisine hüküm ki: Hâliyâ Açi pâdişâhından gelen elçiye icâzet virilüp gönderilmişdür. Buyurdum ki: Varup İskenderiyyeʾye vusûl buldukda, iskelede ve sâʾir yirde kendiye ve âdemlerine ve mahsûs esbâblarına emînlerden ve gayriden kimesneyi dahl itdürmeyesin.

23  The decree was drafted on the Imperial Council’s gathering on 19 September 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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[On the margin] This was also written and was given to Mustafa Çavuş [who went together with the ambassador] 20 September 1567. The command to the Governor of Egypt is: The ambassador coming from the padishah of Aceh has been sent with permission. It is my command that: When he reaches Alexandria, you should not allow anyone of the customs officers or any other person in the port or any other place to interfere with his goods, those of his retinue, or his personal goods. Source: BOA MD. 7/243. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 129.

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Letter to the Sultan of Aceh, 19 September 156724

Açi pâdişâhına yazılan nâme-i hümâyûnun sûretidir Ser-nâmesi merhûm Koca Nişancı Beğʾün inşâsıdır. Vâlâ-cenâb, saltanat-meʾâb, hilâfet-intisâb, rifʿat-menâb, izzet-nisâb, devletcenâb, saltanat-şiâr, maʿdelet-disâr, mâlik-i rikâbüʾl-ümem, sâlik-i ekâzıʾl-himem, muğîsüʾl-enâm, nâsıb-i livâüʾl-İslâm, sâhibüʾl-lutf veʾn-nevâl, meleküʾl-hısâl, maliküʾl-fiʿâl, râfiʿ-i elviyetüʾl-izz veʾl-celâl mineʾs-semek ileʾs-simâk, nâsıb-i râyâtüʾl-adâlet alâ-muhaddebi felekiʾl-eflâk, el-fâyiz biʾl-medhiʾl-muʿallâ minkıdâhiʾş-şüzbetiʾl-âlî, hulâsâ-i nev-i insân, el-müstağnî zâtuhû aniʾt-tavsîf veʾl-beyân, el-muhtass bi-lutfiʾl-celiyy min hazretiʾl-Melikiʾd-Deyyân, pâdişâh-ı saʿâdet-destgâh, zıllullâh-i maʿdelet-nigâh, muʿinüddîniʾl-mübîn, nizâmüʾlümem Alâuddîn Şâh ceʿala‌ʾllâhü evtâd-ı devletihî râsihaten ve etvâr-ı ızzetihî sâmiye-i şâmiha, teslîmât-ı vâfiyât-ı gevher-nisâr ve tehiyyât-ı sâmiyât-ı muhabbet-şiâr ki, mahz-ı inâyât-ı aaliyye ve fart-ı himâyât-ı seniyyeden fayız u münbaʿis olur kavâfil-i tehâyâ ve merâhil-i senâyâ ile izz-i huzûr-ı mevfûrüʾl-hubûrlarına iblağ ve ihdâ kılınur. Zamîr-i münîrlerine-nazîr ve hâtır-ı âtır-ı müşterî-tesirlerine inhâ ve ifhâm olunur ki: Hâliyâ atabe-i aliyye-i saʿâdet-medâr ve südde-i seniyye-i gerdûn iktidârımuz ki, melâz-i selâtîn-i kâm-kâr ve melce-i havâkîn-i âlî-mikdârdur nâme-i şerîfinüz vârid olup kıdvetüʾl-havâs veʾl-mukarrabîn vezîrinüz olan Hüseyin -dâme mecdühû- vâsıtasıyla nâme-i şerîfinüz vârid olup mazmûn-ı hikmet-makrûnında “leyl ü nehâr ol cânibde olan küffâr-ı hâksâr ile gazâ ve kâr-zâr olup düşman arasında yalınuz kalup, her tarafdan adâ-yı bed-rey hücûm üzredür” diyü âlât-ı cihâd ile asâkir-i nusret-muʿtâdımuzdan harb ü 24  The decree was drafted on the Imperial Council’s gathering on 19 September 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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kıtâl ve ceng ü cidâl görmiş kullarımuz taleb ve istiânet olunup ve ol diyârda yirmi dört bin cezîre olup pâdişâhlarınun üzerine hayli kâfir gelüp ittifak hezimet vâkiʿ olup ol cezîreleri kâfir alup içinde olan cümle Müslümanlar dahî küffâra giriftâr ve pâdişâhları el-ân memalik-i mahrûsemüzde karâr üzre olup ve zikr olunan cezîrelerün dördünden Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye sefer iden tüccâr ve hüccâc gemileri ol geçide varduklarında kimine fırsat bulup esîr idüp fırsat bulamadıklarını ırakdan top ile urup batırup Müslümanları deryaya gark iderler ve vilâyetinüze karîb Seylan ve Kâlîküt dimekle maʿrûf iki kâfir pâdişâhı olup raʿiyyetlerinün ekseri Müslüman olup dâʾimâ küffâr ile muhârebeden hâli olmayup mukaddemâ Südde-i saʿâdetimüz kullarından Lütfi -zîde kadruhû-nun ol canibe vusûl bulduğuna muttalîʿ olduklarında atabe-i ulyâmuza arz-ı ubûdiyet ve ihlâs ve ahd-i mîsak idüp bu tarafdan Donanma-i hümâyûnumuz varıcak olursa kendileri ve kâfir reʾâyâları cümle imâna gelüp bi-inâyetiʾl-Melikiʾl-Cevâd niyyet-i gazâ ve cihâd ve feth-i vilâyet ve bilâd ideceklerin iʿlâm idüp ve bacaluşka ve şayka ve hevâyî toplardan hisâr dövmek içün taleb olunup ve elçinüz husûsında ve at ve yarak ve nühâs alındukda ol diyara varmağa mâniʿ olmamak içün Mısır ve Yemen beğlerbeğilerine ve Cidde ve Aden beğlerine emr-i şerîfimüz gönderilmesin ve hisâr ve kadırga bennâlarından taleb olunup ve bunlardan gayri her ne dahî takrîr ve tahrîr olunmuş ise pâye-i serîr-i saʿâdet-masîr-i hüsrevânemüze arz olunup ilm-i şerîf-i âlem şümûl-i hidivvânemüz muhit ve şâmil olmuşdur. Öyle olsa, havâkîn-i izâm ve selâtîn-i âlî makâmun iltimâs ve istidʿâları hayyiz-i kabûlde vâkiʿ olmak âdet-i hasene-i şâhân-ı evreng-nişîn ve kâʿide-i müstahsene-i pâdişâhân-ı adâlet-rehîn olduğından mâʿadâ hıfz u himâyet-i beyzâ-i dîn-i mübîn ve zabt u siyânet-i şerʿî hazreti seyyidüʾl-mürselîn aleyhi efdalüʾs-salât veʾs-selâm bâbında vâkiʿ olan husûsâtın tedârik ve itmâmı emrinde sarf-ı makdûr ve bezl-i meysûr itmek etemm-i vâcibât ve ehemm-i müfterazâtdan olmağın memalik-i mahrûmemüzden Mısr-ı Kahire tevâbiʿinden bender-i Süveyşʾden on beş pâre kadırga ve iki pâre barça Dergâh-ı muʿallâm topçularından dökücübaşı ile yedi nefer topçu ve Mısır kullarından kifâyet mikdârı asker-i nusret-eser taʿyîn olunup kalʿalar içün kifâyet mikdârı top ve tüfenk ve sâʾir edevât-ı harb ve ceng verilmek emrüm olup ve taʿyîn ve irsâl olunacak asâkir-i fevz-meâsire sâbıkâ İskenderiyye kapudânı olup sancağa mutasarrıf olan iftihârüʾl-umerâʾil-kirâm muhtârüʾl-küberâiʾl-fihâm züʾl-kadr veʾl-ihtirâm el-muhtass bi-mezîd-i inâyetiʾl-melikiʾl-allâm Kurdoğlu Hızır -dâme ulüvvühû- serdâr taʿyîn olunup inâyet-i Hakk celle ve aʿlâya tevekkül-i tâm ve muʿcizât-ı kesîretüʾl-berekât-ı hazret-i seyyidüʾl-ebrâr aleyhiʾs-salâta tevessül-i mâlâ-kelâm kılınup küffâr-ı hâksâr-ı dûzâh-karâr ile cihâd-ı fî-sebîlillâh içün savb-ı savabnümâya irsâl olunup müşârünileyhe şöyle emrüm olmuşdur ki, inşâʾallâhü teʿâlâ size varup mülâkî oldukda, eğer feth ve teshîri lâzım olan kalʿalardur ve eğer sâʾir küffâr-ı

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hâksârun haklarından gelmekdür; siz vech ve münâsib gördüğünüz üzre dîn bâbında ve devlet-i hümâyûnumuza müteʿallik olan umûrda bezl-i makdûr eyleyüp eğer müşârünileyh ve eğer sâʾir koşulan topçu ve asker halkınun sagîr ve kebîri aslâ size muhâlefet itmeyüp her ne yüzden vech ve münâsib görürsenüz tâbiʿ olup hidmetde bulunalar. Anun gibi muhâlefet idenlerün müşârünileyh maʿrifetiyle haklarından gelesiz ve irsâl olunan askerun bir yıllık mevâcibleri virilmişdür. Gerekdür ki: Siz dahî dîn bâbında ve devlet-i hümâyûnumuza müteʿallik olan umûrda bezl-i makdûr eyleyüp küffâr-ı hâksârun eğer kalʿaların feth itmekde eğer ehl-i İslâm üzerlerinden şerr u şurların defʿ itmekde saʿy ü ikdâm eyleyüp inâyet-i Hakk celle ve aʿlâ ile ol diyârı televvüsât-ı küfürden tathîr ve pâk eyleyesiz ki, eyyâm-ı saʿâdet encâm-ı hüsrevânemüzde ol diyârın ehl-i İslâmı dahî âsûdehâl olup ferâğ-ı bâl ile kâr u kesblerine meşgûl olalar. İnşâʾallâh murâd üzre eğer kalʿa ahvâli, eğer memleket hıfzı görülüp itmâm-ı maslahat oldukda irsâl olunan topçulara icâzet verirsiz ve sâʿir ahvâl ü etvâr her neye müncer olursa müşârünileyh Mustafa Çavuş ile iʿlâm eyleyesiz. Sonra anda olan asker hakkında fermân-ı şerîfüm ne vechile sâdır olursa mûcebi ile amel eyleyesiz ve nâme-i şerîfinüz vürûdı esnâsından takdir-i hazret-i Mukaddirüʾl-âcal ile azze şânühû cenâb-ı mağfiret-penâh ve rahmet-nisâb merhûm ve mağfûrun-leh babamız Sultân Süleyman şâh-ı irdevs âşiyân -enârallâhu bürhânehû- asâkiri mansûre-i müslimîn ve leşker-i deryâ-şiâr-ı muvahhidin ile küffâr-ı hâksâr-ı hezimet-âsâr ile cihâd-ı fî-sebîlillâh içün gazâ-yı garrâ-yı nusret-intimâya azîmet itmişlerdi. Hudûd-ı nâ-maʿdûd-ı Frengistânʾdan kıdve-i erbâb-ı dalâl olan akbâl-i Frenkʾden Nemçe kralı olan melûn-ı dalâlet-makrûnun azâm-ı husûn-ı metânet-makrûnundan kalʿa-i mâsune-i Sigetvârʾın fethine azîmet itmişlerdi. Bi-inâyetiʾl-lâhiʾl-müheyminiʾl-Fettâh leşker-i İslâm-ı nusret-peyâm ile ol hısn-ı haşini feth eyleyüp memâlik-i vesîa-i Frengistânʾdan bî-nihâye memleketler ve kalʿalar alındukdan sonra vücûd-ı mevcûd-ı şehâdet-vürûdları dâr-ı fenâdan âlem-i bakâya irtihâl eylediler. El-hükmü lillâhiʾl-Vâhidiʾl-Kahhâr. Lâ cereme avn ü inâyet-i ilâhî ve savn ü sıyânet-i nâ-mütenâhî birle serîr-i saʿâdet ve ikbâl zât-ı aliyyemüz ile müstesid olup inşâʾallâhüʾl-eʿazzüʾl-ekrem hâtır-ı âtır-ı cihân-bânî ve niyyât-ı amîmetüʾl-berekât-ı gîtî-sitânî dâima küffâr-ı hâksâr ile cihâd ü gazâdan hâli olmamak üzre menvîdür. Çünki ol câniblerde dahî kefere-i fecerenün hazzele hümuʾllâhu teʿâlâ (…) ahvâl-i dalâlet-mâlleri nâme-i dürer-bârınuzda şerh ve tafsîl olunduğu üzre imiş, beher-hâl ihvân-ı sadâkat-nişâna merâsim-i muʿâvenet ve meded-kâri ve levâzım-ı muzâheret ve dest-yârîde âsâr-ı ikdâm ve ihtimâm mebzul ve mecbûl kılınur. Hakk sübhânehû ve teʿâlânun azze ve celle âsitâne-i ikbâl-âşiyânemüz kıbeline vüfûr-ı imdâd-ı aliyyeleri derece-i tafsîl u şomârdan mütecâvizdür. İnşâʾallâhüʾl-eʿazzüʾl-ekrem ol câniblerde dahî memalik-i İslâmiyeʾye dahî

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müstevlî olan aʿdâ-yı dîn-i mübîn ve düşmenân-ı âyîn-i seyyidüʾl-mürselînün aleyhiʾs-salâtü veʾs-selâm defʿ-i mazarrât ve dalâletleri içün asâkir-i cerrâr-ı nusret-şiârımuzdan dâimâ ol canibe irsâl olunur. Her zamânda kâʿide-i müstemirrenüz üzerine meʾmûldür ki, ol diyârın ahvâl ü mecrâsı mufassal [ve] meşrûh atabe-i âlem-penâhımız cânibine inbâ olunmakdan hâlî olunmaya ve müşârünileyh vezîrinüz gönderilmek içün (…) bahar ihzâr olunmuş idi. (…) barçalar irsâl olundu: tahmîl olunup gönderile ve gelen elçinüz dahî şol ki, şerâʿit-i risâletdür, kemâl-i âdâb ile edâ idüp hüsn-ı icâzetimüz mukârrin olup irsâl olunmuşdur. This is the copy of the imperial letter written to the padishah of Aceh. The opening compliments are the composition of the late Koca Nişancı Bey [i.e. Celâlzâde Mustafa].25 To his great majesty, abode of the sultanate, affiliate of the caliphate, holder of majesty, measure of dignity, the great state, the mark of the sultanate, mantle of justice, possessor of the necks of the nations, the wayfarer through the exigencies of great affairs, succour of the people, the pole of the standard of Islam, master of generosity and fortune, kingly in his personal virtues and his deeds, he who raises the standard of worth and glory from the depths of the seas to the heavens, he who erects the standards of justice over the heights of the firmament, he who pours the excellent elixir from the exalted cup of the epitome of the races of man, he whose being is without need of description or explanation, he who is singled out by the exalted grace of the majesty of the King of Judgement, the padishah of the abode of felicity, the shadow of God who protects justice, supporter of the clear faith, he who orders the nations, Alauddin Shah (may God make the foundations of his state firm and the extent of his glory high and lofty). Sincere, jewel-scattering greetings and exalted salutations that dispense love, which flow from [your] exalted pure favour and all-surpassing glorious guardianship, are announced and presented with abundant compliments and praise to the glory of your presence which abounds in happiness. It is declared and explained to [you], possessor of a strong soul which is a mirror for gold and a fragrant mind which is influenced by the planet Jupiter, that: Your noble letter arrived at our Exalted Threshold of Felicity and the Imperial Gate of the World-holder – which is the refuge of the great sultans and the asylum of the high emperors [khaqans]. Your noble letter was conveyed by your vizier, Hüseyin, who is the model courtier (may God perpetuate his glory). According 25  Celâlzâde Mustafa (1490–1567) was a major Ottoman bureaucrat and historian, see Woodhead 2017.

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to its contents you fight night and day against the miserable infidels in that place, and you are left alone among the enemy, with ill-intentioned enemies about to attack from every direction. [Therefore] you have requested military equipment and aid from our victorious armies, who are our servants who have experienced fighting and warfare. Moreover, in that country there are twenty four thousand islands and a lot of infidels who attacked their kings and routed [them]. The infidel took these islands and all the Muslims who lived there were captured by these infidels. Their kings have now settled in your well-protected domains [Aceh]. When merchants and pilgrim ships travelling from four of those islands to Honourable Mecca reach that strait,26 [the infidel] enslave them if they have the opportunity, or if they do not [have the opportunity], they fire their cannon from afar and sink them, drowning the Muslims in the sea. Near your provinces there are two infidel kings called Ceylon and Calicut whose subjects are mostly Muslims and who are always at war with the infidel. When they came to know that one of the servants of our Imperial Porte, Lutfi (may God strengthen him), had reached that place [Aceh], you declared that they would express their submission and affection to our exalted threshold, and if the Imperial Navy should reach them, they and their infidel subjects would all convert through the Benevolent King [i.e., God]. You declared that they would wage holy war and conquer territories. [Moreover] basilisks, small culverins, and mortar guns were requested in order to bombard forts, and you asked for our noble command to the governors of Egypt and Yemen, and to the beys of Jeddah and Aden, that your ambassador in this affair should not be prevented from purchasing horses, arms, or copper and taking them back to his country, as well as requesting engineers to build castles and galleys. These and any other things petitioned and submitted to our high imperial and felicitous throne have reached our knowledge. Accepting the requests of great rulers and high sultans for favour is a beautiful custom of the imperial throne-holder and the admirable rule of the imperial justice-dispenser. Moreover, it is a religious obligation to endeavour to care for and protect the pure and good religion and to guard and safekeep the law of the mightiest chief of prophets (prayers and peace upon him). [Therefore] I order that the following should be provided from the port of Suez, which is subject to Cairo in our Well-Protected Dominions: fifteen galleys; two carracks; a chief foundry-master together with seven gunners from among the artillerymen of my Exalted Court; and an adequate number of victorious soldiers to be appointed from among the Egyptian Janissaries; and a suitable amount of cannons and guns and other tools of war. The former admiral of Alexandria and district governor, the pride 26  Presumably the strait of Malacca is meant.

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of the great noblemen and leader of the greatest men, by the help of the King of the World [i.e. God], the mighty and respected great Kurdoğlu Hızır (God make him great), is appointed as the commander of the victorious soldiers to be appointed and dispatched. [Kurdoğlu Hızır] has been send to your righteous side to wage holy war in God’s path against the hell-bound, wretched infidels by the help of Almighty God, in whom we have enduring trust, and the indisputable blessing-bringing miracles of His Excellency the chief of saints [i.e. the Prophet], peace be upon him. I have ordered [Kurdoğlu Hızır] that when he reaches you (God Almighty willing), whether it is in conquering and securing castles, or other things in punishing the miserable infidels, he should act in accordance with your judgement, in matters of religion and in our imperial affairs. Neither he, nor any of the gunners or soldiers, neither the low- nor the high-ranking ones, may defy you. In whatever means or manner you require, they are subject to you in your service. If there is any defiance, you are to punish them through [Hızır]. A year’s salaries for the soldiers has been given. It is necessary that: You also must exert yourself for matters relating to religion and our imperial affairs, expelling the miserable infidels by conquering their fortresses, and warding off their evil and sedition from the people of Islam. By the help of God Almighty, you should cleanse and purify that land of the filth of the infidels, so that in the glorious days of our reign, the people of Islam of that land as well shall go about their business in comfort and with peace of mind. God willing, after completing the business of the fortresses and the protection of the kingdom, as desired, you may give permission to the artillery men [to depart]. And you should notify [me] through the said Mustafa Çavuş about the developments with regard to other affairs or matters. Afterwards with regard to the soldiers there, you should implement the requirements of my noble command whatever it may entail. When your noble letter arrived, my late father, the heaven-dwelling king (may God’s light shine upon him) Sultan Süleyman (may God enlighten his grave), who departed to God’s forgiveness and mercy with the approval of the majesty of the Determiner of death (glorious honour unto him), had set out to conduct a victorious campaign of holy war in God’s path, against the miserable, defeated infidels, together with the victorious Muslim soldiers and the innumerable monotheistic warriors. They had set out to conquer the well-protected castle of Szigetvár which is one of the great impregnable fortresses of the accursed, errant king of Austria who, in the endless borders of Frankish lands, is a model of misguidedness among the most treacherous Franks. By the help of God, the ultimate Conqueror, having conquered that fortress with the victorious army of Islam, and having seized innumerable castles and territories in the vast lands of the Franks, his corporal,

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martyred body departed from this abode of annihilation to the world of eternity. Judgement belongs to the one conquering God. Without fail, through divine aid and care and [God’s] endless protection and shelter, and seeking the aid of the felicitous and prosperous throne of our exalted personage, you intend to fight the holy war constantly against the miserable infidels, if almighty God wills it, may your sovereign aim and world-conquering blessed intention endure. As has been explained and detailed in your pearl-bearing letter, because of the situation in those places with perditious infidels (may God almighty curse them) (…), in every circumstance it is incumbent to undertake aid, assistance and help to our loyal brothers. The abundant aid of God, glorious and exalted is He, to our threshold of the Abode of Felicity is beyond description or counting. Almighty God willing, our innumerable, ever-victorious soldiers will perpetually be sent to that place in order to repel the evil and perdition of the enemies of the clear faith and the religion of the Chief of Prophets who have occupied the lands of Islam in that region. It is hoped that, in accordance with your established custom, you will continue to inform ourselves, the threshold of the refuge of the world [i.e. the Ottoman sultan], about affairs and events in that lands, in detail and with explanations. In order to dispatch your aforementioned vizier (…)27 spices have been prepared (….) the carracks have been dispatched. When they have been loaded up they should be sent, and your ambassador has obtained our kind permission and is returned as per the conventions of ambassadorship, having fulfilled all the requirements of protocol. Source: BOA MD 7/244. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 129–131.

12

The captain who took the Acehnese ambassador away should be supplied with an adequate number of garrison soldiers, 5 October 1567

[Yev]müʾl-Ahad, fî gurre-i Rebîʿuʾl-âhır, sene: 975 [Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Kurd Kethudâʾya virildi. Fiʾt-târîhi m. Rodos beğine, İstanköy ve Bodurum Kalʿaları dizdârlarına hüküm ki: Hâliyâ Açi pâdişâhınun elçisin alup giden Karabıyık Reʾis gemiler ile öteden beru avdet idüp hisâreri taleb itdükde kifâyet mikdârı virilmesin emridüp buyurdum ki: Müşârünileyh Karabıyık Reʾis gemiler ile avdet idüp hisâreri taleb itdükde kifâyet mikdârı hisâreri viresiz. 27  I.e. the return of Hüseyin from Istanbul to Aceh.

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[Orders copied to the register on] 5 October 1657 [On the margin] It was written and given to Kurd Kethüda on the same date. The command to the governor of Rhodes and the garrison commanders of the fortresses of Kos and Bodrum is: Karabıyık Reis who took the ambassador of the padishah of Aceh away is returning with ships. It is commanded that he should receive sufficient number of garrison soldiers when he requests. It is my command that: You should give Karabıyık Reis, who is returning with ships, sufficient number of garrison soldiers when he requests. Source: BOA MD. 7/307. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 163.

13

The captains and other personnel sent to the Sultan of Aceh should continue to receive their salaries on their return providing they carry out their mission successfully, 20 November 156728

[Derkenar]Yazıldı. Kapudâna hüküm ki: Hâlâ emr-i şerîfle Açi pâdişâhına gönderilen reʾisler ve sâʾir nefer hidmetlerin ed[â] idüp geldüklerinde kemâ-kân ulûfeleri mukarrer olup virilmesin emridüp buyurdum ki: Emrüm üzre müşârünileyhe gönderilen reʾisler ve gayriler varup kusûrları olmayup hidmet itdüklerine mûmâileyhden temessük getürdüklerinde mutasarrıf oldukları ulûfelerine tasarruf itdüresin. [On the margin] It was written. The command to the admiral is: The captains and other servants sent by the noble command to the padishah of Aceh should receive their previous allowances when they return after completing their missions. It is my command that: When the captains and others sent in accordance with my command to the aforementioned [padishah of Aceh] return, they shall bring documents from the latter attesting that they have served him without fault, and you will regulate the allowances they possess. Source: BOA MD. 7/491. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 252.

28  The decree was drafted on Imperial Council’s gathering on 20 November 1567 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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The appointment of the suitable captains from among those sent from Istanbul as captains for the ships to be sent to Aceh, 26 November 1567

[Derkenar]Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Anda gidecek reʾislerden Mustafa bin Hamza Reʾisʾe virildi. Fî 27 Ca.sene 975 Mısır beğlerbeğisine hüküm ki: Hâliyâ Südde-i Saʿâdetümʾden Açi pâdişâhına irsâl olunacak gemiler ile bile gönderilen Südde-i Saʿâdetümʾden irsâl olunan reʾisler; gidecek gemiler kendilere virilmek recâ idüp buyurdum ki: Vusûl buldukda, göresin; anun gibi anda olan reʾislerden gemi kullanmak bâbında bunlar evlâ olup yararlar ise gönderilen gemilere yarar olanları reʾis taʿyîn eyleyesin; gemi kullanmağa kâdir ola. [On the margin] It was written: This was given to one of the captains to go at that time, Mustafa bin Hamza Reis. 28 November 1567. The command to the Governor of Egypt is: The captains who were sent with the ships from my Threshold of Felicity request to be appointed as captains to the ships to be send from my Threshold of Felicity to the emperor of Aceh. It is my command that: When [this missive] arrives, you should investigate: if these captains are preferable to those there with regard to navigating ships, you should appoint the competent ones to the ships to be sent. They are to be capable of navigating the ship. Source: BOA MD. 7/474. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 244.

15

The deployment of the navy to Aceh is postponed until the suppression of the revolt in Yemen, 15 January 156829

[Derkenar] Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Mustafa Çavuşʾa verildi. Fî 22 Receb sene [975] Açi pâdişâhının elçisi Hüseyinʾe hüküm ki, Hâliyâ Yemen cânibinde fitne zuhûr idüp defʿ ve refʿleri ehemm-i mühimmâtdan olmağın vilâyet-i Hindʾe irsâl olunacak donanma-i hümâyûn bu sene teʾhîr olunmuşdur buyurdum ki, 29  The decree was drafted on Imperial Council’s gathering on 15 January 1568 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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İnşâʾallâhü teʿâlâ inâyet-i Hakk celle ve aʿlâ ile ol cânibün fitne ve fesâdı defʿ ve refʿ olunduktan sonra zikr olunan donanma-i hümâyûn muʿâhede olunduğı üzre müretteb ve mükemmel bî-kusûr irsâl ve îsâl olunur. [On the margin] It was written and was given to Mustafa Çavuş on 22 January 1568 The command to Hüseyin, the Ambassador of the padishah of Aceh is: Since suppressing the rebellion that has now appeared in Yemen is of utmost importance, the Imperial Navy that was to be sent to the provinces of India has been postponed for this year: God willing, after the rebellion in those places has been suppressed by the help of God almighty, the Imperial navy, will be fitted out perfectly and sent, as has been agreed. Source: BOA MD. 7/708. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 362.

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The ships and the personnel previously appointed to the expedition to Aceh are this time appointed to the expedition to Yemen, 16 February 156830

[Derkenar]Yazıldı. [Derkenar] Hindʾe taʿyîn olunan Mustafa Çavuşʾun âdemisi Pervizʾe virildi. Fî 17 Şaʿbân sene 975 Mısır beğlerbeğisine hüküm ki, Bundan akdem Açi pâdişâhı tarafından gelen elçi ile taʿyîn olunan kadırgalar ile emrolunan üstâdlardan Neccâr Ahmed dört nefer yoldaşıyla bıçkıcı üstâd[ı] Ahmed dört nefer yoldaşıyla ve Neccâr Ahmed bin Abdülbasit ve Mustafa [b.] Ahmed ve Ahmed bin Berekat iki nefer yoldaşıyla ve Üstâd İbrahim beş nefer yoldaşıyla ve Kürekci Memi ve dîğer Kürekci Hasan bin Abdullah ve İbrahim demürci ve maʿdenci iki nefer yoldaşıyla ve üstâd bakır maʿdenci iki nefer yoldaşıyla, kalafatcı dört nefer yoldaşıyla ve üstâd altun varak işler iki nefer yoldaşıyla irsâl olunup gönderilmişdi. Hâlâ ol husûs bu sene teʾhîre konılup mezbûrlar Yemen Seferiʾne taʿyîn olunup buyurdum ki, Vusûl buldukda, mezbûrları Yemen mühimmi içün taʿyîn eyleyüp irsâl eyleyesin. [On the margin] It was written: This was given to Perviz, the gentleman of Mustafa Çavuş appointed to India. 16 February 1568. 30  The decree was drafted on Imperial Council’s gathering on 16 February 1568 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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The command to the Governor of Egypt is: Carpenter Ahmed with four fellow journeymen, the master sawyer Ahmed with four fellow journeymen and carpenter Ahmed bin Abdülbasit and Mustafa [bin] Ahmed and Ahmed bin Berekat with two fellow journeymen, master craftsman Ibrahim with five fellow journeymen, the oarsman Memi and the other oarsman Hasan bin Abdullah, and Ibrahim together with two of his companions one blacksmith and the other miner, a master coppersmith with two fellow journeymen, a caulker with four fellow journeymen, and a master goldsmith with two fellow journeymen were sent with the galleys allocated to the ambassador who had previously come from the padishah of Aceh. As this issue has been postponed this year, and the men have been allocated to the expedition to Yemen, it is my command that: When [this missive] arrives, you are to send the men to be assigned to the Yemen mission. Source: BOA MD. 7/887. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 446.

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The transportation of the ambassador of the padishah of Aceh to his land, March 157131

[Derkenar] Açi pâdişâhına hidmet iden Mustafa Çavuşʾa virildi. Rodos beğine hüküm ki, Hâlen Açi pâdişâhı -edâma‌ʾllâhü teʿâlâ meʿâliyehû- tarafından Âsitâne-i Saʿâdet-âşiyânumʾa gelen elçileri hüsn-i icâzetümle girü ol cânibe gemi ile irsâl olunmağın buyurdum ki, Mezkûrlar anun gibi Rodosʾa varup vâsıl olduklarında, gemi ile mi olur, kadırga ve kalyete ve firkate ile mi olur, her ne tarîk ile mümkin ise emîn ve sâlim İskenderiyye[ʿye] ulaşdurup teʾhîr itdürmeyesin ve ne gün gönderilüp ne vechile tedârük eyledüğün yazup bildüresin. [Derkenar] Bu dahî. [Derkenar] Bir sûreti, İskenderiyye beğine; Mısırʾa (?) ile mi olur, her ne tarîk ile olursa vakti ile [Derkenar] Bu dahî. [Derkenar] Bir sûreti, Mısır beğlerbeğisine; çekdürür gemi ile mi olur, her ne tarîk ile olursa vakti ile Süveyşʾe ve Ciddeʾye ulaşdura [Derkenar] Bu dahî. [Derkenar] Bir sûreti, Cidde beğine; Vakti ile Yemenʾe ulaşdura

31  The decree was drafted on Imperial Council’s gathering in March 1571 although this date does not appear in this specific entry.

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[On the margin] This was given to Mustafa Çavuş in the service of the emperor of Aceh. The command to the governor of Rhodes is: The ambassador sent by the emperor of Aceh (may almighty God always preserve him) to my lofty Threshold of Felicity, having received my noble permission is to be sent back to there. It is my command that: When the aforesaid people arrive at Rhodes, they shall not be delayed but transported to Alexandria safe and sound whether by ship, galley, galleote, or frigate, and you are to notify us by writing about on what day they were sent, and in what manner they were supplied. [On the margin] This as well: A copy, to the governor of Alexandria; [you should convey the ambassador] to Cairo whether by (?), by whatever means, in good time [On the margin] This as well: A copy to the Governor-general of Egypt; you should convey [him] on time in whatsoever way to Suez and Jeddah either by galley, or another way [On the margin] This as well: A copy, to the governor of Jeddah; you should convey [him] to Yemen on time. Source: BOA MD, 12/596. Transcription adjusted from Yıldırım et al. 1999: 395.

Chapter 2

Royal Correspondence and Appeals for Help, 1824–1905 After the sixteenth century contacts documented in Chapter 1, there is no evidence of direct connections between the Ottoman Empire and Southeast Asia until the early nineteenth century, when in 1824 the sultan of Kedah on the Malay peninsula sent an appeal for help against the Siamese, although commercial and intellectual contacts continued in the intervening period (see Reid 2014: 87–91; Peacock and Gallop 2015b: 12–13; Peacock 2015; Fathurahman 2015). From the mid nineteenth century onwards, contacts became increasingly frequent as Southeast Asian rulers, especially the sultans of Aceh, sought Ottoman aid against European and particularly Dutch encroachment (see in general Reid 1967; Göksoy 2011; Kadı 2015). As a result, the Istanbul archives house a rich treasure trove of letters from Southeast Asian rulers. 1

Documents pertaining to the letter of the Sultan of Kedah, Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah requesting aid against the Siamese from the Ottoman government, 1824 The petition of Kedah to the Ottomans came as a result of the Siamese intervention there. Siam had traditionally regarded the Muslim states of the northern Malay peninsula as her tributaries, and of these the closest relationship was with Kedah, which was regarded as a crucial buffer state to protect Siam from attack from the South. In particular, Siam feared a Burmese invasion; in 1767 the Burmese had sacked the Siamese capital, Ayutthaya, and Burmese attacks in the later eighteenth century had sought to weaken Siam by breaking its hold over the peninsula through attacking the west coast of the peninsula, especially Kedah (Skinner 1985: 1–2, 3–4.) As Siam attempted to reassert control over Kedah in the first years of the 19th century, sultan Ahmad Tajuddin sought British support, the British base at Penang being located on territory leased from Kedah (Skinner 1985: 4; Suwannathat-Pian 1988: 70). Siam invaded Kedah in 1821 and ruled the territory directly as a province until 1839 (Suwannathat-Pian 1988: 71–2, 82). Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin’s appeal to the Ottomans thus was

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_004

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written some years after the Siamese invasion, when the sultan, in exile in British-controlled Penang, doubtless had despaired of any British aid. Unfortunately for the sultan, his letter arrived in Istanbul just as the Greek revolt (1821–32) reached a critical phase, and no action was taken. These documents have not previously been published; for a discussion see Kadı 2015: 155–9. Letter of the Sultan of Kedah, Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah requesting aid from the Ottoman government against the Siamese In the name of God the merciful the compassionate; praise be to God lord of both worlds, blessings and peace upon the seal of prophets and messengers, his family and companions; praise to him who built this religion of Muhammad through his victory, and who singled out for him slaves to uphold his promise until the day of Judgement and put their unsheathed swords on the necks of his enemies, the accursed infidel; and who singled them out from among the human race to be kings over all men, common and noble; and he brought forth from among their line this king who qualities amaze the perceptive, and whose virtues even intelligent men cannot [fully] appreciate. Through the seriousness of his resolution, he renewed this religion after it had declined until he conquered God’s Sacred House, the City of the Prophet and the rest of the land of Islam, and made every unbeliever taste the cup of death with his sword, I mean the king of Arabs and non-Arabs (ʿajam), bearer of the banner of most noble glory, sultan of Islam and the Muslims, leader of the ghazis and those who wage holy war, helper of the nation of Muhammad, suppressor of rebels, king of the two lands and the two seas, servant of the two holy shrines, aider of the sharia, lord of all creation, the sultan, son of the sultan son of the sultan ⟨…⟩, I mean the sultan of all sultans may God protect him and keep him and aid him and destroy anyone who opposes him, resists him or betrays him. I send greetings more delicate than the breeze and sweeter than good health to the sick body, salutations more deeply perfumed than musk or ambergris, prayers at every time, and a charm from one afflicted whose sorrow has been inflamed, and whose pain and lamentation at what has happened in the land of Islam has endured too long, with the unbelievers, the enemies of religion, gaining power. Oh God, who possesses fervour and zeal for the umma of the best of men [the Prophet]? The reason for having these letters written is the [divine] saying “collaborate in piety and godliness”, for the Prophet said, “Believers are tied to each other like the bricks of a building”. What made it necessary to describe this to your Exalted State and Imperial Majesty was that we had heard of your Hashemite zeal for the rest of the land of Islam. God exalted prompted us 1.1

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Figure 2

Letter of the Sultan of Kedah, Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah requesting aid from the Ottoman government against the Siamese, 1824

Figure 3

Envelope of Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah’s letter

to explain our situation to you, which is that, sire, may it not be hidden from you: I was the sultan of one of the lands of the Jawa people, which is beneath the equator, called Kedah, which has belonged to us since ancient times. We have there 15 ancestors, all of them sultans there. We inform you of this only because of our long association with you, for in our beginnings, our lands were only conquered and became part of the land of Islam because of your exalted zeal. Last year we went out to take care of a village in our land, and there approached us the unbelieving Magian king – they burn their dead – and by trickery and betrayal he entered my land of Kedah, claiming he was merely passing by, looking for provisions. When he did not find me, he attacked the land and occupied it, killing four of my ministers, my brother, the senior

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officials of my state, and some of the Alawi sayyids. They took my son captive after he was wounded in battle, my sister, my brothers’ sons, two small daughters and a son of the sayyids – who are descendants of the Prophet. After that he headed to the village in which I was resident; a messenger reached me before he did, but I did not have the means to fight in the place I was in, so I fled along with those children and dependants with me, to an island called Pulau Penan[g], which previously belonged to us but was in ruins; the British leased it from my father and made it flourish. I am now resident there, waiting for relief from God, his Prophet and from you, for, sire, your boats, [sent] by Muhammad Ali Paşa, governor of Egypt, reach the aforesaid island every year. O God, sire, help, help with your Muhammadan zeal and Hashemite aid to save the land of the Muslims and your monotheist brothers and the descendants of the Prophet of God, peace and blessings be upon him. May God increase you in honour and aid you with his soldiers, and may you remain the refuge and goal for every weighty matter which is referred to your Exalted [Ottoman] State; and may your manifest force and your protected sultanate be increased by God in honour and may he support them till the day of resurrection. Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of God for ever; and the blessings of God upon our lord Muhammad, the best of men, and his house and companions together. [Seal #214] al-ʿazīz dhū al-mulk al-qadīr al-ghālib ghayr al-maghlūb al-sulṭān khalīfat Allāh ʿalā dāʾīrah Kedah wa-huwa al-Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah bin al-Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah sanat 1219. ‘The mighty one, possessor of the kingdom, the powerful one, the conquering [yet] unconquered one, the sultan [who is the] vicegerent of God over the territory of Kedah, and he is Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah, son of Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah, the year 1219 (1804/5)’ Source: BOA HAT. 785/36657

Note of the Ottoman chancery about the letter remarking that it is not the right time to deal with the issue due to the preoccupation of the government Hind tarafında Kedah memleketi hâkimi tarafından Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye istiʿâne zımnında vârid olan nâmesidir sâbıklarda bu Kedah hâkiminin saltanat-ı seniyyeye hiç nâmesi gelmediğine ve bu tarafdan cevâb yazıldığına dâʾir nâme defterlerinde bir kayd bulunmadığına mebnî Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin şimdi meşgûliyeti cihetiyle ana dâʾir bir şey mülâhazasının bile sırası değildir tevkif torbasında hıfz olunsun cevâbı gelip suʾâl eder ise bu civârlarda cevâb verilir deyu (?) ifâde buyurulmağla maʿlûm olup vaktiyle mürâcaʿat kılınabilinmek üzre işâret olundu. (?) 20 Cemâziyyeʾlâhir 1240. 1.2

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Figure 4 Note of the Ottoman chancery about the letter Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah

This is a letter requesting assistance from the Sublime State by the ruler of the kingdom of Kedah in the region of India. No letters to the Imperial Sultanate have arrived previously from this ruler of Kedah, and there is not any record in the registers of [royal] letters of an answer having been written from this end. Given the current preoccupation of the Sublime State,1 this is not something that should be considered at this time. It has been decided that [the letter] should be kept and stored in its protective pouch. In the event that a query regarding the reply arrives, an answer can be made on these lines. It has been marked so that when it is consulted, this order will be known (?) 9 February 1825. Source: BOA HAT. 785/36657

1  This refers to the Greek Revolt between 1821–1832.

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Report of es-Sayyid Osman who brought the letter of the ruler of Kedah Es-Seyyid Osman bin el-Mükerrem es-Seyyid Muhammed Zeyn el-Rodosi elMedenî dâʿîlerinin takrîri tercümesidir Bin iki yüz yirmi altı senesinde mûmâileyh Osman Efendi ve pederi ve iyâl ve evlâdıyla berâber Hind tarafında Cava nâm beldeye azîmet ve müddet-i vefîre belde-i mezkûrda ârâm ile Medîne-i Münevvere hâricden baʿdeʾl-ahz yine avdet ve bir müddetcik ikâmetden sonra otuz sekiz senesi derûnunda mûmâileyh Osman Efendi tekrâr Cava şehrine gidip Cava hükümdârıyla görüşmüş ve hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyh tarafından hâk-ıpây-ı makâm-ı ihtirâ-yı mülûkâneye takdîm olunmak üzre bir kıtʿa nâme almış. El-yevm mevcûddur. Efendi-i mûmâileyhe hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin ifâdesi ecdâdımız şeref-i İslâm ile müşerref olduklarından ahd-i karîbe kadar hâk-ı pây-ı şâhâneye nâme tahrîr ve takdîm ederler imiş ve ol zamân Devlet-i Aliyye tarafından ol beldede top ve humbara dökmek için mahsûs adamlar ve külliyetlü asâkir-i şâhâne irsâliyle iʿâne buyurulduğu ecilden ol hudûdda lâ-yuʿad memâlik feth ve teshîr ve ahâlîleri dahî şeref-i İslâmla teşerrüf etmiş olmalarıyla haklarında ol vakit zuhûr eden inâyât-ı bî-ğâyenin teşekkürüyle ve ol tâʾifeden yaʿni Cava kabâʾilinden el-yevm kabûl-ı İslâm etmeyip el-ân Cava şehri etrâfına îrâs-ı mazarrat ve tasallutdan hâlî olmadıkların beyân ile nâme-i mezkûru mûmâileyh Osman Efendi vesâtatıyla takdîm etmiş olduğu Derkenar: Tarihi 1240 1.3

This is the translated declaration of [His Majesty’s] supplicant, Es-Seyyid Osman bin el-Mükerrem es-Seyyid Muhammad Zeyn er-Rodosî el-Medenî. In the year 1226 [1811/2] the said Osman Efendi, together with his father, his wife, and his children, journeyed to the country of Jawa2 nearby India, and remained there for a long period of time. After returning to Resplendent Medina and staying there for a while, in the year [12]37 [1822/3] Osman Efendi again went to the city of Jawa where he met with the ruler of Jawa, and took a letter from that said ruler to be presented to the ground at the feet of His Imperial Majesty. [This letter] exists to this day. The ruler [of Jawa] stated to [Osman] Efendi that: “Ever since our ancestors were honoured with the sanctity of Islam they sent letters to the ground at the Sultan’s feet until recently. At that time, the Sublime State ordered experts capable of making cannons and preparing bombs, along with a great number of imperial soldiers to be sent to that

2  Jawa meaning here, the Malay peninsula or Malay world generally. For this usage of Jawa see Laffan 2009.

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Figure 5

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Report of es-Sayyid Osman who brought the letter of Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah

country. As a result, innumerable countries at that frontier were conquered and captured, and their people were also honoured with the sanctity of Islam.” Giving thanks for the limitless assistance afforded at that time, he explained that groups of people (that is, the tribes of Jawa who to this day have not accepted Islam) continue to cause harm, and attack around the city of Jawa. [So] the said letter is presented by the intermediary of Osman Efendi. Marginal note: date 1824/25 Source: BOA HAT. 785/36657

2

Documents relating to the Acehnese embassy to Istanbul, 1849–52 The earliest of the Acehnese missives to Istanbul in the nineteenth century to survive was evidently not the first to be dispatched. The letter of the Acehnese sultan Mansur Shah (r. 1837–70) refers to previous letters sent in 1837–8, 1842 and 1845. No trace of any of these earlier letters has yet been found in the Ottoman archives, and it may be doubted whether they arrived. The Acehnese embassy of 1849–52 presented a

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major diplomatic headache to Ottomans, whose enthusiasm to respond to these overtures was mitigated by the danger of causing a diplomatic dispute with European powers. As a result, the Acehnese question was debated extensively in the highest echelons of the Ottoman state. For a fuller discussion of the embassy, see Kadı, Peacock and Gallop 2011; also Göksoy 2011: 81–3; Reid 2014: 96–8; Reid 2015:31–5; Kadı 2015: 165–66. Malay letter of Sultan Mansur Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülmecid, 1265/1849, transcribed and translated by Annabel Teh Gallop [Great seal of Sultan Mansur Shah #1799] Paduka Seri Sultan ʿAlauddin Mansur Syah Johan Berdaulat zill Allah fi al-ʿalam // ibn Sultan Jauhar al-ʿAlam Syah / ibn Sultan Muhammad Syah / ibn Sultan Mahmud Syah / ibn Sultan Johan Syah / ibn Sultan Ahmad Syah / ibn Sultan Tajul Alam / ibn Sultan Makota Alam / ibn Sultan Sayid al-Mukammal [sign manual:] al-Sultan al-Mansur Syah Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim Al-hamd li-llah rabb al-ʿalamin wa-al-ʿaqiba li-l-muttaqin wa-al-salat waal-salam ʿala sayyidina Muhammad sayyid al-anbiya‌ʾ wa-al-mursalin wa-ʿala alihi wa-sahbihi ajmaʿin. Amma baʿda adapun kemudian daripada itu maka inilah warkat al-ikhlas wa-tuhfat al-ajnas yang termaktub dalamnya dengan beberapa sembah salam takzim dan takrim yang keluar daripada kalbi yang nurani dan fuad yang haqiqi dan sirr yang khafi dan rahasia yang terbuni yaitu ialah yang datang daripada pihak hamba anak emas yang hina dina lagi fana lagi tiada menaruh daya dan upaya serta dengan tiada mengetahui adat dan majlis lagi daif dengan miskin, yaitu yang bernama Sultan Mansur Syah ibn almarhum Sultan Jauhar al-ʿAlam Syah yang ada hayyat duduk dengan duka percintaan dan kesukaannya yaitu yang memerintahkan hukum dan adat dalam daerah negeri Aceh bandar dar al-salam. Maka barang disampaikan Allah subhanahu wa-taʿala datang mendapatkan ke bawah kadam tapak kauh3 duli hadrat penghulu hamba yang maha mulia lagi aʿla dan fadla yang telah dikurniai daripada Tuhan yang bernama rabbikum al-aʿla yaitu sayyidna wa-maulana Paduka Seri Sultan ʿAbd al-Majid Khan ibn al-marhum Sultan Mahmud Khan Johan Berdaulat zill Allah fi al-ʿalam yang tahta kerajaan daripada emas kudrati yang sepuluh mutu lagi yang bertatahkan ratna4 mutu maʿnikam daripada intan dikarang dan zabarjad yang telah terseradi dalam daerah negeri 2.1

3  Spelt very clearly k.a.w.h, perhaps reflecting Acehnese form of kauth, k.a.w.th, or kaus, ‘shoe, boot’ (I am grateful to Jan van der Putten for this suggestion). 4  r.q.n.a.

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Figure 6

Malay letter of Sultan Mansur Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülmecid, 1265/1849

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Figure 7

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Silk envelope of Sultan Mansur Shah’s letter to Sultan Abdülmecid, 1849

Rum Qustantih5 bandar dar al-maʿmur wa-al-mashhuriah yang memerintahkan amr bi-al-maʿruf wa-al-nahy ʿan al-munkar pada sekalian alam dunia laut dan darat dengan sangat adilnya serta dengan gagah dan kuat pada memagang syariat Muhammad ahl al-sunnah wa-al-jamaʿah dalam daerah negeri Makkah al-musharafah dan Madinah al-munawwarah dan negeri yang lain jua adanya.6 Maka tiadalah patik berpanjangkan kalam melainkan sekadar patik mangadukan hal dengan ihwal yang maksud sahaja, amin. Syahdan patik beri maklumlah ke bawah kadam tapak kauh duli hadrat adapun karena tantangan patik yang di negeri Aceh sungguhlah anak emas duli hadrat daripada zaman dahulu hingga sampai zaman sekarang tiadalah menaruh lupa dan lalai akan duli hadrat daripada tiap2 kutika dan masa pada siang dan malam pada pagi dan petang. Adapun karena hal ihwal surat ini patik mengkirimkan ke bawah duli dari karena tatkala dahulu negeri Jawi sekaliannya orang Muslimin dan kuatlah dengan berbuat ibadah dan tetaplah agama Islam dan senanglah kehidupan segala orang fakir dan miskin dan lainnya. Dan sekarang sudahlah binasa negeri karena sudah masuk orang kafir Belanda pada satu pulau Jawa dan serta dengan pulau Bugis dan pulau Bali serta dengan pulau Burniu dan serta dengan pulau Aceh yang setengah sudahlah diambil 5  q.s.t.n.t.y.h. 6  See the comparison with the letter to Louis-Napoleon of France below, pp. 91–92.

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oleh orang Belanda. Dan serta dengan raja Minangkabawi sudah ditangkapnya dan sudahlah dibawa‌ʾ ke negeri dianya pada tarikh sanat 1253. Dan sampailah surat kepada patik ke negeri Aceh daripada segala ulama dan orang besar2 Minangkabau dia minta tolong bantu kepada patik. Dan patik berpikirlah dengan segala hulubalang dan orang besar2 yang dalam negeri Aceh pasal hal itu, maka berkatalah segala hulubalang kepada patik, “Adapun sekarang ini karena kita hendak berlawan perang dengan orang Belanda karena Belanda itu adalah kapal perang, karena ⟨kita⟩7 kurang daripadanya dan lagi pula karena kita ini di bawah perintah sultan Rum, sekarang barang2 hal pekerjaan wajiblah tuanku kirimkan suatu surat kepada penghulu kita sultan Rum, dan hendaklah kita minta‌ʾ tolong bantu padanya, lagi serta dengan kita minta‌ʾ kapal perang barang berapa yang memadai serta laskar dalamnya orang Teruki.” Sudah itu maka patik kirimlah suatu surat kepada duli hadrat pada tarikh sanat 1253 dan adalah khabar dalam surat itu patik mangadukan sekalian hal ihwal orang Belanda yang dalam negeri Jawi dan hal ihwal orang Muslim dan yang membawa surat itu orang Marikan namanya Kapitan Tuan Dansart8 dengan persembahan tanda yakin patik akan duli hadrat lada putih adalah lima ribu ratal dan kemunyan putih adalah tiga ribu ratal dan gaharu adalah dua ribu ratal dan kapur adalah dua ratus ratal dan lainnya pasal kain2 adalah dua tiga helai karena patik orang miskin, dan patik nantilah datang perintah dan wasitah daripada duli hadrat hingga sampai empat tahun lamanya. Sudah itu maka patik kirim pula suatu lagi surat kepada duli hadrat pada tarikh sanat 1257 dan adalah khabar dalamnya seperti yang telah tersebut dahulu itu jua, patik kirimkan pada orang Peransih surat itu namanya Kapitan Bangin9 dan serta dengan persembahan tanda yakin akan duli hadrat lada putih adalah empat ribu ratal dan kemunyan putih adalah dua ribu lima ratus ratal dan gaharu adalah seribu tujuh ratus lima puluh ratal dan kapur adalah seratus lima puluh ratal dan lainnya pasal kain2 adalah dua tiga helai karena patik orang miskin, dan patik nantilah pula datang perintah dan wasitah daripada duli hadrat hingga sampai empat tahun lamanya. Sudah itu maka patik kirim pula suatu lagi surat kepada duli hadrat pada tarikh sanat 1261 dan adalah khabar dalamnya seperti yang telah tersebut dahulu itu jua, dan yang membawa‌ʾ surat itu orang Peransih namanya Kapitan Estilung10 dan serta dengan persembahan tanda yakin akan duli hadrat lada 7  Inserted above the line. 8  t.w.n d.a.n.s.r.t. 9  ba.n.g.y.n. 10  a.s.ti.l.w.ng.

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putih adalah tiga ribu lima ratus ratal dan kamunyan putih adalah dua ribu ratal dan gaharu adalah seribu lima ratus ratal dan kapur adalah seratus ratal dan lainnya pasal kain2 Aceh adalah dua tiga helai karena patik orang miskin lagi hina, dan patik nantilah pula datang perintah dan wasitah daripada duli hadrat hingga empat tahun lamanya, maka tiadalah datang perintah dan wasitah daripada duli hadrat. Sudah itu maka patik berpikirlah dengan segala hulubalang dan segala orang yang besar2, “Bagaimanalah kita ini tiadalah datang perintah dan wasitah daripada penghulu kita di negeri Rum? Adapun karena negeri Rum terlalu sangat jauh, barangkali tiada sampai surat yang kita kirim ke bawah duli hadrat syah alam. Sekarang baiklah kita kirim satu orang Aceh ke negeri Rum, kita suruh nyatakan surat yang dahulu ada sampai ke bawah duli atawa tiada.” Maka ialah pada tarikh sanat 1265 pada lima belas hari bulan Rabiulawal pada hari Khamis, pada dewasa itulah patik berbuat surat sekeping kertas ini tawakkul yakin patik ke bawah lebu kadam tapak kauh duli hadrat. Amma baʿda ampun tuanku sembah ampun, ampun beribu kali ampun, patik anak emas tuanku Sultan Mansur Syah ibn al-marhum Sultan Jauhar al-ʿAlam Syah memohon ampun ke bawah kadam duli hadrat yang maha mulia yaitu Sultan ʿAbd al-Majid Khan ibn al-marhum Sultan Mahmud Khan. Syahdan patik beri maklumlah ke bawah kadam duli hadrat adapun karena patik sekarang ini sangatlah masyghul dan serta kesukaran karena sebab negeri Jawa dan negeri Bugis dan negeri Bali dan negeri Burniu dan negeri Palembang dan negeri Minangkabau sudahlah dihukumkan oleh orang Belanda, dan sangatlah susah segala orang yang Muslim lagi sangatlah kekurangan daripada agama Islam karena sebab keras orang kafir Belanda itu. Dan muafakatlah segala orang yang besar2 serta segala rakyatnya yang dalam negeri semuhanya itu hendak melawan dia lagi hendak memukul dia, maka dikirimlah surat daripada tiap2 orang yang besar2 dalam negeri semuhanya itu kepada patik ke negeri Aceh, karena negeri Aceh yang dalam pegangan perintah patik belumlah dapat oleh Belanda segala negeri dan sekalian bandar. Dan sekarang orang Belanda hendak memeranglah kepada patik ke negeri Aceh dan sudahlah siab11 dianya dan patik pun ʿala kull hal siablah akan melawan dia dan segala hulubalang dan orang yang besar2 pada negeri yang sudah dihukum oleh Belanda sudah sampai surat kepada patik ke negeri Aceh. Dan muafakatlah dianya dengan patik lagi satu batin dengan patik semuhanya orang itu, apabila bangkit perang orang Belanda itu maka segala orang Islam pun bangkitlah melawan dia lagi memukul dia tiap2 negeri yang telah tersebut itu, karena segala orang yang 11  s.y.b.

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sudah diperintah oleh Belanda pada tiap2 negeri semuhanya menanti titah daripada patik di negeri Aceh, dan tantangan patik pun menanti titah dan wasitah ⟨daripada⟩ duli hadrat yang di negeri Rum. Ampun tuanku beribu kali ampun kurnia sedekah duli hadrat kepada patik ke negeri Aceh kapal perang al-qadar dua belas serta dengan laskar dalamnya barang berapa yang memadai dalam kapal itu dan tantangan belanja laskar dan belanja kapal sekaliannya di atas tanggungngan12 patik jika sudah sampai ka negeri Aceh adalah dengan ikhtiar patik semuhanya itu dan hendaklah dengan izin duli hadrat kepada patik dan lainnya hendak memerang kafir Belanda itu pada tiap2 negeri dan tiap2 bandar, dan hendaklah sedekah duli hadrat surat tanda alamat duli hadrat kepada kami semuhanya yang dalam negeri Jawi kalahum ajmaʿin supaya sukalah kami mati syahid. Itulah ihwalnya dan yang lain tiadalah patik sebutkan dalam warkat ini melainkan duli hadrat pariksa pada orang yang membawa surat ini karena dianya hulubalang patik lagi tabah dengan patik, namanya Muhammad Ghauth ibn Abdul Rahim, karena dianya amanah patik lagi badan ganti patik berjalan menjungjung ke bawah kadam duli hadrat ke negeri Rum, dan apa2 khabarnya sungguhlah khabar patik dan pekerjaannya pun sungguh pekerjaan patik, dan hendaklah dengan segera2 titah duli hadrat akan Muhammad Ghauth kembali ke negeri Jawi. Dan tiadalah tanda hayyat patik melainkan ampun beribu2 kali ampun. Tammat kalam sanat 1265. In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds; the hereafter belongs to the pious. Prayers and blessing upon our lord Muhammad, lord of the prophets and the messengers, and also on all his family and companions. After that, this is a sincere letter and gift of sorts which contains within it obeisance and greetings of respect and esteem which issue forth from a heart enlightened and true and a breast full of secrets and hidden mysteries, which comes from your born slave, who is mean, humble and soon to perish, who is without means or resources, who is deficient in knowledge of social customs and formal governance, who is frail and impoverished: namely Sultan Mansur Shah, son of the late Sultan Jauhar al-ʿAlam Shah, who currently dwells in the sorrow of his yearnings and affections, and who exercises the rule of both (shariah) law and customary law in the lands of the state of Aceh, in the port of the abode of peace. May it be conveyed by God, may He be praised and exalted, to arrive beneath the soles of the shoes of the honoured presence of our lord, his exalted and excellent 12  t.ng.g.w.ng.ng.n.

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Majesty, who has been graced by the God who is named Our Lord the Highest, namely our lord and our master His Majesty Sultan Abdülmecid Khan, son of the late Sultan Mahmud Khan, the Sovereign Champion, the shadow of God on earth, whose royal throne is made of pure gold of the highest grade, which is studded with precious stones of all kinds, clustered with diamonds and scattered with emeralds, in the lands of the state of Rum in Constantinople, the port which is the abode of prosperity and fame, who issues commands to do what is right and who prohibits what is wrong with utmost justice, all over the world both at sea and on land, and who vigorously and strongly upholds the law of Muhammad and of the people of the path and the congregation in the lands of Mecca the exalted and Medina the illustrious and in other lands as well. It is not my intention to prolong these words; rather I wish to bring to your attention the immediate matter at hand, amen. Therefore I would like to make known to beneath the soles of the shoes of the illustrious presence [i.e. your Majesty] our position, that we in the land of Aceh have truly been the born slaves of your Majesty from ancient times to the present day, and we have never forgotten or neglected your Majesty at any time or moment, whether day or night, whether morning or evening. The reason for my sending this letter to your Majesty is that in the past the Jawa lands were all occupied by Muslims, who faithfully performed their religious obligations and firmly upheld the religion of Islam, and all the poor people and mendicants and others were able to lead comfortable lives. But now the country is in ruins due to the coming of the infidel Dutch; they came first to the island of Java, then to the island of the Bugis and the island of Bali and the island of Borneo, and then on to the island of Aceh, which is now partly occupied by the Dutch. They captured the ruler of Minangkabau and carried him off to their capital in 1253 (1837/8 AD), and I received a letter in Aceh from the religious leaders and nobles of Minangkabau, asking for my help and assistance. So I conferred with all the (war) commanders and nobles of Aceh on this matter, and the commanders said to me: “At the present time we are on the brink of war with the Dutch, yet the Dutch have warships while we have none, and furthermore because we are under the rule of the Sultan of Rum, before we do anything at all it is essential that your highness should send a letter to our lord the Sultan of Rum and we should ask for his assistance, and we should ask for an adequate number of warships manned by Turkish troops.” I therefore sent a letter to your Majesty in the year 1253 (1837/8), and in the letter I laid forth our all grievances about the Dutch who had come into the Jawa lands and the problems facing the Muslims. And the person who carried the letter was an American named Captain Mr Dansart [d.a.n.s.r.t], and it was accompanied by offerings as a sign of our confidence in your Majesty: five

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thousand ratal13 of white pepper, and three thousand ratal of white benzoin, and two thousand ratal of agila wood, and two hundred ratal of camphor, and furthermore as for cloth there were but two or three pieces because I am but a poor man. And then I waited for the arrival of orders or an envoy from your Majesty, until four years had passed. I then sent another letter to your Majesty in the year 1257 (1841/2), and the contents of the letter were the same as stated above, and I sent this letter via a Frenchman named Captain Banguine [ba.n.g.y.n],14 together with offerings as a sign of our confidence in your Majesty: four thousand ratal of white pepper, and two thousand five hundred ratal of white benzoin, and one thousand seven hundred and fifty ratal of agila wood, and one hundred and fifty ratal of camphor, and furthermore as for cloth there were but two or three pieces because I am but a poor man. And then I waited for the arrival of orders or an envoy from your Majesty, until four years had passed. I then sent another letter to your Majesty in the year 1261 (1845), and the contents of the letter were also the same as stated above, and this letter was sent via a Frenchman named Captain Estilung [a.s.ti.l.w.ng], together with offerings as a sign of confidence in your Majesty: three thousand five hundred ratal of white pepper; and two thousand ratal of white benzoin, and one thousand five hundred ratal of agila wood, and one hundred ratal of camphor, and furthermore as for Acehnese cloth there were but two or three pieces, for I am but a poor and humble man. And so I waited for the arrival of orders or an envoy from your Majesty for four full years, but no orders or envoys arrived from your Majesty. After that I conferred with my commanders and nobles, “What should we do now, as no orders or envoys have arrived from our lord in Rum? As the country of Rum is so very far away, maybe the letters that we sent to his Majesty the Lord of the World never arrived. Now perhaps it would be better if we were to send a man from Aceh to Rum, in order to ascertain whether or not the earlier letters to his Majesty have arrived.” Therefore, in this year of 1265, on the fifteenth day of Rabiʿ I (8 February 1849), on Thursday, at this moment, I prepared a letter on this sheet of paper, as a sign of my trust and confidence, addressed to the dust beneath the soles of the shoes of your illustrious presence. 13  R  atl, ritl – a unit of measure, equivalent in Baghdad to a weight of 12 ounces or a pint in capacity according to Lane’s Arabic Dictionary, with differing values in Bombay (ratal) and in the Red Sea (rottolo) (Hughes 1999: 535). 14  According to Reid 2015: 33n29, this name “may be a rendering of Captain Van Tseghem, an experienced Sumatra pepper trader from Nantes, who came to the notice of Paris when wounded in a dispute in Meuke, west Aceh, in May 1839.”

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And so: we beg your pardon, your Highness, obeisance and pardon, pardon and a thousand more pardons, I, your Highness’s born slave, Sultan Mansur Shah, son of the late Sultan Jauhar al-ʿAlam Shah, extends pardons to beneath the feet of your illustrious Majesty, Sultan Abdülmecid Khan, son of the late Sultan Mahmud Khan. And then I wish to make known to beneath the feet of your Majesty that I am currently in very sorrowful and difficult circumstances because the lands of Java and Bugis and Bali and Borneo and Palembang and Minangkabau are already under Dutch rule, and all the Muslims are in great distress, and the religion of Islam has been greatly suppressed because of the harshness of those infidel Dutch. And all the nobles and the people of those countries have come to an agreement to rise up against them [i.e. the Dutch] and to fight them, and so all the nobles of those countries have sent letters to me in Aceh, because Aceh is still under my control and all its lands and ports are not yet in the hands of the Dutch. And now the Dutch are about to attack me in the land of Aceh, and they are ready to strike, and we are also in all aspects ready to fight them. And all the commanders and nobles of the countries that have fallen under Dutch rule have sent letters to me in Aceh, and we have agreed that we are all of one spirit, and that when the Dutch declare war then all the Muslims will rise up against them and fight them in all the countries mentioned above. And all the people who are currently being ruled by the Dutch in all the different lands are waiting for instructions from me in Aceh, and my position is that I am in turn waiting for a royal order and envoy from your Majesty in Rum. Pardon, your Highness, a thousand more pardons, may your Majesty grant your supplicants in Aceh, if possible, twelve warships manned with an appropriate number of troops, and as for the cost of all the troops and the ships it will be fully my responsibility; and when they reach Aceh they should all be under my direct command – as long as I have your permission granted to me for this – in order to fight the infidel Dutch in all lands and in all harbours. And may your Majesty grant your supplicants a letter as a manifest symbol of your Majesty, addressed to all of us in the Jawa lands, all together, so that we may be willing to die a martyr’s death. That is the substance of the matter, and I will not prolong this letter further with other affairs, but your Majesty may interrogate the person who carries this letter, because he is my commander and utterly steadfast to me; his name is Muhammad Ghauth, son of Abdul Rahim; for he is my trusted envoy and takes my bodily place in journeying to pay obeisance to beneath the feet of your Majesty in the land of Rum, and the news he brings is truly my news, and his affairs are truly my affairs. And we further beg that your Majesty may swiftly order Muhammad Ghauth to return to the Jawa lands. And there is no token of

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affection from me save pardons and a thousand more pardons. The end of the words. The year 1265. Source: BOA İ.HR. 66/3208 (6) Previous publication: Kadı, Peacock and Gallop 2011: 259–65

Comments on letter in Malay from Mansur Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülmecid, 1265/1849, by Annabel Teh Gallop This long letter in Malay of 1849 from Sultan (Ibrahim) Mansur Shah of Aceh (r. 1836–1870) to Sultan Abdülmecid in Istanbul represents the first known direct contact between the Acehnese court and the Ottoman state since the 16th century. Citing Aceh’s claimed status as an Ottoman vassal of longstanding, Mansur Shah appeals for help against the encroaching Dutch threat.15 This letter is a deft exercise in balancing all due expressions of deference and humility owed to a suzerain, while at the same time positioning Aceh as the last bastion of Islamic rule in the archipelago outside the Dutch fold, and hence in urgent need of support. Expressed explicitly in words, this message is also reinforced with appropriate diplomatic devices. The letter was entrusted to an Acehnese envoy, Sayyid Muhammad Ghauth, together with another missive to Louis-Napoleon, president of France, entreating the French to increase their trading presence in Aceh (and thereby counterbalance the Dutch). The Malay text of Mansur Shah’s letter to France has been published by Reid (2005: 191–193), and a comparison of the two letters is valuable in highlighting which terms demonstrate special reverence for the Ottomans, and which merely represent standard courtesies. In the letter to Istanbul, Mansur Shah uses the extremely self-deprecating term a ‘born slave’ (hamba anak emas) and addresses Abdülmecid as ‘the illustrious presence of my lord’ (duli hadrat penghulu hamba), while according him the title of Johan Berdaulat, ‘Sovereign Champion’; this is the only known example of the application of this uniquely Acehnese sovereign epithet to a non-Acehnese ruler. Louis-Napoleon, on the other hand, is simply ‘my friend’ (sahabat hamba), with hamba used as the polite first person pronoun. And yet the length of the opening compliments, and all other constituent elements, are in fact very similar in both epistles: Abdülmecid’s role as upholder of Islamic law in his realm and his custodianship of the two holy cities is emphasized and praised, but the letter to France is also carefully respectful by adding

15  The historical and political context of this letter is discussed in Kadı, Peacock and Gallop 2011.

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salutations to Jesus (Isa ruhuʾllah) after those due to the Prophet. Both letters bear the basmala as the heading (kepala surat). As noted in the introduction, the placement of Mansur Shah’s great ninefold seal, stamped in lampblack, on the extreme left above the text on the letter to Abdülmecid is a clear statement of humility in Acehnese terms (we have no information on the placement of the seal in the letter to Louis-Napoleon). Also notable is the royal ‘signature’ or, perhaps better, his ‘tughra’, reading al-Sultan16 al-Mansur Syah, placed to the left of the seal. The writing of the royal name is not standard practice in Malay epistles, and only appears to have been introduced in Aceh in the 19th century. The essentially rectangular form of the design may owe more to the strikingly geometrical Mughal tughras, composed of intersecting vertical and horizontal lines, rather than the distinctive Ottoman ones, with their pedestal base (kürsü), egg-shaped loops (beyze) and upright poles (tuğ).17 Not visible on the letter itself, in tiny letters on the reverse in the bottom right corner is the epistolary amulet bi-barakat Maʿruf al-Karkhi; the same amulet was apparently inscribed on the letter to France. The letter is written on a sheet of Italian paper with the ‘moon face in shield’ watermark, most likely deriving from the papermakers Antonio Galvani of Pordenone, which is commonly encountered in manuscripts in Aceh. The text is written on ruled pencil guidelines, with equal-sized slim margins to left and right, and fits the sheet of paper so precisely it is highly likely that the scribe must have practised drafting the text beforehand. The letter was placed in a fine cloth envelope of red silk woven with gold thread (songket), with an almond-shaped paper label glued on. Letter of credit from Mansur Shah of Aceh for his envoy Muhammad Ghauth I, Sultan Mansur Shah son of the late Jauhar Alam Shah, who recognizes his own sins and faults, say: when it was Thursday 15 Rabiʿ I 1265 we sent the venerable respected Shaykh Muhammad Ghauth to Mecca and Medina, and to other places in the lands of the Arabs and non-Arabs, or the lands of the English or French, and other friends of ours, merchants, skippers or pilgrims from Aceh or others. If he requires help from you with money or provisions, it is hoped that you will help him with a sum that will meet his needs, even if it is 2000 or 3000 [Marie Theresa] dollars. Have an IOU written and charge it to us, and if God wills, the day the IOU reaches us we shall hand over to 2.2

16  Sulṭān is spelt with the letter shin, not sin; this is not uncommon in Malay practice and is probably intended for visual rather than phonetic effect. 17  Nadir 1986: 13.

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Letter of credit from Mansur Shah of Aceh for his envoy Muhammad Ghauth

you a sufficient sum to cover the IOU in full, so do not worry about that. For [Muhammad Ghauth] is one of our men, a trusted envoy [we have sent] on an important mission. This letter with our seal is proof of that. Reliance is in God and our lord Muhammad the unlettered prophet and his family and companies. Written down on 15 Rabiʿ I 1265. [8 February 1849] Source: BOA İ.HR. 66/3208 (5) Previous publication Kadı, Peacock and Gallop 2011: 269–71

Letter of credit from Mansur Shah of Aceh for his envoy Muhammad Ghauth, accompanying the Arabic letter [Great seal of Sultan Mansur Shah #1799] I, sultan Mansur Shah son of the late sultan Jauhar Alam Shah son of the late sultan Muhammad Shah, say: when it was Thursday 15 Rabiʿ I 1265 [8 February 1849], we sent our dear, revered servant, Muhammad Ghauth Sayf al-ʿAlam Shah, to the Two Holy Shrines and then to other countries, Arab, nonArab, Turkish, English, French and so on with whom we have relations and friendship, and especially the merchants, skippers and pilgrims from Aceh. We entrust you with the aforementioned [Muhammad Ghauth] with regard to everything he may need in terms of money and food to the extent that will suffice him, even if it 2000, 5000 or 10,000 [Marie Theresa] dollars or more. Help him and give him what he wants sufficiently and write a document to his and our account with witnesses. As soon as the document reaches us, we shall hand over to you the sum explained in it, and do not fear anything, for he is our man and envoy on a very important mission [going] in an important direction. We 2.3

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Letter of credit from Mansur Shah of Aceh for his envoy Muhammad Ghauth, accompanying the Arabic letter

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have therefore affixed our seal which we use only on important business, not on every letter. Blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions all together Source: BOA İ.HR. 73/3511 (3) Previous publication: Kadı, Peacock and Gallop 2011: 271.

2.4 List of the presents from Mansur Shah to the sultan List of the goods and presents which were presented to Istanbul by my lord Sultan Mansur Shah son of the late sultan Jauhar Alam Shah son of the late Sultan Muhammad Shah. In the days of the Sublime Reign of Mahmud in 1253 AH [the following were sent] with the American Captain T.w.n: Agila wood: 2000 ratal Excellent white bezoin incense: 3000 ratal Excellent white camphor: 200 ratal White pepper: 5000 ratal Excellent silk cloth from Aceh: 3 pieces At the beginning of the Sublime Reign of Abdülmecid in 1257, a petition and the following goods were sent with the French Captain Banguine Agila wood: 1500 ratal Excellent white bezoin incense: 2500 ratal Excellent white camphor: 200 ratal White pepper: 4000 ratal Excellent silk cloth: 3 pieces In 1261, a petition and the following goods were sent with the French Captain U.s.tu.lun. Agila wood: 1500 ratal Excellent white bezoin incense: 2000 ratal Excellent white camphor: 200 ratal White pepper: 3500 ratal Excellent silk cloth: 3 pieces Total of the three missions: Agila wood: 5250 ratal (52 qintar) Excellent white benzoin incense: 7500 ratal (75 qintar)

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Figure 10 List of the presents sent previously by Mansur Shah to the Ottoman court

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Excellent white camphor 550 ratal (5 qintar) White pepper: 12500 ratal (125 qintar) Excellent silk cloth: 9 pieces. Source: BOA İ.HR. 66/3208 (7) Previous publication: Kadı, Peacock and Gallop 2011: 2

Arabic letter from Acehnese envoy Muhammad Ghauth to Hasib Paşa explaining his mission, 1850 We ask you, God who answers the destitute if he calls on You, who does not disappoint the hopes of he who calls on you, to preserve the fortune of the vizier, the counsellor who is consulted, he on whom the state constantly relies, who unites the virtues of courage and generosity, who gives justice to the oppressed, who succeeding in undertaking all the tasks, both religious and worldly, in the inviolate Sanctuary, on account of his struggle to renew the blessings [every] trace of which has disappeared and been destroyed, His Excellency Sayyid Muhammad Hasib Paşa, may God bring him whatever benefits he desires in this world and the next. May your noble hearing and merciful sentiments know that: the kings of Islam and governors of God’s sacred land still rejoice in those who come to them as envoys and are concerned to meet the aims of those who come to them seeking [assistance]. [The authorities] consider that an honour and are immortalised by them in fame. It is no secret to Your Excellency that I have been sent by your obedient servant, my lord Sultan Mansur Shah bin the late Jauhar Alam Shah, lord of the land of Aceh and dependencies, which is one of the regions of the island of Sumatra. [He has sent me] on an important mission to Istanbul – may it remain God-protected and defended – and has entrusted me with written and oral18 instructions. Their content is that the aforementioned island is a great long island in the middle of the Ocean, which comprises a number of regions, each one of which contains towns and ports on the shore of the [Indian] Ocean. Each region is under an independent sultan who has a free hand there. All of them are monotheistic believers, belonging to the madhhab of the Imam al-Shafiʿi. One of the largest territories is that of Minangkabau which has a sultan who looks after the affairs of the people called Sultan Maharajadiraja, whose capital is called Pagar Ruyung. They say his origin is from Rum and one of the ancestors of the aforementioned lord [Mansur Shah] is descended from the same line as this sultan. His kingdom consists of large 2.5

18  Literally mahfuza – ‘memorised’.

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Figure 11 Arabic letter from Acehnese envoy Muhammad Ghauth to Hasib Paşa explaining his mission, 1850

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and small towns and ports. The largest ports are Padang, Bengkulu, Pariaman, Natal and so on. The second territory is Palembang, which has an independent sultan who has a free hand over his people. He is a monotheist believer and a Shafiʿi. The third territory is Aceh which is under the authority of our lord the aforementioned Sultan Mansur Shah. The entirety of the aforementioned island of Sumatra used to be subject to the jurisdiction of the Sublime Ottoman State, and has been obedient to it since the time of our late lord Sultan Selim Khan son of the late sultan Süleyman Khan son of the late sultan Selim Khan the Conqueror, the conqueror of Egypt and the Two Holy Shrines, may God cover him with mercy and favour. The reason for this is that in the time of one of the ancestors of my lord [Mansur Shah], Sinan Paşa came to Aceh with warboats, a large number [of men] and [military] equipment and the sultan of Aceh ruling at that time met him and honoured him exceedingly. He committed to him his kingdom and put himself in obedience to Sinan Paşa. He blessed him [Sinan Paşa] with glorious gifts and abundant presents, and security and peace spread in the entire region. Copper was found in Aceh, and the Paşa ordered cannons and many rifles to be made from that copper. They inscribed on them the date they were cast, the name of the caster, the name of our lord Selim Khan and that of the ruler of Aceh. He ordered the people of Aceh to learn the art from them, and they too cast many cannon. The late Sinan Paşa took control of the whole island of Sumatra and its regions. He entrusted each region to a sultan, each one of whom he established in his kingdom. Then he returned, making for the Two Holy Shrines, and since that time the entire island has been subject to the jurisdiction of the Sublime Ottoman State and obedient to it, generation after generation until today. Its affairs went very well until the accursed Christian infidel called the Hollanda or Flemenk came. They entered the ports of Padang and Palembang and other ports of the island of Sumatra, and demanded of the sultan of each region permission to have authority in the ports only in order to buy and sell, and they set up their flags [there]. They remained there a while in this manner until the opportunity presented itself. When they got power, they betrayed the sultans of the people of Minangkabau and Palembang and exiled them to a distant land, and established themselves as rulers over all the people [imposing] every spiritual and material hardship. They subjugated them, both men and women, to hard labour, and prevented religious scholars from learning, both in terms of teaching and studying. The [Dutch] say that if they study, when they have acquired knowledge they will find in it that strength and jihad in the path of God is an obligation on them. So they stopped the people from coming to the Two Holy Shrines because they feared for themselves from the pilgrims. Everyone who

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wants to go on the holy pilgrimage must now hand over fifty Maria Theresa dollars. Anyone who goes secretly on the pilgrimage and returns to his family afterwards is pursued for fifty dollars. They claim that they have not taken anything from Muslim countries except by the exalted order of the Sublime Ottoman State. Previously they have seized all the islands, large and small, except the island of Sumatra, among them Borneo which is a large island, larger than Sumatra, although it is round. Other [islands they have seized] are Sunda, called Java, and the Bugis islands. Whenever they seize countries or ports, they treat the people with a complete and unbearable contempt, and will not leave them alone unless they wear European-style hats, which some of them do – may God save us from that, for to Him we belong and return. They have desired time after time to take the territory of Aceh, but they have not been able to because of the number [of men] and military equipment in terms of large and small copper guns they saw there. [There are] more than 400 guns, some cast by the late Sinan Paşa, some by the people of Aceh who had learned from them [i.e. Sinan Paşa’s men] the art of casting. They cast many large and small ones and in 1253 AH [1837–8] – the year in which the sultan of Minangkabau was seized and exiled – my lord [Mansur Shah] wished to make preparations against those Christians. He had sufficient money, men, numbers and equipment and lacked only warships. At that time my lord made a petition brought by Captain [?] Tuan the American, and a present of the five substances mentioned in the list; this was during the time of the Sublime Reign of Mahmud, but he did not receive a reply. Then in 1257 AH [1841–2], he sent a second petition and present with the French Captain Ba.ni.q.y.n[?],19 at the beginning of the Sublime Reign of Abdülmecid – may it remain God-protected. Then in 1261 AH [1845], he sent a third petition with the French Captain U.s.ta.lu.ng along with present mentioned in detail in the list, and he got no response. My lord did not know whether the goods and presents had reached the Istanbul or not. For that reason he sent me to Istanbul to find out whether the aforementioned [goods and presents] had arrived or not. God Exalted granted that I reached the Holy Sanctuary of Mecca and to conduct the pilgrimage to his noble House and relieved me of every care and weakness. I had the honour of reaching your Exalted Threshold [Mecca] and you indicated to me that your Excellency would ensure that my lord’s petition and instructions brought by my hand would reach Istanbul without me going there, may God reward you and make you a refuge from every evil. Therefore I have written everything in this petition that my lord entrusted me with. It is in truth a summary of what is in the petition. My lord’s desire from the mercy of his Majesty Sultan 19  Possibly Van Tseghem, see n. 14 above.

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Abdülmecid – may he remain safe and God-protected – is that he should issue an imperial, sultanic order and an effective imperial decree to the Dutch consuls present in Istanbul that they should all leave the island of Sumatra and leave all the towns and the harbours to their people, obediently and without fighting. It is necessary for them to obey when they have established themselves over a Muslim people subject to the jurisdiction of the Sublime Ottoman State. If they do not obey the sultan’s order and effective imperial decree, my lord’s desire of the mercy of His Majesty Sultan Abdülmecid is the appointment of a sultanic commission to my lord, with a noble imperial order [firman] and an exalted imperial command and to grant noble, victorious [Ottoman] banners, and a warship with three masts and instructions to my lord and every one in Sumatra to fight in God’s path a true jihad with their lives and possessions to exalt God’s sublime word. My lord would not have dared to ask for the firman for a commission and the victorious banners and the sultanic warship were it not for his aim to be blessed by that and that it might appear to all the Powers that my lord and all the people of the island of Sumatra enjoy the protection of the Sublime Ottoman State and are attached to it. This is a summary of what my lord entrusted me with, and it is requested from your Excellency to expedite the arrival of this petition to Istanbul – may it remain God-protected – while I await the answer in God’s Holy Shrine that I may return swiftly with it to my lord, your obedient servant [Mansur Shah]. This is what needs to be explained and expounded to your Excellency. Your opinion on it is more valuable, your consideration of it more appropriate, and the command is yours, my lord. Written down in Jumada I 1266. [March/April 1850] Your servant who calls upon you hajji Muhammad Ghauth subject of your obedient servant Sultan Mansur Shah may God forgive Him Amen. [Seal #1800] ʿabduhu Muhammad Ghauth 1265, ‘His [i.e. God’s] servant, Muhammad Ghauth, 1265 (1848/9)’ Source: BOA İ.HR. 66/3208 (4) Previous publication: Kadı, Peacock and Gallop 2011: 267–70.

2.6 Arabic letter from Mansur Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülmecid, 1850 O God, our hearts do not cease to raise sincere prayers and our tongues speak in a state of both secrecy and openness, and we ask with the tongue of submission and the heart of contrition, spreading out the hands of humbleness and neediness, that you aid us by granting the head of this fortunate, sultanic Ottoman state more loftiness and power, and that you realise our hopes of it

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in raising the exalted word of God and establishing the pillars of religion and suppressing the wiles of the infidel unbelievers. For it is the state which is free of deviation and wrongdoing and is safe from the tyrants of the pen and the sword, especially His Majesty the great sultan, the glorious khaqan, heir of the Caliphate, the Sultanate and kingship, sultan of Arabs, Persians and Turks who raises the banners of the faith and suppresses opponents of the nation of Muhammad, victor of Islam and belief, the spreader of the carpet of safety and security, His Majesty our lord sultan Abdülmecid Khan, may God Exalted make his sultanate and his reign eternal and make the entire world subject to him and part of his kingdom. May the banner of his justice remain spread until the day of resurrection, by the grace of Taha the trustworthy [i.e. the Prophet Muhammad] (peace be upon him and his family and companions). Amen. After kissing the exalted threshold which is the refuge of those seeking favours and the place of nobility which never disappoints he who seeks it out, may your noble hearing and merciful sentiments know that: we, the people of the region of Aceh, indeed all the inhabitants of the island of Sumatra, have all been considered subjects of the Sublime Ottoman State generation after generation, since the time of our late lord Sultan Selim Khan son the late sultan Süleyman Khan son of the late sultan Selim Khan the Conqueror – may God’s mercy and favour be upon them. That is proved in the sultanic recordbooks. This great, long island contained a number of regions each of which had a governor subject to the Sublime Ottoman State, although every governor had the title of sultan and king according to their custom, seeing as each one was independent in governing the people of his region, in which no one opposed him. Their affairs were in order because of his late excellency the vizier Sinan Paşa who settled the sultan of each region in rule of its people. Half of the eastern region consisted of a group of large and small islands, among them our island of Sumatra, the island of Borneo, the island of Sunda which is also called Java and the island of Bugis. Each of these islands contains various regions and each region contains ports on the shore of the salt sea and many towns on the land. God willed what he willed and the Christian group known as the Hollanda or Flemenk came and entered the island of Sunda and took up residence there with the consent of its sultan in exchange for an agreed proportion of revenue every year, until gradually by cunning and deceit they gained power over it. Every year [the Dutch] reduced [the Javanese] more and more until they had taken the entire island along with the remaining regions of it. They also seized its sultans, and those who obeyed them in everything they allowed to remain over their kingdoms with a salary from them [the Dutch], but without any rights to judge over their people at all, and imposed

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Figure 12 Arabic letter from Mansur Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülmecid, 1850

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Figure 13 Envelope of the letter from Mansur Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülmecid, 1850

Figure 14 Map of the Indonesian archipelago presented to the Ottoman court together with the letter of Mansur Shah

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them on their subjects out of contempt for the latter and to subjugate them to hard labour all day long. If anyone rebelled against them, he was exiled to a distant place and they put one part of the people in control of the rest until they had humiliated all the people of the whole island. They made some of [the people] soldiers, some of them bearers, and some, men and women, were subjugated to hard labour in agriculture and clearance work. They fined each one of them a specified amount and prevented them from the pilgrimage and coming to the Two Holy Shrines. If anyone wants to make the pilgrimage they would not allow him unless he hands over fifty Maria Theresa dollars. If someone refuses to pay it and goes on the pilgrimage in secret, on his return they put chains on him. They prevented scholars from occupying themselves with noble learning and have made them lowlier than slaves. This is what they have done on the island of Sunda, called Java, and they have made their capital in the port of Batavia, which is the residence of the governor general, as their permanent and eternal right. They have seized the port of Pontianak and Banjar and Sambas from Borneo, and the port of Makassar from Bugis and Palembang from Sumatra, and they have seized their sultans and exiled them and have taken possession of the people and treated them with contempt. In Sumatra, they have also seized Padang, Bengkulu, Pariaman and Natal. The aforementioned ports have a sultan called maharaja, and their capital is a place called Pagar Ruyung. They made a trick to get to the aforementioned sultan by correspondence and presents until they reached him. They became friends as a prelude to their cunning and deceit until they gained the upper hand, when they took the sultan to Batavia. They killed the ulema and prevented scholars from occupying themselves with learning and they took [important] people’s sons and ordered them to learn their books and gave them a desire for monthly allowances. They subjugated the rest to hard labour, men, women and children, without any payment, and had intercourse with prostitutes in the open and showed contempt for Muslim men and women. Their aim with regard to the Muslims was nothing less than taking them away from the religion of Islam for once and for all. This is what they did in the region of Minangkabau. They desired too to make preparations against us in the region of Aceh – may God protect us from them – because of the remains of the gifts of our late lord Sultan Selim Khan through the late vizier Sinan Paşa, may God have mercy on both of them. We were vigilant and wished to mobilise against them in revenge for the sultan they had exiled, for that sultan was from the family of our maternal uncle and a single grandfather joins us and that sultan. We must ask permission from the Sublime Ottoman State for we are considered to be its subjects. We wrote a letter in 1253 [1837–8] which we sent to Istanbul in the company of the American captain[?] Tuan, [thinking] perhaps

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we would be given a [positive] reply for when our ancestors sent a letter to the Sublime State, they got a reply but we did not. In 1257 [1841–2] we wrote another letter [sent] with the French captain Ba.ni.q.y.n[?], and got no reply, and then in 1261 [1845] we sent [another] with the French captain Us.ti.lun and got no reply. On each occasion, the letter was accompanied by presents in accordance with the importance of the affair, not that of the person for whom they were destined. We then sent a group of our men led by Muhammad Ghauth with a letter from us, and we intended that they should make for Istanbul to kiss the exalted Threshold, going by way of the Two Holy Shrines to make the pilgrimage and paying their respects to the Prophet, before going to Istanbul. This was in 1265. To this date we have received no knowledge or news of them, and we do not know whether they arrived or not. We therefore had this letter too written and sent it by steamer to Mecca. Perhaps it will reach Istanbul that your noble knowledge may encompass what has been done to the Muslims by these Dutch Christians. What is desired from the mercy of your Majesty is that you grant us a sultanic commission to which we could gather the Muslim elders of our people that that they might agree to starting jihad in God’s path and to expelling those Christian infidel. For if we do not expel them from the Muslim lands we fear all the people of the island will apostatise and leave Islam once and for all; we take refuge in God that this does not happen. [Please] send the commission to our man Muhammad Ghauth or to his Excellency the governor of Mecca and from him to the noble shaykh Ismaʿil bin Abdullah al-Khalidi who, God willing, will take responsibility for sending it onto us. This is the extent of what we hope from the mercy of your Majesty Abdülmecid, even if we exceed the bounds of politeness in that. We ask God the Merciful, the Compassionate, through His Prophet our lord Muhammad Ra‌ʾuf the Compassionate, to prolong the life of our sultan, most glorious of kings in power and fate, most glorious of sultans in origin and in epoch, protector of the Two Shrines, supporter of the divine law, lord of the universe, our lord the sultan son of the sultan son of the sultan our lord sultan Abdülmecid Khan son of the late sultan Mahmud Khan son of the late sultan Abdülhamid Khan, may God grant him victory, lengthen his days and open his standards with the winds of victory. Amen by the grace of the trustworthy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him Written on 3 Jumada I 1266 [17 March 1850]. Sultan Mansur Shah With the blessings of Shaykh Maʿruf al-Karkhi [Great seal of Sultan Mansur Shah #1799] Source: BOA İ.HR. 73/3511 (2) Previous publication: Kadı, Peacock and Gallop 2011: 265–7

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Hasib Paşa, governor of Jeddah, to the Grand Vizier on the Acehnese embassy to Istanbul, 1850 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Bilâd-ı Cava‌ʾdan Aşi taʿbîr olunan iklîmin hükümdârı Mansur bin Cevherâlem Şah tarafından sefîr-i mahsûs maʿrifetiyle li-ecliʾt-takdîm-i hâk-i pây-ı tûtiyâ sâl cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîye olarak irsâl etmiş olduğu bir kıtʿa arîzasıyla sefîr-i mûmâileyhin bir kıtʿa takrîr-i resmîsi bu kere leffen takdîm-i pîşgâh-ı sâmî-i hazreti vekâlet-penâhîleri kılınmış ve keyfiyet-i mutâlaʿalarından biʾl-etrâf rehîn-i ilm-i âlî-i âsafâneleri buyurulacağı vechile bilâd-ı mezkûre memâlik-i mahrûsetiʾl-mâlik-i hazret-i şâhâneden ve derûnunda sâkin biʾl-cümle ahâlîsi dahî ehl-i İslâm olup taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeye inkıyâd ve mutâvaʿat-ı kâmileleri derkâr olduğundan sâye-i şevket-vâye-i hazret-i şâhânede maʿdelet-i meşrûʿa-i saltanat-ı seniyyeden hisse-mend ve müstefîd olmak üzre üzerlerine taraf-ı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden bâ-fermân-ı âlî bir nefer meʾmûr-ı mahsûsun taʿyîn ve bir kıtʿa kebîrce sefîne irsâli niyâz ve iltimâslarından ibâret bulunmuş ve akdemce dahî husûs-ı mezkûrun icrâ-yı iktizâsı niyâzıyla ibrâz-ı ubûdiyeti mutazammın Fransa ve Amerika kapudanları maʿrifetiyle maʿa hedâyâ çend defʾa hâk-i pây-ı şâhâneye arîza takdîm etmiş iseler de henüz bir gûne cevâblarına derdest olamadıklarından bu kere îcâb eden cevâbnâme-i âlîsinin celbi husûsunu sefîr-i mûmâileyh taraf-ı çâkerîden niyâz ve ricâ etmiş ve sefîr-i mûmâileyhin asıl âmâli kendisinin dahî Dersaʿâdetʾe gönderilmesi ise de evvel emirde keyfiyetin istîzânıyla matlûb buyurulduğu halde baʿdemâ gönderilmek üzere şimdilik bu tarafda tevkîf kılınarak arîza ve evrâk-ı sâʾiresi takdîm olunmuş ve bu keyfiyetle mücerred kuvve-i tâliʿ ferhunde metâliʿ-i cenâb-ı cihândârî âsâr-ı celîlesi olduğuna şek ve iştibâh olmayıp niyâzlarına müsâʿade buyurulduğu hâlde zâhiren ve bâtınen muhassenât-ı kesîreye müstelzim olacağı derkâr ise de fakat bu keyfiyetin ahd ve şarta mugâyir olup olmadığı ve biʾl-etrâf nîk ü bedi Devlet-i Aliyyeʾce mütâlaʿa buyurulacak mevâddan olduğundan artık bu bâbda ne vechile tensîb ve irâde buyurulur ise icrâ-yı iktizâsı bâbında ve herhalde emr u fermân hazret-i menlehüʾl-emrindir. 7 C sene [12]66 Vâli-i Cidde Mehmed Hasib Paşa 2.7

The request of your most humble servant is that: A special ambassador was dispatched by Mansur bin Jauhar Alam Shah, the ruler of the provinces of the land of Jawa called Aceh, with a petition to be presented to the ground at the feet of His Majesty the Caliph. This petition and an official declaration are presented to Your Grand Vizierial Highness. If Your Highness deigns to undertake a careful examination [of these documents], it would appear that the said country is [a part] of the Well-Protected Dominions of His Majesty the Sultan. In addition, the bulk of the people living there are

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Figure 15 Hasib Paşa, governor of Jeddah, to the Grand Vizier on the Acehnese embassy to Istanbul, 1850

Muslim, [and] it is well known that they obey and are fully submissive to the Imperial Sultanate. Consequently, they wish to share in and benefit from the good fortune of His Majesty’s just laws by means of the appointment of a special official with a lofty decree from the Sublime State, along with a large ship. Although they had submitted in the past a petition of submission and request for protection with a number of gifts by the intermediary of French and American captains, they did not receive an answer till now. Therefore the said Ambassador requested from your humble servant [i.e. the governor of Jeddah] securing the required answer. The ambassador’s wish is to be sent to the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul]. However, for now, whilst the petition and the other documents are being sent forward to be presented [in Istanbul], [the ambassador] is to be detained here [in Jeddah] until authorisation so that he will be sent in case it is demanded. There is no doubt that [the decision in this case] rests on the knowledgeable consideration of His Majesty alone. Needless to say, there are a variety of obvious and more subtle benefits that will necessarily arise if their requests are approved. However, it will need to be considered how far this matter conforms to various treaties and regulations, and how far it is of benefit to the Sublime State. Regardless, whatever is decided and commanded

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to be the correct path will be implemented. In this matter, and in all things, to command belongs unto Him to whom all commanding belongs. 7 Jumada II 1266 [20 April 1850]. Mehmed Hasib Paşa, Governor of Jeddah Source: BOA İ.HR. 66/3208 (1)

Grand Vizier to the sultan on the Acehnese embassy to Istanbul and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1850 Atûfetlû efendim hazretleri Bilâd-ı Cava‌ ʾdan Aşi Hükümdârı Mansur Şah tarafından hâk-i pây-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i şehinşâhîye bir arîza ile bir meʾmûr-ı mahsûsun Ciddeʾye gelmiş olduğu ifâdesine dâʾir Cidde vâlî-yi sâbıkı devletlü Hasib Paşa Hazretleriʾnin vârid olan tahrîrâtıyla arîza-i mezkûre ve gelen adamın takrîri sûreti ve aslı ve evrâk-ı melfûfe manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmak için takdîm kılındı sûret-i işʿârdan anlaşıldığına göre hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin niyet-i teʾyîd-i revâbıt-ı tabîʿiyyet etmek ve gelen adamın arzûsu dahî taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeden baʿzı iʿâne taleb ve istirham zımnında ruhsat-ı seniyye erzâni buyurulduğu halde Dersaʿâdetʾe gelmek keyfiyâtından ibâret olmasıyla iktizâsı beyneʾl-havâs biʾl-müzâkere hâk-i pây-ı âlî-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîden istîzân olunması münâsib gibi mütâlaʿa olunmuş ise de yine her ne vechile emr u fermân-ı cenâb-ı cihânbâni şeref sudûr buyrulur ise âna göre hareket olunacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Selh-i Receb [12]66. Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Enâmil-i zîb-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i vekâlet-penâhîleriyle evrâk-ı maʿrûza-i meşmûl-ı nazar-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i şehriyârî buyu­ rulmuş ve işʿâr-ı sâmî-i âsafâneleri vechile husûs-ı mezkûrun iktizâsı beyneʾl-havâs biʾl-müzâkere hâk-i pây-ı âlîden istîzân buyurulması şeref-rîz-i sünûh ve sudûr buyurulan emr u irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı tâcdârî muktezâ-yı celîlinden olarak evrâk-ı merkûme yine savb-ı vâlâ-yı asâfîlerine iʿâde ve tesyîr kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. 14 Ş[aʿban] sene [12]66. 2.8

[Grand Vizier to the Sultan] Your Majesty, my compassionate lord: A petition to the ground at Your Imperial Majesty’s feet arrived with special orders from Mansur Shah, the ruler of Aceh in the land of Jawa, along with a narrative explanation by the former governor of Jeddah, His Excellency Hasib Paşa. A copy and the original of the envoy’s declaration are presented with this said petition and the other documents. According to the message in the

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Figure 16 Grand Vizier to the sultan on the Acehnese embassy to Istanbul and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1850

copy of the declaration, it appears that the aforementioned ruler desires to confirm the bonds of dependence [with the Ottoman Empire]. The envoy’s petition also requests some aid from the Sublime State, and at the same time, if this be agreed, begs imperial permission to be considered worthy enough to travel to the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul]. It has been deemed appropriate to deliberate with prominent officials on this issue, and to present what is necessary to the ground at the feet of His Majesty the Caliph. Nonetheless, my lord, this praise-giving note is written with the understanding that whatever is commanded by Your Majesty will be put into motion. End of Rajab 1266 [11 June 1850]. [Sultan’s secretary’s response] The request of your most humble servant is that: This high Grand Vizierial note (from the fingertips of beauty and honour) including the enclosed documents has been seen by His Majesty. It has been the requirement of [His Majesty’s] order to deliberate among the high officials and to request a decision from the ground at the imperial feet in accordance with the reflections of His Highness [the Grand Vizier]. [Therefore] the aforementioned documents are returned to your Grand Vizierial highness. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 14 Shaʿban 1266 [25 June 1850]. Source: BOA İ.HR. 66/3208 (9)

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From the Grand Vizier to the sultan on the deliberations during the special gathering about the Acehnese mission and the sultan’s secretary’s response, 1850 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Bilâd-ı Cava‌ʾdan Aşi Hükümdârı Mansur Şahʾın atabe-i ulyâ-yı cenâb-ı hilâfetpenâhîye mebʿûs arîzasıyla Ciddeʾye gelmiş olan meʾmûrînin devletlü Hasib Paşa Hazretleri cânibinden işʿâr olunan ifâdâtı geçen gece sâhilhâne-i cenâb-ı meşîhat-penâhîde akd olunan meclis-i mahsûsda kırâʾat ve hükümdâr-ı mûmâileyhin sûret-i istidʿâsı der-meyân olunarak müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulan emr u irâde-i hikmet ifâde-i hazret-i şehin-şâhî iktizâ-yı isâbet ihtivâsı üzre îcâb-ı hâl ledeʾl-mülâhaza Ciddeʾye gelen meʾmûrun müşârunileyh Hasib Paşa cânibinden yazdırılıp irsâl olunan takrîr-i lisânîsi hükümdâr-ı mûmâileyhin cânib-i eşref-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye teʾkîd-i râbıta-i tâbiʿiyyet arzusunda ve oraya bir sefîne ile sancak gönderilmesi niyâzında bulunduğunu mütezammın olup o tarafdan Dersaʿâdetʾe dahî bir adam gelerek ânın tarafından Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne vâkiʿ olan ifâdâtı hükümdâr-ı mûmâileyh İngiltere devletiyle akd etmiş olduğu muʿâhede iktizâsınca baʿzı şerâyit ile devlet-i müşârunileyhânın taht-ı himâyesine girmiş ise de cânib-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden dahî orası hakkında muʿâmele-i sehâbet-kârî icrâsı ve hutbelerin nâm-ı nâmî-i cenâb-ı cihânbânîye olarak kırâʾatine ruhsat iʿtâsı sûretinde bulunduğundan işbu iki ifâde beyninde görünen mübâyenet hakîkat-i hâl tebeyyün etmedikçe bu bâbda bir gûne hükm ve tedbîr olunmasına mâniʿ olmağın Ciddeʾdeki meʾmûrun yedinde evrâk-ı resmiye bulunduğundan ânın teblîgâtı daha mevsûk olmak lâzım gelip ve eğerçi hukûk-ı mülkiye-i saltanat-ı seniyye lâyıkıyla sâbit olduğu takdîrde istenildiği vechile hareket olunmasına kimsenin bir diyeceği olmayacağı derkâr ise de Cava denilen mahal Sumatra cezîre-i cesîmesinin bir eyâleti makâmında olarak oralarda baʿzı düvel-i Avrupa‌ʾnın yerleri ve İngiltere devletinin dahî cezîre-i merkûmenin baʿzı yerinde eli olmasıyla Cava hükûmetinin gerek İngilizlüler ve gerek düvel-i sâʾire ile olan münâsebât-ı ahdiye ve Devlet-i Aliyye ile hâsıl olmuş bulunan revâbıt-ı kadîmeleri gâyet etraflı ve sıhhati vechile tahkîk birle hükümdâr-ı mûmâileyhin müstedʿiyyâtına âna göre cevâb verilmesi iktizâ-yı maslahat görünüp binâʾen aleyh evvel emirde meʾmûr-ı mûmâileyh Cidde vâlisi devletlü paşa hazretlerine biʾl-işʿâr Dersaʿâdetʾe celb olunup ifâdât ve maʿlûmât-ı vâkıʿasından istiknâh-ı keyfiyet olunarak ve esnâ-yı meclisde taraf-ı vâlâ-yı fetvâ-penâhîden ifâde buyurulduğuna nazaran Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde mücâveret sûretiyle oralı pek çok adamlar bulunduğundan anlardan iktizâsına göre ve mahalline dahî hafiyyen ve tebdîlen gâyet kâbiliyetli ve maʿlûmatlu bir münâsib meʾmûr irsâl birle ânın vâsıtasıyla havâlî-i merkûmenin ahvâl-i hakîkiye ve keyfiyet-i hâzırası lâyıkıyla tahkîk kılınarak baʿdehû 2.9

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Figure 17 Grand Vizier to the sultan on the deliberations about the Acehnese mission and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1850

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tedâbir-i lâzimesine bakılmak münâsib olacağından buralarının şimdiden vâlîi müşârunileyh hazretlerine tavsiye ve tahrîr kılınması beyneʾl-huzzâr tezekkür ve tasvîb olmuş ise de ol-bâbda her ne vechile emr u fermân-ı kerâmet beyân-ı cenâb-ı tâcdârî isâbet-efzâ-yı sünûh ve sudûr buyurulur ise muktezâ-yı âlîsi üzre harekete mübâderet olunacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim Fî 28 N sene [12]66 Maʿrûzât-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Hâme zîb-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i vekâlet-penâhîleri manzûr-ı meʿâl-i mevfûr-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî buyurulmuşdur vâkıʿan hukûk-ı mülkiyei saltanat-ı seniyye lâyıkıyla sâbit olduğu takdîrde istenildiği vechile hareket olunmasına kimsenin bir diyeceği olamayacağı derkâr ise de zikr olunan Cava hükûmetinin gerek İngilizlüler ve gerek düvel-i sâʾire ile olan münâsebât-ı ahdiye ve Devlet-i Aliyye ile hâsıl olmuş bulunan revâbıta-i kadîmeleri gâyet etraflı ve sıhhati vechile tahkîk birle hükümdâr-ı mûmâileyhin müstedʿiyyâtına âna göre cevâb verilmesi iktizâ-yı maslahat olduğundan istîzân-ı sâmî-i âsafâneleri üzre evvel emirde meʾmûr-ı mûmâileyh vâlî-i müşârunileyh hazretlerine biʾl-işʿâr Dersaʿâdetʾe celb olunup ifâdât ve maʿlûmât-ı vâkıʿasından istiknâh-ı keyfiyet olunarak ve mezkûr adamlardan iktizâsına göre ve mahalline dahî hafiyyen ve tebdîlen gâyet kâbiliyetli ve maʿlûmatlu bir münâsib meʾmûr irsâl birle ânın vâsıtasıyla havâlî-i merkûmenin ahvâl-i hakîkiye ve keyfiyet-i hâzırası lâyıkıyla tahkîk kılınarak baʿdehû tedâbir-i lâzimesine bakılmak münâsib olduğundan buralarının şimdiden vâlî-i müşârunileyh hazretlerine tavsiye ve tahrîr kılınması müteʿallik ve şeref-sünûh buyurulan emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı cenâb-ı şehriyârî îcâb-ı âlîsinden bulunmuş olduğu muhât-ı ilm-i âlî-i sadâretpenâhîleri buyuruldukda ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir Fî 2 L sene [12]66 [Grand Vizier to the Sultan] Your Majesty, my compassionate lord: During a special council convened last night at His Highness the Shaykh alIslam’s mansion on the shore, the testimonies (that were communicated by His Excellency Hasib Paşa) of the officials who came to Jeddah with the petition of Mansur Shah, ruler of Aceh in the land of Jawa, to the lofty gate of the Caliph were read and presented for consideration along with the copy of the petition of the said ruler. In accordance with and in obedience to the command of His Imperial Majesty the matter at hand was carefully examined. According to the verbal declaration of the aforementioned envoy, written down by Hasib Paşa, it seems that [Mansur Shah] wants to renew the bonds of dependency to the glorious and Imperial Sultanate, and requests the deployment of a ship with

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[an Ottoman] flag there [Aceh]. At the same time, another man who came to the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul] from those quarters testified before the exalted Foreign Ministry that the said ruler had entered into an agreement with the British state, thus coming under the latter’s protection with certain stipulations. Yet that [same ruler] also desires that the Sublime State would establish friendly relations [with him] and [asks that] permission be granted to read the Friday sermons in the glorious name of His Majesty the Sultan. Until the differences between these two accounts are fully clarified, it will not be appropriate to rule on or take action in this matter. Nonetheless, the envoy at Jeddah has official documents in his possession, and so his communiqués should be trustworthy as well. Consequently, providing that the sovereign rights of the Imperial Sultanate are sufficiently secured, no person can object to this request being acted upon. [However], the region known as Jawa is a province located on the vast island of Sumatra and a number of European states hold possessions in that place, and Britain also possesses several places on that island. It is the proper course, therefore, to investigate extensively and correctly the treaty relations of the government of Jawa, be they with the British or with other nations, as well as to discover the nature of the ancient bonds with the Sublime State, and to provide an appropriate answer to the requests of the said ruler accordingly. Therefore, the first command is to write to His Excellency the Governor of Jeddah that the said envoy should be summoned to the Abode of Felicity so that his declarations on and his knowledge of this matter can be investigated thoroughly. In addition, an order is to be made in accordance with the speech in council of His Highness the Shaykh al-Islam. There being found a number of men [from Jawa] residing in the vicinity of Honoured Mecca, it would be appropriate that the most skilled from among them be sent to that region covertly and in disguise [to Aceh] in order to uncover the truth of the matter in that region as it currently stands, after which necessary measures can be taken accordingly. My lord, for now the participants [of the council] have agreed to write and advise His Excellency the governor of this matter. Nonetheless, this praise-giving note has been written in the understanding that whatever might be approved to be commanded by Your Imperial Majesty on this issue to be the correct path will be put into action. 7 August 1850. [Sultan’s secretary’s response] The request of your most humble servant is that; This high Grand Vizierial note, from the pen of beauty and honour, has been seen and examined by His Imperial Majesty. Providing that the sovereign rights of the Imperial Sultanate are clarified sufficiently, no person can have any objection to this matter being put into motion. However, as noted, it is necessary

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to investigate extensively and correctly the treaty relations of the government of Java, whether with the British or with other states, as well as to discover the [nature of] the ancient bonds between that said government and the Sublime State, and to provide an appropriate answer to the requests of the said ruler accordingly. Therefore, in accordance with the request of the Grand Vizierate, the first order is that he should write to the governor [of Jeddah] to the effect that this envoy be dispatched to the Abode of Felicity so that his declarations on and his knowledge of this matter can be investigated thoroughly. At the same time, an able person should be chosen [from among the Jawa residing in Mecca] to be sent covertly and in disguise to the aforementioned region in order to uncover the truth of the matter as it stands, after which necessary measures can be taken. [Consequently it is] the requirement of His Majesty’s imperial order that these [decisions] be written now to His Excellency the said governor. When this reaches your information, to command belongs unto Him to whom all commanding belongs. 11 August 1850

Source: BOA İ.HR. 67/3270 Note: A draft of the letter written, in accordance with the latter Sultanic order, to the Governor of Hijaz, is to be found at A.MKT.UM 25/72

Hasib Paşa, governor of Jeddah, to the Grand Vizier announcing the arrival of a second Acehnese envoy with a second letter, 1850 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Cava taʿbîr olunur Aşi nâm iklîmin hükümdârı Şah Mansur tarafından akdemce atabe-i ulyâ-yı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye olarak mersûl adamı Şeyh İsmail dâʿîleri vâsıtasıyla tevârüd eden bir kıtʿa arîzası ve mersûl-ı merkûmun taraf-ı çâkerîye iʿtâ etmiş olduğu bir kıtʿa takrîri bundan akdem bâ-arîza-i âcizî savb-ı sâmî-i hazret-i sadâret-penâhîlerine baʿs ve isrâ ve mersûl-ı merkûm dahî irâde-i seniyyeleri zuhûruna değin Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde tevkîf ve ibkâ kılınmış idi bu defʿa dahî hükümdâr-ı mûmâileyh tarafından yine südde-i seniyye-i hazret-i şehin-şâhiye olarak tevârüd eden bir kıtʿa arîzası çâkerlerinin Mekke-i Mükerremeʾden azîmetimden on gün sonraca gelmiş olduğundan merkûm Şeyh İsmail çend nefer tebʿasını istishâben biʾl-ahz bu tarafa vürûd edip çâkerlerine iʿtâ etmiş olmasıyla manzûr-ı âlî-i hazret-i şehin-şâhi buyurulmak üzere tayyen takdîm-i bezm-i sâmî-i vekâlet- penâhileri kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda ve herhalde emr u fermân hazret-i menlehüʾl-emrindir. Hasib Paşa, 24 S sene [12]67 2.10

The request of your humble servant is that; The petition that was previously sent by Mansur Shah, the ruler of the region of Aceh called Jawa, to the exalted threshold of His Majesty the Caliph, with his

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Figure 18 Hasib Paşa, governor of Jeddah to the Grand Vizier announcing the arrival of a second Acehnese envoy with a second letter, 1850

envoy Shaykh Ismail, and the said envoy’s note presented to your humble servant [me], were previously presented to your Excellency [Grand Vizier] together with a note [of mine] and this envoy was kept in Honoured Mecca awaiting his Majesty’s exalted command. Around ten days after your servant’s [Hasib Paşa’s] departure from Mecca, another petition from the aforementioned ruler to the magnificent threshold of His Majesty the King of Kings arrived. Upon this Shaykh Ismail departed from Honoured Mecca for this place with a number of his retinue and presented this [new] royal letter to your servant [i.e. Hasib Paşa]. Consequently, in order that it might be examined by His Majesty the King of Kings, it is being forwarded to Your Grand Vizierial Highness. In this matter and in all things, to command belongs unto Him to whom all commanding belongs. Hasib Paşa, 29 December 1850. Source: BOA İ.HR. 73/3511 (1)

The Grand Vizier to the sultan on the arrival of a second Acehnese envoy and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1850 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Bilâd-ı Cava‌ʾdan Aşi Hükümdârı Mansur Şah tarafından atabe-i felekmertebe-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye olarak bu kere tevârüd eden bir kıtʿa arîza manzûr-ı meʿâl-i mevfûr-ı hazret-i şehinşâhi buyurulmak üzere devletlü Hasib Paşa Hazretleriʾnin berâber olan tezkiresiyle takdîm kılındı arîza-i mezkûre tercüme ettirilerek ve getiren adamın ifâdâtı dahî Haremeyen tercümanı izzetlü efendi vâsıtasıyla kaleme alınarak îcâbının mutâlaʿa ve hâk-ı pây-ı âlîden arz ve istîzân olunması münâsib gibi görünür ise de ol-bâbda her ne vechile emr u fermân-ı cenâbı zıllullâhî şeref-sudûr buyurulur ise icrâ-yı muktezâ-yı münîfine ibtidâr olunacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkim kılındı efendim. 25 S sene [12]67 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki 2.11

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Figure 19 The Grand Vizier to the sultan on the arrival of a second Acehnese envoy and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1850

Esâbî-i zîb-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i âsafâneleriyle zikr olunan arîza ve tezkire manzûr-ı âlî-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî buyurulmuş ve arîza-i mezkûre tercüme ettirilerek ve getiren adamın ifâdâtı dahî efendi-i mûmâileyh vâsıtasıyla kaleme alınarak îcâbının mutâlaʿa ve arz ve istîzân buyurulması sâniha pîrâ-yı sudûr buyurulan emr u irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı padişâhî muktezâ-yı münîfinden olarak mârrüʾl-beyân arîza ve tezkire yine savb-ı sâmî-i âsafîlerine iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. 26 S sene [12]67 [Grand Vizier to the Sultan] Your Majesty, my compassionate lord: A petition sent by Mansur Shah, the ruler of Aceh in the land of Jawa, to the exalted threshold of His Majesty the Caliph, has been presented to his majesty together with the note of His Excellency Hasib Paşa. It seems appropriate to have the petition translated and the testimony of its bearer recorded by His Highness the Translator of the Two Sanctuaries [Mecca and Medina],

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and its requirements requested from Your Majesty [after the ministers] have deliberated [upon the issue] and presented [their reflections]. My lord, this praise-giving Vizierial note is presented in the understanding that whatever command might be issued from the ground at your lofty feet, and whatever noble path might be ordered by the Shadow-of-God-on-Earth, will be carried out. 30 December 1850. [Sultan’s secretary’s response] The request of your most humble servant is that; This lofty vizierial note, from the fingertips of beauty and honour, together with the said petition and declaration, have been seen by His Majesty the Caliph. It has been the requirement of his Majesty’s will that this petition be translated and the testimony of the man who brought it be recorded by the said Efendi [i.e. the translator of Mecca and Medina] and the requirements [of the issue] be deliberated upon and presented [to his Majesty] for authorisation. [As a result] the petition and the note have been sent to your Excellency, the Grand Vizier. To command on this issue belongs unto Him to whom all commanding belongs. 31 December 1850. Source: BOA İ.HR. 73/3511 (8)

From Acehnese envoy Muhammad Ghauth to the Porte requesting a response to his mission Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Açin iklimînde Sumatra cezîresinde Cava cihetlerinde kâʾin olan Şah Mansur tebʿa kullarından olup min kadîmüʾz-zamân ebediyyüʾd-devâm Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniyeʾnin tebʿası olduğumuz derkâr ve hatta cennet-mekân Selim Han aleyhiʾr-rahmet-i veʾl-gufrân efendimiz hazretlerinin âsâr-ı celîleleri bu âna kadar indimize duruyor ve bu âna kadar evkât-ı hamse ve yevm-i Cuma hutbesinde hâdimüʾl-haremeyniʾş-şerîfeyn-i zillullâhi teʿâlâ fiʾl-aʿlem efendimiz hazretlerinin duʿâ-yı hayriyelere mevâtîn üzereyiz ve bi-küll-i hâl Devlet-i Osmâniyeʾden gayrı kimesneyi kabûl etmeyeceğimizden bundan akdem Der-i aliyyeʾye gelip bu âna kadar bir seneye yakın misâfirhânede ve iki seneyi yolda ber cevâb bu kullarına zuhûr olunmamış garîbîyyüʾl-bilâd ve birdi şitâ-i maʿlûm ve hâli âcizânemiz perîşân olup merâhim-i aliyyelerinden mercûdur ki, Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin tabîʿiyyetimizi müşʿir yed-i âcizânemizde bir kıtʿa fermân-ı celîlüʾş-şân sadaka ve ihsân buyurup yâhud bu[na] vakit olmadığı sûretde bir cevâb-ı şâfî mürûr tezkiresiyle bu kullarına iʿtâ buyurasınız ki, vilâyetimiz cânibine avdet edeceğiz, beklemeğe vaktimiz kalmamış ve beherhâlde emr u fermân hazret-i menlehüʾl-emrindir. Bende-i Elhâc Muhammed Gavs ve arkadaşları 2.12

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Figure 20 Acehnese envoy Muhammad Ghauth to the Porte requesting a response to his mission

The request of your most humble servant is that; It is clear that the subjects of Shah Mansur, who resides in the territory of Aceh on the island of Sumatra in the region of Jawa, have been the subject of the Sublime Ottoman State from time immemorial. The great deeds of His Majesty, our lord, the late Selim [II] Khan (God’s compassion and mercy be upon him) remain dear to us to this day, and in the observance of the five daily prayers and in the Friday sermon, we pray for auspicious things for His Majesty, our lord, the Servant of the Two Noble Sanctuaries, the Shadow of Almighty God on Earth. Moreover, without exception, we make no submission to anyone other than to the Ottoman State. Some time ago, we came to the Lofty Abode [Istanbul] and, till now, following a year’s lodging in a guesthouse and [after] two years of our travels to this place, your servant has not received any response [from the Ottoman government]. We are strangers in this land, and it is known that we suffer in the cold of winter, and so we are in great and miserable distress. Our request from your sublime mercy is that an imperial command indicating our allegiance be commanded to be presented to us from the Sublime State in order to relieve us from our distress, or, if this is not possible

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this time, that a clear answer be given to your servant [Muhammad Ghauth] along with travel documents so that we can return to our province. We do not have time to wait any further. In any case to command belongs unto Him to whom all commanding belongs. The servant Hajji Muhammad Ghauth and his companions. Source: BOA İ.HR. 73/3511 (4)

Summary of the deliberations at the Meclis-i Vâlâ on the Acehnese mission, 1851 Bilâd-ı Cava Hükümdârı Mansur Şah tarafından atabe-i ulyâ-yı hazret-i hilâfetpenâhîye olarak tevârüd eden arîza iktizâ-yı emr u irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhî üzere tercüme etdirilerek ve götüren adamın ifâdâtı dahî kaleme aldırılarak Meclis-i Vâlâʾya iʿtâ buyurulmuş olmağla ledeʾl-mutâlaʿa hülâsai meʾallerinden müstefâd olduğu vechile hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin taht-ı idâresinde bulunan mahaller Hind sevâhilinin müntehâsı pîşgâhında ve Çinʾe yakın bir hükûmet-i mahsûsa olarak cihet-i İslâmiyet münâsebetiyle cennetmekân Sultân Selim Han -tâbe serâhu- hazretlerinin zamân-ı saltanatlarında Yemen vâlisi merhûm Sinan Paşa maʿrifetiyle beş yüz kadar tob vazʿ olunarak baʿzı mertebe icrâ-yı muʿâvenet olunmuş ve arîza-i mezkûrenin meʾâl-i tercümesine ve adamının sûret-i takrîr ve ifâdesine göre hükûmet-i mezkûre bilâd-ı cesîme ve nüfûs-ı kesîreyi câmiʿ olarak hükûmetinin kuvve-i askeriye ve mâliyesi dahî mevcûd olmak hasebiyle hâricden istimdâd ve istiʿâneye ihtiyaçları yoğise de Flemenkliler biraz yerlerini zabt eylemiş olduğından netîce-i istidʿâları ecânibin müdâhale ve taʿrîzâtından himâye olunmak üzere sâye-i şevket-vâye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye ilticâ ile arz-ı tâbiʿiyyet di[le]mek olup mahall-i mezkûrun mesâfece buʿdiyeti ve adem-i münâsebeti cihetle tâbiʿiyyetlerinin mülkce fâʾide-i maddiyesi melhûz olmadığı misillü haklarında fiʿlen îfâ-yı lâzime-i himâye ve iʿâne olunması dahî hâl ve mevkiʿ-i iktizâsınca müteʿassir ve gayr-ı mümkün olup fakat mâdem ki melce-i hâcet-mendân olan bâb-ı şevket-meʾâb hazret-i şehinşâhîye bu vechile arz-ı temahhuz ve tâbiʿiyyet olunmuş ve mebʿûs sûretiyle mahsûsen adam dahî gönderilmiş olduğundan hiçbir şey denilmemesi lâyık ve münâsib olmayacağı cihetle keyfiyet-i sahîha ve cihet-i müstedʿiyyât-ı vâkıʿaları lâyıkıyla anlaşılmak üzere gelen adam Meclis-i Vâlâʾya celb ile imtizâc-ı hâl olunarak vâkiʿ olan takrîrinde hükûmet-i mezkûrenin vüsʿat ve cesâmetinden ve mevkiʿ-i coğrafyası iktizâsınca meʿâdin ve mahsûlât-ı mütenevviʿası keyfiyâtdan ve beher sene cânib-i Hacc-ı şerîfe yirmi yirmi beş bin kadar hüccâcı gelip gitmekde bulunduğundan bahisle taraf-ı ecânibden tasallut ve müdâhale vukûʿundan vâreste olmak üzere sâye-i ihsân-vâye-i hazret-i şâhânede tâbiʿiyyet-i saltanat-ı seniyye şerefine mazhariyetle cevâmiʿ-i mevcûdede nâm-ı nâmî-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye olarak hutbe okutmak ve sikke basdırmak ve asâkir-i nizâmiyenin usûl-ı taʿlîmini öğretmek 2.13

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Figure 21 Summary of the deliberations at the Meclis-i Vâlâ on the Acehnese mission, 1851

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üzere bu tarafdan muʿallim gönderilmek ve vergi olarak cânib-i hazîne-i celîleye senevî bir mikdâr şey takdîm eylemek emel ve arzusunda bulunduklarından cihet-i tâbiʿiyyetlerine alâmet-i fâhire olmak üzere bir kıtʿa fermân-ı âlî inâyet buyurulmasını niyâz etmiş olmasıyla ifâdât-ı vâkıʿası başkaca bir varakaya zabt ve tahrîr etdirilerek takdîm kılınmış olup Rabbimiz teʿâlâ hazretleri kutb-ı dâʾire-i şevket ve nûr-ı bâsıra-i hilâfet ve saltanat olan velî-niʿmet-i bîminnetimiz velî-niʿmet-i cihân pâdişâhımız efendimiz hazretlerinin ömr ve ikbâl-i cenâb-ı mülûkânelerin firâvân ve zıll-ı zalîl-i reʾfet adîl-i şehin-şâhîlerin aktâr-ı şarka ve garba mahdûd ve sâyebân buyursun bu misillü hükümdârânın atabe-i felek-mertebe-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye arz-ı tâbiʿiyyet ve ubûdiyet ile istihmâl etmeleri mücerred zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i pâdişâhînin hâssa-i celîle-i hilâfet ve münteşir-i âfâk olan nizâm şân ve şevket ve kemâl-i maʿdelet-i seniyye-i cihân-bânîleri îcâb-ı âlîsinden olmak ve hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin müstedʿâsı mümkünüʾl-icrâ mevâddan bulunmak hasebiyle isʿâf-ı niyâzı muvâfık-ı şân-ı şevket-nişân-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî olup fakat hâl ve keyfiyeti ve sûret-i irtibât ve tâbiʿiyyeti henüz lâyıkıyla mertebe-i yakında bilinmeyen bir hükûmet hakkında şu derece işʿâr ve ifâde ile icrâ-yı levâzım-ı matbûʿiyet muvâfık-ı usûl-ı hükûmet ve maslahat olmayacağı cihetle hüsn-ı sûreti mülâhaza ve biʾl-münâsebe esnâ-yı müzâkerede Yemen vâlisi devletlü Mustafa Paşa Hazretleri dahî Meclis-i Vâlâʾda bulunduklarından birlikde müzâkere ile olbâbda cereyân eden müzâkerâtın hülâsetüʾl-hülâsâsında eğerçi mahall-i mezkûr mevâkiʿ-i baʿîdeden ise de vapur münâsebetiyle emr-i muhâberede cihet-i suhûlet melhûz olduğu misillü muhâberâtın Bâbüʾl-mendebʾden işleyen vapur ve sefîneler ile icrâsı münâsib olacağından ve eğerçi Basra‌ʾnın dahî bahren oraya münâsebeti cihetiyle maslahatın Bağdadʾa havâlesi hâtıra gelmiş ise de gelen adamların berren Bağdadʾa gitmeleri tekellüfünden başka bunların bu tarafa vürûdu dahî Bâbüʾl-mendeb ve Hicaz tarîkiyle olmasına nazaran yine o tarîk ile gönderilmeleri münâsib ve suhûleti mûcib olacağından hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin arʾizasına îcâb-ı vechile cevâb sûretiyle tahrîrât-ı sâmiye-i vekâlet-penâhîleri tastîriyle gelen adamları müşârunileyh Mustafa Paşa hazretlerine terfîkan Yemenʾe gönderilüp oradan dahî müşrunileyh hazretleri ehl-i vukûfdan tahkîk-i ahvâl ile yanlarına bir münâsib meʾmûr katarak ve gönderilecek meʾmûra iktizâsına göre taʿlîmât vererek hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyh cânibine irsâl ile ahvâl ve keyfiyât-ı mevcûdesi ve derece-i maksad ve niyeti lâyıkıyla öğrenilip işʿârı vechile cihet-i irtibât ve tâbiʿiyyete niyet-i sahîhası anlaşıldığı hâlde ânın üzerine şerâʾit-i tâbiʿiyyete dâʾir ruhsat-ı lâzime ve kâfiye ile bir muʿteber ve muʿtemed adamı alınarak avdetle bu tarafa vürûduyla keyfiyetine maʿlûmat-ı yakîniye istihsâl olundukdan sonra iktizâ-yı hâlin icrâ kılınması ve şu kadar ki bu keyfiyeti o taraflarda eli olan ecânib duyduğu hâlde müşkilât zuhûru melhûz olduğundan gönderilecek adamın zahren devletce bir

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meʾmûriyet-i resmiyesi olmayıp bir başka şâyiʿa ile irsâl olunması ve buna bervech-i muharrer iʿtâsı lâzım gelecek taʿlîmât dahî bu tarafda kaleme alınarak manzûr-ı âlî buyuruldukdan sonra müşârunileyh hazretlerine verilmesi ve hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin adamlarının bu tarafa vürûdu haylice vakit olarak müddet-i müsâferetlerinde emsâli vechile yevmiye ve taʿâmiye tahsîsi ve iʿtâ olunmuş olmasına ve bu defʿa avdetleri hasebiyle yevmiyeleri katʿ ile hazînemânde olacağına nazaran buna mukâbil olarak sâye-i inâyet-vâye-i hazret-i şâhânede mesârif-i seferiyelerine medâr olmak üzere kendilerine Hazîne-i Celîleʾden tensîb ve irâde buyurulduğu mikdâr harc-ı râh ihsân buyurulması Meclis-i Vâlâʾda tezekkür kılınmış ve Nezâret-i Celîle-i Hâriciye ile dahî muhâbere olunmuş ise de ol-bâbda her ne vechile emr u irâde-i seniyye-i vekâletpenâhîleri müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulur ise âna göre icrâ-yı iktizâsıyla keyfiyetin müşârunileyh Mustafa Paşa Hazretleriʾne işʿâr ve harc-ı râh husûsunun dahî Mâliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne havâle ve izbâr buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî selh-i M sene [12]68 The petition sent to the lofty threshold of His Imperial Majesty the Caliph by Mansur Shah, the ruler of the land of Jawa, has been translated and brought to Meclis-i Vâlâ20 together with the recorded testimony of its bearer in accordance with the high imperial command and order. After deliberating on [these documents], we have come to the knowledge that those places under the authority of the aforementioned ruler form a distinct polity located at the extreme end of the Indian coast, near to China. Due to [their devotion to] Islam, during the reign of His Majesty, the late Sultan Selim [II] Khan (may his tomb be pleasant to him), they were aided to a certain extent with the provision of some five hundred cannons through the interposition of the Sinan Paşa, the governor of Yemen at the time. According to the translation of the petition [of Mansur Shah], and the petition and testimony of his envoy, the said government possesses extensive territories and a vast population. The military strength and finances of the government are also significant, so that they do not need any foreign aid or assistance. [Nevertheless,] because the Dutch have occupied some of their territories, their ultimate request is to take refuge with the favour of the exalted Caliph and to ask for subject status so as to be protected from foreign intervention and attacks. [Owing to] the great distance and a lack of connection between here and there, it is considered that the matter of their dependency will not have any real effect. Likewise, considering the situation and location, it does not seem possible to fulfil the requirements of 20  Ottoman advisory council established in 1838.

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suzerainty and to provide any sort of practical aid. Nonetheless, as they have requested shelter at the splendid gate of His Majesty the King of Kings, desiring a command to be issued granting them [Ottoman] dependency, and moreover having sent a man as a special envoy [with that request], it would not be fitting or appropriate to neglect to provide them with an answer. Therefore, in order to understand the true situation and the cause of their present requests, it was decided to summon the man who arrived [from Aceh] to the Meclis-i Vâlâ. In his declaration he spoke of the wealth, the magnitude, and the geographic situation of this realm, of its minerals, and of the variety of its produce and stated that each year between twenty and twenty-five thousand pilgrims undertook the Noble Pilgrimage [to Mecca]. Moreover, they wish to [place themselves] under the protective shade of His Imperial Majesty as dependents of the Imperial Sultanate in order protect themselves and be free from foreign attack and interference. Along with this, they wish for the privileges of reading the Friday sermon in the illustrious name of His Majesty the Caliph, to mint coins [in the Sultan’s name], that instructors might be sent from here to provide training for a standing army, and that they might pay a tax annually to the lofty imperial treasury. The petition of the envoy is that an imperial order be granted as a glorious sign of their subject status. His actual testimony has been written down and recorded in another document and presented [to you]. May our Lord God Almighty, increase the years of our lord the Emperor the centre of imperial majesty and the light of vision of the Caliphate and the Sultanate, our tireless protector and guardian of the world, and may the dignity and honour of the realms of the exalted Shadow [of God] the King of Kings be extended to the East and to the West. The reason for such rulers to offer their dependency and service, and [their wish] to entrust their affairs to the threshold of His exalted Majesty, is because of his Majesty’s order, glory, majesty and his personal justice as well as their diffusion through horizons. It is suitable to the fame of His Majesty, whose sign is imperial honour and glory, to approve the requests of this ruler since they are possible to implement. However, it will neither be appropriate to the methods of administration nor beneficial to execute the requirements of dependency in the manner requested, for such an unknown quantity of a government, with such limited communication and explanation and without knowing enough of the details of its sovereignty, the manner of its government, and the state of its affairs. Therefore, having considered the matter in great depth, with deliberations also in the presence of His Excellency Mustafa Paşa, the Governor of Yemen, [here is] a summary of the matters that arose during those deliberations: Although the aforementioned region is far away, it is thought that steamboats might facilitate communications, [and that] any such communications

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can be sent by steamboat and ship from the Bab el-Mandeb. In view of Basra’s naval relations with that region assigning the issue [of communication] to Baghdad was considered. However, given the inconvenience in dispatching these men [the Acehnese envoys] by land to Baghdad, and also considering that they came here by way of the Bab el-Mandeb and the Hijaz, it seems [more] appropriate and convenient to dispatch them via that particular route. Therefore, an appropriate Grand Vizierial answer [should] be written in response to this ruler’s petition, and his men [should] be sent to Yemen in the company of His Excellency Mustafa Paşa. [On arrival] there, His Excellency should investigate the situation from knowledgeable people and appoint a suitable official to accompany [Mansur Shah’s men]. He should give the official the required instructions and send him to this ruler to learn and communicate the conditions, the present situation, and the sincerity of the aforementioned ruler’s proposals to become subject [to the Ottoman Empire]. On discovering that he is sincere in his approach and his [request for] subject status [the Ottoman official should] return together with an esteemed and trusted man who is vested by [Shah Mansur] with the required authority to [deliberate on] the provisions of subject status. After first-hand information is gathered [in this way] about the circumstances, the requirements of the issue [should] be implemented. However, a number of problems may arise if the foreign states who have interests in the lands of that region hear of this matter. Therefore, the man to be dispatched should not have an official commission from the state, and consequently needs to have a different ostensible purpose for his mission. The instructions that need to be given to that official should be drawn up here and handed over to His Excellency [the governor of Yemen] after the approval of His Majesty [the Ottoman sultan]. Moreover, this ruler’s gentlemen have remained for some time in this place, and during their stay [as our] guests they have been assigned and given a daily allowance and subsistence. At the time of their departure, their daily allowance will be stopped by the Imperial Treasury, and, with the consent of His Majesty (whose portion is benevolence), they might draw their travel expenses from the Imperial Treasury, and an order issued for an amount as is customary. These matters being discussed in the High Council, and also communicated to the exalted Foreign Ministry, should be addressed in accordance with whatever Grand Vizierial command that might be issued, and these issues should be communicated [as well] to His Excellency Mustafa Paşa. [The issue of] the special allowance should be entrusted to the exalted Ministry of Finance. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 25 November 1851 Source: BOA İ.MVL. 226/7706 (2)

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Figure 22 Minutes of the interview with Muhammad Ghauth at the Meclis-i Vâlâ

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Minutes of the interview with Muhammad Ghauth at the Meclis-i Vâlâ Mübârek ve mesʿûd hâk-i pây-ı şevket ihtivâ-yı hazret-i mülûkâneye takdîm olunmak muʿarrazından Molla Muhammed Gavs nâm meʾmûr adamıyla akdemce nâme takdîm etmiş olan Aşi Hükümdârı Şah Mansurʾun uhde-i hükûmetinde bulunan biʾl-cümle arâzî-i mevrûse-i mülkiyesinin hudûdu meʾmûr-ı mûmâileyhin nâme-i mezkûr ile berâber takdîm eylediği bir kıtʿa harîtası sûretinde gösterilmiş ise de harîta-i mezkûrda usûl-ı coğrafya üzere derecât-ı tûl ve arzı resm olunmamış olduğundan bu tarafda kütüb-ı coğrafya harîtalarıyla tatbîk olundukda müşârunileyhin biʾl-cümle memâliki cenûben Hindistan memâlikinde kâʾin Bengale Körfeziʾnin nihâyetinde ve Bahr-ı Muhît-i Şarki sevâhili memâlikinde bulunan Malaka Burnu pîşgâhında cezâyir-i kebîreden maʿdûd olan Sumatra ve Cava ve Borneo nâm üç aded adalardan başka bir takım cezâir-i sağîreyi dahî müştemil olmak mülâbesesiyle memâlik-i mezkûrenin mevâkiʿ-i coğrâfiyyesi hatt-ı istivânın cihet-i şimâliyesinin beşinci derecesinden bedeʾ ile yine hatt-ı istivânın cihet-i cenûbiyyesinde vâkiʿ onuncu dereceye ve tûl-i şârkînin dahî doksanıncı derecesinden ibtidâ birle yüz yirminci derecesine kadar mümted olup memâlik-i mezkûrenin biʾl-cümle hudûd-ı bahrî ve berrîsi bi-hesâb terbîʿi yirmi beş bin mil mesâfeyi hâvî bulunduğu ve hâkim-i müşârunileyhin makarr-ı hükûmeti bulunan belde zikr olunan Sumatra adasının taraf-ı şimâlîsinde vâkiʿ Aşca nâm bender cesîm idüği ve hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin bâlâda mezkûr biʾl-cümle cezâyire emr ve hükmü câri bulunduğu ve memâlik-i mezkûrenin biʾl-cümle sükkân ve ahâlîsi yirmi iki milyon İslâm ve bir milyon Mecûsî tâʾifesinden ibâret olduğunu meʾmûr-ı mûmâileyh ledeʾl-ifâde bir milyon ne kadar nefer insanı şâmildir deyu suʾâl olundukda on kere yüz bin nefer nüfûsu câmiʿ olduğunu cevâbında beyân edip memâlik-i mezkûrenin zikr olunduğu üzere derkâr olan vüsʿat dâʾiresine nazaran mezkûrüʾl-mikdâr nüfûsu müştemil olabilmesi maznûn ve muhtemel idüği Zikr olunan Sumatra cezîresinin taraf-ı şarkîsinde vâkiʿ Fadan ve Kalamban ve Bengaholo nâm benderler Flemenk devleti zabtında idüğinden ahâlîsi taht-ı raʿiyyetde olup bunlardan mâʿadâ biʾl-cümle memâliki tasallut eyâdî-i ecnebîden masûn bulunduğu Ve memâlik-i mecmuʿa-i mezkûre ahâlîsinin derkâr olan elsine-i muhtelifesi iktizâsınca tekellemleri birbirine mugâyir ise de muʿâmele-i hükûmet iktizâsınca vükelâsı bulunanlar biʾl-cümle elsineyi ârif bulunduğu ve elsine-i efrenciyeden İngiltere ve Fransa lisânlarını öğrenmiş ve memâlik-i mezkûrede mevcûd olan millet-i İslâmiyeʾnin ekserîsi Şâfiʿi ve bir mikdârı Hanefî mezheblerini ihtiyâr etmiş oldukları 2.14

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Nüfûs-ı mecmûʿa-i mezkûre dâhilinde asâkir-i nizâmiye misillü muvazzaf asker yoğise de hükümdârlarına derkâr olan kemâl-i inkıyâd ve mutâvaʿatları iktizâsınca hîn-i îcâbında bunlar kâffe-i askerlik edip istiʿmâl eyledikleri esliha çakmaklı tüfenk ve tabanca ve seyfden ibâret olup kebîr ve sağîr top dahî kullandıkları ve bunlardan mâʿadâ cennet-mekân Sultân Selim-i Sânî zamânında Yemen vâlisi bulunan Sinan Paşa tarafından meʾmûr irsâliyle dökdürülmüş olan beş yüz kıtʿa top dahî mezkûr Sumatra cezîresinde vâkiʿ makarr-ı hükûmet bulunan Aşca nâm benderde mevcûd idüği Mezkûr Flemenklilerin mazbûtları olan benderlerini hâkimi bulunan vezîri rüşvet bahânesiyle iğfâl ve itmâʿ ederek taht-ı zâbıtalarına alıp bu âna kadar İngiltere ve Fransa taraflarından tasallut vukûʿa gelmeyip devleteyn-i mezkûreteyn ile selm ve safvet ve icrâ-yı mûʿamele-i ticâret üzre oldukları ve on iki kıtʿa harb ve beş yüz kıtʿa tüccâr sefîneleri olup sancaklarının zemîni kırmızı ve üzerinde seyf ve yıldız resimleri mevcûd idüği Ve maʿdeniyyâta dâʾir mahsulleri kum altını ve kurşun ve nühâs makûlesi olup elmas ve akîk maʿdenleri dahî mevcûd idüği ve mahsûlat-ı nebâtiyeleri dahî karanfil ve darçın ve şeker ve kahve ve biber ve günlük ve zamk-ı Arabî ve pirinç ve hınta vesâʾireden ibâret idüği Müşârunileyh Şah Mansurʾun hülâsa-i istidʿâsı taht-ı idâresinde bulunan arâzîyi memâlik-i mahrûse-i şâhâneye ilhâk ile saltanat-ı seniyyenin tâbiʿiyyetine dâhil olmak ve nâm-ı nâmî-i hazret-i şâhâneye tahsîsen memâlikinde sikke darb olunmak ve askerî taʿlîmini göstermek için Arabî veyâhud Fransa ve İngiliz lisânlarına âşinâ çend nefer asker muʿallimi ile bir nefer sikkezen irsâl ve alâmet-i tâbiʿiyyetiçün bir kıtʿa fermân-ı âlî dahî ısdâr ve tisyâr buyurulmak kaziyyelerinden ibâret ve tâbiʿiyyeti kabûl buyurulduğu sûretde vergi olarak bir mikdâr şey takdîm edeceğini ifâdeden kinâyet idüği … Some time ago, an envoy called Mullah Muhammad Ghauth brought a letter to the blessed and noble ground at the feet of sovereign majesty from Mansur Shah, the ruler of Aceh. The extent of the borders of all the hereditary lands of the kingdom was discovered, [as] this envoy brought a map along with the aforementioned letter in order to show [them]. However, this map did not follow or indicate the geographical conventions of the degrees of longitude and latitude. When compared with the maps in the geography books here, [it was discovered that] the kingdom is south of the realms of India, in between the extreme end of the Bay of Bengal and the Eastern Ocean, off the coast of the Cape of Malacca. It consists of three great islands called Sumatra, Java, and Borneo, and also a number of smaller islands. The geographic location of these lands stretch from five degrees north of the equator to ten degrees south of the equator, and the longitude of the place extends from ninety degrees east to

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one hundred and twenty degrees east. The total area of this kingdom within its maritime and land borders is twenty-five thousand square miles, and the aforementioned ruler’s seat of government is found in a city on the north of the island of Sumatra, a great port called Aceh, and the aforementioned ruler commands and rules over all these islands from that city. When [the aforementioned envoy related that] the inhabitants and peoples of this kingdom total twenty-two million Muslims and one million pagans,21 he was asked how many individuals comprised one million, and he replied that it comprised ten times a hundred thousand individuals. Considering the evident magnitude of the country as noted above the population could indeed be at this level. As the eastern part of Sumatra, with the ports of Padang, Palembang, Bengkulu, are under Dutch control, the people there are subjects of that crown. Otherwise, all the kingdom is free from foreign interference. The people residing in the various parts of this kingdom speak different languages from each other. However, the resulting requirements of governance mean that their ministers know all of these languages and also have learned European languages such as English and French. The majority of the Muslims population follow the Shafiʿi school of jurisprudence, and a few follow the Hanafi school. These people have no standing army, nor any salaried soldiers, it being evident that there they show perfect submission and obedience to their rulers. In the event that they find themselves required to act as soldiers, they arm themselves with muskets, pistols, and swords, and they possess both large and small cannon as well. Moreover, there are five hundred pieces of artillery from the time of the late Sultan Selim II, cast by officers sent by the Governor of Yemen, Sinan Paşa, and these are kept in the seat of government, the said port of Aceh on the island of Sumatra. It has been learned that in the case of the aforementioned ports under Dutch control, they were taken under the authority of that crown through the spurious claim of bribing the Vizier. To date no attack has been launched by the British or French, [and] there is peace with those two states. Moreover, they engage in trade with them, and [the Acehnese] have twelve warships and five hundred merchant ships. Their banner consists of a sword and a star on a red field. 21  The mecusi of the Ottoman text means originally a Magian, or Zoroastrian fireworshipper, none of whom are likely to have lived in Sumatra in great numbers, although there may have been a small group of Parsi merchants. On the map sent with the mission, Buddhist Thailand and Rangoon are both marked as mecusi. Although indicating ‘fireworshipper’, in this context it probably just indicates the meaning of an exotic ‘pagan’ rather than a more familiar ‘infidel’.

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Their mineral products consist of gold dust, lead, and copper and there are also diamond and carnelian mines. Their agricultural products consist of cloves, cinnamon, sugar, coffee, pepper, gum, gum Arabic, rice, and wheat, among others. In sum, the petitionary requests of the aforementioned Shah Mansur are as follows. He desires to become a dependant of the Ottoman Government by annexing the land under his administration to the Well-Protected Domains, and to mint coins in his realms in the majestic name of His Imperial Majesty. Moreover, he desires a coin minter, and military instructors with a knowledge of the Arabic language, or otherwise the French and English tongues, to be dispatched in order to provide military training. Additionally, he desires a lofty charter to be ordered to be drawn up and dispatched as a sign of his dependency. [The envoy also] implied that they will pay a certain amount of tax if this dependency is accepted. Source: BOA İ.MVL. 226/7706 (1)

The Grand Vizier to the sultan on the deliberations at the Meclis-i Vâlâ and the response of the sultan as expressed by his chief secretary, 1851 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Bilâd-ı Cava hükümdârı tarafından atabe-i ulyâ-yı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye olarak vârid olan arîza-i iktizâ-yı emr ve irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhî üzere tercüme etdirilerek ve getiren adamın ifâdâtı dahî kaleme aldırılarak meclis-i vâlâya havâle olunmasıyla ol-bâbda kaleme alınan bir kıtʿa mazbata melfûf kağıd ile berâber manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmak için takdîm kılındı meʾâl-i mazbatadan müstefâd olduğu vechile hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyh sâye-i ihsânvâye-i hazret-i şâhânede tâbiʿiyyet-i saltanat-ı seniyye şerefine mazhariyet emel ve arzusunda bulunmasıyla isʿâf niyâzı muvâfık-ı şân-ı şevket-nişân-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî olup ancak böyle bir hükûmet hakkında şu derece işʿâr ve ifâde ile icrâ-yı levâzım-ı matbûʿiyyet muvâfık-ı usûl olamayacağından işbu arîzasına îcâbı vechile cevâb sûretiyle tahrîrât yazılarak gelen adamları Yemen vâlisi devletlü paşa hazretlerine tefrîkan Yemenʾe gönderilip ve oradan dahî devletce sıfat-ı resmiyesi olmayarak yanlarına bir münâsib meʾmûr konulup hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyh cânibine irsâl ile keyfiyât-ı mevcûdesi ve derece-i maksad ve niyeti lâyıkıyla öğrenilip işʿârı vechile cihet-i irtibât ve tâbiʿiyyete niyet-i sahîhası anlaşıldığı hâlde ânın üzerine şerâʾyit-i tâbiʿiyyete dâʾir ruhsat-ı lâzime ve kâfiye ile bir muʿteber ve muʿtemed adamı alınarak bu tarafa vürûd ile keyfiyetine maʿlûmât-ı yakîniye istihsâl olundukdan sonra iktizâ-yı hâlin icrâsı ve meʾmûr-ı merkûma iʿtâsı lâzım gelecek taʿlîmât bu tarafda kaleme alınarak manzûr-ı âlî buyuruldukdan sonra müşârunileyh hazretlerine 2.15

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Figure 23 The Grand Vizier to the sultan on the deliberations at the Meclis-i Vâlâ and the response of the sultan as expressed by his chief secretary, 1851

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verilmesi ve gelen adamlarının hîn-i avdetinde yevmiyeleri katʿ olunacağından buna mukâbil mesârif-i seferiyelerine medâr olmak üzere cânib-i hazînei celîleden münâsib mikdâr harc-ı râh ihsân buyurulması tezekkür olunmuş ve bu adam vâli-i müşârunileyh hazretlerini götürecek vapura irkâben Mısırʾa gönderilmek üzere yanında bulunan on bir nefer tevâbiʿiyle kendisine yol harçlığı olarak on beş bin guruş mikdârı atiyye-i seniyye ihsân buyurulması inâyet-i cihân-şümûl-ı cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîye şâyân olacağı tahattur kılınmış ise de ol-bâbda her ne vechile emr u fermân hazret-i cihân-bânî müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulur ise mantûk-ı celîli üzere hareket olunacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim Fî 16 S sene [12]68 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Enmele-zîb-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i âsafâneleriyle zikr olunan mazbata ve kağıd manzûr-ı şevket-mevfûr-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî buyurulmuşdur istîzân-ı sâmî-i sadâret-penâhîleri vechile arîza-i mezkûreye cevâb sûretiyle tahrîrât yazılarak gelen adamlar vâli-i müşârunileyh hazretlerine tefrîkan Yemenʾe gönderilip ve oradan dahî devletce sıfat-ı resmiyesi olmayarak yanlarına bir münâsib meʾmûr katılıp hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyh cânibine irsâl ile ber minvâl-i muharrer keyfiyetine maʿlûmât-ı yakîniye istihsâl olundukdan sonra iktizâ-yı hâlin icrâsı ve meʾmûr-ı merkûm iʿtâsı lâzım gelecek taʿlîmât bu tarafda kaleme alınarak manzûr-ı âlî buyuruldukdan sonra müşârunileyh hazretlerine verilmesi ve gelen adam vapur-ı mezkûra irkâben Mısırʾa gönderilmek üzre yanında bulunan tevâbiʿiyle kendisine ol mikdâr atiyye-i seniyye iʿtâ olunması müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulan emr u irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı şehinşâhî muktezâ-yı münîfinden olarak mezkûr mazbata ve kağıd yine savb-ı âlî-i âsafânelerine iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir Fî 17 S sene [12]68 [Grand Vizier to the Sultan] Your Majesty, my compassionate lord: By Your Majesty’s magnificent order, the petition of the ruler of the land of Jawa sent to the illustrious threshold of the Caliphate has been translated and handed over to the Meclis-i Vâlâ together with the written record of the testimony of the man who brought it. A report written on this issue has been presented for your information, together with the enclosed documents. It is discovered therein that the aforementioned ruler desires and petitions the benevolence of Your Imperial Majesty to be honoured as dependent subject of the Ottoman Government. The granting of this request is appropriate for the honourable and noble seal of His Majesty, but it will not be appropriate

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to fulfil the requirements of suzerainty for such a government [based on] so little communication and explanation. Consequently, a reply should be written to this petition. The envoys should be sent to Yemen in the company of his Excellency the Governor of Yemen, and from there also a state official not holding a formal title should be assigned to accompany them to the aforementioned ruler, in order to learn and convey the truth of the current situation, of his aims and intentions. If it is understood that he is truly sincere in his desire for intimate friendship and dependency, an honourable and reliable man who is has been granted the required authority to negotiate upon the provisions of dependency should return to this place at once. Having gathered first-hand knowledge about the circumstances, the requirements of the issue [should] be fulfilled. The instructions that need to be given to the mentioned official should be drawn up here and handed over to his Excellency [the governor of Yemen]. Moreover, as the daily allowance of the envoys will be discontinued at the time of their departure, provision for their travel expenses in the form of provisions for their sustenance should be ordered to be bestowed upon them from the Imperial Treasury. Additionally, it has been considered appropriate to send this man on the steamboat taking the aforementioned governor to Egypt, together with the eleven men of his retinue, [and] to order a grant of fifteen thousand piasters on the part of the Imperial Sultanate for provisions on their journey. This explanatory note has been issued, My Lord, to the consideration of the world-encompassing Caliph in the understanding that whatever the command is in this matter from His Majesty the World-Holder, that noble path will be the one that is pursued. 16 Safar 1268 [11 December 1851]. [Sultan’s secretary’s response] The request of your most humble servant is that: From the fingertips of beauty and honour: This present Grand Vizierial note, together with the report and enclosed document, has been seen by His Imperial Majesty, and an order given [in response to] the Grand Vizierial request. The command in this matter is that a reply should be written to this petition, that the envoy and his men should be sent to Yemen in the company of the His Excellency the governor, and that from there a state official not holding an official title should be appointed to accompany them to the aforementioned ruler in order to gather first-hand information about the truth of the situation, after which it should be possible to command action to be taken on the matter at hand. The necessary instructions written here should be presented for the sublime inspection [of His Majesty] and afterwards given to His Excellency [the governor of Yemen], and the envoy be sent on the said steamer to Egypt together with the other men accompanying him, and that they be granted the imperial benevolence specified. [With these requirements] this

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report and enclosed document has been returned to Your High Vizierial office. In this matter, to command belongs unto him who commands all. 17 Safar 1268 [12 December 1851].

Source: BOA İ.MVL. 226/7706 (3) Note: The Grand Vizier informed the Governor of Yemen about the developments and the decision of the Porte and notified him about his duties with a letter dated 24 December 1851 See A.MKT.MVL. 48/95

2.16 Draft of the Grand Vizier’s letter to Mansur Shah Bilâd-ı Cava hükümdârına yazılacak tahrîrât müsveddesi sûretidir Refîʿ-i câlibgâh Şeyh İsmail Efendi dâʿîleri risâletiyle ve gerek andan sonra taraf-ı eşref-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîye irsâl buyurulmuş olan iki kıtʿa nâme-i meveddet alâme-i hükümdârîleri huzûr-ı şevket-mevfûr-ı cenâb-ı zillullâhîye arz ve tebliğ birle karîn-i ilm-i hümâyûn-ı hazret-i şehin-şâhî buyurulmuşdur imâmüʾl-müslimîn ve halîfe-i hazret-i seyyidüʾl-murselîn olan zât-ı şevket-âyât-ı cenâb-ı şehin-şâhînin dergâh-ı felek-câh-ı mülûkanelerine bu sûretle irsâl resl-ü resâʾil ile arz olunan müʾessir-i mutâvaʿat ve muhâleset ve cihet-i irtibât ve tâbiʿiyyet-i nezd-i hümâyûn-ı şevket-nümûn-ı cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîde mahzûziyet-i seniyyeyi mûcib ve müstelzim olmuş ve taraf-ı eşref-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye olan meyl-i derûn-ı diyânet meşhûn-ı hükümrânîlerini efendi-i mûmâileyh dâʿîleri dahî hüsn-ı takrîr ve beyân ile îfâ-yı hak vesâtat ve risâlet etmişdir kaldı ki gerek zikr olunan nâme-i şerîflerinde münderic olan ve gerek mûmâileyh dâʿîleri tarafından şifâhen îrâd ve beyân kılınan mültemisât-ı aliyyelerinin esʿâfı yaʿni zât-ı vâlâ-yı hükümdârîlerinin ve gerek havza-i idâre-i aliyyelerinde bulunan memâlik ve beledât-ı ahâlî ve sükkânın teʾkîd-i saʿâdet halleri kaziyye-i hayriyesi şîme-i celîle-i hilâfet ve cihet-i câmiʿa-i İslâmiyet iktizâsınca saltanat-ı seniyye indinde dahî arzu olunan mevâddan bulunmuş ve efendi-i mûmâileyh dâʿîleri bu tarafda bulunduğu müddetce hakkında icrâ-yı levâzım-ı mürâʿat olunarak bu defʿa olcânibe avdet ve azîmet eylemiş olmağla gerek kendisinin bu tarafa vürûdundan hâsıl olan memnûniyet-i seniyye-i hazreti pâdişâhî keyfiyeti ve gerek nâme-i vâlâlarının mütezammın olduğu mevâd hakkında kendisine teblîğât-ı lâzimenin tevdîʿinden başka husûsât-ı maʿrûzayı biʾl-etrâf müzâkere eylemek üzere mahsûs bir meʾmûr taʿyîn ve iʿzâmı husûsu dahî münâsebet-i cevâriyet cihetiyle Yemen vâlisi devletlü paşa hazretlerine tavsiye kılınmış olmağla vâli-i müşârunileyh hazretleri tarafından vukûʿ bulacak teblîğât-ı mahsûsaya havâle-i semʿ iʾtibâr ile her gûne dilhâh-ı vâlâlarının vesâtat-ı müşârunileyhe atabe-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîye arzına himmet buyurmak lâzım geleceği beyânı tebliğ-i meʾâsir-i muhâlesâta vesîle ittihâz olunduğu inşallâhu teʿâlâ maʿlûm-ı sâmîleri buyuruldukda baʿd-ezîn dahî

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Figure 24 Draft of the Grand Vizier’s letter to Mansur Shah

izhâr-ı âsâr-ı yeğangî ve muhâlesâta himmet-i aliyye-i hükümrânîleri bî-diriğ buyurulması mütemennâdır Draft of the letter to be written to the ruler of the land of Jawa Your two affectionate letters together with your royal seal, [addressed to] to His Imperial Majesty the Caliph, one of which was sent with your supplicant the high office-holder Shaykh Ismail Efendi, and the other that was sent later, have been submitted before and announced to the wondrously noble presence of the Shadow of God on Earth, each one coming to the intimate imperial knowledge of His Majesty the King of Kings, the Leader of the Muslims. These messages sent to the heaven-guided ruler, the Leader of the Muslims and Successor of the Master of Prophets, the most noble King of Kings, indicating your request and desire to enter into complete obedience, mutual assistance, friendship, and dependency with the imperial realms of the honourable Caliph, and on the part of the Imperial Sultanate, have brought us joy and pleasure. Moreover, your heartfelt and pious kingly inclination towards

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the Imperial Sultanate was declared and explained eloquently and beautifully by your supplicant the aforementioned Efendi, and as an intermediary and messenger he has carried out his mission properly. The request put forth in both the noble letters that have been received, and by the testimony and explanation of the aforementioned supplicant, for the greater strength of your kingdom, as well as for the noble regions under your dominion, as well as for the security of happiness for the communities of people and residents therein, are also desirable issues for the noble Caliph regarding the unity of Muslim community. Moreover, your supplicant the aforementioned Efendi has been sent back after having been taken care of adequately during his stay here, and he himself has been notified of the pleasure that his arrival here has given to His Imperial Majesty, as well as informing him of the matters contained in your noble letter. His Excellency the Paşa, the Governor of Yemen, due to the proximity of that region [to your territory], has been instructed to appoint and send a high and special official [to Aceh] on imperial rations to deliberate extensively on the matters at hand. It is required that [you] give an attentive ear to the special high relations that will be communicated by the means of the aforementioned [official], and to consent to convey your relations and replies by means of this [official] to the illustrious threshold of the exalted Caliph. When this statement is communicated as a means of mutual sincerity with your royal knowledge, God Almighty willing, it is desired that, henceforward as well, you will not withdraw your royal aid with respect to showing signs of unity and mutual sincerity. Source: BOA İ.MVL. 230/7935 (1)

Draft of the instructions for the official that will be sent to Mansur Shah Yemen vâlisi devletlü Mustafa Paşa tarafından Cava Hükümdârı Mansur Şahʾa gönderilecek meʾmûra iʿtâ olunacak taʿlîmât-ı seniyye sûretidir Sâye-i muvaffakiyet-vâye-i hazret-i pâdişâhîde bilâd-ı Cava Hükümdârı Mansur Şah tarafından atabe-i ulyâ-yı hazret-i cihândârîye olarak tevârüd eden arîza meʾâline ve götüren adamın vâkıʿasına nazaran hükûmet-i mezkûrenin vüsʿat ve cesâmetinden ve mevkiʿ-i coğrâfîsi iktizâsınca meʿâdin ve mahsûlât-ı mütenevviʿası keyfiyâtından ve beher sene Hacc-ı şerîfe yirmi yirmi beş bin kadar hüccâcı gelip gitmekde bulunduğundan bahisle taraf-ı ecânibden tasallut ve müdâhale vukûʿundan vâreste olmak üzre sâye-i ihsânvâye-i hazret-i şâhânede tâbiʿiyyet-i saltanat-ı seniyye şerefine mazhariyetle cevâmiʿ-i mevcûde de nâm-ı nâmî-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye hutbe okutmak ve sikke basdırmak ve asâkir-i nizâmiyenin usûl-ı taʿlîmini öğretmek üzre bu tarafdan muʿallim gönderilmek ve vergi olarak cânib-i hazîne-i celîleye 2.17

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Figure 25 Draft of the instructions for the official that will be sent to Mansur Shah

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senevî bir mikdâr şey takdîm eylemek emel ve arzusunda bulunduklarından cihet-i tâbiʿiyyetlerine alâmet-i fâhire olmak üzre bir kıtʿa menşûr-ı âlî inâyet buyurulması niyâz olunmuş ve hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin isʿâf niyâzı muvâfık-ı şân-ı şevket nişân-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî olup fakat hâl ve keyfiyeti ve sûret-i irtibât ve tâbiʿiyyeti bilmediğinden evvel emirde tedkîk-i mâdde olunması lâzım geleceğine ve meʾmûr-ı mûmâileyh dahî bu husûsun tahkîki zımnında saltanat-ı seniyyeden taʿyîn olunup sûret-i meʾmûriyetine dâʾir kendisine taʿlîmât iʿtâsı muktezâ-yı irâde-i seniyyeden bulunduğuna binâʾen ol-bâbda meclis-i vâlâdan kaleme alınıp meʾmûr-ı mûmâileyhe iʿtâ olunan taʿlîmâtdır ki ber-vech-i âtî beyân olunur Hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin zikr olunan arîzasına ber muktezâ-yı irâde-i seniyye taraf-ı hazret-i vekâlet-penâhîden cevâb sûretiyle tahrîrât-ı sâmiye yazılmış ve gelen adamları dahî müşârunileyh Mustafa Paşa Hazretleriʾyle cânib-i Yemenʾe gönderilmiş olduğundan meʾmûr-ı mûmâileyh dahî iktizâ-yı dirâyet ve fetâneti üzre zikr olunan adamları alıp hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyh cânibine giderek biʾz-zât kendisiyle mülâkât olunup ahvâl ve keyfiyât-ı mevcûdesi ve derece-i maksad ve niyeti lâyıkıyla öğrenilip işʿârı vechile cihet-i irtibât ve tâbiʿiyyette niyet-i sahîhası anlaşılmakdan ve ol havâlîde memâlik ve arâzîsi olan baʿzı Avrupa devletleriyle hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin muʿâmelât-ı resmiyesi ne merkezde olduğu ve beyinlerinde uhûd ve şurût olup olmadığı ve olduğu hâlde ne makûle şeyler idüği etrâfıyla ve lâyıkıyla tahkîk olundukdan sonra ânın üzerine şerâʾit-i tâbiʿiyyete dâʾir ruhsat-ı lâzime ve kâfiye ile bir muʿteber ve muʿtemed adamını alarak bu tarafa avdet ede şu kadar ki bu keyfiyet ol tarafları ilâ el-ân ecânib tuttuğu hâlde müşkîlât zuhûru melhûz olacağından bu sırada meʾmûr-ı mûmâileyh gâyet mütebahhirâne (?) meʾmûriyetinden bir tarafa ser rişte vermemeğe ihtimâm ve iʿtinâ eyleye Bu misillü taʿlîmâtın ahkâmı pek mahdûd olmayıp meʾmûrînin dirâyet ve fetânet-i zâtiyesine muhavvel olduğundan meʾmûr-ı mûmâileyh dahî ber minvâl-i muharrer kendisine havâle ve sipâriş olunan husûsâtı muktezâ-yı dirâyet üzre hüsn-ı ruʾyet ve tesviye eyleye Copy of the exalted instructions to be given to the official to be sent by His Excellency Mustafa Paşa, Governor of Yemen, to Mansur Shah, the ruler of Jawa. According to the content of the petition made by Mansur Shah, the ruler of Jawa, to the lofty threshold of His Majesty the World-Holder, and the explanations of the accompanying envoy concerning the aforementioned kingdom, [with regard to] its extent, magnitude, and geographical location, it was found that it has a variety of mineral and agricultural produce, and each year

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twenty to twenty-five thousand pilgrims go to undertake the Noble Pilgrimage. In order to remain free from foreign intervention and attack, the beneficence of the Sultan is requested so that they might become subjects of the Imperial [Ottoman] Sultanate, [and moreover that] the sermon in the mosques might be read in the glorious name of His Majesty the Caliph, and that coins might be minted [in the Sultan’s name]. Additionally, they request experts to be sent from here in order to train their forces, and they will remit a certain amount of annual tax to the Imperial Treasury. According to the explanations and in the petition, [Mansur Shah] desires the command to be issued for a high imperial patent, as a record of their subject status. The request of this ruler has gained the consent of His Imperial Majesty. However, as the present truth of the state of affairs and [Aceh’s] subject status is not known, an investigation of these matters must first take place. It is the requirement of the imperial order, that the Ottoman Government should appoint this official to investigate these points and [that the official] should be given instructions outlining his position. As a result of the imperial command, these are the instructions that have been written on this matter by the Meclis-i Vâlâ, to be given to this official: In conformity to the imperial order, a formal reply from His Highness the Grand Vizier has been written in response to this ruler’s petition. Moreover, the accompanying envoys are sent to Yemen with His Excellency Mustafa Paşa. In addition, this official, with his qualities of shrewdness and intelligence, will go himself to the lands of the aforementioned ruler, and speak with him personally in order to discover the true nature of the state of affairs and of his intentions; as previously noted, his true intention for entering into the bonds of intimacy and submission should be entirely understood. [He should also discover] the nature of the official relations of the aforementioned ruler with the various European states, and what treaties and agreements do or do not exist between them. When these various things have been fully and thoroughly investigated, he should return here together with an honourable and trusted man given sufficient authority to discuss the provisions of submission. As a number of those lands are under foreign control, it should be considered that there is the risk that some problems might arise. Consequently, this official should take great care not to give any clue to anyone as to the [true] nature of his elaborate mission. As the details of these instructions are not strictly definite, [the manner of their implementation] should be left to the shrewdness and intelligence of the official. This official on his part should arrange and order these special duties assigned to him in accordance with his own intelligent judgement. Source: BOA HR.SYS 551/4

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The Grand Vizier to the sultan on the arrangements regarding the deployment of the Acehnese envoy and the Ottoman official to Aceh, and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1852 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Meclis-i Vâlâʾnın manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmak üzre takdîm kılınan mazbatası meʾâlinden müstefâd olduğu vechile Cava hükümdârı tarafından gelip Yemen vâlisi devletlü paşa hazretlerine terfîʿkan Yemenʾe gönderilecek adamların ve oradan dahî yanlarına terfîk olunacak ve gerek oradan gelecek meʾmûrun masraf ve harc-ı râhlarının vâli-i müşârunileyhin melfûf tezkiresinde istîzân olunduğu üzre kâʿide-i tasarruf ve idâreye riʿâyeten Yemen eyâleti emvâlinden tesviye ve îfâsıyla baʿdehû hazînece mahsûbu icrâ olunmak üzre defterinin gönderilmesi için vâlî-i müşârunileyhe meʾzûniyet verilmesi ve gidecek meʾmûrun nezâket-i mâdde cihetiyle dirâyet ve istikâmeti hakkında tecrübesi sıbkat etmiş olan adamlarından birinin taʿyîni husûsunun dahî müşârunileyhe bildirilmesi tezekkür olunmuş ise de ol-bâbda ve gidecek meʾmûra verilmesi irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî iktizâ-yı âlîsinden olan taʿlîmât müsveddesi dahî kaleme alınarak meşmûl-ı lihâza-i âlî buyurulmak için takdîm kılınmağla müsvedde-i merkûmenin ahkâm-ı mündericesi hakkında dahî her ne vechile emr u fermân-ı cenâb-ı cihân-bânî şeref-sudûr buyurulur ise âna göre hareket olunacağı ve hükümdâr-ı mûmâileyhe yazılmak üzre bir tahrîrât müsveddesi dahî kaleme alınarak manzûr vekâyiʿ-i mevfûr-ı cenâb-ı tâcdârî buyurulmak üzre takdîm olunduğundan ânın sebk ve hükmü hakkında dahî ne vechile irâde-i isâbet-âde-i hazret-i mülûkane-i sâniha zîb-i sudûr buyurulur ise muktezâ-yı ilhâm-ı ihtivâsı icrâ kılınacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm olundu efendim Fî 19 R sene [12]68 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Zîver-i esâbiʿ-i ibcâl olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i vekâlet-penâhîleriyle evrâk-ı maʿrûza meşmûl-i lihâza-i şevket ifâza-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî buyurulmuş ve tezekkür ve istîzân buyurulduğu vechile zikr olunan masraf ve harc-ı râhların kâʿide-i tasarruf ve idâreye riʿâyeten Yemen eyâleti emvâlinden tesviye ve îfâsıyla baʿdehû hazînece mahsûbu icrâ olunmak üzre vâli-i müşârunileyhe meʾzûniyet verilmesi ve gidecek meʾmûrun sûret-i taʿyîni husûsunun dahî ber minvâl-i muharrer müşârunileyhe bildirilmesi ve zikr olunan taʿlîmât ve tahrîrât müsveddelerinin ahkâm-ı mündericeleri dahî yolunda görünmüş olduğundan iktizâlarının icrası müteʿallik ve şeref-sünûh buyurulan emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı cenâb-ı mülûkâne îcâb-ı âlîsinden olarak evrâk-ı mezkûre yine savb-ı sâmî-i âsafîlerine iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir Fî 20 R sene [12]68 2.18

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Figure 26 The Grand Vizier to the sultan on the arrangements regarding the deployment of the Acehnese envoy and the Ottoman official to Aceh, and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1852

[Grand Vizier to the Sultan] My kind and exalted lord, As it is understood from the report of the Meclis-i Vâlâ, the [council] suggests, in accordance with the demands of the Governor [of Yemen] as expressed in his enclosed note, that he should be authorised to pay from the revenues of the province of Yemen the expenses and travel costs of the envoys from the ruler of Jawa who will accompany the Governor of Yemen to Yemen, the official who will accompany them from there to Jawa, and the official who will come from there. Afterwards the register should be sent to the treasury so that it will be taken into account. Moreover, it is suggested that it should be noted to the said [governor of Yemen] that because of the delicacy of the issue, the man who will be appointed as the official to go to there [should be chosen from among] men proven in their intelligence and probity. This matter, and what results from it, rests on the imperial command of His Majesty the Sultan’s exalted requirement. The draft of the instructions (that are the requirement of the imperial order of your exalted majesty) for the official who

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will go [to Jawa] have also been drawn up and its content is presented for your information. The order and command from the noble will of the Protector of the World will be implemented whatever it entails with respect to the content of the draft as well. As a draft of the letter to the mentioned ruler is also written and presented for the information of the Crown-Holder, My lord, this explanatory note is drawn up with the understanding that whatever is the decision in this matter through the noble command of His Majesty the Sovereign will be implemented in its entirety. 11 February 1852 [Sultan’s secretary’s response] The request of your most humble servant is that: The content of this Grand Vizierial note, from the finger adorned with greatness, as well as the [other] documents presented have been brought into the noble presence of His Majesty the Caliph. In this matter, it is ordered to convey the following commands: that the above mentioned governor should be authorised to provide the necessary expenses and travel allowances from the revenues of the province of Yemen, on condition that that the treasury will afterwards take the [amount] into account; that the manner of appointing the official envoy should be communicated in writing to this [governor]; and that the requirements of the draft of instructions and [other] writings should be carried out, as their contents have been approved. Consequently, the said documents are returned to Your Grand Vizierial Highness. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 12 February 1852 Source: BOA İ.MVL. 230/7935 (4)

3

Documents relating to the request of Raja Ali bin Jaʿfar, Yang Dipertuan Muda of Riau, to become Ottoman subject, 1856–7 Power in the kingdom of Riau, based in the islands south of the Malay peninsula, was divided between two ethnic groups. The senior position, the Yang Dipertuan, was held by a Bugis family, while the more junior office of sultan was held by the Malays. The early nineteenth century saw repeated attempts by each group to gain European support (Matheson 1972: 120–121). In the years 1856–7, the Malay Sultan Mahmud attempted to assert himself as an independent ruler, possibly relying on British support; the Dutch-backed Bugis Yang Dipertuan Ali was ineffective in stopping him (Matheson 1972: 123). Although eventually Mahmud was deposed by the Dutch, it seems likely that Raja Ali’s letter was written in the hope of strengthening his hand in the ongoing power-struggle where, for a while, it seemed as if even European support was insufficient. In

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addition, the contemporary Malay chronicle written by Raja Ali’s brother, Hajji Ali, the Tuhfat al-Nafis, emphasises the Yang Dipertuan’s piety and how sharia was strictly imposed in Riau under rule and religious scholars were supported (Matheson 1972: 136–7; cf. Andaya 1977: 126–9). These pious interests may also have encouraged the Yang Dipertuan to contact the sultan-caliph in Istanbul, as well as forming a way of legitimising his rule. For further discussion see Göksoy 2004: 71–3; Kadı 2015: 159–61. 3.1 Arabic letter of Raja Ali bin Jaʿfar to Sultan Abdülmecid O God, our hearts continue to raise sincerest prayers in friendship and our tongues speak in a state of happiness and sublimity, requesting with supplicating tongue and a humble heart, hands of humility and need outspread, that You aid us by prolonging this blessed fortunate sultanic Ottoman dynasty with more glory, support and power and to realise our hopes in it by raising the Word. For thereby the bases of the supports of religion are raised, and the wiles of heretics are repressed, for it is the dynasty innocent of committing oppression and injustice and secure from the tyrants of the pen and sword. May God dress it in the garb of might combined with continuity, and adorn it with the ornament of continual victory with the passage of nights and days. O God we ask you, the compassionate, the generous, the Judge, the long-charitable, and we seek intercession with you through the planetary conjunctions and the lord son of Adnan [Muhammad] that You perpetuate the Muhammadan divine law and the protection of the Islamic nation by preserving Your humble servant, who glorifies your greatness and the glory of your magnificence, the sultan of Islam and the Muslims, protector of the divine law of the lord of messengers, servant of the Two Holy Shrines, the spreader of the banner of justice over the al-Aqsa mosque, Yemen and the two Iraqs, who is enveloped by the care of the King from whom all begins and to whom all returns [God], [our lord His Majesty Sultan Abdülmecid, may God perpetuate his days]22 and give him dominion and also in the afterlife until the resurrection Amen. By the grace of the lord of Prophets and messengers, his pure companions and family, may you be nobly informed that: This petition is presented by your subject the emir Ali bin Emir Jaʿfar bin Hajji al-Khalidi, who controls the port of Riau in the land of Jawa, which he has inherited from his fathers and forefathers and who has no competitor or opponent for it. I request from the mercy and sentiments of the Sublime State – may God make it eternal – that I may be permanently under its shadow which covers the many and the few, that I may be one of its subjects and under 22  In elevatio.

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Figure 27 Arabic letter of Raja Ali bin Jaʿfar to Sultan Abdülmecid, 1856

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Figure 28 Envelope of the Arabic letter of Raja Ali bin Jaʿfar to Sultan Abdülmecid

its protection, and [be] one of those who is counted as belonging to it, and that my rule and that of my sons after me should be confirmed, and that no one should oppose me or fight against me over it and that in accordance with that I should have from the Sublime State an exalted imperial decree and highranking medal to honour me, and a sultanic flag that by raising it I might have might and honour in this world and the next. To command belongs to him who has command. He who wishes you well Raja Ali son of the late Raja Jaʿfar Sayf al-Khalidi [Sea #143] Raja ʿAli ibn al-marhum Raja Muda Jaʿfar Riau, 1259, ‘Raja ʿAli, son of the late Raja Muda Jaʿfar, of Riau, 1259 (1843/4)’ Source: BOA İ.DH. 368/24377 (1)

The letter of the envoy of Riau to the Grand Vizier explaining his mission Bu kulları Riyo emîri Ali bin Cafer tarafından ve Şeyhüʾl-Cava ve emîr-i mûmâileyhin vekîli olup Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde bulunan Şeyh İsmail Efendi maʿrifetiyle bu defʿa Dersaʿadetʾe gönderilip oltarafda bulunan Medîne-i Riyo memleketi Cava cezîrelerinden olup Siyâm medînesiyle Cava cezîresi beyninde ve Cava cezîreleri dahî Flemenk devleti taht-ı hükûmetinde ve mezkûr Siyâm medînesi İngiltere devlet-i fehîmesinde vâlî el-ân emîr-i mûmâileyhin taht-ı tasarrufunda olarak ebâ an ced ez-mâ tekaddüm yed-i tasarrufunda olduğu ve cezîre-i merkûmeden dahî çend cezîre kendi sancağına tâbiʿ olduğunu derkâr ve emîr-i mûmâileyhin hükûmet-i merkûmeden bir muʿârız ve münâzaʿa olamayacağı âşikâr ise de bi-hamdihî teʿâlâ ehl-i îmân olduğundan diyâneti îcâbınca Devlet-i Aliyye-i ebediyyüʾd-devâmın tebʿası olarak ve sultânüʾl-müslimîn ve halîfetü seyyidüʾl-mürselîn şevket-meʾâb merâhim-nisâb efendimiz hazretlerinin taht-ı zıll-ı saltanat-ı seniyyelerinde bulunarak müşerref olmak ve dâʾimüʾl-evkât 3.2

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Figure 29 The letter of the envoy of Riau to the Grand Vizier explaining his mission

hidemât-ı celîlede ve emîrüʾl-müʾminîn taht-ı itâʿatinde bulunmak emel ve arzu-yı mahsûsunda olduğundan işbu arîzasının hâk-ı pây-ı emel-bahşâ-yı cenâb-ı vekâlet-penâhîlerine takdîmi zımnında emîr-i mûmâileyh bu kullarını mahsûsen derbâr-ı şevket-karâra göndermiş olmağla merâhim-i aliyye-i bînihâye-i hidivvânelerinden mercû ve mutazarrıʿdır ki emîr-i mûmâileyhin murâd ve maksûdu üzre Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniye tebʿası olduğunu şâmil bir kıtʿa emr-i âlî ısdâr ve ihsân buyurularak bu kullarına teslîmen emîr-i mûmâileyhe tarafına irsâl buyurulduğu hâlde bu bâbda memnûnen ve mutayyiben avdet olunarak gerek emîr-i mûmâileyh bendeleri ve gerek sâʾir muvahhidîn ve ehl-i İslâm cümleten kesb-i şeref ve mefharet-i ferâvân ederek emr-i âlî-i mezkûru her tarafa izzu şeref için neşr ve iʿlân eyleyeceğimiz ve ilâ yevmiʾl-kıyâm farîza-i zimmet ve vâcibiyye-i uhde-i ubûdiyetimiz olan duay-ı devâm-ı ömr ü iclâl-i hazret-i pâdişahîye leyl ü nehâr müdâvemet ve muvâzebet edeceğimiz muhât-ı ilm-i âlem ârâ-yı sadâret-penâhîleri buyuruldukda ber-vech-i niyâz ve tazarruʿ emr-i âlî-i mezkûrun ısdâr ve iʿtâsına müsâʿade-i merâhim-âde-i âsafâneleri erzân ve şâyân buyurulmak bâbında ve kâffe-i emvâlde emr u fermân ve lütf u ihsân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir.

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Bende-i eş-Şeyh Ahmed el-Câvî [Mühür] Ahmad bin ʿUthmān al-Khālidī al-Naqshbandī al-Sambāwī[?] 1221 Bende-i es-Seyyid Zeyn ibn-i es-Seyyid Hüseyin Muhzırî [Mühür] al-wāthiq billāh fī al-sirr wa-al-(?) al-Sayyid Zayn bin Husayn al-Maghribi 1265 [I] your servant come from the Emir of Riau, Ali bin Jaʿfar and the Shaykh of Jawa. I am the said Emir’s agent, and I have been sent to Istanbul by Shaykh Ismail Efendi, a resident of Honoured Mecca. The city of Riau, one of the kingdoms of the Jawa islands, and [is located] between the city of Siam and the island of Java. The Jawa islands are under Dutch rule, and the said city of Siam is [ruled by a] governor [appointed by the] great British state. The island has been ruled by the said Emir and his ancestors since time immemorial, and several [other] islands are its dependants. It is clear that the British government will not quarrel or dispute with the Emir. Nevertheless as he is a believer (praise be to God), in accordance with the requirements of religion, he wants to be honoured by becoming a subject of the Eternal Sublime State, and by [placing himself under] the shadow of our lord, His Majesty the Sultan of the Muslims, the Caliph of the Lord of Prophets, the home of imperial majesty and the properly compassionate. As it is his particular desire and wish to be at the service of the Commander of the Faithful, the said ruler has sent [me] your servant to the court in Istanbul, the abode of imperial majesty to present this note to the dust under the feet of the benefactor of wishes, Your Grand Vizierial Highness. His Majesty the Emir of Riau requests and desires from Your Highness the procurement and the bestowal of an imperial order stating that he is a subject of the Sublime Ottoman State. He requests that this letter be sent by handing over it to me. [If this happens we will] return pleased and happy, and the Emir, your servant, as well as the other believers and Muslims will gain honour and much pride, and [we will] publish and announce this imperial order everywhere as a sign of honour. That we will continue to pray, as a personal religious duty and a requirement of our obedience, day and night until the Day of Resurrection for the prolongation of the venerated life of His Sultanic Majesty, [should] be known by Your Grand Vizierial Highness, whose wisdom encompasses the universe of knowledge and opinions. On every matter as well as on giving a Grand Vizierial permission to issue and to provide this imperial order as is humbly requested, to command and to do favour belongs to him who commands all. The servant Shaykh Ahmed from Jawa [Seal #1659] Ahmad bin Uthmān al-Khālidī al-Naqshbandī al-Sambāwī[?] 1221 (1806/7)

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The servant Sayyid Zayn bin Sayyid Hussayin Muhzırî [Seal] He who trusts in God, for (?), al-Sayyid Zayn bin Husayn al-Maghribi, 1265 (1848/9) Source: BOA İ.DH. 368/24377 (2)

Grand Vizier to the sultan informing him about the envoy from Riau, 1857 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Cava cezîrelerinden Riyo nâm memleket emîri bulunan Ali bin Emir Caferʾin cânib-i seniyyüʾl-cevânib-i hazret-i şâhâneye olan arz-ı hâlini Mekke-i Mükerreme ahâlîsinden Seyyid Hüseyin ve Cava ahâlîsinden Şeyh Ahmed Efendiler getirmiş olduklarından mûmâileyhimânın ol-bâbda olan tezkire-i müşterekesi devletlü Şerif Abdullah Paşa Hazretleriʾnin tezkiresi ile berâber meşmûl-ı nazar şevket-eser-i cenâb-ı mülûkâne buyurulmak için arz ve takdîm kılındı emîr-i mûmâileyhin emel-i mahsûsu cihet-i vahdet-i İslâmiyet iktizâsınca sâye-i hümâyûn-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhînin fark-ı tâbiʿiyyetine şeref-pîrâ olduğunun eser-i zâhirîsine nâʾiliyet ve taraf-ı eşref-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye olan revâbıt-ı hakîkiyyesinin teşyîd ve teʾkîdine mazhariyetden ibâret olduğu misillü müşârunileyh Abdullah Paşa Hazretleriʾnin tezkiresi meʾâline nazaran ol havâlî ahâlîsi İslâm ve mütedeyyin olarak emîr-i mûmâileyhin şeref-i tâbiʿiyyeti-i saltanat-ı seniyyeyi arzusu diyâneti eseri olduğu anlaşılmağla ve bu makûle ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin tâbiʿiyyeti meşrûʿası umûr-ı müslimeden olup maslahatın burasınca düşünülecek yeri olamaz ise de politikaca olan cihetin mülâhazasıyla âna göre muʿâmele olunması mîzâc-ı maslahata muvâfık görünmekle keyfiyetin meclis-i meşveretde mutâlaʿa olunması husûsunda her ne vechile emr u fermân-ı cenâb-ı pâdişâhî müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulur ise mahz-ı isâbet olan hükm-ı celîle infâz olunacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîmine ibtidâr olundu efendim Fî 16 C sene [12]73 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Esâbiʿ-i zîb-i ihtirâm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleriyle zikr olunan arzuhâl ve tezkire ve müzekkere manzûr-ı âlî-i hazret-i pâdişâhî buyurulmuş ve istîzân-ı sâmî-i âsafâneleri vechile keyfiyetin meclis-i meşveretde mutâlaʿa olunması müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulan emr u irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı şehriyârî muktezâ-yı münîfinden olarak evrâk-ı mezkûre yine savb-ı sâmî-i âsafânelerine iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir Fî 17 C sene [12]73 3.3

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Figure 30 Grand Vizier to the sultan informing him about the envoy from Riau, 1857

[Grand Vizier to the Sultan] My kind and exalted lord, The petition of Ali bin Emir Jaʿfar, the emir of the country called Riau in the Java islands, to His Imperial Majesty has been brought by Sayyid Husayn Efendi from Noble Mecca and Shaykh Ahmad Efendi from Java. Their joint note on that issue is presented for the information of the imperial presence, together with the note of His Excellency Sharif Abdullah Paşa [Emir of Mecca]. The particular aim of the said Emir is to obtain a document showing that he has been honoured with the distinction of being a subject of His Majesty the Caliph in accordance with the requirements of Islamic unity, and reiterating and strengthening their genuine connections with the noble Sublime State. According to the content of the note of Abdullah Paşa, the people of that land are religious, and it is understood that this Emir’s wish to attain the honour of being a subject of the Imperial Sultanate originates from their devotion. As this kind of submission of Muslim people is an Islamic matter, there is nothing to think about in this respect. However, it is appropriate to consider carefully its political implications. As a result the matter [should] be considered

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at the Consultative Assembly. My lord, this note is written with the understanding that whatever exalted imperial order and command is issued on this matter, its noble and correct judgment will be carried out. 16 Jumada II 1273 [11 February 1857] [Sultan’s secretary’s response] The request of your most humble servant is that This Grand Vizierial note, from the finger adorned with greatness [i.e. the Grand Vizier], as well as the petition, note, and warrant have been brought to the exalted presence of His Majesty the Sultan, and it is the wise judgement of the lofty imperial command that the matter be considered at the Consultative Assembly in accordance with your Grand Vizierial request, and that the said documents be returned to Your Grand Vizierial Highness. To command belongs to him who commands all. 17 Jumada II 1273 [12 February 1857]. Source: BOA İ.DH. 368/24377 (5)

Grand Vizier to the sultan informing him about the Ottoman response to the Riau mission and the approval of the sultan as expressed by his chief secretary, 1858 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Cava cezîrelerinden Riyo nâm memleket emîri Ali bin Emir Caferʾin rûnümâ olan niyet-i hâlise-i diyânet-kârânesinden dolayı taltîfi ifâdesine dâʾir emîr-i Mekke-i Mükerrem devletlü siyâdetlü Şerif Abdullah Paşa Hazretleriʾnin tezkiresi manzûr-ı meʿâl-i mevfûr-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî buyurulmak üzre arz ve takdîm kılındı emîr-i müşârunileyh hazretlerinin işʿârı vechile ahvâl-i zâtiye ve mevkiʿiyyesi baʿdeʾt-tahkîk bu tarafa bildirilmek üzre şimdilik yalnız nâm-ı nâmî-i cenâb-ı mülûkâne ile hutbe kırâʾati meʾzûniyetini şâmil kendisine bir kıtʿa emr-i âlî ısdârıyla taltîfen üçüncü rütbeden bir aded Mecidiye nişân-ı zîşânı dahî ihsân buyurulması ve mûmâileyh tarafından mürsel Seyyid Hüseyin ve Seyyid Ahmed Efendiler emîr-i müşârunileyh hazretleri maʿiyyetiyle avdet edeceklerinden bunlara geçenlerde ihsân buyurulan altı aylık bedel-i taʿyînâtdan başka müddet-i ikâmetleri olan küsûr bir senelik taʿyîn bedelleriyle yol masrafı olmak üzre yine ol mikdâr atiyye-i seniyye verilmesi husûslarında her ne vechile emr u fermân-ı ihsân-unvân-ı hazret-i şehinşâhî müteʿallik ve şeref-sünûh buyurulur ise mantûk-ı celîli infâz olunacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm olundu efendim Fî 8 Za sene [12]74 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Enâmil-i zîb-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i âsafâneleriyle tezkire-i mezkûre meşmûl-ı nazar meʿâl-i eser-i hazret-i şâhâne buyurulmuş ve ber minvâl-i 3.4

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muharrer bir kıtʿa emr-i âlî ısdârıyla mûmâileyhe rütbe-i mezkûreden bir aded nişân-ı âlî dahî iʿtâ kılınması ve efendi-i mûma ileyhimâya ol vechile bir senelik taʿyîn bedelleriyle yine ol mikdâr atiyye-i seniyye verilmesi müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulan emr u irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı mülûkâne muktezâ-yı münîfinden olarak mezkûr tezkire yine savb-ı sâmî-i sadâret-penâhîlerine iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 9 Za sene [12]74 [Grand Vizier to the Sultan] My kind and exalted lord, The note of the exalted Emir of Noble Mecca, His Excellency the distinguished noble Sharif Abdullah Paşa, has been submitted and presented for the information of His Majesty the Caliph, in which [note] is expressed [his wish to] reward Ali bin Emir Jaʿfar, the Emir of the country called Riau [located] in the Jawa islands, because of his pious intentions. In accordance with what His Excellency the said Emir [Sharif Abdullah Paşa] points out, until his [Ali bin Emir Jaʿfar’s] personal state and position has been investigated and reported to us, for now he [should] be gratified only with a Mecidi medal third class, and a glorious order permitting him to recite the Friday sermon in the exalted imperial name. Moreover, as his envoys, Sayyid Husayn and Sayyid Ahmad Efendi will return together with the entourage of His Excellency, the Emir [Sharif Abdullah Paşa], aside from the amount they received previously as their six months’ provisions allowance, they [should] be given an imperial grant amounting to a year’s-worth of provision allowances, and as much again for their travel expenses. My lord, this note is written with the understanding that the bounty of the lofty imperial command will be implemented whatever it entails. 9 Dhuʾl-Qiʿda 1274 [20 June 1858]. [Sultan’s secretary’s response] The request of your most humble servant is that: This Grand Vizierial note, from the fingertips of beauty and honour, and the enclosed note have been brought into the exalted imperial presence. It is the imperial and sovereign command that, in accordance with what is written, a written order be issued, the said [Emir] be given a glorious medal of the said class, that and the said efendis be given an imperial grant amounting a year’sworth of provision allowances, and as much for their travel expenses. The said documents are to be returned to Your Grand Vizierial Highness. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 21 June 1858 Source: BOA İ.DH. 407/26941

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Imperial diploma granting a Mecidi medal of the third rank to Raja Ali bin Jaʿfar of Riau, 1858 Nişân-ı Hümâyûn Oldur ki Cava cezîrelerinden Riyo nâm memleket emîri cenâb-ı imâret-meʾâb-ı meʾâlî nisâb-ı saʿâdet-i iktisâb câmiʿ-i âyât-ı dindârî müstecmiʿ-i cemîʿ-i fezâʾil-i hamîde-i dâd-ı küsteri Ali bin Emir Cafer mecbûl olduğu şaʿâir-i ıtlâʿullâhu teʿâlâ be-devr-i devlete min meşârıkiʾl-izzü veʾl-celâl ve şemûs-ı saʿâdete masûnete an vasmetiʾl-küsûf veʾz-zevâlin hâlisâne-i diyânet-kârânesi iktizâsınca taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeme olan hulûs-ı tavʿiyyeti nezd-i meʿâlî-vefd-i şehriyârânemde maʿlûm olarak hakkında taʿtifât ve taltifât-ı seniyye-i şâhânem husûle gelmiş olduğundan bu kere müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr olan irâde-i seniyye-i mülûkânem mûcebince emr-i müşârunileyh Mecidiye nişân-ı hümâyûnumun üçüncü rütbesinden bir kıtʿası inâyet ve ihsân kılınmış olmağla işbu berât-ı mekârim-simât-ı şehriyârânem dahî tasdîr ve iʿtâ kılındı. Fî evâhir-i Za sene [12]74 3.5

The imperial sign is that; It has come to our exalted imperial knowledge that Ali b. Emir Jaʿfar, the emir of the kingdom of Riau in the Jawa islands, in consequence of the purity of his piety through which he provides places for the poor to eat, distributes bountiful alms, piously recites holy verses in the mosque, and shows great and entire devotion to God, following the true path of God Almighty in all his official duties, has demonstrated genuine and pure religiously-guided sympathy and affection to our Imperial Sultanate. On account of our imperial bounty and benevolence and in accordance with our glorious, noble royal will on this matter, the bounty and gift of the imperial Mecidi medal, third class, should be bestowed [on this emir]. This, our bounteous imperial diploma, has also been issued and presented to him. 12 July 1858 Source: BOA A.DVN.MHM. 25/97

Note to the department of imperial signature to inform that the medal of Raja Ali bin Jaʿfar has been delivered from the stocks, 1858 Beyaz üzerine sâdır olan fermân-ı âlî (?) ve müteʿallik buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i mantûk-ı celîlesi ve derkenâr olunduğu üzre Cava cezîrelerinden Riyo nâm memleket emîri Ali bin Emir Caferʾin saltanat-ı seniyyeye arz-ı tâbʿiyyet ve ubûdiyet etmesiyle taltîfen kendisine üçüncü rütbeden olarak iʿtâsı irâde buyurulan nişân-ı âlîşânın cânib-i teşrîfâtdan 12 Za sene [12]74 târihiyle vârid olan ilmuhaber mûcebince mevcûddan iʿtâ olunduğu bilinmek içün nişân-ı hümâyûn kalemin ebâ-fermân-ı sâmî işbu ilmuhaber verildi Fî 7 Z sene 1274 3.6

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In accordance with the exalted imperial command, the third class medal that was granted to reward Ali bin Emir Jaʿfar, the emir of the country of Riau of the Jawa islands, has been delivered from the stocks. This communiqué has been delivered to the office of the Imperial Signature to inform them [that this has been done] in accordance with the communiqué received from the [department of] protocol, dated 24 June 1858. [The medal] was granted by an imperial edict, which emanated without request, and the related imperial order was made to reward the said Ali bin Emir Jaʿfar for offering of his submission and allegiance to the Imperial Sultanate. 19 July 1858 Source: BOA A.DVN. 132/72

4

Documents relating to the petition of the Sultan of Jambi to the Ottoman Sultan, 1858 and 1902–5 Despite the spread of Dutch authority over Sumatra, when the new Sultan of Jambi in the southwest of the island, Taha Saifuddin, ascended the throne in 1855, he refused to declare his allegiance to them. Taha Saifuddin sent an embassy under a certain Sharif Ali to Istanbul, to seek an affirmation of Ottoman suzerainty over Jambi. Although Sharif Ali got no further than the Hijaz, his letter did reach the Ottoman government, who declined to intervene for fear of the Dutch reaction. Shortly after this letter was sent, the Dutch seized Jambi in November 1858, although Taha Saifuddin continued the resistance, and his attempts to secure Ottoman aid, from the rural parts of the sultanate which he continued to control until his death in 1903 (Reid 1967: 273; Locher-Scholten 2003: 234–7; Göksoy 2004: 69–73; Reid 2014: 98–9; Kadı 2015: 161–2).

4.1 The petition of the Sultan of Jambi to the Ottoman sultan, 1858 [Seal #1802] sanat 1272 al-wāthiq billāh al-Jalī cap al-Sultan Taha Saifuddin ibn al-Sultan Muhammad Fakhruddin al-marhum // Sultan / Inga / Seri / Agung, ‘The year 1272 (1855/6), he who trusts in God, the Resplendent One, the seal of the Sultan Taha Saifuddin, son of the late Sultan Muhammad Fakhruddin // Sultan / Inga / Seri / Agung’ We ask you O God who chose our lord Muhammad bin Abdullah [the Prophet Muhammad] over the rest of the world and made him seal of the prophets and messengers and favoured his faith over others and bore witness thereby in the Torah, Gospels, Psalms and Qurʾan and we seek intercession with you by the grace of this chosen prophet, his family and loyal companions, may God bless him and them and everyone who followed him to support this

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Figure 31 The petition of the Sultan of Jambi to the Ottoman sultan, 1858

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strong, form religion and to perpetuate conquest and the clear victory by prolonging the state of your servant, the glory of Islamic kings and God’s Caliph over the rest of humanity, the sultan of the two lands and the khaqan of the two seas, our lord sultan [Abdülmecid Khan]23 son of the late sultan Mahmud son of the late Abdülhamid Khan, may God perpetuate his state over the passage of epochs and the kingdom passed to him and his descendants until the day of Judgement Amen by the grace of the trustworthy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his fortunate Companions, amen. The petition to the Exalted Threshold is that the petitioner, Taha Saifuddin bin Muhammad Fakhruddin ruler of the island of Ashya24 whose name is Jambi, is ruler in this land [inherited] from his eminent forefathers, and no one opposes him in it or fights against him. On account of Islamic zeal and religious enthusiasm I would like to be affiliated and subject to the Sublime Ottoman State. His hope25 is that your noble morals will honour him with a sultanic firman and an imperial medal and a glorious Ottoman flag, and his desire thereby is to establish an absolute affiliation to the state of Abdülmecid and that this affiliation may endure for his descendants and that none of the foreign states may seize power over them. I have appointed to receive the aforementioned favours the bearer of this letter, al-Sharif Ali bin Alawi bin Hasan al-Jaʿfari al-Alawi. 19 Dhuʾl-Qiʿda 1274 [1 July 1858]. Source: BOA İ.HR. 173/9431 (6)

Request of the Dutch embassy for information about the letter of the Sultan of Jambi Zât-ı hazret-i şâhâne-i cenâb-ı âlîsine olarak Sumatra cezîresi hükümdârı Sultan Canbi tarafından Flemenklilerin baʿzı husûsâta dâʾir takrîben bir sene mukaddem irsâl kılınmış olan nâmenin kimin vâsıtasıyla vüsûl bulduğu ve bu mâddeye dâʾir sâʾir maʿlûmât-ı âlîlerinin işʿârına himmet-i hidivvâneleri bî-diriğ ve erzân buyurulduğu halde senâverleri gâyet ilgâya memnûn ve mahzûz buyurulacağı temennâsı vesîle-i cemîle-i teʾmînât fâʾika add kılınmışdır. Fî 23 S sene [12]75 [Mühür] CHANCELLERIE DE L’A MBASSADE DES PAYS BAS A CONSTAN­ TINOPOLE 4.2

23  A space is left blank in the text indicating that the scribe intended to raise it up in elevatio (see Introduction); however, either the scribe simply forgot to write the name in elevatio, or he did not properly understand the convention and omitted the name altogether. 24  A term that is hard to explain, perhaps derived from Aceh but applied to the whole island of Sumatra. 25  The sudden change between first and third persons is as surprising in Arabic as it is in English so has been preserved.

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Figure 32 Request of the Dutch embassy for information about the letter of the Sultan of Jambi

It is requested that you not refuse to honour us with your khedival assistance, and give us some information from your exalted knowledge as to who brought the letter that was sent one year ago from the Sultan of Jambi, the ruler of Sumatra island to the exalted person of His Imperial Majesty, which included information about some issues pertaining to the Dutch. [We] will be very happy about any clarification that will lead to any positive outcomes. 2 October 1858 [Seal] Chancery of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Constantinople Source: BOA HR.TO 315/17

Grand Vizier to the sultan about the petition of the sultan of Jambi and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1859 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Taraf-ı müstecmiʿüʾl-mecd veʾş-şeref hazret-i cihân-bânîye takdîm olunmak üzre Cava memâlikinden Aşya cezîresi hâkiminin Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre olarak vârid olan bir kıtʿa arîzası bunun îsâline meʾmûren gelmiş olan Seyyid Ali bin Seyyid Aleviʾl-Cefrî Efendiʾnin istidʿânâmesi ve tercümeleri Evkâf-ı Hümâyûn Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin bir kıtʿa tezkiresiyle meşmûl-ı nazar-ı âlî buyurulmak için arz ve takdîm kılındı arîza-i mezkûre dâhil-i himâyet-i seniyye olmak zımnında baʿzı ifâde ve istidʿâyı şâmil olup mukaddemlerde dahî cezîre-i mezkûrede bulunan rüʾesâ-yı ahâlî taraflarından bu yollarda istidʿâlar vukûʿa gelmiş ise de tahkîkât-ı vâkıʿaya göre bunlar tamâmı tamâmına müstakil olmayıp bunlar bir aralık tavʿan veyâ cebren Flemenk ve sâʾir Avrupa devletlerinden baʿzılarının himâyet-i mahsûsalarına girerek akd-ı mukâvalât etmiş olmalarıyla şimdi 4.3

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Figure 33 Grand Vizier to the sultan about the petition of the sultan of Jambi and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1859

bunları himâyet-i resmiyeye almak o devletlerle münâzaʿat kapısını açmak demek olacağından ve böyle bir himâyet verildiği ve âharı âna muʿârız bulunduğu halde fiʿlen daʿvâyı yürütmeğe çalışmak lâzım gelip halbûki buna imkân müsâʿid olmayacağından gelen adama avdeti için yirmi bin guruş atiyyei seniyye verilerek ve biʾl-cümle ehl-i İslâm üzerinde olan teveccühât-ı seniyyei hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî ol taraf ahâlîsi hakkında dahî ber kemâl olup fakat istedikleri yolda bir şey yapılması hasebüʾl-usûl uyamayacağına dâʾir ifâdât-ı münâsibe icrâ olunarak iʿâde kılınması ve gidinceye kadar dahî misâfirliği için tahsîs olunan yevmiye beş yüz guruşun Mâliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden iʿtâsı husûsu Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾyle tezekkür olunmuş ise de her vechile emr u fermân-ı meʿâlî-i beyân-ı cenâb-ı pâdişâhî müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulur ise âna göre hareket olunacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 4 C sene 1276 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki

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Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i âsafâneleriyle evrâk-ı maʿrûza manzûr-ı âlî-i hazret-i pâdîşâhî buyurulmuş ve tezekkür ve istîzân buyurulduğu vechile efendi-i mûmâileyhe yirmi bin guruş atiyye-i seniyye verilerek ve ber minvâl-i muharrer ifâdât-ı münâsibe icrâ olunarak iʿâde kılınması ve zikr olunan yevmiyenin dahî ol vechile iʿtâsı müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulan emr u irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı mülûkâne muktezâ-yı münîfinden olarak evrâk-ı merkûm yine savb-ı sâmî-i âsafânelerine iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 5 C sene [12]76 [Grand Vizier to the Sultan] My kind and exalted lord, The Arabic petition from the ruler of Ashi [sic.] island in the land of Jawa, addressed to the possessor of glory and honour, His World-Protecting Majesty, along with the translated petition of the envoy Sayyid Ali bin Sayyid Alawi al-Jafri Efendi who brought the letter, are presented for the information of the high imperial presence together with the note of the exalted Ministry of Imperial Islamic Endowments. The aforementioned petition includes some expressions implying [the demand of] imperial protection. Although similar demands had been received in the past from the leaders of the people of this island, upon the investigation of the facts [it appeared] that they were not completely independent, and that they had concluded treaties and submitted, willingly or by force, to the suzerainty of the Netherlands and other European countries. Consequently, granting them official protection will lead to disputes with these states. Therefore, if such protection is granted it will be necessary to take up the case when others [European states] show aggression. As this will not be possible, the exalted Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggests that an imperial gift of twenty thousand piasters should be given to the envoy, that he be told in a suitable manner that the imperial favour of His Majesty the Caliph to all Muslims is completely applicable to the people of that quarter as well but that it would not be appropriate to act in the way they requested, and that the amount accorded to him for his stay, a daily allowance of five hundred piasters, should be paid by the exalted Ministry of Finance. However, my lord, this note is written with the understanding that the noble will of the command of exalted Sultan will be implemented whatever it entails. 29 December 1859 [Sultan’s secretary’s response] The request of your most humble servant is that: This Grand Vizierial note, from the most revered hand, and the [other] presented documents was brought into the lofty presence of His Imperial Majesty. It is the imperial and sovereign command that, in accordance with what is

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suggested and requested to be permitted, the aforementioned [envoy] should be granted an imperial benevolence of twenty thousand piasters, that he should be returned with suitable explanations, and that the payment for his daily allowance should be paid as is explained. The said documents are to be returned to Your Grand Vizierial Highness. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 30 December 1859 Source: BOA İ.HR. 173/9431 (7)

Minister of Naval Affairs to the sultan about Taha Saifuddin of Nias’s request for Ottoman protection, 1902 Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Bahriye Sumatra cezîresinde Niyaz ismiyle maʿrûf ve üç yüz bin nüfûs-ı Müslime ile meskûn kıtʿanın emîr-i müstakilli Taha Seyfeddin zîr-i himâyet ve tâbʿiyyet-i saltanat-ı seniyyeyi kabûl ile kâffe-i mesârifi kendi tarafından verilmek üzre Donanma-i Hümâyûndan bir sefînenin oraya irsâlini istidʿâ için birâderzâdesi Muhammed Aliʾyi esâsen Yemenʾdeki Sâdât-ı Şâfiʿiyyeʾden olup otuz seneden beru mahall-i mezkûrda ikâmet eden Seyyid Salim isminde bir zâta göndermiş olduğu ve bunların ifâdelerine nazaran Flemenk ve İngiltere hükûmetlerinin o havâlîye vazʿ-ı yed müdâhale etmedikleri anlaşıldığı Yemen vilâyetinden işʿâr kılındığından kıtʿa-i mezkûreye gönderilmek üzre Donanma-i Hümâyûndan bir veyâ daha ziyâde sefîne tertîb ve sevki husûsunun ve bunun hangi sefîne olması iktizâ edeceğinin biʾl-etrâf teʾemmül ve sûret-i mahremânede arz kılınması şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî iktizâ-yı âlîsinden bulunduğu 17 Muharrem sene [1]320 târihli ve dört yüz kırk üç numerolu tezkire-i husûsiye-i atûfîleri meʾâlinden müstebân oldu efkâr-ı felâtun-pesendâne-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî bu gibi mesâʾil-i mühimmenin dekâyik-i siyâsiyesini kemâliyle ihâta eder bir nûr-ı cevvâl ve buna karşı abd-i memlûkları gibi bir âcizin arz edebileceği mutâlaʿât-ı hattiyât-ı safradan mürekkeb olmak tabîʿi bir hâl ise de emr ve irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i mülûkâneye imtisâl vecîbe-i zimmet-i ubûdiyet olduğuna bu bâbda hâtır-ı kâsır-ı âcizâneme mütebâdir olan mülâhazâtın ber-vech-i âtî arzına cürʾet kılındı maʿlûm-ı âlî buyurulduğu üzre İngiltere ve Flemenk gibi baʿzı devletler tevsîʿ-i müstemlekâta harîs olup Yemen vilâyetinin işʿârı vechile bunlar henüz bu kıtʿaya vazʿ-ı yed müdâhale etmemiş iseler de kıtʿa-i mezkûrenin taht-ı himâye-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye idhâli ve bunun îcâbâtından olmak üzre oraya bir de sefîne-i harbiye irsâli hâlinde çünkü kısmen Flemenklerin taht-ı istimlâkinde bulunan Sumatra cezîresiyle mülhakâtından maʿdûd olan baʿzı cezâyir dahî ahâlî-i Müslime ile meskûn ve biʾl-umûm ehl-i İslâmʾın zâten râbıta-i maʿneviyye-i diyânetle merbût oldukları makâm-ı celîl-i hilâfete karşı temâyülât-ı 4.4

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Figure 34 Minister of Naval Affairs to the sultan about Taha Sayfuddin of Nias’s request for Ottoman protection, 1902

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ubûdiyet-kârâneleri maʿlûm olduğundan bu sûretin Flemenklilerin tevhîş ile münevviyât-ı istilâ-cûyânelerini izhâr etmelerine vesîle-bahş olması ve binâʾen aleyh baʿzı müşkîlât-ı siyâsiyye tahaddüsü ihtimalden gayr-ı baʿiddir bu cihet tedkîk ve hal olundukdan sonra oraya sefîne-i harbiye irsâli lâzım geldiği hâlde cezîre-i mezkûrenin buʿd mesâfesine nazaran gönderilecek geminin Bahr-ı Muhîtʾin telâtumât-ı cesîmesine mukâvemet edebilecek metânet ve mükemmeliyeti hâʾiz olması zarûriyâtdan olup Almanya‌ʾda inşâ edilmiş olan Pelenk-i Deryâ Kruvazörü bu işe elverişli bulunduğu gibi o cesâmetde olmak üzre sâyei tevfîkât-sermâye-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhîde tersâne-i âmirede müceddeden iʿmâl ile makine ve kazganları vazʿ olunarak techîzâtıyla iştigâl edilmekde bulunan Şâhin-i Deryâ Kruvazör-ı hümâyûnu dahî Tribıl Ekspenşın taʿbîr olunan yeni sistemde ve yirmi iki mil-i bahrî sürʿatinde bulunduğundan ve bunlar tersâne-i âmirede iʿmâl olunan nev îcâd serîʿ ateşli toplarla da mücehhez olduklarından oraya mezkûr kruvazörlerden birinin veyâhud her ikisinin irsâli münâsib gibi tahattur olunmuş ise de icrâ-yı îcâbı emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i hilâfetpenâhîye merhûndur ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 18 Muharrem sene [1]320 Bahriye Nâzırı Ministry of Naval Affairs Taha Saifuddin, the independent Emir of the Nias region26 inhabited by three hundred thousand Muslims, accepting the protection and sovereignty of the Imperial Sultanate, has sent his nephew Muhammad Ali to the Shafiʿi sayyid Salim in Yemen (who had been living there for thirty years) to ask for the deployment of a ship from the imperial navy to there [Nias], stipulating that all its expenses will be matched by him, Taha Saifuddin. From their [Muhammad Ali and his entourage’s] testimonies, it is understood that neither the Dutch nor the British have intervened to establish control in the region [of Nias]. After these points were related from the province of Yemen, the imperial command of the Caliph was understood from the note, dated 26 April 1902 and numbered 443. [His Majesty commanded] that the issue of deploying one or more ships from the imperial navy to the aforementioned region, and the issue of which ships need to be sent, should be reflected upon extensively and 26  This appears to be a confusion by Ottoman officials, although how it came about is mysterious. Nias is an island off the west coast of Sumatra with a predominantly non-Muslim population. It has no connection to Jambi, nor, as far as we are aware, to Sultan Taha Saifuddin. At this point, Taha Saifuddin was in hiding in the jungle periphery of Jambi, having long since lost the town of Jambi to the Dutch. Possibly Nias was also the name of this periphery, but we have not been able to locate it. See Locher-Scholten 2003 for a comprehensive history of Jambi in this period.

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presented [to His Majesty] secretly. His Majesty the Caliph’s brilliant mind is a light that comprehends all political details of such important issues completely, and in relation to this the reflections of a powerless servant are naturally no more [worthy] than gravel. However, as obeying the command and will of His Majesty is a prerequisite of being a slave [i.e. a servant or minister of the sultan], I dared to present the reflections that appeared in my humble and defective mind. As is already known to your exalted knowledge, some countries like Britain and the Netherlands are ambitious to expand their colonies. As the governorship of Yemen pointed out, they have not thus far intervened and taken over this region. However, taking the region under the protection of the Imperial Sultanate and deploying a warship there [is a problematic issue]. It is known that some islands that are considered as dependencies of the island of Sumatra, which is partly in Dutch possession, are inhabited by Muslims. It is [also] known that all Muslims tend to be devoted to the magnificent office of the Caliphate, to which they are connected with spiritual and religious ties. This will frighten the Dutch, and will be used by them as a pretext to disclose their expansionist intentions, and therefore it is likely to produce political problems. After these aspects are investigated and solved, if [it is decided that] a warship should be sent there [anyway], considering the distance of the mentioned island, the ship needs to be [in] perfect [condition] and firm enough to resist the great waves of the Ocean. The Pelenk-i Derya cruiser [‘Leopard of the Sea’, an Ottoman torpedo gunboat], built in Germany, is the most suitable for this work. Likewise, as large [as the Pelenk-i Derya] is the Şahin-i Derya cruiser [‘Hawk of the Sea’] that is being refurbished with His Majesty’s aid at the Imperial Dockyard [in Istanbul] and fitted with machines and steam-boilers. As it is [built] according to the new system called ‘triple expansion’, with a speed of twenty two sea-miles [per hour], and furnished with new cannons built at the Imperial Dockyard, it occurred to me that deploying one of these ships or both of them is suitable. Nevertheless, it depends on the requirement of the imperial order of His Majesty the Caliph. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 18 Muharram 1320 [27 April 1902] Minister of the Navy Source: BOA Y.MTV. 229/12

Grand Vizier to the Foreign Ministry requesting information about Jambi, 1904 Fî 17 Receb sene [1]322 fî 14 Eylül sene [1]320 târihli makâm-ı sadâret-i uzmâdan yazılan tezkire-i sâmiye sûretidir. Devletlü efendim hazretleri 4.5

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Malayo müstemlekâtı dâhilinde Canbi memâliki ahâlîsi hakkında Flemenk Hükûmeti tarafından vukûʿa getirilmekde olan mezâlim ve taʿaddiyâtdan bahisle bunun refʿ ve izâlesi zımnında memleketlerinde bir sefîr ikâmesiyle ahâlî-i merkûmenin tabiʿiyyet-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye kabûlleri Pendaramat Eyâleti dâhilinde kâʾin Canbi şehrinde mukîm Taha Seyfeddin cânibinden Dersaʿâdetʾe gönderilen Pendermat Hükûmeti Vezîr-i Evveli el-Hâc Abdülkerim ve Vezîr-i Sânî el-Hâc Hüseyin imzâsıyla atabe-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhîye takdîm kılınan istidʿânâme ile arz ve istirhâm olunmasına binâʾen müzâkere-i keyfiyetle iktizâsının arz-ı hâk-i pây-ı âlî kılınması şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i padişâhi îcâb-ı âlîsinden bulunduğunu mübliğ mâbeyni hümâyûn başkitâbet-i celîlesinden tezkire-i mahsûsası meclis-i mahsûs-ı vükelâ ve ledeʾl-kırâʾe evvel emirde bu yerler ve hükûmet-i seniyyeye mürâcaʿat iden adamlar hakkında vesâʾit-i münâsebe ile tahkîkât-ı lâzıme biʾl-icrâ netîcesinin ve şikâyet olunan taʿaddiyât ve mezâlim hakkındaki istitlâʿât ve maʿlûmât bildirilmesi husûsunun nezâret-i celîlelerine havâlesi tezekkür kılınmış olmağla ber-vech-i muharrer iktizâsının serîʿan îfâ ve netîcesinin ifâsına himmet buyurulması siyâkında This is a copy of the exalted note written by the Grand Vizierate with the date 27 September 1904 My kind and exalted lord; Taha Saifuddin, residing in the city of Jambi in the province of Bandar Aman, sent a petition to the Abode of Felicity, which was signed by al-Hajj Abdul Karim, the first vizier of the government of Bandar Aman, and alHajj Husain, the second vizier. The petition mentioned the oppressions that the Dutch Government inflicts upon the people of Jambi in the colonies of Malaya, and requested to be accepted to subject status of the Sublime State by establishing an ambassador in their country so as to remove and prevent these [oppressions]. This petition was presented to the imperial threshold of His Majesty the illustrious Sultan. Upon this, the exalted Chief Secretary of the Imperial Private Apartments [produced] a special note communicating that it was the illustrious requirement of the emanated elevated will of His Majesty the exalted Sultan that the issue should be deliberated upon, and its requirements be presented to the dust under the lofty feet [i.e. the sultan]. When [this note] was read at the Special Council of Ministers, it was decided to assign to your exalted [Foreign] ministry: firstly to undertake the required investigation in an appropriate manner into these places and the men who applied to the Imperial Government, and additionally to communicate the results [of this investigation], and information about the manifestations of the oppressions that led to this complaint. This is presented to you [in order

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that you] carry out, as written, the requirements quickly, and to help us to implement its results. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 564/5 [N.B.: The requested information was provided by the Ottoman Ambassador in The Hague with a letter in French. The letter is enclosed to this note.]

Grand Vizier to the sultan about the request of a delegation from Jambi for subject status of the Ottoman Empire, 1904 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Amedî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn 2524 Devletlü efendim hazretleri Malayo müstemlekâtı dâhilinde Canbi memâliki ahâlîsi hakkında Flemenk Hükûmeti tarafından vukûʿa getirilmekde olan mezâlim ve taʿaddiyâtdan bahisle bunun refʿ ve izâlesi zımnında memleketlerine bir sefîr ikâmesiyle kendilerinin tâbiʿiyyet-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye kabûlleri ahâlî-i merkûmenin Dersaʿâdetʾe gelmiş olan vekîlleri tarafından istidʿâ olunmasına mebnî müzâkere-i keyfiyetle iktizâsının arzı hakkında şeref-sâdır olan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfetpenâhî üzerine sebk iden işʿâra cevâben Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden vârid olan tezkire Meclis-i Mahsûs-ı Vükelâʿda ledeʾl-mutâlaʿa cereyân eden müzâkerâta tevfîkan kaleme alınan mazbata arz ve takdîm olunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda her ne vechile irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî şeref müteʿallik buyurulur ise mantûk-ı celîli infâz edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 22 Ramazan sene 1322 ve fî 17 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1320 Sadrazam Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olup Meclis-i Mahsûs-ı Vükelâʾnın mazbata-i maʿrûzası ve melfûfları ile manzûr-ı âlî buyurulan işbu tezkire-i sâmiyei sadâret-penâhîleri üzerine mûcebince irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfetpenâhî şeref-sudûr buyurulmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 26 Şevvâl sene [1]322 ve fî 20 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]320 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî Tahsin Sublime Porte Grand Vizierate Secretariat of the Imperial Council 2524 4.6

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My exalted lord A delegation of the representatives of the people of Jambi, which is a part of the colonies of Malaya, came to the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul] and complained about the oppressions of the Dutch Government. In order to be free of them, they requested subject status from the Sublime State by means of the establishment of an [Ottoman] embassy. Upon this, an illustrious command emanated from the Caliph ordering that the issue should be deliberated upon and the requirements should be reported. The report based on the deliberations of the Special Council of Ministers that took place on the subject of the note from the exalted Foreign Ministry is presented [together with this note]. My lord, this note has been drawn up with the understanding that whatever the exalted order of His Majesty the Caliph will be on this issue, its exalted meaning will be implemented. 22 Ramadan 1322 [30 November 1904]. Grand Vizier The request of your most humble servant is that, From the most revered hand: the report of the deliberations of the Special Council of Ministers was brought into the lofty presence together with its attachments. It is the exalted imperial command of the Caliph that orders be issued in accordance with this Grand Vizerian note. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 26 Shawwal 1322 [3 January 1905]. Tahsin, Chief Secretary to His Majesty Source: BOA İ.HR. 393/1322-L-13

4.7 From el-hâc Abdul Karim to the sultan about Abdullah Yusuf Paşa’s activities in Singapore and his contacts with the sultan of Jambi, 1905 Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî devletlü Tahsin Paşa Hazretleri vâsıtasıyla rikâb-ı hümâyûn-ı cenâb-ı mülûkâneye Cenâb-ı hilâf-ı cihân velî-niʿmet-i bî-minnetimiz şevketlü merhametlü pâdişâhımız efendimiz hazretlerinin dünya durdukça kâm-rân ve hâmî-i esdikâ-yı bendegân buyursun âmin Abd-i memlûkları olcânib-i seniyyüʾl-cevânib-i aliyyeden Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye muvâseletle huzûr-ı lâmiʿüʾl-envâr-ı beyt-i muʿazzamada devâm-ı saltanat-ı seniyye-i mülûkâneleri daʿvât-ı hayriyet-âyât-ı hilâfetpenâhîleriyle muvâzabet eylemekde olup Jambiʾden vürûd eden bir takım ahbâr-ı gayr-ı merrelere vâkıf oldukda biʾl-mecbûriye hâk-i pây-ı zillullâhîlerine arz ve beyâna ictisâr kılındı. Japonya tarîkiyle Singapurʾa çıkan Ferik Abdullah Yusuf nâm paşanın vusûlünü işiten Jambi tarafından meʾmûrlar gönderilerek

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eğer Devlet-i Osmâniye tarfından gönderilmiş iseniz Jambi Emîriʾnin nezdine buyurunuz demişler ve oradan Jambiʾye getirip misâfirhâne-i mahsûsiyeye indirmişler emîrin veliahdı ile vüzerâsı hâzır oldukları hâlde iltifât-ı tâmme ve suʾâl cevâb olundukda paşa-yı müşârunileyh hükûmet-i seniyye-i Osmâniye cânib-i âlîsinden gönderilip Japonya tarîkiyle geldiğini ve ahâlî-i merkûmenin muʿâvenetlerinde bulunacağını ifâde eyledikde ahâlî ol derece memnûn kalmışlar ki beyt-i muʿazzamayı ruʾyet eylemiş kadar mutma‌ʾin olmuşlar ve paşa-yı müşârunileyhe bir çok izzet ve ikrâm ve ihsânda bulunmuşlar paşa-yı müşârunileyh dahî veliahda iki kıtʿa nişân-ı Osmânî ile bir kat elbise-i resmî ihsân buyurmuş bu sohbetleri esnâsında Flemenk hükûmeti tarafından dört yüz asker ile hücûm oluna[n] misâfirhâne abluka edilmiş Abdullah Yusuf Paşa‌ʾnın teslîm olunuz da sonra tahkîkâtına bakarız demesi üzerine teslîm olmuşlar veliahdın elinden sâlifüʾz-zikr nişân ve elbise-i resmîyi ahz eylediklerinden bu cevre tahammül edemeyip Emir Taha tarafına firâr eylemiş mütebâkî yetmiş üç nefer erkân ve ümerâ-yı paşa-yı müşârunileyh de maʿiyyetlerinde olduğu hâlde vapura ahz ve Batavia‌ʾya götürmüşler ve orada kâʾin saltanat-ı seniyye-i mülûkâne sefîri tarafından kefîl olunduğu ve kendileri de Abdullah Yusuf Paşa vâsıtasıyla derdest edildikleri gibi tevâtürâtda vukûʿ bulmuş ve bunlar tutulalıdan beru Jambiʾnin ahvâl-i hâzırası leyl ü nehâr muhârebe devâm-ı şiddet eylemekde ve ehl-i İslâmʾa ol derece ihânet ve hakâret olunmakda imiş ki cevâmiʿ-i şerîfelerin inhidâmı ve Cuma hutbesinde hazret-i emirüʾl-müʾminîn lafz-ı celîleleriyle telaffuz eylemeğe meydân bırakmamak gibi mezâlim gittikçe ezdiyâdda bulunduğu ve bir takım erâmil ve eytâm Emir Taha‌ʾya gidip ifâde-i hâl eylemişler ise de emîr-i mûmâileyh biz cümlemiz halîfe-i rûy-ı zemîn hazret-i emîrüʾl-muʾmînînin taht-ı zıllindeyiz inşallâh yakın vakitde emîrüʾl-müʾminîn efendimiz hazretlerinden müjdeler gelir diyerek cevâb ve teselliyât verilmekde imiş binâʾen aleyh abd-i memlûkları Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde ancak hazret-i halîfe-i aʿzamîlerinden şefkat ve merhamet ve imdâd vürûduna muntazırız olbâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân velî-niʿmetimiz pâdişâhımız pâdişâh-ı âlempenâh efendimiz hazretlerinindir Fî 29 Zilhicce sene [1]322 Abd-i memlûkları Kemestaman[?] Elhâc Hüseyin [Mühür] Abd-i memlûkları Pangeran Temenggung Perdana Menteri Elhâc Abdulkerim [Mühür] To the court of his Sovereign majesty through his Excellency Tahsin Paşa, the chief secretary of his exalted sovereign May the Caliph of the World, our most just governor, His Majesty our generous and merciful Sultan protect his most faithful servants until the coming of the end of the world. Amen

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Your most lowly servant reached Honoured Mecca from the most imperial abode [Istanbul], and has been praying in the presence of the glorious house [the Kaaba] for the well-being of the Caliphate and the continuance of the sovereign Imperial Sultanate. As some inconsequential news has been received from Jambi, it has been dared necessarily to present it to the dust at the feet of the Shadow of God [i.e. the sultan]. As [the ruler of] Jambi heard of the arrival of Lieutenant General Abdullah Paşa in Singapore by way of Japan, [they] sent officials saying “If you are from the Ottoman State, come over to the presence of the Emir of Jambi,” and took him to Jambi to a private guesthouse where he was [received] with full compliments, and interviewed at the presence of the crown prince and the ministers of the Emir. When the pasha said that he was sent from the Ottoman Government, that he came by way of Japan, and that he would assist the people, they were so pleased that they were as satisfied as if they had seen the glorious house [Kaaba] and entertained the said pasha royally and generously. The latter also presented to the crown prince two Ottoman medals and an official garment. During this conversation, four hundred soldiers from the Dutch government attacked and besieged the guesthouse. As Abdullah Yusuf Paşa told [them] to surrender so that [the issue could] be investigated afterwards, they surrendered. As they [Dutch] took the medal and garment from the Crown Prince, he could not stand this oppression and escaped to Emir Taha. [The Dutch took] the remaining seventy-three commanders and other leaders, together with the Paşa, into a ship and brought them to Batavia where the ambassador of the sovereign Imperial Sultanate stood surety [for Abdullah Yusuf Paşa/them]. There are also rumours that they were captured by means of Abdullah Yusuf Paşa. There is currently a state of war that continues to escalate in Jambi since they were captured. It is said that the Muslims are subjected to such far-reaching treachery, insults, and increasing oppressions, that noble mosques are demolished, and that it is prohibited to cite the exalted name of His Majesty the Commander of the Faithful during Friday prayers. [It is also rumoured that] some poor and orphans went to Emir Taha and explained their state, but the said ruler responded by saying in consolation “We all are all under the protective shadow of the leader of Muslims the Caliph on the Face of the Earth, His Majesty the Commander of the Faithful, [and] God willing, we might soon receive good news from His Majesty our lord, the Commander of the Faithful.” Because of this, I am in Honoured Mecca only awaiting the arrival of [your] kindness, compassion, and rescue. On this matter and in all others, to command belongs to our most just Sultan, our lord, His Majesty the Sultan of the World. On 6 March 1905 Your servant Kemastan[?] al-Hajj Husayn

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[Seal #2149] Haji Husayn bin Salih (?) wazir (?) Jam[bi?] (?) Your servant Pangiran Temenggung Perdana Menteri al-Hajj Abdul Karim [Seal #2148] al-Hajj ʿAbd al-Karim n.w k.y.r a.l.y[?] 1282[?] Source: BOA Y.PRK.AZJ. 50/60

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Documents relating to the petitions of Sultan Mansur Shah of Aceh for Ottoman protection, 1868–9 A further attempt to secure Ottoman assistance was made by Mansur Shah in 1868–9, with an embassy led by Shaykh Muhammad bin Ahmad Ba Junaid, a Hadrami, who it appears acted as a go-between Mansur Shah and the Ottoman governor of the Hijaz, which continued to act as the main conduit for messages between Southeast Asia and Istanbul. The embassy was spurred by increasing Dutch encroachment into Aceh following Batavia’s expansion into east Sumatra with the annexation of Tamiang in 1865 (Reid 1969b: 45–9, 65–6), and references in Mansur Shah’s letter (document 2.2.6) suggest there had been previous unsuccessful attempts to make contact with the Ottomans. In addition to forwarding the correspondence to Istanbul, the Ottoman authorities in the Hijaz also took the testimony of local residents with a connection to Southeast Asia, such as Ali bin Umar al-Junaid Ba Alawi about conditions in Aceh, evidently with a view to persuading Istanbul to take these approaches seriously. In addition, an appeal signed by sixty-five Acehnese notables was presented to the Ottoman government, coming to the attention of the Dutch Legation in Constantinople in February 1869. A translation of this petition was printed in Reid 1969c: 75–6, but the original did not come to light during our research.

5.1 Information about Aceh related by Ali bin Umar al-Junaid Ba Alawi Description of the land of Aceh taken from the undersigned. The land of Aceh is a part of the great island of Sumatra which is situated between the Indian Ocean and the Eastern Ocean on the equator. Its people are all monotheist Muslims. The state of the Flemenk – who are Dutch [al-Ulanda] – gradually gained control over most of it by tricks. The part of this island called the land of Aceh is the northern part adjoining the Indian Ocean and terminating in a spit in the sea where the capital is. It is a land with good soil with a fine geographical location, it is has vegetation, blossom and verdure all year long, and plants grow great there. Its plains, mountains and shores have trees and great forests with numerous rivers. Rice, sugar, pepper, [coffee-]beans, betel,

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Figure 35 Information about Aceh related by Ali bin Umar al-Junaid Ba Alawi

coconut and oil are produced, and its forests are covered with great logs suitable for building houses and ships, fine benzoin and mangrove[?] [qanā]. There are Indian and equatorial fruits there, and it is suitable for agriculture and development. Its weather is neither very hot not cold, and there is no equivalent of the change from summer to winter and from winter to summer, as happens in the islands of the Eastern Ocean near the Equator, although in some months there is much rain and in some little. Earthquakes happen every few years but do not harm it to the extent they do other places. The Dutch have for a long time been trying to get possession of the land of Aceh and to attract its people to them, but they did not succeed until, because of the weakness of the ruling house and its ill-judged policy, they gained control over some parts by attracting its chiefs [emirs] who rebelled against their state and surrendered the country to the Dutch. At first [the Dutch] helped them with what they desired, but later they exiled them. There are two towns in the land they have occupied since I left the Jawa lands in 1279/1862–3, Deli and Asahan. The people of the land of Aceh are independent under their [own] dynasty, and their numbers reach nearly one

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million, and all of them are monotheist Muslims who adhere to the madhhab of Shafiʾi. This is what the humble servant Ali bin Umar al-Junaid Ba Alawi relates. Source: BOA İ.MMS.37/1524 (12)

The petition of Mansur Shah, Sultan of Aceh, to the Ottoman sultan requesting Ottoman suzerainty [Seal #497] Sultan Mansur Shah O God who possesses kingship, sovereignty, greatness, majesty and charity, who chose the sultans of the Ottoman dynasty who possess evident glory and singled them out for good fortune and to carry out your orders, we ask you to protect their kingship with your eye of unique concern and to perpetuate it with your eternal power until the last day. The petition to your exalted hearing and your high seat is that the petitioner to the Exalted Threshold and your watchful supervision is your protege the governor (mutawallī) of the region of Aceh in the land of Jawa, who has the honour of being your servant and your protégé. The aforementioned region was previously under your protection in the days of the victorious, undefeated king of perfect policy and attentiveness, our late lord Selim Khan. He gained 5.2

Figure 36 The petition of Mansur Shah, Sultan of Aceh, to the Ottoman sultan requesting Ottoman suzerainty, 1868

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possession of this region, where he [has left] evident traces in cannon and flags of old. Then in the days of the rule of the glorious sultan and great khaqan our late lord Sultan Abdülmecid, we received attention from him and he honoured us with a sword and a medal. According to what is mentioned in the records [al-āthār] this region was attached to the territories of the Sublime [Ottoman] State, such that the British and French states looked on us in all ways with respect because of our subject status to your state, with the exception of the Dutch. The latter attacked us and seized the right and northern portions of our land. We now [occupy only] the middle of it. We have no strength to resist them or to fight them. To command belongs to God and then to you, my lord, since we are now your servants and our land is your land and to command belongs to him who commands. Source: BOA İ.MMS.37/1524 (11)

5.3 Letter of the ruler of Aceh to the Sharif of Mecca, 1868 Copy of the answer from the ruler of Aceh. [Elevatio] [To] His Excellency Sharif Abdullah, son of the late Sharif Muhamad bin Awn Praise be to Him who honoured his sacred land above other lands and made it a refuge for people and safe for His devotees and servants,27 and greetings which spread the scent of musk from the ambergris of their fragrance, whose meaning is translated by the bird of affection, guide to the shrine of the virtuous, to which the people of the Holy Land resort, the Kaʿba of the virtuous, around which people of that place perambulate, most glorious of the Kings of the ages, unique among the noble kings, the protector of God’s Holy Land, Zamzam, the [Prophet’s] tomb, and the great sacred sites, the lord of glorious morals and the Hashemite clan, the pride of Kings and the Prophet’s descendants [ashrāf], the purest of Abd Manaf’s house, his excellency our abovementioned lord [Sharif Abdullah, son of the late Sharif Muhammad bin Awn], may God increase him in rank and glory, and look on him with the eye of sufficiency and preserve him through the kindness of his protection, may he be ever mighty and fortunate, amen amen through the intercession of the lord of Messengers [the Prophet Muhammad]. After the necessary salutations and greetings. There reached us your noble [letter] demanding respect dated [12]85/1868 and we read it and understood its contents. It reached us in the company of shaykh Muhammad bin Ahmad Ba Junaid. You report that he explained our situation to you with respect to what has happened in our land in terms of civil strife, people killing one another 27  The text seems to have been somewhat mangled by the copyist of the original: in our understanding it should read jaʿalahu … amnan lil-ʿākif minhum wa‌ʾl-ʿubbād.

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Figure 37 Letter of the ruler of Aceh to the Sharif of Mecca, 1868

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and lack of security. There was also a report from pilgrims coming that year and all of them affirmed the truth of [the shaykh’s] tale. Yes, everything that he told you is true and has happened in our country. Your Excellency asked us to inform you about the country that is under our authority, and whether any state has intervened there or whether an agreement has been made with any of them, or whether we give any of them a customary gift, or whether we have an alliance or treaty or so on with any of them, or whether any of our subjects has entered into the protection of any state. We inform you of the truth in all its aspects. You also ask how much annual revenue accrues to the [Ottoman] Sublime State Treasury as a sign of obedience as is the custom according to Islamic law, which should be safe from any danger. The answer should be sent with someone we trust who understands the situation completely so he can respond to questions and you can explain our situation afterwards to the Sublime State through your Excellency’s efforts to achieve what is desired. Yes, we inform your Excellency that we have no treaties or agreements with any states, indeed nothing with them but friendship. With regard to our subjects, some of them have entered the protection of the Dutch who have taken some of the land by war and some without fighting, for our subjects sold it to them without my permission. The original border of my country in the north is a place called Tiku Pariaman and s.k.l.a.n[?] and Air Naik and the region of Pariaman stretches to al-Sinkil. They have also taken land by fighting and some without fighting. This land is large, with great ports on the sea and villages, stretching along the sea for the distance of fifteen days’ journey with a good wind. The surrounding regions entered the protection of the Dutch. The border of our land in the south is a place called n.a.f.t.y.[?] Hitam [?] d.nna[?] which stretches up to the land of Tamiang. The Dutch also took this and our subjects there entered into their protection. Some of the land is called Asahan [which stretches] to Tamiang. Everything between these borders from north to south remains under our sovereignty and we sit in the middle. Thus it is a large country. The basis of the kingdom since ancient times have been the ports on the coast like al-Barat, Meulaboh and Khilafa where everything required can be found. If someone comes from the Sublime [Ottoman] State and rules it, there will accrue from them a large income for the Treasury. My aim is to hand them over to the Sublime State and that I and my family become servants of the Sublime State, for I do not have the strength to rule it. I desire from your exalted concern that you raise this to the Sublime Porte. If God exalted honours his servant He answers his needs and if He makes his servant happy He increases him in patience over the rest of his people in pronouncements and proclamations. For God did not deprive you of the fruits of his blessed speech, and he is the one who casts a shadow through the

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cloud. Anyone who tells a sultan something necessary which no one else can tell, may God make his feet stand firm on the Day of Resurrection. This is the sum of what must be explained to your Excellency by shaykh Muhammad bin Ahmad Ba Junaid, may you remain protected by God. Farewell. 3 Jumada alawwal 1285 [22 August 1868]. Source: BOA İ.MMS.37/1524 (14)

5.4 Letter of the ruler of Aceh to the Sharif of Mecca, 1868 Copy of the letter from the ruler of Aceh. [Elevatio] [To] Sharif Abdullah, son of the late Sharif Muhamad bin Awn Praise be to Him who honoured his sacred land above other lands and made it a refuge for people and safe for His devotees and servants,28 and greetings which spread the scent of musk from the ambergris of their fragrance, whose meaning is translated by the bird of affection, guide to the shrine of the virtuous, to which the people of the Holy Land resort, the Kaʿba of the virtuous, around which people of that place perambulate, most glorious of the Kings of the ages, unique among the noble kings, the protector of God’s Holy Land, the pride of Kings and the Prophet’s descendants [ashrāf], the purest of Abd Manaf’s house, his excellency our above-mentioned lord [Sharif Abdullah, son of the late Sharif Muhamad bin Awn], may God look on him with the eye of sufficiency and preserve him through the kindness of his protection. After salutations and greetings. We previously received a letter from your Majesty to which we sent a reply, and likewise a letter to the Sublime State, both entrusted to Muhammad bin Ahmad Ba Junaid, seeing as we have not found anyone other than him upon who we can rely in our affairs. We informed you previously of the situation with regard to the British and French states. We do not have with them a treaty, nor a conditional agreement nor anything except for that which commonly occurs between states such as mutual correspondence and negotiations. However, the Dutch state have attacked me and taken part of my country by war and part of it by purchase from my subjects and part of it without fighting owing to my subjects’ fear of them. The land the Dutch have taken is very large with ports and villages on the coast. With a good wind, the distance [of this land] is fifteen days’ [sailing]. The border of our land in the south is a land called Asahan which was taken in war, along with its surroundings, which entered in the protection of the Dutch out of fear of them. Now we are in the middle, and the part left under our sovereignty in the south is called l.s.n.a.h.[?], and in the north town called Terumon, and everything 28  The text seems to have been somewhat mangled by the copyist of the original: in my understanding it should read jaʿalahu … amnan lil-ʿākif minhum wa‌ʾl-ʿubbād.

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Figure 38 Letter of the ruler of Aceh to the Sharif of Mecca, 1868

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between these borders from north to south is under our sovereignty. It is a large territory with ports on the sea like Albarat, Meulaboh, Badar[?] and Khilafa. If the Exalted State accepts these lands it will get a great income from it for the State Treasury. My aim is to hand it over to the [Ottoman] state and that I and my family become servants of the Sublime State. I desire from your exalted concern to communicate this to the Sublime Porte, greetings and eternal blessings be upon you and may you remained protected and cared for by God. 1285 [1868–69]. Source: BOA İ.MMS.37/1524 (13)

Governor of Hijaz to the Grand Vizier about the Acehnese requests, 1869 Huzûr-ı Meʿâl-i Mevfûr-ı Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı dâʿî ve çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Cava memâlikinden Aşi nâm beldenin taraf-ı eşref-i saltanat-ı seniyyeden zabt ve muhâfazasıyla tâbiʿiyyetlerinin kabûlü istidʿâsına dâʾir ahâlîsi tarafından verilmiş olan mahzarların takdîm kılındığına dâʾir takdîm olunan arîza-i müşterekeye cevâben ve 62 rakam ve fî 15 Şaʿbân sene [12]85 târihiyle müzeyyenen Hâriciye dâʾire-i aliyyesinden şeref-tevârüd eden fermân-nâme-i sâmiye-i vekâlet-penâhîlerinde belde-i mezkûre Cava adalarının kangı cihetinde ve kimin tasarrufunda olup Avrupa devletlerinden birine nisbet ve taʿalluku ve hükümdârının bu mürâcaʿatdan haberi olup olmadığının tahkîk ve işʿârı irâde ve fermân buyurulmuşdur. Belde-i mezkûre harîtaya nazaran Cava cezîrelerinden Sumatra nâm adanın cihet-i garb-i şimâlîsinde olup mukaddemâ mezkûr mahzarlar verildiği vakit vâkiʿ olan istişʾâr ve istifsâr üzerine mukaddem ve muʾahhar belde-i mezkûre hâkimi bulunan Alaaddin Mansur tarafından cânib-i emâret-i Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye vârid olup suver-i müstahricesi leffen takdîm kılınan iki kıtʿa mektûb-ı Arabî ile hâk-i pây-ı hazret-i şehinşâhîye olarak irsâl edip aynen ve leffen takdîm olunan nâme-i Arabîsiʾnin hülâsa-i meʾâlî şimdiye kadar cezîrei mezkûreden bir takım yerler gerek harben ve gerek tavʿan Flemenk devleti idâresine dâhil olmuş ise de mezkûr Aşi ile sâʾir bilâd-ı mütecâviresi hâlen kendi zîr-i hükmünde olarak devlet-i müşârunileyhâ ve gerek sâʾir devletlerden hiç biriyle dostlukdan başka resmen bir gûne taʿalluk ve münâsebet ve mukâvelesi olmadığını beyân ile fakat ileride şâyed bu yerlerin dahî itâle-i eyâdî-i ecânibden sâlim olamaması mutâlaʿa-i mahzûrasına mebnî kendisi familyasıyla berâber edʿiyye-i dîmûmiye-i[?] ömr ve şevket-i cenâb-ı mülûkâneye devâm etmek üzere bilâd-ı mezkûrenin meʾmûr nasb ve taʿyîniyle taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeden zabt ve idâre buyurulması istirhâmından ibâret bulunmuş ve bu tarafda bulunan erbâb-ı vukûfun ifâdesi dahî bu meʾâlî müʾeyyed olarak bilâd-ı 5.5

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Figure 39 Governor of Hijaz to the Grand Vizier about the Acehnese requests, 1869

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mezkûrenin baʿzı ahvâl ve evsâfını mübeyyin alınan beyânnâme varakası leffen takdîm kılındığı gibi zikr olunan erbâb-ı vukûf ile bu defʿa evrâk-ı mezkûreyi müstashiben hâkim-i mûmâileyh tarafından gelmiş olan Şeyh Muhammed bin Ahmed Bacüneydʾden olunan tahkîkât-ı amîkaya nazaran bilâd-ı mezkûrenin Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye terk ve teslîmi emelinde hâkim-i mûmâileyh yalnız olmayıp rüʾesâ ve ahâlî dahî bu istidʿâ ve istirhâmda müttahidüʾl-mekâl oldukları ve hâkim-i mûmâileyhin emeli ber minvâl-i muharrer bilâd-ı mezkûreyi bütün bütün taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeye terk ve teslîm kaziyyesi olup hasebüʾl-îcâb idâre ve temşiyet-i umûr u bilâd için kendisinin tahtüʾl-hükm istihdâmına lâzım görünüp de irâde buyurulduğu hâlde âna dahî muvafakatla ibrâz-ı sıdk ve hidmete gayret edeceği ve Flemenk devleti tarafından cezîrenin baʿzen harben ve baʿzı iştirâ sûretiyle bir takım yerleri mukaddemâ zabt olunmuş ise de beş altı seneden beridir hâkim-i mûmâileyhin idâresinde kalan yerlere taʿarruz harekâtı vukûʿ bulmamakda ve vûkuʿ bulsa bile şimdilerde devleti müşârunileyhânın oralarda olan kuvve-i mevcûdesi daha yer zabt etmeğe kâfî olmadığı cihetle hâkim-i mûma ileyh idâresinde olan bilâd-ı mevcûdenin muhâfazasına ve bir gûne taʿarruz vûkuʿ bulsa şimdilik müdâfaʿasına muktedir bir hâlde ise de hâkim-i mûmâileyhin zâten fitk-ı rıtk-ı umûrda bir parça iktidarsızlığı cihetle işin ilerisinden korkarak bundan on sene mukaddem Hicaz vâlisi esbak devletlü Hüseyin Paşa Hazretleri vâsıtasıyla yine bu vechile mürâcaʿatları vûkuʿ bulduğu gibi bu defʿa dahî rüʾesâ ve ahâlî-i beldenin ittifâk ve ittihâd ve hâkim-i mûmâileyhin muvâfakat-i sahîhasıyla şu sûretle ilticâ ve istirhâma mübâderet etmiş oldukları ve bilâd-ı mezkûrenin zabt ve idâresi bahsine gelince hukûk-ı düvelîye ve politika-i zamânîye âşinâ bir meʾmûr ile iki yüz kadar askerin bir vapura râkibiyle gönderildiği takdîrce ahâlînin derkâr olan tavʿ ve arzusu hasebiyle terbiye ve istihdâma müstaʿid bulunduklarından umûr-ı muhâfaza-i inzibâtiye ve tahsîliye biʾs-suhûle pezîrâ-yı husûl olarak oraların zâten fevka‌ʾl-gâye münbit ve mahsuldâr yerler olduğu cihetle ednâ himmetle iʿmâr ve ıslâhına dikkat olunduğu hâlde cânib-i hazîne-i celîleye pek çok menâfiʿ-i zâʿide husûlü meʾmûl kavl idüği anlaşılmakda bulunmuşdur rûşen-i hâle nazaran ber-vech-i istidʿâ memâlik-i mezkûrenin zabt ve idâresi muvâfık-ı reʾy-i âlî buyurulduğu hâlde hakîkat-i hâli reʾyüʾl-ayn muʿâyene ve müşâhede ederek bilâd-ı mezkûreyi dest-i idâreye aldıkdan sonra Bâb-ı Âlî ile biʾl-muhâbere îcâb-ı hâle göre hareket etmek ve buradan gider iken Yemen ve Şehr ve Mukalla gibi mahallere dahî uğrayıp mesbûk olan arz ve inhâ vechile Moha ile bâbüʾl Mendeb beyninde Fransaluların iştirâ etmiş olduğu arâzî mâddesiyle Şehr ve Mukalla benderlerinin taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeye tahkîm-i revâbıtı husûslarına bakmak üzere politika-i hâzıraya vâkıf ve ahkâm-ı mevkiʿ ve zamânı ârif ve muktedir bir zâtın derbâr-ı seniyyeden ta‌ʾyîn ve iʿzâmı ve işbu zâtın rukûbüne Cidde limanında bulunan İzmir nâm korvet

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vapuru hümâyûnun veyâhud başka bir vapurun tahsis ve iʾtâsı hakkında icrâları iktizâsı mütevakkıf emr u fermân-ı hikmet-beyân-ı cenâb-ı sadâret-penâhîleri bulunmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 9 Zilkaʿde sene [1]285 ve fî 9 Şubat [12]84 Bende-i Şeyhüʾl-harâm Mekke-i Mükerreme ve Vâli-i Hicaz Ed-Dâʿî Emîr-i Mekke-i Mükerreme To the exalted Grand Vizierate The request of your most humble servant is that The investigation and communication of the [following points] were ordered with the exalted Grand Vizierial command (received with the lofty Foreign Ministry’s note numbered 62, dated 1 December 1868) that was issued in response to the jointly presented note [relating] that the residents [of Aceh] presented petitions requesting the acceptance of their submission, and the control and protection of the land called Aceh in the land of Jawa by the noble Imperial Sultanate. The points investigated were as follows: Where in the islands of Jawa is the said place [located]? Whose possession is [it]? Does it have any contention to any of the European countries? Does its ruler know about this request? According to the map, the said land is located in the north-west of the island called Sumatra in the islands of Jawa. Upon the previous investigation, when the said petitions were submitted, two Arabic letters of Alauddin Mansur (who had been the ruler of the place before and after) arrived at Honoured Mecca (extracts are presented in an attachment), and another Arabic letter [of the same Alauddin Mansur] that was addressed to the dust under the feet of the exalted King of Kings (which is presented in an attachment). Their content consists of [Alauddin Mansur’s] explanation that although some parts of the said island have adopted the administration of the Dutch State either voluntarily or as a result of wars, Aceh and its surroundings are still under his own rule, and that he has no official ties, relations, or treaties except for friendship with the Dutch state or others. [Moreover, the content of these letters consists of] his request for the control and administration of the said kingdom by the Imperial Sultanate through the appointment and dispatch of [Ottoman] officials, so that he and his family can continue to pray for the perpetuity of the life and majesty of the exalted sovereign, as it is feared that these places might not remain safe from the violent interference of foreigners in the future. The written statement of informed people here [Mecca] that explains the state and attributes of these places, and confirms the assertions of this ruler, is presented in an attachment. Moreover, according to the in-depth testimony of Shaykh Muhammad bin Ahmad Ba Junaid, who came from the said ruler,

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Mansur Shah is not alone in his wish to submit his territories to the Sublime State, but the leaders and people as well are united in this request and plea, that this said ruler’s sole hope is to submit his territories totally to the Imperial Sultanate. If it is deemed necessary to employ him under [Ottoman] sovereignty for the administration of the affairs of that country, and if he is ordered [to do so], he will accept this as well and make every effort to serve and prove [his] loyalty. Although the Dutch state has previously occupied some parts of the island partly by war and partly by means of purchase, during the last five or six years no attack has taken place against the places under the administration of [Mansur Shah]. Even if an attack were to take place, the Dutch do not have enough troops available to occupy more land. Therefore, Mansur Shah is capable of protecting the country under his administration, and defend it in case of an attack. However, ten years previously, in view of his partial inability to administer his affairs, he feared for the future, and applied with the same request through the former governor of Hijaz, his Excellency Hüseyin Paşa. This time, they have again set about petitioning and seeking refuge in this way, with the unanimous agreement of the leaders and the people of the country and the sound consent of this ruler. With respect to the control and administration of that country, if two hundred soldiers and an official familiar with the law of nations and contemporary politics are deployed with a steamer, it will be sufficient to maintain order and to collect revenue, because the local people are ready and willing for training and employment. As those places are extraordinarily fertile and productive, it will produce numerous benefits to the exalted treasury if the least effort is expended on its development and improvement. Considering these favourable circumstances, if it is deemed appropriate by Your Highness to control and administer this country as requested, an exalted Grand Vizierial order is required to appoint and to deploy from the exalted court an intelligent person who is knowledgeable about international law and contemporary politics, and to assign the Imperial Steam-Corvette Izmir (currently moored off the coast of Jeddah) or another steamboat to his service. He should be ordered to take [Aceh] under imperial administration by inspecting the true situation in person, to communicate with the Sublime Porte afterwards, and to act in accordance with its requirements. While on his way, he should be ordered to stop at places like Yemen and al-Shihr and al-Mukalla to deal with the issues of land bought by the French between Mocha and Bab elMandeb and the strengthening of the connections of the ports of al-Shihr and al-Mukalla with the Imperial Sultanate, in accordance with the petition and communication previously received. To command belongs to him who commands all.

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9 Dhuʾl-Qiʿda 1285 [21 February 1869]. Your servant, the Shaykh of the Holy Shrine of Honoured Mecca and Governor of Hijaz The supplicant Emir of Honoured Mecca Source: BOA İ.MMS. 37/1524 (4)

Grand Vizier to the sultan informing him about the Acehnese requests and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1869 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Bahr-ı Hindʾde kâʾin Cava cezîre-i cesîmesi mensûbâtından bulunan Aşi hükûmet ve memleketinin taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeden zabt ve muhâfazasıyla tâbiʿiyyetlerinin kabûlü ahâlîsi tarafından istidʿâ olunduğuna dâʾir emâreti Mekke-i Mükerreme ile Hicaz vilâyetinden mukaddemâ vukûʿ bulan işʿâr üzerine baʿzı istîzâhâtı mütezammın yazılan tahrîrâta cevâben ve tahkîkât-ı vâkıʿayı hâviyen bu kere vârid olan muharrerât ve evrâk-ı sâʾire geçen gün akd olunan meclis-i mahsûsda kırâʾat olundu hülâsa-i meʾalleri belde-i mezkûre Cava cezîrelerinden Sumatra nâm adanın cihet-i garb-ı şimâlîsinde ve Alaaddin Mansur nâm bir hükümdârın taht-ı idâresinde olarak düvel-i sâʾirenin birine nisbet ve taʿalluku olmadığı ve fakat baʿzı mahalleri Flemenk devleti tarafından zabt ve iştirâ kılınmış olduğundan ve hâkim-i müşârunileyh fitk-ı rıtk-ı umûrda biraz iktidarsızlığı cihetiyle işin ilerisinden korkduğundan gerek kendisi ve gerek ahâlîsi müttahiden memleketlerini bütün bütün taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeye terk ve teslîm etmek emelinde bulundukları ve hâkim-i müşârunileyhin taraf-ı eşref-i hilâfet-penâhîye olarak takdîm eylemiş olduğu nâmesiyle kendisine gelen mektûbların sûretleri gönderildiği beyânından ve bunların istidʿâsı karîn-i kabûl-ı âlî olduğu hâlde hakîkat-i hâli reʾyüʾl-ayn müşâhede ile bilâd-ı mezkûreyi dest-i idâreye aldıkdan sonra Bâb-ı âlî ile biʾl-muhâbere îcâb-ı hâle göre hareket etmek ve gider iken Yemen ve Şehr ve Makla gibi mahallere uğrayıp oraların taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeye tahkîm-i revâbıtı husûslarına dahî bakmak üzere politika-i zamâna âşinâ buradan bir meʾmûr ile iki yüz kadar askerin taʿyîn ve iʿzâmı ve Maha civârında bulunan Maşaleha ve Hükm kabîleleri beyninde vukûʿa gelen mücâdele ve münâzaʿanın tahkîk edilmesinin dahî meʾmûr olacak zâta havâlesi ifâdâtından ibâret olmasıyla îcâb-ı hâl mutâlaʿa kılındıkda belde-i mezkûre ahâlîsi umûmen ehl-i İslâm olarak arâzîsi dahî münbit ve mahsûldar olduğu cihetle az himmetle iʿmar ve ıslâhına bakıldığı hâlde pek çok menâfiʿ ve fevâʾid husûlü meʾmûl olduğu misillü bunların dehâletleri kabûl olunur ise oralarda bulunan sâʾir ehl-i İslâmʾın dahî cânib-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye dehâlet ve tabîʿiyyetleri melhûz olup fakat bu adalarda Flemenk 5.6

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Figure 40 Grand Vizier to the sultan informing him about the Acehnese requests and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary, 1869

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devletinin haylice memâliki bulunduğundan muʾahharan belde-i mezkûreye tahattî ve tecâvüz eder ise taraf-ı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden mukâbele olunmaklığı ve birçok müşkilât-ı hâriciye ve tekellüfât-ı külliyeye giriftâr olmaklığı dahî göze aldırmak lâzım geleceğine binâʾen iş birden bire kabûl derecesine götürüp de sonra geri dönmeğe mecbûriyet hâsıl etmemek ve hakîkat-i hâl biʾl-etrâf anlaşılarak andan sonra red ve kabûl hakkında bir karâr-ı katʿî verilmek daha hayırlı görünmüş ve binâʾen aleyh evvel emirde sıfat-ı gayr-ı resmiyede ve pek mektûm sûretde bir meʾmûr gönderilerek ahvâllerinin ve sûret-i dehâletlerinin tahkîk edilmesi muvâfık-ı maslahat bulunmuş olmasıyla bu meʾmûriyet için münâsibi araşdırıldıkda Massuva‌ʾ kâʾimmakâmı sâbıkı saʿâdetlü Pertev Efendi lisân-ı Arabîʾye âşinâ ve oraların ahvâline ve politika-i zamâna vukûf ve maʿlûmâtı olmasıyla bu iş için tamâm ehil ve münâsib göründüğüne binâʾen ânın seyâhate gider gibi gitmek ve belde-i mezkûre ahvâlini ve sûret-i dehâletlerini tahkîk ile bu tarafa mahremâne bildirmek üzere meʾmûr ve iʿzâm edilmesi ve zikr olunan Yemen ve Şehr ve Makla‌ʾya uğrayıp ahâlîsinin cânib-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye tahkîm-i revâbıtları husûsuna gayret ve mezkûr Meşalha ve Hükm kabîleleri beyninde olan münâzaʿayı tahkîk eylemesinin dahî kendisine havâlesi ve sûret-i hâlin emâret-i müşârunileyhâ ile vilâyet-i mezkûre vâliliğine dahî bildirilmesi beyneʾl-hüzzâr tezekkür ve tasvîb kılınmış ise de ol-bâbda her ne vechile emr u fermân hazret-i şehinşâhî şeref-sünûh ve sudûr buyurulur ise infâz-ı hükm-ı celiline ibtidâr olunacağı ve evrâk-ı merkûm leffen arz ve takdîm kılındığı beyâniyle tezkire-i senâverî terkîm olundu efendim Fî 17 Muharrem sene [12]86 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Hâme-i zîb-i ibcâl olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i âsafâneleriyle evrâk-ı melfûfe manzûr ve dekâyık-nüşûr-ı hazret-i mülûkâne buyurulmuş ve tasvîb ve istîzân olunduğu üzere efendi-i mûmâileyhin meʾmûr ve iʿzâm edilmesi ve husûsât-ı sâʾirenin dahî kendisine havâlesi ve sûret-i hâlin emâret-i müşârunileyhâ ile vilâyet-i mezkûre vâliliğine bildirilmesi müteʿallik ve şeref-sünûh buyurulan emr u fermân isâbet-unvân cenâb-ı cihân-bânî mantûk-ı âlîsinden olarak evrâk-ı merkûm yine sâvb-ı sâmî-i sadâret-penâhîlerine iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir Fî 18 Muharrem sene [12]86 [Grand Vizier to the Sultan] My kind and exalted lord, The communication of the Emir of Honoured Mecca and the Governor of the Hijaz indicated that the inhabitants of Aceh requested the acceptance of their subject status, and the control and protection by the Imperial Sultanate of the country and government of Aceh, which is one of the dependencies of

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the great islands of Jawa located in the Indian Ocean. The correspondence and other documents that arrived in response to the demand for more explanations, including the investigation of the issue, was read at the special council that gathered previous day. In sum, their content consists of the [following] explanations: that this country is located at the northwest part of the island Sumatra, which is one of the islands of Jawa; that [it] is under the administration of a ruler called Alauddin Mansur, and does not have any attachment or affiliation to another country; but that the latter ruler feared for the future because of in view of his inability to administer affairs as well as because some parts of [his country] has been occupied or bought by the Dutch state. Therefore both he and his people unanimously want to entrust their country totally to the Imperial Sultanate. The letter of this ruler to the noble Caliph, as well as the copies of the other letters that came to him [Emir of Mecca] were sent [to Istanbul], [saying that] if their requests are accepted by His Majesty, an officer familiar with the current politics should be appointed and sent together with about two hundred soldiers to take over the administration of the country after inspecting the real situation to communicate with the Sublime Porte and to act in accordance with its requirements; and en route to stopover at places like Yemen, al-Shihr, and al-Mukalla to take care of strengthening the connections of these places with the Imperial Sultanate. [The documents also contain the request] that the investigation into the dispute and struggle between the Mashaleha and Hukm tribes around Al Maha should also be assigned to the same person. When the requirements of the situation have been considered carefully, it has been understood that, as the population of [Aceh] is entirely Muslim and the land fertile and productive, it is hoped that many benefits and advantages will be obtained if [even] a limited effort is devoted to its development and improvement. Likewise, if they enter into the protection and subjecthood of the Imperial Sultanate, it is anticipated that other Muslims located there will [follow suit]. However, as the Dutch state possesses considerable dominions on these islands, if in the future they attack [Aceh], it will necessitate the response of the Sublime State. As it involves risking many great pains and difficulties, it has been deemed more beneficial to understand the real situation comprehensively, and to decide whether to accept or reject [their request] so that [we might] avoid drawing back after virtually accepting [their request]. Therefore, it has been deemed more suitable to the proper course initially to investigate their state and [their intended] way of entering [to Ottoman suzerainty] by deploying an official very secretly and unofficially. When seeking for a suitable [person] for this position, his Excellency Pertev Efendi, former governor of Massawa [in current Eritrea], is considered completely qualified and suitable [for it] as he is familiar with Arabic, and is well-informed about

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current politics and the state of those places. Consequently, the participants of the gathering have deliberated and deemed appropriate that he [Pertev Efendi] should be appointed and deployed to go, as if he is on an unofficial trip, to investigate the state of the mentioned land and their [intended] way of entering [suzerainty], and to relate [the relevant information] to here. He will be charged [also] with trying to strengthen the connections of the people of Yemen, al-Shihr, and al-Mukalla to the Imperial Sultanate by visiting these places, as well as with investigating the dispute between the Mashaleha and Hukm tribes. The Emir [of Mecca] and the Governor [of the Hijaz] should be informed about this matter. My lord, this explanatory note has been drawn and presented enclosed with the aforementioned documents with the understanding that whatever exalted order will emanate from His Majesty the King of Kings on this matter, its noble verdict will be implemented. 29 April 1869 [Sultan’s secretary’s response] The request of your humble servant is that This Grand Vizierial note, from the pen adorned with greatness, and the enclosed documents have been brought to and delicately considered by the imperial presence. It is the noble will and imperial command of the exalted voice that, in accordance with what has been deemed appropriate and requested, the aforementioned efendi should be appointed and be dispatched, that the other issues should be left to him as well, and the issue should be related to the Emir [of Mecca] and Governor [of the Hijaz]. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 30 April 1869 Source: BOA İ.MMS. 37/1524 (24)

6

Documents relating to the letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier, 1869

6.1 Commentary by Patricia Herbert The existence of a Burmese letter in the Ottoman archives is an exciting discovery for historians of nineteenth century Burma29 as there is no reference in the Burmese royal chronicles to contacts between the Ottoman and Burmese empires. The letter is dated “fifth day of the waxing moon of the month of Tagu, sakkaraj30 1231” which corresponds to CE 16th March 1869. King Mindon (r. 1853– 29  Burma was renamed Myanmar in 1989; in this commentary 19th century usage is followed. 30  Burmese era. The date is written in smaller characters at the foot of the letter.

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78) ruled a truncated kingdom (Upper Burma), reduced and demoralised by the British annexation of Lower Burma following the two Anglo-Burmese Wars of 1824–26 and 1852–53. King Mindon, one of Burma’s more enlightened rulers, sought to counterbalance British power by a programme of administrative and judicial reforms and, above all, by a foreign policy of increasing contact and trade with the outside world.31 In 1872 King Mindon sent a Burmese mission, headed by Chief Minister Kinwun Mingyi, to Europe where treaties of trade and friendship were signed with Italy and France, and to Britain with the aim of having deal direct relations as one sovereign state to another. With British Lower Burma virtually controlling the kingdom of Burma’s access to the sea and to international trade, diplomatic sensitivities and tensions ran high on both sides, with King Mindon seeking to communicate directly with London, while the Calcutta-based government of British India sought to assert its chain of command over Burma issues. A full account of the mission is given in the Kinwun Mingyi’s diary and provides a link to the hitherto unknown letter in the Ottoman archives. Summary of the Letter, Analysis of the Text and Its Contemporary English Translation The letter itself is addressed by the Pakhangyi Myosa Min-gyi Min Thado Min-gyi Maha Min Hla Sithu32 to the minister of “Yun nation” informing that the Lord of the Rising Sun, Lord of the Saddan Elephant33 wished for friendship between their two countries. The letter refers to a Burmese reply to an Ottoman letter sent in 1857 with military officer Haji Sayed Hasan Ta Sin Byin Bashi34 who came to Burma in 1855, and says that nothing more had been heard until that officer came to Burma again in 1859 and explained that the first Burmese letter had been lost in a shipwreck on his way home. Again nothing further was heard, until March 1869 when Hasi35 Ali Gazi came with some letters which expressed his king’s desire for the two nations to be friends and allies, and was admitted into the royal presence. The king’s orders were for him to return home with the royal mission of friendship that was to be sent to western nations with Maha Min Hla Kyaw Htin, Royal Herald and Bade Wun,36

31  For an analysis of this period, see Thant Myint-U 2001. 32  Personal name and titles of office of the writer. 33  Formal titles of the Burmese monarch. 34  Sic. But probably Haji Sayyid Hasan Tahsin Binbashi. 35  Sic. But probably a misspelling for Haji. 36  Minister of Metalworks.

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with Min Htin Yaza, Privy Councillor, and with Nei-myo Min Htin Thurein,37 together with some state scholars.38 The royal letter expresses the desire that the envoys be received well and that friendly relations between the two nations be established, and informed that emissaries sent to Burma in friendship would be welcome. The contemporary translation into English is reasonably accurate (with unsystematic nineteenth century romanisations of names and titles), but comparison with the Burmese text gives rise to some puzzles. The first is that the Burmese letter is addressed to the minister of “Yun nainggan”39 and expresses a design to establish friendly relations with that country’s ruler (Yun min taing pyei nainggan), but the word Yun40 as it is written in Burmese script ရံ ွ does not exist in Burmese and does not mean anything to a Burmese audience (although its pronunciation is close to the Burmese name for Chiang Mai which is written ယွန်း in Burmese). “Rum” is a commonly used in Islamic languages to refer to the Ottoman lands. The Burmese word Yun, although pronounced Yun is, in transliteration, “Rum”. The English translation renders the addressee as “the Prime Minister of H.M. the Sultan of Constantinople”. Furthermore, the Burmese character ‘Y’ is pronounced as “R” in some contexts and by the Rakhine (Arakanese) of the coastal Rakhine State which has a minority Muslim population, and long-established trading relations with India and the Persian Gulf. The Mughals, British India and the Burmese court all employed “munshi” as secretaries and translators and Persian script appears on many documents, as indeed it does on the outer “envelope” of this Burmese document. As well as in Rakhine (Arakan) State, sizable Islamic communities lived in Burma’s 18th and 19th century royal capitals (Ava, Amarapura and Mandalay), some holding high positions.41 In 1855, Sir Henry Yule, British envoy to the court of Ava, noted the large number of Muslim eunuchs, courtiers, and members of the royal bodyguard.42 Many prominent Muslims in King Mindon’s reign were jewellers and ruby traders, some acting as brokers for the king.43

37  Two of the envoys had studied in France, and one also in Calcutta. For a brief account of the envoys and the 1872 embassy, see Thant Myint-U 2007: 145–151. 38  The Burmese letter does not name the chief ambassador of the mission, the Kinwun Min-gyi, and names and titles of other members can vary (both in Burmese and in romanisation) from source to source. 39  ရံွနိုငင် ံ 40  ယွန်း 41  See Thant Myint-U 2007: 126. 42  Ibid. 43  See, Myo Myint 1990: 239–490.

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Another puzzle is that the English translation contains some interpolations that do not appear in the Burmese text, among these is the gift brought by the Turkish envoy in March 1870 [sic.] of a “red Turkish flag, marked white crescent of moon & star on it, with a bead said to indicated a firm establishment of oath pledged …”. It is possible to conclude, therefore, that the translation into English was made from the Persian translation of the original Burmese letter,44 with some embellishments such as the reference to the crescent flag. The Burmese Mission to Europe, 1872 In a royal order of March 1871, King Mindon appointed Chief Minister, Kinwun Min-gyi U Gaung (1822–1908) to lead a high-level mission to Europe. The ambassadorial party set off from Mandalay aboard the royal vessel Setkya Yin-byan on 4th March 1872, travelling down the Irrawaddy to Rangoon (in British Lower Burma) and across the Indian Ocean to Ceylon, on to Aden and the Suez Canal, by train to Cairo, rejoining the ship in Alexandria, sailing on to Brindisi (and a three week tour of Italy), on by train to Paris, and from Calais sailing to Britain,45 returning to Mandalay in May 1873. The Kinwun Min-gyi kept a detailed, and extensive diary of the Mission’s travels (published in two volumes in 1908; and in full English translation in 2006)46 which enables readers to enter a fascinating 19th century world where, for once, roles are reversed, and an astute Burmese envoy scrutinises Western society, recording impressions of British towns and cities, technology and mores, while at the same time zealously representing Burmese culture and its diplomatic cause. It is disappointing, in the context of the Ottoman archives letter, that the diary contains no mention of the Ottoman envoy aboard.47 What is clear, however, is that the Burmese mission did indeed spend time

44  For a discussion of the Persian text see Peacock 2018. 45  Where they spent 6 months, had an audience with Queen Victoria, attended high society events and banquets hosted by the City of London’s guilds and by other chambers of commerce throughout the country, including across the Irish sea to Dublin, visiting factories, library, shipyards and museums. 46  Kin-wun Min-gyi Landan-myo-thwa nei-zin hmat sa-dan; later edited and published with a preface by Pe Maung Tin in 1927, and reprinted in 1953–54 (see Pe Maung Tin 1953). A first English translation of the diary by Dr Htin Aung (1974) was published in the Journal of the Burma Research Society but with many sections abbreviated or paraphrased. For a full English translation and commentary, see Bagshawe 2007. 47  The diary states that originally thirty people were listed to go to London, including ten engineering students, but that in Rangoon it was decided to leave them behind (Bagshawe 2007: 18 entry on March 23rd 1872).

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in Cairo and Alexandria.48 The Burmese embassy brought presents and were received by the Viceroy in Cairo49 whose own railway carriage was made ready for the mission to travel in to Alexandria. They also met the English, American and Italian Consul Generals. The Kinwun Min-gyi noted: “All three of the cities, Suez, at the entrance to the canal that joins the Red Sea, Cairo and Alexandria are governed by the Viceroy of Egypt, under the suzerainty of Turkey.”50 On tracing this passage in the original Burmese text, I found that there was no use of the term “Yun” [let alone of Constantinople that appears in the English translation], and that the names of the cities and of Egypt and Turkey were transcribed as such in the Burmese script.51 This therefore helps confirm that the 19th century English translation must have been made from a Persian translation of the original Burmese letter. King Mindon’s diplomatic attempts to stave off British designs upon Upper Burma and maintain his kingdom’s independence came to nought under his successor, King Thibaw (r. 1878–85). The third Anglo-Burmese War ended with the deposition of King Thibaw (exiled to India) and brought the whole of Burma under British colonial rule. Burma did not regain its independence until January 4th 1948. 6.2 Letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier Letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier A translation of letter (written in Burmese into English) from Prime Minister of H.M. the Emperor of Burmah to the Prime Minister of H.M. Sultan of Constantinople (Egga Maha Thaynapadi Ayabang Wooonshendaw Pakhangyee Myozab Mongyee Menthadi Mongyee Maha Menlha Tsaythoo) the Prime Minister of H.M. the Emperor of Burmah informs the Prime Minister of H.M. the Sultan of Constantinople. In accordance with the desire of this glorious the monarch of rising sun, the owner of white elephant and lives of H.M. the Emperor of Burmah, I have 48  Described in diary entries from 11th April to 2nd May 1872; see Bagshawe 2007: 26–43. Some delightful supplementary details of the Mission can be found in the scrapbook kept by the British Political Agent in Mandalay, Major Albert Ruxton Macmahon, who was assigned to accompany the Burmese mission. Macmahon’s scrapbook is preserved in the British Library, Eur MSS C595. 49  According to Bagshawe, this was the Khedive Ismail; (2007: 37, footnote 61). 50  Bagshawe 2007: 42. In fact, all the names of people, places and cities in the diary were recorded in Burmese characters. 51  Tin 1953: 71. Pe Maung Tin’s preface also notes that many English words such as hotel, reception, banquet were simply transcribed into Burmese script (1953: 4).

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Figure 41 Letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier, 1869

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Figure 42 Envelopes of the letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier

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Figure 43 Persian translation of the letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier

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Figure 44 English translation of the letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier

Figure 45 English translation of the letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier

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addressed an official letter to you in 1857 by returning bearer named Hadjee Seyed Hassen Tassen Byen Basha who came to Burmah in 1855, confirming himself being an official emissary of Turkish Government and have had no account of him after his departure for a certain period, until his visit again to Burmah in 1859. He was then enquired of what became the letter send by him in former time and he stated on account of being ship-wrecked on the journey, the letter was lost its way to Turkey and had not reached. Upon hearing such statement of Hadjee Seyed Hassen Tassen Byen Basha and add his request the 2nd letter again sent to your address on his return, towards the latter part of the year 1859, but nothing was heard of its effect, neither emissary, reply, nor a word came to Burmah from you, leaving entirely in darkness. It was happened twice without giving any effect or satisfaction for trouble, and was since then honestly awaiting another opportunity to learn from you during a number of years, at last another one came again to Burmah in March 1870, named Hadjee Ally Ghaza (declaring himself the same as the former one) and produced a number of documents, red Turkish flag, marked white crescent of moon and star on it; and a bead said to indicate a firm establishment of oath, pledged in the presence of H.M. the Sultan. Of these documents being translated into Burmese the flag and the bead were shown to our government and by strong argument of Hadjee Ally Ghaza have been introduced to the understanding of H.M. the Sultan of Constantinople having had a great desire to become friendship between two Governments. Hadjee Ally Ghaza being then well received was introduced H.M. the Emperor of Burmah and ordered on his return to call Constantinople in company with Paden Woon (Secretary), Mendenyazah (asst. secretary) Mr Aangzoo (military officer). and two others of Burmese officials, who have been previously proposed by the Emperor of Burmah to sent on a tour to Europe. On their arrival at Constantinople I doubt not that your Government will gladly receive and introduce them to H.M. the Sultan, explain the object and design of mission to establish a sincere friendship between two nations. If your Government desires to send an embassy to Burmah, we shall feel most happy and pay strictest attention for its reception, or else should you chose ones to be sent, forward a letter with particulars on their return and also whilst they are in your country afford them every assistance, in order that they may be able to visit, see, and enter any part as they require within Turkish subject without molestation. Source: BOA HR.TO. 453/37

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Documents relating to the Acehnese mission to the Ottoman court and Ottoman attempt to mediate between Aceh and The Netherlands, 1872–73

The growing Dutch threat to Aceh after 1871, when Britain renounced any interest in maintaining Acehnese independence, prompted new efforts by sultan Mansur Shah’s successor Mahmud Shah (r. 1870–1874) to seek assistance, especially from the Ottomans, although approaches were also made to France, the United States and Britain (see Reid 1969b: 78–155 for the background and Reid 1969c). In the efforts to secure Ottoman support, the well-known Hadrami intermediary Abdurrahman al-Zahir played a critical role (on him see Reid 1972). As a sayyid and relative of the Sharif of Mecca, he was imbued with considerable personal prestige, as well as connections that eased his access to the corridors of power in Istanbul. Newspapers in Istanbul also took up the Acehnese cause. Although the embassy was discussed at the highest levels in Istanbul, and Abdurrahman invoked the relationship established by the embassy of 1849–50 in support of his cause, the Ottoman position was weak, and even the offer to mediate between the Dutch and the Acehnese was immediately rejected by the Netherlands (see Reid 1967: 274–5; Reid 1969b: 120–8; Schmidt 1992: 57–62; Göksoy 2004: 77–89; Göksoy 2011: 85–90). Petition of Acehnese ministers and notables to the governor of Hijaz, requesting Ottoman suzerainty To his excellency, may God preserve him. Following prayers [of good wishes], the petition is that: the rulers of Aceh, its leading people and all their subjects have from ancient times been attached to the protection of the Sublime [Ottoman] State from the time of our lord Sultan Suleiman until the days of the ghazi sultan our lord Abdülaziz, and its important affairs have been under their control until this time. This is wellknown among the elite and ordinary people, and over the passage of time has become known to foreign states. It is known to them without denial and the evidence which proves the truth of that is the flying of the Ottoman flag in the landing-places and boats, and the persistence of prayers for [Ottoman sultans] in the khutba and in processions and the wearing of their robes especially when meeting foreigners, and the imposition of taxes in accordance with Ottoman practice. In this region it was decided and agreed to send messengers to your glorious State, for none of the foreign states have no connection in this country either to a large or small extent, for [the Acehnese] alone in this country have power, protected by their relationship to the Sublime Ottoman State. A group of emirs and leaders sent to your state seeking mercy and desiring to 7.1

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Figure 46 Petition of Acehnese ministers and notables to the governor of Hijaz, requesting Ottoman suzerainty

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renew the relationship with the Sublime State and to increase its fame in those distant parts. [They hoped] thereby to be honoured completely and to join in the kingdom of the sultan of Islam. Not the slightest trouble or loss would be caused to the Sublime State, but the whole matter could be settled very simply just by sending a steam-ship and an official to take over this country and make its people happy. Praise be to God, by reason of the general agreement which has existed between us from ancient times, the unity of our law-school and our holding to the pure sharia of Muhammad and the blessing of our affiliation to the Sublime State and our seeking to be shaded by its eternal shadow, none of the foreigners has been able to reach us till this day, indeed until Resurrection by the grace of God as long as we retain this alliance. Furthermore, thanks to the prosperity of our land and the large number of products and good things in it, we fear and we notice – God forbid – that some of the foreigners have ambitions against us just as they did against our Muslim neighbours. They sow enmity and hatred among us and announce what they desire of us. In response to these threats, we ask your generous Excellency who has more than enough power to carry out what is requested by our side [as is shown by] previous commands. We plead that our demand is pressing, for we do not have any means to the Sublime State but through your Excellency and your concern. We see all states are striving to broaden their territories and concern themselves with protecting their subjects by securing their territories. The Sublime Islamic [Ottoman] state is most suitable to do that, and the most important thing is to take the hand of those affiliated to it in every country. For God established it over all the nation of Muhammad for the protection of the Muslims and flying the banner of their kingdom, and we are waiting for this request to be carried out and our desire to be executed without delay. All the people of Aceh are agreed and both young and old are linked to the request from the Sublime State to renew its relationship and protection. Whatever the Sublime State demands of them they will do obediently in every respect, for they are independent in their country, no one has any objection and nor has anyone had any correspondence or relations with anything but the Islamic State. We have reached these parts precisely because of our demand and our desire that you fulfil it as quickly as possible, in accordance with the command of the rulers and great men of this land who have sent us on account of this affair and have entrusted it to you to investigate. We have communicated to you and to his excellency the emir [of Mecca] what has been entrusted to us. We ask you to communicate it to the Sultanic Threshold and the imperial compassion swiftly for it has now been entrusted to you. We have presented an equivalent of this petition to his excellency the emir and we put our trust in your attention. To command belongs to him who has the command my lord.

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[Signets and seals] [Line 1:] The minister of the ruler of Aceh [Seal #1720] Maharaja Mudabbir alMulk Aceh al-Sayid Abdurrahman bin Muhammad al-Zahir 1287, ‘The Maharaja, Governor of the State of Aceh, the Sayyid Abdurrahman, son of Muhammad Zahir, 1287 (1870/1)’ One of the members of council [Seal #1721] Alamat Teuku Abas bin Teuku Haji Ahmad Lam Badar sanat 1288, ‘This is the sign of Teuku Abas, son of Teuku Haji Ahmad, Lam Badar, the year 1288 (1871/2)’ One of the military commanders [Seal #1722] 1287 Teuku Jerung Lam Pajang khadam raja Aceh 1287, ‘Teuku Jerung of Lam Pajang, servant of the ruler of Aceh 1287 (1870/1)’ The keeper of the youths of Aceh[?] (amīn futuwwat Aceh) [Seal #1723] Teuku Nyak Muhammad Leung Bata 1277, ‘Teuku Nyak Muhammad, of Leung Bata, 1277 (1872/3)’ Deputy of the holy law of Aceh (nāʾib al-sharʿ) [Seal #1724] Teuku Imam Lam Kerak 1272, ‘Teuku Imam of Lam Kerak, 1272 (1855/6)’ One of the rulers of Aceh (aḥad ḥukkām Aceh) [Seal #1725] Teuku Syaikh Yusuf Lam Kuyut 1289, ‘Teuku Syaik Yusuf, of Lam Kuyut, 1289 (1872/3)’ Chief of the fort of Aceh [Seal #1726]Wan Ali bin Abdul Rahman (?) 1280, ‘Wan Ali, son of Abdul Rahman (?) 1280 (1863/4)’ Supervisor of the ruler of Aceh’s income [Seal #1727] Teuku Nyak Abdullah Lam Siul 1285, ‘Teuku Nyak Abdullah, of Lam Siul, 1285 (1868/9)’ Commander of the navy of Aceh [Seal #1728] Haji Yakub Tanah Abu 1283, ‘Haji Yakub, of Tanoh Abee, 1283 (1866/7)’ [Line 2:] One of the members of council [Seal #1736] al-Haj Umar bin Auf al-Asyi 1285, ‘The Haji Umar, son of Auf, of Aceh, 1285 (1868/9)’ One of the ulema of Aceh [Seal #1738] Muhammad Salih bin Abdul Rahim al-Asyi 1289, ‘Muhammad Salih, son of Abdul Rahim, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ Notables of Aceh [Seal #1737] Husain bin Ali al-Asyi 1289, ‘Husain, son of Ali, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1739] Muhammad bin Husain al-Asyi 1289, ‘Muhammad, son of Husain, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1733] Abdul Rauf bin Hasan al-Asyi 1289, ‘Abdul Rauf, son of Hasan, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1741] Yusuf bin Muhammad Arif al-Asyi 1289, ‘Yusuf, son of Muhammad Arif, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1734] Alamat al-Haj Nyak Kam Teluk Nga al-Asyi 1285, ‘The sign of the Haji Nyak Kam, of Teluk Nga, of Aceh, 1285 (1868/9)’ [Seal #1733 repeated]; [Seal #1732] Alamat al-Haj Yakub bin Masud 1280, ‘The sign of the Haji Yakub, son of Masud, 1280 (1863/4)’

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Figure 47 Petition of Acehnese ministers and notables to the governor of Hijaz, requesting Ottoman suzerainty

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[Seal #1731] Haji Muhammad Ali Cut Badar 1275, ‘Haji Muhammad Ali, of Cut Badar, 1275 (1858/9)’ [Seal #1730] Syaikh Daud Lung Tujuh 1289, ‘Syaikh Daud, of Lung Tujuh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1729] Teuku Muhammad Napit[?] Bubun 1281, ‘Teuku Muhammad, of Napit[?] Bubun, 1281 (1864/5)’ Source: BOA A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (13)

Note: Same text given in A.MKT.MHM.457/55 (20) with 21 seal impressions, which are the same as above (albeit in different order), except that #1741 and the duplicated #1733 are excluded, while the following two seals are included: [#1740] Hasan bin Ahmad al-Asyi 1289, Hasan, son of Ahmad, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [#1735] Muhammad Amin bin Muhammad Said 1289, ‘Muhammad Amin, son of Muhammad Said, 1289 (1872/3)’ Acehnese notables give information about their country to emir of Mecca, 1872 Petition to your high threshold and broad court: our country, the land of Aceh in its established borders is a kingdom inherited from our fathers and forefathers from ancient times, generation after generation according to what the ancients decided from their times up till now. We have no relationship with any foreign state, and we do not have a connection, neither in general nor particular aspects, with any ruler, but our country is independent in all its affairs, good and bad, easy and difficult. We know that the great sultan is the sultan of Muslims and Islam, possessor of the great Caliphate, above all men. We know that we have no trust or refuge except in God. Our greatest connection is to the Sublime Ottoman State – may God perpetuate it, for it possesses the might of Islam and belief in every place and country. The proof of the truth of our statement is in our circumstances and deeds, such as our government’s flying of the banners of the Sublime Ottoman state in our ports and ships, and the mention [of the Ottoman dynasty] and the saying of prayers for them in gatherings and processions. Because of distance and separation, our souls never rested and our hearts were never calm, and it was decided by the ruler and his officials in our entire country that we and our subjects should continue to belong to the Sublime Ottoman State and to take refuge under the shadow of its glorious sultanate and that our country should be under the supervision, protection and absolute control of the Sublime State. In return for voluntarily entering under its protection, we will undertake whatever the imperial state demands of us every year as well as possible, and we will be offer as guarantee our persons and 7.2

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Figure 48 Acehnese notables give information about their country to emir of Mecca, 1872 A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (12)

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Figure 49 Sultan Mahmud’s letter to the Ottoman Sultan with an almost identical text of the petition of the Acehnese notables A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (5)

our blood money from every person of note. We will be obedient to whomsoever the Sublime State sends to us to carry out what you see as necessary with regard to us. We have sent an agent with full powers, Maharaja the councillor of the kingdom, Abdurrahman al-Zahir, with our trustworthy rescript to your threshold to express what we request and explain our desire. It is hoped that you will note everything that is hoped for and will accept our petition that things may turn out to our advantage and that of the Muslims and that you may be rewarded in the afterlife. Composed 28 Shawwal 89 [29 December 1872]. [Seal #448] Seri Imam Muda Panglima Dua Puluh Enam sanat 127, ‘Seri Imam Muda, Commander of the Twenty Six [districts], the year 127’ [Seal #1714] Seri Muda Perkasa, ‘Seri Muda Perkasa’ [Seal #1715] Inilah alamat Teuku Imam Silang, ‘This is the sign of Teuku Imam of Silang’ [Seal #1716] Sanat 1263 Po Cut Haji bin Abdul Rahim, ‘The year 1263, Po Cut Haji, son of Abdul Rahim’

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Figure 50 Acehnese notables give information about their country to emir of Mecca, 1872 A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (21)

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[Seal #1717] Inilah alamat Teuku Pasaraya bin Seri Imam Muda Panglima Dua Puluh Enam 1272, ‘This is the sign of Teuku Pasaraya, son of Seri Imam Muda, Commander of the Twenty Six 1272 (1855/6)’

Source: BOA A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (12) Note: 1 – Almost identical text given in petition starting: Şevketlü, azametlü, kudretlü, merhametlü leader of the nations, our blessed lord the great sultan – may his greatness last until the end of time. Sealed with Sultan Mahmud’s seal. A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (5). 2 – Also in letter dated 27 Shawwal 89 [28 December 1872] to emir of Mecca. A.MKT. MHM. 457/55 (21).

7.3 Letter of credence of Abdurrahman al-Zahir To his Excellency governor of the province of Hijaz It is no secret to you that there has been correspondence and communications with his excellency the emir of Mecca concerning our relations and subject status to the Sublime Ottoman State – may it remain mighty and fortunate – and we have sent a messenger to carry out our request, who is our agent with full powers, the Maharaja the counsellor of the kingdom, Abdurrahman al-Zahir. When he informs you of the contents of the letters we hope that you will help him, that you may have a clear success and a great reward from the lord of both worlds. We have explained the truth of our affair in our petition to the emir of Mecca. For your information. Composed 27 Shawwalʾ89 [28 December 1872].

Figure 51 Letter of credence of Abdurrahman al-Zahir

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[Seal #448] Seri Imam Muda Panglima Dua Puluh Enam sanat 127, ‘Seri Imam Muda, Commander of the Twenty Six [districts], the year 127’ [Seal #1714] Seri Muda Perkasa, ‘Seri Muda Perkasa’ Source: BOA A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (8)

Acehnese envoy Abdurrahman al-Zahir’s petition to the emir of Mecca [In elevatio] My mighty sovereign lord52 Praise be to God mighty is he. Consolation of Fatima [daughter of the Prophet]53 and glory of the house of the Prophet who combines desirable virtues with prophetic nobility of morals our lord named in the elevation [my mighty sovereign lord] to glorify him [my mighty sovereign lord] may God perpetuate his state and raise him up safe. After the obligatory prayers, the petition to the threshold of felicity of our lord is that: our situation has been no secret to your Majesty since we arrived at Banda Aceh with a commission from your Excellency to the late Raja Alauddin Mansur Shah, establishing in Aceh commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong and repairing relations between the believers and supervising their affairs subject to the aforementioned Raja by virtue of his rule until God called him, and he answered; we can say only what those who wait patiently say, that “we belong to God and to Him we return”.54 Then we undertook the readying and ordering of the affairs of the country until his cousin on the paternal side, Raja Alauddin Mahmud Shah, took over. The entirety of the aforementioned matter came about through our efforts. He entrusted to us competence in his affairs as you were informed in Raja Mansur Shah’s letter and by the tongue of those who have come to you from this region, on account of which we inform you that we are striving to induce the Raja and all his emirs to pledge allegiance and return to the Sublime State, to cling to it and submit to it in complete obedience. The spiritual and temporal benefits for everyone for which we hope, God willing, can be realised through the slightest effort of your Excellency and that which is desired will be obtained, given the efforts of this petitioner. For we hope and greatly desire, begging God, that your Majesty recognise us as among your servants, counted among those who are affiliated to you. For we are greatly concerned that this matter should be successfully concluded, through our lord’s auspicious endeavour, and that we be honoured by 7.4

52  This phrase is given in Turkish, devletlü siyadetlü Efendim hazretleri. 53  Al-batūl is the epithet given to Fatima al-zahra‌ʾ, daughter of the Prophet and wife of ʿAli b. Abi Talib. 54  The meaning of these two sentences is that Alauddin Mansur Shah died.

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Figure 52 Acehnese envoy Abdurrahman al-Zahir’s petition to the emir of Mecca

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being recognised as servants [of the Ottoman state] who are subjects of Raja Alauddin Mansur Shah. Most probably, if there came to this region an official from the Ottoman state with a warship [bringing] the rank of advisory vizier to the Raja as an honour to him from the [Ottoman] state, and the rank of general and commander in chief for his executive minister and a sword and medal for some of his great commanders in accordance with what their rank requires, along with [a guarantee to] preserve this family under the suzerainty of the [Ottoman] state and that it should pay an annual tribute, then by this policy and scheme this entire region can be surrendered to the [Ottoman] state without any opposition from the commanders inside the country nor from foreign countries. Afterwards it will also be possible for the [Ottoman] state to grant a sufficient allowance for the Raja and his family of at least 4000 riyals, and 500 riyals for his chief minister and for each of his three commanders – Seri Imam Muda, Setiya Ulama and Seri Muda Perkasa – 240 riyals as an encouragement for all to look favourably [upon this scheme]. They will all become subject to the [Ottoman] state and help it. Under the three commanders and the commanders of Timur and Barat55 are 100,000 soldiers bearing guns and other weapons and equipment for war. By this amount the desired outcome can be achieved in the best possible way. All this is possible in our view by our thoughts and efforts through the intermediary of our lord God willing. It is yours to consider, and to command belongs to him who commands and our greatest desire is that you think of us. Greetings. Sealed Abdurrahman b. Muhammad Zahir Ba Alawi. [Seal #1816] Saḥīḥ / man lā ya‌ʾmanu min makr Allah wa lā ya‌ʾisu min raḥmat Allāh ʿabduhu al-wāthiq bi-mawlā al-qādir al-qawī Abdul Rahman bin Muhammad al-Zahir Ba ʿAlawi, ‘The authentic sign / he who is not safe from God’s will but does not despair of God’s mercy, His servant, he who trusts in the Lord, the Able One, the Very Strong One, Abdurrahman, son of Muhammad al-Zahir Ba Alawi’ Source: BOA A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (24)

55  It is possible that rather than place names this should be interpreted as a mixture of Malay and Arabic, ‘the commanders of east and west’ (timur = Malay east, barat = Malay west).

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7.5 Emir of Mecca to the Grand Vizier about the Acehnese mission, 1873 Makâm-ı Celîl-i Sadâret-uzmâya Maʿrûz-ı dâʿî-i kemîneleridir ki, Sumatra cezîresinde vâkiʿ Aşi memâlikini hükümdâr ve kâffe-i ahâlî ve rüʾesâsı taht-ı himâye ve idâre-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye terk etmek emrinde müttefik olduklarından bir dirâyetkâr meʾmûr ve bir mikdâr-ı cüzʾî asker ile bir de bir vapur irsâli takdîrinde biʾs-suhûle matlûb hâsıl olacağına da‌ʾir akdemce vâkiʿ olan istidʿâlar üzerine keyfiyet makâm-ı celîl-i vekâlet-penâhîlerine arz ve işʿâr ve bu bâbda baʿzı mutâlaʿa-i mahsûsa-i mahremâneyi mütezammın fî 15 S sene [12]86 târihinde kapu kethüdâsı saʿâdetlü efendi hazretleri tarafına dahî bir kıtʿa tahrîrât tisyâr kılınmışidi binâberîn iki yüz kırk bir rakamı ve fî 15 Rebîʿülâhir sene [12]86 târihi ile müzeyyen şeref-vârid olan emirnâmei sâmîde tahrîrât-ı mezkûre münderecâtı karîn-i tasvîb buyurulduğu emr u beyân ve mutâlaʿa-i maʿrûza mûcebince efendi-i müşârunileyh cânibinden yazdırılan cevâbnâme meʾâline tevfîkan icrâ-yı iktizâsına teşebbüs olunması fermân buyurulmuş ve mezkûr cevâbnâme hülâsa-i muvaddâsı dahî belde-i mezkûre hâkim-i müşârunileyhin müstakillen taht-ı idâresinde olarak düveli ecnebiyenin birine nisbet ve taʿalluku bulunmadığının tahkîk olunmasına nazaran müstedʿiyyât-ı vâkıʿanın politikaya dokunur yeri yoğise de hiçbir gûne endişeye mahal kalmamak içün bu husûsda Bâb-ı âlîce tecâhül buyurularak hîn-i iktizâda âna göre idâre-i lisân ve maslahat olunmak üzere icrâ-yı iktizâsına buraca mübâderet olunması için tahrîrât-ı mebʿûse-i mezkûre ile taleb olunan meʾzûniyet-i hafiyyenin iʿtâ buyurulduğunu mübeyyin bulunmuş olduğundan ber mantûk-ı irâde-i aliyye icrâ-yı iktizâsı zımnında Mekke-i Mükerreme ahâlîsinden ve sıfat-ı mütemâyize ve cerbeze-i zâtiye ashâbından Zeynelabidin Efendi bu husûs için tamâm ehil ve erbâb olduğu cihetle ol vakit meʾmûr intihâb olunmuş ise de esbâb-ı seferiyesinin ikmâl ve ihrâcı netîcesine ömrü vefa etmeyerek irtihâl-i dâr-ı âhiret eylediğine ve sıfat-ı matlûbe ile diğerinin tedârikine tenvîr-i bâ-surre-i ihtimâm olunmuş ise de sâye-i kudretvâye-i cenâb-ı şehriyârîde geçenlerde netîce-yâb-ı hüsn-i hitâm olan Asîr meselesi gibi baʿzı gavâʾilin haylûletine mebnî öyle münâsib bir meʾmûr tedârik ve irsâline muvaffak olamamışdı hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin vekîl ve müdüri mülkî olup güzerân eden Hacc-ı şerîf esnâsında bu tarafa muvâsalet etmiş olan Seyyid Abdurrahman al-Zahir Efendiʾnin yine bu yolda müstedʿiyyâtı hâvî getürmüş olduğu evrâk manzûr-ı âlî-i sadâret-penâhîleri buyurulmak üzere tercümeleriyle maʿan ve matviyyen takdîm kılındı bunların meʾâl ve müʾeddâları dahî işʿârât-ı mesbûka ve şimdiye kadar olan tahkîkât-ı vâkıʿa ahkâmını müʾeyyed görünmesine ve ber minvâl-i muharrer gönderilmesi tasvîb buyurulan meʾmûrun irsâli hâlinde gerek hükümdâr ve gerek aʿyânı memnûnen ve müteşekkiren kavl ve telakkîye muntazır ve bu vâsıta ile maslahatın

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Figure 53 Emir of Mecca to the Grand Vizier about the Acehnese mission, 1873

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biʾs-suhûle husûlü ve ileride az himmetle pek çok menâfiʿin teyessiri zâhir bulunmasına nazaran gönderilmesi musammem olan meʾmûrun hemân irsâli tarafına gidilmesi devletlü paşa hazretleriyle ve bilâhare müşârunileyhin vekîlleri ve meʾmûrînden baʿzı zevâtla mûmâileyh Seyyid Abdurrahman Efendi hâzır olduğu hâlde cereyân eden müzâkere karârı iktizâsından bulunmuş ise de seyyid-i mûmâileyh bu yolda vukûʿ bulacak mesârifâtın tesviyesine taʿahhüd ile gönderilecek meʾmûrun beğlik vapurlarından birine irkâben irsâli ve şâyed bu sûret buraca mümkün olmaz ise yedine tahrîrât iʿtâsıyla kendisinin derbâr-ı seniyyeye irsâli istidʾâsında bulunması meʾmûriyeti îcâbından olduğunu dermeyân etmiş ve her ne kadar mesârifâtın tesviyesine müteʿahhid bulunmuş ise de istidʿâsı vechile beğlik vapur irsâli biʾl-istîzân istihsâl-i müsâʿade-i seniyyeye mütevakkıf olduğu cümle-i müzâkerâtdan bulunduğuna binâʾen sûreti ifâdenin şıkk-ı âhiri tercîh ve Dersaʿâdetʾe azîmeti tensîb olunarak efendi-i mûmâileyh bu kere ol cânib-i âlîye azîmet etmişdir evrâk-ı mütekaddime müʾeddâsıyla mûmâileyhin ifâde-i şifâhiyesinden muhât-ı ilm-i âlî-i efhamîleri buyurulacağı vechile belde-i mezkûrede bir milyondan mütecâviz mevcûd olan nüfûs-ı İslâmiye ötenden beru kâffe-i mehâfil ve mecâlis ibâdetlerini daʿvât-ı icâbet-âyât-ı hilâfet-penâhî ile tezyîn etmekde ve pîrâye-i elsine-i mefharetleri olan tabʿiyyetlerine alâmet-i aleniye olmak üzere mevâkiʿ-i resmiyeleriyle mâlik oldukları biʾl-cümle sefâyin-i Devlet-i Aliyye sancağı küşâd edegelmekde bulunmuş olduklarından ve zât-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhînin imâmüʾl-müslimîn olmalarından dolayı istidʿâsında bulundukları nazar-ı sahâbet-eser-i âlîden meʾyûs ve mahrûm bırakılmamaları şân-ı şevket-unvân-ı cenâb-ı pâdişâhîye şâyân olacağı müstağnîʿ-i aniʾl-beyân bulunmuş olmağla ber minvâl-i maʿrûz taleb olunan meʾmûrun vapur-ı mahsûs ile oradan veyâhud buradan irsâli ve teferruʿâtının icrâ-yı iktizâsı manût-ı reʾ-yi mehâm-ârâ-yı vekâlet-penâhîleri bulunmağın ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 11 Muharrem sene [1]290 Eʾd-Dâʿî To the office of the Grand Vizierate, The request of your supplicant is that, There formerly came petitions relating that, because its ruler, leaders, and residents were unanimously willing to leave the country of Aceh on the island of Sumatra to the administration of the Sublime State, [this] aspiration [would] easily be accomplished with the deployment of a clever official, a limited number of soldiers, and a steamboat. A report on the matter was written down and presented to your exalted Grand Vizierial Office [i.e. the Grand Vizierate]. [Furthermore, I] transmitted a document, dated 27 May 1869, containing some private confidential reflections on the issue to [our] agent [in

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Istanbul]. Upon this, a Grand Vizierial verdict (numbered 241 and dated 25 July 1869) was issued approving its content, and ordering the implementation of the requirements in accordance with the content of the answer dictated to the said [agent]. The summary of the answer was that the [approval] of the requests does not have any [adverse] implications for politics, as it has been found out that [Aceh] is independently under the administration of its ruler, and that it does not have any connection to a foreign country. Nevertheless, not to leave any room to concern, the Sublime Porte should pretend to be ignorant on this issue, use careful language, and [conduct] the affair accordingly. [From the answer it was also understood that] the confidential authorization that had been demanded with the letter to begin carrying out its requirements in this way had been approved. Therefore, Zeynelabidin Efendi, a resident of Honoured Mecca, who is a clever person and possesses distinguished attributes, was considered as the exactly right person at that time, and was appointed to the mission. However, his life-span was not enough to complete his preparation for the journey and fulfil the mission, as he died [soon afterwards]. Although it had been tried to arrange another person possessing the necessary attributes, due to the intervention of certain troubles such as the Asîr issue,56 (which has recently been concluded successfully by means of His Majesty’s imperial might) it was not possible to arrange and deploy an adequate official. Documents containing requests in the same line that were brought by Sayyid Abdurrahman al-Zahir Efendi (who is an agent and the councillor of the said ruler) when he arrived here during the honourable Hajj, are presented together with their translation in the enclosure for the information of the exalted Grand Vizierate. The messages and statements [of these documents] are in conformity with the findings of the investigation that had been carried out until now. It has been the requirement of the decisions that were taken during the deliberations with his Excellency the exalted Paşa [Governor of Hijaz?], and afterwards, his deputy and some other individual officials, in the presence of the abovementioned Sayyid Abdurrahman Efendi, to deploy the official whom it had previously been decided to be deployed immediately. For it is apparent that in this way, the arrangement of the affair will be facilitated, and in the future many benefits [will be achieved] with the least effort, since the ruler as well as the notables will be very happy and grateful, and are looking forward to meet him. However, Sayyid [Abdurrahman Efendi] suggested that the official to be deployed should be sent on a government steamboat, promising that he would match the expenses of the undertaking. He [also] explained that 56  Asir is on the modern Yemeni-Saudi border – frequently a bone of contention.

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it is a requirement of his mission to request to be sent to Istanbul to receive documents [from there] in case the [authorities] here cannot approve this. It has been a point of discussion during the deliberations that, although he stood surety for the expenses, the dispatch of a government steamboat in accordance with his request depends on the sovereign approval of the demand. Consequently, the second alternative of the suggestion has been preferred, and his departure to the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul] has been approved. The said efendi has now departed in that exalted direction. As your exalted ministerial wisdom will comprehend from the content of the presented documents and his verbal testimony, for a long time the more than one million-strong Muslim population of [Aceh] has been ornamenting their worship in every place and every congregation with prayers for the Caliph. And, as a public sign of their subject status which is an object of pride for them, they have been hanging the banner of the Sublime State in their public locations and on all the ships they possess. It goes without saying that, as the person of the exalted Caliph is the Leader of the Muslims it would be suitable to the glory of the exalted sovereign (whose title is imperial majesty) not to deprive them from their request which is his exalted protective glance. The deployment of the official with a personal ship as requested, and the implementation of the required details depends on the wide judgement of your Grand Vizierial opinion. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 11 March 1873 Servant Source: BOA A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (22)

Emir of Mecca to the Grand Vizier communicating the request of the Acehnese envoy, 1873 Makâm-ı Celîl-i Sadâret-i Uzmâʾya Maʿrûz-ı dâʿî-i kemîneleridir ki, Diğer arîza-i dâʿiyânemde istihmâ ve istidʿâları arz olunan Aşi memâliki hükümdârının vekîl ve müdebbirüʾl-meliki olup meʾmûren bu tarafa gelerek bu defʿa derbâr-ı seniyyeye azîmet etmiş olan Seyyid Abdurrahman al-Zahir Efendi tarafından baʿzı müstedʿiyyâtı mütezammın iʿtâ olunup matviyyen takdîm-i huzûr-ı vekâlet-penâhîleri kılınan varaka hülâsa-i meʾâlinde istiʿtâf olunan himâye ve idâre hakkında şâyân buyurulacak eltâf-ı şâmiletüʾl-eknâf-ı hazret-i cihân-dârîye ilâveten ve hâkim-i sâbık Alaaddin Mansur hakkında sezâ-vâr buyurulan iltifât-ı seniyye-i mesbûkiye tevfîkan hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyh Alaaddin Mahmudʾun bir rütbe-i refîʿa ve nişân ile taltîf ve vekîl ve müdebbirüʾl-meliki bulunduğu cihetle kendisiyle umerâ-yı mahalliyeden Sırrı İmam Müedda ve Sırrı Sita İlmen ve Sırrı Müedda Firka nâm üç 7.6

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Figure 54 Emir of Mecca to the Grand Vizier communicating the request of the Acehnese envoy, 1873

zâtın ve bir de cezîre-i mezkûre muzâfâtından Timur ve Barat cihetlerinde ka‌ʾin baʿzı umerânın dahî rütbe-i münâsibe ile tatyîb ve teʾlîf olunmaları ve asker-i mevcûde-i mahalliyenin usûl ve harekât-ı askeriyelerini taʿlîm etmek üzere irsâli istidʿâsında bulundukları meʾmûr ile berâber baʿzı âlât ve edevât ve taʿlîmci gönderilmesi niyâz ve istidʿâ kılınmış olmakla îfâ-yı muktezâsı bâbında ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 12 Muharrem sene [1]290 Eʾd-Dâʿî To the illustrious office of the Grand Vizierate The request of your most humble servant is that, In addition to the all-encompassing sovereign favour that will emanate in response to the request for protection and administration of Sayyid Abdurrahman al-Zahir Efendi, who came to these quarters with an official mission and has arrived at the imperial court now as an agent and Councillor of the ruler of the countries of Aceh, (whose requests were submitted in my other petition), as expressed in the summary of the document containing some

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requests, submitted [by Abdurrahman al-Zahir] and presented in enclosure to Your Grand Vizierial Highness, it has been requested to honour the ruler Alauddin Mahmud with an illustrious rank in line with the earlier exalted honour accorded to the preceding ruler Alauddin Mansur. [Likewise, it has been requested to] gratify [the following] with appropriate ranks: himself [Sayyid Abdurrahman al-Zahir Efendi], as the Councillor of the ruler; three persons called Seri Imam, Seri Setia Ulama and Seri Muda Perkasa, who are local notables; and some other notables who reside in the East and the West, which are appendages of the mentioned island. [Moreover] the dispatch of some tools, equipment, and instructors [have also been requested], in addition to the official that they had requested for instructing the existing local soldiers in the study of military methods and drill. In this and in all other matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 12 March 1873 Servant Source: BOA A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (26)

7.7 Deputy of the governor of Hijaz to the Grand Vizier Huzûr-ı Merâhim-Mevfûr-ı Âlî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Sumatra cezîresinde vâkiʿ Aşi memâlikinde taht-ı himâye ve idâre-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye terk etmek emrinde hükümdârlar ile berâber kâffe-i rüʾesâ ve ahâlî-i mahalliye müttefik ve müttahid olanlarından bahisle cânib-i saltanat-ı seniyyeden bir meʾmûrun vapur-ı mahsûsa irkâben ve mikdâr-ı cüzʾî-i asâkir-i şâhâne tefrîkan irsâl buyurulduğu takdîrde biʾs-suhûle maksûdları hâsıl ve merâmlarına nâʾil olacaklarına dâʾir sıbkat eden istidʿâları üzerine mukaddemâ Mekke-i Mükerreme emâret-i celîlesi cânibinden tastîr ve takdîm kılınan muharrerâta cevâben şeref-sâdır olan emirnâme-i sâmîde hükûmet-i mezkûre hâkim-i müşârunileyhin idâre-i müstakillesi altında olup müdâhelât-ı ecnebiyeden sâlim ise de hiçbir gûne endîşe ve iʿtirâza mahal kalmamak için bu husûsda Bâb-ı âlîce tecâhil buyurularak hîn-i iktizâda âna göre idâre-i lisân ve maslahat olunmak üzere icrâ-yı iktizâsına buraca mübâderet olunması zımnında meʾzûniyet-i hafiyye iʿtâ buyurulmuş ve müteʿâkiben baʿzı esbâb-ı mâniʿa haylûletiyle şimdiye kadar bir şey yapılamayarak alâ hâl kalmış iken bu kere hâkim-i müşârunileyh cânibinden gönderilmiş olan Seyyid Abdurrahman al-Zahir Efendiʾnin biʾl-vürûd emâret-i celîle-i müşârunileyhâya verdiği gibi hükûmet-i mahalliyeye dahî iʿtâ eylemiş olduğu evrâk tercümeleriyle leffen takdîm kılınmış olduğuna binâʾen mutâlaʿasından âlî-i cenâb-ı sadâretpenâhîleri buyurulacağı vechile hükûmet-i mezkûre hükümdârıyla kibâr ve sığâr umûm ahâlîsi öteden beru zîr-i cenâh-ı müstelzimüʾl-felâh-ı saltanat-ı

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Figure 55 Deputy of the governor of Hijaz to the Grand Vizier

seniyyeye dehâlet şerefine nâʾiliyet arzusunda bulunarak ve şu merâmlarının kabûl ve tervîci için şimdiye kadar biʾd-defâʿat böyle mahsûs adamlar göndererek sûret-i istidʿâ-yı istirhâmda bulunmuş olmalarından nâşî ol-bâbda teşebbüsât-ı lâzime ve tedâbir-i mukteziyyenin müzâkeresiçin emâret-i celîlei müşârunileyhâ dâʾire-i aliyyesinde daha sâʾir îcâb edenler ile birleşerek ve efendi-i mûmâileyh dahî celb edilerek keyfiyet biʾl-etrâf teʾemmül ve mutâlaʿa ve ber minvâl-i muharrer taht-ı meʾzûniyetde bulunan meʾmûrun intihâbıyla iʿzâmı sûreti tasavvur ve müzâkere olunduğu sırada gönderilecek meʾmûrun beğlik vapurların birine irkâben iʿzâmı ve şâyed bu sûret şuraca mümkün olamaz ise meʾmûriyeti îcâbınca kendisi biʾz-zât Dersaʿâdetʾe azîmet etmek üzere yedine bir kıtʿa tahrîrât iʿtâsın efendi-i mûmâileyh beyân ve tezkâr etmiş olup halbûki vapur irsâli biʾl-istîzân istihsâl-i irâde-i seniyyeye mütevakkıf

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mevâddan bulunmuş olduğundan bu hâlde efendi-i mûmâileyhin derbâr-ı şevket-karâra azîmetiyle gerek vapur mâddesinin ve gerek bu husûsa dâʾir baʿzı maʿlûmâtın şifâhen pîşgâh-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı sadâret-penâhîlerine arz ve beyân eylemesi muvâfık-ı hâl ve maslahat görülerek ol vechile azîmete cümleten muvâfakat gösterilmiş ve keyfiyet ayrıca emâret-i celîle-i müşârunileyhâ cânib-i âlîsinden dahî arz ve inhâ buyurulmuş olduğuna ve efendi-i mûmâileyhin tervîc-i mütâlebesiyle bir hayli ahâlî-i müslimenin husûl-ı mesrûriyetleri şân-ı merâhim-nişân-ı âlî iktizâsından bulunduğuna binâʾen bu bâbda her ne vechile emr u irâde-i aliyye-i hiddivv-i efhâmîleri şeref-müteʿallik buyurulur ise icrâ-yı îcâbı mücerred emr u fermân-ı ilhâm-beyân-ı hazret-i vekâletpenâhîlerine manût bulunmağın ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 12 Muharremiʾl-harâm sene [1]290 ve fî 28 Şubat sene [12]88 Bende-i vekîl-i vâlî-i ve defterdâr-ı vülât-ı Hicaz Mustafa Salim To the noble presence of His Grand Vizierial Highness The request of your most humble servant is that, The ruler of Aceh, situated on the island of Sumatra, together with all its leaders, are unified in leaving its administration to the Imperial Sultanate and placing [Aceh] under its suzerainty. They suggested that their object would easily be accomplished, and they would attain their aspiration, if the Imperial Sultanate will deploy a special official by sending him there on a steamboat together with a small number of imperial soldiers. In the Grand Vizierial order that emanated in response to the previous letters of the Emirate of the Honoured Mecca in relation to these [Acehnese] requests, a secret authorisation was given to [the authorities in Mecca] to carry out the requirements. Although the said government is under the independent rule of the said ruler and secure from foreign intervention, the Sublime Porte should pretend to be ignorant [of this], and, when required, speak and behave accordingly to avoid the least anxiety and objection. Following this, due to the intervention of some obstacles, nothing could be done to date. While the issue remained in this state, Sayyid Abdurrahman al-Zahir Efendi, who had been sent by the mentioned ruler, came and presented documents to the provincial government as well as to the illustrious Emirate [of Mecca]. These documents are enclosed with their translations, and from their study it will be understood by the illustrious Grand Vizierate that the government [of Aceh], together with its entire people of high and low rank, are willing to attain the honour of entering the protection of the Imperial Sultanate, which necessitates prosperity. As they have appealed and requested the acceptance of their aspirations up

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until now on several occasions by sending several special envoys, the necessary initiatives and actions relating to the matter [have been] deliberated upon extensively in meetings at the office of the exalted Emirate [of Mecca] with the other relevant individuals, as well as by summoning the said efendi. As recorded, while reflecting and deliberating on the appointment and the way of deployment of the authorised official, the said efendi suggested that the official should be sent on a state steamboat. If this could not be agreed by [the authorities] here, he requested a document to travel to the Abode of Felicity, as required by his mission. However, it is thought that the dispatch of a steamboat requires an exalted sovereign command, and, as a result, his departure to the imperial court to present the steamboat issue, as well as other relevant information, verbally in front of the exalted presence of Your Grand Vizierial Highness, has been deemed appropriate. For that reason everybody has given their consent to his departure and the matter has also been communicated [with you] by the Emirate of the honourable [Mecca]. As delighting numerous Muslim people by approving the demands of the efendi is the requisite of the Grand Vizier’s compassionate, illustrious reputation, the conclusion of this issue depends on whatever your Grand Vizierial will is, and its implementation depends exclusively on your [Grand Vizierial] command. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 12 March 1873 The servant, the Deputy of the Governor, and Provincial Treasurer of Hijaz. Mustafa Salim Source: BOA A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (27)

Acehnese envoy to the Grand Vizierate announcing the recent state of his country, 1873 Makâm-ı Celîl-i Hazret-i Vekâlet-Penâhîʾye Memleketimiz Açin hükûmeti tarafından bu kere aldığım telgrafnâmede Flemenkliler Sumatra adasını ve bâ-husûs Açin şehrini bahren muhâsara altına almışlar ise de ahâlî-i Sumatra gayret ve sebâtda zerre kadar kusûr etmemekde oldukları muharrer bulunmuşdur mukaddemce defâʿatle arz ve istirhâm kılındığı vechile taraf-ı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden tabʿiyyet ve merbûtiyet-i kadîmemizin biʾt-tecdîd sulha tavassut buyurulmasıyla berâber Kaşgar vesâʾireye inâyet ve ihsân buyurulduğu misillü tecdîd-i fermân-ı âlî ve hükümdârımıza nişân-ı âlî-i Osmânî inâyet ve ihsân buyurulduğu hâlde oralarda bulunan bunca milyon ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin kuvvet-i kalbiye ve şecâʿat-i dîniyeleri birkaç kat olacağı muhakkak ve derkâr bulunmuş olmağla lütfen ve inâyeten ve bunca müslimîne merhamet ve şefkatle ber-vech-i muharrer nazar-ı şefkat ve merhamet-i 7.8

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Figure 56 Acehnese envoy to the Grand Vizierate announcing the recent state of his country, 1873

hilâfet-penâhînin Açin hükümdârı ve ahâlîsi haklarında şâyân ve bî-diriğ buyurulup şu istidʿâ-yı âcizâneme müsâʿade-i seniyye-i hazret-i şehin-şâhînin istihsâline himem-i aliyye-i sadâret-penâhîlerinin sezâ-vâr buyurulmasını istirhâm ederim ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 3 Cemâziyelûlâ sene [1]290 El-Mahsûb Vezîr-i Şâh-ı Açe [Mühür #1719] Maharaja Mudabbir al-Mulk Aceh 1287 To the illustrious office of the Grand Vizierate According to the telegram that I have received on this occasion from the government of our land of Aceh, although the Dutch have besieged the island of Sumatra and especially the town of Aceh from the sea, the people of Sumatra do not falter in the slightest in their endeavours and determination. It is certain and apparent that the strength of heart and religious courage of the millions of Muslim people located there will be reinforced if: the Sublime State mediates for peace by renewing our ancient connection and suzerainty (as it

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has been presented and requested a number of times before); and an illustrious Ottoman mark of favour is granted by renewing the imperial firman as has been done to Kashgar and elsewhere. [Please show] compassion and mercy for so many Muslims, and as a favour of kindness do not deprive the ruler of Aceh and its people from the compassionate and merciful glance of the Caliph, as has been written before. [Therefore] I plead that it will be deemed worthy of your exalted Grand Vizierial help to procure the exalted approval of His Majesty the King of Kings of my humble request. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 29 June 1873 Your obedient servant the Vizier of the Shah of Aceh [Seal #1719] The Maharaja, Governor of the State of Aceh, 1287 (1870/1) Source: BOA A.MKT.MHM. 457/55 (30)

Grand Vizier to the sultan informing him about the Aceh issue and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Nazargâh-ı irfân-penâh-ı hazret-i şehinşâhîye arz ve beyâna hâcet olmadığı vechile Hindistanʾın cânib-i cenûbîsinde mevcûd ve küre-i arzın en münbit ve cesîm cezâyirinden maʿdûde bulunup mineʾl-kadîm Sumatra denilen cezîre-i vâsıʿa ahâlîsi fiʾl-asl iki kısma münkasım olarak birisi ibtidâları İngilizlülere ve âhiren İngiltere ve Flemenk devletleri beyninde yapılan muʿâhede hükmünce Flemenklilere tâbiʿ olmuş oldukları hâlde bunlardan cezîre-i merkûmenin Açe taʿbîr kılınan kıtʿa-i garbiyesinde kalan ve öbürlerine nisbetle mâʾil ve na‌ʾil-i medeniyet ve üç milyondan mütecâviz nüfûsdan ibâret bulunan fırka-i sâniye ol esere ittibâʿ etmeyerek başkaca bir hükûmet-i İslâmiye teşkîl birle ayrıca kalmış ve Flemenkliler ise kısm-ı evvelin kendilerine tâbiʿiyyetlerinden biʾl-istifâde adanın her köşesini zabt ve istilâya kalkışıp anlara râm olmayan tâʾife dahî kemâkân mukâvemet ve mukâbelede devâm ile bir aralık üzerlerine gelen Flemenk askerini de bozup dağıtmış olmalarından dolayı Flemenk devletinin efkârı bunların aleyhine bütün bütün alevlenerek ve maslahat büsbütün mesele-i nâmusiyeye intikâl etdirilerek devlet-i müşârunileyhâ iʿlân-ı harbe karâr vermiş olmağla Açe hâkimi geçende erkân-ı hükûmetinden Abdurrahman Efendi ile atabe-i ulyâya li-ecliʾt-takdîm bir arîza göndererek meʾâlinde kendisinin ve Açe ahâlîsinin cümleten makâm-ı muʿallâ-yı hilâfeti kübrâya mensûbiyet ve mutâvaʿat-ı kadîmelerinden ve bunun nişâne-i mefhareti olmak için elhâletü hâzihî berren ve bahren livâ-yı saʿâdet-i iltivâ-yı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾyi pirâye-i sütûde-i mübâhât idegeldiklerinden bahs ve hikâyât ve ez ser nev teʾkîd-i râbıta-i ubûdiyet ve tâbiʿiyyet ile sehâbet-i aliyyeye ilticâ 7.9

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Figure 57 Grand Vizier to the sultan informing him about the Aceh issue and the sultan’s response as expressed by his chief secretary

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ve efendi-i mûmâileyh dahî o yolda bast-ı niyâz ve ricâ eylemiş olduğundan iktizâ-yı keyfiyet mecâlis-i münʿakid-i vükelâda biʾd-defâʿat vazʿ-ı mevkîʿ-i müzâkere ve meşveret olundu mezkûr Açelüler cennet-mekân Sultan Selim Han-ı Evvel Hazretleriʾnin ifâsa-i cezîretüʾl-Arabʾda ser nümâ-yı sâha-i zuhûr olan fütûhâtı âvanda himâye-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye girmiş ve sonraları dahî Açe hükümdâr-ı sabık Mansur Şah tarafından Muhammed Gavs nâmında biri nâme-i mahsûs ile Dersaʿâdetʾe gönderilip mensûbiyet-i dîrîneleri tahkîm ve tekrâr olunmasıyla isʿaf-ı mesʾûlünü hâvî ol vakit bir kıtʿa fermân-ı âlî ısdâr ve tisyâr edilmiş ve şimdiki ihtimâ ve istihmâ dahî şu vukûʿat ve müsâʿadâta müstenid olarak Âsitân-ı merâhim-i pasbân-i hazret-i şehriyârîden dâd-ı hâh olanların âtıfet-i aliyye-i zillullâhîye nâʾiliyeti ise lâzimeden bulunmuş olduğuna mebnî müstedʿiyyât-ı maʿrûza-i mebhûsun anhânın telakkîsi arzu olunur ise de Açe kıtʿasının memâlik-i mülûkâneye gâyetüʾl-gâye buʿdiyet mesâfesi evvel ve âhar burası ile vesâʾil-i murâvedât ve münâsebâtı mâniʿ ve binâberîn istenilen muʿâvenet-i fiʿliyenin icrâsı sekl ve mümtenîʿ idüğinden ve şu tuʿassire karşı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin işi doğrudan doğruya kendi uhdesine alması bilâhare envâʿ-ı müşkilât ve mahâziri dâʿî olacağı misillü Açe hükûmet ve sekenesi ber-vech-i muharrer hâk-i pây-ı maʿâliyâ-yı cenâb-ı cihânbânîye refʿ-i eydî-i tazarruʿ ve rakâbet edip durur ve mukaddemâ ol vechile bir fermân-ı âlî verilmiş bulunur iken saltanat-ı seniyyenin kendilerini red ve teʾyîs etmesi dahî şân-ı celîlüʾl-unvân-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye tevâfuk edemeyeceğinden hem fermân-ı mârrüʾl-beyânın ahkâmı mahfûz tutulmuş ve hem de Flemenklilerle bir mesʾele çıkarılmamış olmak üzere devlet-i müşârunileyhâya sûret-i dostânede baʿzı ihtârât icrâ olunması müttahiden tezekkür ve tasvîb olunarak müzâkerât-ı mebsûte üzerine kaleme alınan takrîr müsveddesi leffen takdîm kılınmış ise de ol-bâbda ve mezkûr müsveddenin medlûl ve ibâresi hakkında emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn isâbet-nümûn-ı cenâb-ı pâdişâhî her ne vechile müteʿallik ve şeref sudûr buyurulur ise mantûk-ı münîfi infâz edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim Fî 9 Receb sene [1]290 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Resîde-i enâmil-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i vekâlet-penâhîleriyle melfûf takrîr müsveddesi meşmûl-ı nigâh-ı dekâyik-i iktinâh-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî buyurulmuş ve müsvedde-i merkûmenin medlûl ve ibâresi yolunda görünmesiyle sûret-i maʿrûzanın ber-vech-i istîzân icrâ-yı îcâbı müteʿallik ve şeref-sünûh buyurulan emr u fermân isâbet beyân-ı hilâfet-penâhî mantûk-ı celîlinden olup zikr olunan müsvedde yine savb-ı atabe-i âsafânelerine iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir Fî 10 Receb sene [1]290

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[Grand Vizier’s note] My Kind and exalted lord As it is unnecessary to present and explain for the information of the exalted sultan, who is the abode of knowledge, the great island that has been called Sumatra since the ancient times is located to the south of India and is counted among the greatest and most fertile islands of the globe. Its inhabitants had originally been divided into two. While one [part of the people] had been subject initially to the British, subsequently passing to the Dutch in accordance with an agreement between British and Dutch states, the second part, which consists of more than three million people and who are more civilized when compared to the others, located in Aceh in the western part of the said island, did not follow the others, but remained separate by forming an Islamic government. Taking advantage of the submission of the first group, the Dutch attempted to occupy and control the entire island. The faction that did not yield to them continued to resist and respond [to the Dutch] as they did previously, and routed the Dutch soldiers once. Because of this, the sentiments of the Dutch state became more and more intense against them, and the matter was transformed into a matter of honour, and therefore they decided to declare war. [Consequently] the ruler of Aceh recently sent a petition to be submitted to the exalted threshold with Abdurrahman Efendi, who is from among the great men of his government. In the purport [of the letter] he speaks about his own and all his people’s ancient attachment and submission to the post of the illustrious Great Caliphate, and [relates] that as a sign of pride of this [submission] they are currently flying the praiseworthy adorned banner of the Sublime State, in whose folds prosperity is enclosed, at sea and on land. [He expresses his desire] to reiterate their connection of obedience and submission, and to seek asylum with the exalted protection [of the Ottoman sultan]. As [Abdurrahman Efendi] has also requested and expressed his plea in the same manner, the issue has been taken up, a number of times, for deliberation at various ministerial councils. The Acehnese entered the protection of the Imperial Sultanate in the course of the conquests of the late Sultan Selim I Khan that took place on the Arabian Peninsula. Later on, Mansur Shah, the former ruler of Aceh, sent someone called Muhammad Ghauth with a special letter to the Abode of Felicity, and reiterated and strengthened their ancient connection. Upon this, an imperial order granting the requests was sent. The current [Ottoman] protection [of Aceh] is based on these events. It has been considered that those who apply to the sublime favour of the Shadow of God are entitled to attain assistance from the ever-vigilant mercy of His Imperial Majesty. Therefore, it is desirable to consider the requests in question. However, the very great distance of the country of Aceh from the Imperial

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Domains constitutes the first and utmost obstacle for communications and [establishing] relations with that place, and therefore, it is impossible to provide practical help to those parts. If the Imperial Sultanate itself undertakes this issue, various problems and obstacles will result because of this difficulty. On the other hand, the Acehnese government and its residents will continue, as written [before], to raise their pleading hands to the dust under the feet of the sovereign world-builder [i.e. the Ottoman sultan]. Consequently, it will not befit the reputation of His Majesty the Caliph if the Imperial Sultanate were to refuse and upset them having previously given such an imperial command. [As a result] it has unanimously been decided to make some friendly warnings to the said state [The Netherlands] in order to maintain the ordinances of the abovementioned imperial order, and to avoid causing a problem with the Dutch. The note that has been drafted based on the extensive deliberations, is presented as an attachment. However, my lord, this note is presented with the understanding that on this issue, and on the meaning and wording of the draft, the exact meaning of the relevant imperial judicious order that emanates from the sultanic presence will be implemented whatever it entails. 9 Rajab 1290 [2 September 1873] [Sultan’s secretary’s response] The request of your most humble servant is that: This Grand Vizierial note, from the most revered fingertips, and the enclosed draft note have been brought to and investigated thoroughly the great wisdom of the sultanic presence. The wise judgement of the imperial order of the Caliph in his lofty declaration is that the meaning and wording of the said draft has been deemed appropriate, and that the said requests be implemented. The said draft has been returned to your Grand Vizierial threshold. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 10 Rajab 1290 [3 September 1873]. Source: BOA İ.HR. 260/15586 (2)

The note of the Porte to the Dutch embassy in Istanbul offering mediation of Aceh war Flemenk Sefâretine Verilecek Takrîrin Müsveddesidir Vaktâ ki Cennet-mekân Sultân Selim Han Hazretleri livâ-yı Nusret-iltivâ-yı Osmânîʾyi ifâsa-i cezîretüʾl-Arabiyyeʾye îsal ile cezîre-i mezbûreyi feth u teshîr buyurup galkala-i muzafferiyetleri tâ Sumatra adasına dek aks-endâz oldukda Açelüler derbâr-ı şevket-karâra mebʿûsât taʿyîn ve iʿzam ile makâm-ı hilâfet-i kübrâya arz-ı bîʿat ve Kapudân-ı Deryâ Sinan Paşa‌ʾya îfâ-yı lâzime-i tâbiʿiyyetle biʾl-cümle sefâʾin ve mersâlarında Osmanlı sancağı rekz-i evtâd ve kendilerini Hüdâvendigâr-ı müşârunileyhin zîr-i destânı tanıyıp buna 7.10

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Figure 58 The note of the Porte to the Dutch embassy in Istanbul offering mediation of Aceh war

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Figure 59 The note of the Porte to the Dutch embassy in Istanbul offering mediation of Aceh war

mukâbil müşârunileyhin sehâbet-i müʾessiresinden istimdâd eylemişler idi hâkân-ı müşârunileyh hazretleri Açelülerin mesʾûlâtını isʿâf ve fermân-ı cihân-mutâʿları mûcebince Vezir Sinan Paşa Açe sultânına birkaç top ve kılıç ithâf etmişdir ki bunlar el-yevm orada mevcûddur tarih-i mezbûrdan beru burasıyla Sumatra adasının mâbeynini fâsıl olan mesâfe-i azîme ve vesâʾit-i ihtilâtca derkâr olan müşkilât-ı cesîme Açe hükûmeti ile münâsebât-ı muntazamanın devâm-ı cereyânına mâniʿ ve hâciz olduğu hâlde bundan yirmi sene evvel Açe Sultânı Mansur Şah tecdîd-i münâsebâta ihtimâm ve bu bâbda teʾyîd-i meʾâsir-i sıdk ve inkıyâdı mütezammın bir kıtʿa nâmeyi hâmilen Molla Muhammed Gavs nâm murahhasını derbâr-ı şevket-medâra iʿzâm etmişidi şâh-ı müşârunileyh Devlet-i Aliyye ile Açe hükûmeti beyninde mineʾl-kadîm teʾsîs etmiş olan münâsebâta istinâden kendisinin zîr-i hükmünde bulunan memleketin eyâlet-i mümtâze sıfatıyla memâlik-i şâhâneye iltihâkını istidʿâ etmiş ve kendisi dahî ecdâdının eserine biʾl-iktifâ Devlet-i Aliyyeʾyi ol hutbenin

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Figure 60 The note of the Porte to the Dutch embassy in Istanbul offering mediation of Aceh war

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matbûʿı ve kendisini makâm-ı hilâfet-i İslâmiyeʾnin fermân-ı berrî tanımış ve Açe sultânının işbu mesʾûlü ol vakit isʿâf ve kabûl ile ol-bâbda bir kıtʿa fermân-ı âlî ihsân buyurulmuş idi bugünkü gün Flemenk devleti Açelülere bâb-ı muhâsamâtı açmak üzere olduğu cihetle Açe hükümdârına Sultân Mahmud tarafından bir meʾmûr-ı mahsûs gelerek Açe ahâlîsi ile hükümdârı nâmına olarak tecdîd-i merâsim-i sıdk u ubûdiyet ve tâbiʿiyyet-i kadîmelerini dermeyân ile haklarında vesâtatımızı iltimâsa mübâderet etmişlerdir Açe sultânının vezîri Abdurrahman Efendiʾnin derbâr-ı şevket-karâra takdîm olunmak üzere hâmil olduğu nâmenin hülâsası bu mahalle derc olunur Hülâsânâme Anane-i devât-ı sikât delâletiyle resîde-i mertebe-i tahkîk olduğu üzere mutasarrıf olduğumuz maʿlûmüʾl-hudûd Açe memleketi mineʾl-kadîm ecdâdımızın taht-ı tasarrufunda olup müşârunileyhim pederden evlâda müntakil olmak üzere istiklâl-i tâm ile câlis-i mesned-i hükümrânî olmuşlardır baʿde zamân Sultân Selim Han Hazretleriʾnin himâyetlerini istidʿâya mecbûr olduklarından ol târihden beru dâʾire-i tâbiʿiyyet-i vezîr-i sâye-i saltanat-ı seniyyeden bir an münfek olmamışızdır zât-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî sultân-ı selâtîni İslâmiyân ve pîş-vâ-yı kâffe-i ehl-i îmân ve halîfe-i cihân oldukları ecilden Hak celle ve alâ hazretlerinden sonra merciʿ-i penâhimiz ve melceʾ-i ümidgâhımız ve maksad-ı daʿvât-ı hayriyyemiz odur zât-ı şevket-simât-ı mülûkâneleri dînpenâh ve müʾeyyed-min tarafiʾllâhi çâr cihet rubʿ-ı meskûnda muhyîʾ-i şerʿ-i kavîm-i Ahmedî ve müceddid-i bünyân-ı dîn-i Muhammedî oldukları ecilden saltanat-ı seniyyelerine olan kemâl-i intisâb ve musâdakatimize evâmir-i aliyyesine her vakitde gösterdiğimiz inkıyâd ve mutâvaʿatımız ve mâhçe-i Osmânî ile müzeyyen olan ra‌ʾyet-i zafer gâyeti berr u bahirde hâris ve hâmî ittihâz etmiş olmaklığımız delîl-i kâfî ise de memâlik-i şâhâne ile Açe memleketi cânibeynini fasl iden mesâfe-i baʿîde ve tarafeyn beyninde muhâberât ve ihtilâtca derkâr olan müşkilât-ı adîde sebebiyle mütma‌ʾinnüʾl-bâl olmadığımızdan tâbiʿ ve matbûʿ cümlemiz biʾl-ittihâd taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeye Dâhiliye Nâzırı Abdurrahman Efendiʾyi irsâle karar verdik müʾeyyeden silk-i tâbiʿiyyet-i şâhânelerine münselik olmak ve zât-ı hümâyûn-ı mülûkâneleri cümlemizin velîsi ve memleketimizin keyfe mâ yeşâ mâlik ve mutasarrıf-ı hakîkîsi olmaları ve bizi idâre etmek üzere bu tarafa taʿyîn ve iʿzâm buyurulacak zâtın irâdâtına tevfîkan hareket edeceğimiz mukarrer olduğunun arz ve teblîği meʾmûriyeti nâzır-ı müşârunileyhe tevdîʿ edilmiş ve nâmımıza hareket etmek üzere kendisine ruhsat-ı kâmile verilmiş ve hukûk ve menâfiʿimizin idâresi uhde-i ruʾyetine ihâle ve tefvîz kılınmış olduğundan müşârunileyhe her vechile izhâr-ı vüsûk ve iʿtimâd buyurulabileceği derkâr bulunmuşdur âmâl u temenniyâtımızda hâyin olmayacağımızı ve daʿvâmızı yed-müʾeyyed-i şahânelerine almakla berâber

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bizlerin ilâ mâşallâh tebʿa-i sâdıka-i şâhâneleri adâd-ı felâh muʿtâdından add ve simar buyurulacağımızı kaviyyen meʾmûl ederiz Hâlât-ı meşrûhanın ol vakit resmen Flemenk devletinin mevkiʿ-i ıtlâʿına îsâl ve iblâğına lüzûm ve îcâb görünmemişidi vukûʿ-ı hâl ise bu merkezde olup hattâ bu kere şâh-ı müşârunileyh hazretlerinin bir kıtʿa nâmeyi hâmil olarak Dersaʿâdetʾe gelmiş olan meʾmûru vesâtatıyla vukûʿ bulan teşebbüsâtı ile dahî yeniden ve daha ziyade bir sûret-i resmiye ve aleniyede teʾyîd ve tasdîk olunmuşdur ancak Devlet-i Aliyye ile Flemenk devleti beyninde aʿsâr-ı adîdeden beru mevcûd olan hubb u müvâlâta ve devlet-i matbûʿaları gibi bir dost ve müttefik devlet ile teʾkîd-i münâsebât-ı vüdâdiye emelinde bulunduğumuza Flemenk devleti Açe aleyhinde iʿlân-ı harbi münâsib gördüğü bir vakitde şerh ü îzâha muhtâc olmadığımız baʿzı efkâr ve mutâlaʿat-ı nâzikeye mebnî arz-ı vesâtat etmemek lâzimeden addedilmiş ve Flemenk devleti tarafından arzu olunmadıkça tarafımızdan teklîf-ı tavassut olunması münâsib görülmemişdir matbûʿ-ı mufahhamımız zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i pâdişâhînin emîrüʾl-müʾminîn ve hâlîfe-i rûy-ı zemîn oldukları sıfat ve haysiyetle Açelüler üzerine cârî olunabilecek nüfûz-ı maʿnevîleri ve Açelülerin dahî vesâyâ ve ihtârâtımızı kemâl-i iʿtikâd ve iʿtimâd ile ısgâ edecekleri derkâr bulmuş tederrukât-ı harbiye olunmakla berâber sulh u selâmet imâre ve istiʿdâdları rû-nümâ olan bir zamânda teʾlîf ve ıslâh-ı zâtüʾl-beyn yolunda icrâ-yı vesâtatımız netâyic-i haseneyi müntebih olacağını bize tahmîn ve kıyâs etdirir her hâlde Flemenk devleti ile Açe hükûmeti beyninde yeniden tevlîd-ı hüsn-ı vifâka muʿâvenet etmiş olduğumuzdan dolayı bahtiyâr olur idik işbu teşebbüsümüzün mâhiyeti hakkında Flemenk devletinin yanlış efkâra zâhib olmayacağını ve devlet-i müşârunileyhânın hükûmet-i müstakille sıfatıyla muhâfaza-i nâmus-ı askerîsi bâbında muktezî göreceği tedâbiri ittihâz ve icrâda hâkim-i müstakil olduğunu inkâr etmek tasavvurunda katʿâ olmadığımız maʿlûmu olmakla berâber âsâr-ı kadîme-i münâsebâtdan bizce hâsıl olmuş olan hal ve mevkîʿi dahî tefehhüm edeceği derkârdır binâberîn devlet-i müşârunileyhânın fütüvvet ve mülâyemetine mürâcaʿat için bu günkü günde ahvâl-i mezkûreyi der-meyân etmekliğimiz bir sûret-i fâʾikada mevsûf ve mütehallî olduğu efkâr-ı insâniyetkârî ve medeniyet perverîsine mukâbele-i biʾl-misl ile muʿâmeleye muktedir olduğumuzu gösterebilir. This is the draft of the note to be given to the Dutch Embassy [in Istanbul] When the late Sultan Selim Khan conquered the Arabian Peninsula by sending the Ottoman flag (in the folds of which victory is enclosed) there, the clamour of his victory echoed as far as the island of Sumatra. Upon this, the Acehnese appointed and sent messengers to the abode of imperial majesty [Ottoman court] and presented their allegiance to the office the Great

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Caliphate and carried out the requirements of vassaldom to the Captain of the Navy, Sinan Paşa, and hoisted the Ottoman banner on their ships and in their ports, and, acknowledging themselves [to be at] the famous foot of the said Sovereign, in return they asked for help from his powerful patronage. His Majesty the said High Ruler approved the Acehnese requests, and in accordance with his order (obeyed by the whole world), Vizier Sinan Paşa gave to the Sultan of Aceh a few cannons and swords, which remain there today. Since that time, due to the great difficulty arising from the huge distance that separates us from Sumatra, and the evident disorder of the means of transportation, it became impossible to maintain regular relations with the Acehnese government. Twenty years ago, Mansur Shah, the Sultan of Aceh, carefully renewed the relations by dispatching his envoy named Mullah Muhammad Ghauth, to the abode of imperial majesty [Ottoman court], with a letter reiterating his fidelity and submission. The abovementioned Shah, basing himself upon the relations that were established in ancient times between the Sublime State and the Acehnese government, requested the inclusion of the countries under his rule into the sovereign [Ottoman] dominions as an autonomous province. Following the example of his ancestors, he recognized the Sublime State as the one to be mentioned in the Friday sermon, and himself as the executor of the commands of the Caliphate of Islam. These requests of the Sultan of Aceh were approved at that time, and an exalted imperial order was issued in that direction. As the Dutch state is about to open the door of hostility to the Acehnese, a special official came from the Acehnese ruler Sultan Mahmud and, on behalf of the people and the ruler of Aceh, renewed the ceremonies of obedience and devotion, offered their ancient vassaldom and requested our mediation on their behalf. The summary of the letter that was carried by Abdurrahman Efendi, to be presented to the Abode of Prosperity [Ottoman government] is included below: Summary; The country of Aceh (which has established borders verified by trustworthy traditions of dependable people), which we possess, has been the possession of our ancestors since ancient times and passed completely independently from father to son sitting on the throne of sovereignty. After a while, we were obliged to seek the protection of His Majesty Sultan Selim Khan, and since then we have not been detached, even for a moment, from the suzerainty and allegiance to the Imperial Sultanate. Because the person of His Majesty the Caliph is the Sultan of Sultans of the Muslims, the leader of all believers, and the Caliph of the World, he is the one to whom our matters can be referred, and he is the object of our auspicious endeavours, our elder, our refuge, and our source of hope. His noble person, marked with imperial majesty, is

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strengthened by God and is the asylum of the true religion, sustainer of the straight path of Muhammad, and the renewer of the edifice of Muhammadan religion. The submission and compliance that we always show to his exalted orders, and the fact that we hold the victorious flag ornamented with the Ottoman crescent as a protector on sea and land, are sufficient testimonies of our complete affiliation and loyalty to his exalted government. However, as we have not been tranquil in conscience because of numerous difficulties of communication and meeting emanating from the great distance separating Aceh from the imperial domains, we all, including the leaders and subjects, have unanimously agreed to send Abdurrahman Efendi, the Minister of the Interior, to the imperial government. The said minister has been assigned with the task of renewing [our] tie of submission to his sovereign, and presenting and announcing to him that it has been decided that we will act with the guidance of the command of whoever is appointed and sent to these quarters to administer us, as the person of the imperial sovereign is our guardian and the owner, as he wills, and real disposer of our country. As he has been vested with complete authority to act on our behalf and the administration of our rights and interests has been assigned to him, it is evident that he can be trusted in any case. We promise that we will not be treacherous with regard to our ambitions and desires, and that by taking our cause in [his] sovereign strong hand we will be counted, as long as God wills, as loyal and happy subjects of his sovereign. Although the state of affairs was as explained, it was not deemed necessary to inform the Dutch State about the aforesaid situation. Moreover, this time [this situation] has been confirmed and approved in a more public and official manner by means of Mahmud Shah’s agent who came to the Abode of Felicity together with a letter [of Mahmud Shah]. However, [considering] the affection and friendship that has existed between the Sublime State and Dutch states for several centuries, and as we aim to reiterate the cordial relations with a friendly ally as much as with the sovereign state of which they are subjects, because of certain delicate considerations and reflections which we do not need to clarify and explain, when the Dutch State deemed it appropriate to declare war on Aceh, we decided not to offer mediation as long as the Dutch State does not request it. Our illustrious sovereign, as the leader of the believers and the Caliph on the face of the Earth, [believes] that it is evident that he can exert spiritual influence on the Acehnese in this capacity, and that the Acehnese will comply with our warnings and suggestions with complete trust and faith. We would be very glad – having helped to re-establish the harmony between the Dutch state and the Acehnese government – for anything that makes us think that our mediation will produce positive results in the direction of peace and concord, and effecting reconciliation at a time when there is a demand or peace and security

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while war preparations are being made as well. [We hope that] our initiative will not lead to misunderstandings by the Dutch state; and that they know that we do absolutely not intend to deny that the said state, as a sovereign government, is independent in implementing the precautions that she deems necessary to maintain its military honour; and that they will comprehend [the Acehnese] status with regard to us which is a result of our ancient relations. Therefore, [the fact that we] offer the aforementioned circumstances today for consideration by the generosity and gentility of the Dutch state, may indicate that we are capable of responding reciprocally to views which nurture humanitarianism and civilisation, by which [our initiative] is strongly motivated. Source: BOA İ.HR. 260/15586 (1)

Grand Vizier to the sultan on the draft of the letter written to the ruler of Aceh and requesting the grant of a medal to the Acehnese envoy, 1873 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Diğer tezkire-i senâverîde bast u beyân olunduğu vechile Flemenkliler ile beyinlerinde tahaddüs eden münâzaʿâtdan dolayı istimdâdı ve hâk-ı pây-ı şevket-ihtivâ-yı cenâb-ı cihân-bânîye arz-ı ubûdiyet ve inkıyâdı hâvî Açe hâkimi tarafından geçende Abdurrahman Efendi vâsıtasıyla bir arîza-i mahsûsa vürûd eylediğine ve efendi-i mûmâileyh bu günlerde avdet edeceğine mebnî âsâr-ı maʿrûza-i rıkkıyet-kârîsinin nezd-i meʿâlî-i vefd-i hazret-i zillullâhîde mazhar-ı takdîr-i âlî buyurulduğunun kendisine tebşîri lâzım gelmesiyle berâber bunun cevâbnâme-i resmî-i şâhâne ile tebliği ağır ve nâme-i hümâyûnların muhâfaza-i kadr-ı celîli maksad-ı mehâmmına mugâyir düşeceğinden ol-bâbda müşârunileyhe sû-yı mahlasîden bir mektûb yazılıp gönderilmesi biʾt-tasavvur kaleme alınan müsvedde manzûr-ı dekâyık-ı nüşûr-ı mülûkâne buyurulmak üzre arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmasıyla medlûl ve ibâresi muvâfık-ı emr u fermân-ı isâbet-nişân-ı şehriyârî buyurulduğu takdîrde îcâbı icrâ edileceği ve hâkim-i müşârunileyhin ber-vech-i muharrer izhâr eylediği meʾâsir-i ubûdiyet ve itâʿata mukâbil taltîfi şân-ı celîlüʾl-unvân velî-niʿmet-i bîminnet levâzım-ı şefkat ve (?) olacağına binâʾen kendisine birinci ve mûmâileyh Abdurrahman Efendiʾye ikinci rütbeden birer kıtʿa nişân-ı Osmânî ihsânı münâsib gibi mutâlaʿa olunmuş ise de ol-bâbda dahî şeref-rîz-i sahîfe-i sünûh ve sudûr buyurulacak irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i şehinşâhînin hükm-ı münîfi infâz kılınacağı ifâdesiyle tezkire-i senâverî terkîm olundu efendim. Fî 9 Receb sene [1]290 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Enmele pîrâ-yı taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri manzûr-ı feyz-nüşûr-ı hazret-i mülkdârî buyurulmuş ve müsvedde-i mezkûrenin medlûl 7.11

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ve ibâresi yolunda göründüğünden ber-vech-i istîzân îcâbının icrâsıyla zikr olunan birinci ve ikinci rütbe Osmânî nişânlarının iʿtâsı müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulan emr u irâde-i ihsân-âde-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhî mantûk-ı münîfinden olarak müsvedde-i merkûme yine savb-ı sâmî-i âsafânelerine iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 10 Receb sene [1]290 My kind and exalted Lord; As it was explained in my previous note, lately a special humble petition expressing his loyalty arrived from the ruler of Aceh through the mediation of Abdurrahman Efendi, to be presented to the dust at the feet of the noble abode of the world-builder [i.e. the Ottoman sultan], and requesting help due to the conflict that had occurred between them and the Dutch. As the said efendi will return soon, we must communicate the good news [to the ruler of Aceh] that the great signs of politeness and kindness that he presented have been appreciated by His Majesty the Shadow of God. However, announcing this with an official imperial response will be excessive, and runs contrary to the great esteem of imperial letters. Therefore it is advised that a letter should be written in my name to the said [ruler]. A draft is presented to the exalted imperial presence for consideration. If its arguments and statements gain approval, it will be dispatched. Moreover, due to the signs of submission and loyalty that the said ruler has displayed, as written above, it is considered that it will be suitable to the illustrious fame of the most just benefactor and (?) to honour him with an Ottoman medal, first class, and the said Abdurrahman Efendi with a second class medal. Nevertheless, my lord, this note has been drawn with the understanding that on this issue as well, the exalted verdict of the illustrious order of the King of Kings will be implemented. 9 Rajab 1290 [2 September 1873] The request of your most humble servant is that: This Grand Vizierial note, from the fingertips adorned with greatness, has been brought in awesome sovereign presence. In it, is the noble will of the command of the sultanic generosity of the exalted declaration that the arguments and wording of the said draft have been deemed appropriate, and that, in implementation of its requirements in accordance with that the said Ottoman medals of the first and second class be granted. The draft has been returned to Your Grand Vizierial Highness. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 10 Rajab 1290 [3 September 1873]. Source: BOA İ.HR. 260/15583

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7.12 Draft of the letter written to the ruler of Aceh, 1873 Açe Hâkimine Yazılacak Tahrîrât Müsveddesidir Makâm-ı muʿallâ-yı hilâfet-i kübrâya teʾkîd ve tecdîd-i revâbıt-ı tâbiʿiyyet ve husûsiyet-i kadîmelerini hâvî nâzır-ı Umûr-ı Dâhiliye-i hükümdârîleri Abdurrahman Efendi vâsıtasıyla irsâl olunan nâme-i muhâlesat alâmeleri atabe-i kevâkib-i cenâb-ı şâhâneye takdîm-i manzûr-ı şevket-mevfûr-ı tâcdârî buyuruldu pîrâye-sâz-ı menkıbet-i celîle imâmüʾl-müslimîn ve şeref-perdâz-ı medîha-i cemîle emîrüʾl-müʾminîn zînet-bahşâ-yı unvân-ı muhterem zıllullâhî fiʾl-âlem mefhar-ı mefham-ı selâtîn ve ümem şevketlü azametlü mehâbetlü pâdişâh-ı eʿâlî-penâh ve şehinşâh-ı bülend-bârigâh efendimiz hazretlerine inkıyâd ve itâʿat bâ-irâde-i bâliga-i Rabbi izzet kâffe-i ehl-i İslâm ve tevhîde farîza-i zimmet ve müstelzim-i iktisâb-ı selâmet-i dünyâ ve âhiret olup zât-ı saʿâdet âyâtlarının işbu vazîfe-i mefrûza ve münciyeye riʿâyeten ve ecdâd-ı kirâmlarının eserine iktizâen şimdiye kadar izhâr ettikleri meʾâsir-i mergûbe herbâr makbûl ve kıymetdâr olduğu hâlde bu defʿa dahî südde-i seniyye-i bâhirüʾl-aʿlâ ve hâk-ı pây-ı esmân-ı iʿtilâ-yı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye arz ve teʾyîd eyledikleri âsâr-ı irtibât ve mensûbiyet nezd-i meʿâlî vefd-i cenâb-ı cihânbânîde bâʿis-i mahzûziyet olarak bunun taraf-ı vâlâlarına tebliği emr u fermân buyurulmakla beyân-ı keyfiyete ibtidâr olunduğu ve efendi-i mûmâileyh ol cânibe tevcîh-i veche-i azîmet ve avdet eylemiş ve mesâʾil-i meʾmûriyetine âʾid husûsât-ı kuvve-i hâfızasına tevdîʿ kılınmış olmasıyla tafsîl-i ahvâl ifâdât-ı şifâhiyesinden istinbât ve istidlâl olunacağı karîn-i ilm-i sâmîleri buyuruldukda baʿd-ezîn dahî ibrâz-ı hûb ve mevâlâta masrûfiyet-i himmet-i kerîmâneleri mütevakkıʿdır This is the draft of the letter to be written to the Ruler of Aceh The letter containing the confirmation and renewal of [your] subject status and your ancient special attachment to the elevated office of Caliphate, sent through the agency of Abdurrahman Efendi, Your Highness’s Minister of the Interior, has been submitted to the exalted imperial threshold of the most noble presence of the lofty crown-holder. For Muslims and monotheists, submission and loyalty to our lord, the famous and exalted Leader of the Muslims, the noble and admiration-worthy Commander of the Faithful, invested with the noble title of Shadow of God on Earth, the glory of kingship and sovereignty, His most noble Majesty the Most High Sultan, is an obligation and a means of survival in this and the other world as a result of the eloquent order of Almighty God. The worthy deeds that Your Highness has shown up until now in accordance with this obligatory, duty and the deeds of your gracious ancestors, have always been valuable. This time as well, the signs of connection

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and affiliation that you have presented to the dust at the feet of the exalted imperial threshold of His Caliphal Majesty, have given great joy to the lofty worldbuilder, and it has been ordered to announce this to Your Highness. Therefore, we have hastened to communicate the situation. As the said Efendi has set out on his return, the issues pertaining to his mission have been entrusted to the strength of his memory, and you will be able to deduce the details of the situation from his verbal testimony. Henceforward, Your Highness’s firm friendship is hoped for. Source: BOA İ.HR. 260/15583

The response of the Dutch government to the Ottoman request for mediation, 1873 Flemenk Devleti Hâriciye Nezâretiʾnden fî 26 Eylül sene 1873 târihiyle devleti müşârunileyhâ Dersaʿâdet Sefâretiʾne yazılan tahrîrâtın sûret-i tercümesidir. Devlet-i Aliyye umûr-ı hâriciye nâzırı devletlü Raşid Paşa Hazretleriʾnin Açin mesʾelesine dâʾir Londra Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne yazmış oldukları bir kıtʿa tahrîrâtın sûreti sefâret-i müşârunileyhâ tarafından geçen Ağustosʾun yirmi altısında tarafımıza tebliğ ve irsâl kılınmışdır nâzır-ı müşârunileyh hazretleri işbu tahrîrâtında Açin Hükûmetiʾnin ahd-i kadîmde saltanat-ı seniyyeye hâsıl olmuş olan revâbıtından ve hükûmet-i mezkûre tarafından muʾahharan nezd-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾde icrâ kılınan teşebbüsâtdan bahisle ve Flemenk Devletiʾnin hâʾiz olduğu hukûka tahattî ve tecâvüz maʿnâsına olmayarak Açin Hükûmeti ile Flemenk Devleti beyninde el-yevm mevcûd olan münâzaʿanın fasl u tesviyesi husûsunda devlet-i müşârunileyhânın efkâr-ı iʿtidal-kârî ve fütüvvetine mürâcaʿatı hâvî baʿzı teblîgât icrâsını tensîb buyurmuşlardır gâyet bir sûret-i dostânede icrâ buyurulmuş olan işbu teblîgât tarafımızdan şâyân olduğu kemâl-i iʿtinâ ve dikkatle mutâlaʿa olunmuşdur ümîd ederiz ki efkâr-ı mütekâbile-i dostî ve muhâleset-kârîden min baʿs olan mutâlaʿat-ı âtiye dahî taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeden ol vechile telakkî buyurulur Açin Hükûmetiʾnin saltanat-ı seniyyeye olan revâbıt-ı kadîmine münâsebâtının ne kıymet ve ne de mâhiyetini tedkîk ve muhâkemeye girişmek tasavvurunda değiliz nâzır-ı müşârunileyh hazretlerinin tahrîrâtlarından dahî müstebân olduğu üzere münâsebât-ı mezkûreye sonraları inkıtâʿ gelmiş ve bu münâsebâtın mebdeʾi o kadar kadîmdir ki sahâyif-i havâtırda bunun alâyim ve âsârına bile hatt-ı nisyân çekilmişdi tâ ol vakte dek ki münâsebât-ı mezkûrenin tecdîdine ve daha doğrusu yeniden akd u teʾsîsine saʿy etmek üzre bin sekiz yüz elli bir târihinde Açin Hükûmeti tarafından Dersaʿâdetʾe bir sefîr gönderilmiş idi hükûmeti mezkûre birkaç (…)den beru Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye karşı kendisini her dürlü rişte-i irtibâtdan âzâd addetmiş olduğuna delîl olmak üzre Sumatra cezîresi ahâlîsinin ve husûsuyla hükûmet-i mezkûrenin aʿsâr-ı kesîreden beru gerek 7.13

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Figure 61 The response of the Dutch government to the Ottoman request for mediation, 1873

bizimle ve gerek düvel-i sâʾire ile cereyân etmiş olan münâsebâtında ve icrâ olunan muhâberât ve müzâkerâtında ve akd-i ittifâka ve tanzîm-i muʿâhedâta dâʾir teşebbüsâtında kendi idâre ve ihtiyârıyla hareket etmiş ve böyle hareket etmeğe kendisini meʾzûn addeylemiş olduğunun aksini îmâ eder hiçbir alâyim ve âsâr müşâhede olunmamış olduğunun ifâde ve ihtârıyla iktifâ olunur bundan başka eğerçi fiʾl-hakîka zikr olunan revâbıt-ı münâsebât nişânde-i hâtırları olmuş oldu bin sekiz yüz elli bir târihinde Mansur Şah ve muʾahharan halkı bir ecnebî himâyeti aramağa lüzûm gördükleri zaman ibtidâ-yı emirde saltanat-ı seniyyenin tavassutunu istidʿâ eylemezden evvel beyhûde düveli sâʾireye mürâcaʿat etmezler idi Açin Saltanatıʾnın bir sefîri vâsıtasıyla bu defʿa Dersaʿâdetʾe vârid olan nâmeye gelince Lahey Kapinetosu Şûrâsıʾnı ihtâra ictisâr eder ki makâm-ı hilâfet-i kübrânın Açinʾde mukîm dindaşları hakkında himmet-i celîlelerine mürâcaʿatı tazammun eden nâme-i mezkûr-ı ârî aniʾl-maksaddır zîrâ nezd-i hümâyûn-ı cenâb-ı mülûkânede hafî olmadığı vechile Flemenk Devleti meslûku olan usûl-ı serbestî-i dîniye iktizâsınca

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Figure 62 The response of the Dutch government to the Ottoman request for mediation, 1873

dâhil-i havza-i nüfûs olan Hind adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin akâʾid-i dîniyelerini pek büyük himâyet altına almış ve bunlara pek mükemmel müsâʿadât-ı dîniye göstermekde bulunmuş olduğundan Açin ile olan ve bu misillü esbâb ve mutâlaʿâta katʿâ taʿalluku olmayan münâzaʿa pek çok mesâʿî sarf etmiş olduğumuz hâlde hayfâ ki menʿ-i zuhûruna muvaffak olamadığımız diğer baʿzı esbâbdan tevellüd etmişdir ve bir esef-i samîmî ile vâsıl-ı mertebe-i cezm ve yakînimiz olmuşdur ki Açin Hükûmeti Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin hakkımızda derkâr olan meyl ü efkârına mümâsil niyyât ile mecbûl olmak şöyle dursun bilakis sinîn-i vefîreden beru her bir etvâr ve efʿâliyle bize gayr-ı mestûr sûretde âsâr-ı bed hevâhîden başka bir şey izhâr etmemektedir Hind adalarındaki mevkiʿimiz îcâbınca kâffe-i mülk-i ticâret ve seyr-i sefâyinine karşı mükellef olduğumuz bir takım vezâʾifin îfâsında Açinʾin inzimâm-ı muʿâvenetine ümîd ve intizârımız beyhûde oldu ve hükûmet-i mezkûrenin celb ve teʾlîfi yolunda mükerreren vukûʿ bulan teşebbüsâtımız veyâ mukâvelenâme akd olunan taʿahhüdât-ı resmiyenin icrâsını istihsâl yolunda gösterdiğimiz ibrâm ve ısrâr

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bî-hâsıl kaldı muʾahharan dahî hakkımızda temâyülât-ı hasene zuhûr eder gibi göründüğü ve bundan bizce müşkilât-ı mevcûdenin muslihâne tesviyesi ümîdleri hâsıl olduğu zamânda dahî hayf ki hükûmet-i mezkûre tarafından Flemenk Devletiʾnin Hind idâresine bast olunan mukaddemâtdan maksad-ı aslî aleyhimizde yeniden tehiyye veyâhud tertîb olunan harekât-ı hasmâneden bizi iğfâlden başka bir şey olmadığı nezdimizde tahakkuk eyledi bundan ziyâde tatvîl ve tafsîle hâcet olmayan vukûʿat-ı meşrûhanın bu sûretle mücmilen bast u beyân olunmasını lâzımeden addettiğimiz dahî Açin Hükûmetiʾne karşı bulunduğumuz hâl ve mevkiʿa yakîn hâsıl ettirmek ve husûsen saltanat-ı seniyyenin lütfen bize icrâ buyurmuş olduğu teblîgâtın indimizde derkâr olan kıymet ve iʿtibârını irâʾe ve isbât etmek maksadına mebnîdir Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin şu tebligât ile hakkımızda efkâr-ı hâlisa-i dostî ve muhâzenetinin(?) bir delîli ciddiyeti daha ibrâz buyurmuş olması bizce mûcib-i bahtiyârî ve mübâhât olduğu misillü mebhûsun anh olan münâzaʿada tarafımızdan bir gûne tavassut kabûl olunmak mümkün olamayacağını muktezâ-yı efkâr-ı nezâket-şiʿârîsi üzere derk ve teyakkun ile Flemenk Devletiʾnin şân ve haysiyetini ve askerinin nâmus ve meziyetini muhâfaza içün ittihâzına mecbûr bulunduğumuz tedâbir bahsinde dahî ihtiyât-kârâne idâre-i lisân buyurmuş olmasını dahî takdîr ederiz Flemenk Devleti nezdinde icrâ buyurulmuş olan teşebbüsâtın mâhiyetini aslâ anlamamazlık etmediğini kemâl-i hülûs ve safvet üzre cevâb vermekliğe sebât edebileceği zannında bulunduğuna binâʾen ol-bâbda Bâb-ı âlîyi şu vechile biʾl-müsâraʿâ teʾmîn eder ki Açin ile olan münâzaʿanın dostâne fasl u tesviyesi içün mukaddemâ vukûʿ bulan teşebbüsâtdan gerçi semere-i matlûbe hâsıl olmamış ise de yine Açin hükümdârı tarafından bize bundan böyle vukûʿ bulacak tekâlif-i muslihâneyi pîş-i nazar-ı iʿtibâr ve mutâlaʿaya almakdan hiçbir vakitde imtinâʿ etmek niyetinde bulunmamışızdır bu yolda bir arzusunun husûlü içün gidilecek tarîk Flemenk Devletiʾnin Açin Hükûmetiʾyle bin sekiz yüz elli yedi senesinde akd etmiş olduğu muʿâhede ile gösterilmişdir Açin Hükûmetiʾne bu kapının dâʾimâ açık bırakılmış olması cihetle yeniden silaha mürâcaʿatın defʿ-i netâyic-i mükedderesi esbâbının istihsâli zımnında Açin hükümdârı doğrudan doğruya Flemenk Hind idâresi nezdinde icrâ edeceği teşebbüsâtın mazhar-ı hüsn-i kabûl olacağından dolayı dâʾimâ emîn ve mutmain olmakdan bir an hâlî olmamışdır her hâlde Flemenk Devleti hukûkunun ve kendiye terettüb eden vezâʾifin vikâye ve muhâfazasına dikkatle berâber Hind adaları hükûmetleri aleʾl-husûs Açin ile olan münâsebâtında Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin tavsiye buyurmuş olduğu efkâr-ı fütüvvet-kârâne ve muʿtedilâneyi düstûrüʾl-amel ittihâz etmekde aslâ tecvîz-i kusûr etmeyeceği derkârdır ve Flemenk Devleti bâlâda serd u ityân olunan îzâhât-ı hâlisâneye taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeden beyneʾd-devleteyn mineʾl-kadîm teyemmün müstakar ve pâyidâr olan münâsebât-ı dostî ve hüsn-i vifâkın bundan böyle dahî teʾkîd ve teşyîdi

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arzu-yı hâlisânesinde bulunduğunun bir delîl-i cedîdi nazarıyla bakılacağı zan ve ümîdindedir işbu tahrîrâtı nâzır-ı müşârunileyh hazretlerine tebliğ etmenizi ve bir sûretini bırakmanızı ricâ ederim. Mukâbele olundu [Derkenar] Evrâkı beşinci nâme torbasındadır. This is the translation of the letter dated 26 September 1873 written by the Foreign Ministry of the Dutch State to the latter’s Embassy in the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul] A copy of the letter of his Excellency Raşid Paşa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the Aceh issue addressed to the imperial embassy in London, has been communicated to us by the latter on 26 August last. In this letter, the minister touches upon the connection of the Acehnese government with the Imperial Sultanate, which was established with the ancient agreement, and the later initiatives that were taken by the [Acehnese] government in the Sublime State. [The minister] deemed appropriate to communicate some proposals to the moderation and generosity of the [Dutch] state in order to solve the conflict between the Acehnese government and the former, without intending to infringe and transgress the rights of the Dutch state. This communication, which had been set forth in a very amicable manner, has been considered by us with the complete care and attention that it deserves. We hope that the following considerations, which are awakened by the same friendly sentiments and mutual sincerity, will be evaluated by the Imperial Sultanate in the same manner as well. We do not have the intention of investigating and judging the value and character of the ancient relations between the Acehnese government and the Imperial Sultanate. As is understood also from the letter of the minister, these relations were subsequently interrupted. The beginning of these relations is so ancient, that even its traces were forgotten until the Acehnese government sent an ambassador to the Abode of Felicity in 1851 to try to renew or more appropriately re-establish them. As evidence that the Acehnese Government had long since released itself from any kind of tie with the Sublime State, [we will] content ourselves with reminding you that the residents of the Sumatra Island, and especially the Acehnese government, have long been acting out of their own choices and desires in their communications, deliberations, initiatives with respect to drawing treaties, as well as in concluding alliances with us and other countries, and no sign or clue was observed that contradicted the idea that they deemed themselves vested with the authority to behave in that way. Furthermore, if they really had recalled the said connection of [previously] established relations, Mansur Shah in 1851,

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and later his people, when they sought foreign protection, would not have applied to other countries before they requested the mediation of the Ottoman Imperial Sultanate. As for the letter of the Acehnese Government that recently arrived at the Abode of Felicity together with an ambassador, the cabinet of The Hague dares to suggest that the said letter, which contains the request for the glorious help of the great Caliphate for its coreligionists residing in Aceh, is pointless. As is not secret to the exalted sovereign, the Dutch state, as a requirement of the policy of freedom of religion that it follows, has generally protected the religious faith of the Muslims who comprise the population of the Indian Islands, and has given complete religious freedom to them. Therefore, the conflict with Aceh, which does not have anything to do with these considerations, arises from some other causes that we did not succeed in preventing despite our extensive efforts. It is with sincere regret that we learned that for many years the Acehnese government has not manifested anything other than openly ill wishes towards us through its attitudes and actions, let alone being endowed with the Sublime State’s evidently favourable sentiments about us. Our hopes and expectations with regard to Acehnese assistance to carry out some of our duties with regard to shipping and [flow of] trade, which originate from our position in the Indian islands, were in vain, and our repeated initiatives to convince the said government, and our insistences to secure the implementation of the official commitments of the agreements, were fruitless. Even when later, favourable sentiments seemed to appear, and our hopes were fostered for the peaceful solution of the present difficulties, unfortunately, we realized that the actual intention of the Acehnese government’s rapprochement with the Dutch State’s India administration was only to delude us about hostile actions that were organized, or to prepare [themselves] again against us. The reason for explaining the aforesaid developments in brief, which do not require more lengthy an explanation, is to inform you about our position with regard to Aceh, and especially to prove and show the importance and regard that we attach to the communication that Sublime State shared with us as a favour of kindness. It is a source of pride and happiness for us that the Sublime Porte has shown a new and genuine proof of its pure amicable sentiments for us with this communication. However, we would like to make clear, in a suitably polite manner, that it is not possible for us to accept mediation on the conflict in question, and we appreciate [your] cautious language regarding the precautions that we have to take to maintain the dignity and reputation of the Dutch state and the honour of its military. The Dutch State is certainly not pretending not to understand the nature of the initiative that has been taken [by the Acehnese], and thinks that it can continually reply with complete

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sincerity [to the relevant questions] and assures the Imperial Sultanate that, although the previous initiatives to solve the conflict with Aceh peacefully have not borne the desired fruits, we will never have the intention of refraining from considering sincere proposals that would be made to us by the ruler of Aceh. The means to effect his wish is evident in the treaty that the Dutch state and the Acehnese government agreed upon in 1857. As this door has always been kept open to the Acehnese government, [the Dutch state] has never been void of confidence that the initiatives that the ruler of Aceh might take with the Dutch Indies administration to avoid the sorrowful consequences of taking up arms will be received wholeheartedly. In any case, the Dutch state will not tolerate any mistakes when taking the generous and moderate reflections advised by the Sublime State as a precedent for action, whilst carefully protecting and maintaining its rights and duties in its dealings with the governments of the Indian islands, and especially with Aceh. The Dutch state hopes and believes that the Imperial Sultanate will consider the sincere explanations laid down above as a new testimony of the sincere wish to reiterate and strengthen the friendly relations and harmony that has been lasting between the two countries since ancient times. Please report this letter, and pass on a copy of it to the mentioned minister. It has been answered. [Marginal note] Its documents are in the fifth imperial correspondence sack Source: BOA A.DVNS.NMH. 13, pp. 198–200

7.14 Abdurrahman al-Zahir’s son’s request for Ottoman protection, 1900 Abdurrahman al-Zahir, the Hadrami intermediary who played a crucial role in the Acehnese approach to the Ottomans of 1873, attempted to negotiate peace between the Dutch and Acehnese. When this failed, in 1878 he surrendered to the Dutch and agreed to go into exile in Jeddah where he died in 1896 (Reid 1967b: 158–62, 180–85; Reid 1972). However it appears from the correspondence below that his son remained in Indonesia, writing from Batavia for permission to immigrate to the Ottoman empire. Praise and thanks be to God who gives succour to whoever takes refuge in him and recompenses he who puts his trust in him, and blessings and peace be upon the glory of creation and the admonisher of the humans and the jinn, our lord and prophet Muhammad and his house and companions, and keep him safe until the day of resurrection. I ask beneficent God, lord of the great throne, to perpetuate for us the imperial person and protect him from the wiles of his enemies and the evil of his enviers by the glory of the Prophet, and may He make him and his conquering armies victorious over all the insolent infidel wrongdoers.

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Figure 63 Abdurrahman al-Zahir’s son’s request for Ottoman protection, 1900

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I kiss the ground [before] him who extended to his subjects the shadow of ease, security and safe-conduct and spread upon them the gifts of justice and charity. Everyone in both east and west has received a portion of his mercy, lord of might and power and greatness, our lord and master the commander of the faithful and deputy of the lord of messengers, sultan of the monotheists, the great sultan and the glorious khaqan, sultan of the two lands and two seas, sultan of the sultans of the world, the shadow of God on earth and the refuge of the fearful, who gives succour to the depressed, sultan, son of sultan, the ghazi sultan Abdülhamid Khan II may God perpetuate him, the creator of this Islamic umma, by preserving his royal person and may He protect with the eye of his lordly concern. Amen. I present this petition beneath the exalted threshold and royal gate and I ask for compassion from his mercy57 and his Islamic solicitude especially for the Prophet’s descendants58 to give permission to his servants to migrate from the Dutch colonies in the Jawa islands to the Sublime Threshold, may God protect her, when we have no money. Hardship is the worst affliction, and were it not for my fear of impoliteness to the Commander of the Faithful, everything that happened in terms of injustice would have been worse, but we were not yet hopeful of acceptance of our demands and that we would reach God willing the Abode of Felicity and Security and would inform orally his Imperial Presence. When their lord and master the Commander of the Faithful desires to examine the civilisation of the westerners and the treatment of Europeans to the Jawa Muslims, the Commander of the Faithful will find that in detail. The number who desire to migrate from these lands totals 20 men, widows and orphans. All of them are of the House of the Prophet, and we are sincere, devoted, trustworthy servants who recognise their servitude and we hope for the acceptance of what we requested from the Caliph and the Protector of our fortune. In conclusion, we kiss the noble feet and give him hearty salutations and purest good health and bounty and the mercy of the All-knowing King and over all his great progeny and glorious ministers and noble commanders. Composed in Batavia Thursday 7 Dhuʾl-Qiʾda 1317 of the hijra. [9 March 1900] The servant The dust of your pure feet Son of the late Abdurrahman al-Zahir Paşa Ahmad al-Zahir 57   Min marāḥimi al-ḥamīda, a play on the sultan’s name, ‘from his Hamidian mercy’ or ‘from his praiseworthy mercy.’ 58   Al-baḍʿa al-nabawiyya, ‘the part of the Prophet’s [flesh]’; sayyids are meant.

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[Seal] Sayyid Ahmad bin Abdurrahman al-Zahir 12(?) Source: BOA Y.PRK.AZJ. 39/124

7.15 Son of Abdurrahman al-Zahir requesting aid from the sultan, 1900 Mâbeyn-i Hümâyûn-ı Cenâb-ı Mülûkâne Başkitâbet-i Celîlesiʾne Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri İstidʿâ-yı âtıfet ve inâyet-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîyi hâvî Cava‌ʾda mukîm merhûm Abdurrahman al-Zahir Paşazâde Ahmed Zahir imzâsıyla Liverpol Başşehbenderliğiʾne vârid olmasıyla mezkûr başşehbenderlik tarafından sefâret-i seniyyeye irsâl olunan arz-ı hâl leffen tesyîr-i sû-yı âlî-i devletleri kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 12 Mayıs sene [1]316. Londra Sefîr-i Kebîri bende-i To the exalted Chief Secretary of the Private Apartments of His Majesty Your Highness, my kind lord The petition with the signature of Ahmed Zahir, son of the late Abdurrahman al-Zahir Paşa, requesting the exalted benevolence of His Majesty the Caliph, was received by the Consulate General in Liverpool. The said consulate general sent the petition to the imperial embassy [in London], and is presented in enclosure to Your Excellency. On this issue to command belongs unto him who commands all. 25 May 1900. Your servant Ambassador in London Source: BOA Y.MTV. 202/128

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Documents relating to the letter of Sultan Zainal Abidin of Tembusai and the complaints of Southeast Asian Muslims about their English, Dutch and Siamese overlords during the Frigate Ertuğrul’s visit to the region, 1889–90 The dispatch in 1889 of the Ottoman Frigate Ertuğrul to Japan was intended to cement relations between two of the principal non-Christian but westernising powers of Asia that had retained their independence. The ship bore gifts and medals from Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II (r. 1876–1909) to the Meiji Emperor (Mütercimler & Öke 1991; Mütercimler 2010). However, en route to Japan, the Ertuğrul made stops in South and Southeast Asia where it was greeted with considerable excitement by local Muslims who sought to use it to convey both petitions for help and messages of esteem to the Ottoman sultan (Reid 1967: 278; Göksoy 2015: 179–82). The ship sank on its return voyage off the coast of Japan in 1890, but nonetheless some copies of the original documents entrusted to it had already been forwarded to Istanbul.

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Osman Paşa, commander of Ertuğrul Frigate, on Western colonialism in Southeast Asia and the state of Muslims under English, Dutch and Siamese rule, 1889 Huzûr-ı âlî-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîʾye Devletlü efendim hazretleri Donanma-yı nusret ihtivâ-yı mülûkâneden müntehâ-yı Şark sularında nümûne-nümâ-yı şân ve satvet olan fırkateyn-i hümâyûnun Singapur limanına vürûdu bütün cezâʾir ve memâlik-i mütecâvire-i İslâmiye ahâlîsinin ve aleʾl-husûs Sumatra ve Cava Müslümanlarıyla Siyâm Kraliyeti tebaʿatında bulunan üç yüz bin muvahhidinin ve Malaka İslâmlarının ne derecelerde şükrâniyet-i mahsûsalarını celb etdiği evvelce takdîm-i huzûr-ı âlî-i âsafâneleri kılınan tahrîrât ve telgrâfât-ı bendegânemize arz edilmiş ve sefîne-i hümâyûnu ziyâret-gâh-ı mukaddes addeden züvvâr-ı İslâmiyeʾnin adedi gün be-gûn tekessür etmekde bulunmuşdur. Sefineye gelen misâfirîn meyânında kullarıyla mülâkât-ı husûsiye talebinde bulunduklarını beyân edenlerden pek çokları tâbiʿ oldukları İngiliz, Flemenk ve Siyâm hükûmetlerinin ahâlî-i İslâmiye hakkında revâ gördükleri mezâlim ve iʿtisâmından bahs ile hallerine çâresâz olmaklığımızı temennî etmekde ve baʿzıları pek ileri gitmekde iseler de hâl ve şânları âcizlerince mechûl olanların sefîne-i hümâyûnun vürûdundan beru hâmil olduğumuz taʿlîmâta kesb-i ittilâʿ arzusunda bulunan düvel-i müşârunileyhim meʾmûrîn-i mahalliyeleri tarafından mebʿûs câsus olabilmeleri ve bu gûnâ hiyel ve desâyisle refʿ-i iştibâh ve tashîh-i zan ve zehâb etmek fikrinde bulunmaları ihtimâlleri pîş-i nazar-ı iʿtinâya alınarak acûbe-i münâsebe ve nesâyih-i muknıʿa ve dûr-endişâne ile idâre-i kelâm ve celb-i kulûb (?) üslûblarına ihtimâm olunmakdadır. Hakîkat-i mâddeye gelince Malaka Boğazıʾnın bütün savâhil-i şarkiyesiyle Singapur ve civârında vâkıʿ birçok hükûmet-i müstakille-i ve gayr-i müstakille-i sağîre-i İslâmiyeʾye hâkim olan İngiltere Devleti tâbiʿiyyetinde bulunan İslâmların ahvâl-i müteʾessifeleri bir dereceye değin Flemenk Devleti müstemlekâtından olan Sumatra ve Cava adalarında mütevattın milyonlarca İslâmlarla Siyâm Krâliyeti arâzisinde meskûn ve her cihetle makhûr ve zebûn olan üç yüz bin râddesindeki muvahhidînin ahvâline nisbeten şükre sezâvâr ve düvel-i selâse-i müşârunileyhimden her birinin destgâh-ı hiyel ve mefsedetleri arasında mahv olagelen ahâlî ve vücûh-ı İslâmiye bî-had ve bî-şümârdır şöyle ki İngilizlerin hüküm-fermâ oldukları Malaka‌ʾnın savâhil-i garbiyesiyle Singapur ve civârında bulunan kıtʿâtda mütemekkin hükûmât-ı sağîre-i İslâmiyeʾnin ekserîsini taht-ı idâre ve himâyelerine almış ve henüz dest-i dırâz zabt ve teshîr olamadıkları küçük hükûmetlerin rüʾesâsından devlet-i müşârunileyhâya iʿlân ve ibrâz-ı sadâkat edenlerin tabâyiʿ-i gâfilâne ve unvân-perestânelerine nazaran kimisine sultân kimisine Onurabel ve Prens gibi unvân iʿtâsıyla çeşm-i gurûr ve azametlerini 8.1

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bir takım şahsî sancaklar ve bayraklar ve hükûmetlerine mahsûs armalar ile telvîn ve böylece beyinlerine ilkâya muvaffak olageldiği kânûn-ı nifâk ve adâveti teshîn ederek kuvvet ve miknetlerini tefrîk ve taklîl ve az vakit zarfında müstemlekâtına memâlik-i vesîʿa ilhâk vesâʾitini teshîl edegelmekde bulunmuşdur. Singapurʾa civâr olan Cohor, Pahan, Kilınğ, Rayav nâmân hükûmât-ı sagîrei İslâmiye sultanları adedi yirmiyi mütecâviz olduğu rivâyet olunan selâtîn-i sâʾirenin güyâ başlıcalarından oldukları hâlde elkâb-ı resmiyeleri asâletlü olup evvelce yirmi birer pâre top ile selamlanırken âhiren parlamento karârıyla İngiliz vâlîlerine takaddüm etmemek üzre istihkâkları on yediye ve İngilizlere terk-i hükûmetle gûşe-nişîn fakr u zarûret olan Malaka ve mahâll-i sâʾire selefât ve taʿallukâtının tahsîsâtı nısfına tenzîl edilmiş ve vekâyıʿ-i müteşâbihe ile ibtidâ eden ahvâlin bilâhare mazarratı meşhûd ve gittikçe nazar-ı ehemmiyetden düşerek bu taraflarda âlem-i İslâmiyet mahv ve nâbûd olacağına delîl addolunmakda bulunmuşdur. Flemenk Devleti tâbiʿyetinde bulunan mazlûm-ı müslimîn Açin kıtʿasında cereyân eden vakâyiʿ-i hûnrîz ile Cava‌ʾda görmekde oldukları mezâlim ve ahkâm-ı hukûk-ı şikestâneyi hikâye ve nakl ile âh u enîn eylemekde ve hükûmeti mahalliyeye sadâkatlerine emniyet olunmayan rüʾesâ-yı İslâmiyeʾnin emvâl ve emlâki musâdere olunarak cezâʾir-i baʿîdeye nefy ve takrîb olunmakdadırlar rüʾesâ-yı mûmâileyhimden baʿzıları sefîneye gelmiş ve ahvâl-i garâbetmâillerini söz ve gedâz ile nakl ederek eşk-rîz âlâm ve devâm ve bakâ-yı saltanat-ı seniyyei hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî hakkında yekzebân olarak duâ-hân olmuşlardır. Budayiʾl-mezheb olan Siyâm Krâliyeti tâbiʿatinde bulunan ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾye gelince bunların düçâr oldukları zulm ve taʿaddî leffen takdîm kılınan evrâk-ı mütevâride sûretlerinden muvazzahan anlaşılacağından ayrıca zikre hâcet görülmemiş ve şu kadar ki kullarına hitâben yazılan arz-ı hâl sefîne-i hümâyûnla Singapurʾa vürûdumuzu fiʿl-i hayr addeden Siyâm İslâmları tarafından sûreti hafiyyede gönderilen yirmi otuz zevâtdan birkaçının bir tavr-ı ihtirâzâne ile getirip halîfe-i rûy-ı zemîn ve hâmî-i dîn-i mübîn ve vekîl-i seyyidüʾl-mürselîn efendi hazretlerinin merhamet-i seniyyelerinden istimdâd eden Siyâm İslâmîlerinin arz-ı hâlidir diyerek eşk-rîz-i emân olmalarına ve meʾâl-i arz-ı hâl evvelce ahvâllerine dâʾir alınan maʿlûmât ile mektûb münderecâtına mutâbık bulunmağla her ikisinin dahî birer sûretleri çıkarılarak leffen takdîm olunmuş ve asılları nezd-i çâkerîde hıfz edilmişdir. Siyâm Hükûmetiʾnin pây-ı tahtı olan Bankok şehrinde aleʾt-tahmîn on bin İslâm tavattun ve Arab ve Malay lisânlarına müşâbeheti olmayan Siyâm lisânını tekellüm etmekde olup hükûmet-i mahalliye âyin-i dîniyelerinin icrâsına katʿiyyen mumânaʿat gösterdiği ve Fransız Konsolosu hükûmetin şu muʿâmele-i bâgiyânesine müşâreket ettiği hâlde İngiliz konsolosu nevʿa-ma bunları himâye eylemekde bulunmasına binâʾen

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terk-i diyâr ile İngiliz müstemlekâtına hicreti tercîh eyledikleri mütevâtir ve ahvâl-i merhamet-iştimâlleri evrâk-ı melfûfe mutâlaʿasından müstebân olacağı vechile maʿrûzât-ı âcizânem derecesinde tedbîr bulduğunun berâ-yı maʿlûmât arzına mücâseret kılınmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Singapur Fî 1 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]305 Kumandân-ı Fırkateyn-i Hümâyûn Ertuğrul Bende-i Osman Emin To the presence of his exalted Ministerial Excellency My kind and exalted lord In my previous humble correspondences and telegrams I communicated to your exalted ministerial presence the extent to which the arrival of the Imperial Frigate, which represents the glory and might of the Imperial Navy in the distant waters of the East, at the port of Singapore, attracted the special gratitude of the Muslims of all neighbouring islands and countries, and especially of the Muslims of Sumatra and Java, as well as the three hundred thousand monotheists who are the subjects of the Kingdom of Siam, and of the Muslims of Malacca. The number of Muslim visitors who consider the imperial ship a holy place of pilgrimage has been increasing day by day. Most of those guests who come to the ship and demand a private interview with me talk about the oppression which their overlords, the British, Dutch, and Siamese governments, deem suitable to inflict upon Muslims, and [express their] hope that we will remedy their situation. Given that some of them go too far, we take into consideration that those whose standing and reputation are unknown to us may be spies sent by the local officials of the said countries who, since the arrival of the Imperial Ship, want to discover our instructions and to gain intelligence by means of these sorts of tricks and intrigues. [Therefore, we] used diligently the techniques of [expressing] adequate surprise, [giving] convincing advice, [showing] long sightedness and thereby winning their hearts. As for the real situation, the regrettable condition of the Muslim subjects of the British state that rules over all of the several autonomous and non-autonomous small Islamic governments on the Eastern shores of the Bay of Malacca, and in Singapore and its surroundings, should be recognised as superior compared to the circumstances of the millions of Muslims residing on the islands of Sumatra and Java, which are Dutch colonies, and the approximately three hundred thousand Muslims residing in the country of the Kingdom of Siam who are helpless and wretched in all respects. The Muslims and [other] people who have perished at the poisonous and intriguing hands of each of these three states are numberless. The British have established their control and administration over most of the small Islamic

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governments located on the Western shores of Malacca, and Singapore and its surroundings, which are under their control. The leaders of the small governments who declared their loyalty to the said state, but are not yet directly occupied [by the British], are seduced by the ways through which the latter indulge their pretensions with banners, flags and coats of arms particular to their governments, as well as by granting titles such as ‘sultan’, ‘the honourable’ and ‘prince’ according to their baseless pride and greed for splendour. In this way, [the British] instigate discord among them, and this facilitates the swift incorporation of vast territories into the former’s colonies by reducing their power. The rulers of the small Islamic sultanates located in the vicinity of Singapore called Johor, Pahang, Klang, and Riau, are allegedly the leading sultans among a group whose number reportedly exceeds twenty. However, their official title is ‘the Honourable’. Although they used to enjoy a 21-gun cannon salute this has been reduced to 17 by Parliament to prevent them from having precedence over the British governors. The allowances given to the former [rulers] of Malacca and other places who have left the government to the British and retired to poverty, and those of their families, have been reduced by half. The harmful consequences of the situation that began with these kinds of incidents are evident, and it is that [a connection with] the Islamic world will be destroyed and removed from this place. The oppressed Muslims who are the citizens of the Dutch State related the bloodthirsty events that are taking place in Aceh, and the oppressions to which they are subjected in Java. [They also relate that the Dutch] confiscated the belongings and properties of Muslim leaders, and exiled them to distant islands when they doubt their loyalty to the local government. Some of these leaders came to the ship and related their state fervently and prayed, tearfully and sorrowfully for the perpetuity of the Imperial Sultanate of His Majesty the Caliph. As for the Muslims who are dependants of the Buddhist Kingdom of Siam, the oppressive hostilities to which they have been subjected can be understood clearly from the copies of the documents that are presented in enclosure. Therefore, we deemed it unnecessary to mention them separately. I will content myself with saying that the petition is addressed to your servant [Osman Paşa], and it was brought in a very cautious manner by a few of twenty or thirty persons sent secretly by the Muslims of Siam – who consider our arrival at Singapore with the imperial ship as an auspicious omen – who said that it was the petition of the Muslims of Siam who beg for help from the compassion of the Caliph of God on Earth, the protector of the true religion and the deputy of the exalted Master of Prophets. As the content of the petition was found congruent with that of the letter and the information obtained previously

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about their state, both [the letter and the petition] are copied and presented in enclosure, whilst I have retained the originals. It is estimated that there are approximately ten thousand Muslims living in Bangkok, the seat of government of Siam. They speak Siamese, which does not resemble Arabic or Malay. The local government absolutely prohibits the performance of their religious rituals. Although the French consul participates in these excessive practices of the government, the British consul definitely protects them. It is related that they therefore leave their homes and migrate to British colonies. I dare to express for your information that I kept my humble explanations limited, as their miserable state will be understood from the study of the enclosed documents. To command belongs to him who commands all. Singapore 13 December 1889 Your servant, Osman Emin, Commander of the Imperial Frigate Ertuğrul Source: BOA İ.DH. 1167/91234

Letter of Zainal Abidin of Tembusai to Osman Paşa, dated 8 December 1889 8.2.1 Commentary by Annabel Teh Gallop This letter in Malay of 1889 is from Sultan Muhammad Zainal Abidin (r. 1887– 1916) of Tembusai,59 a small principality situated upstream on the Rokan river in east Sumatra. It was written in Bengkalis, an island further to the south at the mouth of the Siak river, nearer towards Singapore. The letter, which is known today only from a faded contemporary photograph held in the BOA,60 was delivered to the Ottoman frigate Ertuğrul during its brief stopover in Singapore between 15 November 1889 and 3 March 1890.61 At that point the letter must have been photographed, and the photograph62 sent back to Istanbul, while the original letter itself – like most of the crew and all the contents of the Ertuğrul – was probably lost when the ship foundered off the coast of Japan later that year. The letter is addressed to the representative of the Ottoman sultan (wazir al-Sultan … al-Stambul). Much of the letter text is now illegible, due to the fading of the photographic paper and ink, and the reading of the text presented 8.2

59  Tembusai is located in the present-day Indonesian province of Riau. For a genealogy of the rulers of Tembusai, see Rokan.org (accessed 23.1.2015). 60   B OA İ.DH. 1170/91449/2. 61  On the visit of the Ertuğrul to Singapore see Göksoy 2015: 179–182. 62  This photograph is held together with photographs of another missive in Arabic from Muslim notables in Singapore dated 7 Jumada I 1307 (30 December 1889), also delivered to the Ertuğrul.

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here is extremely tentative in parts. Nonetheless, the general gist is clear: the sultan’s complaint about the state of his country, noting the lack of a functioning mosque for the past four years, because of the harsh rule of the Dutch, and he requests the help of the Ottoman sultan in his role as Caliph or representative of God (wakil Allah). In an accompanying note from the commander of the Ertuğrul, the letter – which apparently had been delivered by the Shahbandar of Tembusai, Abu Said – is summarised as follows: ‘The Dutch government hastens to capture the territories of the small Muslim governments on Sumatra Island one by one, and continues daily to treat the Muslim people unjustly by binding them with the chains of oppression and captivity. Moreover they [the Dutch] attempted to occupy his government, which maintains its independence, and consequently his poor subjects, whose number is estimated at around sixty thousand, are in a desperate state and are emigrating. He is ready to leave the territory and country under his rule to the Sultan of Sultans, His Majesty the Caliph, who is the great protector of the Muslim religion, and to travel to the noble palace [in Istanbul] to seek asylum.’63 Despite the poor legibility of the photograph, it is clear that some of the statements above – such as the number of subjects – are not found in the Malay text itself. This missive encapsulates the pleas of many of those who had flocked to visit the Ertuğrul while she was docked in Singapore. On 13 December 1889 the ship’s commander, Osman Paşa, had written to the Ministry of the Navy to report the numerous Muslim visitors to the ship, and that many ‘demand a private interview with me to talk about the oppression which their overlords the English, Dutch and Siamese governments inflict on Muslims and [express their] hope that we will remedy their situation’ (Göksoy 2015: 179). The letter commences with a religious heading (kepala surat), Qawluh al-Haqq, ‘His Word is the Truth’, the most common heading found in Malay letters. The round seal of the sender is placed in the right-hand margin; the position below the first line of the letter expresses humility on the part of the sender. Below the seal is an (illegible) inscription which may be a signature. The style of Malay language used in this letter is unconventional, starting from the emphatic opening words in the first person, yang sahaya. On the other hand there are some elegant phrases; the Ottoman sultan is termed mahkota segala raja, ‘the crown of kings’, alluding to the Taj al-Salatin, the title of an extremely influential 17th-century Malay ‘mirror for princes’, reminding rulers of their responsibilities. The form of address for the recipient has been read in the transliteration as engku, a princely title from neighbouring Riau. While 63  See pages 252–256 İ.DH. 1170/91449/6, Commander of the Ertuğrul Frigate to the Ministry of the Navy on the complaints of the people of Tembusai about Dutch oppression, 1889.

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the application of this title to a foreigner is rare, the more obvious alternative reading of the same letters a.ng.k.w as engkau, the second person pronoun, has been discounted because engkau is normally only used to an inferior.64 Perhaps the most striking formal element of this letter is the presence of gaps in the text where the names of the recipients might be expected to be placed. Such gaps in Ottoman or Arabic documents would normally signify the practice of elevatio – the elevation of the name of the recipient to a higher position on the sheet of paper, as a mark of honour – even though no ‘elevated’ portions of text are visible in the photograph. Thus, despite the otherwise unsophisticated Malay expressions in the letter, it reflects an attempt by the Tembusai court officials to present their plea according to perceived understandings of Ottoman epistolary protocol. 8.2.2

Text of the letter of Zainal Abidin of Tembusai, transcribed and translated by Annabel Teh Gallop [Seal] al-Sultan Zainal Abidin Tembusai sanat 1300 [Under the seal] (?) s.y.m sahaya sahaya[?] Qawluh al-Haqq Yang sahaya Muhammad Zainal Abidin ibn al-marhum Abdul Wahid Tembusai (?) sahaya serta (?) / bersembah (?) nya surat yang daripada sahaya ini kepada engku ⟨…⟩ / wazir al-sultan ⟨…⟩ al-Stambul mahkota segala raja2 selama di dalam dunia ini / yang memberikan gemala selama yang sahaya menaruhkan nyawa dan badan sahaya kepada engku serta sahaya (?) / tetapi di dalam (?) nama sungai Rokan Kiri[?] sekali2 tiada bertahan hukuman orang Belanda / mesjid pun tiada berdiri lagi lamanya sudah empat tahun sekali tiada lain yang sahaya harab / tolong[?] sahaya minta[?] al-sultan ⟨…⟩ al-Stambul yang menjadi wakil Allah subhanahu / wa-taala yang memerintahkan[?] segala (?) mana yang batul mana yang salah yang sekali tiada tertangkap[?] kepada sahaya / lagi yang sahaya muafakat bersama selain engku sebab sahaya orang yang susah lagi miskin yang sahaya minta[?] / ambil juga[?] kepada engku di pulau Bengkalis negeri[?] sahaya banyak takut kepada orang Belanda hendak[?] datang[?] sendiri Allah / dan rasul harablah sahaya engku menerima (?) yang dari sahaya ini adanya tamat. Tertulis di Bengkalis pada 14 Rabiulakhir sanat 1307. [Note by Osman Paşa, commander of the Ertuğrul frigate, on the back of the photo of the letter]

64  Engkau: ‘You; thou; the pronoun of the second person when addressing persons of little importance’ (Wilkinson 1985: 21).

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Figure 64 Letter of Zainal Abidin of Tembusai

Figure 65 Note on the reverse side of the letter of Zainal Abidin

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Sumatra cezîresinde Tembusi Sultanı Muhammed Zeynelabidin bin Abdülvahidʾden mevrud ve tercümesi metni tahrîrât-ı acizîde mezkûr nısfı cesametinde olup fotoğraf ile alınan ve Malaya lisânı üzre muharrer olan mektûbun suretidir. [Seal #1926] The Sultan Zainal Abidin of Tembusai, the year 1300 (1882/3). [Under the seal] (?) I, I His Word is the Truth I, Muhammad Zainal Abidin, son of the late Abdul Wahid, of Tembusai (?) I, together with (?) / present (?) this letter from myself to you ⟨…⟩ / the representative of the sultan ⟨…⟩ of Istanbul, crown of kings whilst in this world, / who is a source of light [?] for me while I place my soul and body in your hands, and I (?) / but in (?) the river named Rokan Kiri65 [we] cannot bear the [rule and] punishments of the Dutch / and there has not even been a mosque standing there for four years, and there is no one else upon whom I can rest my hopes / for help[?], [and so] I request of the sultan ⟨…⟩ of Istanbul who is the representative of God the Almighty / and the Exalted who rules over all [and judges?] what is right and what is wrong, which is completely beyond my powers[?] / and [so there is none] I can confer with save you, because I am currently in dire straits and impoverished and so I beseech [?] / you [to accept?] the island of Bengkalis which is in my realm (?), [for] I am sorely afraid of the Dutch; on God / and the Prophet do I rest my hopes that you will receive (?) this from me, finis. Written in Bengkalis on 14 Rabiʿ II, the year 1307. [Note by Osman Paşa, commander of the Ertuğrul frigate, on the back of the photo of the letter] Photograph-copy (half the size of its original) of the Malay letter (whose text is translated in my humble letter) received from the Sultan of Tembusai, Muhammad Zainal Abidin son of Abdul Wahid. Source: BOA İ.DH. 1170/91449/2

8.3

Commander of the Ertuğrul Frigate to the Ministry of the Navy on the complaints of the people of Tembusai about Dutch oppression, 1889

1587 Bahriye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Sumatra ve Cava gibi iklîm-i vesîʿâ-i İslâmiyeʾde meskûn ahâlî hâmî-i dîn-i mübîn-i garrâ ve câlis-i hilâfet-i seniyye-i kübrâ efendimiz hazretlerine habl-ı 65  The ‘Left Rokan’, a branch of the Rokan river.

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Figure 66 Commander of the Ertugrul Frigate to the Ministry of the Navy on the complaints of the people of Tembusai about Dutch oppression, 1889

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metîn-i dîn ve şerîʿatle merbût ve meclûb bulunduklarından fırkateyn-i hümâyûnun Singapurʾa vürûdu ahâlî-i mezkûrenin (?) salâbet-i üslûb-ı diyânetperverânelerini fevkamâ yetesavver tesrîr ve livâ-yı selâmet ihtivâ-ı hümâyûna maʿtûf olan enzâr-ı mazlûmiyet nisâr-ı ubûdiyet-kârânelerindeki ümid-i necât ve sa‌ʾâdeti teksîr ve tevfîr edegelmekde olduğu evvelki posta ile mütecâsir-i takdîmi olduğum tahrîrât ve evrâk-ı mevrûde sûretleri meʾâlinden maʿlûm-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri buyurulmuş ve bu defʿa dahî âhiren Flemenk Devletiʾnin Cava ve Sumatra İslâmları hakkındaki icrâʾât-ı zâlimânesinden şikâyâtı hâvî Cava ahâlîsi tarafından alınan ve Singapur kadı-i İslâmiyesiyle yirmi sekiz zevât tarafından mümzâ bulunan Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre arz-ı hâl ile Sumatra cezîresi üzerinde 42′, 1° arz-ı şimâlî ve 1′ 101° derece tûl-ı şarkîde vâkiʿ Rakan nâm küçük bir nehir boyunca imtidâd eden Timbusi Hükûmet-i sağîre-i müstakillesi Sultânı Muhammed Zeynelabidin bin Abdülvâhid tarafından vezîri Şehbender Ebu Said vâsıtasıyla biʾl-hâssa taraf-ı çâkerâneme irsâl olunan Malay lisânı üzere muharrer şukkanın fotoğrafla alınan sûretleri takdîmi huzûr-ı âlî-i âsafâneleri kılınmışdır. Şukka-i mezkûrenin meʾâline gelince Flemenk Hükûmeti Sumatra cezîresi üzerindeki hükûmât-ı sağîre-i Müslime arâzîsini yegan yegan zabt ve teshîre müsâraʿat ve ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾyi iʿtişâf-ı gûnâ gûn ile rabt-ı zincir-i zulm ve esâret etmekde devâm ve bu aralık henüz istiklâl üzre bulunan hükûmet-i zâtiyesinin dahî zabtına kıyâm etdiğinden tahmînlerine göre altmış bin râddesinde olan tevâbiʿinin fakr u zarûret ve hâl-i felâket ve hicretlerinden bahs ile taht-ı hükmünde bulunan arâzî ve memâlikin sultânüʾs-selâtîn ve hâmî-i aʿzam-ı dîn-i müslimîn olan zât-ı hazret-i hilâfetpenâhîye terk ve teslîme ve kendisi derbâr-ı şevket-karâra azîmet ve ilticâya hâzır olduğundan ibâret bulunmuşdur mektûb-ı mezkûru sûret-i hafiyyede îsale meʾmûr olan vezîri Şehbender Ebu Saidʾin ifâdât-ı şifâhiyesi dahî mektûb münderecâtına mutâbık olup sefîne-i hümâyûnda bulunduğu müddetce asâkir-i nusret-müʾesser-i şâhâne tarafından icrâ edilmekde olan top, tüfenk, kılıç ve arma taʿlîmlerini görerek akşama değin eşk-rîz hamd u şükrân olmuş ve her gün eksik olmayan züvvâr-ı sâʾire ile edʿiyye-i ma‌ʾrifet-i hazret-i hilâfetpenâhîye âverde-i zebân-ı sadâkat eylemişlerdir. Evrâk-ı mütekaddimenin meʾâl ve mezâyâsı sefîne-i hümâyûnun bu sularda seyâhat ve Singapurʾda bir aralık ikâmeti kılıp İslâmiyânda ne derece teʾsîr hâsıl etdiğini ve hissiyât-ı hürmet-i gâyât-ı umûmiyenin ne mertebe galeyâna geldiğini sûret-i vâzıhada tasvîr etmekle bu bâbda îzâh-ı mâddeye hâcet kalmamış ve vürûdumuzdan evvelce bu sularda görünmeyen livâ-yı nusret-ihtivâ-yı Osmâniyenin bu günlerde limân dâhilinde geşt ü güzâr eden kâffe-i merâkib-i sagîre-i İslâmiye gönderlerinde heman umûmiyetle temevvüc etmekde bulunmuş olduğunun kemâl-i şükrân ile arzına ictisâr kılınmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir.

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An Singapur fî 17 Kânûn-ı evvel sene [13]05 Kumandan-ı Fırkateyn-i Hümâyûn-ı Ertuğrul Bende-i Osman Emin 1587 To the exalted Ministry of the Navy My exalted lord As the people residing in the vast Islamic regions like Sumatra and Java are religiously affiliated to our great and exalted lord the Caliph, the arrival of the imperial frigate at Singapore has pleased their strong religious sentiments unimaginably, and the view of the imperial flag of salvation has increased the hope for survival and happiness in the devoted sight of these oppressed people. Your Ministerial Excellency has been informed about this by means of the copies of the documents and writings that I dared to present with the previous post. This time [the following documents] are presented to the presence of your Excellency: a petition in Arabic received from the people of Java and signed by the qadi of Singapore and twenty eight other individuals, containing complaints about the Dutch State’s oppressive practices with regard to the Muslims of Java and Sumatra; and photographs of a Malay letter dispatched particularly to me by Muhammad Zainal Abidin bin Abdul Wahid, the ruler of the small independent government of Tembusai situated along the tiny Rokan river located on the Sumatra Island (1° 42′ Northern latitude and 101° 1′ Eastern longitude), through his vizier Shahbandar Abu Said. Regarding the content of the said letter, it has been found out that it consists of [the following]. The Dutch government hastens to capture the territories of the small Muslim governments on the island of Sumatra one by one, and continues daily to treat the Muslim people unjustly by binding them with the chains of oppression and captivity. Moreover they [the Dutch] attempted to occupy his government, which maintains its independence, and consequently his poor subjects, whose number is estimated at around sixty thousand, are in a desperate state and are emigrating. He is ready to leave the territory and country under his rule to the Sultan of Sultans, His Majesty the Caliph, who is the great protector of the Muslim religion, and to travel to the noble palace [in Istanbul] to seek asylum. The verbal testimony of his vizier Shahbandar Abu Said, who was responsible for bringing the said letter secretly, is in conformity with its content. During his stay on board of the imperial ship, he has observed the cannon, rifle, sword, and rigging drills performed by the divinely-protected imperial soldiers, and tearfully thanked God into the evening, prayed for His Majesty the Caliph, and expressed his loyalty together with the other visitors who are never absent [on board]. The content of the previous documents explain lucidly the extent of the impact of the voyage of imperial ship in these waters during its brief stay in Singapore on the

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Muslims, and the extent of the excitement it awakened. There is no need to elaborate further on this point. I would dare to inform you with gratitude that the divinely-ordained Ottoman flag, which has not been seen in these waters until our arrival, today flutters on the flagpoles of all the small Islamic ships frequenting in the harbour. To command belongs to him who commands all. From Singapore on 29 December 1889 Your servant, Osman Emin, commander of the Imperial Frigate Ertuğrul Source: BOA İ.DH. 1170/91449/6

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Minister of the Navy to the Grand Vizier on the complaints of Southeast Asian Muslims about Dutch oppression, 1890

1587 Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Bahriye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Hükûmet matbûʿalarının şerîʿat-i mutahhara aleyhinde vâkiʿ olan tecâvüzât ve taʿarruzâtdan dolayı istimdâdı mutazammın Siyâm sekene-i müslimesi nâmına gönderilip Singapurʾda Ertuğrul Fırkateyn-i Hümâyûnu Kumandânı Mirlivâ Osman Paşa tarafından sûretleri irsâl kılınan evrâk paşa-yı mûmâileyhin ol-bâbdaki tahrîrâtıyla berâber mukaddemce bâ-tezkire-i husûsiye arz ve takdîm kılınmışdı Flemenk Devletiʾnin Cava ve Sumatra ahâlî-i İslâmiyesi hakkındaki mezâlim ve taʿaddiyâtından şikâyeti hâvî bu kere dahî Cava ahâlîsi tarafından alınan ve Singapur kâdı-i İslâmiyle yirmi sekiz zât tarafından mümzâ bulunan Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre arz-ı hâl ile Sumatra cezîresinde vâkiʿ Tembusi Hükûmet-i sağîre-i müstakillesi emîri Muhammed Zeynelabidin ibni Abdülvâhid tarafından vezîri Şehbender Ebu Said vâsıtasıyla irsâl olunan Malay lisânı üzre muharrer şukkanın fotoğrafla alınan sûretlerinin gönderildiğini ve şukka-i mezkûrenin îzâh ve tefsîr-i münderecâtıyla sâʾir baʿzı ifâdâtı hâvî mûmâileyh Osman Paşa tarafından vürûd eden tahrîrât manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmak üzere mezkûr sûretlerle maʿan ve leffen arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 8 Cemâziyelâhire sene [1]307 Nâzır-ı Bahriye Bende-i Hasan 1587 Ministry of Naval Affairs Secretarial Office Number The copies of the documents sent in the name of the Muslim residents of Siam concerning their government’s aggressions and attacks on the holy

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Figure 67 Minister of the Navy to the Grand Vizier on the complaints of Southeast Asian Muslims about Dutch oppression, 1890

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[Islamic] law, and containing their request for help, sent from Singapore by the commander of the Imperial Frigate Ertuğrul, Brigadier-General Osman Paşa, along with the said Paşa’s related communiqué, were previously presented in enclosure of a special note. This time [another] communiqué of the said Osman Paşa is presented in enclosure for your information, together with its enclosures. The communiqué relates that he has sent the [following documents]: A petition in Arabic received from the people of Java, signed by the [Islamic] judge of Singapore and twenty-eight other individuals, containing complaints about the Dutch State’s oppressive practices with regard to the Muslims of Java and Sumatra; photographs of a Malay letter dispatched by Muhammad Zainal Abidin bin Abdul Wahid, the ruler of the small independent government of Tembusai, through his vizier, Shahbandar Abu Said. [The communiqué] also contains some explanations and interpretations about the content of the letter, as well as some other comments. As [all these documents] are presented [to Your Excellency]. To command belongs to him who commands all. 30 January 1890 Hasan, Minister of the Navy Source: BOA İ.DH. 1170/91449/7

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Illegible photos of a letter of the Muslims of Java to Osman Paşa, commander of Ertuğrul Frigate, complaining about Dutch oppression

8.5.1 Commentary The letter is addressed to Osman Paşa, commander of the Ertuğrul, here described as a ‘vizier’ and as a ‘holy warrior in God’s path’ (al-ghāzī fī sabīl allāh). Most of the extant first page is comprised of elaborate if conventional titles of and compliments to Sultan Abdülhamid II, complains of the mistreatment of the people of ‘Java’ by the Dutch Christians, and expresses their enthusiasm for acquiring knowledge which the Dutch have obstructed. It thus almost certainly represents a request by a group of local Muslims, probably Hadramis, for assistance from Abdülhamid in the education of their children. Hadrami authorship is also suggested by the relatively lucid, if sometimes colloquial, style of the Arabic. The rest of the text is imperfectly preserved, as the reverse of the letter has worn away entirely. The extant text on the final page is too poorly preserved to be deciphered with confidence. It contains complaints against the Dutch. The letter is dated Jumada II 1307, and the first signatory is the qadi of the Muslims of Singapore. There are a number of other signatories, most of whom describe themselves as Hajjis.

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Figure 68 Photo of the first page of the letter of the Muslims of Java to Osman Paşa, commander of Ertugrul Frigate

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Figure 69 Illegible photo of the second page of the letter of the Muslims of Java to Osman Paşa

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Figure 70 Note on the back side of the illegible photo of the letter of the Muslims of Java to Osman Paşa

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Figure 71 Photo of the last page of the letter of the Muslims of Java to Osman Paşa

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Figure 72 Chief secretary of the Sultan informs Abdülhamid II about the letters of the Muslims of Java

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[Note by Osman Paşa, commander of the Ertuğrul frigate, on the back of the photo of the first page of the letter] Cava ahâli-i İslâmiyesi tarafından alınan arz-ı hâlin birinci sahifesi olup aslının nısfı kadardır. This is the first page of the petition received from the Muslims of Java. It is half the size of its original. [Note by Osman Paşa, commander of the Ertuğrul frigate, on the back of the photo of the second page of the letter] Cava Ahalisi tarafından alınan arz-ı hâlin ikinci sâhifesi olup aslının nısfı kadardır. This is the second page of the petition received from the Muslims of Java. It is half the size of its original. [Note by Osman Paşa, commander of the Ertuğrul frigate, on the back of the photo of the third page of the letter] Cava ahâli-i İslâmiyesi tarafından alınan arz-ı hâlin üçüncü sahifesi olup aslının nısfı kadardır. This is the third page of the petition received from the Muslims of Java. It is half the size of its original. Source: BOA İ.DH.1170/91449/3–5

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Documents relating to the initiatives of Sharif Ali to bring Aceh under Ottoman sovereignty One of the most perplexing characters in the story of 19th century Ottoman-Southeast Asian relations is Sharif Ali, who appears to have been an impostor who nonetheless managed to convince Ottoman officials for some time that he was a genuine representative of the Sultan of Aceh. He first surfaces in a translation of a letter he sent to the Ottoman consulate in 1883 in Batavia claiming to be the heir of the sultanate of Pontianak in Borneo (document 2.9.1); the existence of the Ottoman translation of the letter in Istanbul suggests the consulate found his claims sufficiently convincing and noteworthy to forward to the Ottoman government. However, when Sharif Ali turned up in Istanbul eight years later, he claimed to be a Hadrami born in Marawiʿa in Yemen, who had become regent of Aceh after the death of sultan Mahmud Shah Despite the numerous inaccuracies in Sharif Ali’s testimony, such as the statement that Aceh was an island in the Red Sea, his testimony was considered by the Ottoman Minister of Police, the Grand Vizier and even Sultan Abdülhamid (Göksoy 2015: 182–6).

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An individual called Sharif Ali residing in Singapore relates that he is a descendant of the prophet and claims to be heir to the sultan of Pontianak, 1883 Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Fentafo hâkiminin vârisi olduğuna dâʾir Singapur şehrinde mütemekkin Şerif Ali tarafından Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾne irsâl-i tahrîrât Batavya‌ʾda mukîm Devlet-i Aliyye başşehbenderi fî 15 Muharrem sene 1301 târihiyle Singapur şehrinde mütemekkin Şerif Ali bin Hasan bin Ömer el-Habeşi Cemâlüʾl-Leyliʾl-Alevi nâm zât tarafından irsâl olunan Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Fî 15 Zilhicce sene [1]300 târihiyle Singapurʾdan irsâl ve takdîm eylediğim arîzada Pontianak sultânı merhûm Şerif Kasım bin Abdurrahman bin Hüseyin el-Kadri Cemâlüʾl-Leyliʾl-Aleviʾnin kerîmesi olup âhiren vefât eden Seyyidetüʾş-Şerîfe Alrato Ayşe ile akd-i izdivâcımı arz eylemiş idim bu kere dahî Dersaʿâdetʾe irsâl olunmak üzre bir kıtʿa neseb-nâmemi leffen takdîm eder mutâlaʿasından dahî müstebân olacağı vechile silsile-i nesebimin cenâb-ı fahr-ı kâʾinât aleyhi efdalüʾt-tahiyyât efendimiz hazretlerine münhî merhûm Sultân Şerîf Kasımʾın bizden başka vârisi bulunmadığını arz eylerim ol-bâbda irâde efendimindir. Batavya‌ʾda mukîm Devlet-i Aliyye başşehbenderine fî 1 Muharrem sene [1]301 târihiyle Singapurʾda mütemekkin Ali bin Hüseyin bin Ömer el-Habeşi Cemalüʾl-Leyliʾl-Alevi nâm zat tarafından irsâl olunan Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre mektûbun tercümesidir. Pederim Şerif Seyyid Hasan bin Ömer bin Alevi Ravza-i Mutahhara‌ʾda sâdât-ı Aleviyeʾnin neseblerini hâvî şecere-i aliyyeʾde nâmı mezkûr olan Muhammed Esedullah ve Muhammed el-Fıkhiyye-i Mukaddemüʾl-Alevî evlâdından Ebubekir el-Habeşiʾnin evlâdından olduğu misillü ve vâlidem dahî Muhammed Esedullah el-Alevî ve Muhammed el-Fıkhıyye-i Mukaddemüʾl-Aleviʾnin ve kerime-i hazreti Rasûl-ı mücteba Fâtımatüʾz-Zehrâʾnın mahdûmu Hazret-i Hüseyin evlâdından Muhammed el-Kadir Cemâlüʾl-Leyliʾl-Alevi nâmıyla muʿanven Pontianak hâkimi Şerif Seyyid Abdurrahman bin Hüseyin bin Ahmed el-Aleviʾnin kerîmeleri Seyyide Şerife Safiye Hâtunʾun evlâdından bulunduğunu beyân ve îzâh etmek üzre işbu arîza-i acizânemi takdîm eder binâʾen aleyh Cemâlüʾl-Leylüʾl-Alevi nâmıyla mümzâ vazʿ-ı mektûblarımıza iʿtibâr olunmak lâzım geldiğini arz ederim ol-bâbda. 9.1

Draft translation: Letter from Sharif Ali to Consulate General in Batavia, stating that he is the successor of the ruler of Pontianak This is the translation of the Arabic letter sent by Sharif Ali bin Hasan bin Umar al-Habashi Jamal al-Layl al-Alawi residing in Singapore to the High Consul General of the Sublime State in Batavia dated 16 November 1883

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In the petition that I sent and presented from Singapore dated 17 October 1883, I related my marriage to the now deceased Sayyida al-Sharifa Alrato Aʾisha, daughter of the late Sultan of Pontianak Sharif Qasim bin Abd al-Rahman bin Hussein al-Qadri Jamal al-Layl al-Alawi. Now, in enclosing my family lineage to be sent to be presented at the Abode of Felicity, it will be also become clear from the study of this document that the antiquity of my lineage reaches back to the most noble and source of pride of the universe, all the highest salutation is due to him, [i.e. the Prophet Muhammad], [and that], except for us, there are no heirs of Sultan Sharif Qasim. In this matter, it is for my lord to command. This is the translation of the Arabic letter sent by Sharif Ali bin Hasan bin Umar al-Habashi Jamal al-Layl al-Alawi residing in Singapore to the High Consul General of the Sublime State in Batavia dated 2 November 1883 My father Sharif Sayyid Hasan bin Umar bin Alawi is of the line of Abu Bakr al-Habashi who is from the line of Muhammad Asadullah and Muhammad alFiqhiyya, founder of the Alawi whose names are mentioned in the family lineage at the Tomb of the Prophet Muhammad. Likewise, my mother descended from Muhammad Asadullah al-Alawi and Muhammad al-Fiqhiyya, founder of the Alawi, and also from Sayyida Sharif Safiyya Hatun, the daughter of Sharif Sayyid Abdurrahman bin Husayn bin Ahmad al-Alawi, the ruler of Pontianak, known as Muhammad al-Qadir Jamal al-Layl al-Alawi, who descends from His Majesty Husayn, the son of the noble and majestic chosen one of the Prophet, Fatima, Lady of Light.66 This humble petition is presented in order to explain and clarify this petitionary matter so that the signature of the name Jamal alLayl al-Alawi be respected. Source: BOA HR.TO. 334/22

Sultan’s aide to the sultan about Sharif Ali’s suggestion of educating members of the Acehnese resistance in Ottoman military schools67 Kurenâ-yı şehriyârîlerinden Arif Bey kulları vâsıtasıyla şeref-yâb-ı telakkî olduğum irâde-i seniyye-i mülûkâneleri mantûk-ı âlîsine tevfîkan Cavalı Şerif Ali kulları celb ile tekrâr tekrâr istiknâh-ı mâdde olundukda netîce-i ifâdâtı atabe-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîlerine takdîm eylediği ve arzuhâldeki tafsîlât ve sergüzeştliğini tekrâr ve teʾkîden ve maksad-ı aslî kâffesi dîn-i mübîn-i İslâmʾla mütedeyyin olan bunca ahâlînin melce-i âmme-i müslimîn olan atabe-i ulyâ-yı mülûkânelerine dehâletle bunca seneden beri düçâr oldukları tasallut-ı aʿdâdan tahlîsi ve vikâyelerinden ibâret olup bu maksadın 9.2

66  A favoured title for the Prophet’s daughter. 67  This report was prepared upon Sharif Ali’s petition to the sultan which is kept in the same file (Y.PRK.MYD 10/60). Since all the issues raised in the petition are covered by this report and the following documents we did not publish the original petition by Sharif Ali.

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husûlünü teʾmîne kâfil olan esbâb ve tedâbir ise baʿde mekân ve ilcâʾat-i zemâniye îcâbınca ancak oralardan beher sene on yirmi nefer sıbyânın îfâ-yı farîza-i hac vesîlesiyle buraya celb ve mekteb-i fünûn-ı harbiye-i mülûkânelerinde ulûm ve fünûn-ı cedîde-i askeriye tahsîl ile kesb-i meleke ve iktidâr etdirildikden sonra yine münâsib bir vesîle ile oraya iʿâde olunmaları ve birkaç sene zarfında biʾt-tabʿ orada tekessür edecek bu erbâb-ı maʿlûmât vâsıtasıyla kuvve-i müdâfaʿa bir hüsn-ı sûrete ifrâğ ve tensîk olunarak hilâfet-i küberâ-yı saltanat-ı seniyyelerinde olan râbıta-i diyânetleri münâsebetiyle tâbiʿiyyetlerini açıkdan açığa iʿlân ve livâ-yı zafer ihtivâ-yı şâhânelerini refʿ edip biʾl-vâsıta mâlik olacakları esliha ve mühimmât-ı nâriye ile sâye-i seniyye-i hazret-i tâcdârîlerinde Flemenklilere mukâvemetle memleketlerinden refʿ ve tenkîle muvaffak olabileceklerinin delîl-i alenîsi bu ümmet-i Muhammediyeʾnin selâmetini ve devlet-i ebed müddet-i Osmâniyeʾnin devâm-ı şevket ve ezdiyâd-ı ikbâl ve satvetini kâfil ve mübeşşir olarak millet-i münciʾe-i İslâmiyeʾye âtiye-i ezeliye ve inâyet-i sübhâniye olan zât-ı akdes-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhînin cümle-i muvaffakiyet-i Samedânîyesi olmağla ol vechile teşebbüsât-ı lâzimeye ibtidâr buyurulması ve bunun en kolay tarîk icrâsı mevsim-i hacc-ı şerîfde oralardan külliyetlü ulemâ ve muʿtebârân-ı ahâlî-i îfâ-yı farîza-i hac niyet-i dîn-i ârânesiyle havâlî-i Hicâziyeʾye gelmiş olduklarından eğerçi bu sene mevsim biraz geçmiş ise de yine bu gün yarın hareket edecek bir vapurla doğruca Süveyşʾe ve oradan dahî bir iki gün zarfında tesâdüf edilebilecek vapur veyâhud yelken gemisiyle Cidde ve Yenbuʿuʾl-bahre azîmet olunduğu takdîrde Mekke ve Medîneʾde yetişilemezse bile avdetlerine tesâdüf olunup ol havâlîden bir çok zevât-ı muhtereme ile mülâkât ve kendilerine mahremâne hikâye-i hâl ve maslahat olundukdan sonra tenezzüh vesîlesiyle birkaçını biʾl-istishâb Dersaʿâdetʾe avdetle atabe-i felek-mertebe-i mülûkânelerine rûmâl-ı ubûdiyet olarak husûsât-ı maʿrûzânın sûret-i mahremânede tezekkür ve takarrür etdirilmesi ve eshel-i tedâbir-i esâsiyeden olduğunu ilâveten ifâde ve der-meyân etmişdir fiʾl-vâkıʿ ifâdât-ı vâkıʿa dâʾire-i maʿkûliyetden hâriç görülmediğinden merkûm kullarına mesârif-i seferiyesine medâr olmak üzre yirmi otuz lira ihsân buyurulup da ol vechile havâlî-i Hicâziyeʾye gidecek olur ise ifâdât-ı vâkıʿası gibi bir şey yapabilirse ol vakit mahremâne arîz ve amîk netîce-i karârı arz-ı atabe-i ulyâ kılınacağı ve şâyed avdet etmez yâhud bir şey yapamaz ise ol hâlde kendisine mesârif-i seferiye olarak verilecek meblağın sadaka-i serîn-i efser-i hazret-i tâcdârîleri olmuş olacağı mülâhazası vârid-i hâtır-ı kemterî olduysa da îfâ-yı muktezâsı her hâlde musahhah ârâ-yı kâsıra olan emr u irâde-i isâbet-âde-i mülûkânelerine vâbeste bulunmağın ol-bâbda Fî 22 Haziran sene [1]307Yâver-i Ekrem Kulları Derviş

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Sharif Ali of Jawa has been summoned, and the issue has been repeatedly investigated to the very bottom in accordance with the content of Your Majesty’s imperial resolution that I was honoured to have been informed about through your servant the private chamberlain Arif Bey. His testimony repeats and affirms his venture, as do the details in the petition that he submitted to the threshold of His Majesty the exalted Caliph. His main intention is to protect and rescue these devoted Muslims from the molestation of their enemies, to which they have been subject for such a long time, by entering [into the protection] of the great threshold of Your Majesty, which is the place of refuge for all Muslims. As for the measures that will serve to accomplish this purpose, after establishing details of place and time, each year ten to twenty male children should be sent here from there under the pretext of performing the obligation of the Hajj, in order to study the new military sciences at the Imperial School of Military Science. After they become competent in these, they will return home at the appropriate time. Through these educated people – who will naturally grow in number within a few years – the defence forces will be organized in an appropriate manner. Due to their religious connection to Great Caliphate of the Imperial Sultanate, [they will] openly declare their subject status, lift the victorious imperial flag and, thanks to His Majesty the Crown-Wearer [the Ottoman sultan], they will resist the Dutch in their homeland by means of firearms and ammunition which they will obtain through intermediaries. There is clear evidence that they may be able successfully to remove the Dutch from their country with all the divine success of the sacred person of the exalted Caliph (who is an eternal gift to the saved nation of Islam), which is also the guarantee and the harbinger of the salvation this nation of Muhammad, and the continuation of the grandeur and the increase of the prosperity and vigour of the ever-lasting Ottoman State. Therefore it is submitted that the required measures should be taken accordingly, and that the easiest way to carry this out is [as follows]. A considerable number of religious scholars and notables from there have come to the region of Hijaz with the intention of carrying out the obligation of the Hajj. Although this year’s season has passed, if a steamboat were deployed today or tomorrow to Suez, from there one can reach Jeddah or Yanbuʿ al-Bahr on a steamboat or a sail boat that can be found [in Suez] in a day or two. [In the ports, one] can encounter and brief many respected individuals on their return, if not in Mecca or Medina. It is also suggested that after the issue is secretly related to them, [it can] be referred back to the Abode of Felicity by taking some of them to present their humble obedience at Your Majesty’s lofty threshold, and deliberating and deciding [upon the issue] in a confidential manner. In fact, these statements do not seem unreasonable.

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Therefore, twenty to thirty lira can be granted to Sharif Ali for his travel expenses to go to the Hijaz for that purpose. If he is able to do what he claims, the results will be presented to the great threshold in detail. And if he does not return or he is not able to do anything, the amount that will be given to him for travel expenses will be considered as generous alms given by His Majesty the Crown-Wearer. Although these [suggestions] came to my humble mind, the implementation of its requirement depends, in any case, on the very appropriate and exalted will of Your Majesty. In this matter […] 4 July 1891 Aide to his Majesty Your servant Derviş Source: BOA Y.PRK.MYD. 10/60

The petition of Sharif Ali explaining the state of Aceh, his position in its administration and his request to leave the country to the Ottomans Rikâb-ı kamer-tâb hazretlerinin huzûr-ı şevket ihtivâsına Cenâb-ı Rabb-ı Vedûd vekîl-i resûl-ı ekrem halîfe-i rûy-ı zemîn velî-niʿmet-i bî-minnetimiz pâdişâh-ı âlemiyân ve şehinşâh-ı diyâniyet-i iktinâh efendimiz hazretlerini serîr-i şevket-masîr-i tâcdârîlerinde ber devâm ve nice nice muvaffakiyetle biʾl-cümle tebʿa-i sâdıka-i mülûkânelerini mübârek ve mesʿûd ve bekâm buyursun âmin Birinci Mâdde Ceddüʾl-ced cennet-mekân firdevs-i âşiyân Yavuz Sultan Selim Hân Gâzî Hazretlerinin Mekke-i Mükerreme ve Medîne-i Münevvereʾde bulunan emânetleri ahz etmek maksad ve hayr mirsadıyla hîn-i teşrîf ve baʿdeʾl-avdet sevâhil-i Bahr-ı Ahmerʾde vâkıʿ (Cava) kıtʿasında ve makarr-ı deryâda atîk dârüʾs-selâm-ı cedîd (Iyş adası) dimekle maʿrûf nâm adanın hacmi ve tevsîʿ-i cesâmeti on iki ayda ancak bir vapur amed-şud edebilir sırf İslâm ile memlû olarak üç milyon nüfûsu üç yüz şeyh taht-ı idâresinde şerîʿat-i garrâ icrâsıyla meşgûldürler birinci cennet-mekân-ı müşârunileyhâ hazretleri mezkûr adanın fethiyle hîn-i işgâlinde oranın hânedân-ı kadîminden (Cevher Zilluşşâh Hazretlerine) teslîm hükümdâr nasb ve taʿyîn buyurulması hâsılât ve arâzîsi kâmilen Haremeyn-i Şerîfeynʾe vakf ederek memleketin muhâfazası içün tabya ve kalʿalar inşâ ve iʿmâr bin aded top terk etmişdir İkinci Mâdde El-yevm ada-i mezkûr merhûm müşârunileyh (Cevher Şah) hazretlerinin sülâle-i tâhirelerinden Muhammed Davud Şah Hazretlerinin taht-ı idâre ve 9.3

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Figure 73 The petition of Sharif Ali explaining the state of Aceh, his position in its administration and his request to leave the country to the Ottomans

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Figure 74 The petition of Sharif Ali explaining the state of Aceh, his position in its administration and his request to leave the country to the Ottomans

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işgâlinde olup kulları da vekîl-i murahhası olduğumdan vakf-ı şerîf ve şerîʿat-i Ahmediyeʾnin icrâsıyla mâl-ı besâl nice bin hüccâc mağfiret-tırâza azîmet etmekde ve bu yüzden duʿâ-yı (?) ömr ü iclâl-i hazret-i cihân-bânî tekrâr aleʾt-tekrâr merfûʿ-ı bârigâh-ı cenâb-ı perverdiğâr kılınmakdadır. Üçüncü Mâdde Adanın hâsılât-ı sâfiyesi kahve, pirinç ve biber ve asel, şemʿ-i asel ve hubûbât-ı sâʾire ile eşcâr-ı müsmireyi hâmil olup taʿrîfi gayri kâbil hezârâne vâsiʿ ormanlar mevcûd olduğu gibi vasatında mâʾ-i lezîz bir büyük göl, tûlen yirmi dört arzen on iki saʿat cesâmetinde vakʿarında gemiler ve mavnalar amed-şud etmekde ve bunun ile berâber de rahmet-i seylânîde hâsıl olan suyun getirmiş olduğu altın ve gümüş maʿdenlerini çoluk ve çocuklar tarafından toplanılmakda olduğu şübheden âzâdedir. Dördüncü Mâdde Ertuğrul Fırkateyn-i hümâyûnunun seyâhat tarîkıyle (Japonya) azîmeti esnâ-yı râhda Kılkılane Adasıʾna uğrayarak İslâm memlû olan bir cemʿ-i gafîr tarafından istikbâl olunup taʿrîf olunmaz derecede şenlikler icrâ edildiği havâdis sırasında gazetelerde neşr-u iʿlân olunmuşidi fırkateyn-i mezbûrun kumandânı merhûm Osman Paşa‌ʾya hitâben mezkûr (Işy Adasıʾnın) ahvâline dâʾir hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin tarafından tahrîren bildirilmiş olmağla şimdilik Japonya‌ʾya azîmet etmekde olduğundan zamân-ı avdetinde ahvâlini teftîş etdikden sonra hâl ve ahvâlimizi zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i mülûkânelerine biʾt-takrir bildireceği vaʿd buyurulmuş ise de vukûʿu [ve]fâtıyla muvaffak olunamamışdır. Beşinci Mâdde Merhûm-ı müşârunileyhâ Sultân Selim Han Gâzi Hazretleriʾnin hükümdârânına emâneten altından maʿmûl bir leğen ve bir ibrik ve bir aded seyf ve nâr-ı atîkası el-yevm hükümdârânın mevcûd ve Sultân Selîm nâmıyla bir bâb câmi-i şerîf olup derûnunda edâ-yı salât olunmakdadır. Altıncı Mâdde Cennet-mekân firdevs-i âşiyân Sultân Abdülazîz Han Efendimiz Hazretlerinin zamân-ı saltanatından beru Flemenk Kralı tarafından donanma sevkiyle mezkûr (Iyş Adasını) taht-ı muhâsaraya almış ve hayli vakitdir muhârebe edilmekde icrâ edilen mukâbil üzerine işgâline meydân verilmemiş ve mâmâfih müşârunileyhâ zamânında keyfiyetin taraf-ı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾmize bildirilmek üzere Seyyid Abdurrahman al-Zahirʾe elli bin riyâl harcırâh iʿtâsıyla yola çıkarılmış İngiltere ve Flemenk Krallarının sâʾika-i teşvîki olarak merkûm şehrî beş bin riyâl aylık tahsîsiyle Ciddeʾde ikâmet tensîb görülmüş olmağla el-yevm bin iki yüz riyâl aylığa tenzîliyle ikâmet etmekde ve Flemenk Konsolosuʾnun maʿiyyetinde olup oraya vürûd eden hüccâcda üçer riyâl ayrıca bir tahsîsât ahz etmekde olduğu cümlenin meşhûdudur.

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Yedinci Mâdde Esnâ-yı muhârebede otuz bin asâkir adaya ihrâç eylemiş ise de berren gelen asâkir itlâf on bin kadar Martini tüfenk, bir havan top haylice esîr tarafımızdan zabt (îmâna) gelenlerini şeref-i İslâm ile müşerref eylemiş isek de edevât-ı harbiyenin taklîliyet cihetle (yalnız îd iskelesini zabt edebilmiş bu hâlde memleketden hafî üç yüz bin riyâl bedelinde cebhâne ve barut edevât-ı sâʾire vermek üzere İngiliz tüccârlarından biriyle akd u mukâvele edilip akçesini ber-vech-i peşîn tamâmen iʿtâ olunarak (hattâ) bir mikdârın teslîm edilmiş ve küsûr kalanı Şerif Aliʾnin Vapura vürûdunda teslîm edileceği anlaşılması üzerine mezkûr seyfi taʿlîk ve bir iki neferi terfîkan edevât-ı harbiyenin teslîmine gelmiş ve vapura duhûlümde islim üzerinde olan vapur fayrab edilerek dessâslık sâyesinde doğruca zabt etmiş olduğu îd iskelesinde Flemenk ceneraline baʿdeʾt-teslîm burada (?) ve îdâm edileceğim anlaşılması) ve hattâ dar ağacı başında götürülmüş olduğum hâlde cenâb-ı hak ve şerîʿat sâyesinde Hind tüccârlarından Babakır nâmında bir pîr peydâ olup tâbiʿiyyet âl-i Osmânʾdan ve dîn-i mübîn-i İslâmiyândan ve şerîf evlâdlarından olduğundan halîfe-i eʿâzım meʿâl-i şem efendimiz hazretlerinin istimâʿıyla beyneʾd-devleteyn bir fenâlık zuhûra meydân verilmeklerine şimdiden önü alınmak üzre salıverildim fakat o esnâda mezkûr seyfi almak murâd etmişler ise de âl-i Osmân Sultân Selîm Hân Gâzî Hazretlerinin emâneti olduğundan bahisle adem-i muvaffakiyet hâsıl olup orada (Töngeş Lansar) nâmında bir İslâmʾa teslîm edilmişdir. Sekizinci Mâdde O sırada mezkûr îd iskelesinde bulunan ceneraller akd-i meclis ve komisyon teşkîliyle bizim oradan vücûdumuz kaldırılacak olur ise adanın fethine müyesser olacaklarından orada ikâmetimiz gayri câʾiz görülerek Süveyş tarîkıyle nefyen Ciddeʾde ikâmetimiz her ne kadar resmen tensîb görülmüş ise de kaʿrı deryâya ilkâmıza karâr ve münâsib görülmüş yedimize de bir kıtʿa mazrûfen evrâkı teslîm muʾahharan hareketimiz vukûʿ bularak Süveyşʾe vürûdumuzda bir sandala râkib ve firâren çırılçıplak canımı halâsımın Kâhire tarîkiyle keyfiyetin arz ve ifâdesi zımnında doğruca Dersaʿâdet ve maʿdelet karâra gelip Zenci Ali Efendi vâsıtasıyla mevcûd bulunan evrâk baʿdeʾl-kırâʾe keyfiyetin hâl-i minvâl üzere olduğu anlaşılmış ve mezkûr evrâkın jürnale rabtıyla keyfiyetin felek mertebe-i cihân-bânîlerine arz ve takdîm edilmesi husûsunda Galata Sarayıʾnda mukîm Alaybeyi izzetlü Hüseyin Bey Efendimizʾe teslîm edilmiş ise de el-ân takdîm ve adem-i takdîmine dâʾir bir maʿlûmât alınamayarak leyl ü nehâr müteʾessifâtta kalmaktayım ve bu husûs içün mûmâileyh Hacı Ali Efendi pek çok fedâkarlıkda olduğu bî-iştibâhdır. Dokuzuncu Mâdde Flemenk ile beynehümâmızda vukûʿ bulan muhâberâtda ey Flemenk bizden talebin nedir suʾâlimizde burasını bâ-fermân-ı âlîşân âl-i Osmân bize terk

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etmişdir teslîmini taleb ederiz fermân-ı âlîşânın irâʾesiyle (semiʿnâ ve ataʿnâ) istidâsına cevâben fermânın irâʾesiyle olmadığı anlaşılmışdır. Onuncu Mâdde Gelelim mezkûr adanın taraf-ı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden zabt ve işgâline adanın keşf ve muʿâyenesine buradan seyâhat nâmıyla bir vapur çıkarılarak ve kulları da tefrîkan doğruca adaya muvâsaletle Hükümdâr Muhammed Davud Şah Hazretleriyle beş nefer evlâdlarım vapur-ı mezkûra terhîn adanın dâhilen ve hâricen keşf ve muʿâyene ve buraca icrâ edilen muhâberâtdan keyfiyet minvâli meşrûh üzre olduğu sûretde adanın teslîminden sonra vapurlara mesârifât-ı vâkıʿasıyla oraca mâlik olduğumuz (hazîne ve emvâl)-i sâʾire ve âsâr-ı atîkanın kâffesini taraf-ı devletlerine teslîm ve üç milyon nüfûs ehl-i İslâm inkıyâd ve tâbiʿiyyet baʿdeʾl-kabûl hakîkatüʾl-hâl meydana izhâr ve eğer ifâde-i âcizânem mertebe-i sübûta vâsıl olmayıp hilâf-ı vâkıʿ olacak olduğu hâlde kullarını evlâd ve iyâlimle berâber îdâm edileceğim taʿahhüdât vâkıʿa-i bendegânemden olmağla bunun rehîn-i kabûl-ı âlî buyurulması atabe-i ulyâlarına ledeʾl-arz istidʿâyı vâkıʿ karîn-i eslâf ve eltâf cenâb-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî buyurulmak üzre takdîmine ictisâr eyledim ol-bâbda ve kâtibe-i ahvâlde emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı şevket-makrûn şevketlü kudretlü adâletlü pâdişâhımız efendimiz hazretlerinindir. Fî 27 Ağustos sene 1307 Bende-i Iyş Adasıʾnın hükümdârının vezîri ve vekîli Şerif Ali bin İsmail misâfireten mukîm-i Tobhâneʾde Fîruz Ağa mahallesinde sâkin [Mühür] To the most noble presence of His Majesty May the One God bless, make happy, and protect His Majesty the representative of the noble Prophet, the Caliph of God on Earth, our most noble lord, the Sultan of the people and the supreme king, our lord the bedrock of religion, possessor of the noble throne of the crown-holder, and all of the loyal subjects of His Majesty, Amen First article During and after the visit of the late Sultan Selim Khan “the Stern”68 to Noble Mecca and Resplendent Medina with the aim of taking the sacred relics69 located there, the island of Aceh was occupied by conquest, and Sultan

68  Selim I, r. 1512–1520, known in the Anglophone world as “the Grim”. 69   Emânât-ı mübâreke – relics of the Prophet Muhammad, his family, and other prophets; apparently the reference is to Selim I’s conquest of the Hijaz in 1517.

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Selim entrusted it to Jauhar Zillul-Shah,70 who was a member of the ancient dynasty of that place, and appointed him as the ruler. The area and the extent of this land (Jawa) located on the shores of Red Sea, on which is located a land anciently known in these waters as the New Abode of Peace (the island of Aceh),71 is such that it would take twelve months for a steamship to travel around it. It is full of Muslims, and has a population of three million who live under the administration of three hundred shaykhs who implement the shining [Islamic] law. [Moreover] Selim provided endowments in land for the revenue to the two Holy Places [Mecca and Medina], and built for its protection redoubts and forts, and left one thousand cannons. Second article Today the said island is under the control and administration of His Highness Muhammad Daud Shah, who is of pure descent from His Highness Jauhar Shah. I am his special agent and administer the pious foundations and the law of Muhammad. Many thousands of pilgrims [from here] go [to the Hijaz] and pray (?) to God repeatedly for the life and reign of His Majesty the World-Sovereign. Third article The produce of the island includes coffee, rice, pepper, honey, beeswax, various grains, and fruit trees. It is impossible to describe the thousands of forests that the island possesses. At the centre of it there is a huge lake of sweet water. It takes 24 hours for a ship or barge to make a round trip of its length, and 12 hours of its breadth. In addition, gold and silver metals brought by rain floods are collected by women and children. Fourth article When the Ertuğrul Frigate called at the island of Kılkılâne [Singapore?] on its way to Japan, it was welcomed by a great crowd of Muslims who held great celebrations that were published and announced in newspapers. The situation on the island of Aceh was communicated by the ruler [Muhammad Daud Shah] with a letter to Osman Paşa, the commander of the frigate. As he was on his way to Japan, he promised that he would investigate the issue and present our circumstances and situation in a petition to His Exalted Majesty when he returned [to Istanbul], however, as he died this did not happen. 70  The historical account as well as the names given here seem imaginary rather that real. The name here is a mixture of different elements of regnal titles. Sultan Alauddin Jauhar al-Alam Shah who reigned between 1795–1824 was the great-grandfather of Muhammad Daud Shah, but was not a contemporary of Selim I or II. 71  He seems to know that the Acehnese call it in this way.

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Fifth article A golden washtub, a long-spouted ewer, a sword, and an ancient fire entrusted by His Majesty the conquering Sultan Selim Khan to the rulers of Aceh are kept by them to this day, and there is a noble mosque called Sultan Selim where prayers are performed. Sixth article The King of Holland has besieged the said island of Aceh by deploying fleets since the reign of our lord His Majesty the late Abdülaziz Khan. The war has been going on for a long time. As a result of the resistance, the Dutch were not able to occupy it. During the time of [Abdülaziz], Sayyid Abdurrahman alZahir was sent with a travel allowance of fifty thousand riyals72 to inform the Sublime State of the situation. However, with the encouragement of the monarchs of Britain and Holland, the said Abdurrahman was appointed to settle in Jeddah with a monthly salary of five thousand riyals. Today he resides with a reduced salary of one or two hundred riyals in the entourage of the Dutch Consul. It is witnessed by everybody that he obtains three riyals and other payments from the pilgrims who visit there. Seventh Article Although the Dutch landed about thirty thousand soldiers on the island during the war, ten thousand of them were killed. About ten thousand Martini [-Henry] rifles, one mortar, and a considerable number of prisoners were captured by us, some of whom we converted to Islam. However, due to the lack of war material we could only hold the port of Idi.73 Under these conditions, we made a secret agreement with a British merchant to obtain ammunition, gunpowder, and other [war] material for three hundred thousand riyals, which we paid in advance. Although a part of the material was delivered, it was [said] that the rest was to be delivered when Sharif Ali arrived at the steamboat. Upon this, I took up a sword, and taking a few soldiers with me, I went to receive the war material. When I came on board the ship, I was arrested for intrigue and brought directly to the Dutch General at the port of Idi, which he had occupied. It was clear that I was going to be (?) and executed; I was even brought to the gallows. However, thanks to God and the [Islamic] law, an old man, an Indian merchant called Babakır appeared, and I was released to avoid ill-feeling between the two countries when our lord, the great Caliph, heard of my execution, since I am an Ottoman subject, a Muslim, and a descendant of the Sharifs. Although they wanted to take the said sword, they did not succeed, since it was 72  It is not clear what kind of Riyal is meant; it may refer to the Maria-Theresa thaler. 73  On the northeast coast of Aceh, currently in the Regency (kabupaten) of East Aceh (Aceh Timur).

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mentioned that it was a bequest of His Majesty the exalted Ottoman Sultan Selim Khan. The sword was entrusted to a Muslim called Shaykh Tuneshki. Eighth article At that moment, the Generals who were present at the port of Idi arranged a meeting and established a commission. They decided that they would be able to occupy the island if they could get rid of us. Consequently, they decided that we should not remain there, and decided officially to send us into exile to Jeddah by way of Suez. They deemed it appropriate to put us to sea, and gave us some documents in an envelope. Then we set off. On our arrival at Suez, I saved my life by boarding on rowboat, totally naked, escaping to the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul] by way of Cairo. [In Istanbul] after the available documents were read by Black Ali Efendi, the situation was understood. Although the documents were entrusted to his Excellency Hüseyin Bey Efendi (commander of the regiment barracked at Galatasaray) for presentation to the exalted presence of the World-Ruler [the Ottoman sultan], along with a report, until now no information has been obtained as to whether they were submitted or not. I remain day and night very grieved because of this. There is no doubt that said Hajji Ali Efendi made many efforts on my behalf. Ninth Article When we asked the Dutch in our correspondence what they wanted from us, they responded that, “The Ottoman House has left this country to us through an imperial order. We want its surrender.” Upon our request to see the imperial order so that we might hear and obey, it appears from [their] response that no such order has been granted. Tenth Article Regarding the occupation and control of the said island by the Sublime State, a steamship [should] be deployed under the pretence of making a journey for the exploration and investigation of the island. I, your humble servant, should accompany it to the island. The exalted ruler Muhammad Daud Shah and my five children may be kept as a security in the steamboat. The interior and the exterior of the island should be explored and investigated. If the information obtained in this way corroborates my previous communications, after the island is handed over, the treasury, other possessions, and the relics we own there should be stowed on the boat to deliver them to His Majesty as a compensation. After three million Muslims obey and submit, the truth will become apparent. And, if my humble testimony is found to be untrue, I promise to submit to execution together with my children and my whole family. I hope that this will be considered as a surety. I dare to submit this petition for presentation to His Exalted Majesty. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to our lord, His Noble Majesty the Sultan.

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8 September 1891 Your servant, the vizier and agent of the ruler of the island of Aceh, Sharif Ali bin Ismail, residing as a guest in the neighbourhood of Fîrûz Ağa in Tophane [Seal] Ali bin Sharif Ismail Source: BOA Y.MTV. 56/24

9.4 Note of the Minister of War about Sharif Ali and his petition Makâm-ı Seraskerî Mektûbî Kalemi Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Dün akşam üzeri Galata‌ʾdan esnâ-yı mürûr-ı âcizânemde Arab kıyâfetinde bir şahıs tarafından râkib olduğum Araba derûnuna bir lâyıha atılmış ve ledeʾl-mutâlaʿa Bahr-ı Ahmerʾde Iyş nâm adada üç milyon ahâlî-i İslâmiye meskûn olduğundan ve adanın servet-i tabîʿiyyesinden bahisle orasının taht-ı himâye-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye alınması hakkında atabe-i ulyâya takdîm olunmak üzere tanzîm olunmuş bir istirhamnâme olduğu anlaşılmış ise de merkûmun işbu ifâdât ve müstedʿiyyâtının muvâfık-ı sıhhat olup olmadığı muhtâc-ı tahkîk-i mevâddan göründüğüne ve mâmâfih işin dâʾire-i askeriyeye taʿalluku olmadığına mebnî mezkûr lâyıha leffen taraf-ı vâlâ-yı atûfîlerine irsâl kılınmış ve şahs-ı merkûm dahî kefâlete rabt olunmak üzere Galata‌ʾda kâʾin Kapu içi Karakolhânesiʾnde mülâzım-ı evvel Ali Efendiʾye teslîm ettirilmiş olmağla iktizâ-yı hâlin îfâsı manût-ı himem-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleridir ol-bâbda irâde efendim hazretlerinindir. Fî 2 Rebîʿülevvel sene [1]309 ve fî 23 Eylül sene [1]307 Serasker Rıza Office of the Minister of War Secretarial Office My kind and exalted lord, Yesterday evening while I was passing through Galata, a person who wore Arab clothes threw a report into the coach in which I was travelling. When it was scrutinised, it appeared that it related that about three million Muslims live on the island called Aceh located in the Red Sea [sic.], gave information about the natural resources of the island, and requested that the protection of the Sublime State be extended over it. The report was intended to be presented to the Exalted Threshold. However, as it is considered that the trustworthiness of the explanations and requests of the said person deserve investigation, and that the issue does not have any relation to the Ministry of War, the said report has been sent as an attachment to Your exalted Excellency. [Moreover] the said person has been handed over to Ali Efendi, first lieutenant at the Kapu İçi police station in Galata, to be bound to the conditions of bail. The

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Figure 75 Note of the Minister of War about Sharif Ali and his petition

implementation of the requirement of the issue depends on the help of your ministerial Excellency. On this issue, to command belongs to my exalted lord. 5 October 1891 Rıza, Minister of War Source: BOA Y.MTV. 56/24

9.5 Testimony of Sharif Ali as recorded by Ministry of Police Zabtiye Nezâreti Mektûbi Kalemi Aded Iyş Adası ahâlisinden ve ora hükümdârının ve vezîr ve vekîli olduğunu ifâde eden Şerif Ali bin Şerif İsmailʾin ifâdesidir. Fî 23 Eylül sene [1]307 Tevellüdünüz neresidir ve kaç yaşındasınız ve nere ahâlîsinden olup ne vakit ve ne sûretle İstanbulʾa geldiniz. Yemen vilâyeti dâhilinde Merâviʿa kasabasında tevellüd etdim kırk yaşındayım otuz sene evvel yalnızca Iyş Adasıʾna gitdim mezkûr adanın hükümdârı olan Mahmud Şah hâl-i hayâtında beni emvâl ve emlâkinin ve evlâd ve iyâlinin vesâyetine taʿyîn ederek ânın vefâtıyla mezkûr adaya

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Figure 76 Testimony of Sharif Ali as recorded by Ministry of Police

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hükümdâr oldum bir aralık hem civârımız olan Flemenk Devleti üzerimize iʿlân-ı harb ve yirmi üç sene imtidâd ederek bir aralık askerimizin cebehânesi tükenmiş ve (Filfilanʾ)dan sipâriş ettiğim cebehânenin vürûdundan evvel adamızın bir mahalli Flemenk eline düşmüşdür cebehâneyi hâmil olan vapur gelince iskelede bulunan bir takım meşâyih beyninde zuhûra gelen ihtilâf ve mübâniye cebehâneyi vapurdan almağa kendilerine mümânaʿat etmesiyle bu cebehâneyi çıkarmak içün bizzat vapura gittiğimde vapur fayrab edip beni mezkûr Filfilanʾa götürdü orada beni murdâr etmek istemişler ise de Hind tâcirlerinden Hacı Hasan isminde biri hilâfet-i küberâ-yı İslâmiyeʾye olan irtibâtımı beyân eylemesi üzerine asmakdan sarf-ı nazar ederek ve bir vapura irkâb eyleyerek Süveyşʾe göndermeleriyle oradan geçen sefâyin içinde atabe-i ulyâ-yı pâdişâhîye bessüʾş-şekvâ etmek maksadıyla derbâr-ı şevket-karâra geldim on gün Tahtakalʿa‌ʾda kaldıkdan sonra Fîruz Ağa‌ʾda sâkin ve hasta okumakla meşgûl Abdullah Efendiʾnin hânesine gittim el-ân orada misâfirim Iyş Adası hâkimi dediğin merhûm Mahmud Şâhʾa ne sûretle münâsebet peydâ eyledin ve kendi ekârib ve bendegânı vâr iken seni anlara takdîmen mülküne ve iyâl ve evlâdına nasıl vasî ve hâkim taʿyîn eyledi Şürefâdan olduğum cihetle Mahmud Şâhʾa intisâb ettim oraya muvâsaletimden on yedi sene sonra şâhın kerîmesiyle akd-i izdivâç ederek bu cihet ile şâha karîb ve binâʾen aleyh bu vesâyete nâʾil oldum Buraya geldikden sonra hiçbir tarafa mürâcaʿat eylediniz mi Evet buraya gelince Sermusâhib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârîʾye mürâcaʿat ettim ise de Devletlü Derviş Paşa Hazretlerine havâle buyurulmuş ise de bir netîce hâsıl etmemişdir. Mezkûr Iyş Adası ahâlîsinden ve burada bulunanlardan sizi bilen kimler vardır Beni tanır mezkûr ada ahâlîsinden burada kimse yokdur telgrafla mahall-i mezkûrdan suʾâl ve tahkîk buyurulacak olur ise ifâdâtımın sıhhati anlaşılır. Mezkûr adanın bir ciheti Flemenk idâresine geçmiş ve cihât-ı sâʾiresi hükümdârı dediğin zâtın taht-ı hüküm ve idâresinde bulunmuş olduğu anlaşılıyor Süveyşʾde onların nüfûzundan ferceyâb-ı firâr ile kurtulmuş iken memleketine avdet etmek senin içün menâfiʿine daha muvâfık olduğu hâlde üzerinde bir meʾmûriyet ve bir vazîfe olmaksızın buraya gelmekliğini îcâb ettiren esbâb nedir Buraya gelmekliğimi îcâb ettiren esbâb adaya avdetime Flemenk tarafından mümânaʿat olunmak muhakkak olmasından ve mülkümü zât-ı hazret-i pâdîşâhîye teslîm etmek isteyişimden ileri gelmişdir. Sizin ifâdenizden anlaşılan siz o adanın umûr-ı idâresine vesâyet cihetiyle hükm ediyorsunuz ahâlî sizin bu fikrinize bakalım iştirâk ve kabûl edecek midir. Burası taht-ı mechûlde olduğundan fikrini kabûl edeceklerine ve adanın

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umûrunu vesâyeten idâre etmekde olduğuna dâʾir kanâʿat hâsıl edecek delâʾil ve bir evrâk-ı müsbite ibrâz edebilir misiniz. Yukarıda beyân eylediğim vechile üzerimdeki elbisemle beni memleketimden çıkardıklarından ifâdâtımın sıhhatini teʾmîn eder şimdi yanımda evrâk yokdur fakat adanın makarr-ı hükûmeti olan (Komala)da el-ân icrâ-yı hükûmet eden merhûm Şah Mahmud Davudʾun ammi Şeyh Haşim ile birinci vezîri olan (Raca Kovale)ʾden ve (Rabıta) kasabasında sâkin meşâyih-i kirâmdan Şeyh Muhammed Sincan ve (Nilüʾs-Samedi) beldesinde Şeyh Mihrâce ve (Lansır)ʾda Şeyh Tünekşî ve (Bedir)ʾde mukîm Şeyh Seyyid Ali el-Mergaz efendilerden istiʿlâm ve tahkîk buyurulur ise maʿrûzâtımın sıhhati tebeyyün eder. Şerif Ali bin Şerif İsmail Ministry of Police Secretarial Office Number This is the testimony of Sharif Ali bin Sharif Ismail who states that he is from the island of Aceh, and that he is the vizier and agent of the ruler of that place. 5 October 1891. What is the place of your birth? How old are you? Where are you from? When and how did you come to Istanbul? I was born in the township of Marawiʿa in Yemen.74 I am forty years old. Thirty years ago, I went to the island of Aceh on my own. While its ruler, Mahmud Shah, was alive he appointed me to the guardianship of his belongings, properties, children, and family. Upon his death I became the ruler of that island. At one point the Dutch, who are in our vicinity, declared war on us, which conflict lasted for twenty three years. At one point, our soldiers run out of ammunition. Before the ammunition which I ordered from Filfilan[?] could be delivered, a part of our island was occupied by the Dutch. When the steamboat which carried the ammunition came, a dispute between the Shaykhs prevented them from unloading the ammunition. Upon this I went personally to the steamboat to take the ammunition. When I boarded, the steamboat fired up and brought me to Filfilan[?]. Although they wanted to kill me there, when an Indian merchant called Hajji Hasan made public my links with the Great Caliphate of Islam they gave up the idea and, putting me on a steamboat, sent me to Suez. Boarding one of the ships passing through there, I came to Istanbul to complain to the threshold of his exalted Majesty. After I stayed ten days at Tahtakale I went to the house (located in Fîruz Ağa) of Abdullah Efendi who heals sick people by reading verses from Qurʾan. At the moment I am his guest. 74  Near modern al-Hudayda on the Red Sea coast. Sharif Ali would thus have been an Ottoman subject (or had a claim to being one) as the region was under Ottoman control.

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How did you get acquainted with the late Mahmud Shah, whom you call the ruler of the island of Aceh? How did he appoint you as the guardian of his state, children and family while he had his own relatives and servants? As I am a sharif I became linked to Mahmud Shah, and seventeen years after my arrival I married the daughter of the Shah. In this way I became his relative and gained the regency. Did not you apply to anywhere after your arrival here? Yes. On my arrival I applied to the chief private assistant of the Sultan who referred me to his exalted Excellency Derviş Paşa, but this did not produce any outcome. Is there anybody who knows you from the people of the island of Aceh, who is here now? There is nobody who knows me from among the people of the said island who are here. If it is investigated there by telegram, the truth of my testimony will be understood. It seems that one side of the said island has passed to Dutch administration and the other side is under the administration of the person you call its ruler. What are the reasons that required you to come here, even though you do not have any official duties or mission, instead of returning back to your country, which would have been more in your interests, when you were able to escape from their control in Suez? The reason for me to come here is that it was certain that the Dutch would prohibit my entry to the island. [Moreover] I wanted to hand over my country to His Majesty the exalted Sultan. According to your testimony, you are ruling over that island as a regent. Will the people from there agree and accept this statement? As this point is not clear, can you provide any written document that may convince someone that you are ruling the island as its guardian and that they will agree with your idea? Since they have expelled me from my country with nothing other than my clothes, as I explained previously, I do not have any document testifying the truth of my testimony. However, if it is investigated and information be obtained from [the following persons] the correctness of my request will be understood: Shaykh Hashim, the uncle of the late Shah Mahmud Daud, who is currently ruling in Keumala the seat of government of the island; Raja Keumala who is his chief vizier; Shaykh Muhammad Sinjan, a shaykh living in the township Rabita[?]; Shaykh Mihraja in the township Nilal-Samedi[?]; Shaykh Tuneshki[?] in Langsa[?]; Shaykh Sayyid Ali al-Mergaz living in Pedir. Sharif Ali bin Sharif IsmaiI Source: BOA Y.MTV. 56/24 [N.B.: On 29 October 1891 the Grand Vizier presented an extended summary of the testimony to the sultan (Y.MTV. 56/24)]

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Figure 77 Minister of Police to the Grand Vizier relating that Sharif Ali is not able to testify the correctness of his testimony

Minister of Police to the Grand Vizier relating that Sharif Ali is not able to testify the correctness of his testimony Zabtiye Nezâreti Arab kıyâfetinde bir şahsın Bahr-ı Ahmerʾde [Muhît-te] Iyş nâm adada üç milyon ahâlî-i İslâmiye sâkin olduğundan ve adanın servet-i tabîʿiyyesinden bahisle orasının taht-ı himâye-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye alınması hakkında atabe-i ulyâ-yı cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîye arz ve takdîm olunmak üzere tanzîm eylediği bir istirhamnâmeyi Galata‌ʾdan esnâ-yı mürûrunda serasker paşa hazretlerinin arabalarına attığı ve merkûmun işbu ifâdât ve müstediʿyyâtının dâʾire-i askeriyeye taʿalluku olmadığı hakkında serasker müşârunileyh tarafından vârid olan tezkire ve melfûfu istirhamnâme ile merkûmun biʾl-celb zabt olunan ifâdâtını hâvî fezlekeli evrak-ı tahkîkiye leffen arz ve takdîm kılındı merkûm cezîre-i mezkûrenin mukaddemâ vesâyet sûretiyle idâre-i hükûmetini deruhde eylediğini beyân ediyor ise de sıhhat-i ifâdesini buraca isbâta muktedir 9.6

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olmadığının arz ve beyânına cürʾet olunur ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 21 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]307 Zabtiye Nâzırı Ministry of Police [In the first part of the document, the Minister of Police communicates the developments with regard to the petition of Sharif Ali, informs the Grand Vizier that Sharif Ali has been interrogated, and finishes the note with the following statement] Although the said person stated that he had previously carried out the administration of the said island as a regent, I dare to remark that he is not able to prove that his testimony is correct. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all 2 November 1891 Minister of Police Source: BOA Y.MTV. 55/79

9.7 Ottoman Ministers’ deliberations on the initiative of Sharif Ali Bahr-i Ahmerʾde kâʾin Iyş Adasıʾnda üç milyon İslâm sâkin olduğundan ve adanın servet-i tabîʿasından bahisle orasının taht-ı himâye-i saltanat-ı seniyyelerine alınması hakkında atabe-i ulyâ-yı cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîlerine takdîm olunmak üzere Şerif Ali nâm kimesne tarafından serasker paşa kullarına verilen arz-ı hâl ile merkûmun zabt olunan ifâdâtını mübeyyin fezleke ve evrâk-ı sâʾirenin takdîmine ve merkûm cezîre-i mezkûrenin mukaddemâ vesâyet sûretiyle idâresini deruhde etdiğini beyân eylemekde ise de sıhhat-i ifâdesini buraca isbât edemediği beyânına dâʾir zabtiye nâzırının tezkiresiyle melfûfâtı bu bâbda şeref-müteʿallik buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhîlerini mübliğ baş kâtib paşa kulları tarafından alınan fî 24 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]307 târihli tezkire üzerine yeğan yeğan kırâʾat ve mutâlaʿa ve iktizâ-yı hâl meyâne-i bendegânemizde müzâkere olundu Cezîre-i mezkûre Bahr-ı Ahmerʾde olmayıp Bahr-ı Muhît-i Hindîʾde vâkıʿ olduğuna ve mesmûʿâta göre bundan yirmi sene mukaddem cezîre-i mezkûreye Flemenk Devleti tarafından vukûʿ bulan taʿarruzât-ı hasmâneye mebnî ol vakit saltanat-ı seniyyeleriyle devlet-i müşârunileyh beyninde cereyân etmiş olan muhâberât-ı siyâsiye netîcesinde baʿzı mukarrerât taʿâtî olunduğunu ve muhâberât-ı câriyenin esâsı ve mâhiyetine sadr-ı esbak Said Paşa kullarının vâkıf olduğu anlaşıldığına göre baʿdehû âna göre biʾl-etrâf arz-ı mutâlaʿât olunmak üzre evvel emirde muhâberât-ı câriye netîcesini hâvî olarak Bâb-ı Âlîʾde mahfûz olması lâzım gelen evrâk sûretlerinin celbi veyâhud müşârunileyh

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Figure 78 Ottoman ministers’ deliberations on the initiative of Sharif Ali

kullarından istiknâh-ı mâdde olunması münâsib gibi tahattur kılınmış ise de şıkkeynden kangısı rehîn-i tasvîb-i âlî buyurulur ise o sûretle iktizâ eden kullarına irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîlerinin teblîği her hâlde manût-ı reʾy-i cihân-ârâ-yı mülkdârîleridir ol-bâbda ve kâtıbe-i ahvâlde irâde ve fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emr efendimizdir. Fî 8 Rebîʿüʾl-âhir sene [1]309 ve fî 29 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]307 Kulları Kulları Kulları [Mühür] [Mühür] [Mühür] [We have] read [the following documents] one by one and reflected and deliberated humbly among us about the requirements of the situation: The petition given by a person called Sharif Ali to the Minister of War to be submitted to the great threshold of the exalted Caliph, relating that three million Muslims live on Ish island located in the Red Sea, and requesting the extension of the

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protection of the Imperial Sultanate on account of its natural resources; the report showing the recorded testimony of the said Sharif Ali; the note of the Minister of Police and its appendices on the presentation of these and other [relevant] documents, and explaining that although Sharif Ali announced that he had carried out the administration of the island as a regent he could not prove the truth of his testimony here; the note dated 5 November 1891 received from your chief secretary communicating the imperial command of His Exalted Majesty on this issue. This island is not located in the Red Sea but in the Indian Ocean. According to rumours, twenty years ago, due to the Dutch State’s attack on the said island, some political correspondence was exchanged between the Imperial Sultanate and the said state, and some resolutions were concluded. As it is understood that Said Paşa, the ex-Grand Vizier, is knowledgeable about the basis and the nature of this correspondence, it came to our mind that it might be suitable to present a thorough [report of our] reflections if the issue is referred to him or, in the first instance, by procuring the copies of the documents containing the conclusion of the correspondence that must have been preserved at the Sublime Porte. Nevertheless, the option that will be followed by your servants depends in any event on the imperial command setting forth the view of His Majesty the Caliph. In this and all other matters, to command belongs to our lord who commands all. 11 November 1891 Your servant Your servant Your servant [Seal] [Seal] [Seal] Source: BOA Y.MTV. 56/24

10

Documents relating to the letter in Malay and Arabic from Sultan Alauddin Muhammad Daud Shah in Kota Keumala, Aceh, requesting aid from the Ottoman consul in Batavia, 1893

10.1 Commentary by Annabel Teh Gallop On 21 November 1893, Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh (r. 1874–1903) and his senior minister Bangta Muda Tuanku Hasyim75 sent a letter addressed to the Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II, describing their desperate situation with the Dutch occupation of Aceh, and pleading for Ottoman assistance.76 This letter fell into the hands of Dutch officials in Batavia. However, 75  A prince and regent of Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah at Keumala; d. 1897 (Reid 1969b: 31). 76  See Reid 1969b: 259, where the date of the letter is given as 12 Jumadilakhir 1311 (21 November 1893). But 12 Jumadilakhir 1311 equates to 21 December 1893, and ‘Jumadilakhir’ must be a mistake for ‘Jumadilawal’, as in the present letter.

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another document with similar contents, dated three days later, 15 Jumada I 1311 (24 November 1893), also sent from the two Acehnese leaders and addressed to the Ottoman Consul in Batavia, did reach its destination safely and is now held in the BOA in Istanbul.77 There is no record, though, of any response from the Ottoman authorities.78 The structural form and typology of this document is of some interest. The opening preamble is very unusual for a Malay letter, and instead describes itself a sabda or royal decree. It comprises elements found in the standard openings of Acehnese royal decrees (termed sabda, surat or tarakata) written in Malay,79 in particular the royal command to a senior court official80 to compose a letter, the text of which is then presented below in Arabic, mixed with a number of Malay words and phrases. However, Acehnese decrees proper always commence with the date, whilst in this document the date is given at the end, as appropriate for a letter. The linguistic and structural hybridity of this document may have been occasioned because the recipient in this case was not the Ottoman sultan but the Consul, who was not of royal rank. The Malay and Arabic parts of the letter are written in the same hand, and the scribe is identified in the document as the Mecca-born Sharif Ibrahim. The letter bears at the top the sultan’s medium-sized seal (cab teungoh) as well as his signet (cab euncin), while in the right-hand margin, situated at a level below the opening line of the letter, is the seal of Tuanku Hasyim, inscribed underneath in pencil with his title ‘Bangta Muda’. All three seals are stamped in lampblack. While at first glance the seals appear to be identical to those first published in 1893 by Snouck Hurgronje,81 close examination reveals tiny differences in the shape of letters in the inscription of the medium seal, while the signet is oval rather than the rounded rectangle published by Snouck Hurgronje, suggesting that the two seals used here were replacements for the earlier seals. The letter is written on a piece of French lined foolscap paper, with the watermark ‘Superfin’ ‘1893’.82 The paper is evidently of much lower quality than the European hand-made paper used for Sultan Mansur Shah’s

77   B OA, HR. SYS. 551/5. 78  This document is discussed by Göksoy 2015: 188. 79  Gallop 2016. 80  In this document it is the Kerkun Katib al-Muluk, the royal scribe; in most tarakata the official named is the Kadi Malik al-Adil, the court Qadi. 81  See the later English translation, Hurgronje 1906: 129–130. 82  Although the ‘Superfin’ watermark is originally indubitably French, Russell Jones (pers. comm., 6.2.2015) has cautioned that the distribution of known examples of paper with this watermark in the 1890s suggest possible English usage of this watermark.

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letters to Istanbul of 184983 and 1850, as is hardly surprising in view of the privations of the Acehnese court, since 1879 located in Keumala on the Pidie river. Nonetheless, the use of paper in the very year of its manufacture in Europe reflects the fact that as the seat of the court in exile, Keumala did grow into a considerable centre of local trade.84 Letter in Malay and Arabic from Sultan Alauddin Muhammad Daud Shah in Kota Keumala, Aceh, to the Ottoman consul in Batavia, 1893, transcribed and translated by Annabel Teh Gallop [Medium seal of the sultan #1814] Hādhā Paduka Seri Sultan Alauddin Muhammad Daud Syah johan berdaulat ẓill Allāh fī al-ʿālam 1296 // Allāh / qawluh / al-haqq / wa-lahu / al-mulk [Signet of the sultan #1815] al-Sultan Muhammad Daud Syah [Seal of Tuanku Hasyim #745] Bangta Muda Tuanku Hasyim ibn Tuanku Kadir sanat 1273 Insha‌ʾ Allah taʿala sabda yang maha mulia lagi aʿla wa-al-fadla yang telah dikurniai oleh Tuhan yang bernama rabbikum al-aʿla yaitu sayyidna wa-maulana paduka seri sultan ʿala al-din al-sultan Muhammad Daud Syah ibn al-sultan ʿala al-din al-sultan al-marhum Mansur Syah johan berdaulat zill Allah fi alʿalam, tatkala baginda bersemayam di atas pekerjaan85 negeri Aceh di dalam kota Keumala dengan sejahteranya jua adanya, maka kepada masa dewasa itulah sabda duli hadrat Syah Alam kepada Kerkun Katib al-Muluk menyuruh perbuat sepucuk surat ini: [Arabic Text] 10.2

[Medium seal of the sultan #1814] This is Paduka Seri Sultan Alauddin Muhammad Daud Shah, the champion endowed with sovereign power, shadow of God on earth, 1296 (AD 1878) // God / His Word / is the Truth / and to Him belongs / the kingdom [Signet of the sultan #1815] The Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah [Seal of Tuanku Hasyim #745] Bangta Muda Tuanku Hasyim, son of Tuanku Kadir, the year 1273 (AD 1856/7) By the will of God the Exalted, the decree of his illustrious and excellent majesty, who has been ordained by God who we address as our Illustrious 83  Italian laid paper with the ‘moon face in shield’ watermark. 84  Reid 1969b: 205. 85  This is probably an error for kerajaan, for more usually the full phrase would read bersemayam di atas tahta kerajaan, ‘seated on the throne of sovereignty’, as similarly found in the next letter of 1897.

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Figure 79 Letter from Sultan Alauddin Muhammad Daud Shah in Kota Keumala, Aceh, to the Ottoman consul in Batavia, 1893

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Lord, he who is our master and our lord His Majesty the sultan and head of the faith, the Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah, son of the late sultan and head of the faith Sultan Mansur Shah, the sovereign champion, the shadow of God on earth, when His Majesty was seated atop the government of Aceh in the fort of Keumala, in all tranquility, on that occasion His Majesty issued a command to the Royal Scribe ordering him to draw up this letter: Concerning what is [related]86 to the consul of our lord and master, the great khaqan, Caliph of the Muslims, Commander of the Faithful, our lord the ghazi sultan Abdülhamid Khan son of our lord the ghazi sultan Abdülmecid Khan, in the port of Batavia. To your excellency: we ask God and you to bring our affairs to the attention of our lord and master Sultan Abdülhamid in the land of Rum concerning the circumstances with the infidel Dutch, enemies of God and his Prophet who have besieged us for 25 years. How many Muslims have they destroyed and they have blocked off all the estuaries,87 letting no one enter or leave and they even seize the sea peoples (orang laut)88 in the sea and take them as prisoners to Batavia. And we found in the histories the origin of government in Aceh. Our lord the ghazi sultan Selim Khan ordered there to be sent 44 Turkish men and 8 cannon in the year 1208. The accursed Dutch started to wage war on the land of Aceh, and the cannon were taken to Batavia. Today they have increased their blockade of us, besieging us by sea and blocking off the estuaries. We desire from generous God and from you that you raise our situation to the land of Rum to His Majesty our lord and Caliph and emir, the ghazi sultan Abdülhamid son of our lord the ghazi sultan Abdülmecid. This is our desire from you, if it is asked. We have a deputy with absolute powers in Palembang (?),89 the shaykh Ali bin Abdullah bin Tubigh al-ʿAmiri al-Hamdani who brings true reports. This is our complaint to his excellency our brother the consul. The writer of the letter is al-Sharif Ibrahim born in Mecca. Completed in the land of Aceh Kota Keumala Friday 15 Jumada I 1311. [23 November 1893] Source: BOA HR.SYS 551/5

86  The beginning aḥwāl reflects the Malay convention of beginning letters with the phrase ‘Ihwal’ meaning ‘Concerning [the matter]’. 87  Al-kuwālāt, from Malay kuala; river-mouths were the main contact points between the Sumatran interior and the outside world, and the place where major settlements were located. 88  The Arabic appears to have ahl al-ḥūt, ‘people of the whale’; more likely is that this is a calque on Malay orang la(h)ut, sea people. 89  This reading is not absolutely certain, but Palembang seems the most likely interpretation.

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Ottoman consul in Batavia communicating the Acehnese request with the Foreign Ministry Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne fî 4 Nisan sene [18]94 tarihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliği vekîlinden vârid olan 53 numerolu takrîrâtın tercümesidir Açin emîrinden aldığım bir kıtʿa mektûb leffen takdîm kılındı işbu mektûbun bâlâsı Malay lisânı üzre muharrer olduğundan tercümesi ber-vech-i âti arz olunur “biz ki Sultan Alaaddin bin Sultan Muhammed Davud Şah ibn-i esSultan Alaaddin es-Sultânüʾl-merhûm Mansur Şah Cihân Açin hükûmetinin câlis-i taht-ı hükümdârîsi olup Kemala şehrinden işbu mektûbu tarafınıza gönderiyoruz”. Aşağısı Arabca yazıldığından tercümesine lüzûm görülmemişdir emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Melfûf tahrîrâtın tercümesidir Halîfe-i müslimîn emîrüʾl-müʾminîn hâkân-ı aʿzam ve muʿazzam Gâzî esSultân Abdülhamid Han ibn-i Mevlânâ el-Gâzî Abdülmecid Han Hazretleriʾnin Batavya‌ʾda mukîm şehbenderine ber-vech-i âtî ahvâl-i sûziş-i iştimâlî beyân ederiz şöyle ki cenâb-ı Allah ve nebî-i zî-şânının düşmanı olan Flemenklilerin ehl-i İslâm hakkında icrâ eylemekde oldukları mezâlim ve taʿaddiyâtı atabe-i ulyâ-yı hazret-i pâdişâhîye arz ve iblağ etmenizi ricâ eyleriz Flemenk hükûmeti yirmi sekiz seneden beru zîr-i tahakkümüne almış olduğu ehl-i İslâmʾa derece-i nihâyede ezâ ve cefâ etmiş ve ümmet-i Muhammediyeʾden bir hayli kanlar dökerek canlar yakmışdır turuk-ı muvâredât ehl-i İslâm için sed ve bend edilmiş olduğu gibi İslâm balıkçıları ahz ve girift edilerek esîr sıfatıyla Batavya‌ʾya gönderilmekdedir kütüb-ı tevârihiyyede mutâlaʿa-güzârımız olduğu üzre Açin hâkimi bin iki yüz sekiz senesinde cennet-mekân Gâzî Sultân Selim Han Hazretleri tarafından şeref-sâdır olan irâde-i seniyye mûcebince buraya sevk olunan bir mikdâr Osmanlı cengâverânı ile sekiz aded topu müstashiben Flemenk hükûmetine karşı muhârebe etmiş ve mezkûr toplar sâyesinde Batavya‌ʾya dâhil olmuşidi şimdi ise merkûmların hakkımızda ezâ ve cefâsı tezâyüd edip ez cümle bahren turuk ve muvâredât dahî dindaşlarımıza karşı sed ve bend edilmiş olduğundan işbu ahvâl-i ducret iştimâlimizin halîfe-i zîşân es-Sultân el-Gâzî Abdülhamid Han Efendimiz Hazretlerine arz ve iblağ olunması arzusunda bulunuyoruz Taraf-ı eşref-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîden bu bâbda istîfâhâta dâʾir bir gûne irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurulacak olur ise 10.3

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Figure 80 Ottoman consul in Batavia communicating the Acehnese request with the Foreign Ministry

tarafımızdan “Fağlanʾda” Hemdânî Şeyh Ali bin Abdullah el-Âmirî vekîl taʿyîn etmiş olduğumuzdan mûmâileyhe ihbâr-ı sahîhayı teblîğ edebilirsiniz bu bâbda etnâb-ı mekâlden sarf-ı nazar ederiz İşbu tahrîrât an-asl Mekke-i Mükerremʾe ahâlîsinden olup el-yevm burada mütemekkin bulunan Şerîf İbrahim tarafından kaleme alınmışdır. An Açin memâlikinde Kütakemala Sublime Porte Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Office Number This is the translation of the official notes sent from the deputy of Consulate General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry dated 4 April [189]4 numbered 53

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A letter which I received from the Emir of Aceh is presented in enclosure. As the upper part of the letter is written in Malay [its] translation is presented as following: “We are Sultan Alauddin son of Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah son of Sultan Alauddin, sitting on the throne of the late Sultan Mansur Shah Johan, and we are sending you this letter from the city of Kota Keumala”. As the text below is written in Arabic, it was not seen as necessary to translate it. To command belongs to him who commands all. This is the translation of the enclosed document To the consul in Batavia of the Caliph of the Muslims, the Commander of the Faithful, the Great Khan, great Ghazi, His Majesty the exalted Sultan Abdülhamid Khan, son of the lord Ghazi Abdülmecid Khan. We would like to announce our miserable state as follows. We kindly request you to present and explain the cruelties and oppressions inflicted on the Muslims by the Dutch (who are the enemy of God and his glorious messenger) to the illustrious threshold of His Imperial Majesty. For twenty-eight years, the Dutch Government has inflicted the most extreme torments and cruelties, and caused pain to the Muslims under its control, and has shed the blood of many of the Nation of Muhammad. The Muslims are even prohibited to come together in the streets, and Muslim fishermen are taken captive and brought to Batavia under the label of prisoner of war. According to what we read in history books, in the year 1208 [1793–4], when the ruler of Aceh battled against the Dutch government, he had a number of Ottoman warriors, and eight cannons (which had been sent here in accordance with an imperial order from His Majesty the heaven-dwelling Ghazi Sultan Selim Khan) under his command, and thanks to these cannons entered Batavia. Now, the Dutch torments and cruelties are getting more and more [extreme], as they have prohibited our coreligionists from coming together at sea as well. As a result we are requesting that our situation be presented and explained to our lord the glorious Caliph, His Majesty the exalted Sultan Ghazi Abdülhamid Khan. As we have appointed Shaykh Ali son of Abdullah el-Âmir al-Hamdani in Baghlan as our representative, if one day an exalted imperial order on this issue is issued from His Majesty the exalted Caliphate, you can convey the true information to him. We retreat from verbose prolixity on this issue. This text is written by Sharif Ibrahim, who is originally from Honoured Mecca and is currently residing here. In Kota Keumala in the kingdom of Aceh Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 297/35 [N.B.: A Dutch translation of a similar letter was presented by Snouck Hurgronje to the Government in Batavia enclosed to his letter dated 10 April 1894. See Snouck Hurgronje et al. 1957: 154–56.]

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Documents related to the clandestine letter of the Sultan of Aceh to the Ottoman sultan and the legal position of the Arabs in Indonesia, 1898

Commentary on letter from Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülhamid, 26 June 1897, by Annabel Teh Gallop This long letter in Malay dated 25 Muharram 1315 (26 June 1897) was apparently delivered to the Ottoman consulate in Batavia on 29 December 1897 by an Arab who had travelled from Aceh on a circuitous intra-island route to escape detection by the Dutch, before successfully fulfilling his mission. It was sent on to Istanbul, accompanied by a full translation into Arabic made at the consulate.90 The letter reprises twenty-five years of misery in Aceh since the Dutch invasion, and appeals to the Ottoman sultan for assistance, stating that Aceh had been an Ottoman vassal since the time of Iskandar Muda. The letter also references the embassy to Istanbul led by Sayyid Muhammad Ghauth in 1849, which led to Sultan Abdülmecid awarding the Mecidi order to Sultan Ibrahim Mansur Shah. A finger of blame for the Dutch invasion of 1873 is pointed at Panglima Tibang, an Indian convert to Islam who had risen to prominence under Sultan Mansur Shah (Reid 1969b: 83). The structure of the letter is typical of royal Malay epistles, with the opening compliments (puji-pujian) taking the standard form of ‘this is a letter from me at X, may it be conveyed by God to you at Y’. A mark of humility on the part of the sender is that Muhammad Daud Shah simply uses the title of Raja rather than Sultan; another accommodation to the great but distant Ottomans is the locating of Aceh ‘in the island of Sumatra’. After the compliments, the conventional phrase ‘After that’ repeated in Arabic and Malay (wa-baʿdah daripada itu) signifies the start of the contents proper, comprising Muhammad Daud Shah’s long litany of woes. One of the most unusual features of the text is the self-referential formula repeatedly used by the Acehnese sultan of ‘a Muslim sovereign of people [who profess that] “There is no god but God and Muhammad is his messenger”’ (satu raja Islam min ahl La ilaha ila Allah Muhammad rasul Allah). The letter is written on three sides of a bifolium of lined foolscap paper, similar in appearance to that of the letter of 1893. It is stamped with the same three seals as on the earlier letter, but in this case impressed with black ink rather than lampblack: Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah’s medium seal #1814 and signet 11.1

90  This letter and its contents are discussed in Göksoy 2015: 188–191. The translation given here is based on the Malay, although significant discrepancies in the Arabic version are noted in footnotes.

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#1815 at the top of the first page, and Tuanku Hasyim’s seal #745 alongside the date on the third and last page. Although the scribe is not named, the letter is mostly likely written by the same scribe as the 1893 letter, Sharif Ibrahim. His hand can be identified from the distinctive ‘double loop’ on upright strokes of letters such as lam and alif, and the top stroke of kaf, which, while more marked in the 1897 letter, were indubitably present in 1893. Letter from Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülhamid, 26 June 1897, translated and transcribed by Annabel Teh Gallop [Medium seal of the sultan #1814] Hādhā Paduka Seri Sultan Alauddin Muhammad Daud Syah johan berdaulat ẓill Allāh fī al-ʿālam 1296 // Allāh / qawluh / al-haqq / wa-lahu / al-mulk [Signet of the sultan #1815] al-Sultan Muhammad Daud Syah Bahwa ini warkat al-ikhlas yang dipersertakan di dalamnya dengan beberapa2 hormat dan selamat yaitu daripada hamba yang hina seri paduka yang dipertuan Raja Alauddin Muhammad Daud Syah ibn al-sultan al-marhum Alauddin Mansur Syah dan seri paduka Bangta Muda bersemayam di atas singgahsana takhta kerajaan negeri Aceh dar al-salam yaitu pulau Sumatera barang disampaikan Allah Tuhan seru sekalian alam datangkan mendapat ke hadapan majlis hadrat seri paduka yang maha mulia maulana al-khaqan al-aʿzam al-muʿazzam khadim al-haramayn al-sharifayn khalifat al-muslimin amir al-muʾminin maulana al-muʿazzam al-sultan al-ghazi ʿAbd al-Hamid Khan ibn al-marhum maulana al-sultan al-ghazi ʿAbd al-Majid Khan yang ada sekarang di dalam negeri Istambul yang memerintah agama Allah dan shariat Muhammad bin ʿAbd Allah salla Allah ʿalayhi wa-salam selamat Allah taʿala fi al-darayn amin. Wa-baʿdah daripada itu maka hamba merafakkan secarik kertas ke hadapan hadrat ke bawah cerpu seri paduka tuan hamba karena harap hamba bahwa akan tilik dan pandang dan kenangan hadrat seri paduka tuan hamba yang maha mulia di atas hamba satu raja Islam min ahl La ilaha ila Allah Muhammad rasul Allah yang daif dan lagi wazir91 hamba yang daif2 dan segala orang rakyat hamba Islam yang ada mereka itu di dalam negeri Aceh dar al-salam yang telah dianiayai oleh kafir malʿun ʿadu Allah bangsa Holanda dengan tiada kesalahannya telah jadi peperangan dan berbunuh2han dengan beberapa2 negeri dan beberapa2 mesjid dan zawiyah dan sekalian makam aulia2 habis dibakarnya dan beberapa2 makam yang tinggi habis diratakannya dan sekalian makam raja2 habis dibinasakannya diratakannya demikianlah diperbinasakan di atas 11.2

91  f.y.d.y.r, probably what was intended was w.z.y.r, wazir.

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Figure 81 Letter from Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülhamid, 26 June 1897

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Figure 82 Letter from Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülhamid, 26 June 1897

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Figure 83 Letter from Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülhamid, 26 June 1897

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Figure 84 Arabic translation of the letter from Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülhamid, 26 June 1897

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Figure 85 Arabic translation of the letter from Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülhamid, 26 June 1897

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Figure 86 Arabic translation of the letter from Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdülhamid, 26 June 1897

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agama Islam hingga sampai kepada tarikh surat ini kepada dua puluh lima tahun 25 lamanya tiada berhenti2 dengan perang, tambah lagi sekarang ini diperanginya kita dengan peluru hujan tiada ada di dalam hadat sekali lagi dengan sebab hal ini hamba merafakkan sembah ke hadapan hadrat seri paduka tuan hamba yang maha mulia. Daripada asalnya yang telah jadi demikian ini sebab seorang Hindu yang sudah masuk Islam namanya Panglima Tibang, maka mereka itu telah dipercaya oleh ayahanda hamba yang bernama Sultan Mahmud Syah. Maka Hindu itulah membuat sepucuk surat kepada Holanda diperbuatnya dengan nama ayahanda hamba itu Sultan Mahmud Syah serta diambil cap dengan tiada diketahui oleh saudara ayahanda hamba Sultan Mahmud Syah. Maka Hindu itu pun keluarlah dari Aceh pergi ke negeri Riau mendapatkan wakil Holanda yang di situ lalu pergi ke Betawi kepada Guburnur Jendral yang besar daripada raja Holanda. Maka dengan hal itu apabila Guburnur Jenderal mendapatkan surat yang ada dengan cap mohor ayahanda hamba Sultan Mahmud Syah itu, percayalah Guburnur Jenderal, maka disuruhlah seorang wakilnya serta dengan berapa banyak kapal perang pergi di Aceh. Maka apabila sampai di Aceh banyaklah wakil Jendral itu ke darat berjumpalah ia dengan pegawai yang kecil2, maka wakil Jendral // Holanda pun menyatakan yang Guburnur Jendral suda menerima surat daripada Sultan Mahmud Syah, sekarang ini ia hendak masuk ke negeri Aceh. Apabila didengar oleh wazir2 yang di dalam negeri Aceh, terkejutlah dengan hal itu, bermesyuaratlah wazir2 Aceh yang besar2 itu. Setelah putus mesyuaratnya dipinta tunggu tiga tahun kepada Holanda, oleh sebab wazir2 itu tiada berani menerima Holanda masuk ke negeri Aceh, karena saudara ayahanda hamba sultan Mahmud Syah umurnya pada masa itu tujuh belas 17 tahun belum lagi sempurna akalnya. Kedua perkara wazir2 hendak merafakkan sembah dahulu ke hadrat yang maha mulia maulana dawlat al-ʿaliyat al-sultan Istambul dari karena pada zaman yaitu dawlat al-aliyat maulana al-sultan al-ghazi Selim Khan nenekda hamba pada zaman masa dahulu yang bernama sultan Iskandar Muda telah mengaku menjadi khadam serta menerima kurniai dari pada dawlat al-aliyat maulana al-sultan al-ghazi Selim Khan satu meriam tembaga meriam panjang dua belas 12 hasta dan nobat dan satu sarunai nafiri daripada perak dan empat puluh empat 44 orang yang bersama2 daripada bangsa Turuki. Dan lagi kemudian daripada itu pada masa nenekda hamba yang bernama Sultan Ibrahim Mansur Syah telah menyuruh seorang yang bernama Sayyid Muhammad Ghauth mengadap ke hadrat al-aliyat maulana al-sultan al-ghazi ʿAbd al-Majid Khan maka mengurniakan pula oleh dawlat al-aliyat maulana al-sultan al-ghazi ʿAbd al-Majid Khan kepada nenekda hamba itu Sultan Ibrahim Mansur Syah suatu bintang Majidi serta sebilah pedang sarung emas. Dengan sebab itulah mesyuarat wazir2

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segala dipinta tunggu kepada Holanda tiga 3 tahun. Maka permintaan itu tiada dikabulkan. Kemudian lagi dipinta tungguh enam bulan, tiada juga dikabulnya. Kemudian lagi dikata92 tungguh tiga 3 bulan, tiada juga dikabulnya permintaan itu. Maka diperanglah oleh Holanda negeri Aceh sampai tarikh surat ini berperang bangsa Islam2 Aceh dengan bangsa kafir malʿun ʿadu Allah Holanda lagi diperbuatnya macam2 di atas hamba yang tiada patut yang di dalam adat aturan di atas sekalian raja2 berperang dengan satu raja, dipireknya93 seperti seorang perempuan telah diikat dipukulnya di atas hamba, satu raja Islam min ahl La ilaha illa Allah Muhammad rasul Allah yang tiada kuasa, usahkan diusul diperiksanya apa2 yang kurang yang tiada cukupnya pekakas itu peperangan, dan sekalian kuala2 jajahan hamba ditutup daripada awalnya, dan sekalian saudagar2 yang ulang pergi datang berniaga barang makanan pun tiada boleh habis ditangkap dibuangnya. Maka dengan sebab itulah tiada boleh lepas bicara hamba mengadukan untungan hamba yang di dalam aniaya kafir Holanda kepada maulana dawlat al-aliyat al-sultan Istambul dan kepada segala raja2 Islam yang lain. Dan ini tambahan lagi di dalam ini tahun makin berganda2 keras hukumnya, hatta sekalian orang2 miskin mencari ikan di tepi laut pun habis ditangkap rampas dan bunuhnya, demikianlah diperbuat zalim di atas hamba satu raja Islam min ahl La ilaha illah Allah Muhammad rasul Allah. Dan bertamba lagi ini tahun dia ujani hamba dan rakyat2 hamba dengan ujan peluru dengan injin[?]94 hamba yang tiada kuasa. // Maka sekarang ini berserahlah untung nasib sendiri kepada Allah dan rasul Muhammad salla Allah ʿalayhi wa-salam dan kepada maulana khalifat almuslimin amir al-muʾminin maulana al-sultan al-ghazi ʿAbd al-Hamid Khan di Istambul adanya. Maka yang hamba haraplah diterima perserahan hamba ini oleh tuan hamba yang maha mulia supaya terpeliharalah agama Allah dan shariat al-Muhammadiyyah dan untungan hamba dan sekalian Islam min ahl La ilaha illa Allah Muhammad rasul Allah s.m95 yang di dalam aniaya malʿun ʿadu Allah kafir Holanda ini, hendaklah dengan pertolongan tuan hamba yang maha mulia di atas hamba yang daif satu raja Islam dengan sekalian wazir2 Islam dan sekalian rakyat2 Islam yang di dalam negeri Aceh ini, yang telah haraplah hamba seberat[?] langit dan bumi akan pertolongan tuan hamba yang maha mulia khalifat Allah fi al-ard amir al-muʾminin maulana al-sultan al-ghazi ʿAbd al-Hamid Khan di atas hamba sekalian yang daif yang di dalam 92  d.q.t.a. 93  d.p.r.t.ny, possibly dipireknya, ‘to crush small, to grind …; to stamp on a fallen enemy’ (Wilkinson 1985: 485). 94  a.n.j.y.n; English ‘engine’? 95  Abbreviation for ṣalla Allāh ‘alayhi wa-salam (cf. Gacek 2012: 6, where ṣād and mīm are conjoined).

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ʿadhaban shadidan adanya. Wa-al-salam khatam tamat al-kalam bi-al-khayr ajmaʿin amin Allahumma amin. Tersurat di dalam negeri Aceh dar al-salam kepada 25 bulan Muharam kepada sanat 1315. [Medium seal of the sultan #1814] This is Paduka Seri Sultan Alauddin Muhammad Daud Shah, the champion endowed with sovereign power, shadow of God on earth, 1296 (AD 1878) // God / His Word / is the Truth / and to Him belongs / the kingdom [Signet of the sultan #1815] The Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah This is a sincere letter bearing respectful greetings from your humble servant his royal highness the sovereign Raja Alauddin Muhammad Daud Shah, son of the late Sultan Alauddin Mansur Shah,96 and from his highness Bangta Muda, seated on the throne of sovereignty of the state of Aceh, abode of peace, in the island of Sumatra,97 may it be conveyed by Allah, the God of the whole world, into the presence of his majesty our lord the greatest and most glorious khaqan, protector of the two holy cities, caliph of Muslims, commander of the faithful, our glorious lord, the sultan and warrior, Abdülhamid Khan, son of our late lord, the sultan and warrior Abdülmecid Khan, who is at present in Istanbul and administering98 the religion of God and the rule of law of Muhammad, son of the servant of God, may peace and blessings of God be upon him, and the peace of God the exalted for evermore, amen. And so the reason your servant has sent this piece of paper to below the soles of my majestic lord is because your servant hopes for a glance and recollection and consideration from my majestic lord’s presence towards his servant, a humble Muslim sovereign of people [who profess that] ‘There is no god but God and Muhammad is his messenger’, who is your humble servant, and from the humble ministers and all my Muslim subjects who are here in the state of Aceh, abode of peace,99 who have been illtreated by the accursed infidels who are the enemies of God, the Dutch, and who through no fault of their own have been dragged into war and murder, and many towns and mosques and religious schools and graves of saints have been burned, and other important graves have been flattened, and many royal graves have been totally 96  Muhammad Daud Shah was actually the grandson of Mansur Shah (r. 1836–1870). 97  In the Arabic version: “and from all who assist the throne of the kingdom in the land of Aceh which is the island of Sumatra.” 98  In the Arabic version: “reviving.” 99  Arabic: “from your humble servant, and all my weak ministers and my Muslim subjects who are suffering enormities in the land of Aceh. The accursed infidel, the enemies of God the Dutch betrayed us and played tricks on us.”

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levelled and destroyed, and thus they have been waging destruction upon the religion of Islam right up to the date of this letter, that is for the past twenty five 25 years,100 through ceaseless war, and furthermore they are now attacking us with hails of bullets, this is against all convention, and so this is why your servant is conveying obeisances into your majesty’s presence. One of the original causes of this situation is a Hindu101 who embraced Islam named Panglima Tibang,102 and who gained the trust of my father103 Sultan Mahmud Shah. This Hindu wrote a letter to the Dutch in the name of my father, Sultan Mahmud Shah, making use of his seal without the knowledge of my uncle Sultan Mahmud Shah. The Hindu left Aceh and went to Riau where he met the Dutch representative there, and then went on to Batavia to meet the Governor-General, the representative of the Dutch king. When the Governor General received the letter bearing my father Sultan Mahmud Shah’s seal, he accepted it as genuine, and sent his representative together with a fleet of warships to Aceh. When they arrived in Aceh a large group of the General’s representatives went ashore and met with local officials, and // informed them that the Governor General had received a letter from Sultan Mahmud Shah, and that therefore they were now ready to enter Aceh. When the senior ministers of Aceh heard this news they were taken by surprise,104 and held a conference. At the meeting they took the decision to request the Dutch to wait for three years as they did not believe they had the right to allow the Dutch into Aceh, because at the time my uncle Sultan Mahmud Shah was 17 years old, and therefore below the age of maturity. The second reason was because the ministers first wished to convey the news to the presence of your majesty, the exalted reign of the sultan in Istanbul, because during the time of the exalted reign of our lord the sultan and warrior Selim Khan, at that time our ancestor named Sultan Iskandar Muda105 had declared himself your vassal and had been honoured during the exalted reign of the our lord the sultan and warrior Selim Khan with gifts of a bronze cannon twelve 12 cubits in length, the royal musical ensemble (nobat) and a silver oboe (sarunai nafiri), accompanied by 100  The Dutch invasion of Aceh commenced in April 1873. 101  The Arabic adds: “a worshipper of idols.” 102  On Tibang see Reid 1969b: 83. 103  The terms ayahanda, ‘father’, and also saudara ayahanda, ‘uncle’, are used loosely in this letter in the conventional sense of respected elder by Muhammad Daud Shah to refer to his predecessor as sultan, Mahmud Shah (r. 1870–1874), who was technically his second cousin. 104  Arabic: “they were disgusted, they felt abhorrence at that message.” 105  In fact, there were no direct contacts with the Ottomans during the reign of Iskandar Muda.

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forty-four 44 Turks (bangsa Turuki). Furthermore in the time of my grandfather named Sultan Ibrahim Mansur Shah, an envoy named Sayyid Muhammad Ghauth was sent to present himself to the exalted threshold of our lord the sultan and warrior Abdülmecid Khan, whereupon the exalted state of our lord the sultan and warrior Abdülmecid Khan bestowed on my grandfather Sultan Ibrahim Mansur Shah a Mecidi order and a gold-sheathed sword. And so it was for those reasons that the conference of ministers requested the Dutch to delay any action for three years, but the request was refused. Then they asked for six months, and this was also refused; they then asked for three months, and this request too was refused. And since that time the Dutch have waged war on Aceh right up to the date of this letter, war between the Muslims of Aceh and the accursed enemies of God the Dutch, who have committed all sorts of [atrocities] on myself which should never have happened according to the accepted conventions of a war between two sovereign rulers, they have ground me down like a woman who has been tied up and beaten, me, a Muslim sovereign of people [who profess that] ‘There is no god but God and Muhammad is His messenger’, who is utterly without means.106 What’s more, they managed to find out exactly what munitions and equipment we lacked, and since the very beginning they have blockaded all the rivermouths in my domains, and all the merchants who would normally pass in and out for trade have not even been able to bring food, as they have been captured or forced away. And this is why your servant has no option but to convey this news of your servant’s fate in the grip of the infidel Dutch to the august government of our lord the sultan in Istanbul and to other Muslim sovereigns. Furthermore this year our situation has grown even harsher, and even poor people fishing along the coast have been captured and seized and killed, this is the terrible treatment that is being meted out to your servant, a Muslim sovereign of people [who profess that] ‘There is no god but God and Muhammad is His messenger’. And what’s more this year they have been raining bullets down upon your servant and his people, a veritable storm of bullets fired from an engine, on your defenceless servants. So now we lay our fate before God and his messenger Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him, and upon our lord the caliph of Muslims, 106  Arabic: “They have committed terrible atrocities against your servant at which the hearts and minds of intelligent people are repelled and children turn white with age. This is not the custom nor is it accepted in civilised states. Among their atrocities, they lay hands on women, tie them in ropes, bind them and torture them with beating. Your servant is aware that this is an Islamic state of Muslims who profess the uniqueness of God, but it has no strength or power owing to the lack of weapons and our lack of preparation for their machines.”

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commander of the faithful, our lord the sultan and warrior Abdülhamid Khan in Istanbul. Your servant hopes that your servant’s presentation will be received by your majesty in order to safeguard the religion of Allah and the way of Muhammad and the fate of your servant and all the Muslims, of the people who profess that ‘There is no god but God and Muhammad is His messenger’, [peace and blessings be upon him], who are currently persecuted by the accursed enemies of God the Dutch infidels, and that your majesty will help your humble servant, a Muslim sovereign, and all the Muslim ministers, and all the Muslim subjects of this state of Aceh. And so your servant’s hopes, which are as high the skies and as broad as the whole extent of the earth, are for help from your majesty the caliph of God on the earth, commander of the faithful, our lord the sultan and warrior Abdülhamid Khan, for all your humble servants, who are in severe torment. And so this writing ends with peace and good wishes for evermore, amen, Our God, amen. Written in the state of Aceh, abode of peace, on the 25th of the month of Muharam in the year 1315 [16 June 1897].

Source: BOA Y.PRK.EŞA. 28/66 [N.B.: A Dutch translation of the same Acehnese letter was presented by Snouck Hurgronje to the Government in Batavia enclosed to his letter dated 13 March 1898. The letter appears to have been shown to Hurgronje by the person who was expected to communicate the Ottoman Consul in Batavia’s correspondence with the Sultan of Aceh. See Snouck Hurgronje et al. 1957: 230–236.]

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Sultan about the clandestine letter of the Sultan of Aceh to the Ottoman Sultan, 1898 Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniye Batavya Başşehbenderliği Aded Hâk-i pây-ı (?) Cenâb-ı Şehinşâhîden Maʿrûzât-ı Memlûkânemdir Şehr-i hâl-i Rûmîʾnin on yedinci gecesi saʿat alafranga üç raddelerinde şehbenderhâneye “Yâ kadiyyüʾl-hâcât” diyerek nîm uryan bir Arab huzârî gelip melfûfen arz ve takdîmine cürʾet-yâb olduğum bir kıtʿa arîzayı kullarına teslîm etmiş ve ifâdesinden anlaşıldığına göre muvassıl-ı merkûm Açe Hâkimi Alaaddin Şah tarafından başşehbenderhâneye teslîm olunmak üzere ve fakat hükûmet-i mahalliyeye ser-rişte verilmemek üzre mezkûr arîzayı hâmil olduğu hâlde evvelâ Madura ve baʿdehû Molük ve Burneo cezâʾirinde medîd bir seyâhat-ı mütenekkire icrâ edildikden sonra ber-vech-i maʿrûz leylen şehbenderhâneye mürâcaʿat ve abd-i memlûklarını Müslüman ve cânibi seniyyüʾl-cevânib-i tâcdârîlerinden meʾmûr bir konsolos olduğuma dâʾir baʿdeʾt-tahlîf vedîʿasını teslîm edebilmişdir. Arîza-i mezkûre Malez lisânı üzere 11.3

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Figure 87 Ottoman consul in Batavia on the letter of Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdulhamid II, 1898

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Figure 88 Ottoman consul in Batavia on the letter of Sultan Muhammad Daud Shah of Aceh to Sultan Abdulhamid II, 1898

kaleme alınmış olduğundan derhâl yerli lisânları üzre tercüme umûrunda istihdâm eylediğim tercümânı celb etmiş ve arîza muhteviyâtı ber-vech-i âtî maʿrûzât-ı istimdâd-kârâneden ibâret bulunmuşdur. Hâkim-i müşârunileyh Flemenkliler tarafından bi-gayr-i hak düçâr-ı taʿarruz olan memâlik ve tebʿasının hâl-i felâket iştimâlinden ve meʿâbid ve mesâcid ve mekâbir-i ecdâd ve makâmât-ı evliyâ ve mazınna-i kirâmın tahrîbinden ve yirmi beş seneyi mütecâviz devâm eden muhârebât ve hele sinîn-i âhirede tezâyüd eden taʿarruzât-ı hunrîzâne tebʿası olan Açe ahâlî-i müslimesinin tâb ve tuvânına kesl îrâs eylemesinden ve kefere-i mutaʿarrızın son sistemde esliha ve bahren sefâʾin-i harbiye ile tahrîb-i belde ve imhâ-yı hayâtdan ve arâka-i dem-i mazlûmiyet-i İslâmʾdan bir an hâlî kalmamakla berâber sinîn-i âhirede katl-i nüfûs ve hetk-i ırz ve nâmus gibi hâlât-ı vicdan-suza maʿa ziyâdeten cürʾet etmesinden ve kendilerinin biʾl-mukâbele esliha-i lâzimenin fikdânı ile berâber on seneden beru birren ve bahren abluka tahtında bulunarak hâriçle ihtilât mümkün olamamasından ve taʿarruzât-ı vâkıʿa netîcesiyle arâzî-i münbitelerini ve maskat-ı reʾs olan bilâd ve karyelerini terkle cibâl-i müstahkemeye hicret ve bu misillü münîʿüʾl-maʿîşet mahallerde ihtiyâr-ı ikâmet eylemelerinden nâşî fakr u fâkanın şedâʾid-i tahammül-fersâsına maʿrûz kıldıklarından ve ahvâl-i esef-i iştimâl maʿrûzaya esbâb-ı mûcibe olarak ara yerde hiçbir mâdde-i meşrûʿa mevcûd olmayarak esâsen abede-i esnân yani bir Buda-yı Hindîʾnin birâderi Mahmud Şâhʾın hadâset-i sinninden biʾl-istifâde kurmuş olduğu ve dam-ı hiyel ve ifsâdın netîcesi olduğundan bahisle Allâhu hazret-i zülcelâl ve resûl-ı cenâb-ı seyyidüʾl-ebrâr nâmına taʿarruzât-ı küffârdan tebʿasının ve

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memleketenin halâs buyurulmasına dâʾir emîrüʾl-müʿminîn vekîl-i resûl-ı Rabbüʾl-âlemîn şevketlü kudretlü efendimiz hazretlerinin inâyet-i celîle-i hüsrevânelerinden intizâr ve istimdâd eylemekde ve derbâr-ı şevket-karâr-ı hilâfetpenâhîlerine sebeb-i ilticâ olarak dahî ceddi İskender Şâhʾın cedd-i emced-i şehriyârîleri cennet-mekân Selim Han Hazretleriʾnin âvân-ı saltanatlarında taht-ı himâye ve tâbiʿiyyet-i saltanat-ı seniyyelerine dehâlet eylemesinden ve ol zamân bir aded fermân ve top ve sancak ve kırk nefer evlâd-ı Türkʾden asker gönderilmiş ve bilâhare vâlid-i mâcid kesirüʾl-mehâmidleri cennet-mekân Firdevs-i âşiyân Sultan Abdülmecid Han Hazretleriʾnin hengâm-ı saltanatında dahî ceddi İbrahim Mansur Şâhʾa bir seyf-i müzehheb ve nişân-ı zîşân-ı mecîdî ihsân buyurulmuş olmasıyla tâbiʿiyyet mûcibüʾl-mefharet-i Osmâniyeleri teʾyîd ve yenibaşdan çerâğ ve kâmiyâb buyurulmalarından ve umerâ ve vüzerâsı ve kâffe-i İslâm bulunan tebʿa-i mazlûmesi tâbiʿiyyet-i cihân-ı kamiyyet-i saltanat-ı seniyyelerinden başka hiçbir sûretle tâbiʿiyyet-i kefere ve ecânibe kabûl edemeyeceklerinden ve hâlen mebtûʿı mutazammın olarak halîfe-i rûy-ı zemîn emîrüʾl-müʾminîn müʾeyyid-i menbâ-yı saltanat-ı İslâmiye müşeyyid-i erkân-ı diyânet hâdimüʾl-haremeyn veʾş-şerefeyn sultânüʾl-birreyn veʾl-bahreyn hâlen serîr-ârâ-yı saltanat-ı Osmâniye ve dîhim pîrâ-yı şevket-i İslâmiye sultânüʾs-sultân ibnüʾs-sultânüʾs-sultân el-gâzî Abdülhamid Han ebedallâhu hilâfetehû ilâ âhiriʾd-devrân efendimiz hazretlerini tanımakda olduklarından ileri geldiklerini ber tafsîl arz eylemekde olunduğu muhât-ı ilm-i âlem-ârâ-yı cenâb-ı şehin-şâhîleri buyuruldukda ve kâtibe-i ahvâlde emr u fermân şevketlü mehâbetlü tâc-dâr-ı zîşân medâr-ı fahr-ı İslâmiyân efendimiz hazretlerinindir. Fî 13 Şaʿbân sene [1]315 ve 20 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]313 An Cava Batavya Başşehbenderi Abd-i Memlûkları Sublime Ottoman State Consulate General in Batavia Number This is my humble request [to] the dust at the feet from the King of Kings; In the night of the seventeenth of this Rûmî107 month at about three o’clock, a half-naked Arab came to my presence at the consulate saying, “O satisfier of all wants!”108 [He] submitted to me a petition that I dare to present in enclosure. As it is understood from his testimony, he travelled in disguise 107  Ottoman solar calendar starting with the Emigration of Prophet Mohammed to Medina in 622. The calendar was introduced in 1840. 108  I.e. demanding help.

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on a long journey, first to Madura and afterwards to Maluku and Borneo, bearing the petition of Alauddin Shah, the ruler of Aceh, which was intended to be presented to the Consulate General without giving a clue to the local government. He applied to the consulate at night after this journey, and bade me take an oath that I am a Muslim and a consular official sent by the imperial crown-holder, and afterwards handed over [the petition] entrusted to him. As the petition was written in the Malay tongue, I summoned immediately the translator whom I employed for translation work in local languages, and found out that the content of the petition consist of requests for help as explained below: The said ruler reports [the following]: the desperate state of the subjects of his country who suffer from the unjust aggressions of the Dutch, the destruction of places of worship, mosques, graveyards of their ancestors, and shrines of the saints; that the blood-thirsty war which has been continuing for more than twenty-five years and intensified during the last years has exhausted his subjects, the Muslims of Aceh; the destruction of lives and towns with the newest guns and warships by the aggressive infidels; that during the last years [the aggressive infidels] have unscrupulously dared to commit more and more murders and insult the honour and chastity of the populace while not refraining from shedding oppressed Muslims’ blood; that they lack the required weaponry in return, but that it is not possible [for them] to import it from outside because they have been under blockade from land and sea for ten years; that due to the aggression they were obliged to abandon their fertile lands, towns, and villages where they were born, and immigrate to impregnable mountains; that, as a result of settling in such places where they cannot earn a livelihood, they are subject to an intensity of poverty that is much beyond what can be endured; that there is not any problem between [the Dutch and the Acehnese] that might legitimately lead to this regrettable state, and that, in fact, these are the results of the tricky wiles and seditions of an Indian Buddhist who took advantage of the youth of his younger brother Mahmud Shah. And Alauddin Shah requests, in the name of God and His Prophet, the imperial help of our exalted lord, His Majesty the Leader of the Muslims and the Deputy of the Prophet of the Lord of the World, to release his subjects and his country from the aggressions of the infidels. As for the reason for taking refuge at the noble court of the Caliph [he states the following] in detail. His ancestor, Iskandar Shah entered the protection and subject status of the Imperial Sultanate during the reign of His Majesty the heaven-dwelling Selim Khan, who is an ancestor of Your Majesty, and with the deployment of an imperial edict, cannons, a banner, and forty Turkish soldiers [to Aceh] on that occasion. Later on, during

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the reign of his Majesty’s father, the heaven-dwelling Abdülmecid Khan, his ancestor Ibrahim Mansur Shah was bequeathed a gilded sword and a Mecidi medal, and in this way their Ottoman subject status, which was a cause for pride, was happily reiterated again. All of his viziers and officials, and all of his subjects who are wronged Muslims, will reject subject status to infidels and foreigners in favour of the subjecthood of the world-encompassing Imperial Sultate. Now, they recognise as their overlord the Caliph on the Face of the Earth, the Commander of the Faithful, the bedrock of the Islamic Sultanate, the source of strength of the men of faith, the Guardian of the Two Noble Sanctuaries, Sultan of the Two Lands and of the Two Seas, now seeking the intercession of the Ottoman Sultanate and the ornamented and noble Islamic crown, our lord, His Majesty, the Sultan, the Sultan son of the Sultan, the Ghazi Sultan Abdülhamid Khan (may God perpetuate his Caliphate for all eternity). When this is brought to the exalted knowledge of the King of Kings, and its contents noted, it is for our lord, His Majesty the noble Crown-Holder and the Pride of Muslims to command. 7 January 1898 From Java His Majesty’s servant, the Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA Y.PRK.EŞA. 28/66 (1)

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the letter, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 1 Nisan [1]314 târihli Batavya Başşehbenderliği tahrîrâtı sûretidir Açe Hâkimi Alaaddin Davud bin Mansur Şah tarafından hâk-ı pây-ı sipihr-intimâ-yı hazret-i şehriyârîye hitâben abd-i âcizlerine irsâl olunup Flemenklilerin bi-gayr-i hak ve hilâf-ı ahd olan tecâvüzâtından ve tahrîb-i bilâd ve mesâcid ve mekâbir-i ecdâd ve hetk-i ırz ve nâmus gibi mezâliminden ve yirmi beş seneyi mütecâviz bir zamandan beru bir gün olsun hâlî kalmadıkları muhârebâtın netâyic-i müʾellimesinden olunarak tebʿasının ahvâl-i esef iştimâlinden bahisle ebâʾ ve ecdâdının dehâletle mübâhî oldukları himâye ve tâbiʿiyyet-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeyi istirhâma dâʾir olan arz-ı hâli sûret-i mütercemeleri ile berâber manzûr-ı dekâyik-nüşûr-ı cenâb-ı cihân-bânî buyurulmak üzere bâ-posta mâbeyn-i hümâyûn-ı mülûkâne cânib-i âlîsine arz ve takdîm kılınmış olduğu muʿarrazında ol-bâbda 11.4

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Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communication of the Consulate General in Batavia, dated 13 April 1898 The petition addressed to the heavenly dust at the feet of the exalted sovereign dispatched by the ruler of Aceh, Alauddin Daud bin Mansur Shah to this humble servant relates the unlawful attacks of the Dutch in violation of treaty, their destruction of towns, mosques and the graveyards of ancestors, their oppressions such as insulting chastity and honour, and the heartrending consequences of the war from which they have not been free even a single day for more than twenty five years. By explaining the regrettable state of his people, [he] requests the protection and suzerainty of the Imperial Sultanate with which his ancestors were glorified by entering. This petition, together with its copy-translation, has been presented to the exalted presence of the world-builder by post to the Imperial Private Apartments, for the information of the Sovereign. In this matter [to command, etc] Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 385/2 (3)

Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier about the communications of the Ottoman consul in Batavia on the letter of the Sultan of Aceh to the Ottoman Sultan, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 337 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Hâk-ı pây-ı şevket-ihtivâ-yı hazret-i tâcdârîye refʿ ve takdîm olunmak üzere Flemenklilerin tecâvüzâtından ve tahrîb-i bilâd ve mesâcid ve mekâbir ve hetk-i ırz ve nâmus gibi muzâlemetden ve tebʿasının ahvâl-i esef-iştimâlinden bahisle himâye ve tâbiʿiyyet-i saltanat-ı seniyyeyi istirhâmı hâvî Açe Hâkimi Alaaddin Davud bin Mansur Şah tarafından irsâl olunan arz-ı hâlin sûret-i mütercemeleriyle Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde mütemekkin Arablar hakkında Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin icrâ eylemekde olduğu muʿâmelât-ı taʿaddiyât-gâyâta dâʾir baʿzı ifâdât ve müstedʿiyyâtı şâmil tanzîm olunan mahzar-ı umûmînin mâbeyni hümâyûn-ı cânib-i mülûkâne-i cânib-i âlîsine irsâl ve takdîm kılındığı ve 11.5

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ahvâl-i sâbıka ve hâzıralarına dâʾir tafsîlât-ı sâʾireyi ve mezkûr Arabların Flemenk müstemlekât-ı kavânîn ve nizâmâtı nazarında olan derece-i hukûk-ı müktesebelerine ve cezâyir-i mezbûre sükkân-ı asliyesiyle ecânib-i şarkiye beynindeki vazʿiyyete dâʾir maʿlûmât arzu olunduğu hâlde işʿâr edileceğini mutazammın Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden ahz olunan 22 Zilkaʿde sene [1]315 târihli ve yüz beş ve yüz altı ve yüz yedi numerolu üç kıtʿa muharrerâtın sûretleri leffen takdîm kılınmış ve maʿlûmât-ı mezkûrenin işʿârı lüzûmu mezkûr başşehbender­ liğe tavsiye olunmuş olmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 26 Zilhicce sene 1315 ve fî 6 Mayıs sene [1]314 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number 337 To His Grand Vizierial Highness The request of your most humble servant is that: The copy-translation of the letter of the ruler of Aceh, Alauddin Daud bin Mansur Shah, has been sent to be presented to the dust at the feet at the most majestic abode of the crown-holder, containing his narration of the Dutch attacks and oppressions such as the destruction of towns, mosques and graveyards, and offences against the chastity and honour [of his people], and his peoples’ regretful state, along with his request for the protection and suzerainty of the Imperial Sultanate. With this, there is the general report containing some explanations and requests with regard to the Dutch Government’s extremely hostile treatment to the Arabs residing in Indian Islands, and it states that, if it is desired, information will be provided on the details and other aspects of the past and current state [of the Arabs], on the rights with which the mentioned Arabs are vested under the laws and regulations of the Dutch colonies, and on the state of affairs between the oriental foreigners and the natives of the said islands. Enclosed [with this note are] are three communications received from the Consulate General in Batavia, dated 14 April 1898 numbered 305, 106, and 107. The need for communicating this information is announced to the Consulate General. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 18 May 1898 Foreign minister Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 385/2 (1)

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the clandestine visit of the ruler of Pontianak to the Ottoman consulate to express his obedience to the Caliph, 1898

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 7 Eylül [1]314 târihli Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtın sûretidir. Sâdât-ı huzzâriyeden olup Borneo cezîre-i kebîresinin sevâhil-i garbiye-i şimâliyesinde vâkiʿ Pontiyanak kıtʿası hâkimi bulunan Şerif Muhammed bin Sultan Yusuf haşmetlü kraliçe hazretlerinin merâsim-i tetevvüciyeleri münâsebetiyle baʿzı hükkâm-ı mahalliye misillü müşârunileyhde Batavya‌ʾya gelmiş ve şehr-i hâl-i efrencînin üçüncü gecesi dahî tebdîlen şehbenderhâneye biʾl-vürûd abd-i âcizleriyle görüşmüşdür müşârunileyh yirmi beş yaşında bir genç olup evvelen halîfe-i rûy-ı zemîn emîrüʾl-müʾminîn efendimiz hazretlerine daʿvât-ı kesîre tilâvetiyle izhâr-ı müʾessir sıdk ve merbûtiyet eyleyerek baʿdehû bu havâlice ecânib-i Hıristiyâniyeʾden mâʿadâ dindaşı olan evlâd-ı Türkʾden ferden ferîdenin bulunmadığına teʾessüf eylemekde bulunduğu ve bu havâlîye berâ-yı ticâret geldikleri takdîrde hükkâm ve umerâ-yı mevcûdenin kâffesi umûr-ı ticâriyelerinin tevsîʿi sadedinde teshîlât-ı mukteziye ve imtiyazât-ı fâʾikanın iʿtâ ve irâʾesiyle mahbûb kalıp âmme-i müslimîn olan halîfe-i (?) larına arz-ı meʾâsir-i sadâkati ve saltanat-ı seniyye-i İslâmiyeleriyle tevlîd münâsebât-ı mâddiyeyi câna minnet addeylediklerini ve ara sıra bu sevâhilde sufun-ı şâhâne ile râʾyet zafer-âyet-i Osmânîʾnin mevc-âver-i mehâbet olması sıgâr ve kibârînin aʿzam-ı temenniyâtı bulunduğu bir lisân-ı teʾessürle beyân ve seferesinden Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye azîmet ve avdetinde Dağıstânî Ahmed Efendi nâmında Dersaʿâdetʾden bu havâlîye hicret etmiş bir Türkʾden ulûm-ı dîniye ve cüzʾî Türkçe taʿallüm eylemiş olduğunu ve hükûmet-i mahalliyenin derkâr olan muhâlefetinden nâşî şehbenderhâneyi alenen ziyârete adem-i muvaffakiyetinden gâyetüʾl-gâye müteʾessif bulunduğunu ilâveten der-meyân eyleyerek dört saʿat kadar şehbenderhânede kalmış ve hakkında ihtirâmât-ı lâzime îfâsıyla biʾl-vâdiʿ avdet eylemiş bulunduğunun arz ve ifâdesine cürʾet kılınmış olmağla Aslına mutâbıkdır. Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office

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Number This is a copy of the communication received from the Consulate General in Batavia with the date 19 September 1898 Sharif Muhammad bin Sultan Yusuf, who is from the sayyids of Hadramawt and the ruler of Pontianak region located in the northwest of the great island of Borneo, came to Batavia like a number of other local rulers on the occasion of the enthronement of Her Majesty the Great Queen. In the night of the third of this Frankish month [Gregorian Calendar], he came to the consulate in disguise and had a conversation with me. The said [ruler] is a youth of twenty five-years of age. Firstly, he expressed his genuine loyalty and attachment to our lord, His Majesty the Caliph of God on Earth and the Commander of the Faithful, by reciting lots of prayers. Afterwards, he expressed his regret that not a single Turkish co-religionist was present in the region, even though there were plenty of foreign Christians, and that if [Turks] were to come to his region for trade, all the rulers and officials would like to provide any necessary facilitating measures, and grant extraordinary privileges to boost their commerce, for what more could one want than to present deeds of submission to the (?) Caliph of the Muslim community, and to establish concrete relations with the Imperial Islamic Sultanate. [He also] explained in sorrowful terms that the presence of imperial ships and the victorious Ottoman flag from time to time at those shores is the greatest desire of the ordinary and influential people alike, and on the occasion of his visit to Honoured Mecca he learned religious knowledge and some Turkish from a Turk called Dagestani Ahmed Efendi who had migrated there from the Abode of Felicity. He also explained that he greatly regretted that he could not visit the Consulate General due to the known opposition of the local government. I dare to present and explain that he stayed for about four hours at the consulate, and returned after the required respect was paid to him. This is a true copy of the original Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 390/100 (1)

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the sultan relating that the ruler of Aceh sent repeated messages requesting help against the Dutch, 1900

Yıldız Sarayı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi Hülâsâ Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde yerli İslâmlar hakkında Flemenkliler tarafından mugâyir-i adâlet olarak idâre-i keyfiye icrâ olunmakda ve pek çok taʿaddiyât

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ve tahkîrâtda bulunulmakda olmasıyla halleri şâyân-ı merhamet bulunduğuna dâʾir bunlar tarafından verilen mahzarın takdîmiyle işbu mazlûmînin taʿyîn-i tâbiʿiyyetleri ve teʾmîn-i hukûkları istidʿâsına dâʾir Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden Sumatra‌ʾda vâkiʿ Açe hâkimi tarafından vârid olup 13 Şubat sene [1]315 târihinde atabe-i ulyâya takdîm eylediği arîza üzerine şeref-sudûr buyurulacak irâde-i seniyye müstemlekât hükûmetinin şehr-i âtî zarfında kuvve-i külliye-i askeriye ile yeniden tecâvüze başlayacağından bahisle muntazır bulunduğuna dâʾir mükerreren haber göndermekde olduğunu hâvî Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden Yıldız Imperial Palace Chief Secretariat Summary From the Consulate General in Batavia is presented the petition of the Muslims of the Indian Islands submitting that they deserve compassion because of various Dutch oppressions, and because of the most contemptuous and arbitrary rule that is imposed on them contrary to justice, and requesting that the rights of these oppressed people be secured by defining their subject status. From the Consulate General in Batavia, it is related that the ruler of Aceh in Sumatra has sent repeated messages that he is looking forward to the exalted imperial command that will emanate in response to the petition that he submitted to the Exalted Threshold on 25 February 1900, because in the next month the [Dutch] colonial administration will attack again with all its military might. Source: BOA Y.PRK.BŞK. 55/41

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Dutch embassy in Istanbul to the Foreign Ministry communicating the gratefulness of governor-general of the Dutch East Indies for the medal he received, 1901

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne 17 Nisan sene [1]901 târihiyle Flemenk Sefâretiʾnden vârid olan 255 numerolu takrîrin tercümesidir Avâtıf-ı seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhîden birinci rütbeden bir kıtʿa nişân-ı âlî-i Osmânî ile taltîf buyurulmuş olan Flemenk Hükûmeti Hindistan müstemlekâtı vâlisi Ceneral “Ruzbom” mazhar olduğu işbu eser-i celîl-i âtıfet-i seniyyeden

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dolayı teşekkürât-ı fâʾika-i taʿzîm-kârânesinin atabe-i felek-mertebe-i hazret-i şehriyârîye arz ve iblâğı zımnında vesâtat-ı âsafânelerine mürâcaʿat etmekli­ ğimi ricâ eylemiş olduğundan mûmâileyhin esʿâf-ı mesʾûlü vâbeste-i inâyet-i aliyye-i âsafâneleridir beyân-ı hâl teʾkîd-i teʾmînât-ı ihtiram-kârîye zerîʿa-i ittihâz kılındı Sublime Porte Foreign Department Translation Office Number This is the translation of the note received by Foreign Ministry from the Dutch Embassy, dated 17 April 1901 and numbered 255 General Rooseboom [Willem Rooseboom, 1899–1904], Governor-General of the Dutch Indies, who was rewarded by His Majesty the exalted Sultan with an exalted Ottoman medal first class, asked me to apply to your exalted Grand Vizierial mediation in presenting his gratitude and regards to the celestial threshold of His Imperial Majesty. The implementation of this request depends on the mediation of Your exalted Grand Vizierial Highness. This occasion has been used to explain the situation and to reiterate my humble duty. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 415/20

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Letter from Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam of Brunei to Sultan Abdülhamid, 15 May 1903

15.1 Commentary on the Letter, by Annabel Teh Gallop This letter from Brunei is of a certain historical significance in being one of the last in a long line of appeals for help against infidel aggressors sent by Malay rulers in Southeast Asia to the Ottoman sultan in Istanbul. Dated 17 Safar 1321 (15 May 1903), this letter in Malay from Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam is addressed to Sultan Abdülhamid Khan, and offers to surrender the whole territory of Brunei, while asking for help against the kafir Charles Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, who had seized the Limbang valley. However, the letter never reached its destination: intended for the hands of the Turkish consul in Singapore, it was confiscated by the British consul in Brunei, G. Hewett, who forwarded it to the Foreign Office in London.109 109  National Archives, FO 572/37, Confidential Print, pp. 31–32, for an account of this episode; I would like to express my thanks to Simon Francis for kindly providing me with a copy of this.

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In the sixteenth century Brunei was one of the most powerful Malay states in Southeast Asia, its influence stretching northwards as far as Manila Bay. In the mid-nineteenth century, however, much Brunei territory to the south was lost through a series of treaties with the British Brooke dynasty in Sarawak, while to the north Western commercial interests succeeded in obtaining considerable land concessions, and by the 1880s, Brunei territory had been reduced to a small core centred on the Brunei river. Despite the signing in 1888 of a Protectorate Agreement with Britain, in an act of aggression in 1890 Rajah Charles Brooke forcibly annexed the Limbang river valley, cleaving the remaining territory of the kingdom of Brunei in two. At the time of writing of this letter in 1903, Brunei’s fortunes were thus at an absolute nadir, just before the 1904 McArthur Report on Brunei led to the establishment of a British Residency in 1906, which finally ensured the stymying of Sarawak’s expansionist plans.110 On 27 May 1903 Godfrey Hewett, British consul in Brunei (with strong pro-Sarawak sympathies), wrote to the Foreign Secretary, the Marquess of Lansdowne, enclosing the original of the letter from the sultan of Brunei to the Ottoman sultan. Hearing of plans afoot to communicate with Istanbul, he had first intercepted the letter planning simply to take a copy of it, but on reading it had decided to confiscate it: That the letter is an exceedingly mischievous one is my reason for not taking a copy and allowing it to proceed. It appeals to the Sultan of Turkey on false and baseless grounds. It states that the Mahommedan religion and country have been destroyed in Brunei by the heathen – meaning the Sarawak and North Borneo Governments. In both these countries the Mahommedan religion has received the utmost respect and protection; in both, wherever Mahommedans have settled or assembled in any number, however small, the Governments have provided the means and materials to buy mosques, and have paid Imaums chosen by the people themselves. A year ago I assisted the Sultan to obtain timber for the new mosque in Brunei, free of cost or duty, from Sarawak territory, and it is a false and mischievous invention that the Mahommedan religion has suffered in any way whatever in Brunei.111 Hewett had obtained the letter from the messenger, “a Hadji from Palembang, in Sumatra, who undertook to deliver it to the Turkish Consul in Singapore,

110  For an outline of the history of Brunei, see Saunders 1994; Horton 1987. 111   F O 572/37, p. 31.

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and for his own sake he will maintain silence.”112 He adds, “In the present case the Sultan committed the mistake of intrusting his letter to a man who was not a Brunei subject; otherwise; I should have had much greater difficulty in getting possession of it”.113 He then gives an English translation of the contents of the letter, as usual commencing “after compliments”. Hewett had had to send his report via Sir Frank Swettenham, Consul General in Singapore, who in his covering note took a less histrionic view of the letter: “This desire of a disappointed Malay Raja to appeal to the Sultan of Turkey is not altogether uncommon, and the course adopted in this case has been followed before without any result. I should have thought it was hardly worth the while to resort to such a measure as persuading the messenger to betray his trust and opening the Sultan’s letter …”.114 In May 1904 M.S.H. McArthur arrived in Brunei as acting consul, and spent the next six months writing his Report on the state for the British government. As noted above, the Palembang Haji entrusted with the letter had ensured that no one aligned to the Brunei court knew about its interception by the British. McArthur, in the section of his report on Sultan Hashim, added a comment on the local interpretation of the lack of any evident response from Istanbul, a year after the despatch of the letter: He [the sultan] seems unable to understand why he is not accorded the same position in the estimation of the world as that to which ancient Sultans of the once powerful State of Brunei might perhaps have aspired. His people sympathize with this attitude of mind, and the current explanation of the Sultan of Turkey’s failure to accede to his request for assistance against the infidels is that his titles are greater than those of the Turkish Sovereign, who is popularly reported to have been amazed at finding he had so mighty a rival in the Far East.115 This response echoes the portrayal in the 17th-century Hikayat Aceh of the reaction of the Sultan of Rum to news of the greatness of Sultan Iskandar Muda of Aceh (r. 1607–1636), which Braginsky (2015a: 265) has interpreted as an Acehnese act of literary revenge, born out of a deep grudge against the Ottomans for their failure in the 16th century to deliver, as promised, aid against the Portuguese. The fame of Iskandar Muda was certainly known in 112  Ibid. 113   F O 572/37, pp. 31–32. 114   F O 572/37, p. 32. 115  Horton 1987: 133.

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Brunei: in the Silsilah raja-raja Berunai, “Genealogical account of the rulers of Brunei”, the great Sultan Hasan is likened to his contemporary Iskandar Muda, “He was the ruler of Brunei who was beyond compare; his only match was Sultan Makota Alam116 of Aceh”.117 While the Brunei reaction may have been inspired by the well-known pairing in Islamic lore of the two great rulers in the East and the West, Nabi Sulaiman and Iskandar Zulkarnain, it is may also have derived from familiarity with the Acehnese chronicle.118 The language and layout of the letter is in general in keeping with Malay norms, but the language is especially effusive, reflecting the emotional investment in this mission. Malay epistles are generally quite prosaic in tone, and the description of the impact of the news of the appointment of a Turkish Consul in Singapore is unusually flowery: “For Muslims hearing this news it was as if they were breathing in a most wondrous never-ending fragrance – if it had been wearable they would have longed to cloak themselves in it, and if it had been edible they would have been desperate to eat it.” As has been mentioned in the introductory essay, the placement of the name of the sender in the final lines of the letter – and even then only with apologies – seems to reflect some awareness on the part of the Bruneis that Ottoman epistles did not routinely give the name of the writer of the letter. The seal is placed very low down in the right-hand margin, as a mark of extreme humility on the part of the sender. [In the image of the letter, the lower black circle is the seal impression; the other round mark above it comes from sooty residue on the seal-flap. The seal-flap is a small piece of paper attached above the seal impression with a spot of glue which acts like a hinge, so that the flap can be lowered to protect the lampblack seal impression, which is otherwise easily smudged when the paper is folded.] Letter from Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam of Brunei to Sultan Abdülhamid, 17 Safar 1321 [15 May 1903] [Seal]119 7 8 6 al-wāthiq billāh hādhā Seri Paduka Bawah Duli Yang Dipertuan Sultan Hasyim Jalilul Alam Akamuddin ibn al-marhum Seri Paduka Maulana al-Sultan Umar Ali Saifuddin Syah sanat 1312 Al-hamd lillahulillah al-maḥmūd bi-niʿmat al-maʿbūd bi-qudratihi al-nāfidh amrahu fī samāʾihi wa-arḍihi alladhī khalaqa al-khalaq min irādatihi wa man … bi-dīnihi wa-akramahum bi-nabī sayyidnā Muhammad salla Allah 15.2

116  In the Hikayat Aceh, the adult Iskandar Muda is known as Makota Alam. 117  Sweeney 1968: 20; Gallop 2014: 42. 118  With thanks to Vladimir Braginsky for his comments on this subject (31.1.2015). 119  The seal in the image of the letter is too smudged to read, but it can be identified as a seal of Sultan Hashim’s known from other impressions on documents held in the National Archives at Kew (Gallop 2019: 473, cat. 1378 #852).

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Figure 89 Letter from Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam of Brunei to Sultan Abdülhamid, 15 May 1903

ʿalayhi wa-salam, maka mudah-mudahan barang disampaikan oleh Tuhan rabb al-ʿarsh al-ʿazim tersembah surat ini datang mengadap ke bawah qadam yang maha mulia seri paduka maulana al-sultan al-muʿazzam malik al-ʿArab wa-al-ʿajam maulana al-Sultan ʿAbd al-Hamid ibn al-marhum maulana alSultan ʿAbd al-Majid Khan al-ghazi yang bersemayam di atas tahta kerajaan di dalam negeri Qustantinah, mudah-mudahan dipeliharakan Allah dari fitnah dunia dan akhirat berkat sh.h.r.r[?] kita nabi Muhammad dan sekalian nabi2 dan malaikat serta panjang umur zamannya fi taat Allah wa-rasul wa almalaikat al-muqarrabayn bi-barakat ahl al-haramayn dawlat al-ʿaliyat. Setelah thabitlah pendengaran hamba akan maulana al-sultan telah menitahkan satu konsil jeneral tinggal di negeri Singapura, adalah hati sekalian orang Islam sangatlah suka tiada dapat diperikan, hanya Allah dan rasul yang mengetahui, adalah demikian orang2 Islam mendengar khabaran seperti mencium bahu yang amat harum yang tiada berkeputusan, jika seperti pakaian amat dahaga akan memakai dia, dan jika seperti makanan amat dahaga akan memakan, hanya harap akan pertolongan Allah taʿala dan shafaʿat nabi dan sekalian malaikat dan aulia dan ulama dan khususan ahl Makkah dan Madinah dan harap lagi sampai kurnia al-sultan al-muʿazzam malik al-ʿArab wa-al-ʿajam qudrat al-Islam. Dan kemudian lagi harap akan tolongan kasih maulana al-sultan yang boleh menolong akan harapan hamba dan sekalian orang2 Islam di negeri hamba, yaitu Brunei serta lain2 negeri yang di bawah perintahan hamba, suka dan rida serta ikhlas menyerahkan atas agama Islam kepada maulana

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al-sultan al-muʿazzam dari sebab hamba punya negeri2 dan agama Islam telah dibinasakan oleh kafir, dan satu negeri hamba nama Limbang telah dirampas oleh kafir yaitu Charles Brooke Sarawak. Dari itu sangat hamba harapkan pertolongan yang maha mulia, inilah nama hamba yang kirim ini surat, jika ada khilafnya harap dimaafkan oleh maulana al-sultan al-muʿazzam, yaitu daripada hamba al-Sultan Hashim ibn al-marhum maulana al-sultan Umar Ali dalam negeri Brunei. Tiada lain hanyalah diharap dimakbualkan120 hamba warkah permohonan dan harapan hamba seperti yang tersebut ini dan harap mendapat balas surat ini daripada maulana al-sultan al-muʿazzam demikianlah adanya tamat. Tertulis surat ini di dalam lapau negeri Brunei kepada 17 hari bulan Safar al-khayr sanat 1321. [Seal] 7 8 6121 he who trusts in God, this is Seri Paduka Bawah Duli Yang Dipertuan Sultan Hasyim Jalilul Alam Akamuddin, son of the late Seri Paduka, our lord the Sultan Umar Ali Saifuddin Shah, the year 1312 (AD 1894/5). Praise be to God who is praised by the blessings of the one who is worshipped, by whose power He executes His orders in His sky and earth, Thanks, who created people of His will … and gave them the blessing of the prophet our lord Muhammad, may God’s peace and blessings be upon him, and may this letter be conveyed by God, Lord of the Illustrious Throne, to arrive beneath the soles of his majesty our lord the great sultan, king of the Arabs and non-Arabs, our lord the sultan Abdülhamid, son of our late lord the sultan Abdülmecid Khan, the warrior, who is seated on the throne of sovereignty in the land of Constantinople, may God protect him from the slanders of this world and the next, with the help of our prophet Muhammad and all the prophets and angels, and may he live to a great age in obedience to God and the prophet and angels and archangels, with the blessing of the people of the holy places, the sublime state. When it reached your servant’s ears that our lord the sultan had commanded a Consul General to reside in Singapore, the hearts of all Muslims rejoiced beyond words, to an extent only God and the prophet can know. For Muslims hearing this news it was as if they were breathing in a most wondrous never-ending fragrance – if it had been wearable they would have longed to cloak themselves in it, and if it had been edible they would have been desperate 120  d.m.b.w.a.l.k.n, the addition of alif reflecting the common Brunei interpolation of the vowel /a/, here in the standard Malay dimakbulkan. 121  786 is the sum of the numerical value of the constituent letters of the basmala according to the abjad system.

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to eat it. Our only hope is the help of God the Exalted and the intercession of the prophet and all the angels and saints and religious scholars, and especially the people of Mecca and Medina, and our hopes also rest upon the favour of the great sultan, king of the Arabs and non-Arabs, the power of Islam. And furthermore we hope for assistance from our lord the sultan in fulfilling the hopes of your servant, and of all the Muslims of Brunei and the other lands under your servant’s jurisdiction, who happily and willingly submit through Islam to our lord the great sultan, because your servant’s country and the religion of Islam is being destroyed by the infidels, and one of my states named Limbang has been seized by the infidel Charles Brooke of Sarawak. Therefore your servant fervently hopes for your majesty’s help, and the name of your servant who sends this letter – begging the pardon of our lord the great sultan in case of any impropriety – is the Sultan Hashim, son of our late lord the sultan Umar Ali, in the state of Brunei. There is nothing else other than your servant’s hope that his missive requesting help as stated here will be granted, and the hope of receiving a reply to this letter from our lord the great sultan, that is all. Written in the state audience hall of Brunei on the 17th of the month of Safar the good, the year 1321. Source: The National Archives, Kew122

16

From the chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier about the congratulations of the Raja of Surakata, 1905

Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi 5962 Velî-niʿmet-i bî-minnetimiz zât-ı şevket-simât efendimiz hazretlerinin vakʿa-i melʿûnânede savb-ı samedânî ile masûn ve mahfûz buyurulmalarından dolayı Cava‌ ʾda Surakarta Racası Abdurrahman Hazretleriʾnin tebrîkât ve hissiyât-ı sadâkat-kârânesini hâvî Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden gelen iki kıtʿa tahrîrâtın takdîmine dâʾir resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan fî 9 Ramazan sene 122  The precise shelfmark of this letter in the National Archives (formerly known as the Public Record Office) is not known. The present study is based upon a facsimile of the letter held in the Pusat Sejarah Brunei (Brunei History Centre) and published in Mohd. Jamil (1994: 29). According to Dr Haji Muhammad Hadi Abdullah, former Deputy Director of the Pusat Sejarah Brunei, the facsimile was printed from a microfilm of part of the FO series obtained from the Public Record Office (pers. comm., 28.1.2015). The present image is reproduced courtesy of the Pusat Sejarah Brunei.

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Figure 90 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier about the congratulations of the Raja of Surakata, 1905

[1]323 târihli tezkire-i husûsiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri manzûr-ı âlî buyurularak mahzûziyet-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhînin tebşîri şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhî iktizâ-yı âlîsinden bulunmuş olmağla olbâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir Fî 12 Ramazan sene [1]323 fî 27 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]321 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî Tahsin Yıldız Imperial Palace Chief Secretarial Department 5962 The special Grand Vizierial note dated 7 November 1905 pertaining to two documents received from the Consulate General in Batavia to be presented to the most revered hand [of the Sultan] with the congratulations of His Highness Abdurrahman, the Raja of Surakarta, on the survival of the most just person of His Majesty our noble lord through divine intervention from the

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cursed incident123 were brought into the exalted presence. It is the lofty and exalted command emanating from the Sultan that his joy and pleasure of his imperial and caliphal person be communicated. To command belongs to him who commands all. 10 November 1905 Tahsin, Chief Secretary to His Majesty Source: BOA İ.HUS. 135/1323 N/20

123  The bomb attack on Sultan Abdülhamid II on 21 July 1905.

Chapter 3

Royal Visits to Istanbul, 1891–1909 In the later nineteenth century, Asian rulers increasingly went on tour to Europe, partly to learn from systems of government and administration there, partly purely for pleasure. Nasir al-Din Shah of Iran, for instance, became the first Persian monarch to visit Europe with journeys there in 1873, 1878 and 1889. This taste for visiting Europe also spread to Southeast Asian monarchs in the same period. In particular, the ruler of Johor in the South of the Malay Peninsula, Abu Bakar (r. 1833–1895), was a repeated visitor to England and has been described as ‘in his tastes and habits … an English gentleman’ (Reid 1967b: 159, n. 4). Eventually, Istanbul became included on the itinerary of these visiting monarchs, of whom Abu Bakar, discussed further below, was one. There was not necessarily any profound political intent to every visit, and often Istanbul seems appended as something of an afterthought on these royal Grand Tours. In a different category, however, are the visits of members of the ruling family of Siam. Despite the numerous pleas from Muslim states in Southeast Asia for Ottoman protection in the nineteenth century, in fact the earliest state visit was undertaken by a member of the Siamese royal family, prince Damrong (1862–1943), the brother of King Chulalongkorn (r. 1873–1910). Prince Damrong was one of the leading intellectuals of the period as well as an administrator who played a crucial role in Chulalongkorn’s efforts to reform and centralise the Siamese state (Tej Bunnag 1977, Wyatt 2003: 194–6). In 1891–2, Prince Damrong undertook a tour of Europe that included England, Germany, Russia, and Istanbul. Damrong had been sent specifically to learn from the example of European countries were governed, and on his return to Siam in 1892 was appointed Minister of the Interior. 1

Documents relating to the visit of Prince Damrong to Istanbul, 1891

Ottoman ambassador in Berlin communicating the request of the Siamese prince to visit the Sultan in Istanbul, 1891 Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Berlin Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden Başkitâbete Şifre El-yevm Berlinʾde bulunan ve şehr-i hâlin on birinde buradan hareket ve Rusya ve Avusturya ve İtalya ve Yunanistan hükümdârânını ziyâret 1.1

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_005

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Figure 91 Ottoman ambassador in Berlin communicating the request of the Siamese prince to visit the Sultan in Istanbul, 1891

edecek olan Siyâm kralının birâderi zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i pâdişâhîye dahî biʾz-zât arz-ı ihtisâs etmek üzre Kânûn-ı Evvel-i Efrencî âhirine doğru Dersaʿâdetʾe azîmet tasmîminde bulunduğunu biʾl-beyân işbu niyetinin nezd-i mekârim-mevfûr-ı ulyâda mazhar-ı kabûl olup olmayacağının telgrafla istîzânını taraf-ı âcizânemden iltimâs etdirmiş olmasıyla ol-bâbda şeref-sudûr idecek fermân-ı cenâb-ı mülûkânenin prens-i müşârunileyhe teblîği sûretinin işʿârı bâbında. Fî 9 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1891 Berlin Sefîri Tevfik Yıldız Imperial Palace Cypher from the Ottoman Embassy in Berlin to the Chief Secretary [of the Sultan].

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The brother of the King of Siam, who is now in Berlin and is planning to depart from here on the 11th of this month to visit the rulers of Russia, Austria, Italy and Greece, has sent me a telegram [through his officials] and stated that he was planning to visit the Abode of Felicity by the end of December to present his devotion to His Imperial Majesty in person, and asked whether his intention would be accepted by His Majesty. In this matter, please make known the noble desire commanded by His Majesty to be communicated to the said Prince. 9 November 1891. Tevfik, Ambassador in Berlin. Source: BOA Y.PRK.TŞF. 3/31(12) Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 97–98.

Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating the sultan’s order to advise him on how to respond to the request of the Siamese prince, 1891 Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi Numero 1668 El-yevm Berlinʾde bulunan ve şehr-i hâlin on birinde oradan hareketle Rusya ve Avusturya ve İtalya ve Yunan hükümdârânı hazerâtını ziyâret edecek olan Siyâm kralının birâderi zât-ı şevket-simât-ı cenâb-ı pâdişâhîye dahî biʾz-zât arz-ı ihtisâs etmek üzre Kânûn-ı Evvel-i Efrenci âhirine doğru Dersaʿâdetʾe azîmet tasmîminde bulunduğu biʾl-beyân işbu niyetinin nezd-i mekârim-i vefd-i hümâyûnda mazhar-ı kabûl olup olmayacağının telgrafla suʾâlini kendisinden iltimâs etdirmiş olmasıyla bu bâbda şeref-sâdır olacak emr u fermân hazret-i tâcdârînin müşârunileyh prense tebliği husûsunda istîzânı hâvî Berlin Sefîri Paşa Hazretleri cânibinden keşîde olunan fî 9 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [18]91 târihli telgrafnâme manzûr-ı âlî olarak ol-bâbda ne yolda muʿâmele olunmak lâzım geleceğinin arz-ı atabe-i ulyâ kılınması şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i şehinşâhî mantûk-ı münîfinden bulunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 7 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]309 ve fî 29 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]307 Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî bende-i Süreyyâ 1.2

Yıldız Imperial Palace Office of the Chief Secretary Number 1668

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Figure 92 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating the sultan’s order to advise him on how to respond to the request of the Siamese prince, 1891

The brother of the King of Siam, who is now in Berlin and is planning to depart from there on the 11th of this month to visit the rulers of Russia, Austria, Italy and Greece, has stated that he is planning to visit the Abode of Felicity by the end of December in order to present his devotion to His Imperial Majesty in person, and requested to check, by means of telegram, whether his intention will attain the approval of His Majesty. The telegram, dated 9 November 1891 sent by the exalted Paşa, the Ambassador in Berlin, containing his request to announce the noble desire of the command of His Majesty to the said Prince, has been brought to the exalted view. In this matter, it is the noble desire of the exalted order of His Imperial Majesty to present to his elevated threshold what should be done regarding this case. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 10 November 1891, The servant Süreyya, Chief Secretary of His Majesty. Source: BOA İ.DH. 1252/98195 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 99–100

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Grand Vizier to the Sultan advising to accept receiving the Siamese prince, 1891 Bâb-ı âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Amedî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn Rusya, Avusturya, İtalya ve Yunan hükümdârânı hazerâtını ziyâret edecek olan ve el-yevm Berlinʾde bulunan Siyâm kralının birâderinin zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i şehinşâhîye dahî biʾz-zât arz-ı ihtisâs etmek üzre Dersaʿâdetʾe azîmet tasmîminde bulunduğunu beyân ve ifâde ile nezd-i mekârim-vefd-i hümâyûnda mazhar-ı kabûl olup olmayacağını suʾâl eylediğine dâʾir Berlin Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnin telgrafnâmesi manzûr-ı âlî olarak bu bâbda ne yolda muʿâmele olunmak lâzım geleceğinin arz olunmasının buyurulduğunu mübelliğ tezkirei husûsiye-i devletleri alındı müşârunileyh Avrupa‌ʾda hüsn-ı kabûl olunmuş ve hükümdârân-ı müşârunileyhim hazerâtı tarafından dahî mazhar-ı kabûl olacağı oralara azîmet edeceğinden müstedil bulunmuş olmasıyla kendisinin taraf-ı eşref-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhîde arz-ı ihtisâs eylemesine müsâʿade buyurulması muvâfık-ı şân-ı âlî olacağı Hâriciye Nâzırı Paşa Hazretleriyle mutâlaʿa kılınmış ise de yine her ne vechile emr u fermân buyurulur ise isâbet anda olacağının hâk-ı pây-ı hümâyûn-ı şâhâneye arz-ı mütemennâdır efendim. Fî 7 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]309 fî 29 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]307, Sadrazam 1.3

Sublime Porte Office of the Grand Vizierate Correspondence Office of the Imperial Council The telegram of the Imperial Embassy in Berlin, communicating that the brother of the King of Siam, who is now in Berlin and is going to visit their Majesties the rulers of Russia, Austria, Italy and Greece, sent a telegram stating that he was planning to visit the Abode of Felicity by the end of December to meet with the person of His Imperia Majesty, and inquiring whether he will be accepted by His Majesty or not, has been taken to the exalted sight. We have received the exalted note stating that it has been ordered to submit the requirements on how to deal with this issue. The said [Prince] has been received kindly in Europe, and the fact that he will visit those places is evidence that he will be received by their Majesties the said rulers. Therefore, it has been considered with His Excellency the Foreign Minister, that it will be suitable to the fame of His noble Imperial Majesty that he be accepted to present his devotion to His Majesty. Nevertheless, my lord, we request to present to the dust under the imperial feet of His Majesty that whatever the order [of His Majesty] will be most appropriate. 10 November 1891,

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Figure 93 Grand Vizier to the Sultan advising to accept receiving the Siamese prince, 1891

Grand Vizier

Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 253/35 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 101–102

Telegram from Ottoman consulate in Sevastopol reporting that the crown prince of the Kingdom of Siam will depart from Sevastopol for Istanbul, 1891 Bâb-ı Âlî Tercüme Odası Numero Siyâm Veliahdıʾnın yarın sabah Dersaʿâdetʾe müteveccihan Sivastopolʾdan müfârakat edeceğine dâʾir. Nezârete 17 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 91 tarihiyle Sivastopol Şehbenderliğiʾnden telgrafnâme 1.4

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“Siyâm” Veliahdı maʿiyyetiyle birlikte yarın sabah “Fleet Volunteer” vapur­ larından “Orel” nâm vapura râkiben Dersaʿâdetʾe müteveccihan buradan müfârakat edecekdir. Sublime Porte Translation Office Number Concerning the departure of the Crown Prince of Siam tomorrow morning from Sevastopol to the Abode of Felicity. Telegram from the Consulate in Sevastopol to the Ministry dated 17 November 1891. The Crown Prince of Siam will depart together with his entourage tomorrow morning for the Abode of Felicity on board of the steamboat “Orel” of the “Fleet Volunteer”. Source: BOA HR.TO. 347/17 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 103

From Livadiya1 to the Russian embassy in Istanbul announcing the departure of the Siamese crown prince, 1891 Numero 319 Livadiya‌ʾdan Dersaʿâdetʾde Rusya Sefâretiʾne Siyâm Hükümdârıʾnın birâderi Prens Damrong refâkatinde imparatorun yâver-i harbi Prens Obolenski olduğu Orel vapuruyla Dersaʿâdetʾe müteveccihan hareket etmiş ve Perşembe günü sabahleyin oraya vusûlü meʾmûl bulunmuşdur. Fî 5 Teşrîn-i Sâni 1307, Fî 17 Teşrîn-i Sânî 1891 1.5

Number 319 From Livadiya to the Russian Embassy in the Abode of Felicity Prince Damrong, the brother of the King of Siam, has departed on board of the steamboat Orel for the Abode of Felicity in company with Prince Obolensky, the military aide-de-camp of the Emperor, and is expected to arrive there on Thursday morning. 17 November 1891 Source: BOA Y.PRK.TŞF. 3/31 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 104–105

1  Livadiya, just outside Yalta in the Crimea, was the site of a summer palace used by the Romanov dynasty.

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Figure 94 Announcement from Livadiya about the departure of the Siamese crown prince, 1891

Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier communicating the developments with regard to the visit of Prince Damrong, 1891 Bâb-ı âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Huzûr-ı Meʿâl-Mevfûr-ı Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı Çâker-i Kemîneleridir Zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i pâdişâhîye biʾz-zât arz-ı ihtisâs eylemek emelinde bulunduğu Berlin Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden işʿâr olunan Siyâm kralının birâderinin ol vechile kabûlü husûsuna vâkiʿ olan arz ve istîzân üzerine müsâʿade-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı tâcdârî sezâvâr buyurulduğunu mübliğ resîde-i desti taʿzîm olan 9 R sene [1]309 târihli tezkire-i sâmiye-i hazret-i sadâret-penâhîleri mutâlaʿa güzâr-ı çâkerî olarak keyfiyet telgrafla sefâret-i müşârunileyhâya teblîğ kılınmışdı ol-bâbda sûret-i nüvâiş-kârânede iʿtâ buyurulan cevâb-ı hümâyûn-ı cenâb-ı mülûkâneye müşârunileyhin kesb-i ittilâʿ ederek Dersaʿâdetʾe müteveccihan hareket etmek niyetinde bulunduğunu Livadiya‌ʾdan telgrafla bildirdiğini hâvî cevâben sefâret-i müşârunileyhâdan ve maʿiyyetiyle birlikde bu sabah Felot ve Velonter vapurlarından Orpol nâm vapura râkiben ve buraya müteveccihan Sivastopolʾdan müfârakat edeceğini şâmil Sivastopol Şehbenderliğiʾnden alınan 17 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [18]91 târihli ve yüz seksen dört numerolu iki kıtʿa 1.6

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Figure 95 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier communicating the developments with regard to the visit of Prince Damrong, 1891

telgrafnâmenin tercümeleri leffen takdîm kılınmağla emr u fermân hazreti veliyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 16 Rebîʿülâhir sene1309 ve fî 6 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Hâriciye Nâzırı bende-i Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number To the great presence of His Highness the Grand Vizier The request of your most humble servant is that; When the Imperial embassy in Berlin communicated that the brother of the king of Siam wishes to present his devotion to his Imperial Majesty, and I scrutinized the Grand Vizierial noted dated 12 November 1891, the imperial permission of the Crown-holder [i.e. the sultan] was granted and communicated by telegraph to the said embassy. Translations of two telegrams dated 17 November 1891 and numbered 184 are presented in enclosure: [One is the] response of the said Embassy [stating] that it was announced from Livadiya by telegram that as he

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[Prince Damrong] was informed about the response of His Majesty, he intends to leave for Istanbul; [and another] from the consulate in Sevastopol, relating that he would depart this morning from Sevastopol to Istanbul with his entourage, on board of Orel, one of the steam boats of Fleet Volunteer. On this issue to command belongs to the owner of all commands. 18 November 1891. Your Servant, the Foreign Minister. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 253/89 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 106–107

The Sultan orders the implementation of the standard procedures with regard to the use of cypher telegram services by Prince Damrong, 1891 Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi Numero 1991 Yarın Dersaʿâdetʾe vürûdu muntazır olan Siyâm prensi nâmına gelen şifre telgrafnâmenin müşârunileyhe verilip verilmemesi ve kendi tarafından yazılacak olur ise kabûl olunup olunmaması Posta ve Telgraf Nezâretiʾnden istifsâr edildiği beyânıyla ol-bâbda istîzân-ı irâde-i seniyye-i mülûkâneyi hâvî resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan fî 15 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]309 târihli tezkire-i husûsiyei sadâret-penâhîleri ledeʾl-arz manzûr-ı âlî olmuş ve emsâli prensler hakkında ne yolda muʿâmele edilmekde ise bu bâbda dahî o yolda îfâ-yı muʿâmele olunması muktezâ-yı irâde-i seniyye-i mülûkâneden bulunmuş olmağla olbâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 15 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]309 fî 6 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307, Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî bende-i Süreyyâ 1.7

Yıldız Imperial Palace Office of the Chief Secretary Number 1991 His Majesty has seen the special Grand Vizierial note, dated 18 November 1891, communicating that the Ministry of Post and Telegram asks whether the cypher telegram addressed to the Prince of Siam should be given to him or not, and if he writes one whether it should be accepted or not, and requesting the order of His Majesty on the issue. It has been the requirement of the will of His Majesty to implement the same the procedures that are implemented to similar princes. On this, issue to command belongs to him who commands all. 18 November 1891. The servant Süreyya, Chief Secretary of His Majesty. Source: BOA İ.DH. 1252/98243 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 108–109

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Figure 96 The Sultan orders the implementation of the standard procedures with regard to the use of cypher telegram services by Prince Damrong, 1891

Istanbul harbour administration announcing the return of the ship which brought Prince Damrong to Istanbul, 1891 Dersaʿâdet Liman İdâresi Tahrîrât Kalemi Aded Siyâm kralı hazretlerinin birâderini Dersaʿâdetʾe getirmiş olan Rusya Bahr-i Baltık Kumpanyasıʾnın Orel nâm vapurun derûnunda Rusya veliahdının yâveri Prens Olbolenski bulunduğu hâlde işbu Cuma günü saʿat on bir buçukda Sivastopolʾa müteveccihan Dersaʿadetʾden hareket eylediği meʾmûru tarafından haber verilmekle arz-ı maʿlûmâta mücâseret kılınmışdır ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 18 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1309 ve fî 8 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1307 1.8

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Figure 97 Istanbul harbour administration announcing the return of the ship which brought Prince Damrong to Istanbul, 1891

Abode of Felicity Port Authority Draft Office Number I dared to present for your information that the officials have announced that the steamboat Orel of the Russian Baltic Sea Company that brought the brother of His Majesty the King of Siam to the Abode of Felicity, departed this Friday at half past eleven from the Abode of Felicity for Sevastopol with Prince Olbolenski, the aide-de-camp of the Crown Prince of Russia, on board. In this matter, to command belongs unto him who commands all. 20 November 1891 Source: BOA Y.PRK.ASK. 77/97 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 110–111

The Sultan accords a number of medals to the members of the Siamese delegation, 1891 Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi 2036 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki 1.9

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Figure 98 The Sultan accords a number of medals to the members of the Siamese delegation, 1891

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Haşmetlü Siyâm kralı hazretlerinin birâderi fehâmetlü Prens Umronğ Hazretlerine birinci ve kral-ı müşârunileyhin mahdûmu fehâmetlü Prens Çîrâ Hazretlerine ikinci ve Suriyanuva nâm zâta üçüncü ve Levank Viçet ve Levanık Sontorn nâm zâtlara dördüncü rütbelerden Osmânî ve Panadeves ile Komodor Du Rişleyöʾya ikinci ve Prens Perom ile sefâret kâtibi Mösyö Vayka üçüncü rütbelerden mecidî nişân-ı âlîleri ihsân buyurulmasına mebnî muʿâmele-i lâzımenin îfâsı şeref-sâdır olan irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfetpenâhî iktizâ-yı âlîsinden bulunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 18 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]309 ve fî 9 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî bendeYıldız Imperial Palace Office of the Chief Secretary 2036 The request of your most humble servant is that; In accordance with the exalted will of His Majesty the Caliph, the required procedures are to be carried out to induct His Highness Prince Damrong, brother of the noble King of Siam, to the Order of Osman, first class; His Excellency Prince Chirapravati Voradej, second class; the person called Phra Suriyanuwat, third class; and the persons called Luang Wichit Worasart and Luang Sunthorn Kosa, fourth class; as well as Phraya Thewet Wongwiwat and Commodore Du Plessis de Richelieu to the Order of Mecidi, second class; and to Prince Prompong, and Monsieur Vayka, an embassy scribe, third class. In this matter to command belongs to he who commands all. 21 November 1891. Your servant, the Chief Secretary of His Majesty Source: BOA İ.DH. 1251/098118 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 114–115.

1.10 Report to the Sultan about the agenda of Prince Damrong Bugün prensler hazerâtı maʿiyyetleriyle birlikde öğle taʿâmından sonra hazînei hümâyûn ile müzehâne ve resimhâne ve cevâmiʿ-i şerîfeleri ziyâret edecekleri maʿrûzdur Hasta olan misâfirin dahî sâye-i şâhânelerinde bu sabâh pek iyice olduğu dahî maʿrûzdur fermân. Fî 9 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 It is submitted that today after lunch His Highness the Prince and his entourage will visit the Imperial Treasury, the Museum, the art gallery, and the noble mosques. It is also submitted that the guest who had been sick is also well today thanks to the protection of His Majesty. To command […]

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Figure 99 Report to the Sultan about the agenda of Prince Damrong

21 November 1891

Source: BOA Y.PRK.TŞF. 3/31 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 116–117.

Grand Vizier requesting clarification on whether his undersecretary is expected to attend the dinner that will be given in honour of Prince Damrong Bâb-ı âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Amedî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn Siyâm prensi içün keşîde buyurulacak ziyâfet-i seniyyede zât-ı âlî-i meşîhat-penâhîden mâʿadâ biʾl-cümle vükelâ-yı fihâm hazerâtının huzûr-ı şeref-yâb telakkîsi olduğum emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı cenâb-ı pâdişâhî iktizâ-yı âlîsinden olduğundan ziyâfet-i seniyyeden makâm-ı senâverî müsteşarî beyefendi hazretlerinin dahî dâhil olup olmadığının işʿârı mütemennâdır efendim. Fî 19 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]309 fî 10 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Sadrazam Cevad 1.11

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Figure 100

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Hâme pîrâ-yı taʿzîm ve tekrîm olan işbu emirnâme-i sâmi-i sadâretpenâhîleri müfâd-ı âlîsi maʿlûm-ı çâkerî oldu. Atûfetlü müsteşar beyefendi hazretleri vükelâ-yı saltanat-ı seniyyeden bulundukları cihetle yarın akşamki ziyâfet-i seniyyede hâzır bulunmaları manût-ı reʾy-i zerîn isâbet-karîni cenâb-ı sadâret-penâhîleri bulunmağın ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 19 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]309 ve fî 10 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Teşrîfât-ı umûm nâzırı Sublime Porte Office of the Grand Vizier Records Office of the Imperial Council My lord, as I assume that it is the requirement of the will of His Majesty that all exalted ministers, along with the exalted person of the Shaykh al-Islam, be present at the imperial dinner that will be given in honour of the Prince of Siam. The request is submitted as to whether this includes His Excellency the Undersecretary of the Grand Vizierate or not. 22 November 1891 Cevad, Grand Vizier The lofty command of your Grand Vizierial order in this great and honoured note come to your humble servant’s knowledge. Whether His Excellency the undersecretary is to be present among the ministers of the Exalted Sultanate at the imperial dinner tomorrow evening depends on the judicious will of your Grand Vizierial Excellency. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 22 November 1891, Minister of General Protocol Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 253/105 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 125–127.

Minister of Protocol to the Grand Vizier, announcing the order of the Sultan for ministers to participate in the dinner for the Siamese prince Teşrîfât-ı Umûmiye Nezâreti Bu akşam Siyâm prens hazretleri taltîf olmak üzre keşîde buyurulacak olan ve zât-ı âlî-i meşîhat-penâhîden mâʿadâ zât-ı sâmî-i hazret-i sadâret-penâhîleriyle biʾl-cümle vükelâ-yı fihâm hazârâtının hâzır bulunacakları ziyâfet-i seniyyede büyük üniforma iktisası ve nişân-ı âlîler ve kordon taʿlîkiyle saʿat yarımda mâbeyn-i hümâyûn-ı mülûkâne-i cenâb-ı sâmîsine azîmet buyurulması muktezâ-yı emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i pâdişâhîden olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. 1.12

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Minister of Protocol to the Grand Vizier, announcing the order of the Sultan for ministers to participate in the dinner for the Siamese prince

Fî 11 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Nâzır-ı Teşrîfât-ı Umûmiye Ministry of General Protocol It is the requirement of the exalted order of His Majesty that, for the dinner that will be given this evening in honour of the Siamese Prince with the participation of His Excellency the Shaykh al-Islam, His Highness the Grand Vizier and all ministers should arrive at the exalted private apartments of His Majesty at half past twelve2 wearing their full-dress uniforms and bearing their exalted medals and ribbons. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 23 November 1891 Minister of General Protocol Source: BOA İ.DH.1252/98271 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 129–130.

2  12:30 Turkish time on 23rd of November corresponds to 16:48.

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1.13 Note presented to the Sultan to inform him about Siam Siyâm Memleketi Siyâm Hindçiniʾnde vâkiʿ üç büyük memleketin biridir ki yerlüler ona Nethal[?] derler. Şimâlen Çin memâlikinden Yonnam ile garben Anam[?] memâlikinden Laos ve Kamboçya ile şarken Bengale Körfezi ile ve cenûben Malaka memâlik-i müstakillesi ve Siyâm Körfezi ve Çin Denizi ile muhâtdır. Doksan altı derece tûl-ı garbiyeden yüz iki dereceye kadar mümted olur ve on iki derece arzen şimâlden yirmi bir dereceye kadar mümted olur. Cenûbdan şimâle olan tûlü bin dört yüz ve arzen mutavassıtı üç yüz kilometredir. Takrîben altı milyon nüfûsu vardır. Pây-ı tahtı Bankokdur vaktiyle pây-ı taht Siyâm nâm mahal idi. Memleket dört kısma münkasımdır. Birincisi asıl Siyâm ikincisi Siyâmʾa tâbiʿ Laedsi, üçüncüsü Siyâmʾa tâbiʿ Kamboç, dördüncüsü Siyâmʾa tâbiʿ Malaka‌ʾdır. Conk Siyâm Adası dahî Siyâm mülhakâtındandır. Siyâmʾda yüksek ve müteselsil dağlar vardır ki aralarından iki ırmak cereyân eder bunun birinin ismi Saloet ve diğeri Maynam Kongʾdur. Bu ikinci ırmağın kenarı pek iyi mezrûʿ ve bâkîsi heman külliyen metrûkdur. Mâmâfih Siyâm arâzîsi aleʾl-umûm münbitdir. Her tarafda gâyet vâsiʿ ormanlar vardır ki bunlarda kaplan, pars, maymun ve fil pek çokdur. Fillerin içinde baʿzı beyâzları olur ve Siyâmlılar bunları ziyâde iʿzâz edip maʿbûd ittihâz ederler.

Figure 102

Note presented to the Sultan to inform him about Siam

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Figure 103

Note presented to the Sultan to inform him about Siam

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Siyâmʾda pirinç, şeker, pamuk, biber, tütün, tel (çiğnemeye mahsûs bir nevʿ nebât) Lök (ağaçlardan akar bir nevʿ zamk) zî-kıymet ahşab, kürk, Çinʾde etʿime-i nefiseden maʿdûd Kırlangıç yavrusu ve diğer baʿzı mahsûlât-ı tabîʿiyye vücûda gelir. Sanâyiʿ pek mahdûddur. Ticâret Çinliler ile Avrupalıların ve bâ-husûs İngilizlerin elindedir. Avrupa‌ʾdan oraya çuka, esliha-i nâriye, cam ve billur ve daha diğer emtiʿa-i ticâriye nakl olunur. Hükûmet kemâl derece mutlak olduğu hâlde iki hükümdâr beyninde münkasımdır ve bunların biri diğerinin mâfevkindedir. Hükümdârın asâkiri hâssası bir tabur kadından ibâretdir ve umûr-ı askeriyede birçok fil istiʿmâl olunur. Diyânet-i gâlibe Buda mezhebidir. Ve Buda‌ʾnın hâriçde alâmeti bir beyaz fildir bir mikdâr Hıristiyan dahî vardır fakat halk nazarında mezmûm ve muhkerdirler. Siyâm devleti mineʾl-kadîm müstakil olduğu hâlde Milâdın bin yedi yüz elli dokuz senesinde hemcivârı olan Birmanya Devletiʾnin haraçgüzârı oldu fakat dokuz sene sonra Pinaka nâm hükümdâr zamânında tekrâr istiklâlini istihsâl ettikden başka Yongama ile Kamboç ve Malaka memâlikinin birer cüzʾünü zabt eyledi. Bunlar hâlen Siyâmʾın zîr-i idâresindedirler. Bu hükümdârın halkları ânın eserine iktifâ ettiler ve on yedinci karnda Fransa ile münâsebât tedârik eylediler, bin altı yüz seksen târihinde Olufsa? hükümdârının iʿtimâdını kazanmış olan Kostantin Falkor nâm bir Rumʾun teşvîki üzerine Fransa Kralı On dördüncü Lui nezdine elçi gönderildi fakat bu teşebbüs netîcesiz kaldı ve bin sekiz yüz elli altı senesinde Fransa ile münâsebet tecdîd edilerek devleteyn beyninde bir ticâret muʿâhedesi akd olundu. The Country of Siam Siam is one of the three big countries located in Indochina which is called Nehtal[?] by the locals. It is surrounded by the Chinese realm of Yunnan in the north, by the Annamese realms of Laos and Cambodia in the west, by the Bay of Bengal in the east, and by the Gulf of Siam, the Sea of China and the independent country of Malacca in the south. It stretches from 96 to 102º west longitude and from 12 to 21º north latitude. Its length from south to north is 1400 kilometres and its width is 300 kilometres. It has a population of approximately 6 million people. Its capital is Bangkok, and formerly its capital was the place called Siam. The country is divided into four parts. The first is Siam proper; the second is Laos, which is a dependant of Siam; the third is Cambodia which is a dependant of Siam; the fourth is Malacca which is a dependant of Siam. The island of Chang Siam also belongs to Siam.

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There are high and uninterrupted mountains in Siam, between which two rivers, one called Salween and the other Mekong. The basin of this second river is well-cultivated, but that of the other is almost totally abandoned. However, the land of Siam is in general fertile, and everywhere there are vast forests, in which live plenty of tigers, leopards, monkeys and elephants. Some of the elephants are white, and the Siamese respect these very much and regard them as deities. The crops that grow in Siam are rice, sugar, cotton, pepper, tobacco, betel (a kind of plant for chewing), lok/lon [rubber?] (a kind of glue leaking from trees), valuable wood, furs, young martins/swallows which are considered as a delicious food in China and various others. Industry is very limited. Trade is in the hands of the Chinese and the Europeans, and especially the British. Cloth, firearms, glass and crystal, and other sorts of merchandize are imported there from Europe. Although there is an absolutist government, it is divided between two monarchs, one of whom is superior to the other. The special soldiers of the ruler consist of a battalion of women, and numerous elephants are used in military affairs. The majority religion is Buddhism. The outward sign of Buddha is a white elephant. There are also some Christians, but they are contemptible and despised in the sight of the people. The state of Siam has been independent since ancient times, but it became a tributary of the neighbouring state of Burma/Myanmar in the Christian year 1759. Nine years later, it gained its independence again, during the reign of the ruler called Taksin [Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Maharat, 1734–1782], and moreover, it occupied parts of the countries of Yongam [?],3 Cambodia and Malacca. These are still under Siamese rule. The people of this ruler remained content with his achievements, and established relations with France in the seventeenth century. In 1680, upon the encouragements of a Greek called Constantine Phaulkon, who had won the confidence of the ruler of Oluka/ Olufa[?], they sent an ambassador to the French King Louis XIV, but, this initiative proved to be fruitless.4 In 1856 the relations with France were renewed and a trade agreement between the two countries was signed. Source: BOA Y.EE.14/84 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 136–138.

3  Probably Rangoon/Yangon is meant, standing for Burma more generally. 4  On the Greek adventurer Constantine Phaulkon and Franco-Siamese relations in the seventeenth century, see van der Cruysse 2002. However, the king of Siam during this period was Narai (r. 1656–1688). It is unclear how this came to be distorted by the word in the Turkish text Oluka/Olufa.

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1.14 Note to the Sultan introducing the information about Siam Siyâm memleketinin ahvâline dâʾir baʿzı Avrupa kitâblarından istihrâc etmiş olduğum maʿlûmâtı şâmil varaka meşmûl-ı nazar-ı hümâyûn olur mülâhazasıyla leffen arz-ı atabe-i ulyâ kılındı ol-bâbda emr u fermân şevketlü efendimizindir. Fî 12 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 The note containing information about the state of Siam that I gathered from European books has been presented in enclosure to the exalted threshold of Your Majesty with the idea that Your Majesty might read it. To command belongs to our majestic lord. 24 November 1891 Source: BOA Y.EE. 14/84 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 135

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Note to the Sultan introducing the information about Siam

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Telegram from Prince Devawongse Varoprakarn (Siamese Minister of Foreign and Internal Affairs) to Prince Damrong communicating the wishes of the Siamese king

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Telegram from Prince Devawongse Varoprakarn (Siamese Minister of Foreign and Internal Affairs)5 to Prince Damrong communicating the wishes of the Siamese king Siyâm hanedânı kralisi âzâsından dâhiliye ve hâriciye nâzırı Davavonzi tarafından Prens hazretlerine vârid olan telgrafnâmenin tercümesidir. Taraf-ı eşref-i hazret-i pâdişâhîden mazhar buyurulduğunuz hüsn-ı kabûl-ı âlîyi haşmetlü kral hazretleri kemâl-i memnûniyetle istihbâr eylemiş olmağla zât-ı hazret-i mülûkâneye teşekkürât-ı samîmiye ve daʿvât-ı hâlisânesini arz eylemenizi arzu ediyorlar. İmza Davavonzi Bâlâda muharrer telgrafnâmenin maʿlûmât olmak üzre hâk-i pây-ı şâhânelerine takdîm kılındığı maʿrûzdur. Fî 12 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Münir Kulları 1.15

This is the translation of the telegram sent to His Highness the Prince by Devawongse, the Siamese Minister of Foreign and Internal Affairs and a member of the king’s household. His Majesty the glorious King was informed with great pleasure about the kind reception with which you were honoured by His Majesty the Sultan. His Majesty wants you to present his hearty thanks and sincere prayers to the person of His Majesty [the Sultan]. Signature Devawongse It is submitted that the telegram copied above has been presented to the dust at the feet of the sovereign for his information. 24 November 1891 Your servant Münir Source: BOA Y.PRK.TŞF. 3/31 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 139–140.

5  Devwongse was a half-brother of king Chulalongkorn, as was Damrong, and had been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1885 (Wyatt 2003: 182–3).

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List of the entourage of prince Damrong

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1.16 List of the entourage of prince Damrong Prensin maʿiyyetinde bulunan meʾmûrîn ve hademenin kıdem ve haysiyetleri sırasıyla esâmîsi 1 – Komodor Richelieu: Bahriye Nezâreti Muʿâveni ve kralın maʿiyyet vapuru kumandânı 2 – Çapadaves: Kralın kurenâsından ve ahırlar müdürü 3 – Prens Perom: Mâliye Nezâreti kalem müdürlerinden 4 – Ferasorya: Berlinde Siyâm Maslahatgüzârı 5 – Levang Viçter: Prens Şira‌ʾnın nâzırı 6 – Levang Suntorn: Hâriciye Nezâreti Hukuk Müşâvirliği Dâʾiresi meʾmûrlarından 7 – Mösyö Vilber Fors Vayk: Parisʾde Siyâm Sefâreti Kâtibi 8 – Postacı Mösyö Vaysmüller 9 – Postacı Mösyö Kesel 10 – Hizmetkâr Vang 11 – Hizmetkâr Rong Na The names of the servants and officials in the entourage of the Prince according to their rank and honour: 1 – Commodore Richelieu: Vice-Minister of the Ministry of the Navy and commander of the steamboat of the king’s entourage 2 – Phraya Thewet Wongwiwat, One of the companions of the King and director of the stables 3 – Prince Prompong, A bureau director at the Ministry of Finance 4 – Phra Suriyanuwat, Siamese Charge d’affaires in Berlin 5 – Luang Wichit Worasart, Minister of Prince Shira 6 – Luang Sunthorn Kosa, an official of the Department of Legal Advice at the Foreign Ministry 7 – Monsieur Vayka, secretary at the Siamese Embassy in Paris 8 – Monsieur Weismüller[?], courier 9 – Monsieur Kesel[?], courier 10 – Vang[?], servant 11 – Rong Na[?], servant Source: BOA Y.PRK.TŞF. 3/31 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 141–142

Note informing the sultan that the Grand Vizier has given a breakfast to prince Damrong and his entourage Sâye-i ihsân-vâye-i hazret-i tâcdârîlerinde sadrazam paşa kullarından bugün prens hazretleriyle maʿiyyetine gâyet mükemmel sûretde sabah taʿâmı verilmiş ve işbu taʿâmda bendegân-ı şâhânelerinden Hâriciye Nâzırı Paşa kullarıyla sadâret müsteşarı Tevfik Bey ve prens hazretlerinin refâkatine meʾmûr kulları 1.17

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Note informing the sultan that the Grand Vizier has given a breakfast to prince Damrong and his entourage

ve sadrazam paşa kullarının birâderi Miralay Şakir Bey ve İbrahim Bey kullarıyla abd-i memlûkları hâzır bulunmuş olduğu maʿrûzdur. Fî 13 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Münir Kulları It is submitted that this morning your servant the Grand Vizier gave an excellent breakfast for His Highness the Prince and his entourage, thanks to the generous protection of His Majesty the Crown-holder. The imperial servants at this breakfast were the Foreign Minister, together with the undersecretary of the Grand Vizier, Tevfik Bey, as well as your servants who have been assigned to accompany His Highness the Prince, Colonel Şakir Bey, the brother of your servant the Grand Vizier, your servant İbrahim Bey, and your most humble servant. 25 November 1891 Your servant Munir Source: BOA Y.PRK.TŞF. 3/31 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 148–149.

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Note informing the Sultan that the prince has left a tip of four thousand franks for the servants who served him Prensin hizmetinde bulunan hademe için dört bin frank bıraktığı ve her ne kadar lüzûm olmadığı beyân edilmişse de ahvâl-i mümâsilede böyle bir şeyi bırakılmak usûlden olduğu ve bunu prensin behemehâl bırakacağı beyânıyla taraflarından ısrâr ve ibrâm gösterilmesi cihetiyle şimdilik meblağ-ı mezbûrun Müdîr Ahmed Bey kullarına teslîm eylediği maʿrûzdur fermân. Fî 14 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Hakkı Kulları 1.18

It is submitted that the prince has left a tip of four thousand francs for the servants who served him. Although it has been stated that this was unnecessary, they insisted, stating that the Prince will leave it in any case and explaining that it was the custom to leave something like that in these sorts of situations.

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Note informing the Sultan that the prince has left a tip of four thousand franks for the servants who served him

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Therefore the said amount is entrusted for now to your servant, the director Ahmed Bey. To command […] 26 November 1891 Your servant Hakkı Source: BOA Y.PRK.TŞF. 3/31 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 154–155.

Note giving information about the departure of Prince Damrong together with his entourage Dersaʿâdet Liman Dâʾiresi Tahrîrât Kalemi Aded 1.19

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Note giving information about the departure of Prince Damrong together with his entourage

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Siyâm kralı hazretlerinin birâderi fehâmetlü prens hazretleriyle maʿiyyeti efrâdı ve mihmandâr taʿyîn buyurulmuş olan yâverân-ı hazret-i pâdişâhîden Ferîk Saʿâdetlü Ahmed Ali Paşa Hazretleri berâber olduğu hâlde rekûblarına tahsîs buyurulan Taliʿa vapur-ı hümâyûnuna râkiben işbu Cuma gecesi saʿat iki buçukda Dersaʿâdetʾden hareket etmiş oldukları meʾmûru tarafından haber verilmiş olmağla arz-ı maʿlûmâta cürʾet kılınmışdır ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 15 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1307, Reis-i Liman-ı Dersaʿâdet Abode of Felicity Port Administration Correspondence office Number The brother of His Majesty the King of Siam, His Highness the illustrious prince, together with his retinue and the ceremonial host appointed by the person of His Majesty the Sultan, His Excellency the illustrious Major General Ahmed Ali Paşa to be assigned to him, departed from the Abode of Felicity at 19:00 on Wednesday6 by boarding on the imperial steamboat called Taliʾa which has been assigned for their voyage. It has been dared to submit this petition of information of the news provided by his official. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 27 November 1891, Chief of the Port of the Abode of Felicity Source: BOA Y.PRK.TŞF. 3/31 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 160–161.

1.20 Note to the sultan about the arrival of the Siamese prince in Athens Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi Atina Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden şifre Siyâm prens hazretleri bugün Atina‌ʾya muvâsaletle Prens Georg (Jorj) Hazretleri tarafından Pireʾde istikbâl ve Saray-ı Krâlîʾye misâfir eylediler Ahmed Paşa Hazretleriyle Şefik Bey Efendiʾnin teşyîʿan Pireʾye kadar geldiklerin kral hazretleri prens-i müşârunileyhden haber aldıklarından kendilerini huzûrlarına kabûl edeceklerini Siyâm prensi hazretleri sûret-i mahsûsada serkâtibleri vâsıtasıyla paşa-yı müşârunileyh biʾt-tebliğ kendilerini Doğuʾya[?] daʿvet ettikleri arz olunur. Fî 28 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [18]91 Gâlib 6  Turkish time half past two at Friday night.

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Note to the sultan about the arrival of the Siamese prince in Athens

Yıldız Imperial Palace Department of the Chief Secretary Ciphered telegram from the Imperial Embassy in Athens On arriving today in Athens, His Highness the Siamese Prince was welcomed by exalted Prince George at Piraeus, and they were entertained at the royal palace. It is submitted that when His Majesty the King learned from the said prince that Şefik Bey Efendi came together with His Excellency Ahmed Paşa for the departure [of the Prince], the Siamese Prince notified the said pasha through his chief secretary that they would be accepted to the presence [of the king of Greece], and invited them. 28 November 1891 Source: BOA Y.PRK.TŞF. 3/31 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 168–169.

Sultan’s telegram to Prince Damrong expressing his pleasure to hear that the prince arrived in Athens Taraf-ı bâhir-i eşref-i hazret-i şehinşâhîden Prens Damrong Hazretlerine telgrafnâme-i hümâyûn Atina‌ ʾya sâlimen muvâsalet buyurulduğunu müşʿir telgrafnâme-i fehîmâneleri mahzûziyetimizi mûcib olmuş ve pây-ı tahtımıza vukûʿ bulan 1.21

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Sultan’s telegram to Prince Damrong expressing his pleasure to hear that the prince arrived in Athens

seyâhat-i aliyyeleri nezd-i senâverîde güzel bir hâtıra bırakmış olmasıyla beyân-ı hissiyât-ı muhibbâneye mübâderet eder ve vatan-ı âlîlerine dahî savt-ı samadânîde mahfûzen vusûl-ı efhamîlerini yine telgrafnâme-i vâlâlarıyla istibşâr etmekliğimi temennî eylerim. Fî 17 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Imperial telegram from the noble person of His Majesty the Sultan to His Highness Prince Damrong, Your esteemed telegram relating your safe arrival at Athens is a cause for our pleasure. Your exalted visit to our throne has left a beautiful memory within our noble person. I would like to express my affectionate sentiments, and wish to be informed through your exalted telegram about the good news of your safe and sound noble arrival, through the divine will, to your exalted fatherland. 29 November 1891 Source: BOA Y.PRK.TŞF. 3/31 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 172.

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Ottoman embassy in Athens to the Sultan relating Ahmed Paşa’s participation in the dinner given in honour of prince Damrong in Athens, 1891

Ottoman embassy in Athens to the Sultan relating Ahmed Paşa’s participation in the dinner given in honour of prince Damrong in Athens, 1891 Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi Atina‌ʾdan Şifre Telgrafnâme Bu akşam Prens Damrong Hazretleriʾnin şerefine olarak Saray-ı Krâlîʾde verilen ziyâfetde Ahmed Paşa Hazretleri dahî sûret-i mahsûsada medʿuvven hâzır bulunduklarından orada prens-i müşârunileyh hazretleri tarafından kral ve kraliçe hazerâtına ve hânedân-ı krâlî aʿzâ-yı kirâmına takdîm eyledikleri ve sâye-i hazret-i pâdişâhîde iltifât-ı fevka‌ʾl-âdeye mazhar oldukları ve yarın ki Pazar irtesi günü Pireʾden Dersaʿâdetʾe müteveccihan hareket edecekleri arz olunur. Fî 17 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Gâlib 1.22

Yıldız Royal Palace Department of Chief Secretary, Ciphered telegram from Athens

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His Excellency Ahmed Paşa was present, as a specially invited guest, at the dinner given this evening at the royal palace in honour of His Highness Prince Damrong. He was the object of extraordinary compliments, and was introduced by the aforementioned prince their Majesties the King and Queen as well as to the members of the royal family, and they were honoured by the extraordinary attention of the protection of His Imperial Majesty. Tomorrow, that is, Monday, they will depart from Piraeus and travel to the Abode of Felicity. 29 November 1891 Galib Source: BOA Y.RK.TŞF. 3/31 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 173–174

1.23 Ottoman companions of Prince Damrong on his way to Athens, 1892 Bâb-ı âlî Dâʾire-i Umûr-ı Dâhiliye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 923 Huzûr-ı Âlî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Siyâm kralı hazretlerinin birâderleri prens hazretleriyle berâber Atina‌ʾya kadar gitmiş olan yâverân-ı hazret-i şehriyârîden Ferîk Saʿâdetlü Ahmed Paşa Hazretleriyle Mâbeyn-i Hümâyûn-ı Mülûkâne mütercimlerinden Şefik Bey ve maʿiyyet-i seniyye çavuşlarından Ahmed … Fî 7 Safer sene 1310 ve fî 18 Ağustos sene [1]308 Nâzır-ı Umûr-ı Dâhiliye Bende-i Sublime Porte Department of Internal Affairs Secretarial Office Number 923 To the presence of the exalted Grand Vizierate The request of your most humble servant is that; One of the aides of His Majesty, His Excellency the felicitous Major General Ahmed Paşa, together with one of the translators of the Private Apartments of the Sovereign, Şefik Bey and one of the ushers of the imperial retinue, Ahmed, went to Athens together with His Highness the Prince, the brother of the King of Siam … 30 August 1892

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Ottoman companions of Prince Damrong on his way to Athens, 1892

Minister of Interior Your Servant

Source: BOA BEO. 67/4980 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 175–176.

2

Documents relating to the ruler of Johor’s visit to Istanbul and the Ottoman embassy in Vienna, 1893 Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor (r. 1862–95) became the first Muslim Southeast Asian ruler to visit Istanbul in person. Abu Bakar was a regular visitor to Europe, especially to England, making trips in 1866, 1878–9, 1885 and 1893 (Winstedt 1932: 119). Although Abu Bakar is said by the Malay Hikayat Johor to have taken as wife a Circassian slave-girl, Ruqayya Hanum, presented to him by Abdülhamid II in 1879 (Fauzi 2012), our earliest documentation from the Ottoman side refers to a visit in 1893. The significance of Abu Bakar’s relationship with Istanbul lies less in the direct political links, for Johor remained a loyal British ally, but rather in the fact that Abu Bakar was inspired to use Ottoman law as the source for the constitution of Johor. The Majallah Ahkam Johor promulgated in 1893, the year of Abu Bakar’s visit to Istanbul, was essentially a translation of the Ottoman Mecelle compiled by a committee under Ahmed Cevdet Paşa (Hussin 2013). And despite Abu Bakar’s enduring loyalty to Britain, he evidently sought to put some of his eggs in the Ottoman basket by

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having the Sultan-Caliph’s name mentioned before his own at prayers (Document 3.2.3) Ottoman ambassador in Vienna to the Foreign Ministry on the ruler of Johor’s visit to the embassy Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne fî 17 Mayıs sene [18]93 târihiyle Viyana sefâret-i seniyyesinden vârid olan 209 numerolu telgrafnâmenin tercümesidir Cohor hâkimi hazretleri sefâret-i seniyyeye gelerek Dersaʿâdetʾde esnâ-yı ikâmetinde mazhar olduğu âsâr-ı teveccühât-ı mekârim-gâyât-ı hazret-i pâdişâhîden dolayı teşekkürât-ı fâʾikasını izhâr etmiş ve emîrüʾl-müʾminîn pâdişâhımız efendimiz hazretlerinin nefs-i mukaddes-i hümâyûnları hakkındaki hissiyât-ı sadâkat-şiʿârânesini atabe-i ulyâ-yı cenâb-ı şehriyârîye arz ve iblağ etmekliğimi ricâ eylemişdir müşârunileyhin refâkatinde yeğeni es-Seyyid Muhammed es-Sakkâf ile tabîbi ve bir zâbit bulunuyor idi ziyâretinden iki saʿat sonra ikâmet etmekde olduğu otele giderek iʾâde-i ziyâret eyledim ve kemâl-i nevâziş ve ihtirâmla kabûl olundum müşârunileyhi maʿiyyeti ile birlikde gelecek Cumartesi akşamı sefâret-i seniyyede taʿâma daʿvet etdim 2.1

Sublime Porte Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Office Number This is the translation of the telegram received by the Foreign Ministry from the imperial embassy in Vienna dated 17 May [18]93 and numbered 209 His Highness the ruler of Johor came to the imperial embassy and expressed his gratitude for the favourable treatment he received from His Imperial Majesty during his stay in the Abode of Felicity, and appealed me to present to the illustrious imperial threshold his [the ruler of Johor] loyal sentiments to the illustrious and holy person of our lord, His Majesty our Sultan, the Commander of the Faithful. He was accompanied by his nephew, Sayyid Muhammad al-Saqqaf, his doctor, and one official. Two hours after their visit, I visited them at their hotel, where I was received with complete kindness and respect. I have invited him together with his entourage to dinner at the imperial embassy on Saturday evening. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 274/36 (3)

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Ottoman ambassador in Vienna to the Foreign Ministry on the ruler of Johor’s visit to the embassy

Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Grand Vizierate on the ruler of Johor’s visit to the Ottoman embassy in Vienna, 1893 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 521 Huzûr-ı Meʿâl-i Mevfûr-ı Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Cohor hâkimi hazretlerinin sefâret-i seniyyeye gelerek Dersaʿâdetʾde esnâ-yı ikâmetinde mazhar olduğu âsâr-ı teveccühât-ı mekârim-gâyât-ı hilâfetpenâhîden dolayı izhâr-ı teşekkürât-ı fa‌ʾike ile atabe-i felek-mertebe-i cenâb-ı tâcdârîye olan hissiyât-ı sadâkat-şiʿârânesinin hâk-ı pây-ı meʾâlî pey-mâ-yı hazret-i zillullâhîye arz ve iblâğını ricâ eylediğini ve müşârunileyhin maʿiyyeti ile birlikde gelecek Cumartesi akşamı sefâret-i seniyyede taʿâma daʿvet olunduğunu şâmil Viyana sefâret-i seniyyesinden vârid olan 17 Mayıs sene 2.2

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Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Grand Vizierate on the ruler of Johor’s visit to the Ottoman embassy in Vienna, 1893

[12]93 târihli ve iki yüz dokuz numerolu telgrafnâmenin tercümesi leffen takdîm olmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir Fî 2 Zilkaʿde sene 1310 ve fî 6 Mayıs sene 309 Hâriciye Nâzırı Bende Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number 521 To the exalted Grand Vizierial presence The request of your most humble servant is that: The translation of the telegram bearing the number 209 dated 17 May [18]93 from the imperial embassy in Vienna is presented in an attachment. It explains that His Highness the ruler of Johor has come to the imperial embassy and expressed his gratitude for the favourable treatment he received from His Majesty the Caliph during his stay in the Abode of Felicity, asking that his loyal

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sentiments to the illustrious threshold of the crown-holder be presented to the dust at the feet of His Exalted Majesty the Shadow of God, and that he has been invited to dinner together with his entourage on Saturday evening at the imperial embassy. To command belongs to him who commands all. 18 May 1893 Foreign Ministry Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 274/36 (2)

2.3 The ruler of Johor’s visit to Ahmed Muhtar Paşa7 in Cairo, 1893 Telgrafnâme Mâbeyn-i Hümâyûn Cenâb-ı Mülûkâne Serkitâbet-i Celîlesiʾne Hindçiniʾnin cenûbunda kâʾin Singapur Cohor Hükûmet-i İslâmiyesiʾnin emîri Kâhire seyâhatine geldiğinden teʿâtî-i ziyâret olundu memleketinde nâm-ı nâmî-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîyi isminden evvel minberde zikr ettirdiğini esnâ-yı sohbetde söyledi Arefe Günü İstanbulʾa girmek üzre Çarşma günü posta-i hidivvî ile gidiyor bayram selamlığını görmek ve mîrî hotelinde ikâmet eylemek fikrinde olduğu maʿrûzdur fermân Fî 28 Mart sene [1]309 Ahmed Muhtar Telegram To the exalted Chief Secretary of the Private Imperial Apartments As the ruler of the Islamic government of Singapore-Johor located in south Indochina has come to Cairo, we have visited each other. During a conversation he told that he ensured that the exalted name of His Majesty the Caliph is mentioned before his own name from the pulpits during the Friday sermon in his country. He will leave Cairo with the khedival mail steamer on Wednesday, arriving in Istanbul on the day before the feast at the end of Ramadan. I would like to inform you that he intends to see the public procession of the Sultan on the feast day and to stay at the state hotel. 9 April 1893 Ahmed Muhtar Source: BOA Y.PRK.MK. 5/105

7  Held the office of Fevkalade Komiser in Cairo 1882–1908.

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Sultan Zainal Abidin of Tembusai’s alleged clandestine visit to Istanbul, 1898 Nothing further is known about the alleged visit of Zainal Abidin of Tembusai to Istanbul; most likely it reflects a rumour that worried the Dutch administration rather than the reality. That the Dutch regarded it as credible may be a result of their general awareness of the tendency of Southeast Asian rulers, especially in Sumatra, to call on Ottoman assistance, or possibly even some direct intelligence about Zainal Abidin’s attempts to contact Istanbul, as attested by his letter (see 2.8 above).

Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Husûsiye 272 Sumatra cezîresi dâhilinde kâʾin Tombuzi Sultânı unvânını taşımakda olan Zeynelabidin nâm kimesne tebdîl-i nâm ile Sultan Abdülaziz mahdûmu Muhammed Zeyn ismiyle Dersaʿâdetʾe geldiği ve maksadı cezîre-i mezkûrda bulunan diğer rüʾesâ ile hudûd münâzaʿasına zât-ı akdes-i hazret-i hilâfetpenâhînin tavassut buyurmalarını istidʿâdan ibâret olduğunu ve mûmâileyhin mâbeyn-i hümâyûn-ı cenâb-ı mülûkâneye kabûl ile tesviyesi Flemenk hükûmetine âʾid olan bu gibi işler istimâʿ buyurulmayacağını bugün nezd-i âcizîye gelen Flemenk sefîri sûret-i mahremâne ve gayr-ı resmiyede ifâde etmiş ve sefîr-i mûmâileyhe böyle bir işden katʿiyyen maʿlûmât-ı âcizânem bulunmadığı cevâbı verilmiş olmağla berâ-yı maʿlûmât arz-ı keyfiyete ibtidâr olundu emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 17 Receb sene 1316 ve fî 19 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]314 Hâriciye Nâzırı Bende Tevfik Foreign Department Private 272 The Dutch ambassador has come today to my humble presence and stated secretly and unofficially that a certain person called Zainal Abidin, who bears the title the Sultan of Tembusai on the island Sumatra, has come to the Abode of Felicity in disguise by adopting the name Muhammad Zain, the son of Sultan Abdulaziz. Apparently his intention is to ask the person of His Exalted Majesty the Caliph to mediate in a border conflict with the other rulers on the said island. The ambassador urged that he [should] not be admitted to the

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Sultan Zainal Abidin of Tembusai’s alleged clandestine visit to Istanbul, 1898

palace and heard, [as] these issues concern the Dutch government. I replied to the ambassador saying that I absolutely did not know anything about the issue. [This note] has been prepared with the purpose of presenting this information. To command belongs to him who commands all. 1 December 1898 Foreign Minister The servant Tevfik Source: BOA Y.PRK.HR. 26/67

4

Documents relating to Sulaiman Khan of Patani’s plan to visit Istanbul and the Batavian Hadramis’ request for Ottoman protection, 1898 The Malay Kingdom of Patani had been incorporated into the kingdom of Siam over the course of several wars in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Nonetheless, Patani remained closely linked to the Ottoman lands of the Hijaz, in particular through a community of refugees from Patani who were based in Mecca. These kept in contact

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with their homeland, and ensured the spread of Islamic revivalist ideas there (Bradley 2016). During the late nineteenth century, the centralising reforms of prince Damrong and Chulalongkorn integrated Patani more tightly into the Siamese state, a process which was met with considerable resistance locally, resulting in a major rebellion in 1902 (Wyatt 2003: 198– 199). The desire of Sultan Sulaiman Sharif Alauddin (ruled 1890–1899), the ruler of Patani as a Siamese vassal, to visit Istanbul suggests that, much like the ruler of Kedah in 1825, he was seeking Ottoman support against the Siamese. His petition, of which the original seems to be lost, found its way to the Ottoman consulate in Batavia, where it was considered alongside the complaints of Hadrami Arabs in the Dutch East Indies about their treatment by the colonial authorities. Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry announcing the wish of Suleiman Khan of Patani to visit Istanbul, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Fî 24 Temmuz sene [1]314 târihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrâtın sûretidir Malezya nâmıyla yâd edilip Malaka şibh-i cezîresinin cenûbiyesiyle cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾden ibâret bulunan kıtʿât ve cezâʾirde milyonlara bâliğ olan ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin makâm-ı meʿâlî-i ittisâm-ı hilâfet-i uzmâya mevcûd bulunan meyl ve merbûtiyet-i vicdâniyeleri kazâzede Ertuğrul sefînesinin Singapur pîşgâhında mehâbet-endâz olduğu târihden beru âsâr-ı zâhiresiyle maksad ârâ-yı sübût olarak o târihden iʿtibâren ahâlî-i merkûme hilâfet-i muʿazzama-i İslâmiyeʾnin ilâ mâşallâhu teʿâlâ zîver-i silsile-i edvâr ve revnakda uyûn-ı ağyâr olarak kemâl-i şukûh ve satvetle pâyidâr olmasını maʿâşir-i uzmâ-yı Muhammediyyeʾnin feyz ve saʿâdet-i müstakbelesine ber lâzım-ı gayr-ı mefârik telakkî ve iʿtibâr ve sinîn-i vefîreden beru gerden-i esâretlerinde taşıdıkları bâr-ı mezâlim ve iʿtisâfın o sâye-i âlîde halʿiyle makâm-ı celâlet-ittisâm-ı müşârunileyhâya her bâr serferû bürde-i inkiyâdı medâr-ı iftihâr add ve temennî edegelmekde olduklarına dâʾir Batavya‌ʾya muvâsalet-i çâkerânemden bugüne değin görüşmekde olduğum umûm rüʾesâ ve efrâdından pek ziyâde olarak sâmiʿa zîb-i ibtihâc-ı bendegânem olan teʾmînâta binâʾen huzûr-ı lâmiʿuʾn-nûr dâver-i efhamîlerine arzını farîza-i zimmet add ve şu vechile vâkiʿ olan mesrûdât-ı âcizânemi mukaddime-i maʿrûzât ittihâz eyledikden sonra tafsîlâtını 15 Haziran sene [1]314 târihli emirnâme-i âsaf-ı aʿzamîlerine tevfîkan derdest takdîm bulunan lâyihaya terk ile husûsât-ı âtiyenin arzına müsâraʿat eylerim şehr-i hâl-i efrencînin ikisinde Malaka şibh-i cezîresinin 4.1

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry announcing the wish of Suleiman Khan of Patani to visit Istanbul, 1898

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cihet-i şarkîsinde kâʾin Fatani kıtʿası hâkimi Süleyman Han tarafından sekiz zâtdan ibâret gelen mebʿûsları hâkim-i müşârunileyhin atabe-i felek-mertebe-i cenâb-ı mülûkâneye rû-mâl olmak emniyesiyle Dersaʿâdetʾi ziyâret emelinde bulunduğundan bu bâbda taraf-ı bendegânemden teshîlât-ı mukteziyyenin îfâsını temennî ve ziyâret-i vâkıʿa Malaka‌ ʾdaki hükûmât-ı sağîre hâkimi meyânında bir istibdâ[ʿ] olup hâkim-i müşârunileyh mazhar-ı lütf ve kabûl olduğu takdîrde cümlesinin dahî pîrû olacaklarını ilâveten der-meyân eylemelerine mebnî taraf-ı âcizânemden dahî teshîlât-ı mümkinenin irâʾe olunacağı mukâbeleten tefhîmiyle berâber keyfiyetin bilâ-izâʿa-i evkât cânib-i celîlüʾl-menâkıb-ı hazret-i nezâret-penâhîlerine arz edileceği beyân olunarak mûmâileyhim mesrûren avdet etmiş olduklarının arz ve ifâdesine mücâseret kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda [Derkenar] 27 R sene [1]316 târihli tezkirenin melfûfudur. Aslına mutâbıkdır [Mühür] Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the report dated 5 August 1898 coming from the Consulate General in Batavia. The predilection and feelings of conscientious connection to the exalted office of the Great Caliphate of the millions of Muslim people of Malaysia (which consists of the South of the Malacca peninsula and the “Indian islands”) has been firmly proven by its manifestations since the awe provoked by the ship Ertuğrul (which was wrecked later), [when it passed] before Singapore. Since that date, the aforementioned people consider the eternal perpetuation of the great Caliphate of Islam as an inevitable requirement for the future prosperity and success of the great community of Muhammad, and for their salvation from the burden of oppression and injustice that they have endured. That they have always considered donning the mantle of submission to the Caliphate as a source of pride is clear to me as a result of what I was pleased to hear from all prominent and ordinary people with whom I have talked since my arrival to Batavia. As a result, I consider it as an obligation to present the things that I mentioned so far as an introduction to my petition to the Caliph and to leave the details to the document dated 27 June 1898 which was presented in accordance with the order of the exalted Grand Vizier. [And I] hasten to present the following: A delegation of eight persons that came, on the second [day] of this Frankish month [Gregorian Calendar], from Sulaiman Khan, the ruler

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of Patani located in the east of Malacca peninsula, told me that the said ruler wants to visit the Abode of Felicity to pay homage to the celestial imperial threshold, and requested me to facilitate the necessary steps. He related in addition that the lesser rulers of Malacca were favourably inclined to the visit and that they [the lesser rulers] would assist him [Sulaiman Khan] if he is accepted and favoured. Consequently, I let them know that from my part the matter will be facilitated, and that I will present this matter to your ministerial excellency without wasting any time. It is dared to pronounce and submit [that upon this] they have returned with satisfaction. In this matter [On the margin] this is an attachment of the billet dated 14 September 1898 This is a true copy of the original. [Seal] Foreign Department Secretarial Office Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 389/5 (2)

Foreign minister to the Grand Vizier informing him about the travel plans of Sultan of Patani and the Hadramis’ problems Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 2093 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Himâye ve tâbiʿiyyet-i seniyyeyi istirhâmı hâvî Açe hâkimi tarafından irsâl olunan arz-ı hâlin sûret-i tercümeleriyle cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde mütemekkin Arablar hakkında Flemenk hükûmetinin icrâ eylemekde olduğu muʿâmelât-ı taʿaddiyât-gâyâta dâʾir baʿzı ifâdât ve müstedʿiyyâtı şâmil tanzîm olunan mahzar-ı umûmînin mâbeyn-i hümâyûn-ı cenâb-ı mülûkâne-i cânibi âlîsine irsâl ve takdîm kılındığını ve mezkûr Arabların kavânîn-i mahalliye nazarında olan hukûk-ı müktesebelerine ve Ecânib-i şarkiye ile beyinlerindeki vazʿiyyete dâʾir maʿlûmât istenildiği hâlde bildirileceğini şâmil Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden alınan üç kıtʿa muharrerâtın sûretleri 26 Zilhicce sene [1]316 [1315] târihli tezkire-i çâkeriyle takdîm ve tisyâr ve maʿlûmât-ı mezbûrenin işʿârı lüzûmunun mezkûr başşehbenderliğe tavsiye olunduğu arz ve izbâr kılınmışdı işbu maʿlûmâtın bir kıtʿa lâyiha ile bildirileceğini ve oralardaki ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin makâm-ı hilâfet-i mukaddese-i İslâmiyeʾye olan fart-ı meylân ve sadâkatlerini ve geçende Fatani kıtʿası hâkimi Süleyman Han tarafından şehbenderhâneye gönderilmiş olan zevâtın hâkim-i müşârunileyhin atabe-i felek-mertebe-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîye rû-mâl olmak üzre Dersaʿâdetʾi ziyâret emelinde bulunduğu beyânıyla bu bâbda teshîlât-ı mukteziyyenin îfâsını 4.2

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Foreign minister to the Grand Vizier informing him about the travel plans of Sultan of Patani and the Hadramis’ problems

temennî ve müşârunileyh mazhar-ı lütf ve kabûl buyurulduğu hâlde Malaka‌ʾdaki hükkâm-ı sağîrenin dahî müşârunileyhe tevfîk-i hareket edeceklerini ilâveten der-meyân eylemiş olduklarını hâvî zikr olunan başşehbenderlikden bu kere ahz olunan 24 Temmuz sene [1]314 târihli tahrîrâtın sûreti dahî leffen arz ve tesyîr olunmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 27 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1316 ve fî 2 Eylül sene [1]314 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office

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Number 2093 To the Grand Vizierate The request of your most humble servant is that; A copy-translation of the request for imperial protection and subjecthood by the ruler of Aceh and a general report containing some testimonies and requests pertaining to the Dutch government’s extremely aggressive treatment of the Arab residents of the Indian Islands were sent and presented to His Majesty. [This was announced] by the Consulate General in Batavia in three separate notes, which stated that if required [the consul would] provide information about the legal position of the said Arabs in relation to local laws, the rights they had acquired, and their relationship with the Europeans in the East. [These notes] were presented together with [my] note dated 7 May 1899 [18 May 1898].8 It was also related that the consulate was advised to communicate this information. Now, the copy of the note from the consulate dated 5 August 1898 is presented as an enclosure. The text relates that the [requested] information will be presented as a report, and that the Muslims of that region incline towards the Holy Caliphate of Islam. Moreover, [it reported] that recently a delegation sent from Suleiman Khan, the ruler of Patani, to the consulate stated that the aforementioned ruler wanted to visit the Abode of Felicity with the aim of presenting himself at the celestial threshold of the Caliph, and [that the delegate] requested the facilitation of its requirements, reporting in addition that the lesser rulers of Malacca would assist his [Suleiman Khan’s] departure if he is accepted and favoured. To command belongs to him who commands all. 14 September 1898 Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 389/5 (3)

Grand Vizier to the sultan informing him about the travel plans of the Sultan of Patani and the Hadramis’ problems Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Amedî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn 728 Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde mütemekkin Arablar hakkında Flemenk hükûmetinin icrâ eylemekde olduğu muʿamelât hakkındaki istitlâʿâtını ve atabe-i felekmertebe-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîye rû-mâl olmak üzre Dersaʿâdetʾi ziyâret emelinde bulunduğu beyân olunan Fatani Hâkimi Süleyman Hanʾın mazhar-ı lütf 4.3

8  Considering the other dates in the document, the correct date should be 18 May 1898.

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Grand Vizier to the sultan informing him about the travel plans of the Sultan of Patani and the Hadramis’ problems

ve kabûl buyurulacağı hâlde Malaka‌ʾdaki hükkâm-ı sağîrenin müşârunileyhe tevfîk-i hareket edeceklerini hâvî Batavya Şehbenderliğiʾnin tahrîrât-ı cevâbiyesi sûreti Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresiyle maʿan arz ve takdîm kılındı efendim Fî 3 Cemâziyelûlâ sene 316 ve fî 7 Eylül sene 316 Sadrazam Sublime Porte Department of Grand Vizierate Secretariat of the Imperial Council 728 My lord, in the copy of the reply of the Consulate in Batavia, along with the note of the exalted Foreign Ministry, the investigations into the actions of the Dutch government against the Arabs based in the Indian Islands are presented, along with the explanation of the desired visit to the Abode of Felicity to visit the place of the celestial threshold of the Caliph by Suleiman Khan, the ruler

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of Patani, who will be assisted in his endeavours by the minor rulers of Malacca if this encounter takes place. 19 September 1898 Grand Vizier Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 389/5 (1)

5

Documents related to Siamese medals awarded to Ottoman dignitaries in connection with Prince Damrong’s visit to Istanbul, 1894

Note of the Ottoman Ambassador in Paris about the Siamese medals gifted to Ottoman officials Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretine fî 9 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [18]94 târihiyle Paris Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 307 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir Haşmetlü Siyâm kralı hazretleri tarafından ricâl ve meʾmûrîn-i saltanat-ı seniyyeden baʿzı zevâta iʿtâ olunup evvelce kendilerine teslîm kılınmış olan nişânları mübeyyin cedvel ile berâtları bu kere Siyâm Sefâretiʾnden sefâreti seniyyeye gönderilmiş olmağla leffen takdîm kılındı emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. 5.1

Sublime Porte Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Office Number This is the translation of the note from the Imperial Embassy in Paris numbered 307 with the date 9 December 1894 to the Foreign Ministry It is submitted in the attachment sent at this time from the embassy of Siam to the Imperial embassy is a schedule showing the various individuals from among the high officials and officers of the Illustrious Sultanate who have been gifted medals by His Majesty the glorious King of Siam, together with certificates. To command belongs to him who commands all. Source: BOA İ.TAL. 71/1312B–145 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 191–192.

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Note of the Ottoman Ambassador in Paris about the Siamese medals gifted to Ottoman officials

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Grand Vizier to the Sultan about the Siamese medals gifted to Ottoman officials Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Haşmetlü Siyâm kralı hazretleri tarafından teşrîfât-ı umûmiye nâzırı devletlü paşa hazretleriyle meʾmûrîn-i saltanat-ı seniyyeden sâʾir baʿzı zevâta rütbe-i muhtelifeden iʿtâ olunan nişânların müşâr ve mûmâileyhim cânibinden kabûl ve ledeʾl-îcâb taʿlîki istîzânına dâʾir Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresi melfûfuyla arz ve takdîm kılınmağla ol-bâbda her ne vechile irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurulur ise mantûk-ı münîfi infâz edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 10 Receb sene [1]312 fî 26 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]310 Sadrıazam ve yâver-i Ekrem Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olup melfûflarıyla manzûr-ı âlî buyurulan işbu tezkirei sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri üzerine mûcebince irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurulmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 21 Receb sene [1]314 ve fî 6 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]310 Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî bende-i Tahsin 5.2

Your Majesty, my compassionate lord It is petitioned and submitted in the enclosed note of the Exalted Foreign Ministry that His Excellency the illustrious pasha, the Minister of General Protocol, together with various other officers of the Exalted Sultanate, have been gifted different ranks of medals by His Majesty the glorious King of Siam, and that the aforementioned individuals have delayed acceptance pending permission. In this matter, whatever the imperial will of His Majesty the Caliph commands, that exalted address will be carried out. My lord, this note of praise is by means of explanation. 7 January 1895 Grand Vizier and aide to His Majesty The submission of your most humble servant is that: This Grand Vizierial note with its attachments has been brought to the lofty sight. It is commanded through the imperial will of the Caliph that the requirements of this Grand Vizierial note be done. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 18 January 1895 Source: BOA İ.TAL. 71/1312B–145(1) Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 195–196.

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Grand Vizier to the Sultan about the Siamese medals gifted to Ottoman officials

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Siamese King Chulalongkorn expresses his gratitude to Ottoman ambassador in Rome for the hospitability shown for prince Damrong during his visit to Istanbul, 1897

Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi Roma Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden gelen şifre telgrafnâmenin mahlûlü tercümesidir Haşmetlü Siyâm kralı hazretleri Roma‌ ʾya muvâsaleti hasebiyle Palero Eyalʾde heyʾet-i süferâyı kabûl eylediği esnâda muzafferiyât-ı âhireden dolayı tebrîkâtını ve metbûʿ-ı muʿzamımız pâdişâhımız efendimiz hazretlerinin pek ziyâde muhib ve hayrânı olduğunu beyân eyledikden sonra zât-ı âlî-i şâhâneye arz-ı taʿzîmât içün Dersaʿâdetʾe azîmeti pek çok arzu ediyor ise de ahvâl-i hâzıranın buna mâniʿ olduğunu ifâde etmişdir müşârunileyh hazretleri Siyâm prenslerinin Dersaʿâdeti ziyâretleri esnâsında taraf-ı eşref-i mülûkâneden mazhar oldukları mekârim-i iltifâtdan bir lisân-ı minnetdârî ile bahs eylemişdir. Fî 7 Haziran sene [18]97 Roma Sefîri Reşid Yıldız Imperial Palace Office of the Chief Secretariat This is the translation of the decryption of the cyphered telegram from the Imperial Embassy in Rome. His Majesty the glorious King of Siam received the committee of ambassadors at Palazzo Quirinal on the occasion of his arrival to Rome. [During the reception the King] expressed his congratulations, due to recent victories,9 as well as his great love and affection to our great lord His Majesty the Sultan. Afterwards, he declared that he wished a great deal to travel to the Abode of Felicity in order to make a lofty petition to the exalted imperial personage, but the current conditions were an obstacle to this. Moreover, he delivered an address of gratitude for the kindness of attention of His Highness to the Siamese Princes at the time of their visit to the Abode of Felicity. On 7 June 1897 Reşid Ambassador in Rome Source: BOA Y.MTV. 198/70 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 208–209.

9  Ottoman victory against Greece in 1897.

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Siamese King Chulalongkorn expresses his gratitude to Ottoman ambassador in Rome for the hospitability shown for prince Damrong during his visit to Istanbul, 1897

Documents relating to Siamese Prince Chakrabongse’s visit to Istanbul, 1899

Commentary on the Royal Letter from King Chulalongkorn of Siam by Jana Igunma 7.1.1 Description of the Letter This rare letter reveals invaluable information about historical contacts between the royal courts of Siam10 and the Ottoman Empire. The letter, written on European paper bearing on the front page the printed emblem referred to as the ‘Royal Command’ including the symbol of the House of Chakri, is dated 23 August, 118 Rattanakosinsok era, which corresponds with 23 August 1899. The letter in Thai language and its English translation were 7.1

10  Traditionally, the Thai called their kingdoms according to the name of their capitals (Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, Thonburi). Siam was used as the country’s name mainly among Europeans and Chinese, but became the official name in 1856 following the Bowring Treaty. In 1939 the name was officially changed to Thailand.

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written by hand. The part in Thai language is in the style of the Royal Scribes’ Department whose staff were trained in a particular neat hand that was used to issue royal decrees, orders and chronicles.11 The letter was sent in an envelope addressed both in Thai and English to His Imperial Majesty Abdülhamid II Sultan of Turkey etc. etc. etc. The part in Thai language includes the phrase “our most illustrious brother and friend” instead of the “etc. etc. etc.” in the English translation. On the back, the envelope bears the same printed Royal Command emblem that is on the front page of the letter. The letter begins with the name and title of the sender given as Somdet Phra Paraminthra Maha Chulalongkorn Phra Chula Chom Klao Chao Krung Sayam thang phai nuea phai tai lae din daen thang lai thi klai khiang Lao Chiang Lao Kao Malayu Kariang l. l. l.12 The English translation of the letter gives Somdetch Phra Paramindr Maha Chulalonkorn Phra Chula Chom Klao, King of Siam, both Northern and Southern, and all Dependencies, Laos, Malays, Kareans, etc. – etc. – etc. Next follows the name and title of the recipient given as Phra Ratcha Maitri Mayang Somdet Phra Chao Apdul Hamit thi 2 Maha Sultan Krung Toeki phu pen phrada maha mit an prasoet,13 according to the English translation His Imperial Majesty Abdülhamid II Sultan of Turkey, Our Most Illustrious Brother and Friend. The main section of the letter refers to a previous visit of King Chulalongkorn’s elder half-brother, Prince Damrong Rajanubhap to the Sultan of Turkey and to thank the Sultan for hosting the prince and for sending a message of friendship to the Thai king via Prince Damrong. King Chulalongkorn apologises for not paying a visit to the Sultan during his 1897 tour to Europe. Next mentioned is one of King Chulalongkorn’s sons, Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanadh, who is said to be on his way to resume his studies in Russia, apparently passing through Constantinople and on this occasion paying a visit to Sultan Hamid Abdul II. It is said that Prince Chakrabongse had been entrusted with the task

11  A similar writing style was used in Royal decrees issued by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), for example four undated decrees which are facsimiles of handwritten originals from around the end of the 19th century (British Library ORB.30/299). 12  Title in Thai according to the letter: สมเด็จพระปรมินทรมหาจุฬาลงกรณ์ พระจุลจอมเกล้าเจ้า

กรุ งสยาม ทั้งฝ่ ายเหนือฝ่ ายใต้แลดินแดนทั้งหลายที่ใก้ลเคียง คือ ลาวเฉี ยง ลาวกาว มลายู เกรี่ ยง ๚ล๚ ๚ล๚ ๚ล๚. 13  Title in Thai according to the letter: พระราชไมตรี มายังสมเด็จพระเจ้าอัปดุลฮามิด ที่๒ มหา สุ ลต่านกรุ งเตอกี ผูเ้ ปนภราดามหามิตรอันประเสริ ฐ.

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to present to the Sultan the Most Illustrious Order of Maha Chakrakri14 as a sign of King Chulalongkorn’s friendship and gratefulness. The last part of the letter contains a wisely chosen universally applicable greeting, re-assuring the Sultan that the Thai king remained his good brother and friend. The sign off is followed by the king’s seat, Grand Palace, and the date. 7.1.2 Historical Context The 1890s was a turbulent but also exciting decade for Siam and King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). The Franco-Siamese war of 1893 ended with the loss of large territories east of the Mekong to French Indochina.15 The king realised the pressing urgency of reforms and modernization of Siam in order to remain an independent state in Southeast Asia. Significant milestones were reached in the modernization of the administration (installation of the Monthon system in 1897 ending the power of all local rulers) and education systems (admission of girls into the general education system in 1897, curriculum for Bangkok and the provinces in 1898), and towards the abolition of slavery (abolition of the Act of Selling a Person into Slavery in 1897). Great efforts were made to reform the military and to establish an efficient transport system. Thus the country’s first railway line was completed in 1900. In 1897, King Chulalongkorn went on a nine-month tour to fourteen European countries in order to seek inspiration for his own modernisation programs. Although the king had travelled abroad previously16 this was his first trip to Europe, and he was the first Thai king to ever travel there. The royal yacht stopped over in Singapore, Colombo, Aden and then crossed the Suez Canal before arriving in Venice from where the king continued his journey overland. The countries he visited included Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Russia, 14  Also known as the Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri. It was established in 1882 by King Chulalongkorn to commemorate the Bangkok Centennial and as a remembrance of King Rama I, founder of the Chakri Dynasty. The Order has been presented to the direct descendants of King Rama I and their spouses, as well as foreign Heads of State and members of other Royal houses. It was given to Queen Elizabeth II during her state visit to Thailand in 1972. 15  According to the Franco-Siamese Treaty, signed on October 3, 1893, almost the entirety of the former Lao Kingdom of Lan Sang was incorporated into French Indochina. This was followed by the losses of the Khmer provinces Battabang, Siem Reap and Sisophon to French Indochina in 1907, and the northern Malay states of Kelantan, Trengganu, Kedah and Perlis to British Malaya in 1909. 16  1871 to Singapore and Java; 1871–2 to Singapore, Melaka, Penang, Burma and India; 1888 and 1890 to the northern Malay states; 1896 to Singapore and Java.

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Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain and Portugal. In Russia, King Chulalongkorn stayed as the royal guest of the Emperor of Russia, Czar Nicholas II at Peterhof Palace for about one week. The king’s close relationship with the Emperor of Russia began when then Czesarevich Nicholas Aleksandrovich visited Siam in 1891. The Thai king had a particular interest in Russia in his attempt to find a model of modern government that best fitted the interests and characteristics of his country. For obvious reasons, he would not have wanted to imitate either the British or the French systems. The Russian empire was an autocracy, with all power resting in the emperor, aided by counsellors, and the emperor being the protector of the orthodox Christian church, legislator and upholder of justice, and supreme commander of the army. Nicholas’s grandfather, Alexander II, had used this immense power to initiate important social and economic reforms. He abolished serfdom, reformed the army, education, justice, and promoted nationalism and the cult of the figure of the emperor. He also began the industrialisation of the empire by contracting thousands of German engineers and technicians, raising capital from British and French investors, and importing the latest technology. It is obvious that King Chulalongkorn appreciated the Russian way and gave it consideration in his model for modernisation.17 The maintenance of a friendly relationship with the Czar was essential in order to benefit from the Russian experiences and to send younger members of the royal family to study in Russia. Thus, the diplomatic relations between Siam and Russia were formalised during King Chulalongkorn’s visit to Russia (July 2–10, 1897). In 1898, the Russian Consulate General was opened in Bangkok. The Russian-Siamese Declaration of Jurisdiction, Trade and Navigation was signed in Bangkok on June 23, 1899. The king’s half-brother, Prince Damrong Rajanubhap (1862–1943), had paid a courtesy visit to the Russian Emperor Alexander III who gave him an audience in Livadiya (Crimea) in 1891.18 On his return to Siam in the following year, Prince Damrong was appointed Minister of Interior where he began implementing his massive reorganisation program of provincial administration. Previously, he had been initiating significant reforms of the educational system as Head of the Department of Public Instruction. He was also known as 17  Another model for his program was Germany. The king spent about three weeks in Germany during his 1897 tour obtaining information about the German administrational system, the health system, economy and technology. 18  The mentioning of Prince Damrong in the letter must refer to this trip since the prince is said to have returned to Europe only in 1930, although he had travelled extensively in Siam and neighbouring countries.

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the “father of Thai history and archaeology” due to his deep interest and dedication to the areas of education, history, art, anthropology and archaeology.19 In 1896, a son of the Thai king, Prince Chirapravati, travelled to Russia on occasion of the coronation ceremony of Czar Nicholas II. This was followed by frequent visits of members of the Thai royal family and state officials to Russia. Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanadh, another son of King Chulalongkorn, received his education at the Page Corps and General Staff Academy in St. Petersburg after having studied basic Russian in England for 2 years. He stayed in Russia from 1898 for over a decade, and went back to Siam on visits in 1899 and 1903 before he began to serve as a Colonel in the Hussar Regiment. On his return from his 1899 visit to Siam he stopped over at Constantinople to deliver the Most Illustrious Order of Maha Chakrakri to Sultan Abdülhamid II. In 1906, Prince Chakrabongse was married in Constantinople to Yekaterina Desnitskaya, a Russian citizen of Ukrainian descent. The family then frequently travelled between Russia and Siam via Constantinople. 7.1.3 Discussion The maintenance of a close relationship with Russia played an important role in King Chulalongkorn’s modernisation program. For frequent travels of members of the Thai royal family to Russia – on occasion of state visits as well as study and private trips of Prince Chakrabongse and other young members of the Thai aristocracy studying in Russia – the route via Constantinople and Crimea was the preferred time-saving option as there was a relatively fast rail link from Crimea to St Petersburg via Moscow. It was therefore crucial to nurture a friendly relationship with the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, especially since there had previously been repeated diplomatic problems between Russia and the Ottoman Empire in the decades following the Crimean War.20 This explains why the Most Illustrious Order of Maha Chakrakri was given to Sultan Abdülhamid II although King Chulalongkorn did not meet him in person on this occasion. The English translation of the original letter is accurate, taking into consideration the socio-linguistic and cultural differences, which always leave room for a broader interpretation. However, there are some minor inconsistencies when it comes to the translation of King Chulalongkorn’s title. This is a fine 19  In remembrance of him being one of the most influential intellectuals of his time the UNESCO included Prince Damrong in its World’s Most Important Persons List in 1962. 20  When Tsesarevich Nicholas visited Siam in 1891, he had to travel via Vienna and Trieste due to diplomatic difficulties with the Ottoman Empire that had closed the Turkish Straits to all war ships according to the London Straits Convention 1841 which prevented Russian war ships from entering the Mediterranean Sea.

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example how the power of ‘broad interpretation’ can be used to deemphasize unpleasant realities. King Chulalongkorn reportedly fell ill and depressive for several months after the cession of Lao territories to France, which also must have affected his titling after 1893.21 The Thai language version of the letter states that he was ‘Chao Krung Sayam thang fai nuea fai tai lae din daen thang lai thi klai khiang Lao Chiang Lao Kao Malayu Kariang l.l.l’ – the King of Siam, Northern and Southern, and all neighbouring territories, Lao Chiang (referring to the region of Chiang Mai/Northern Thailand22), Lao Kao (referring to the Lao in Northeastern Thailand/Isan), Malays (referring to Malay communities in Southern Siam), Karens (referring to Karen communities in Eastern Siam23) etc. etc. etc. Although the original text and the translation do not correspond completely, the English translation is acceptable because, in the broadest sense, it is a simplified description of the king’s title which is sufficient if addressed to a person who may not be entirely familiar with all the details of political developments prior to the date the letter was written. 7.2 Letter of the King of Siam to Ottoman Sultan, 1899 [Translation] Somdetch Phra Paramindi Maha Chulalonkorn Phra Chula Chon Klao, King of Siam, both Northern and Southern, and all its Dependencies, Laos, Malays, Kareans etc.-etc.-etc. To His Imperial Majesty Abdülhamid II Sultan of Turkey, Our Most Illustrious Brother and Friend, Greeting! We have always remembered with pleasure the kind and cordial welcome which your Majesty had extended to Krommun Damrong Rajanubhab, our beloved Brother, and also your Majesty’s message of friendship and goodwill conveyed to us by that Prince and having had no favourable opportunity 21  According to Wyatt, King Chulalongkorn, ‘broken in spirit and health … withdrew for some months from participation in public affairs’. (1984: 204). During a visit to India in 1872, King Chulalongkorn had used the title ‘King of Siam and Sovereign of Laos and Malay’ (Baker & Pasuk 2005: 63). 22  In 19th century sources, the inhabitants of the Lanna kingdom (Northern Thailand and part of the Shan State) were commonly referred to as Lao due to certain linguistic and cultural similarities with the Lao of Laos at that time. 23  The border between Tenasserim and Siam had been negotiated in a convention between the Governor-General of India and the King Mongkut (Rama IV) in 1868; however, there were continued border disputes in the areas further north, especially after the British annexation of Upper Burma in 1886, until demarcation works began in Karenni and Kengtung in 1889 and the border was accepted by Siam in 1892.

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Figure 123

Envelope of the letter of the King of Siam to Ottoman Sultan, 1899

Figure 124

Envelope of the letter of the King of Siam to Ottoman Sultan, 1899

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Letter of the King of Siam to Ottoman Sultan, 1899

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Letter of the King of Siam to Ottoman Sultan, 1899

during our tour through Europe, to pay a visit to your Majesty and to offer to your Majesty verbally the assurance of our friendship and esteem, we avail ourselves of the return to Russia of our beloved son, Chowfa Chakrabongse Bhuvanart, to resume his studies in St. Petersburg, by entrusting him to deliver to your Majesty the most illustrious order of Maha Chakrakri. We hope that by this determination your Majesty will judge for yourself how much we respond to your Majesty’s sentiments. Praying that the Supreme Power in the universe may grant Your Majesty a happy and prosperous long life. We are your Majesty’s good Brother and Friend. (Manu Regia) Chulalonkorn. R. Grand Palace Bangkok, 23st August 1899 Source: BOA Y.EE. 62/42 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 249–254.

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English translation of the letter of the King of Siam to Ottoman Sultan, 1899

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English translation of the letter of the King of Siam to Ottoman Sultan, 1899

Siamese Prince Chakrabongse presents a Siamese medal to Abdülhamid II, 1899 Dâhiliye Mektûbî Kalemi Teşrîfât-ı Umûmiye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i pâdişâhîye haşmetlü Siyâm Kralı Hazretleri tarafından ihdâ ve irsâl kılınan nişânı takdîmine meʾmûren Dersaʿâdetʾe vürûd etmiş olan kral-ı müşârunileyh hazretlerinin mahdûmu fehâmetlü Prens Şakrabonez Hazretlerinin Cumartesi günü merâsim-i muʿtâde ile ve maʿiyyetleriyle berâber Yıldız Saray-ı şevket ihtivâ-yı hümâyûna biʾl-garîme mülâkât-ı seniyye-i mülûkâneye nâʾiliyetiyle nâme-i krâlî ve nişânî takdîm eylemiş ve baʿdehû ikâmetlerine tahsîs buyurulmuş olan merâsim dâʾiresine azîmet eylemiş olduğuna dâʾir olup Türkçe gazetelerle neşr ve iʿlân olunmak üzre tezkire-i husûsiye ile gönderilen pusula usûlü vechile nezâret-i müsteşârî Devletlü Paşa Hazretlerine tebliğ olunarak îcâbı icrâ etdirilmiş ve alınan sûret-i musaddaka leffen sûy-ı âlî-i dâverîlerine tisyâr kılınmışdır ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. 19 Eylül sene 1315 7.3

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Figure 129 Star of the Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri. Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi, 2–1433

Figure 130 Pendant of Chula Chakri. Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi, 2–1321

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Figure 131 Collar and Star of the Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri. Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi, 2–1433

Figure 132

Siamese Prince Chakrabongse presents a Siamese medal to Abdülhamid II, 1899

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Interior Secretarial Office To the Exalted Ministry of General Protocol The medal presented by His Majesty the glorious King of Siam to the noble beauty of the person of His Imperial Majesty was commanded to be sent to the Abode of Felicity. On Saturday the son of His Majesty the said king, His Highness the great Prince Chakrabongse, together with his entourage presented the medal, together with the letter of the king, to the exalted imperial presence at the imperial audience held at the noble Yıldız Palace and afterwards arrived at the ceremonial apartment [Şale Kiosk] assigned for his residence. The special note for reporting and announcing this in the Turkish newspapers has been communicated to the deputy minister His Excellency the illustrious Pasha in accordance with the procedures, and its requirements implemented. The identical copy that has been received is dispatched to your exalted ministerial presence. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 1 October 1899 Source: BOA DH.MKT. 2253/24 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 255–256.

The announcement of the imperial banquet given for the Siamese Prince Chakrabongse 1899 Dâhiliye Mektûbî Kalemi Teşrîfât-ı Umûmiye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Haşmetlü Siyâm Kralı Hazretleriʾnin mahdûmları fehâmetlü Prens Şakrabon Hazretleriʾne Pazar günü Yıldız Saray-ı şevket-ihtivâsında bir ziyâfet-i seniyye-i resmiye keşîde buyurularak işbu ziyâfet-i seniyye-i mülûkânede Rusya sefîri kebîri asâletlü Mösyö Nodiyef Hazretleriyle zât-ı sâmî-i sadâret-penâhî ve biʾl-cümle vükelâ-yı fihâm hazerâtının ve prens müşârunileyh refâketlerinde bulunan Siyâm Paris ve Petersburg sefîrleri ve Rusya sefâreti baştercümân vekîli ve prens-i müşârunileyhin diğer maʿiyyet meʾmûrları ve mâbeyn-i hümâyûn-ı mülûkâne meʾmûrîni ve Bank-ı Osmânî-i şâhâne müdür-i umûmîsi hâzır bulunmak şerefiyle mübâhî olduklarına dâʾir olup Türkçe gazetelerle neşr ve iʿlân olunmak üzre bâ-tezkire-i husûsiye irsâl olunan pusula usûlü vechile nezâret-i müsteşârî devletlü paşa hazretlerine teblîğ kılınarak îcâbı icrâ etdirilmiş ve alınan sûret-i musaddakası leffen sûy-ı âlî-i dâverîlerine tisyâr olunmuşdur ol-bâbda. 20 Eylül sene [1]315 7.4

Interior Secretarial Office To the Exalted Ministry of General Protocol An official imperial banquet was held at the noble Yıldız Palace on Sunday for His Highness the great Prince Chakrabongse, one of the sons of His

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The announcement of the imperial banquet given for the Siamese Prince Chakrabongse 1899

Majesty the glorious King of Siam. At this imperial banquet of the sovereign were the High Ambassador of Russia, His Excellency the noble Monsieur Ivan Alekseyevich Zinovyev, together with the great person of the Grand Vizier and their excellencies all the notable ministers, and in the company of the said prince were the Siamese ambassadors to Paris and St Petersberg, the deputy chief translator of the embassy in Russia, and other officials in attendance of the said prince. Moreover, there were the officials of the Private Appartments of the Sovereign, and the general director of the Imperial Ottoman Bank. The special note for reporting and announcing this in the Turkish newspapers has been communicated to the deputy minister His Excellency the illustrious Paşa, in accordance with the procedures and its requirements implemented. The approved copy that has been received is dispatched to your exalted ministerial presence. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 2 October 1899 Source: BOA BEO. 2253/83 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 263–264.

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King Chulalongkorn’s telegram expressing his gratitude for the hospitality shown to his son, 1899 Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi Hâk-ı pây-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye Siyâm kralı hazretleri tarafından vârid olan telgrafnâmenin tercümesidir. Hakk-ı senâverâmda hissiyât-ı mahâret-zârâne-i şâhânelerinin teʾmînâtını ve mazhar-ı iltifât-ı şâhâneleri olan sevgili mahdûmum hakkında lütfen iʿtâ buyurulan maʿlûmâtı mütezammın olan telgrafnâme-i hümâyûnlarını biʾl-kemâl-i memnûniyet ahz eyledim, işbu muʿâmelât-ı lütuf-kârâne-i şehinşâhîleri muhârenet-i celîle-i hümâyûnlarının delîl-i cedîdi ve lütfen huzûr-ı hümâyûn-ı mülûkânelerine kabûl olunduğu zamân birâderim hakkında râyegân buyurulmuş olan âsâr-ı rûşen-i tâcdârîlerini muhattar ve mübeşşir olmağla teşekkürât-ı hakîkiyemin lütfen kabûl buyurulmasını zât-ı meʿâlî-sıfat-ı hazreti pâdişâhîlerinden ricâ ederim. Fî 3 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [18]99 An Bankok İmza Şolalon Gern 7.5

Yıldız Imperial Palace Department of the Chief Secretary This is the translation of the telegram sent to the dust at the feet of his Imperial Majesty the Caliph by His Majesty the King of Siam. I was perfectly content to receive your imperial telegram, containing the assurance of your great imperial person’s sincere sentiments and the information given kindly about my beloved son. These generous imperial works of your exalted imperial person constitute a new testimony of your great imperial person’s friendship and remind the grace of your imperial kindness to my brother, when he was accepted into your imperial sovereign presence. I request of the great person of Your Imperial Majesty that you kindly accept my sincerest thanks 3 October 1899 In Bangkok Signature Chulalongkorn Source: BOA Y.PRK.NMH. 8/6 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 272–273.

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King Chulalongkorn’s telegram expressing his gratitude for the hospitality shown to his son, 1899

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7.6 Mecidi medal for a member of the Siamese delegation, 1899 Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi 4857 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Siyâm Devletiʾnin Paris Sefîri Mösyö Finasoraya‌ʾnın hademesinden Pirdovale beşinci rütbeden mecidî nişân-ı zîşânı ihsân buyurulmasına mebnî muʿâmele-i lâzımenin îfâsı şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî îcâb-ı âlîsinden olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 28 Cemâziyelâhir sene [1]317 ve fî 22 Eylül sene [1]315 Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî bende-i Tahsin Yıldız Imperial Palace Department of the Chief Secretary 4857 It is the submission of your most humble servant that: The lustrous order of the Mecidi, fifth class, is bestowed upon Pirdovale[?] one of the aides of Monsieur Phraya Suriyanuwat the ambassador of the State of Siam in Paris. It is the exalted requirement of the will of the exalted Caliph to carry out the necessary procedures. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 4 October 1899 The servant Tahsin, Chief Secretary to His Imperial Majesty Source: BOA İ.TAL. 187/1317Ca-089 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 277–278.

Figure 135

Mecidi medal for a member of the Siamese delegation, 1899

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7.7 Osmani medal for a member of the Siamese delegation, 1899 Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi 4757 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Haşmetlü Siyâm Kralı Hazretleriʾnin mahdûmu fehâmetlü Şakrabon Hazretleriʾnin ser hademesi Antuvan Peyankiʾye ihsân buyurulduğu fî 26 Cemâziyelâhir sene [1]317 târih ve dört bin altı yüz doksan yedi târihli [numerolu] tezkire-i resmiyenin bir fıkrasında işʿâr olunan beşinci rütbeden mecîdî nişân-ı zîşânını mûmâileyh zâten hâmil bulunmasına binâʾen dördüncü rütbeden Osmânî nişân-ı âlîsi ihsân buyurulmasına mebnî muʿâmele-i lâzımenin îfâsı şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî îcâb-ı âlîsinden olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fi 28 Cemâziyelâhir sene [1]317 ve fî 22 Eylül sene [1]315 Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî bende-i Tahsin Yıldız Imperial Palace Department of the Chief Secretary 4757 It is the submission of your most humble servant that: According to a clause of the official note of 2 October 1899 numbered 4697 Antuvan Peyanki[?], the chief deputy of His Highness the great Prince Chakrabongse, the son of His Majesty the glorious King of Siam, has been bestowed the lustrous order of the Mecidi, fifth class. As the said person was found to already hold [the medal], he was bestowed the exalted Order of Osmani, fourth class. Therefore it is the exalted requirement of the will of the Caliph to carry out the necessary procedures. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all.

Figure 136

Osmani medal for a member of the Siamese delegation, 1899

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4 October 1899 The servant Tahsin, Chief Secretary to His Imperial Majesty Source: BOA İ.TAL. 187/1317Ca-092 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 279–280.

7.8 Osmani medal for Prince Chakrabongse 1899 Sadâret Mektûbî Kalemi Maliye Nezâret-i Behiyyesiʾne Tezkire Haşmetlü Siyâm Kralı Hazretleriʾnin mahdûmu Fehâmetlü Prens Şakrabonez Hazretleriʾne murassâʿ-ı Osmânî nişân-ı âlîsi ihsân buyurulduğundan muʿâmele-i lâzımenin îfâsı şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî iktizâ-yı âlîsinden bulunmuş ve teşrîfatca îcâbı icrâ kılınmış olmağla Hazîne-i Celîleʾce dahî muʿâmele-i lâzımenin îfâsına himmet 11 Cemâziyelâhire sene 1317, 5 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene 1315 Grand Vizierate Secretarial Office Note to the glorious Ministry of Finance An esteemed exalted Osmani Order is granted to His Highness the great Prince Chakrabongse, one of the sons of His Majesty the glorious King of Siam. As a result it has been the exalted requirements of the imperial will of the Caliph to carry out the required procedures. As the [ministry of] Protocol has implemented its requirement, assistance [is requested] for having the Exalted Treasury carry out the required procedures. 17 October 1899 Source: BOA BEO. 1388/104057(1) Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 292.

Figure 137

Osmani medal for Prince Chakrabongse, 1899

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Payment of the transportation expenses of the horse presented to the Siamese Prince Chakrabongse, 1899 Hazîne-i Hâssa-i Şâhâne Nezâret-i Behiyyesiʾne Sivastopol tarîkiyle Petersburgʾa müteveccihan Dersaʿâdetʾden azîmet eden Siyâm Prensi Fehâmetlü Şakrabon Hazretlerine cânib-i seniyyüʾl-cevânib hazret-i pâdişâhîye ihdâ buyurulmuş olan Arab atının Petersburgʾa kadar vukûʿ bulan masârıfının Hazîne-i Hassa-i Şâhâneʾden tesviye buyurulacağı mâbeyni hümâyûn-ı mülûkâne başkitâbet celîlesinden işʿâr olunduğuna bahisle sarf edilen on altı Osmanlı lirasının Osmanlı Bankası maʿrifetiyle teʾdiye etdirilmesi Sivastopol Şehbenderliğiʾnden Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne mebʿûs tahrîrâtda işʿâr olmuş olmağla îcâbının icrâ ve inbâsına himmet 25 Cemâziyelâhire sene [1]317, 19 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]315 7.9

To the Exalted Ministry of the Personal Imperial Treasury The gift of an Arab horse from the imperial person of His Majesty was presented to His Highness the great Prince Chakrabongse of Siam and dispatched

Figure 138

Payment of the transportation expenses of the horse presented to the Siamese Prince Chakrabongse, 1899

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403

from the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul] bound for St Petersburg by way of Sevastopol. It was communicated by the exalted chief secretariat of the private appartments of the sovereign that the expenses of forwarding it to St Petersburg are ordered to paid by the Personal Imperial Treasury. In the documents sent to the Exalted Foreign Ministry, the Consulate in Sevastopol requests the payment of the expenditure of sixteen Ottoman lira by means of the Ottoman Bank. Your assistance is requested in order to perform the requirements. 31 October 1899 Source: BOA BEO. 1394/104493(1) Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 293.

Payment of the transportation expenses of the horse presented to the Siamese Prince Chakrabongse, 1899 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Tezkire Siyâm Prensi Hazretlerine ihdâ buyurulan Arab atının Petersburgʾa kadar masârıf-ı nakliyesi olan on altı Osmanlı lirasının Hazîne-i Hâssa-i Şâhâne hesâbına olarak Sivastopol Şehbenderliğiʾne tesviye itdirilmesi zımnında Osmanlı Bankası idâresine tebliğine ibtidâr kılındığı 24 Cemâziyelâhire sene 7.10

Figure 139

Payment of the transportation expenses of the horse presented to the Siamese Prince Chakrabongse, 1899

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1317 târihli ve 2436 numerolu tezkire-i devletleri üzerine biʾl-muhâbere Hazîne-i Hâssa-i Şâhâne nezâret-i behiyyesinden cevâben bildirilmişdir efendim. Bâ-işâret-i aliyye-i cenâb-ı müsteşârî 7 Şaʿbân sene 1317 28 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1315 Note to the Exalted Foreign Ministry My lord, the bill of sixteen Ottoman lira sent to the Personal Imperial Treasury, on account of the cost of forwarding the Arab horse commanded to be gifted to His Highness the Prince of Siam to St Petersburg paid for by the Consulate in Sevastopol, has been swiftly communicated to the management of the Ottoman Bank, as communicated in the illustrious note dated 29 October 1899 and numbered 2436. This is announced in the correspondence containing the response from the exalted ministry of the Personal Imperial Treasury. With the exalted sign of the deputy minister. 10 December 1899 Source: BOA BEO. 1416/106126(2) Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 294.

Payment of the expenses on the occasion of the visit of the Siamese Prince Chakrabongse, 1900 Mâliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne 26 Temmuz sene [1]316 târih ve dört yüz doksan bir numerolu tezkire-i aliyye dâverîleri cevâbıdır. Haşmetlü Siyâm Kralı Hazretleriʾnin mahdûmları Prens Şakrabonʾun Dersaʿâdetʾde bulunduğu esnâda Hazîne-i Hâssa-i şahânece sarf edilmiş olan altmış dokuz bin sekiz yüz kırk guruşun misâfirîn-i ecnebiye tahsîsâtından tesviyesi işʿâr buyurulmuş ise de Dâhiliye muvâzenesinde misâfirîn-i ecnebiye tertîbi olmamasına ve meblağ-ı mezbûrun tahsîsât-ı dâhiliyeden tesviyesi hakkında da irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı şehinşâhî teblîğ buyurulmamasına binâʾen bu bâbda bir şey yapılamayacağının muhâsebe ifâdesiyle beyânına mübâşeret edildi ol-bâbda. 24 Ağustos sene [1]316 7.11

To the Exalted Finance Office This is the response to your exalted note of 8 August 1900 numbered 491 It was commanded that the 69,840 piaster paid by the personal imperial treasury during Prince Chakrabongse’s (one of the sons of His Majesty the glorious King of Siam) stay at the Abode of Felicity, be paid from foreign visitor’s allowance. However the Interior [Ministry]’s budget does not have an foreign visitor’s allowance, and no exalted will of His Majesty is communicated for

Royal Visits to Istanbul, 1891–1909

Figure 140

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Payment of the expenses on the occasion of the visit of the Siamese Prince Chakrabongse, 1900

the payment of the said amount from the budget of the Interior [Ministry]. Therefore the accounts [office] announces that in this matter, nothing can be done. In this matter 6 September 1900 Source: DH.MKT. 2401/106 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 295.

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Documents relating to Siamese medals awarded to Ottoman dignitaries in connection with Prince Chakrabongse’s visit to Istanbul, 1901

8.1 Siamese medals for Ottoman officials, 1901 Bâb-ı âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded

406

Figure 141

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Siamese medals for Ottoman officials, 1901

Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne 7 Mayıs[1]901 târihiyle Siyâm Hükûmetiʾnin Petersburg Sefâretiʾnden vârid olan 54 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Metbûʿ-ı mufahhamım haşmetlü kral hazretleri tarafından melfûf defterde esâmîsi muharrer bulunan zevâta iʿtâ olunan nişânlar ile berâtları O.S. marka ve dört bin yüz altmış altı numerolu bir sandık derûnuna mevzûʿan Rus nakliyât şirketine tevdîʿ kılınmış olduğundan bunların ashâbına îsâl buyurulmasını ricâ ederim mârrüʾl-beyân sandığın şirket-i mezkûrenin Dersaʿâdet vekîli Mösyö “Hoffman”dan ahzı içün muktezî makbûz ilmuhaberi leffen takdîm kılındı. Melfûf cedvelin tercümesidir Müşîr Devletlü Şâkir Paşa Hazretleri Atûfetlü Tahsin Beyefendi Hazretleri Devletlü Turhan Paşa Hazretleri Atûfetlü İbrahim Beyefendi Hazretleri Ferîk Saʿâdetlü Ahmed Paşa Hazretleri Saʿâdetlü Arif Beyefendi Hazretleri

Birinci rütbeden “Elefan Blan” nişânı Kezâ Kezâ Kezâ Kezâ Birinci rütbeden, “Kordon Dö Siyâm” nişânı

Royal Visits to Istanbul, 1891–1909

Saʿâdetlü Akif Beyefendi Hazretleri Saʿâdetlü Fâik Paşa Hazretleri Tercüme Kalemi Müdürü İbrahim Bey Osman Bey Saʿâdetlü Hilmi Beyefendi Hazretleri Saʿâdetlü Abdurrezzak Beyefendi Hazretleri Saʿâdetlü Hanri Bey Hüseyin Efendi Tevfik Bey

407

Kezâ Kezâ İkinci rütbeden “Elefan Blan” nişânı Kezâ Kezâ İkinci rütbeden “Kordon Dö Siyâm” nişânı Kezâ Kezâ Üçüncü rütbeden “Elefan Blan” nişânı Hakkı Bey Kezâ Mustafa Bey Kezâ Kolağası Sadık Bey Kezâ Kâimmakâm Kadri Bey Üçüncü rütbeden “Kordon Dö Siyâm” nişânı İzzet Efendi Kezâ Binbaşı Halil Efendi Kezâ Binbaşı Ahmed Efendi Kezâ Muhabbet Bey Dördüncü rütbeden “Kordon Dö Siyâm” nişânı Hüseyin Şevki Bey Kezâ Mülâzım Aziz Efendi Kezâ Mülâzım Emin Efendi Kezâ Osman Ağa Kezâ Hüseyin Ağa Kezâ Mahmud Efendi Beşinci rütbeden “Elefan Blan” nişânı Mustafa Efendi Kezâ Hüseyin Efendi Kezâ Kolağası Dâver Efendi Kezâ İlyas Çavuş Beşinci rütbeden “Kordon Dö Siyâm” nişânı Mikdad Bey Kezâ Osman Efendi Kezâ İbrahim Efendi Kezâ Mülâzım Mehmed Şemdin Efendi Kezâ (Yıldız İstimbotu mürettebâtından) İbrahim Efendi Kezâ Ali Bey Kezâ

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Sublime Porte Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Office Number This is the translation of the correspondence numbered 54 forwarded from the Embassy in St Petersburg of the Government of Siam to the Foreign Ministry dated 7 May 1901. The names inscribed in the attached register are the individuals who have been presented medals [of chivalric orders] together with certificates by the great generosity of His Majesty the noble King, from the box consigned by the Russian Transport Company marked O.S. and numbered 466. I beg of you their delivery to their owners. Moreover, the certificate of receipt which is required for obtaining the box from Monsieur Hoffman, the agent of said company at the Abode of Felicity, is presented in enclosure. This is the translation of the attached schedule. His Excellency the illustrious Marshal Şakir Paşa His Excellency the compassionate Tahsin Beyefendi His Excellency the illustrious Turhan Paşa His Excellency the compassionate Ibrahim Beyefendi His Excellency the felicitous Major General Ahmed Paşa His Excellency the felicious Arif Beyefendi His Excellency the felicitous Akif Beyefendi His Excellency the felicitous Faik Paşa Director of the Translation Office Ibrahim Bey Osman Bey His Excellency the felicitous Hilmi Beyefendi His Excellency the felicitous Abdurrezzak Beyefendi The felicious Hanri Bey Hüseyin Efendi

Order of the White Elephant, first class Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Order of the Cordon of Siam, first class Ditto Ditto Order of the White Elephant, second class Ditto Ditto Order of the Cordon of Siam, second class Ditto Ditto

409

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Tevfik Bey Hakkı Bey Mustafa Bey Adjutant Major Sadık Bey Lieutenant Colonel Kadri Bey Izzet Efendi Major Halil Efendi Major Ahmed Efendi Muhabbet Bey Hüseyin Şevki Bey Lieutenant Aziz Efendi Lieutenant Emin Efendi Osman Ağa Hüseyin Ağa Mahmud Efendi Mustafa Efendi Hüseyin Efendi Adjutant Major Daver Efendi Ilyas Çavuş Mikdad Bey Osman Efendi Ibrahim Efendi Lieutenant Mehmed Şemdin Efendi Ibrahim Efendi (from the crew of the Yıldız Steamboat) Ali Bey

Order of the White Elephant, third class Ditto Ditto Ditto Order of the Cordon of Siam, third class Ditto Ditto Ditto Order of the Cordon of Siam, fourth class Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Order of the White Elephant, fifth class Ditto Ditto Ditto Order of the Cordon of Siam, fifth class Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto

Source: BOA İ.TAL. 255/1319Ra-224 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 297–300.

Foreign Ministry requests permission to accept and wear Siamese medals, 1901 Bâb-ı âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 637 8.2

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Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Mâbeyn-i Hümâyûn cenâb-ı mülûkâne meʾmûrîn-i kirâmından ve umerâ ve zâbitân-ı askerîden ve meʾmûrîn-i sâʾireden baʿzı zevâta Siyâm Hükûmeti tarafından iʿtâ olunan nişânlar ile berâtlarının ve zevât-ı müşâr ve mûmâileyhimin esâmîsi ile nişânların derecâtını mübeyyin cedvelin gönderildiğini mütezammın hükûmet-i mûmâileyhânın Petersburg Sefâretiʾnden vârid olan 7 Mayıs sene 1901 târihli tahrîrâtın tercümesi leffen takdîm kılınmış ve mezkûr nişânların müşâr ve mûmâileyhim cânibinden kabûl ve ledeʾl-îcâb taʿlîki husûsunun hâk-ı pây-ı meʿâlî peymâ-yı cenâb-ı cihân-dârîden istîzânı manût-ı musâʿâfa-i aliyye-i dâver-i efhamîleri bulunmuş olmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 9 Safer sene 1319 ve fî 15 Mayıs sene [1]317 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number 637

Figure 142

Foreign Ministry requests permission to accept and wear Siamese medals, 1901

Royal Visits to Istanbul, 1891–1909

411

To the exalted presence of His Highness the Grand Vizier The submission of your most humble servant is that: Various persons from the high officials of the Imperial Appartments of the sovereign, the great men, military officers, and other officials have been presented medals [of a chivalric order] together with certificates by the Government of Siam, and the list of the said individuals together with the class of their order is sent in the explanatory schedule enclosed in the documents together with their translations from the embassy in St Petersburg of the aforementioned government dated 7 May 1901 that are submitted. Requesting permission from the dust at the great feet of the world-ruler, for accepting and, when required, wearing the said orders by the aforementioned [officials] depends on your most noble and exalted will. To command belongs to him who commands all. 28 May 1901 Source: BOA İ.TAL. 255/1319Ra-224 (1) Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 301–302.

9

Deputy of the Ottoman consul in Singapore to the Foreign Ministry about the passport given to the ruler of Johor who is planning to visit Europe, 1903

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne 18 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene 903 târihiyle Singapur Başşehbenderliğiʾni vekâleten idâre etmekde olan şehr-i mezkûr Almanya Konsolosuʾndan vârid olan tahrîrâtın tercümesidir “Cohor, Hâkîmi İbrahim Hazretleriʾnin kâtib-i husûsîsi müşârunileyhin an karîb Avrupa‌ʾya bir seyahat icrâ edeceğini bendenize biʾl-beyân gerek hâkim-i müşârunileyhin ve gerek maʿiyyetinde bulunan ve Nâzır Muhammed İbrahim, Nâzır Abdurrahman Han Malay umûru kâtibi Enîşî Mustafa, yâveri Enîşî İsmail ile üç nefer hâdiminden ibâret olan efrâdının memâlik-i şâhâneye hîn-i vürûdlarında âdî seyyâhînin tâbiʿ oldukları muʿâyene-i rusûmiye vesâʾireye tâbiʿ olmaksızın memâlik-i mezkûrede icrâ-yı seyâhat edebilmeleri için lâzım gelen pasaportun iʿtâsını bendenizden taleb eyledi hâkim-i müşârunileyh cânibinden taleb-i müsâʿadâtın iʿtâsı lüzûmunu mütezammın olup meʾmûrîn-i Osmâniyeʾye hitâben taraf-ı âcizânemden kaleme alınıp bir kıtʿa sûreti leffen takdîm kılınan pasaportu hâkim-i müşârunileyhin kâtib-i husûsîsi

412

Figure 143

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Deputy of the Ottoman consul in Singapore to the Foreign Ministry about the passport given to the ruler of Johor who is planning to visit Europe, 1903

Royal Visits to Istanbul, 1891–1909

413

Abdurrahman Efendiʾye iʿtâ etdim ve zât-ı âlî-i âsafânelerine dahî arz-ı keyfiyet eylediğimi beyân ettiğim gibi lüzûmu takdîrinde taraf-ı âsafânelerine bâ-telgrâf mürâcaʿat eylemesini dahî kendisine tavsiye eyledim hâkim-i müşârunileyhin seyâhatine dâʾir henüz bir müddet taʿyîn olunmamışdır emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Melfûf pasaportun sûret-i tercümesidir “Draja Karabata”, “Draja Mahota Cohor” nişânlarıyla üçüncü rütbeden “Sen Mişel ve Jorj” nişânlarını ve nişân-ı âlî-i Osmânîʾyi hâʾiz ve hâmil bulunan Cohor hâkimi hazretlerinin ve nüzzârdan Muhammed İbrahim ve Abdurrahman Han ile Malay umûru kâtîbi Enîşi Mustafa yâverândan Enîşi İsmail ve üç nefer hademesinden ibâret olan maʿiyyeti efrâdının teshîl-i seyâhatleri ve indeʾl-hâce mazhar-ı muʿâvenet olmaları husûsu memâlik-i şâhânede âsâyiş-i umûmînin muhâfazası vazîfesiyle mükellef meʾmûrîn-i mülkiye ve askeriyeden ve husûsiyle meʾmûrîn-i rusûmiyeden saltanat-ı seniyyenin Singapur Şehbenderliği vekîli sıfatıyla Reca ile berâber Cohor hâkimi hazretleri hakkında îcâb eden muʿâmele-i ihtirâm-kârînin icrâsını ve gerek kendisine gerek maʿiyyeti efrâdına âʾid eşyânın idhâli için nizâmât-ı câriye ile kâbil-i teʾlîf olacak kâffei teshîlât ibrâzını ve müşkilât zuhûru takdîrinde seyâhat-i mezkûreden şehbenderhânece haberdâr edilen Bâb-ı Âlîʾye arz-ı maʿlûmât olunmasını meʾmûrîn-i rusûmiyeden ve işbu pasaportu ileride istiʿmâl etmesi için hâkim-i müşârunileyh hazretlerine tevdîʿ etmelerini de meʾmûrîn-i mülkiye-i askeriye ve rusûmiyeden taleb eyleriz Sublime Porte Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Office Number This is the translation of the documents dated 18 December 1903, sent to the Foreign Ministry from the German Consul who is acting as the deputy [Ottoman] Consul General in Singapore. The personal secretary of his Excellency Ibrahim, the ruler of Johor, has announced to your servant that the said ruler is going to travel to Europe soon, and asked me to supply him and his entourage (consisting of Minister Muhammad Ibrahim, Minister Abdurrahman Han, Secretary of Malayan Affairs Encik Mustafa, his aide Encik Ismail and three servants) with passports that are needed to travel, upon their arrival, in the imperial dominions without being subject to customs examination etc. like common travellers. I have presented the passport (a copy of which is presented an attachment, addressed from my humble side to Ottoman officials explaining the requirement of the approval of the mentioned ruler’s requests) to Abdurrahman Efendi, the

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personal secretary of the said ruler, and explained him that I have informed the Grand Vizierate about the issue, and advised them to apply to you if they deem it necessary. No space of time is assigned for the journey of the said ruler. To command belongs to him who commands all. This is the translation of the enclosed passport As the deputy [consul] of the Imperial Sultanate’s Consulate in Singapore, [I] request from the relevant military and civil officials who are responsible for maintaining public security in the imperial dominions, and especially from fiscal officials, the facilitation of the journey of the ruler of Johor (who possesses the orders of Darjah Kerabat (‘The Order of the Royal Family’) and Darjah Mahkota (‘The Order of the Crown’) Johor medals and The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George third class, and the exalted Ottoman medal) and his entourage (consisting of the ministers Muhammad İbrahim and Abdurrahman Han, the Secretary of Malayan Affairs Encik Mustafa, the aide Encik İsmail, and three servants), and providing them with assistance in case of need. Moreover, we request from the military, civil and fiscal officials: the requisite respectful treatment pertaining to the Ruler of Johor; every possible facilitation pertaining to the importation of the goods belonging to him [the ruler of Johor] (with regard to the current regulations) as well as to the members of his entourage; in case of a difficulty, to inform the Sublime Porte, which has been informed about this journey by the Consulate; and that the fiscal officials return this passport to the mentioned exalted ruler so that [he can] use it afterwards. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 467/3

10

Documents relating to Siamese Prince Boworadet’s24 visit to Istanbul, 1909

10.1 Osmani medal for one of the entourage of Prince Boworadet, 1909 Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi 231 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Siyâm prenslerinden Ceneral Bovaradeç Hazretlerine birinci ve maʿiyyetinde bulunan yüzbaşı Mösyö Şonfa dördüncü rütbelerden nişân-ı âlî-i Osmânî ihsân buyurulmuş olduğundan muʿâmele-i lâzımenin îfâsı şeref-sâdır olan irâde-i 24  Prince Borowadet (1878–1953), Minister of Defence 1928–1931, grandson of Mongkut.

Royal Visits to Istanbul, 1891–1909

Figure 144

415

Osmani medal for one of the entourage of Prince Boworadet, 1909

seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî îcâb-ı celîlinden olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 26 Safer Sene[1]327 ve fî 6 Mart sene[1]325 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî Bende-i Ali Yıldız Imperial Palace Chief Secretarial Department 231 The submission of your most humble servant is that: Captain Monsieur Shonfa[?], one of the entourage of His Highness General Boworadet who is one of the princes of Siam, has been bestowed the exalted Order of Osmani, fourth class. It is the exalted requirement of the imperial will of the Caliph to carry out the required procedures. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 19 March 1909 The servant Ali, Chief Secretary to His Imperial Majesty Source: BOA İ.TAL. 460/1327S–10 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 343–344.

Siamese medals for Ottoman dignitaries on the Occasion of Prince Boworadet’s visit to Istanbul, 1909 Bâb-ı âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Meclis-i Vükelâ ve Maʿruzât Kalemi 1817 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri 10.2

416

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Siamese medals for Ottoman dignitaries on the occasion of Prince Boworadet’s visit to Istanbul, 1909

Siyâm prenslerinden Ceneral Bovaraviç Hazretlerinin berâ-yı seyâhat Dersaʿâdetʾe vusûlünde mebânî-i askeriyeyi ziyâret etmesi münâsebetiyle Siyâm kralı hazretleri tarafından meclis-i aʿyân aʿzâsından Harbiye Nâzır-ı esbâkı birinci ferîk atûfetlü Rıza Paşa Hazretlerine birinci ve Harbiye Nezâreti Tercüme Kalemi Müdürü Feyzullah Beyʾe üçüncü rütbelerden Kordon Dö Siyâm ve Levâzım-ı Umûmîye Dâʾiresi Sevkiyât İdâresiʾnde müstahdem Mülâzım-ı Evvel Rıza Efendiʾye üçüncü rütbeden Elefan Blan nişânları iʿtâ kılınmış olduğundan mezkûr nişânların müşâr ve mûmâileyhim taraflarından kabûl ve ledeʾl-îcâb taʿlîki husûsunun lüzûm-ı istîzânına dâʾir Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresi leffen arz ve takdîm kılınmağla irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhî ne vechile şeref-sünûh ve sudûr buyurulur ise mantûk-ı âlîsi infâz edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 9 Şevvâl sene [1]327 fî 11 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]315 Sadrazam Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olup melfûflarıyla berâber manzûr-ı âlî buyurulan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri üzerine mûcebince irâde-i seniyyei cenâb-ı pâdişâhî şeref-sudûr buyurulmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 10 Şevvâl sene[1]327 fî 12 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]325 Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî

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Sublime Porte Grand Vizierial Department Council of Ministers and petitions 1817 Your Majesty, my merciful lord Some deputies of the Assembly of Notables have been awarded the Cordon of Siam by His Majesty the King of Siam in connection with the visit of His Highness General Boworadet, (one of the princes of Siam) to the Abode of Felicity to observe military infrastructure: the former Minister of War, first class; His Excellency the compassionate Lieutenant General Rıza Paşa, first class; and the director of the Translation Office of the Ministry of War Feyzullah Bey, third class. Moreover, an employee of the Department of General Supplies, Transportation Administration, First Lieutenant Rıza Efendi received the Order of the White Elephant, third class. The note from the Exalted Foreign Ministry on the requirement [of requesting] permission to the aforementioned [officials] to accept and (when required) wear the medals is submitted in enclosure. My Lord, this note of praise is submitted with the understanding that whatever the noble will and command might be, the exalted address will be implemented. 24 October 1909 The submission of your most humble servant is that: This Grand Vizierial note with its attachments has been brought to the lofty sight. It is commanded through the imperial will of the Caliph that the requirements of this Grand Vizierial note be done. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 25 October 1909 Chief Secretary to His Imperial Majesty Source: BOA İ.TAL. 463/1327L-06(1) Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 350–351.

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Consuls Up to the end of the 18th century, the Ottoman Empire lacked a formal diplomatic service with a network of embassies and consulates. Although European countries kept permanent representatives in Istanbul, the Ottomans relied on sporadic missions abroad until the first permanent Ottoman embassy abroad was established was in London, in 1793. In the early nineteenth century this network slowly expanded and the Ottoman diplomatic system came to resemble increasingly that of its European counterparts, including the use of French, sometimes even for internal correspondence. The appointment of consuls to Southeast Asia, which was considered from the mid-19th century and was effected with the appointment of a consul to the British colony of Singapore in 1864. Singapore’s importance to the Ottomans derived from the fact that it was a meeting place for hajjis from across Southeast Asia. However, the Ottoman consuls to Batavia, appointed from 1882 onwards, proved to be considerably more controversial. Usually members of the Hadrami emigre population who could claim Ottoman citizenship, they were suspected by the Dutch authorities of stirring up pan-Islamist sentiments. More mundanely, Ottoman consuls sought to try to ensure that Ottoman subjects were treated as Europeans, which would give them a much more secure social and legal status. They also encouraged the use of the Caliph’s name at prayers (Reid 1967: 171; Schmidt 1992: 85–90). During World War I, in which the Netherlands was neutral (see further Streets-Salter 2017), the Ottoman-Consul General in Batavia remained in place, attempting to present the Ottoman war-effort in a positive light to the local Muslim populace, although from his petitions to Istanbul, his existence seems to have been largely forgotten by the Ottoman authorities at home. European fears of the disruptive potential of the Ottoman consuls remained largely unrealised.

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_006

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Correspondence from the Ottoman Ambassador in The Hague, Kostaki Karaca Bey, to the Ottoman Foreign Minister, concerning the establishment of Ottoman consulates in Dutch colonies, 18561

Rapport No: 12 La Haye ce 12 Juin 1856 [Son Excellence Monseigneur Fuad Pacha Ministre Secrétaire d’Etat des Affairs Etrangères] Monseigneur ! Le Gouvernement Hollandais jaloux de ses possessions d’outre mer et de ses colonies aux Indes Orientales a toujours scrupuleusement évité d’accorder à aucune Puissance le droit d’entretenir des consuls et des agents consulaires dans ces différents pays. Ce n’est que depuis, à peu près, cinq mois qu’Il a du céder aux instances réitérées des Grandes Puissances et à l’esprit du siècle pour faire cette concession, en conséquence elle vient de signer des conventions à cet effet avec toutes les Puissances, grandes ou petites sans distinction, tant en Europe qu’en Amérique et ce droit est acquit à l’heure qu’il est par tous les gouvernements. Bien que le commerce de l’Empire Ottoman ne s’etende pas à ces contrées lointaines et que La Sublime Porte n’ait pas senti jusqu’à ce jour le besoin d’y avoir des agents de cette catégorie, je pense qu’il est utile de se réserver l’avenir en stipulant une convention conforme à celles des autres Puissances amies et alliées, dont l’application sera facultative au Gouvernement Impérial. Mu par ce principe et en vue du développement des rapports politiques nouvellement établis entre l’Empire Ottoman et les autres Puissances de l’Europe, pénétré d’ailleurs de l’idée qu’il est de la convenance et de la dignité de mon Gouvernement d’avoir sa part de concessions de droits et prérogatives accordées à d’autres Etats, je n’ai point hésité à demander au Gouvernement Néerlandais la même concession qui a été faite tout dernierement aux allies de Sa Majesté Impériale notre Auguste Maitre, bien convaincu d’avance de l’approbation de Votre Excellence. Monsieur le Ministre van Hall a fait preuve en cette circonstance, comme en toutes autres, de ses bienveillantes et amicales dispositions à ce sujet; Il vient de me faire remettre copie imprimée de la convention signée avec la Belgique, et qui a servi de modèle en général à toutes les autres Puissances; et après avoir pris les ordres de S[a] M[ajésté] le Roi Son Maitre, Il m’a déclaré être prêt à signer une convention conforme et identique à celle-ci; sauf les modifications 1  In the nineteenth century, French was frequently used for internal correspondence within the Ottoman Foreign Ministry.

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à y apporter propres à la situation spéciale et aux intérets des deux Etats respectifs. C’est à cet effet qu’en soumettant à la haute approbation de Votre Excellence le projet de convention ci-joint, je La prie, après y avoir porté telle modification qu’Elle jugera nécessaire, de me la transmettre munie de Ses instructions et des plein-pouvoirs signés par Sa Majesté Impériale notre Auguste Maitre, indispensables pour pouvoir procéder à la signature et la ratification ultérieure de la dite convention. J’ose espérer, Monseigneur, que Votre Excellence ne verra dans ma démarche qu’un zèle infatigable pour la dignité de mon Gouvernement et le bien du service, et qu’Elle la jugera digne de la haute approbation. Veuillez agréer l’expression du respectueux dévouement avec le quel j’ai l’honneur d’être, Monseigneur, de Votre Excellence, Le très humble, très obeissant et dévoué servitteur C. Caradja Source: BOA HR.TO 184/42

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Grand Vizier to the sultan giving information about the agreement with the Dutch for the establishment of Ottoman consulates in the Dutch Indies, 1857

Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Flemenk Devletiʾne tâbiʿ olup Hind ve Amerika taraflarında bulunan biʾl-cümle adalar limânlarının başlıcalarında saltanat-ı seniyye şehbenderleri ikâme olunmasına dâʾir şâyân buyurulan ruhsat-ı seniyye mûcebince devlet-i müşârunileyhâ ile tanzîm olunan mukâvele-nâme Lahey Sefîri Kostaki Karaca Bey tarafından bâ-tahrîrât irsâl olunmağla akd olunan meclis-i mahsûsda tercümesi ledeʾl-kırâʾe ahkâm-ı münderecesi bu makûle şehbender ikâmesi hakkında sâʾirsâʾir devletlerle olan mukâvelenâmelere muvâfık ve yolunda görünmekle icrâ-yı îcâbı beyneʾl-huzzâr tasvîb olunarak mezkûr mukâvelenâme ve tahrîrât tercümeleriyle berâber meşmûl-ı nazar-ı şevket-eser-i hazreti şehinşâhî buyurulmak için arz ve takdîm kılındı muvâfık-ı emr u fermân-ı cenâb-ı mülûkâne buyurulduğu hâlde iktizâ eden tasdiknâme-i hümâyûn takdîr ve takdîm olunacağı ve bu misillü mukâvelelerin usûl-ı müttahizesi hakkında devlet-i müşârunileyhâ tarafından vâkiʿ olan suʾâle usûl ve emsâline göre cevâb-ı münâsibe verilmesinin sefîr-i mûmâimâileyhe bildirileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 17 Receb sene [12]73 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki

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Hâme-pîrâ-yı ibcâl olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i âsafâneleriyle mezkûr tercümeler ve mukâvele-nâme ve tahrîrât manzûr-ı meʿâl-i mevfûr-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî buyurulmuş ve istîzân-ı alî-i âsafâneleri vechile zikr olunan tasdîkname-i hümâyûnun tasdîr ve takdîm olunması ve ber-vech-i muharrer devleti müşârunileyhâ tarafından vâkiʿ olan suʾâle usûl ve emsâline göre cevâb-ı münâsib verilmesinin sefîr-i mûmâileyhe bildirilmesi müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulan emr u irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı mülûkâne muktezâ-yı celîlinden olarak mârruʾl-beyân tercümeler ve mukâvele-nâme ve tahrîrât yine savb-ı sâmî-i sadâret-penâhîlerine iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 18 B sene [12]73 Your Exalted Majesty: Kostaki Karaca Bey, the Ottoman ambassador at The Hague, has sent by post the documents concerning the agreement issued in accordance with the imperial grant for establishing imperial consulates at the main ports of all the islands subject to the Dutch State in India and America. At a special council, the translation was read to those assembled, who found the provisions it contained conform with similar agreements made on the establishment of consulates by other states, and on examination of the methods of implementation, those present gave their approval. The said agreement, together with the translations of the relevant documents, has been presented for the consideration of His Imperial Majesty’s wise judgement. If His Majesty should issue a command or order of approval, the required imperial certificate will be prepared and presented. As well as this, the said ambassador will be informed, which will permit him to give suitable answers in the usual styles and methods to the questions of the [Dutch] state concerning the established method of these kind of agreements. My lord, this note was written as an explanation. 13 March 1857. The request of your most humble servant is that: This present Grand Vizierial note, from the greatly revered pen, together with the said translations, agreement, and other documents, have been placed before the glorious sight of His Majesty. In accordance with your Grand Vizierial request, it is the requirement of His Majesty’s magnificent order and command that the imperial certificate be drawn up and presented, and to order the said ambassador to give a suitable answer in writing, in accordance with the usual forms, in response to the questions of the said state. The annotated translations, the agreement, and the relevant correspondence are to be returned to Your Vizierial Highness. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 14 March 1857 Source: BOA İ.MMS. 9/368/2/1

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Ottoman ambassador in London to the Foreign Ministry requesting the appointment of Sayyid Abdullah bin Amr al-Junaid as the Ottoman consul in Singapore, 1864

Aded 246 Maʿrûz-ı çâkerleridir ki, Lord İstenlinʾin mahdûm-ı kebîri Mister Stanlyʾnin ehibbâsından ve Hadramut ahâlîsinden olup Singapurʾda ikâmet ve ârâm eyleyen ve oranın en zengin tüccârından bulunan Seyyid Abdullah bin Ömer el-Cüneydî nâm zât Singapurʾda Devlet-i Aliyye şehbenderi nasb ve taʿyîn buyurulmasını müstedʿî bundan akdem cânib-i Bâb-ı Âlîʾye bir kıtʿa arz-ı hâl takdîm ve irsâl etmiş olduğundan bahisle şu istidʿânın kabûlü hakkında vesâtat-ı ricâ-yı bendegânem mûmâileyh Mister Stanly tarafından biʾl-hâssa iltimâs olunmuş ve mûmâileyh es-Seyyid Abdullah ber-vech-i meşrûh ashâb-ı servetden oldukdan başka saltanat-ı seniyyenin sâdık ve hayır-hâh-ı sahîhî ve her vechile liyâkat ve ehliyet sâhibi olduğu ve İngiliz lisânını dahî bildiği mûmâileyh Mister Stanlyʾin takrîr-i şifâhîsinden maʿlûm olmağla mûmâileyh Seyyid Abdullahʾın ol vechile Singapurʾa Devlet-i Aliyye şehbenderi nasb ve taʿyîn buyurulmasına müsâʿade-i meʿâlî-âde-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîlerinin bî-diriğ ve şâyân buyurulması bâbında ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emr veʾl-ihsânındır. Fî 25 Muharrem sene [1]281 ve fî 18 Haziran sene [1]280 Sefîr-i Londra Number 246 The request of your most humble servant is that: Sayyid Abdullah bin Amr al-Junaid, who is a close friend of Mr Stanley,2 the elder son of Lord Stanley,3 and a Hadrami residing in Singapore and one of the richest merchants of that place, previously sent a petition to be presented at the Sublime Porte requesting his appointment as the consul of the Sublime State in Singapore. Mr Stanley brought up this matter and requested my mediation in getting this enthusiastic request accepted. It is understood from the verbal declaration of the said Mr Stanley that, more than just being a rich man, the said Sayyid Abdullah is a genuinely righteous man, obedient and loyal to the Imperial Sultanate, possesses all possible merits and levels of competency, 2  Edward Henry Stanley, later British Foreign Minister, 1826–1893. 3  Three-time British Prime Minister, Edward George Geoffery Smith-Stanley, 1799–1869.

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and also knows the English language. It is left to Your Ministerial Highness’s approval as to whether the said Sayyid Abdullah should be appointed as consul of the Sublime State to Singapore. In this matter, and in all things, to command belongs to him who is the commander of and benefactor to all. 30 June 1864 Ambassador in London Source: BOA İ.HR. 208/11999

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Request of a Dutchman called Hymans for his appointment as the Ottoman consul in Semarang, 1865

Makâm-ı Nezâret-i Celîle-i Hâriciyeʾye Fî 21 Nisan sene 1865 târihiyle müverrahan Pâris Sefîri Devletlü Cemil Paşa Hazretleri tarafından vârid olan tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Flemenk Devleti tebʿasından Mösyö Martin Haymanʾın Cava Adasıʾnda taraf-ı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden şehbender taʿyîn olunması ricâsında bulunduğuna dâʾir devlet-i müşârunileyhâ sefîrinin savb-ı âcizâneme irsâl etmiş olduğu bir kıtʿa tavsiyenâmesiyle mûmâileyh Mösyö Haymanʾın taraf-ı âcizâneme vermiş olduğu istidʿânâme takdîm-i pîşgâh-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîlerine takdîm ve irsâl kılınmasıyla bu bâbda evâmir-i aliyye-i hazret-i nezâretpenâhîleri muntazır bulunduğunun beyânı arz-ı kâlâ-yı ubûdiyete vesîle ittihâz olunmuşdur. Pâris sefîri devletlü Cemil Paşa Hazretlerine fî 15 Nisan sene 1865 târihiyle müverrehan Flemenk Devleti sefîri tarafından gönderilen tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Badgrat dukasının Hind-i Şarkîʾde Flemenk Devleti zîr-i tasarrufunda bulunan Semarang şehrinde konsolos olup şehr-i mezkûra taraf-ı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden şenbender taʿyîn olunması istidʿâsında bulunan Mösyö Martin Haymanʾı zât-ı âlî-i sefîrânelerine tavsiye eylediğimin beyânı arz-ı meʾâsir-i ihtirâm-kârî vesîle ittihâz kılındı. Pâris Sefîri Devletlü Cemil Paşa Hazretlerine Mösyö Martin Hayman tarafından iʿtâ olunan istidʿânâmenin tercümesidir. Flemenk Devleti Sefîriʾnin zât-ı âlî-i âsafânelerine takdîmiyle kesb-i mefharet eylemiş olduğum tavsiyenâmesi üzerine âtiʾz-zikr istidʿâ hakkında nazar-ı dikkat-i hayr-hâhîlerinin şâyân buyurulacağı meʾmûlündeyim bayağı biʾl-cümle Avrupa Devletleriʾnin Cava Adasıʾnda konsolosları bulunduğu hâlde Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin Malezya‌ʾnın ziyâdesiyle ehemmiyeti derkâr olan işbu kıtʿasında hiçbir meʾmûru olmayıp halbûki Saltanat-ı Seniyyeʾnin orada

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nazar-ı dikkatini ve bi-hakkın himâyet-i seniyyesini dâʿî pek çok menâfiʿ mevcûd olduğu ve bu menâfiʿin hem politika ve hem diyânete taʿalluku olup şöyle ki tâbiʿiyyet-i muhtelifede olarak külliyetle Hindistanʾda bulunan ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin on beş milyonu Cava Adasıʾnda bulunup bunlar makâm-ı hilâfet-i kübrâyı büyük tanıdıkları ve merciʿ-i hakîkîleri addeyledikleri ve cezîre-i mezkûrenin Türkistanʾın Asya kıtʿasıyla münâsebât-ı ticâriyesi dahî olup orada taraf-ı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden bir meʾmûr bulundurulması münâsebât-ı mezkûrenin tezâyidini ve Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin Avrupa kıtʿasına kadar cereyânını müstelzim olacağı ve çâkerleri ise tüccârdan ve on sene mukaddem Samarangʾde teşkîl olunmuş olan Jakobs Hayman Şirketiʾnin müdürü bulunduğundan muktezâ-yı mesâlihim ekseriyâ oranın ihtilât ettiğim yerli veyâ muhâcir Müslümanları taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeden bir meʾmûrun taʿyîni arzusunda bulunduklarını taraf-ı çâkirâneme beyân ve izhârdan hâlî olmadıkları cihetle ahâlî-i mezkûrenin vâsıta-i teblîği olduğum işbu niyyât ve temenniyâtlarına taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeden izhâr-ı vüsûk ve iʿtimâd birle isʿâf arzuları tensîb buyurulduğu halde meʾmûrîyet-i mezkûreye çâkerîlerinin taʿyîn buyurulmaklığımı arz ve teklîf ederim kulları bin sekiz yüz elli dokuz senesinden beri Badgrat dukasının Samarangʾde konsolos olup gerek ikâmet-gâhım olan işbu şehre ve gerek cezîre-i mezkûrenin başlıca şehirleri olan Batavya ve Sorabaya‌ʾya başşehbender taʿyîn buyurulmaklığı hakkımda bir büyük lütf ve inâyet addedeceğimden ahvâl-i âcizânem Flemenk sefîriyle Rotterdamʾda bulunan Devlet-i Aliyye şehbenderinden tahkîk buyurulabileceğinden işbu istidʿâ-yı âcizânemin nezd-i saltanat-ı seniyyede rehîn-i isʿâf buyurulacağı meʾmûlünde bulunduğumun beyânı ihtirâmât-ı fâʾikamın teʾkîd-i teʾmînâtına vesîle ittihâz ederim. This is the translation of the communiqué, dated 21 April 1865, received by the exalted Foreign Ministry from Cemil Paşa, Ambassador in Paris With this I would like to present [the following documents] to your ministerial Excellency and state that I am looking forward to your Excellency’s relevant order, and seize the opportunity to present my submission concerning a letter of recommendation of the Ambassador of the Netherlands addressed to me, stating that Monsieur Martin Hymans, a subject of the said country, requests his appointment as consul of the Sublime State on the island of Java, and a petition given to me by the said Monsieur Hymans. This is the translation of the note sent by the Ambassador of the Dutch State, with the date 15 April 1865, to his Excellency Cemil Paşa, Ambassador at Paris. The announcement that I recommend Monsieur Martin Hymans, consul of the Grand Duchy of Baden in Semarang, which is under the Dutch States’

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possession in the East Indies, who requests appointment as the consul of the Sublime State in the said city, to your Ambassadorial Excellency, has been used as an opportunity to present my respects. This is the translation of the petition of Monsieur Martin Hymans to the exalted Cemil Paşa, Ambassador at Paris. I hope that upon the letter of recommendation with which I was honoured, presented to your Excellency by the Ambassador of the Dutch State, the request expressed below will be considered worthy of your benevolent attention. Although all European countries have consuls on the island of Java, the Sublime State does not have an official in this part of Malaya,4 even though the latter’s great importance is clear. Indeed, there are numerous interests that require the attention as well as the protection of the Imperial Sultanate. These interests are related to politics as well as to religion, namely, the presence of fifteen million Muslims, who bear various nationalities, situated on the island of Java, who all recognize the office of the great Caliphate as their superior and their true authority. There are commercial relations between the said island and Turkistan and the continent of Asia, and the presence of an official of the Sublime State there will increase the said relations, and help the Sublime State to become influential as far as the European continent. I am a merchant, and the director of the Jacobs Hymans Company, which was founded ten years ago in Semarang. The native and immigrant Muslims, with whom I socialize due to my business, express to me their desire for the appointment of an official by the Imperial Sultanate. If the Imperial Sultanate approves this request, which I am humbly reporting as an intermediary of the said people, I would like to suggest and request my appointment to the said mission. I have been the consul of the Grand Duchy of Baden in Semarang since 1859, and I would consider it as a very great favour and honour to be appointed as the Consul General in this city where I reside, as well as to the other main cities such as Batavia and Surabaya. My circumstances can be investigated through the Dutch Ambassador, as well as from the consul of the Sublime State in Rotterdam. I would like to use this announcement that I hope that my humble request will be approved by the Imperial Sultanate as an opportunity to reiterate my extraordinary respects. Source: BOA HR.TO. 74/71

4  Malaya is used in a general way to mean the Malay world.

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Brother of the deceased Ottoman consul in Singapore, Junaid bin Amr al-Junaid, to the sultan communicating the death of his brother and giving information about the number of Ottoman ships visiting Singapore, 1866

Taraf-ı eşref-i hazret-i pâdişâhîye fî 7 Şevvâl sene [12]82 târihiyle müverrahan ve Cüneyd bin Ömer el-Cüneyd imzâsıyla mümzâ olarak Bahr-ı Muhît-i Hindiyeʾde vâkıʿ Singapur cezîresinden mevrûd bir kıtʿa Arabî arz-ı hâlin tercümesidir. Baʿdeʾl-elkâb veʾd-duʿâ Birâderim es-Seyyid Abdullah bin Ömer el-Cüneydʾin Singapur cezîresinde Devlet-i Aliyye şehbenderi taʿyîn buyurulmuş olduğuna dâʾir şeref-sâdır olan fermân-ı âlî Londra‌ʾda mukîm Devlet-i Aliyye sefîri atûfetlü Mozoros Bey Hazretleri vâsıtasıyla bu tarafa gönderilmişdi fermân-ı âlî-i mezkûrun şeref-vürûdunu müteʿâkib birâderim mûmâileyh cânib-i Hicâzʾa azîmetle farîza-i haccı îfâ ve baʿdehû Dersaʿâdetʾe giderek mazhar olduğu âtıfet-i seniyyeden dolayı vecîbe-i teşekkürü icrâ eylemek arzusuyla bu tarafdan hareket etmiş ise de Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye duhûlünde hulûl-ı ecl-i mevʿûduyla vefât eylemiş ve binâʾen aleyh huzûr-ı şevket-mevfûr-ı hazret-i mülk-dârîlerine rızâ-yı ubûdiyet olamamışdır bu sene-i mübârekede bu tarafa Devlet-i Aliyye sancağıyla yedi kıtʿa sefîne vürûd ile Cava‌ʾya azîmet etmişdir ve bu havâliye amed şud eden sefâyin-i Osmâniyeʾnin aded ve (?)larının tezâyüd etmesini eltâf-ı ilâhîden meʾmûl ederim husûs-ı meşrûhu arz ve inhâ ve mücerred levâzım-ı ubûdiyet ve rıkkıyeti îfâ maʿrazında işbu arîza-i çâkerânemin sefîri mûmâileyh vâsıtasıyla huzûr-ı meʿâlî-nüşûr-ı cenâb-ı şehriyârîlerine takdîme mücâseret kılınmağın ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Translation of an Arabic letter, dated 23 February 1866,5 sent to His Majesty from the island of Singapore situated in the Indian Ocean, signed with the mark of Junaid bin Amr al-Junaid. After honorific titles and submissions: The exalted order about the appointment of my brother Sayyid Abdullah bin Amr al-Junaid as the consul of the Sublime State to Singapore was sent to here through the means of His Excellency [Konstantinos] Mousouros Bey, the ambassador of the Sublime State residing in London. Following the arrival of the said exalted order, my said brother departed hence with the intention of going to Hijaz to perform the obligation of Hajj, and after that to proceed to the 5  The Arabic original has not been found.

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Abode of Felicity [Istanbul] to perform the duty of expressing his gratefulness for the high favour he has attained. However, on his arrival at Mecca he died a natural death, and therefore was not able to express his most humble obedience to His most gracious Majesty. In this blessed year, seven ships flying the flag of the Sublime State arrived here and departed for Java, and I regard the increase of the number and (?) of Ottoman ships visiting these places as a gift of God. I dared to present this petition to Your most gracious Majesty through the mediation of the said ambassador, simply to express my most humble obedience and to relate the news of the above mentioned matter. In this matter and in all others, to command belongs unto him who commands all. Source: BOA HR.TO. 448/8

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Teuku Muhammad Arifi[n]6 to the sultan giving a short description of his dynastic background and requesting his appointment as the Ottoman consul in Singapore, 1871

Taraf-ı müstecmiʿüʾş-şeref-i hazret-i pâdişâhîye fî Nisan sene 1871 târihiyle müverrahan Taʿku Muhammed Ârifî[n] nâm kimesnenin arz ve takdîm etmiş olduğu arz-ı hâlin tercümesidir. Moka Moka Sultânı Takil Âlemşâhʾın oğullarından Sultan Mahmud Malfar Şâhʾın oğlu Sultân Basisir Maʿlûm nâm şâhın oğlu olan Sultân Gundam Şâhʾın kerîmesi Laylâ Hamâle Sultânʾın mahdûmu olduğumdan kemâl-i taʿzîm ve tebcîl ile atabe-i felek-mertebe-i hazret-i pâdişâhîlerine rûsâr-ı ubûdiyet olarak işbu arz-ı hâl-i rıkkıyet-meʾâl-i çâkerânemi huzûr-ı lâmiʿuʾn-nûr-ı mülûkânelerine arz ve takdîm ile berâber bu bâbda olan cürʾet ve tasaddîʿ-i ahkarânemin karîn-i afv ve (?) âlî birle âtîde muharrer istidʿâ-yı çâkerânemin isʿâf buyurulmasını bâ-kemâl-i tazarruʿ istirhâm eylerim şöyle ki Sumatra‌ʾda vâkıʿ Muko Muko Cezîresi ber-vech-i maʿrûz ehl-i İslâmʾdan olan ecdâd-ı bendegânemin taht-ı idârelerinde olup bin sekiz yüz dört senesinde büyük pederim mûmâileyh Sultân Gundam Şâh biʾl-cümle aʿzâ-yı hânedânıyla cezîre-i mezkûrede âsûde-nişîn-i istirâhât iken her nasılsa İngiltere Devlet-i fehîmesi himâyesine dehâlet edip bin sekiz yüz yirmi dört senesi Teşrîn-i Sânîsiʾnin on beşinde dahî terk-i câme-i hayât eylediğinde amm-i bendegânem olan Sultân Hidâyet Tûlâşâh devlet-i müşârunileyhâ ile biʾl-ittifâk Muko Mukoʾya tâbiʿ Bengkulu nâm mevkîʿi Flemenk Devletiʾne terk ve teslîm etmiş ve kulları dahî altmış bir Kânûn-ı Evveliʾnin onunda Muko Mukoʾyu terk ile Terengganuʾya gidip hükümdârı bulunan Sultan Ömerʾin umûr-ı hâriciyesi müdüriyetini 6  On Teuku Muhammad Arifin see Reid 2005: 262–264.

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der-uhde ederek altmış dokuz senesi Ağustosuʾnun on beşinde hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyh tarafından İngiltere Kraliçesi Haşmetlü Victoria Hazretlerine baʿzı hedâyâ-yı mahsûsa takdîm etmek meʾmûriyetiyle İngiltereʾye azîmet ve sene-i mezkûre Teşrîn-i Sânîsiʾnin onunda hedâyâ-yı mezkûreyi Prens Dö Gal Hazretleriyle Lord Clarendonʾa takdîm ve teslîm birle sultân-ı müşârunileyhe cevâben yazılmış olan iki kıtʿa tahrîrâtı hâmilen yetmiş senesi Şubatıʾnın on beşinde Terengganuʾya avdet eylemiş olduğuma ve meʾmûriyet-i mezkûre dahî bu sûretle resîde-i encâm edildiğine binâʾen yetmiş bir senesi Kânûn-i Sânîsiʾnin üçünde Terengganuʾdan İngiltere Devleti müstemlekâtından bulunan Singapurʾa nakl ile orada tavattun ve ikâmet eylemişimdir. Şehr-i mezkûrda mineʾl-kadîm Saltanat-ı Seniyye şehbenderliği sanʿatını hâʾiz olan Abdullah nâm zât bin sekiz yüz altmış dört senesinde Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde vefât etmesiyle meʾmûriyeti münhal olmuş ve çâkerleriyle ecdâd-ı âcizânem ehl-i İslâm olup mineʾl-ezel râyet-i nusret-âyet-i Saltanat-ı Seniyye-i Osmâniyeʾnin bu kıtʿada aleʾd-devâm meşhûd-ı bâsıra-i ibtihâc ve iftihâr olması hakkında olan emel ve arzu-yı çâkerâneme bu hıttada bulunan tebʾa-i cenâb-ı şehin-şâhîlerinin sâye-i zılliyet-vâye-i mülûkânelerinde mazhar-ı himâye ve sahâbet olmaları maksadı dahî munzam bulunmuş olduğundan min gayr-ı had Singapur şehbenderliğinin uhde-i çâkerâneme tevcîh ve ihsân buyurulmasına müsâʿade-i şevket-âde-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîlerini istirhâma mübâderet ve işbu istidʿâ-yı çâkerânemin takdîmine buranın biʾl-cümle ulemâsıyla ahâlî-i müslimesinin biʾl-ittifâk ibrâz eyledikleri hevâhiş üzerine mücâseret kılınmış olduğu muhât-ı ilm-i âlem-ârâ-yı hazret-i şehin-şâhîleri buyuruldukda olbâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân ve lütf u ihsân-ı zât-ı şevket-simât efendimiz hazretlerinindir. Translation of the petition presented to His Majesty dated April 1871 by a certain Teuku Muhammad Arifi[n] I am the son of Layla Hamale Sultan, daughter of Sultan Gundam Shah, son of Sultan Pasisir Barat Shah, son of Sultan Mahmud Malfar Shah, one of the sons of Takil Alemshah, Sultan of Muko-Muko.7 I present my most humble and submissive petition to the shining presence of Your Majesty with complete deference and reverence to the heaven-honoured threshold of Your Majesty. I beg forgiveness and for this boldness, and plead with all due submission that what I have to request be accepted for consideration. As already noted, the island of Muko-Muko, located in Sumatra, was under the administration of my humble ancestors, who were Muslims, until in 1804, when my aforementioned 7  On this sultanate in western Sumatra, see Kathirithamby-Wells and Hashim 1985. Pasisir Barat Shah ruled between 1752 and 1789.

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grandfather Sultan Gundam Shah was living in tranquillity together with all the rest of the dynasty, somehow it came under the protection of the state of Britain.8 When he died on 15 November 1824, my humble uncle Sultan Hidayat Tulashah, [i.e. Sultan Hidayat Allah Shah]9 in alliance with the aforementioned state, left the region called Bengkulu,10 a dependency of Muko-Muko, to the Dutch state. On 10 November 1861, your servant [Teuku Muhammad Arifi] left Muko-Muko and went to Terengganu and became the director of the foreign affairs of its ruler, Baginda Omar. On 15 August 1869, I was sent to Britain by the said ruler to present some special gifts to Her Majesty the Queen of Britain, gracious Victoria, and on 10 November of the said year I presented the said gifts to His Highness the Prince of Wales together with Lord Clarendon.11 I returned to Terengganu on 15 February 1870 with two letters written in response to the said sultan. After I completed the said mission in this way, on 3 January 1871 I moved from Terengganu to the British colony of Singapore and settled there. The consulship of the Magnificent [Ottoman] Sultanate in that city was held by a certain Abdullah but he died in Mecca in the year 1864 and the position became vacant. It is my most humble request that Your Caliphal Majesty bestow your gracious permission that I be granted the consulship of Singapore, as I and my humble ancestors are Muslims, and it has long been my humble desire and wish that the victorious flag of the Magnificent Ottoman Sultanate government being an everlasting source of pride and joy in this continent, in addition to the intention of providing protection to the subjects of Your Majesty in these quarters with protection. In daring to present this most humble petition, it should be brought to Your Majesty’s knowledge that I do so upon the unanimous passionate desire shown by all the Islamic scholars and the entirety of the Muslim population of this place. In this matter, to order, command, patronise and bestow is the preserve of Your Majesty, our glorious lord. Source: BOA HR.TO. 454/56

8  The chronology is confused: Gundam Shah ruled between 1728 and 1752. In 1804 the East India Company intervened in a civil war in Muko-Muko, supporting Sultan Khalifatullah Inayat Shah against a rebellion by his relative Prince Zainal Abidin. See Kathirithamby Wells and Hashim 1985: 20–21. 9  Sultan Hidayatullah ruled 1816–1832. 10  The headquarters of the English East India Company in Sumatra for 150 years, from 1684 to 1824, until by the Treaty of London between England and the Netherlands, Bengkulu was exchanged for Melaka. 11  George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon (1800–1870), an English diplomat and statesman who was the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs during the period.

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Grand Vizier to the sultan introducing the note of the Foreign Ministry for the appointment of an honorary consul to Batavia, and the Sultan’s response, 1882

Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Cava cezîresinde bulunan tebʿa-i şâhânenin muhâfaza-i hukûku zımnında Batavya‌ʾda bir şehbenderhânenin lüzûm-ı teʾsîsi Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden işʿâr olduğuna ve mahall-i mezkûra bir şehbender taʿyîni şehrî on bin guruş kadar bir masraf ihtiyârını müstelzim olup buna ise Hâriciye bütçesinde karşılık olmadığına mebnî ileride îcâbına bakılmak ve nizâmen muʿayyen olan mesârifin tenzîliyle hâsılât-ı mütebâkiye bu tarafa gönderilmek üzre erbâb-ı liyâkat ve iʿtibârdan Bağdadlı Seyyid Hızır-zâde Seyyid Aziz Efendiʾnin mahall-i mezkûra fahrî başşehbender taʿyîni istîzânına dâʾir Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresi leffen arz ve takdîm kılınmış ise de ol-bâbda her ne vechile irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i mülûkâne şeref-sünûh ve sudûr buyurulur ise infâz-ı mantûk-ı münîfine ibtidâr edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 24 Rebîʿülevvel sene [12]99 fi 1 Şubat sene [12]97 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i vekâlet-penâhîleriyle melfûf tezkire manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmuş ve ber-vech-i istîzân mûmâileyh Seyyid Aziz Efendiʾnin mahall-i mezkûra fahrî başşehbender taʿyînine müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî mantûk-ı münîfinden olarak mezkûr tezkire iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 28 Rebîʿülevvel sene [12]99 ve fî 5 Şubat sene [12]97 [Note of the Grand Vizier] My kind and exalted lord The note of the exalted Foreign Ministry is presented in enclosure. [It relates that] the imperial embassy at The Hague reports of the need for the establishment of a consulate to protect the rights of imperial subjects in Batavia on the island of Java, and that the monthly consular allowance in that place amounts to ten thousand piasters. However, the Foreign Ministry does not have sufficient funds in its budget to cover these expenses, and requests that this issue be resolved at a future date. We also have received a petition from the exalted Foreign Ministry concerning the desired appointment of Sayyid Hızırzâde Aziz Efendi of Baghdad, a person of merit and esteem, as the honorary Consul General in that place, on condition that he remits the consular revenues12 here after deducting the necessary legal costs. However, my lord, this explanatory 12  Revenue of the fees obtained by the consuls for the services they provide.

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note has been written with the understanding that the exalted order based on Your Majesty’s great wisdom in judgement will be implemented whatever it entails. 13 February 1882. [Response of the Sultan as Expressed by His Chief Secretary] The request of your most humble servant is that: The enclosed note together with the Grand Vizierial note, from the most revered hand, have been brought to the exalted presence, and in the matter of the said Sayyid Aziz Efendi, the magnificent command decreed by His Imperial Majesty is that he be appointed honorary Consul General in that place. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 17 February 1882 Source: BOA İ.HR. 285/17778

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Grand Vizier to the Sultan requesting the appointment of Sayyid Junaid as the honorary Ottoman consul in Singapore in place of his deceased brother, 1882

Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Hindistanʾda vâkıʿ Singapur şehrinde Saltanat-ı Seniyyeʾnin fahrî şehbenderi bulunan Seyyid Abdullah bin Cüneydʾin vukûʿ-ı vefâtına mebnî yerine vekâlet etmekde bulunan birâderi Seyyid Cüneydʾin taʿyîni husûsuna dâʾir Londra Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vukûʿ bulan işʿâr üzerine Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresi leffen arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda ve her ne vechile emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurulur ise icrâ-yı hükm-ı âlîsine ibtidâr edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm olundu efendim. Fî 4 Receb sene [12]99 fî 10 Mayıs sene [12]98 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i vekâlet-penâhîleri ile melfûf tezkire manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmuş ve ber-vech-i istîzân mûmâileyhin mezkûr şehbenderliğe taʿyîni müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî muktezâ-yı âlîsinden olarak tezkire-i melfûfe iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 5 Receb sene [12]99 ve fî 11 Mayıs sene [12]98 My kind and exalted Lord; Enclosed you will find the note of the exalted Foreign Ministry concerning the report received from the imperial embassy in London. This relates and requests that, following the death of Sayyid Abdullah bin Junaid, honorary consul of the Imperial Sultanate in the city of Singapore in the region of India, his

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brother Sayyid Junaid be appointed to his place. My lord, this explanatory note has been presented with the understanding that whatever the imperial order and command might be issued by Your most gracious Majesty, its exalted decrees will be implemented. 22 May 1882 The request of your humble servant is that: The enclosed note together with this Grand Vizierial note, from the most revered hand, have been brought to the exalted presence, the requirement of the noble judgement of the magnificent decree of His Imperial Majesty is that the aforementioned [Sayyid Junaid] be appointed to the consular position, and that the enclosed note be returned. In this matter to command belongs to him who commands all. 23 May 1882. Source: BOA İ.HR. 286/17881

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Note to the Foreign Minister for the appointment of Galib Bey as the Ottoman Consul General in Batavia, 1883

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Hâriciye Umûr-ı Şehbenderî Müdüriyeti Aded 362 Flemenk Devletiʾnin Cava cezîresinde bulunan İslâmlar hakkında mütehakkimâne muʿâmele gösterdiğinden ve husûsuyla taraf-ı Saltanat-ı Seniyyeʾden orada bir meʾmûrun fikdânından nâşî tebʿa-i şâhânenin hukûku pây-ı mâl eylediğinden bahisle bunların muhâfaza-i menâfiʿi zımnında Batavya‌ ʾya bir şehbender taʿyîni lüzûmu Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden mukaddemâ biʾd-defâʿat inhâ kılınması üzerine mahall-i mezkûrun buʿdiyet-i mesâfesi cihetle oraya taʿyîn kılınacak meʾmûra Bombay Şehbenderiʾne verildiği gibi lâekal dokuz bin guruş maʿaş ve tahsîsât iʿtâsı îcâb edip işbu akçenin bütçede karşılığı bulunmadığı cihetle baʿdehû iktizâsına bakılmak üzre teʾsîs olunacak şehbenderhânenin fahrî bir meʾmûr ile idâre edilmesi tensîb kılınmış ve tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden Batavya‌ʾda ticâretle meşgûl olan Seyyid Hızır-zâde Seyyid Aziz Efendi mahall-i mezkûr başşehbenderliğine taʿyîn kılınmışidi. Flemenk Devleti cezîre-i mezkûrede cânib-i saltanat-ı seniyyeden bir meʾmûr bulundurulması politikasına muvâfık olamayacağını izhâr edemeyeceği cihetle Aziz Efendiʾye verilen berât-ı âlînin münderecâtına iʿtirâz ve mûmâileyhin meʾmûriyetini tasdîkden istinkâf etmek gibi îkâʿ-ı müşkilâta kıyâm ettiği sefâret-i müşârunileyhâ cânibinden işʿâr kılınmağla işbu berât-ı âlî biʾl-cümle Devlet-i Aliyye şehbenderlerine verilen berâtların aynı olup muhteviyâtının

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aslâ taʿdîl ve tağyîri câʾiz olamayacağı gibi Devlet-i müşârunileyhânın buna iʿtirâz dahî hakkı bulunmadığı ve eğer vukûʿ bulan iʿtirâz Aziz Efendiʾnin şahsı için olduğu takdîrde yerine diğerinin nasbı ile mesʾelenin bertarâf edilmesi hayırlı olup ol vechile devlet-i müşârunileyhâ nezdinde icrâ-yı teşebbüs olunması münâsib olacağı hukûk müşâviri saʿâdetlü Şems Efendi Hazretleriyle biʾl-müzâkere kararlaştırılmış ve keyfiyet Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne izbâr kılınmış olduğundan alınan cevâbda Bâb-ı Âlîʾnin mutâlaʿâtı Flemenk Devleti tarafından hüsn-ı telakkî ve Aziz Efendiʾnin tebdîli devlet-i müşârunileyhâca bâdî-i kemâl-i hoşnûdî olduğu gösterildiğinden bâlâda arz ve taʿdâd edilen esbâba karşı oradaki şehbenderhâneyi meʾmûrsuz bırakmak muvâfık-ı hâl olamayacağı şöyle dursun cezîre-i mezkûrede bulunan nüfûs-ı kesîre-i müslimenin hilâfet-i kübrâ-yı İslâmiyeʾye olan şiddet-i irtibâtı ve on bin nüfûsa karîb olduğu mervî olan tebʿa-i şâhânenin menâfiʿi der-pîş eyledikde Dersaʿâdetʾden bir meʾmûr iʾzâmından ma‌ʾnen ve maddeten istifâde edileceği meczûm olmağla ve tercüme odası halîfesinden olup her halde ehliyet ve kifâyet ve hüsn-ı sülûk ashâbından olduğu zâbıtânı tarafından tasdîk edilen Galib Beyefendiʾnin sene hitâmında bütçeye idhâl edilmek üzre umûm şehbenderhâneler hâsılâtı karşılık tutularak üç bin guruş maʿaş ve altı bin guruş tahsîsât ile mahall-i mezkûr başşehbenderliğine taʿyîni ve hâʾiz olduğu rütbe-i sâniyenin emsâli misillü mütemâyize terfîʿi vâbeste-i reʾy-i rezîn-i isâbet-karîn-i cânib-i nezâretpenâhîleri bulunmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 18 Cumâdiyelûlâ sene [1]300 ve fî 15 Mart sene [1]299 Bende-i Yusuf Ziya Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Directorate of Consular Affairs Number 362 In a number of reports received from the imperial embassy in The Hague it has been demonstrated that, considering the oppression of the Dutch state towards the Muslims on the island of Java, together with the absence of an official from the Imperial Sultanate there to protect the rights of imperial subjects, there is therefore a need for the appointment of a consul to Batavia in order to protect their interests. However, given the distance of the said place, the salary and allowance for such an appointed official would need to be similar to that granted to the consul at Bombay, that is at least 9,000 piasters. There were not sufficient funds in the budget to cover this expense. Therefore, it was decided to deal with this issue later, and in the meantime to establish a consulate that would be overseen by an honorary official, and Sayyid Hızırzâde Sayyid Aziz

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Efendi, a subject of the Sublime State who was engaged in trade in Batavia, was appointed to the Consulate General there. Since the Dutch State could not openly declare that the presence of an official of the Ottoman Government on Java is not congruent with its policy on that island, it has tried to cause a number of difficulties, such as objecting to the content of the exalted diploma given to Aziz Efendi, and refusing to approve his official status. Following deliberations held with His Excellency Şems Efendi, the legal consultant, it was decided that as the content of this diploma is similar to the diplomas given to all consuls of the Sublime State, it is by no means possible to change or adjust it since the said [Dutch] state does not have the right to object to it. However, if the objections in question concern the person of Aziz Efendi, it will be beneficial to solve the problem by appointing someone else in his place, and it is appropriate to take the initiative with the Dutch state in that direction. This situation has been reported to the imperial embassy at The Hague. In the response, it has been reported that the sentiments of the Sublime Porte have been received favourably by the Dutch government, and that the replacement of Aziz Efendi will content them. However, considering the reasons noted above, it will not be appropriate to leave the consulate there without an official. Moreover, considering the intense attachment of the huge numbers of Muslims located on the said island to the Great Islamic Caliphate, and the interests of the Ottoman subjects who are said to amount to a population of nearly 10,000, individuals, it is apparent that it will be materially and spiritually beneficial to send an official from the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul] to reside there. A final decision is still to be made in this matter depending on the wise opinion of Your Ministerial Highness, but Galib Bey Efendi, one of the clerks in the translation office whose qualifications and competency are vouched for by his superiors is considered for the appointment to the Consulate General of the said place. This would provide a monthly salary of 3,000 piasters and an allowance of 6,000 piasters taking the general revenues of the consulates as compensation, with the stipulation of including it in the budget by the end of the financial year. Moreover, he would be promoted from his current second-level rank to mütemâyiz,13 in conformity with other appointments. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 17 March 1883. Your servant Yusuf Ziya N.B.: The request was approved by the sultan on 12 April 1883 Source: BOA İ.HR. 289/18146

13  A rank in Ottoman civil officialdom.

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Foreign Ministry to the Grand Vizierate requesting the payment of the rent of the Consulate General in Batavia, 1883

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 596 Huzûr-ı Meʾâl-i Mevfûr-ı Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Mukaddemâ istîcâr olunan hânenin şehre buʿdiyetinden nâşî şehbenderhâne ittihâzına elverişli olmadığı cihetle bu kere diğer küçük bir hânenin istîcâr olunduğundan bahisle şehrî icâresi olan yüz yirmi filorinin mâh be-mâh ve terk edilen hânenin bir mâh on günlük icâresi bulunan yüz altmış altı buçuk filorinin defʿaten tesviyesi Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden bâ-tahrîrât işʿâr olunmuş ve şehbenderhâne îcârının bütçede karşılığı olmadığı cihetle senei âtiye bütçesine idhâl olunmak üzre bu sene verilecek mikdârın umûm şehbenderhâneler hâsılâtından tesviyesi îcâb edeceğinden yeniden istîcâr olunan hânenin sene-i hâliye Şubatʾı nihâyetine kadar yedi aylık bedel-i îcârı olan sekiz yüz kırk filorin ile terk edilen hânenin bedel-i îcârı bulunan yüz altmış altı buçuk filorin ki cemʿan bin altı buçuk filorinin bedeli olan on bin altmış beş guruşun şehbenderhâneler hâsılâtından tesviyesi lüzûmu Hâriciye muhâsebesinden bâ-müzekkere ifâde kılınmış olmağla icrâ-yı iktizâsının taraf-ı çâkerâneme emr ve işʿârı husûsuna müsâʿade-i celîle-i cenâb-ı sadâret-penâhîleri şâyân buyurulmak bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 17 Zilkaʿde sene [1]300 fî 7 Eylül sene [12]99 Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number 596 To His Grand Vizierial Highness: The request of your most humble servant is that: According to documents received from the Consulate General in Batavia, it is reported that the house previously rented was not suitable for the establishment of a consulate due to its distance from the city, and therefore another small house was rented. The monthly rent is 120 florins each month, and the rent for the vacated property is a one-off payment of 166.5 florins, being one month and ten days’ rent. As there are no funds in the budget for the

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consulate’s rent, this needs to be included in next year’s budget. Therefore, the amount that will be paid this year should be taken from the general revenues of the consulates. In a report, the accounts department of the Foreign Ministry calculated that 1,065 piasters is what is needed to be paid from the revenues of the consulates, comprising the sum of 840 florins for seven months’ rent of the newly-rented house until 12 March 1884 [the end of that Ottoman fiscal year], and 166.5 florins being the rent owed on the abandoned house. It is the most humble request that the great wisdom of Your Grand Vizierial Highness issue an order on how to proceed. In this and in all other matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 19 September 1883 Source: BOA İ.HR. 291/18283

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Grand Vizier to the Sultan requesting a medal for Galib Bey, Ottoman Consul General in Batavia, 1883

Devletlü efendim hazretleri Batavya‌ ʾda bulunan biʾl-cümle ecnebî konsolosları devlet matbûʿaları tarafından nişânları hâmil oldukları cihetle mahall-i mezkûrda bulunan saltanat-ı seniyye başşehbenderi Galib Beyʾe dahî üçüncü rütbeden bir kıtʿa mecîdi nişân-ı zîşânı ihsânı muvâfık-ı şân-ı âlî olacağı ifâdesine dâʾir Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresi leffen arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda her ne vechile emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî şeref-sünûh ve sudûr buyurulur ise mantûk-ı münîfi infâz edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîmine ibtidâr kılındı efendim. Fî 19 Zilhicce sene 1300 ve fî 9 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [12]99 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleriyle melfûf tezkire manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmuş ve ber-vech-i istîzân mûmâileyhe üçüncü rütbeden nişân-ı mecidî iʿtâsı husûsuna irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurularak mezkûr tezkire iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 25 Zilhicce sene 1300 ve 15 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [12]99 My kind and exalted lord: According to the enclosed note of the exalted Foreign Ministry that is begged to be presented to Your Majesty, it would be appropriate to the exalted fame [of Your Majesty] to grant an honourable Mecidi medal, third class, to Galib Bey, the Ottoman Consul General in Batavia, since all the consuls situated there wear the medals of their sovereign states. My lord, this explanatory

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note has been presented with the understanding that whatever imperial order or command may be issued by Your Imperial Majesty’s great wisdom, its great decree will be entirely implemented. 21 October 1883. The request of your humble servant is that: The enclosed document together with this Grand Vizierial note, from the most revered hand, has been brought into the exalted presence, and in this matter it is the magnificent command of His Majesty that the presentation of a Mecidi medal, third class, to the said individual is approved as requested, and that the note be returned. In this issue, to command belongs to him who commands all. 27 October 1883 Source: BOA İ.HR. 291/18300

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Report of the department of consultation on Lord Salisbury’s proposal for the establishment of an Ottoman consul in Singapore, 1886

Bâb-ı Âlî Tercüme Odası Numero Nevʿ-i Tercüme: İngiliz konsoloslarının hâʾiz oldukları hakk-ı kazânın birkaç vilâyet dâhilinde kâʾin nevâhiye tevsîʿ edildiği hâlde İngiltere Hükûmetiʾnin biʾl-mukâbele “Singapurʾa” bir şehbender taʿyînimize iʿtirâz etmeyeceği hakkında Londra tahrîrâtı üzerine mutâlaʿa-nâme. İstişâre odasının 9 Şubat sene [1]886 târihli ve 1433 numerolu mutâlaʿanâmesinin tercümesidir. İngiliz konsoloslarının hâʾiz oldukları hakk-ı kazânın birkaç vilâyet dâhilinde kâʾin nevâhiye tevsîʿine dâʾir Mozoros Paşa Hazretleriʾnin tahrîrâtıyla evrâk-ı melfûf mutâlaʿa-güzâr-ı âcizânemiz oldu evrâk-ı mezkûre bu mesʾelede mevcûd olan hukûk mesʾelesine dâʾir birgünâ edille-i cedîdeyi hâvî olmadığından evvelki mutâlaʿa-nâmelerimizin münderecâtına mürâcaʿat eyleriz şâyân-ı dikkat yalnız bir mâdde vardır ki o da Bâb-ı Âlî bu mesʾelede müşkilat îkâʾ etmez ise İngiltere Hükûmetiʾnin dahî biʾl-mukâbele Singapurʾa bir şehbender taʿyîn eylemekliğimize iʿtirâz etmeyeceğine dâʾir Lord Salisbury tarafından vukûʿ bulan teklîfdir işbu teklîfin hükûmet-i seniyyece fâʾideli olup olmadığı hakkında beyân-ı reʾy edemeyiz bu bâbda bir karâr iʿtâsı Bâb-ı Âlîʾye âʾiddir. Şu kadar ki sûret-i tesviye-i mezkûre cânib-i hükûmet-i seniyyeden müsâʿadet-kârâne telakkî buyurulduğu takdîrde bunu esâs mesʾelesini muhâfaza ederek ve mücerred bir fikr-i itlâf-cûyâne ile kabûl etmek münâsib olacağı reʾyindedir. Fî 8 Şubat sene 1301

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Sublime Porte Translation office Number Subject of the translation: A report on the communiqué from London, that in return for extending the jurisdictional rights of British consuls in certain provincial regions, the British government will not oppose the appointment of our salaried consul to Singapore This is the translation of the report of the Department of Consultation dated 9 February 1886. We have studied the communiqué of Mousouros Paşa (and the enclosed documents) concerning the extension of the jurisdictional rights of British consulates to the townships within the boundaries of a few provinces. As the said documents do not include any new evidence related to the legal aspect of this issue, we refer to the content of our previous reports. However, there is one issue which deserves attention, which is the proposal of Lord Salisbury [suggesting] that if the Sublime Porte does not create any difficulty in bringing this matter to fruition, the British government will not oppose us with regard to the appointment of a consul to Singapore. We cannot definitively make any judgement on whether this proposal is advantageous for the imperial government, and deciding on this issue belongs to the jurisdiction of the Sublime Porte. Nevertheless, we think that if the imperial government deems it appropriate to resolve [the issue] in the said manner, they should maintain the original argument, and should treat this only as a possible idea for a solution. 20 February 1886. Source: BOA HR.TO. 369/88

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Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier about the appointment of Ismail Bey to the Consulate General in Batavia along with other appointments, 1886

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Huzûr-ı Meʿâl-i Mevfûr-ı Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir, Ârâm Efendiʾnin vukûʿ-ı vefâtına mebnî münhal olan Petersburg Sefâret-i Seniyyesi müsteşarlığına sinîn-i vâfireden beri tahrîrât Hâriciye Evrâk Müdürlüğüʾnde ibrâz-ı hüsn-ı hizmet eyleyen ve evsâf-ı matlûbeyi hâʾiz olan

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Saʿâdetlü Fethi Beyʾin ve sefâret-i müşârunileyhâ başkitâbetine dahî ehliyet ve gayreti hasebiyle maʿaş-ı hâliyesiyle ikinci kâtibi İzzetlü Ali Daniş Beyʾin taʿyînleri ve Batavya Başşehbenderi olup oranın havasıyla adem-i imtizâcından dolayı bu tarafa avdetine meʾzûniyet verilmiş olan Saʿâdetlü Galib Beyʾin Bombay ve Sırbistan Komiseri Saʿâdetlü İsmail Beyʾin dahî Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾne icrâ-yı meʾmûriyetleri lüzûmuna dâʾir Encümen-i Hâriciyeʾden iʿtâ olunan mazbata leffen takdîm kılınmış ve mezkûr Sırbistan Komiserliğiʾnin lüzûmsuzluğuna mebnî lağvıyla tahsîsâtının hazîne-mânde ve mesâlihinin emsâli misillü Belgrad Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne havâle edilmesi lâzımeden bulunmuş olmağla icrâ-yı îcâbına müsâʿade-i maʿâl-i âde-i hazret-i sadâretpenâhîleri şâyân buyurulmak bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 25 Cumâdelâhire sene 1303 ve fî 19 Mart sene [1]302 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number To His Grand Vizierial Highness The request of your most humble servant is that: The enclosed report presented by the Foreign Commission recommends the appointment of the following: His Excellency Fethi Bey – who possesses the necessary qualifications and has served well for many years at the Directorate of Records at the Foreign Ministry – to the secretariat of the imperial embassy in St. Petersburg, which became vacant following the death of Ârâm Efendi; to the head secretariat of the same embassy, His Excellency Ali Daniş Bey, the current second secretary, due to his competence and enthusiasm, with his current salary; to Bombay, His Excellency Galib Bey who had been the Consul General in Batavia but was permitted to return here due to his inability to adapt to the climate of that place; and His Excellency Ismail Bey, who was the Commissioner for Serbia, to Consulate General in Batavia. It has also been deemed necessary to suspend the Commissariat of Serbia due its lack of utility, to retain its allowance at the treasury, and to assign its affairs to the imperial embassy at Belgrade as has been done in similar cases. It is for Your Grand Vizierial Highness to command what is required to be done. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 31 March 1886 Foreign Minister [N.B.: on 8 April 1886, the Sultan approved the appointments.] Source: BOA İ.HR. 301/19085

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Ottoman embassy in Stockholm to the Foreign Ministry requesting a medal for the French Consul General in Batavia for administering the affairs of the Ottoman consulate during the absence of the Ottoman consul, 1886

Bâb-ı Âlî Tercüme Odası Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnin umûr-ı mesâlihini idâre eden Fransa Konsolosu Mösyö Joskinʾe üçüncü rütbeden bir kıtʿa nişân-ı âlî-i Osmânî ihsânına dâʾir. Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne fî 19 Temmuz sene [18]86 târihiyle Stokholm Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Flemenk Hükûmetiʾne âʾid Hindistan kıtʿasında Fransa Konsolosu bulunan Mösyö “Joskin” Saʿâdetlü Galib Beyefendi Hazretleriʾnin Batavya‌ʾdan müfârekatından beru “Batavya Başşehbenderhânemizʾin umûr ve mesâlihini kemâl-i gayret ve reviyetle/ruʾyetle idâre etmiş ve bu sûretle lütf ve âtıfet-ı seniyye-i cenâb-ı mülûkâneye kesb-i istihsân eylemiş olduğundan mûmâileyhin hidemât-ı meşkûresine mükâfaten üçüncü rütbeden bir kıtʿa nişân-ı âlî-i Osmânî ile taltîfi husûsuna ibtidâʾ-i inâyet-i aliyye-i âsafânelerini ricâ eder ve “Batavya” Başşehbenderi İsmail Bey mahall-i meʾmûriyetine münhâ-yı azîmet olduğundan Mösyö “Joskin”in şehbenderhâne umûrunu mîr-i mûmâileyhe devr eyleyeceği sırada işbu nişân-ı âtıfet-i seniyyeye nâil olması muvâfık-ı maslahat olacağını arz eylerim emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Sublime Porte Translation Office Draft translation: About donating an Ottoman medal of the third rank to Monsieur Jouslain, the French consul who administered the affairs of the Ottoman Consulate General in Batavia. Translation of the communiqué received by the Foreign Ministry from the Ottoman Embassy in Stockholm with the date 19 July 1886 Monsieur Jouslain, who is the French consul in the Dutch Indies, has administered the affairs of our Consulate General at Batavia with complete enthusiasm and care since His Excellency Galib Bey’s departure from Batavia. As he has, in this way, deserved the favour and benevolence of His Imperial Majesty, I request your lofty ministerial assistance in honouring him with the noble Ottoman Order third class as a reward for his praise worthy service. As Ismail Bey, Consul General at Batavia, is about to set out for his place of service, I would like to humbly suggest that it would be suitable that Monsieur Jouslain receive this mark of imperial favour the affairs of the consulate are transferred to the said official [Ismail Efendi]. To command belongs to him who commands all. Source: BOA HR.TO. 51/76

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Note to the Foreign Minister about the amount of the per diem to be paid to the Consul General in Batavia on his departure, 1886

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Muhâsebe Odası Aded 429 Umûr-ı şehbenderî müdüriyet-i behiyyesinden takdîm olup muhâsebeye havâle buyurulan bir kıtʿa müzekkerede bu kerre bâ-irâde-i seniyye Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾne taʿyîn buyurulan İzzetlü Rıfkı Efendiʾye iktizâ eden azîmet harc-ı râhının iʿtâsı beyân ve ifâde olunmuşdur şehbenderler nizâmnâmesi mûcebince mahall-i azîmeti Avrupa kıtʿasında bulunan meʾmûrîne maʿaşlarının bir misli ve Asya kıtʿasında bulunanlara dahî iki misli harc-ı râh iʿtâsı lâzım gelir ise de Batavya‌ʾnın pek baʿîd olmasına binâʾen mûmâileyhin selefi olup Bombay Şehbenderliğiʾne taʿyîn buyurulan Saʿâdetlü İsmail Beyʾe ve şehbender-i esbak Saʿâdetlü Galib Beyefendi Hazretlerine harc-ı râh olarak maʿaş ve tahsîsâtının iki misli iʿtâ olunduğu kayden anlaşılmasına nazaran mûmâileyh dahî maʿa tahsîsât maʿaşının iki misli olan on beş bin guruşun iʿtâsı tensîb ve fermân buyurulduğu hâlde tertîb-i mahsûsundan mahsûbu icrâ olunmak üzre tesviyesi husûsunun huzûr-ı meʾâl-i mevfûr-ı hazret-i sadâretpenâhîden arz ve istîzân buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 20 Ağustos sene [1]302 Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Accountancy Office Number 429 A memorandum sent from the Directorate of Consular Affairs to the Accountancy [Office] explains and discusses the payment of the travel allowance that should be paid by this office to His Excellency Rıfkı Bey, who is appointed by imperial decree to the Consulate Generalship of Batavia. According to the directive regulations for consulates, the officials whose destination is located in Europe should receive a simple travel allowance, and those whose destination is located in Asia should receive a double travel allowance. However, considering the extreme distance of Batavia, it is understood from the records that His Excellency Ismail Bey (the predecessor of [Rıfkı Bey] who is appointed to the consulship of Bombay) and the former consul His Excellency Galib Bey were paid an extra two salaries in addition to the double

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travel allowance. It is therefore petitioned and proposed that [his Majesty] commands permission to be given by His Grand Vizierial Highness for the said official to also receive this double payment of 15,000 piasters, and that payment be taken from the special fund. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 1 September 1886 [N.B.: On 20 September 1886, the Sultan approved the request.] Source: BOA İ.HR. 303/19233

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Emir of Mecca and the governor of Hijaz advise the Sublime Porte to send someone to the ruler of Sulu to establish contact, 1899

Mekke-i Mükerreme Emîri Avnürrefîk ve Hicaz Vâlisi Ahmed Ratıb Paşa kullarından şifre C. fî 19 Mart sene [1]315 Sulu ve Tolo denilen cezîreler Filipin ile Borneo adaları arasındaki arşipelden ibâret olup geçen sene li-ecliʾl-hac bu cânibe gelmiş ve taraf-ı emâretden müreffehen Medîne-i Münevvereʾye dahî baʿdeʾl-iʿzâm memleketine avdet etmiş olan Solu hükümdârı Cemal el-Kirâm nâm zâtın ol vakit vukûʿ bulan ifâdesine nazaran İspanya ile aralarında otuz üç seneden beri muhârebe eksik olmadığından bilâhare hâl-i sükûnetde bulunması zımnında İspanya‌ʾdan kendisine şehrî iki yüz ve müteʿallikâtına üç yüz İspanya riyâli tahsîs olunmasına mukâbil istihkâm yapmak ve derûnunda bir mikdâr asker ikâme etmek üzre İspanya‌ʾya bir iskele terk etmiş ve bu sûretle İspanya‌ʾnın taht-ı himâyesine girmiş olduğu anlaşıldığı gibi fiʾl-hakîka bu sene de hükümdâr-ı müşârunileyhin “Zülkarneyn” nâmındaki seraskeri ile oradan hayli İslâm dahî hacca gelmek için niyet etmişlerse de Filipin cezîrelerine vazʿiyyet eylemiş olan Amerika‌ʾnın oraya da tecâvüz azminde bulunmasına mebnî hac niyetinden sarf-ı nazar eylediklerine dâʾir evvelce gelmekle geçende berâ-yı ziyâret Medîne-i Münevvereʾye gitmiş bulunan altı nefer hemşehrilerine mektûb göndermiş oldukları hiyel-i tahkîkâtdan ve bunların cinsi ve lisân-ı mâderi olup galat Arabca tekellüm etmedikleri ve kendileri “Müdevverüʾlvech” esmerüʾl-levn bulundukları da umûr-ı maʿlûmeden idüği ve tensîb buyurulacak yolda nesâyih ve teblîğât-ı lâzıme icrâsı için hâkim-i müşârunileyhe erbâb-ı vükûf ve iʿtibârdan birisinin iʿzâmıyla tahrîrât-ı müştereke dahî tisyârı kâbil ve müsâʿade-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhîye mütevakkıf bulunduğu maʿrûzdur fermân Fî 22 Zilkaʿde sene [1]316 ve fî 22 Mart sene [1]315 Ahmed Ratıb Avnürrefik

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Cypher from your servants Awn al-Rafiq, the Emir of Honoured Mecca,14 and Ahmed Ratıb Paşa, the governor of Hijaz 31 March 1899: The islands called Sulu and Jolo constitute the archipelago between the islands of the Philippines and Borneo. Last year, the person called Jamalul-Kiram, the ruler of Sulu, came here for pilgrimage and was also conveyed by the Emirate [of Mecca] to Resplendent Medina as well, and then returned to his country. It is understood from his statement at that time that there has been constant war between [Sulu] and Spain for thirty-three years. Later, he accepted Spanish suzerainty, handing over a port to Spain to establish a military garrison in return for a monthly salary of 200 Spanish Reals for himself and of 300 Reals for his associates so that he remains quiescent. [It is understood] that they sent a letter to their six compatriots who came earlier and visited Resplendent Medina recently [relating that] although the Minister of War of the aforementioned ruler [Jamalul-Kiram], who is called Zulkarneyn, had intended to come this year with a number of people from that place to make pilgrimage, they had cancelled because the Philippine Islands were seized by America, which also seems to have aggressive intent there. Following an investigation into their race and mother tongue, it was found that they did not speak Arabic, and are themselves dark-skinned and “round faced”. It is submitted that it depends on the imperial permission of His Majesty, to send a knowledgeable and esteemed man to the said ruler for advice and announcement, in accordance with [His Majesty’s] approbation in order to enter into mutual correspondence. To command […] 3 April 1899 Ahmed Ratıb and Awn al-Rafiq Source: BOA Y.PRK.UM. 45/40

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Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting the appointment of Sadık Beliğ Bey to the Consulate General in Batavia, 1900

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 3361 14  ʿAwn al-Rafiq Paşa b. Muhammad b. ʿAbd al-Muʿin b. ʿAwn, Emir and Sharif of Mecca (1882–1905). On him see Ochsenwald 1984.

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Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Batavya Başşehbenderi Emin Bey mahall-i mezkûrun hevâsıyla imtizâc edemediğini ve istişâre odası muʿavinlerinden Sâdık Beliğ Beyin de maʿaşı teʾmîn-i maîʿşetine kifâyet etmemekde olduğunu beyân ile becâyiş-i meʾmûriyetlerinin icrâsını istidʿâ eylemiş ve mûmâileyhimânın taleb ettikleri meʾmûriyetlere nazaran ehliyet ve kifâyetleri maʿlûm bulunmuş olduğu beyânıyla icrâ-yı îcâbı ekseriyetle tezekkür kılındığını mütezammın nezâreti âcizî intihâb-ı meʾmûriyet komisyonundan iʿtâ olunan mazbata melfûfuyla berâber matviyyen takdîm kılınmış ve îfâ-yı muktezâsı manût-ı irâde-i aliyye-i dâver-i efhamîleri bulunmuş olmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 20 Şevvâl sene [1]317 ve fî 8 Şubat sene [1]315 Hâriciye Nâzırı bende-i Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number 3361 To His Grand Vizierial Highness: The request of your most humble servant is that: Emin Bey, the Consul General Batavia, who has not been able to adapt to the climate of that place, and Sadık Beliğ Bey, an assistant at the Chamber of Consultation, who states that his salary does not provide him with sufficient income, have requested that they exchange their positions of office. Since the competence and ability of both of them have been found suitable for the positions they requested, and the matter being of some urgency, the report of the appointments commission of my humble ministry together with enclosures is presented for consideration, on the understanding that whatever is your exalted Vizierial command will be implemented. To command belongs to him who commands all. 21 February 1900. Your servant, the Foreign Minister [N.B.: The request was approved on 17 April 1900 by the Sultan] Source: BOA İ.HR. 366/1317/Z-22

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Decision to appoint Hacı Atâullah Ahmed Efendi as the Ottoman consul to Singapore and Sayyid Hamid Efendi as his honorary chancellor, 1901

Nezâret-i Celile-i Hâriciye İntihâb-ı Meʾmûrîn Komisyonu Numero 336 Singapur beldesi Hindçiniʾnin en mühim bender-i ticâreti ve Aksâ-yı şark tarîkinin en işlek iskelesi olmak ve sekenesinin kısm-ı küllîsi Müslüman ve bir kısmı tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾde bulunan Arablardan teşekkül bulunmak hasebiyle ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin makâm-ı muʿallâ-yı hilâfet-i uzmâya olan merbûtiyet-i maʿneviyyelerini teʾyîd ve takviye ve tebʿa-i şâhâneden olan erbâb-ı hıref ve tüccârının muʿâmelât ve memâlik-i şâhâne ile olan münâsebâtında irâʾe-i teshîlât ve hukûk ve menfaʿatlerini muhâfaza zımnında mahall-i mezkûrda mevcûd olup hayli müddetdir kimsenin nasb olunmadığı fahrî şehbenderliğin tavzîfen ve başşehbenderlik olarak teʾsîsiyle erbâb-ı ehliyetden mazbûtüʾl-ahvâl bir zâtın taʿyîni derece-i vücûbda görülmüş ve mahallî muʿteberân-ı müslimîni imzâsıyla evvel ve âhar vürûd etmekde olan müteʿaddid mazbatalar ile de böyle bir şehbenderliğin teʾsîsi lüzûmu istidʿâ edilmekde bulunmuş olmasına ve Ümidburnunʾda küşâd ettiği mekteb-i Osmânîʾde etfâl-i müslimenin takviye-i hissiyât-ı diniyyeleri ve merkez hilâfeti uzmâya teşyîd-i râbıta-i ubûdiyetleri zımnında icrâ ettiği tedrîsât ve telkînât-ı hayriye hasebiyle mazhar-ı taltif-i âlî olmuş olan Fazîletlü Hacı Atâullâh Efendi maʿaş-ı muhassası ve hâsılât-ı mahalliyeden bir mikdâr tahsîsât iʿtâsı ile mezkûr başşehbenderliği kabûle müheyyâ bulunduğunu ifâde eylemesine ve elsine-i müteʿaddideye âşinâ olan mûmâileyhin işbu meʾmûriyete taʿyîni muvâfık-ı maslahat bulunmasına mebnî umûr-ı şehbenderî müdüriyet-i aliyyesinden muʿtî-i müzekkirede ifâde olunduğu vechile mûmâileyhin mekteb-i mezbûr müdüriyetinden dolayı nezâret tahsîsâtından almakda olduğu iki bin sekiz yüz guruş kemâ-kân maʿaş ittihâzı ve hâsılât vukûʿ bulmadığı takdîrde taraf-ı devletten tahsîsât-nâmına bir şey taleb etmemek şartıyla hâsılâtdan şehrî üç bin guruş tahsîsât ve kezâlik hâsılâtdan bin guruş hâne kirâsı iʿtâsıyla Singapur Başşehbenderliğiʾne şimdilik vekâleten nasbı ve pederi mukaddemâ tûl müddet Singapurʾda Devlet-i Aliyye fahrî şehbenderi sıfatıyla bulunmuş ve kendisi orada yetişmiş olan Seyyid Hamid Efendi şehr-i mezkûrda ihdâsına teşebbüs edilen işbu başşehbenderhânede bir meʾmûriyete taʿyîni istidʿâsında bulunup kendisi mahall-i mezkûrun ahvâline ve lisânına âşinâ olmasıyla şehbenderhânenin umûr ve mesâlihince ve biʾl-hâssa ahvâl-i mahalliyeye nazaran teksîr-i vâridâtı esbâb ve vesâʾilini taharrî ve istihsâl husûsunda vukûf ve

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maʿlûmât-ı mahalliyesinden istifâde olunacağı anlaşıldığından mûmâileyhin de şimdilik fahrî olmak üzre mezkûr başşehbenderhâne kançılarlığına taʿyîni tensîb kılınmış olmağla icrâ-yı iktizâsının makâm-ı sâmî-i sadâret-i uzmâya arz ve işʿâr ile istîzânı tezekkür kılındı. Fî 4 Zilhicce sene [1]318 ve fî 12 Mart sene [1]317 Umûr-ı Şehbenderi Müdürü [Mühür] Muhâsebeci [Mühür] Bâb-ı Âlî Hukûk Müşâviri [Mühür] Ticâret-i Hâriciye Kâtibi [Mühür] Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn Mütercim-i Evveli [Mühür] Mektûbî-i Hâriciye [Mühür] Foreign Ministry Official Appointments Commission Number 336 The town of Singapore is the most important commercial port city in Indochina, and the busiest port of the trade routes in the Far East. The majority of its residents are Muslims, and there is also found a community of Arabs who are Ottoman subjects. For some time no-one has been appointed to the honorary consulate there, and it has been deemed necessary to establish a fully competent Consul Generalship and dispatch a highly-qualified gentleman in order to develop and strengthen the connection of the Muslims there to the great Caliphate, to facilitate the commerce of Ottoman craftsmen and merchants [there] and [commercial] relations with the imperial realms, and to protect their rights and interests [of Ottoman subjects] in those parts. Additionally, repeated requests have arrived bearing the signatures of local Muslim leaders indicating the need for the establishment of just such a consulate. Consequently, the virtuous Hacı Atâullah Efendi – who was granted a high imperial reward for his special services to education in opening the Ottoman school in Cape Town that has reinforced the religious sentiments of the Muslim children and so created a centre for the development of their connection to the great Caliphate15 – has stated that he is willing to accept the said Consulate Generalship with its designated salary together some annuities from the consular revenues. Moreover, his appointment to this office is expedient, as he is familiar with a number of languages. Therefore, in accordance with the statement found in the note prepared by the Imperial Directorate of 15  On Atâullah Efendi and his activities in Cape Town and Singapore see Uçar 2000: 177–228. See also Gençoğlu 2016.

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Consular Affairs, it has been deemed appropriate to appoint the said individual, for now, as a deputy to the Consulate General in Singapore. He is to receive a salary from the ministry of 2,800 piasters, which is the same as he received for the directorship of the aforementioned school, as well as a monthly allowance of 3,000 piasters and an additional 1,000 piasters for house rent from the consular revenue, on condition that he will not demand any such additional allowance from the state in the event that such revenue be wanting. In addition to this, Sayyid Hamid Efendi, who was brought up in Singapore, requests to be appointed to an official position in this same Consulate General, as his father was for a long time the honorary consul of the Sublime State. As he is familiar with the language and circumstances of that place, it is thought that his local knowledge and experience can be utilized for consular business and affairs, especially by using local connections to find a means of increasing the consular revenue. Therefore, it has been deemed appropriate to appoint him as well, for now, as an honorary secretary at the said Consulate General. This matter is presented to the exalted Grand Vizierate in order to request permission for its implementation. 25 March 1901. Director of Consular Affairs [Seal] Accountant [Seal] Legal advisor to the Sublime Porte [Seal] Secretary of Foreign Trade [Seal] First Dragoman of the Imperial Divan [Seal] Secretary of the Foreign Ministry [Seal] Source: BOA İ.HR. 371/1319/M-22

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Hacı Atâullah Ahmed Efendi to the Ministry of Education requesting a medal before departing for his mission, 1901

Maʿarif Nezâret-i Celilesi Cânib-i Sâmîsiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Çâkerleri bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî Singapur Başşehbenderliği vekâletine taʿyîn buyurularak müteheyyiʾ-i azîmet bulunmakda isem de maʿlûm-ı sâmî-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîleri buyurulduğu üzre ahkâm-ı mukaddese-i dîniyenin Ümidburnunʾda neşr ve taʿmîmi husûsunda on sekiz seneden beri sebk iden hidemât-ı bendegânemin nişâne-i fahr-ı bî-pâyân olmak üzre bir kıtʿa altın liyâkat madalyasıyla mazhar-ı taltîf-i âlî-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî buyurulmaklığıma delâlet-i celîle-i nezâret-penâhîlerinin eltâf-ı sâmiye-i inâyet-sâzîlerine bir lâhıka-i fâhire teşkîlini niyâz ve istirhâm eylerim ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir.

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Fî 20 Muharrem sene [1]319 ve fî 26 Nisan sene [1]317 Singapur Başşehbender vekîli bende-i kemîneleri bende-i Ata el-Hâc Ahmed To the exalted Ministry of Education My kind and exalted lord; By the magnificent command of His Majesty the Caliph, your servant has been appointed as the deputy Consul General in Singapore, and I am preparing for my departure. However, as Your Ministerial Excellency knows, I have humbly served for eighteen years to circulate the principles of the holy religion in Cape Town.16 I request the guidance of Your Ministerial Excellency, that I be rewarded with a gold medal of merit by His Majesty the Caliph, which would be a sign of great honour. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 9 May 1901. Your humble servant El-Hâc Atâullah Ahmed, Deputy Consul General Singapore. Source: BOA MF.MKT. 559/28

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Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting the payment of the per diem of Hacı Atâullah Ahmed Efendi departing for his mission as the deputy Consul General to Singapore, 1901

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 612 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir, Mahall-i meʾmûriyetine müteheyyiʾ-i azîmet olduğundan bahisle harc-ı râhının tesviyesine dâʾir Singapur Başşehbender Vekîli Fazîletlü Ataullah Efendi tarafından iʿtâ olunan istidʿânâme muhâsebeye ledeʾl-havâle Singapurʾun Batavya derecesinde baʿd u mesâfesine ve Batavya‌ʾya taʿyin olunan şehbenderlere maʿâş ve tahsîsâtlarının iki misli harc-ı râh verilmesi usûl ve emsâli iktizâsından bulunmasına mebnî mûmâileyhe maʿaş ve tahsîsâtının iki misli olmak üzre iʿtâsı îcâb eden on bir bin altı yüz guruş azîmet harc-ı râhından karar-ı mahsûsasına tevfîkan yüz de beşi biʾt-tenzîl mütebâkî on bir bin yirmi guruşun nezâret-i âcizînin sene-i hâliye-i mâliye muvâzenesi tertîb-i 16  On Atâullah Efendi’s activities in Cape Town see Uçar 2000: 177–194.

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mahsûsundan tesviyesi husûsunun huzûr-ı sâmî-i dâver-i efhamîlerinden arz ve istîzânı lüzûmu bâ-müzekkere ifâde edilmiş olmağla îfâ-yı muktezâsı merhûn-ı irâde-i aliyye-i sadâret-penâhîleridir emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 6 Safer sene [1319 ve fi 12 Mayıs sene [1]317 Hâriciye Nâzırı bende-i Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number 612 To His Grand Vizierial Highness The request of your most humble servant is that: Virtuous Ataullah Efendi, the deputy Consul General to Singapore, presented a petition requesting the payment of his travel allowance, as he was ready to depart to the place of his mission. The petition was sent to the accounts department, stating that as Singapore is as far away as Batavia, and as the consuls appointed to Batavia are given travel allowances of double their salaries and annuities, so the said [Ataullah] requests the like allowance of double his salary and annuity. It is therefore petitioned to request of Your Vizierial Highness that he should receive an outward travel allowance of 11,600 piasters subject to a five percent reduction in accordance with a special resolution, leaving the sum of 11,020 piasters to be paid from this fiscal year’s budget of the humble [Foreign] Ministry. To command belongs to him who commands all. 25 May 1901. Your servant, the Foreign Minister. Source: BOA İ.HR. 372/1319/Ra-09

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Ibrahim, ruler of Johor, to the sultan announcing the death of Ottoman Consul General in Singapore, 190317

Atabe-i ulyâ-yı hazret-i şehriyârîye Cohor Hâkimi İbrahim Hân tarafından takdîm kılınan telgrafnâme tercümesidir. Devlet-i Aliyyeleri Başşehbenderi Ahmed Ataullah Beyʾin bu sabah Singapurʾda araba kazâsına uğrayarak vefât ettiği kemâl-i teʾessüfle arz ve işʿâr

17  Sultan Sir Ibrahim Al Masyhur Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar Al-Khalil Ibrahim Shah (r. 1895–1959).

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kılınır hâk-ı pây-ı hazret-i şehriyârîleriyle hükûmet-i seniyyelerine âcizleri ve tebʿam pek samîmî bir sûretde beyân-ı taʿziyet ederiz. İmzâ Cohor Hâkimi İbrâhim Translation of the telegram presented to the elevated threshold of His Imperial Majesty by Ibrahim Khan, Ruler of Johor It is reported with complete sorrow and regret that Ahmed Ataullah Bey, Consul General of the Sublime State, died this morning in a carriage accident in Singapore. My subjects and I present our most sincere condolences to the Imperial Government and to the dust under the feet of Your Majesty. Signature Ruler of Johor Ibrahim Source: BOA Y.PRK.NMH. 9/4418

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Order of the Sultan for the replacement of Sadık Beliğ Efendi, the Consul General in Batavia, with a religious person, 1903

Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi 5863 Batavya Şehbenderi Sadık Beliğ Efendiʾnin şiʿâr-ı İslâmiyete mugâyir ahvâlinden dolayı tebdîliyle yerine mütedeyyin birinin taʿyîni şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî îcâb-ı âlîsinden bulunmuş olmağla olbâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 27 Receb sene [1]321 ve fî 6 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]319. Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî bende-i Tahsin Yıldız Imperial Palace Department of the Chief Secretary 5863

18  The document is undated while the catalogue entry bears the date 17 March 1904. However the real date of the document must be somewhat earlier because we know that Ataullah Efendi died in early November since his funeral was extensively reported in The Straits Times on 11 November 1903. According to his tombstone the date of his death was 1 November.

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It is the requirement of the exalted order of the Caliph to remove Sadık Beliğ Efendi, Consul in Batavia, [from his office] due to his exhibiting behaviour contrary to the principles of Islam, and to appoint a pious person to the position. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 19 October 1903. Tahsin, Chief secretary of His Majesty Source: BOA İ.HUS. 110/1321/B-116

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Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier proposing the appointment of Kamil Bey to the Consulate General Singapore along with other appointments, 1904

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 236 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir, Cenâb-ı Rabbu ibâd ömr ve âfiyet-i cenâb-ı mülûkâneyi mezdâd buyursun Singapur Başşehbenderi Ataullah Efendiʾnin vukûʿ-ı vefâtına mebnî mezkûr başşehbenderliğe Korfu Başşehbenderi Saʿâdetlü Kamil Beyʾin ve ânın yerine Şire başşehbenderî Pezenî Efendiʾnin ve işbu başşehbenderliğe Barsilon Başşehbenderi İzzetlü Meyiz Beyʾin ve ânın yerine de Belgrad Başşehbenderliğiʾnden munfasıl İzzetlü Asım Beylerin mezkûr meʾmûriyetlere muhasses maʿâş ve tahsîsâtlarla taʿyînleri husûsunun huzûr-ı sâmî-i sadâretpenâhîlerine arz ve izbârı ifâdesini hâvî intihâb-ı meʾmûrîni Hâriciye Komisyonuʾndan tanzîm ve iʿtâ olunan mazbata ol-bâbdaki izâhât varakalarıyla berâber leffen takdîm kılınmış olmağla îfâ-yı muktezâsı merhûn-ı irâde-i aliyye-i dâver-i efhâmîleridir emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 18 Muharrem sene 1322 ve 23 Mart sene 1320 Hâriciye Nâzırı bende-i Tevfik Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number 236 To His Grand Vizierial Highness The request of your most humble servant is that:

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May God extend the life and health of His Majesty. Due to the death of Ataullah Efendi, the Consul General in Singapore, the Committee of Appointment of Foreign [Ministry] Officials petitions to present for the consideration of Your Grand Vizierial Highness: the appointment of His Excellency Kamil Bey, Consul General in Corfu, to the said Consulate General. His Excellency Pezenî Bey, Consul General at Syros is to take his place; to that Consulate General, His Excellency Meyiz Bey, Consul General at Barcelona; and to his place His Excellency Asım Bey, former Consul General in Belgrade; all with the salaries and annuities assigned to the said missions. The report in this matter is presented together with the related explanatory documents for your exalted Vizierial command. To command belongs to him who commands all. 4 April 1904 Your servant Tevfik, Foreign Minister [N.B.: The appointments were presented to the Sultan, who approved them on 24 April 1904. The file includes also accounts of the careers of the Consuls mentioned in the document.] Source: BOA İ.HR.388/1322/S-11

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Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting the payment of the perdiem of Kamil Bey, the newly appointed Consul General in Singapore, 1904

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 615 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir, Bu kere Korfu Başşehbenderliğiʾnden Singapur Başşehbenderliğiʾne tahvîli meʾmûriyet eden Kamil Beyʾe Asya‌ʾnın memâlik-i baʿîdesine taʿyîn olunan bu misillü meʾmûrîni Saltanat-ı Seniyye hakkındaki usûle tevfîkan maʿaş ve tahsîsâtının iki misli râddesinde iʿtâsı îcâb eden azîmet-i harc-ı râhından bermûceb-i karâr yüzde beş biʾt-teʾcîl mütebâkî on bir bin yirmi guruşun senei hâliye muvâzenesi tertîb-i mahsûsundan mahsûb ve tesviyesi husûsunun huzûr-ı sâmî-i fehîmânelerinden istîzânı muhâsebeden ifâde edilmekle îfâ-yı muktezâsı manût-ı müsâʿade-i aliyye-i sadâret-penâhîleridir emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 24 Safer sene 1322 ve fî 27 Nisan sene 1320 Hâriciye Nâzırı bende-i Tevfik

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Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number 615 To His Grand Vizierial Highness The request of your most humble servant is that: Kamil Bey has been appointed from the Consulate General in Corfu to the Consulate Generalship of Singapore. According to procedures pertaining to the officials of the Imperial Sultanate appointed to the distant countries of Asia, it is necessary to pay Kamil Bey a travel allowance amounting to double his salary and annuities, less five percent, in accordance with the special resolution, making a total of 11,200 piasters. The accounts department request of Your Vizierial Highness that this amount be paid from the special fund of this year’s budget. The implementation of this matter depends on the permission of Your Grand Vizierial Excellency. To command belongs to him who commands all. 10 May 1904 Your servant Tevfik, Foreign Minister Source: BOA İ.HR.389/1322/Ra-07

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Documents pertaining to a letter from an individual in Java to the Sultan requesting the appointment of a diplomat for their protection, 1910

25.1 The letter from an individual in Java to the Ottoman sultan Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Hâriciye-i Umûr-ı Siyâsiye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Tercüme Odası 27 Nisan sene 1326 Atabe-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhîye fî 15 Muharrem sene [1]328 târih ve “Ömer bin Abdullah bin Feloka el-Temimi” imzâsı ile Cava‌ʾdan takdîm kılınan Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre müttahidüʾl-hâl[?] iki arîzadan birinin tercümesidir. Flemenk Hükûmeti tarafından buradaki ahâlî-i İslâmiye hakkında tecvîzi zulm ve iʿtisâf edilmekde olduğu hükûmet-i mezkûrenin pençe-i zulm ve gadrinden halâs buyurulmaklığımız husûsunda inâyet-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı şehriyârîleri bî-diriğ ve erzân buyurulmasını kemâl-i (?) ve (?) ile niyâz ve istirhâm ederiz hükûmet-i mezkûre her devletin tebʿsına karşı riʿâyet gösterdiği hâlde yalnız İslâmların tığ-ı gadrine hedef ittihâz etmekde ve bu da buradaki

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ehl-i İslâmʾın bir hâmî-i zâhîri bulunmadığından ileri gelmekde ise de halîfei resûl-i Rabbüʾl-âlemîn olan hazret-i tâcdârînin hâmî ve müdâfiʿi oldukları derkârdır binâʾen aleyh zillullâhi fiʾl-âlem efendimiz hazretlerinin taraf-ı eşref-i mülûkânelerinden bizi himâye ve muhâfaza etmek üzere bir meʾmûr-ı siyâsînin taʿyîn ve iʿzâm buyurulmasını istirhâm ederiz zirâ devletlerden her birinin tebʿasını bi-hakkın himâye etmek ve onlara aid umûr ve mesâlihin âdilâne temşiyet edilip edilmediğine nezâret eylemek üzere burada birer siyâsî meʾmûrları vardır gerçi kulları Dersaʿâdetʾden cüdâ bulunuyor isek de kalben ve dînen makâm-ı akdes-i hilâfet-i uzmâya merbûtuz buralarda her zaman sefâʾin-i ecnebiye görülmekde olduğu hâlde râyet-i fevz-i âyet-i Osmânîʾnin semuh-bây-ı[?] satvet olmaması Cava ahâlî-i İslâmiyesini mahzûn ve mükedder eylemekdedir ahâlî-i mezkûreyi şâd u handân etmek içün arası sıra sefâʾin-i Osmâniyeʾnin sevâhilimize uğradılması husûsunun fermân buyurulmasını şevket-penâh-ı merâhim-i iktinâh efendimiz hazretlerinden kemâl-i sûz ve gedâz ile niyaz ederiz ol-bâbda ve kâtıbe-i ahvâlde emr u fermân şevketlü pâdişâh-ı zîşân efendimiz hazretlerinindir. Sublime Porte General Directorate of Political Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Translation Office 10 May 1910 Translation of one of the two petitions in Arabic submitted to the elevated threshold of the exalted Sultan, signed by Umar bin Abdullah bin Faluqa alTamimi from Java, dated 27 January 1910. The Dutch government sanctions the oppression of the Muslim people here. We plead with a complete (?) and (?) to his exalted Majesty for his help to save us from the clutches of oppression and injustice of the said government. The latter respects the subjects of all states, but targets exclusively the Muslims with its injustice. This results from the fact that the Muslims here do not seem to have a protector. However, it is apparent that His Majesty who is the Caliph of the Prophet of the Lord of the World is [their] protector and defender. Therefore, we plead for the appointment and dispatch of a political representative by our sovereign lord, the shadow of God on Earth, to protect and defend us, because every state has here a political representative to protect their subjects properly and oversee whether the affairs of their subject are managed justly or not. Although we your servants are distant from the Abode of Felicity, we are by religion and by heart connected to the holy office of the great Caliphate. It sorrows the Muslim people of Java that even though European ships are seen in these quarters, there is no sign of the great and mighty power of the ever-victorious Ottomans. We plead fervently to his Majesty, our lord,

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to order the Ottoman ships to call at our shores occasionally to make the said people joyful and happy. On this issue and in any case, to command belongs to our lord, the glorious exalted great Sultan. Source: BOA HR.TO. 402/60

Foreign Ministry to the Grand Vizierate communicating the report of the Ottoman embassy in The Hague on the allegations included in the letter to the Sultan Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye “Umûr-ı Siyâsiye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi” Devâʾir-i Merkeziye ve Vilâyât Kalemi 12 Eylül sene [1]326 Hülâsâ: Cavalı Abdullahʾın istidʿâsına dâʾir Sadâret-i Uzmâʾya Ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin himâyesi ve umûr-ı mesâlihin ruʾyeti zımnında bir meʾmûr-ı siyâsî iʿzâmı istidʿâsına dâʾir Cava ahâlîsinden Abdullah imzâsıyla atabe-i ulyâ-yı cenâb-ı mülûkâneye takdîm olunan Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre iki kıtʿa arîzanın tercümesiyle berâber tesyîr buyurulduğunu ve teʾkîd-i keyfiyeti hâvî resîde-i dest-i tekrîm olan 2 Mayıs ve 22 Ağustos sene [1]326 târihli ve 282 ve 722 numerolu iki kıtʿa tezkire-i sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri mutâlaʿa güzâr-ı âcizî oldu. Sâlifüʾl-arz müstedʿiyyâtın ne derece mekârin-i hakîkat bulunduğu ve sıhhati takdîrde bu bâbda lâzım gelen tedâbirin ne olması lâzım geldiği hakkında Lahey Sefâret-i seniyyesine icrâ edilmiş olan vesâyâya bu kere vârid olan cevâbda müstedʿî-i merkûmun nâmı Batavya‌ʾca mechûl idüği oradaki Müslümanların arzuları Avrupalılar hakkında cârî olan muʿâmelenin kendilerine de tatbîkinden ibâret bulunduğu ledeʾl-muhâbere mahallî başşehbenderliğinden bildirildiği işʿâr olunmuş ve Asya ve Afrika vilâyât-ı Osmâniyesi ahâlîsinden olup Flemenk müstemlekâtında bulunan tebʿa haklarında en ziyâde nâʾil-i müsâʿade olan millet muʿâmelesi icrâsının teʾmîni zımnında Flemenk Hükûmeti nezdinde îfâ-yı teşebbüsât edilmekde olduğu hâsıl olacak netîcesinin arz ve inbâsı tabʿî bulunmuşdur. Mezkûr arîzalarla tercüme leffen ve iʿâdeten takdîm kılındı. Emr u fermân 25.2

Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Political Affairs The Office of Central Bureaus and Provinces 25 September 1910 Summary: About the request of Abdullah from Java To the Grand Vizierate,

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I have humbly studied two Grand Vizierial notes dated 15 May and 4 September 1910, and numbered 282 and 722: [one] communicating that two petitions in Arabic, sent to the elevated threshold of His Majesty with the signature of Abdullah, one of the people of Java, requesting the appointment of a political functionary to protect the Muslims and to oversee their affairs, have been sent together with their translations; and [another] confirming the state of affairs. The Ottoman Embassy in The Hague has been asked whether these requests indicate the truth and if so what measures should be taken with regard to this issue. According to the response [of the Embassy to this query], upon communicating with the local Consulate General it seems that the name of the petitioner is unknown in Batavia and that the wish of the Muslims there is that they be treated in accordance with the treatment which is in force for the Europeans. [Moreover it has been announced that] the embassy has stated that it is taking initiatives with the Dutch government to ensure that most favoured nation [status] is implemented with regard to Ottoman subjects who originate from the Ottoman Asian and African provinces and reside in Dutch colonies. The result of this initiative will naturally be communicated. The said petitions and the translation are returned in enclosure. To command […] Source: BOA HR.SYS. 564/5

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The appointment of Necib Hacı Efendi to the consulate in Manila, 1910

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Umûr-ı Şehbenderî ve Ticârî ve Hukûk-ı Muhtelita Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Umûr-ı Şehbenderî Şuʿbesi Aded 454 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Manila birinci sınıf şehbenderliğe Necib Hacı Efendiʾnin taʿyîni hakkında Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir, Filipin adalarının merkezi olan Manila‌ʾda bu kere teʾsîs edilmiş olan birinci sınıf şehbenderliğe hâʾiz olduğu başşehbender unvânını muhâfaza eylemek üzre Raguza Başşehbender-i sâbıkı Necib Hacı Efendiʾnin taʿyîni tensîb edilmiş olmağla keyfiyetin arz ve istîzânı husûsuna müsâʿade-i celîle-i sadâretpenâhîleri şâyân buyurulmak bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 19 Receb sene [1]328 ve fî 13 Temmuz sene [1]326 Hâriciye Nâzırı

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Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Consular, Commercial and Complex Legal Affairs Department of Consular Affairs Number 454 To His Grand Vizierial Highness: Concerning the appointment of Necib Hacı Efendi to the rank of First Consul in Manila The request of your most humble servant is that: It has been decided to create the appointment of First Consulship in Manila, the capital of the Philippine Islands. It is petitioned to request the command with your Grand Vizierial permission that Necib Hacı Efendi, former Consul General in Ragusa, be appointed to this position, with the stipulation that he keeps his title Consul General. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 26 July 1910 Foreign Minister Source: BOA İ.HR.423/1328/B-22

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Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting permission for the acceptance of the medal awarded by the Romanian government to Reʾfet Bey, Ottoman consul in Batavia, 1911

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Sicil-i Ahvâl Müdüriyeti Aded 2330 67 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Cenâb-ı Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Reʾfet Beyʾe verilen Romanya Nişânı Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir, Romanya Devleti tarafından Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet Beyʾe üçüncü rütbeden Koron dö Romani Nişânı iʿtâ kılındığı Bükreş Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden işʿâr olunmuş ve mezkûr nişânın mûmâileyh tarafından kabûl ve taʿlîki zımnında müsâʿade-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî istihsâline delâlet-i sâmiye-i efhamâneleri sezâvâr buyurulmak ricâsıyla tanzîm olunan kararnâme leffen takdîm kılınmışdır emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir.

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Fî 2 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1329 ve fî 20 Mart sene [1]327 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Personal Records Directorate Number 2330 67 To His Grand Vizierial Highness The Romanian Order awarded to Reʾfet Bey The request of your most humble servant is: The Ottoman Embassy at Bucharest announced that Reʾfet Bey, the Ottoman Consul General at Batavia was rewarded by the Romanian State with a medal of the Order of the Crown of Romania, third class. In order that the said [official] can accept and wear the said Order, a decree has been prepared and is enclosed with the request pleading for your sublime Vizierial assistance in obtaining His Majesty’s exalted permission. To command belongs to him who commands all. 2 April 1911 Foreign Minister Source: BOA İ.TAL. 471/1329/R-25

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Foreign minister to the Grand Vizier about the appointment of Medenî Molla Ahmed Daud Efendi to the consulate in Rangoon, 1913

Bâb-ı Âlî Hâriciye Nezâreti Sicill-i Ahvâl Müdüriyeti Aded 37366–744 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Cenâb-ı Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Medenî Molla Ahmed Davud Efendiʾnin Rangoon Şehbenderliğiʾne taʿyîni Melfûf 1 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir, Rangoon şehri muʿteberânından Medenî Molla Ahmed Davud Efendiʾnin menâfiʿ-i hilâfet-i seniyyeye muvâfık hidemâtı maʿlûm olmasına ve müʾessesât-ı hayriye için iʿânât-ı mühimme cemʿi husûsunda dahî gayreti sebk etmiş

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bulunmasına mebnî mûmâileyhin mahall-i mezkûr fahrî şehbenderliğine taʿyîni hüsn-ı teʾsîri müstelzim olacağı teʾemmül kılındığından atabe-i ulyâ-yı mülûkâneden istîzân-ı keyfiyet buyurulmak üzre tanzîm olunan irâde-i seniyye lâyıhası leffen pîşgâh-ı âlî-i sadâret-penâhîlerine takdîm olundu ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 1 Zilkaʿde sene [1]331 ve fî 19 Eylül sene [1]329 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Directorate of Personal Records Number 37366–744 The appointment of Medenî Molla Ahmed Daud Efendi to the consulate in Rangoon Attachment 1 The request of your most humble servant is that: It is known that Molla Ahmed Daud Efendi from Medina, one of the notables of Rangoon, labours for the interest of the exalted Caliphate and endeavours to collect significant amounts for pious institutions. It has been thought that his appointment as the honorary consul to the said place will generate positive effects. Therefore the written statement for the imperial will which is prepared for requesting the matter from the exalted threshold of His Majesty, is presented to Your Grand Vizierial Highness. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 2 October 1913 Foreign Minister [N.B.: The Sultan approved the request on 5 October 1913.] Source: BOA İ.HR. 432/1331/Za-02

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Ottoman Foreign Ministry thanks German Consul General in Singapore for protecting the Ottoman subjects during the absence of an Ottoman consul, 1914

Umûr-ı İdâre-yi Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Nevʿ-i Müsvedde: Hâriciye Nazırı Prens Said Halim Paşa Hazretleriʾnden Berlin Sefîri Mahmud Muhtar Paşa Hazretlerine Hülâsâ: Singapur Başşehbenderine teşekkür-nâme irsâline dâʾir. Müstenid olduğu evrâk: 5 Eylül sene [1]914 târihli Singapur tahrîrâtı üzerine

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Almanya‌ʾnın Singapur Başşehbenderi olup mahall-i mezkûrda mukîm tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin de menâfiʿini himâyeye meʾmûr olan Mösyö “Fiendel”in harbi umûmînin iʿlânı üzerine biʾl-mecbûriye mahall-i meʾmûriyetinden infisâl ederek mahall-i mezkûrda bulunan tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin himâyesini Cemâhir-i Müttahide Amerikan Konsolosluğuʾna tevdîʿ eylediği 5 Eylül sene [1]914 târihli tahrîrât münderecâtından müstebân olmakdadır mûmâileyhin şimdiye kadar kendisine tevdîʿ kılınan vazîfeyi hüsn-ı îfâ etmiş bulunduğundan taraf-ı âlî-i sefîrânelerine yazılacak bir kıtʿa teşekkürnâmenin Hâriciye Nezâreti vâsıtasıyla mûmâileyhe irsâli esbâbının istikmâli siyâkında şukka-i muhlisa terkîm kılındı. Fî 8 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]914 General Directorate of Administrative Affairs Subject of text: From His Excellency Prince Said Halim Paşa, Foreign Minister, to His Excellency Mahmud Muhtar Paşa, Ambassador in Berlin. Summary: Dispatching a letter of gratitude to the Consul General in Singapore Document on which it is based: the Singapore correspondence dated 5 September 1914 From the content of the letter dated 5 September 1914 it is understood that Monsieur Feindel, the German Consul General in Singapore, who was also charged with the protection of the interest of the Ottoman subjects residing in that place, was obliged to leave the place of his mission upon the outbreak of the general conflict, leaving the protection of the Ottoman subjects to the consulate of the United States of America. As the said [consul] has successfully carried out the duty that was entrusted to him, [it is suggested] that a letter of gratitude from the Foreign Ministry be sent via this imperial embassy to the said [consul]. [This] note has been prepared for the arrangement of what is required. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2167/4

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Ottoman chargé d’affaires at The Hague to the Foreign Minister about his initiatives to preserve the confidentiality of the correspondence between the Consulate General in Batavia and the Foreign Ministry, 1915

Hâriciye Nâzırı Devletlü Fehâmetlü Said Halim Paşa Hazretlerine 4167 8 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir,

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Nezâret-i fehîmâneleri ile Batavya Başşehbenderliği arasında cereyân eden muhâberâtın Singapurʾda İngiliz meʾmûrîni tarafından sansüre tâbiʿ kılınıp zarfların açıldığına dâʾir 5/4164 numero ve 19 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]915 târihli tahrîrât-ı âcizî ile leffen takdîm kılınan Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnin raporunda münderic işʿârât üzerine bura Hâriciye Nezâreti nezdinde teşebbüsât-ı lâzımeden bulunarak İngiltere Hükûmeti tarafından ahvâl-i hâzıra dolayısıyla umûmiyetle muhâberât hakkında ittihâz olunan mukarrerâtın hükûmet-i müşârunileyhânın dâʾire-i hâkimiyeti hâricinde bulunan mahallin ve husûsuyla bî-taraf bir hükûmet nezdinde îfâ-yı vazîfe eden bir konsolosa âʾid muhâberâta tatbik edilemeyeceği cihetle Singapur İngiliz meʾmûrlarının Hükûmet-i Osmâniye Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾne gönderilen resmî bir kutuyu açması hükûmet-i krâliyeye karşı bir tecâvüz teşkîl eylediğini ve Flemenk müstemlekâtında muhâberâtı teʾmîn vazîfesinden Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin mesʾûl olduğunu Hâriciye müsteşarı Mösyö “Hanema”ya sûret-i dostâne ve mülâyimânede şerh ile sansürden geçmiş zarfı müşârunileyhe tevdîʿ eyledim. Müsteşar-ı Nezâret nokta-i nazar-ı âcizînin doğru olduğunu beyân eyleyerek bu husûsda İngiliz Hükûmeti nezdinde teşebbüsâtda bulunacağını vaʿd eyledi. Netice-i teşebbüsât maʿlûm oluncaya kadar Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾne vâkıʿ olacak teblîğât-ı mühimmenin şifre ile icrâsı mahremiyet-i muhâberâtı müʾemmin yegâne çâre bulunmuş olmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 20 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]915 Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesi Maslahatgüzârı bende-i Talʿat To His Excellency Said Halim Paşa, The exalted Foreign Minister 4167 8 The request of your most humble servant is that: Upon the statement (included in the report of the Consulate General in Batavia presented [to your Excellency] together with my humble correspondence, dated 1 January 1915 and numbered 5/4164) that the correspondence between the exalted ministry and the Consulate General in Batavia is being subjected to censorship, I took the necessary action with the Foreign Ministry of this place. I gave the envelope which had been censored to Monsieur [Sjoerd] Hannema, the Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs, and explained to him in a friendly and polite manner that it was not possible to enforce the initiatives instigated by the British government due to the current general situation with regard to communication, on the correspondence of a consul residing in a place outside the boundaries of sovereignty of the said [British] government, and especially one carrying out his duty on the territory of a

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neutral government. Therefore, [I declared that] the opening of a box sent to the Ottoman Consulate General in Batavia by British officials in Singapore constitutes an offence against the Royal [Dutch] Government, and moreover that the Dutch Government has an obligation to protect communications within the Dutch colonies. The Secretary-General of the Ministry stated that my humble view was correct, and promised to take up the issue with the British government. Until the result of these undertakings become known, for the time being the only means of ensuring the confidentiality of correspondence is to pass important notifications to the Consulate General in Batavia in cipher. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 2 February [1]915 Your servant Talʾat, Chargé d’affaires of the Imperial Embassy at The Hague Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2406/35

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Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the importance of his consulate with regard to informing the Muslims of the region about the ongoing war, 1915

Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsine Aded 401–4 Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Maʿrûz-ı Çâker-i Kemîneleridir, Hilâfet-i mukaddese ve hükûmet-i seniyyeye karşı biʾl-fiʿl harekât-ı tecâvüziyyede bulunduklarından dolayı İngiltere, Rusya ve Fransız hükûmetlerine karşı hükûmet-i seniyyenin dahî li-ecliʾl-müdâfaʿa iʿlân-ı harb eylediğimiz bundan evvel vürûd eden Dersaʿâdet gazetelerinde mutâlaʿa-güzâr-ı âcizî olmuşidi. Aradan dört ay mürûr eylediği hâlde şimdiye değin ne nezâret-i celîleden ve ne de sefâret-i seniyyeden bir gûnâ maʿlûmât-ı resmiyeye destres olmadığımı maʿa‌ʾt-teʾessüf arz eylerim. Hükûmet-i Seniyye Aden ile Çin, Maçin arasında ve aksâ-yı şarkda bulunan yegâne bir meʾmûrunu âlem-i İslâm için hayât ve vücûd mesʾelesi olan işbu cihâd-ı ekbere ve vukûʿât-ı hârikülâdeye karşı bu derecede cehl ve zulmet içinde tutmasındaki hikmeti bir türlü idrâk edemiyorum. Zîrâ Bahr-ı Ahmerʾin Cenûbuʾnda vâkıʿ Adenʾden iʿtibâren Filipin adalarına ve belki Çinʾde mukîm İslâm ahâlîsine varıncaya kadar 180 milyona karîb nüfûs-ı İslâm arasında el-yevm Cava Başşehbenderliği kalmışdır deyu bedbaht ahâlî dahî harb-ı hâzır hakkındaki maʿlûmât-ı sahîhayı Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾne intizâr ederler. Hükûmet-i Seniyyeʾden harb-i hâzır hakkında kelime-i vâhide bir maʿlûmât almamaklığıma rağmen akl ve mantık ve kıyâs tarîkleriyle

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mezbûrlar maʿlûmâtlar ve havâdisler tertîb ederek İngiliz telgraf havâdisleriyle mesmûm olan efkâr-ı umûmiye-i İslâmiyeʾyi tesellî ve tashîha gayretden bir an geri kalmıyorsam da İngiliz Ceneral konsoloshânesinin hükûmet-i metbûʿâsından alıp külli yevm mahallî gazetelerine sütûnlarca derc ettirdiği telgraf havâdislerine karşı âcizlerinin mantık ve kıyâs tarîkleriyle tertîbât ve tezyiʿâtıma vakt-i bî-vakt sermâye bahs olmak üzre hiç olmazsa gerek Kafkas ve gerek Mısır hudûdlarındaki karargâh-ı umûmîlerden Dersaʿâdetʾe vârid olan telgrâf havâdislerini en eslem tarîk bildiğim Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesi vesâtat-ı aliyyesi ve Flemenk postasıyla bu tarafa muntazaman irsâli husûsunun matbûʿât müdüriyetine emr u havâle buyurulmasını istirhâm eylerim. Abone olduğum Dersaʿâdet gazeteleri dahî harbin bidâyetinde gayr-ı muntazam olarak gelmekde iseler de üç aydan beridir onlar dahî anlaşılan postahânelerimizin bir vâsıta-i sâlime keşf eylememeleri yüzünden İskenderiye veyâ Port Saidʾde İngilizler yedine düşerek zabt ve musâdere ediyorlar halbûki Almanya ve Avusturya postaları Cenevreʾye uğrayan Hollanda posta vapurlarına teslîm olunarak buraya sâlimen vâsıl olduklarını gıbta-i şedîde ile berâ-yı maʿlûmât arza cürʾet eylerim mekâtib ve murâselât-ı mütemâniyenin teʾmîn-i vusûlü için Osmanlı postahânesinin dahî İtalya bî-taraf kaldıkça o vâsıtaya murâcaʿat eylemesini hasebüʾl-vazîfe arza cürʾet eylerim ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 10 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1333 ve fî 11 Şubat sene 1330–24 Şubat 1915 Batavya Başşehbenderi bende-i Reʾfet To the Exalted Foreign Ministry Number 401–4 General Directorate of Administrative Affairs The request of your most humble servant is that: I learned from the Istanbul newspapers that the exalted [Ottoman] government declared war on France, Russia and Britain to defend itself as a result of their aggressive actions against the holy Caliphate and the exalted Government. I would like to communicate with regret that, although four months passed since then, I have not received any official information, either from the exalted [Foreign] Ministry or from the exalted Embassy [at The Hague]. I cannot understand the reason why the exalted [Ottoman] Government has left its only extant official between Aden and North and South China in complete darkness and ignorance with respect to these extraordinary developments and this present great struggle, which is an issue of life and death. Today [only] the Java Consulate General remains between Aden (located at the South of the Red Sea) and the Philippine Islands, and indeed China, in which region can be

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found living a Muslim population whose total number is close to 180 million individual Muslims, and those unfortunate people look to the Batavia Consulate General for sound information about the current war. I continue to influence and correct Muslim public opinion (which is poisoned by the British telegram news), figuring out events by way of reasoning, logic and comparison, despite the fact that I do not receive a single word of information from the exalted [Ottoman] Government about the current war. Nevertheless, I beg you to order the Directorate of Publications to dispatch here regularly (with the Dutch Post, by way of the Imperial Embassy at The Hague, which I deem the most secure way) at least the telegram news that arrives in the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul], whether it be from the General Headquarters on the Caucasian or the Egyptian front, to be used as a source of material from time to time to disseminate a reasonable and logical response to the many columns of telegram news that the British Consulate General inserts everyday into the local newspapers. The newspapers from the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul] to which I subscribe used to arrive irregularly at the beginning of the war. However, it seems that during the last three months they have been intercepted by the British at Alexandria or Port Said because our Post Office could not provide a secure medium. On the other hand, I dare to present for your information with great envy that the German and Austrian post sent to Geneva arrives here safely as they are entrusted to Dutch mail ships. I also dare to suggest, as a requirement of my post, that the Ottoman Post Office should make use of Italy, as long as it remains neutral, to ensure the continuation of the long standing correspondence and communication with these quarters. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 24 February 1915 Your servant Reʾfet, Consul General at Batavia Source: BOA HR.SYS.2406/79

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Ottoman ambassador at The Hague to the Foreign Minister about his initiatives to preserve the confidentiality of the correspondence between the Consulate General in Batavia and the Foreign Ministry, 1915

Hariciye Nâzırı Devletlü Fehâmetlü Said Halim Paşa Hazretlerine 4213 27 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir, 11 Şubat sene [1]915 târih ve 5/61102 numerolu tahrîrât-ı nezâret-penâhîleri cevâbıdır.

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Nezâret-i fehîmâneleri ile Batavya Başşehbenderliği arasında cereyân eden muhâberâtın Singapurʾda İngiliz meʾmûrları tarafından küşâdını menʿ zımnında mukaddemâ icrâ eylemiş olduğum teşebbüs netîcesine muttaliʿ olmak üzre nezâret-i krâliyeye vâkıʿ olan ziyâretimde ahvâl-i hâzıra dolayısıyla muhârib devletlerin kısm-ı aʿzamı tarafından her türlü uhûd ve mukâvelât-ı mevcûde hilâfında ittihâz ve tatbîk olunan mukarrerât-ı şedîdeye karşı yapılacak her protestonun ademi muvaffakıyete mahkûm olacağı yolunda ve ahd-ı sâbık hilâfına verilen mübhem cevâb üzerine Hâriciye Nâzırı nezdinde teʾkîd-i teşebbüsâtda bulundum. Mösyö “Lavdon” bu husûsda Singapur İngiliz meʾmûrîni nezdinde istişʿâr vâkıʿ olduğunu ve fakat netîceden henüz maʿlûmâtı olmadığını beyân eylemekle iktifâ eyledi. Bir müddet sonra mesʾelenin tarz ve şekl-i cereyânı ve bir netîce-i katʿiyyeye iktirân edip etmediğini anlamak üzre tekrâr nezâret-i krâliyeye gittim ve İngiliz vapurlarıyla nakl edilen bir postaya İngiliz memâlikinde tatbîk olunan sansüre karşı Hollanda Hükûmetince yapılacak bir muʿâmele olmadığı cevâbını ahz eyledim. İşbu ifâde üzerine baʿdemâ İstanbul ile Batavya Başşehbenderliği arasındaki muhâberât-ı resmiyenin Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesi vâsıtasıyla icrâ edileceğini ve postanın Batavya‌ʾya Hollanda vapurlarıyla sevk edileceği cihetle âtîde vukûʿa gelecek her tecâvüzden Hollanda meʾmûrlarının mesʾûl olacağını ihtâr eyledim. Postanın İstanbul-Lahey-Batavya tarîkiyle irsâlinde tecâvüzden mahsûniyeti hükûmet-i krâliye tarafından teʾmîn edildiğinden Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾne gönderilecek muharrerâtın sefâret-i seniyye vâsıtasıyla îsâli zımnında lâzım gelenlere evâmir-i âsafânelerinin bî-diriğ buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 25 Nisan sene [1]915 Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesi Maslahat-güzârı bende-i Talʿat To His Excellency Said Halim Paşa, The exalted Foreign Minister 4213 27 The request of your most humble servant is that: This is the reply to the ministerial letter dated 11 February 1915 and numbered 5/61102 I visited the Royal [Dutch Foreign] Ministry to get information about the result of my previous initiative to prevent the opening of the correspondence between the exalted [Ottoman Foreign] Ministry and the [Ottoman] Consulate General in Batavia, by British officials in Singapore. [During my visit they responded by saying that] due to the current circumstances, all protests against the stringent precautions which are taken by most of the warring states, despite all the extant agreements and treaties, are doomed to failure. Upon this vague answer, which is contrary to the previous agreements, I reiterated my

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initiatives in the presence of the Foreign Minister. Monsieur Loudon [Dutch Foreign Minister from 1913 to 1918] contented himself with explaining that they had requested information from the British officials in Singapore, but that he was not informed as to its outcome. After a while, I went again to the Royal [Dutch Foreign] Ministry to find out how the issue was being arranged, and whether it was brought to a definitive conclusion. I received the answer that the Dutch Government could do nothing about censorship enforced on British territory against mail transported by British ships. Upon this explanation, I warned them that henceforth, Dutch officials would be responsible for any kind of infringement, as henceforth official correspondence between Istanbul and the Consulate General in Batavia will be carried out via the Imperial Embassy at The Hague, and that the mail will be transported to Batavia on board Dutch ships. As the Royal Government have guaranteed the security of the mail dispatched on the Istanbul-The Hague-Batavia route, your ministerial order is required to approve the conveyance of correspondence to be sent to the Consulate General in Batavia by means of the Imperial Embassy [at The Hague]. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 25 April 1915 Your servant Talʾat, Charge d’affaires of the Imperial Embassy at The Hague Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2406/35

33

Approval of the request of Reʾfet Bey, Consul General in Batavia, to return to Istanbul for medical reasons, 1921

Bâb-ı Âlî Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı Şehbenderî ve Umûr-ı Ticâriye Müdüriyeti Umûr-ı Şehbenderî Şuʿbesi Hülâsâ: Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet Beyʾin meʾzûniyeti hakkında Müstenid olduğu evrâk: Batavya tahrîrâtı 2 Kanûn-ı Sânî sene [1]921 Nevʿ-i Müsvedde: Derkenâr Reʾfet Beyʾin taleb eylediği meʾzûniyet esbâb-ı sıhhiyeye müstenid ve istihsâli meʾzûniyet için muktezî müddet-i nizâmiyeyi de ikmâl ve tecâvüz ettirmiş olmasına nazaran işʿârı vechile fahrî şehbenderimizi biʾl-vekîl meʾzûnen Dersaʿâdetʾe avdeti merhûn-ı müsâʿade-i celîl-i nezâret-penâhîdir. 13 Şubat sene [1]337 Mûcibince işâretle gelip Batavya Başşehbenderliğine tahrîrât yazılmışdır Fî 24 Şubat sene [1]337

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Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Directorate of Consular and Commercial Affairs Division of Consular Affairs Summary: The permission granted to Reʾfet Bey, Consul General in Batavia Documents on which it is based: Batavia correspondence 13 February 1921 Subject of text: Marginal note Reʾfet Bey has requested permission [to leave his post for Istanbul] on medical grounds, and as he has completed the statutory term that is required for obtaining authorisation it is for His Ministerial Excellency to grant his exalted permission that [Reʾfet Bey] return to the Abode of Felicity, leaving our honorary consul there as deputy. 13 February 1921 In accordance with the command that has arrived, this correspondence is forwarded to the Batavia Consulate General 24 February 1921 Source: BOA HR.HMŞ.İŞO. 220/49

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Note on the annuity payable to Reʾfet Bey, Consul General in Batavia and his deputy who will carry out the business of the consulate during his absence, 1921

Bâb-ı Âlî Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Nevʿ-i Müsvedde: Derkenâr 2566 Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet Beyʾe müddet-i meʾzûniyeti zarfında başşehbenderhâne umûrunu tesviye etmek üzre bî-taraf devletler konsoloslarından birini tevkîl etmesi hakkında vâkıʿ işʿâr Mösyö Şoltek o sırada uzak bir mahalde bulunmasından ileri gelmişdi. Halbûki mûmâileyh muʾahharen Batavya‌ʾya gelerek vazîfe-i vekâleti îfâ-yı taʿahhüd eylemiş olması üzerine Reʾfet Bey vekâleti kendisine devr eylemiş olmasına nazaran başşehbendere ait tahsîsât ile vekîl-i mûmâileyhe verilecek tahsîsât hakkında muktezî muʿâmelenin ol-bâbdaki nizâma tevfîkan îfâ-yı husûsunun sicil müdüriyetine havâle buyurulması lüzûmu maʿrûzdur. Fî 6 Temmuz sene [1]337 Hülâsâ: Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet Bey hakkında

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Müstenid olduğu evrâk: Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet Beyʾin fi 30 Haziran sene [1]337 târihli istidʿâsıyla sicil müdüriyetinin derkenârı. Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Administrative Affairs Subject of text: Marginal note 2566 The order was given to Reʾfet Bey, Consul General in Batavia, to deputise one of the consuls of the neutral states to carry out the business of the Consulate General during his permitted absence. It transpired that at that time Monsieur Scholeck[?] was far away from that place. However, when the said Scholeck[?] subsequently returned to Batavia, he undertook to fulfil the duties of deputation Reʾfet Bey transferred to him as his deputy, and as such permission is requested to designate the Registry Directorate to assign the allowance designated to the Consul General will be given to the said Scholeck[?] in accordance with the regulations in such matters. 6 July 1921 Summary: concerning the Consul General in Batavia, Reʾfet Bey Documents on which it is based: marginal note of the Directorate of Registry on the petition of the Consul General in Batavia, Reʾfet Bey, dated 30 June 1921. Source: BOA HR.HMŞ.İŞO. 220/27

35

Admiral Bristol, USA High Commissioner in Turkey, hands over the documents of the Ottoman consulate in Singapore to the Turkish government, 1925

Admiral Bristol presents his compliments to His Excellency, Nusret Bey, and has the honor to transmit herewith various Turkish documents, fee stamps and passports which have been forwarded to this Mission by the American Consulate General at Singapore in whose custody they have been since 1914 at which time that office was charged with the protection of Ottoman interests in the Straits Settlements. Constantinople, March 18, 1926 Enclosures: Various documents, fee stamps and passports. His Excellency Nusret Bey, Constantinople

Source: BOA HR.İM. 252/95 [N.B.: The Turkish authorities presented their gratitude to the American Embassy with a communiqué. See. HR.İM. 187/50]

Chapter 5

Information about the Region Obtaining accurate information about Southeast Asia was a major problem for the Ottoman authorities. As the reaction to the embassies of Muhammad Ghauth and the impostor Sharif Ali show, for much of the nineteenth century, the Ottomans lacked even basic sources of information about the region. In the late nineteenth century, the main source available in Turkish to a broader public was a history of Aceh that was in fact a translation of a Dutch work. However, with the appointment of the Ottoman consul in Batavia, the Ottoman state could avail itself of a first-hand source of information, and consuls relayed not just their own observations but also books and even newspaper clippings from the region back to Istanbul. These concerned the geography, history and colonial administration of Southeast Asia. Other information passed back to Istanbul included observations of the machinations of other European powers in the region, although the evidence of the documents that have come to light to date suggest this was not collected in a very systematic fashion. 1

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry introducing two books about the region he sent, 1884

Fî 28 Muharrem sene [1]302 târihiyle Batavya Şehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtın sûretidir. Batavya şehrinin ahvâline dâʾir “Cava” lisânı üzere tertîb ve teʾlîf ve iki cild olarak tabʿ ve temsîl kılınan kitâb ile “Mala” lisânı üzere tabʿ edilmiş olan “Umerâ-yı Hamse Hikâyesi” nâm risâleden birer nüsha Kütübhâne-i Umûmiye teberruʿan bu kere ayrıca bâ-posta nezâret-i celîlelerine irsâl ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla kütüb-ı mezkûrenin lâzım gelen mahalle teslîm ve iʿtâsı husûsuna müsâʿade-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleri erzân ve şâyân buyurulmak bâbında This is a copy of the communication dispatched from the Consulate in Batavia [to the Foreign Ministry], dated 17 November 1884. A copy of the book on the state of the city of Batavia which is written in the Javanese language and published in two volumes, along with a copy of the treatise titled ‘The Tale of Five Commanders’ written in the Malay language are

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_007

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donated to the General Library,1 and dispatched to the exalted Ministry of Post, requiring the order of your exalted ministerial permission for the delivery of the said books to the required place. In this matter […] Source: BOA MF.MKT. 85/97

2

Documents pertaining to the assistance of Mr De Sturler for the preparation of an booklet on the Dutch East Indies and the Ottoman administration’s gratification, 1885

Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting a reward for Mr De Sturler who helped the Ottoman Consul in Batavia for his investigation of Dutch colonial history, administration and regulations, 1885 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsine Numero 203 81 Devletlü efendim hazretleri Flemenk Devleti müstemlekâtından olan Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde müttahiz usûl-ı idâre-i muhtelife ile meʾmûrînin vezâʾifine ve Avrupalı ve Asyalı nâmıyla iki kısım iʿtibâr edilen ecânib ile yerlilerin tâbiʿ oldukları kavânîn ve nizâmâta dâʾir nezâret-i celîlelerine mufassal ve umûmî bir rapor takdîmi ahass-ı âmâl-i çâkerânem idiyse de şu emniyenin hayr-ı husûle îsâli Flemenk lisânı üzre muharrer bir sürü kavânîn ve nizâmât mecmuʿalarıyla resâʾil-i sâʾire-i lâzımeye kesb-i vukûf ve itlâʿ eylemeğe mütevakkıf idüğine ve bu ise müddet-i cüzʿiyye zarfında iktidâr-ı kemterânemin fevkinde bulunduğuna mebnî bu bâbda Cezâyir-i Hindiye vilâyeti dâʾiresi meʾmûrîninden ve ehibbâ-yı çâkerânemden olup iktidâr ve ehliyeti maʿlûm-ı kemterânem bulunan Mösyö “De Sturler”ın muʿâvenetine mürâcaʿat eylemişdim bu kere mûmâileyh Flemenklilerin bidâyet-i emirde bir ticâret kumpanyası ihdâsıyla aksâ-yı şarka gelip ne vechile bu kadar memâlik-i vâsıʿa istimlâk eylediklerine dâʾir bir icmâl târihi ve siyâsîden bedʾe ile nihâyet Flemenk Devletiʾnin zîr-i hükm ve idâresinde teşekkül eden işbu hükûmet-i cesîmenin usûl-i idâresiyle Flemenkli ve yerli meʾmûrînin vezâʾifini ve kavânîn ve nizâmât-ı merʿiyyeyi hâvî Fransızca bir risâle cemʿ ve tertîb ve müstemlekât-ı mezkûreye dâʾir İngiltere Devletiʾyle münʿakid muʿâhedât sûretleriyle hükûmât ve rüʾesâ-yı mahalliye ile akd edilen 2.1

1  It is not clear what these books are. ‘The Tale of the Five Commanders’ may be the Malay Hikayat Pandawa lima (thanks to Vladimir Braginsky for this suggestion).

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mukâvelât ve muʿâhedât-ı muhtelife tercümelerini ve yeniden neşr olunan nizâmât ve evâmir-i hükûmetin “Male” ve “Cava” ve “Sunda” lisânları üzre birer kıtʿa sûretlerini ve Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde âdet olduğu üzre her büyük meʾmûr ve yerli rüʾesâ ve selâtînin usûl-ı teşrîfât üzre taşımakta oldukları “Alâmet-i fârika-i şemsiyeleri”nin modellerini dört kıtʿa fotoğraf ile iki mükemmel harîtayı rabt ve ilâve ile çâkerlerine iʿtâ eylemiş olmağla risâle-i mezkûre ayrıca postaya tevdîʿan huzûr-ı meʿâl-i mevfûr-ı nezâret-penâhîlerine irsâl ve takdîm kılındı mûmâileyh Mösyö “Döstorlar”ın şu hizmeti nezd-i mekârim-i vefd-i fehîmânelerinde rehîn-i takdîr buyurulduğu hâlde kendisinin mükâfât-ı seniyye ile taltîfi husûsuna erzânî-i inâyet ve âtıfet-i celîle-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri istirhâmına mücâseret kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 19 Ra sene [1]302 ve fî 25 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]300 Bende-i Batavya Başşehbenderi Ali Galib To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 203 81 My kind and exalted Lord; It was my aim to present a general and detailed report to your exalted Ministry about the various methods of administration, the duties of the officials, and the laws and regulations pertaining to the locals and foreigners, who are divided into Europeans and Asians, established in the Indian Islands that are Dutch colonies. The adequate fulfilment of this aim required understanding and mastering a great number of law and regulation journals, and various other necessary booklets in the Dutch language. As [the fulfilment of] this in a short time was beyond my capability, in this matter I requested the assistance of Monsieur De Sturler,2 a civil servant at the office of the Governorate of Indian Islands, who is a friend of mine and whose competence is known by me. He composed and arranged a short history of the way in which the Dutch expropriated such vast countries, starting with the establishment of the Company with which they came to the Far East, and a booklet in French, starting with politics and containing the method of administration of the extensive government that took shape under the rule and administration of the Dutch State, the duties of the Dutch and local civil servants, and the current laws and regulations. He gave these to me together with the copies of the treaties 2  Jhr. Mr. Jacques Edouard de Sturler (b. 1855), was later posted as Consul to Jeddah from the Ministry of War in February 1895, serving until 15 March 1897.

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with Britain on the subject of the said colonies, translations of various covenants and treaties made with the local governments and rulers, copies of the reprinted regulations and orders of the government in the Malay, Javanese and Sundanese languages, the models of the parasols of marks of rank and distinction used by great officials and native rulers and sultans in accordance with the custom of the Indian Islands, and enclosed with four photographs and two excellent maps. The said booklet has been entrusted to the post, and sent to your exalted ministerial presence separately. I have dared to request your ministerial assistance to honour the said Monsieur De Sturler with an imperial reward if his service is appreciated by Your Excellency. In this matter and in all others, to command belongs to him who commands all.3 6 January 1885 Your servant, Ali Galib, Consul General in Batavia. Source: BOA İ.HR. 296/18747

Grand Vizier to the sultan about a booklet written by a Dutch colonial employee on the administration of the Dutch East Indies, 1886 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret-i Resmiye Devletlü efendim hazretleri Flemenk Devleti müstemlekâtından Cezâyir-i Hindiye vilâyeti meʾmûrlarından olup müstemlekât-ı mezkûrenin usûl-ı idâre ve husûsât-ı sâʾiresine dâʾir mukaddemâ teʾlîf ve takdîm etmiş olduğu risâleden dolayı dördüncü rütbe Mecidî nişân-ı âlîsiyle taltîf buyurulan Mösyö De Sturlerʾin nişâne-i şükrân olmak üzere tertîb eylediği ikinci cildinin dahî gönderildiğini şâmil Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾinden mebʿûs tahrîrâtın leffiyle Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresiyle cild-i mezkûr ile berâber arz ve takdîm kılındığı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 26 Receb sene [1]303 fî 19 Nisan sene [1]302 Sadrazam Kamil Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleriyle melfûf tezkire ve tahrîrât ve risâle manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmuş ve mûmâileyh hakkında ne muʿâmele edilmek lâzım geleceğinin arzı emr u irâde ve 2.2

3  Upon the request of the Consul General in Batavia, the Foreign ministry requested from the Grand Vizierate a reward for Monsieur De Sturler. The Grand Vizier’s request for permission for such an act was approved by the Sultan on 28 February 1885.

Information about the Region

Figure 146

Grand Vizier to the sultan about a booklet written by a Dutch colonial employee on the administration of the Dutch East Indies, 1886

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risâle-i mezkûre tevkîf buyurulmasına mebnî zikr olunan tezkire ve tahrîrât iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 28 Receb sene [1]303 fî 21 Nisan sene [1]302 Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî Süreyyâ Sublime Porte Department of Grand Vizierate Official My prosperous and exalted lord; Monsieur De Sturler, a civil servant of the Dutch colony of the province of the Islands of Indies, who had been rewarded a Mecidi medal fourth class in reward for the booklet that he compiled and presented [to the Ottoman Government] on the administration of the said colonies and other relevant issues, has sent also the second volume that he compiled as a token of his gratitude. My lord, this note has been written to announce that the related communication of the Consulate General in Batavia, with its enclosures, has been presented together with the note of the exalted Foreign Ministry and the said volume. 30 April 1886 Grand Vizier Kamil The request of your most humble servant is that: This elevated Grand Vizierial note, from the most revered hand, together with the enclosed note, the document, and the volume have been brought into the exalted presence. It is commanded that a request for what should be done with regard to the said [De Sturler] be submitted, and that whilst the volume has been kept, the note and the documents are returned. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 2 May 1886 Süreyya, Chief Secretary to His Majesty Source: BOA İ.HR. 301/19094

3

Ottoman ambassador in Madrid to the Foreign Ministry about the Spanish troops in Philippines, 1885

Nevʿ-i Tercüme: İspanya‌ʾnın Filipin adalarında bulunan kuvve-i askeriyesine dâʾir. Fî 21 Eylül sene [1]301 Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne fî 20 Eylül sene 1885 târihiyle Madrid Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtın tercümesidir.

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İspanya‌ʾnın Filipin adalarında bulunan kuvve-i askeriyesine dâʾir yüz on üç numerolu tahrîrâtda baʿzı maʿlûmât iʿtâ etmişidim. Almanya ile bir muhârebe zuhûr edecek olur ise İspanya‌ʾnın Avrupa‌ʾdaki asâkirine mürâcaʿat mecbûriyetinde bulunacağı tabîʿi olunmağla İspanya orduları hakkında ber-vech-i âtî mücmilen iʿtâsını vazîfeden addederim şöyle ki İspanya ordusu yüz kırk dokuz tabur piyâde doksan sekiz bölük süvârî ve yüz on yedi batarya top ve on bölük istihkâm askeriyle köprü ve telgraf ve şimendüfer ve topoğrafya hizmetinde müstahdem dört bölük askerden mürekkebdir. Başlıca ve en ciddi kuvveti teşkîl eden piyâde taburları şu vechile taksîm edilir. Altmış alaya münkasım yüz yirmi tabur piyâde, yirmi tabur avcı, altı tabur bahriye piyâde ve üç tabur taʿlimci askeri olup İşbu taburlar dörder bölükden mürekkeb olmağla her birinin mevcûdu biʾs-suhûle biner nefere iblağ olunabilir. Doksan sekiz bölükden ibâret olan suvârî askerinin dörder bölüğü mızraklı ve avcı ve hosar bölükleridir. Bunların esliha ve hayvânâtı muʿtedil ve mutavassıt bir halde ise de kendileri az taʿlîm görmüş bayağı adamlardan mürekkebdir. Top hayvânâtı koşum ve semerli astarlardan ibâretdir. Toplar ise yeni usûlde çelikden maʿmûl düvel-i sâʾirenin toblarından aşağı değildir. İspanya ordusunda askerî şimendüfer katarları olmayıp hidemât-ı nakliye ve angarya sûretiyle ahâlîden toplanılan araba ve hayvanât ile icrâ olunur. Asâkir-i merkûmenin bir büyük muhârebe içün işe yarayacakları farz olunsa bile mikdâr-ı mevcûdu iki yüz bin neferi tecâvüz edemeyen ve nizâm ve intizâmı mükemmel olmadıkdan başka muktedir erkân-ı harbiyesi bulunmayan böyle bir mikdâr cüzʾî asker ile İspanya Devleti ve Portekiz Hükûmetini dâʾire-i ittifâkına alsa bile İspanya şibh-i cezîresiʾni dârüʾl-harb ittihâz edebilecek olan Almanya gibi askerî bir devlet ile muhârebeye girişir ise pek ziyâde gaflet edilmiş olacağı âşikardır ol-bâbda. Subject of translation: On the Spanish troops in the Philippines 3 October 1885 This is the translation of the communication sent from the Imperial Embassy in Madrid to the Foreign Ministry, dated 20 September 1885. I presented some information on the strength of Spanish troops in the Philippines in communiqué numbered 113. If there is a war with Germany, it is natural to presume that Spain will be obliged to withdraw its troops in Europe. I consider it my humble duty to present the following information concerning the Spanish armies:

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The Spanish army consists of 140 infantry battalions, 98 squadrons of cavalrymen, 117 batteries of cannons, 10 companies of fortification troops, and 4 companies of soldiers employed in the services for bridges, telegraphs, locomotives, and topography. The infantry battalions, which constitute the most important force, are divided as follows: There are 120 infantry battalions divided into 60 regiments; twenty battalions of light infantry, six battalions of marines, and three battalions of drill soldiers. Each of these battalions comprises four companies, and each can easily be said to include one thousand soldiers. The cavalrymen which consist of 98 squadrons including 4 squadrons each of lancers, scouts, and hussars. Although these have reasonable and adequate guns and horses, they consist of ordinary men with little drill. Their cannon animals consist of harnessed horses and mules, while their cannons are produced according to the new method from steel and are not inferior to the cannons of other countries. There are no military railway wagons in the Spanish army, and therefore transportation is provided by carriages and animals provided by people as corvée. Although the said troops might be deemed useful for a big war, because they do not number more than 200,000, their imperfect order and discipline, as well as the lack of a capable general staff, it will be a huge mistake if the Spanish state – even if they ally with the Portuguese government – engages in battle with a military state like Germany, which can turn the Spanish peninsula into an abode of war. On this issue […] Source: BOA HR.TO. 67/99

4

A report of the Ottoman consul in Bombay about the Dutch East Indies, 1886

Numero 253 Flemenk devleti müstemlekâtından Cezâyir-i Hindiyye hakkındadır Ber-vech-i maʿrûz Flemenklilerin mecmûʿ-ı müstemlekât-ı şarkiyyesi tahmînen otuz bir milyonu mütecâviz nüfûsu şâmil olup kırk bin raddesinde Avrupalılar ve üç yüz bin Çinli ve on beş bin Arab ve on bin Hindli ecânibden mâʿadâsı ecnâs-ı muhtelife-i mahaliyyeye mensûb ve yirmi kadar lisân ile mütekellim ahâlî-i asliyedir bundan Sumatra, Borneo ve Gine-i Cedid adalarındaki bir milyon kadar ahâlî-i vahşiye ile Bali adasındaki Boriler ve kezâlik Cezâyir-i

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sâʾirenin cümlesinde sâkin mecmûʿu elli bin kadar melez yerli ahâlî-i Hıristiyâniye tenzîl olundukda Flemenk müstemlekat-ı şarkiyesinde safî otuz milyon kadar ahâlî-i İslâmiye bulunmuş olur. Cava cezîresi müstesnâ olarak havâlî-i mezkûreye İslâmiyetʾin târih-i duhûl ve intişârına dâʾir bir kayd-ı sahîha destres olunamayıp şu kadar ki Cezîretüʾl-Arabʾın cihet-i şarkiyesinde vâkiʿ kabâʾilden baʿzı kesânın hicreti Nebeviyeʾnin altıncı ve yedinci asırlarında ticâret maksadıyla Sumatra‌ʾnın şimâl tarafı ile “Malaka” şibh-i Cezîresiʾne biʾl-vürûd andan sonra Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾye intişâr eylemişlerdir ki işte o esnâda Bağdad tarafından “Benî Kureyş Mahzem bin Hâbüʾl-Mahzemî” nâmında bir Arab, Hicretʾin 791 ve Milâdʾın 1388 senesinde Cava adasında “Şeribon” şehrine birinci defʿa olarak ayak basmıştır. Cavalılar ezmine-i mütekaddimede edyân-ı Hindiyeʾden “Brahman” mezhebinde iken muʾahharan Borilerin istilâsı üzerine bu dîni kabûl eylemiş olmalarına mebnî İslâmiyetʾin duhûlüne kadar dîn-i mezkûr ile mütedeyyin idiler o vakitler Cava‌ʾnın cihet-i muhtelifesinde Cezâyir ve memâlik-i sa‌ʾire-i Hindiye misillü müteʿaddid tevâif-i mülûk hüküm-fermâ olmağla bunlardan vasat cezîrede vâkiʿ “Mataram” İmparatorluğu en cesîm ve hükûmât-ı sâʾire üzerine nüfûzu cârî kaviyyüʾş-şekîme bir hükûmet olduğu esnâda ber-vechi maʿrûz Arablar Cava‌ʾda diğer bir hükûmet-i sağîreye mensûb ânifüʾl-beyân Şeribon şehrine vürûda başlamışlardır. Dîn-i mübîn-i Muhammedîʾyi dünyânın heman her tarafına taʿmîm ve îsâl eden eslâf-ı Arab şehr-i mezkûrda dahî iʿlâ-yı kelimetullâha bezl-i nakdîne-i himmetle ibtidâ-yı emrde hükûmet-i sağîre mezkûre ve baʿdehû Mataram İmparatorluğu ve nihâyet bir asır zarfında yaʿni on beşinci asr-ı mîlâdî evâhirine doğru kâmilen Cava ahâlîsi şeref-i İslâmiyetle müşerref olmuşlardır. Ber minvâl-i maʿrûz Arabların cezâyir ve memâlik-i Hindiyeʾye vürûduyla İslâmiyetʾin intişâr ve taʿammüme başladığı bir zamânda Avrupalılardan fenn-i bahriyede mahâret-i kâmilesi bulunan Portekizliler birçok fedâkarlıklar ihtiyârıyla Ümid Burnu tarîkinden Hind yolunu bulup 1498 sene-i mîlâdiyesinde Hindistan kıtʿasına ve 1511 senesinde “Malaka” şibh-i cezîresiyle Melûk adalarına gelerek Avrupa emtiʿasıyla biʾl-mübâdele oralardan aldıkları mahsûlât ve bahârât-ı Hindiye ile memleketlerine baʿdeʾl-avde hâsıl eyledikleri temettuʿât-ı azîme İngiliz ve İspanyolların dahî hars ve taʿamlarına celb eylemekle muʿahharan milleteyn-i mezkûreteynde Hind seferine başlamışlardır o vakte değin Hind tarîkini bilmeyen Flemenkliler umûr-ı bahriyedeki mahâretlerine iʿtirâren ve milel-i merkûmeye rağmen dört sefîne donatıp yeniden tarîk-i mezkûru bularak 1596 sene-i mîlâdiyesinde ilk defʿa olmak üzre Cava‌ʾda “Bantam” şehri önüne muvâsalet ve diğerleri misillü emtiʿa-i Hindiye ticâretine mübâderet eylemişlerdir bu vechile Flemenklilerin îkâʿ eyledikleri

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rekâbet Cava ile Cezâyir-i sâʾirenin ticâretini heman kendilerine hasr etmiş ve hattâ o havâlîde yerlilerden bir hayli arâzi dahî zabt ve istimlâk eylemiş olan Portekizlilerce mûcib-i adâvet olmağla milleteyn-i mezkûreteyn yekdiğeriyle muhâsamaya girişmişlerdir Flemenkliler bidâyet-i emrde Portekizliler ve baʿdehû İspanyalılar ile Hind denizlerinde müddet-i medîde muhârebeler edip nihâyetüʾl-mer her ikisine de galebe çalmağla Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾdeki Portekiz ve “Filipin” adalarından mâʿadâ İspanya müstemlekâtını zabta ve ticâretini kendilerine hasr eylemişlerdir. Bütün bu Avrupa akvâmının ve ez-an cümle Flemenklilerin beş on parça gemileriyle mesâfe-i bâʿîdeden aksâ-yı şarka gelip o kadar memâlik-i vesîʿayı zabt ve milyonlarca ahâlîsini münkâd eylemeleri şu sûretledir ki meselâ Flemenkliler en evvel geldikleri Cava‌ʾda Bantam şehri hâkimine bir takım hediyeler takdîmiyle oranın emtiʿasını iştirâya müsâʿade aldıkdan sonra ikinci ve üçüncü seferlerinde yine öylece hareketle Avrupa‌ʾdan getirdikleri mâlın vazʿı ve iştirâ eyleyecekleri emtiʿa-i mahalliyenin intizâr eyledikleri sefînelerinin vürûduna değin peyder-pey iştirâ ve iddihârı içün iktizâ eden depoların inşâsına kâfî derece arâzî istimlâk ederler birkaç seferden sonra ticâretleri kesbi ehemmiyet eyleyince ya hâriçteki Avrupalı düşmanlardan veyâhud dâhildeki akvâm-ı sâʾirenin taʿarruzâtından mâl ve canlarını muhâfaza etmek iddiʿâsıyla depolarını edevât-ı harbiye ile biʾt-techîz birer kalʿa sûretine ifrâğ eylerler bu vechile bulundukları mahalde kesb-i kuvvet eyledikden ve ora ticâretinin kendilerine hasrı için yerlilerle bir de muʿâhede akd etdikden sonra çünkü bâlâda arz kılındığı vechile memâlik-i mezkûredeki ahâlî birçok hükkâm ve selâtîne tâbiʿ akvâm-ı muhtelifeden ibâret olup akvâm-ı mezkûre yekdiğeriyle münâkaşa ve mudârebeden hâlî bulunmamağla Flemenkliler bu gibi bir vakʿa zuhûrunu ganîmet bilerek müttefikleriyle birlikde harekete sarf ve hâsıl-ı ihtimâm ve vakit ve fırsat buldukça da istiʿmâl-ı hiyel ve desâyis ile onları yekdiğerine düşürüp bir tarafı iltizâm birle muhârebât-ı vâkıʿa ve muvaffakiyyât-ı hâsılanın semerâtına iştirâk ve tedrîcen tevsîʿ-i nüfûz ve iktidâr eylerler işte Flemenkliler bahren Avrupalı düşmanlarına galebe çaldıkdan sonra yerlileri dahî bir takım hudʿa ve desîseler ve kanlı muhârebeler ile taht-ı inkıyâd ve itâʿatine alarak bu yolda memleketlerini gasb ve istimlâk eylemişlerdir âkıbetüʾl-emr Cava cezîresinde bulunan selâtîn-i sağîre Flemenkliler tarafından tedrîcen mahv edilip yalnız nısf asır evveline gelinceye değin büyük bir saltanat kalmıştır ki o da Flemenklilerle ettiği muhârebâta tâb (?) mukâvemet olamayarak bugünkü gün ânın yerine Flemenk hükûmeti maʿrifetiyle sülâle-i kadîmeden iki sultân ve iki emir kâʾim bulunmuşdur. Zîrde mikdârı arz kılınacağı vechile Flemenklilerin nisbetsiz derecede kalîl olan kuvve-i askeriyelerine el-yevm yirmi bir milyonu mütecâviz nüfûs bulunan Cavalıların kerden-dâde-i itâʿat ve inkıyâd oluşu kendilerinin adem-i ittifâk ve ittihâdlarına ve hilmiyet-i tabîʿatlarına haml olunabilir zîrâ Sumatra‌ʾnın

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şimâlinde sâkin olup ancak bir milyon kadar nüfûsdan ibâret olan cesûr ve gayûr Açeliler, Flemenkliler aleyhine yekdiğeriyle ittifâk ve bidâyet-i harbde yaʿni on beş seneden beru arz-ı sîne-i mukâvemetle şimdiye değin onlara iki yüz yirmi milyon Rupiye yaʿni on dokuz milyondan ziyâde lira sarf ve yetmiş bin kadar asker telef etdirdikleri hâlde Flemenkliler yine kendilerini taht-ı inkıyâda alamamışlardır. Bâlâda arz ve tasrîh kılınan Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾnin cümlesi İngiltere Devletiʾnin dahî tasdîkiyle bu günkü gün Flemenk Devletiʾnin müstemlekâtından olup emr-i idâresi Flemenk kralı tarafından mansûb ve Batavya‌ʾda mukîm bir vâliye muhavveldir merkezi kezâlik Batavya olmak ve bir ferîkin zîr-i kumandasında bulunmak üzere Cezâyir-i Hindiye vilâyetine mahsûs bir ordu bulunup mikdârı maʿa zâbitân otuz bindir ordu-yı mezkûr efrâdının nısfı Avrupa‌ʾda milel-i muhtelife serserîlerinden altı sene müddetle tutulmuş ve nısf-ı diğeri dahî yerlilerden kezâlik o yolda alınmış neferâtdan ibâret olup fakat zâbitânın cümlesi Avrupa‌ʾda tahsîl etmiş Flemenklilerdendir vilâyet-i mezkûrenin büyük küçük kırk kadar sufun-ı harbiyeden ibâret bir donanması dahî olup sufun-ı mezkûre ancak sevâhil-i Hindiyeʾde yerliler aleyhinde işe yarayabilecek ehemmiyetsiz şeylerdir fakat asıl Flemenkʾe mahsûs sefâʾin-i cedîde-i harbiyeden birkaç adedi “muʿâvene” nâmıyla ve münâvebe sûretiyle bir ikişer sene Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾye gelip seyr ü sefer ederler. Vilâyet-i mezkûre vâridâtı hadd-i mütevassıt üzere senevî yüz kırk beş milyon Rupiye yaʿni on dört milyon beş yüz bin lira olup sâlifüʾz-zikr Açe Seferi mülâbesesiyle mesârifâtı on seneden beru vâridâtını senevî birkaç yüz bin lira tecâvüzle bütçesi açılmışdır Cezâyir-i Hindiye vilâyeti evvel emirde ticâret-i Hindiye şirketinden teşekkül etmiş bir hükûmet olmağla elhâletü hâzihî bir tâcir sıfatını dahî hâʾizdir meselâ Cezâyir-i mezkûrenin arzını gâyet münbit olmak hasebiyle ekâlim-i hârreye mahsûs eşcârı ve nebâtâtın az çok heman kâffesi ve ez cümle Cava‌ʾda her şeyden ziyâde kahve hâsıl olduğuna mebnî hükûmet-i mezbûre kendi nâmına olarak milyonlarca kahve ağacı garsıyla o civarda bulunan ahâlîyi verecekleri vergiye mukâbil evkât-ı muʿayyene ile kahve tarlalarında meccânen çalıştırıp bilâ-masraf mahsûlünü ahz ve kendi hesâbına olarak füruht eylemekdedir ki yalnız işbu kahve hâsılâtı Cezâyir-i Hindiye vilâyeti vâridâtının heman bir sülüsünü teşkîl eder bu kabîlden olarak Cezâyir-i mezkûredeki Flemenkli efrâd dahî kezâlik kahve ve tütün ve çay ve kına kına vesâʾire gibi mahsûlât yetiştirerek ve şeker kamışından şeker iʿmâl ederek Avrupa‌ʾya biʾl-ihrâç azîm istifâdeler etmekde olduklarına mebnî müstemlekât-ı mezkûre Flemenk devlet ve milletinin sebeb-i ihyâsı bir çiftliği hükmündedir. Cezâyir-i mezkûre ahâlîsi hükûmete karşı mükellef oldukları vergiye mukâbil çalışıp Avrupalıların istifâdelerine iştirâk edemediklerinden kendi taʿayyüşleri içün zurʿ eyledikleri başlıca pirinç mahsûlü ile mahsûlât-ı sâʾire-i cüzʾiyyeye

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mâlik olabilirler bu cihetle kendileri ekseriyet üzere fakîr olup ağniyâsı nâdir ve o da hükûmet meʾmûriyetinde müstahdem umerâ-yı mahalliyeden ibâretdir ahâlî-i mezkûreden ez cümle Cavalılara halîm ve sefâhate meyyâl ve bununla berâber mütedeyyin ve ekseriyet üzere musallîdirler buralarda İslâmiyet kesbi kuvvet eylemezden evvel bir tarafdan dahî Avrupalıların dâhil ve menâfiʿ-i zâtiyelerine mugâyir baʿzı husûsâtın icrâsına mâniʿ olmalarına mebnî ahkâm-ı şerʿiyyeden olan setr-i nisvân kaziyyesi şimdiye değin münsî kalmışdır vesâʾit-i nakliyenin tekessür eylediği sinîn-i ahîreden beru Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾden hadd-ı mutavassıt olarak senevî sekiz bin kadar huccâc-ı müslimîn cânib-i Hicaz mağfiret-tırâza azîmet eylemekdedir Flemenk Hükûmeti ahâlî-i cezâyirin kendi aleyhine kıyâmını mûcib olabilecek her türlü vesâʾilin izâlesine ve ecânib tarafından dahî ifsâd edilmemesine fevkalâde dikkat ve iʿtinâ ile ahâlîi mezkûreyi hemmezheb bulundukları ecilden daha suhûletle ısyâna teşvîk edebilecek evlâd-ı Arabı ve husûsiyle ulemâ-yı İslâmiyeʾyi dâhil cezâyire kabûl eylemediğinden maksad ve arzusu vechile ahâlî-i cezâyir hâl-i cehâletdedir. Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde milyonlarca nüfûs-ı İslâmiye bulunmak münâse­ betiyle salât-ı Cuma‌ ʾda imâmüʾl-müslimîn ve unvân-tırâz hâdimü­ ʾl-Haremeyniʾş-şerîfeyn olan zât-ı hilâfet-simât hazret-i cihân-bânînin nâm-ı nâmî-i hümâyûnları zîver-i elsine-i hutebâ olmak vecâʾib-i şerʿiyyeden iken bu emr-i mefrûz şimdiye değin Flemenklilerden ihtirâzen cârî olmadığı hâlde cânib-i saltanat-ı seniyyeden görülen lüzûm üzerine birinci defʿa olarak Batavya serşehbenderliğine biʾt-taʿyîn mahall-i meʾmûriyet-i çâkerâneme muvâsaletime müsâdif olan bin üç yüz senesi Şaʿbânüʾl-muʿazzamıʾnda şehr-i mezkûrda edâ eylediğim ilk Cuma namazında velî-niʿmet-i bî-minnetimiz pâdişâh-ı dîn-i perver ve şehinşâh maʿdelet-küster efendimiz hazretlerinin nâm-ı celîlüʾl-unvân hilâfet-penâhîleri Arab Câmiʿi minberinde kemâl-i iştiyâk ve tahassürle yâd ve orada bulunan müslimîn secde-i şükrâniyete kapanarak mesrûr ve dilşâd olmuşdur ertesi Cumalarda Batavya‌ʾnın cevâmiʿ-i sâʾiresi hutebâsı dahî bu eser-i celîle biʾl-iktifâ emîrüʾl-müʾminîn ve halîfe-i rûy-ı zemîn olan mürdemin dû-çeşm iftihârımız pâdişâhımız hazretlerinin nâm-ı şevket ittisâm-ı hümâyûnlarını istimâʿ eden Batavya ahâlîsinden baʿzıları birkaç gün sonra peyderpey şehbenderhâneye mürâcaʿatla her hâlde matbûʿ mufahham ve muʿazzam bildikleri halîfetuʾllâh-ı fiʾl-âlem efendimiz hazretlerinin zîr-i cenâh müstelzimüʾl-felâh-ı hümâyûnlarına kabûl olunmalarını biʾl-istirhâm arz-ı tâbiʿiyyet eylediler beyneʾd-düvel cârî olan kavâʿid iktizâsınca herkes hod be-hod tebdîl-i tâbiʿiyyet edemeyeceğinden kavânîn-i merʿiyye-i saltanat-ı seniyye mûcebince memâlik-i mahrûse-i şâhânenin bir cihetinde ve ez cümle Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde beş sene mütemâdiyen ikâmet eyledikleri hâlde eltâf ve inâyât-ı celîlesi bî-pâyân ve cümle âlem hakkında erzân ve şâyân olan zât-ı

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şevket-simât hazret-i hilâfet-penâhînin zıll-ı zelîl-i tâcdârîlerine kabûl olunabilecekleri zemîninde taraf-ı çâkerânemden hüsn sûretle cevâb-ı iʿtâ ve kendileri tatyîb edilmişdir. Ânifen arz ve beyân kılındığı vechile Flemenkliler Açelileri taht-ı inkıyâda almak içün on beş seneden beru anlarla muhârib ve husûl-ı maksad içün her türlü vesâʾile müteşebbis olup Batavya‌ʾya biʾl-muvâsale birinci defʿa vâli ile vukûʿ bulan mülâkât-ı çâkerânem esnâsında müşârunileyh tarafından beyân edilen arzu ve baʿdeʾl-istîzân nezâret-i celîle-i hâriciyeden verilen müsâʿade üzerine Flemenkliler tarafından zabt ve tahrîb edilen “Kotaraca” şehrinde bilâhare Açelileri tatyîb ve celb içün Flemenklilerin birçok tekellüfle inşâ eylemiş oldukları câmiʿ-i şerîfe dahî biʾl-azîme Cuma namazını edâ eylediğim esnâda baʿdeʾl-muhârebe o şehirde kalıp sûret-i zâhirede Flemenklilere mutâʿvaʿat eyleyen Açeliler câmiʿ-i şerîf-i mezkûra dolarak esnâ-yı hutbede kezâlik birinci kere olarak yâd edilen nâm-ı celîl-i hilâfet üzerine gözlerinden akıttıkları seylâb-ı eşin meserret ve hasretle âmîn sadâlarını avuç-ı aʿlâya iʿlâ eylediler. Flemenk müstemlekâtına cânib-i saltanat-ı seniyyeden şehbenderler taʿyîni hakkında hükûmet-i seniyye ile Flemenk Devleti beyninde bundan otuz sene mukaddem bir muʿâhede akd edilmiş iken görülen lüzûm üzerine ancak geçen üç yüz sene-i hicriyesinde birinci defʿa olarak Batavya‌ʾya bir şehbender taʿyîn ve iʿzâmı ve bu cihetle Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾdeki milyonlarca ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin rubʿ-ı meskûnda sâkin ümmet-i Muhammediyeʾnin merbût olduğu hilâfet-i kübrâya rişte-i ubûdiyet ve intisâblarının teʾyîdi mücerred gıbta-bahş-ı aʿsâr-ı sâlife olan şu asr-ı meyâmin-i hasr-ı cenâb-ı cihân-bânî ve muvaffakiyyât-ı celîle-i hazret-i şehriyârîleri âsâr-ı meşkûresinden bulunmağla heman cenâb-ı Rabbüʾl-mennân vücûd-ı behbûd-ı hümâyûnları biʾl-cümle millet-i İslâmiyeʾye inâyet-i Rahman olan şevketlü kudretlü pâdişâhımız efendimiz hazretlerini ilâ âhiriʾd-devrân serîr-i ârâ-yı şevket ü şân ve nice nice muvaffakıyyât ile kâmran eylesin âmin Fî 21 Ramazan sene 1303 ve fî 12 Hazirân sene 1302 Abd-i memlûkları Bombay Serşehbenderi Number 253 Concerning the Indian Islands of the Dutch colonies As explained before, the total population of all the eastern Dutch colonies comprise approximately more than 31 million, including about 40,000 Europeans, 300,000 Chinese, 15,000 Arabs, and 10,000 Indians, along with the native inhabitants belonging to various races who speak about twenty different languages. When the approximately 1 million savages on the islands

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of Sumatra, Borneo, and New-Guinea, the Hindus4 on the island of Bali, and about fifty thousand local Christians of mixed blood residing in various other islands are subtracted from the total population, one finds about 30 million Muslims living in the eastern Dutch colonies. Except for the island of Java, no trustworthy record has been found concerning the date of the arrival and the dissemination of Islam in the said region. In the sixth and seventh century after the migration of the Prophet, some people belonging to the tribes of the eastern regions of the Arabian Peninsula arrived in the north of Sumatra and the Malacca peninsula in search of trade, and spread afterwards to the Indian Islands. During that period, an Arab called Bani Quraysh Makhzam bin Habul Makhzami from Baghdad arrived for the first time in the city of Cirebon on the island of Java in the Hijri year 791 and the Christian year 1388. The Javanese were previously Brahmanists (an Indian religion) but after the invasion of the Buddhists [?], they converted to this religion. Consequently, until the arrival of Islam they practised the said religion. In those days, there were local principalities in power in various places throughout Java, as it was the case in other places in India. The Arabs began to arrive in the said city of Cirebon, which belong to a minor government in Java, during a period when the Mataram Empire, located in the centre of the island, was a great and unyielding government that had influence over the other rulers. Those historic Arabs, who spread the true religion of Muhammad to almost everywhere on earth, helped to promote the glorification of the word of God in the said city as well. Initially, this government ruled [Cirebon], and afterwards the Mataram Empire, and finally, within a century (that is, by the end of the fifteenth century of the Christian calendar) the entire population of Java was distinguished with the honour of Islam. As indicated previously, during the arrival of the Arabs in the lands and islands of India, and the dissemination and popularisation of Islam, among the Europeans who possessed the well-honed skills of science of navigation, the Portuguese found the route to India via the Cape of Good Hope through many sacrifices. In 1498 of the Christian calendar they came to India, and in 1511 to the Malacca peninsula and the Molucca Islands. The great revenues they gained from selling the produce and spices of India in Europe, which they purchased there by barter, roused the ambitions of the English and the Spanish. Consequently, the two said nations also commenced naval expeditions to India. Not knowing the route to India until that time, the Dutch, who were skilled in naval affairs, presumptuously equipped four ships and found 4  The Turkish text has Bori, which is not easily explained.

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the said route, arriving in Banten in Java for the first time in the Christian year 1596. Like the others, they started trading in Indian goods. As a result of the competition that the Dutch created in this way, they monopolised the trade of Java and the other islands for themselves. However, this led to enmity with the Portuguese who had occupied and expropriated a considerable amount of the locals’ land, and both nations engaged in hostilities with each other. For a long period of time in the Indian Ocean, the Dutch fought first the Portuguese, and later the Spanish, defeating both. They took control of all the Spanish colonies in Indian Islands, and monopolized their trade for themselves, except the islands belonging to the Portuguese, and the Philippine Islands. It was in the following fashion that these European races, and particularly the Dutch, came to rule such extensive lands in the Far East and are able to control millions of people with five to ten ships from a great distance. For instance, the Dutch gave some gifts to the ruler of the city of Banten, the place to which they first arrived, and obtained permission to buy the goods of that place. Afterwards, on the second and the third occasion, they behaved in the same way and appropriated some land that would suffice for the warehouses that were required for storing the goods they brought from Europe, as well as for the goods they purchased and stored until the arrival of their ships. When their trade gained importance after a few voyages, they furnish their warehouses with military equipment and turned them into fortresses. They claimed that this was aimed at protecting their lives and belongings either against the attacks of the external European enemies or those of the other local races. Once they gained power in this way in places where they settled, and after they signed agreements with the locals to monopolize the trade for themselves, they seized every opportunity to resort to tricks and intrigues to create conflicts between [the local rulers], and to side with one party or the other and benefit from the resulting war by gradually extending their sphere of influence. As explained previously, the people of the said lands consist of various ethnic groups that are subject to various rulers and sultans, and conflicts are never absent between the said ethnic groups. The Dutch consider the occurrence of such conflicts as opportunities to act together with their allies. After the Dutch defeated their European enemies at sea, they subjugated the locals as well by means of various tricks, intrigues, and bloody wars, and usurped and seized their lands. Eventually, the minor sultans on the island of Java were gradually destroyed by the Dutch until, only half-acentury ago, just one big sultanate remained that, as a result of a war against the Dutch (?) was drained of strength. In the present day, in its place there are two sultans and two amirs established by the Dutch government from an ancient family.

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The military power of the Dutch is proportionally very small (and its extent will be explained below). The subjugation of the Javanese, today comprising currently a population of more than 21 million, can be attributed to the lack of unity and cooperation among them, and their timid character. The Dutch have not been able to subjugate the valiant, brave, and diligent Acehnese settled in the north of Sumatra, whose population numbers no more than a million individuals, and who have been resisting in a war that has continued for fifteen years, despite [the Dutch] expending 220 million rupees (that is, more than 19 million lira) and losing about 70,000 soldiers. All of the Indian Islands are currently colonies of the Dutch state with the approval of Britain. Its administration is entrusted to a governor, appointed by the Dutch King, who resides in Batavia. Likewise, there is a special army based around Batavia reserved for the province of Indian Islands under the command of a general. Including the soldiers and the officers, its strength totals 30,000 individuals, half of whom are vagabonds hired from various European nations for six years, and the other half consists of natives who are taken on in the same manner, but all the officers are Dutchmen educated in Europe. The said province possesses a navy, which consists of about forty small and large ships. These ships are trifling things that can only be used against the locals on the coasts of the Indies. However, a few real Dutch warships visit Indian Islands with the label “aid”, and rotate every one or two years. The average annual revenue of this province is 145 million rupees, which is 14.5 million lira. As a result of the Aceh campaign, during the last ten years its expenditure exceeded its revenues by a yearly amount of a few hundred thousand lira, leading to a budget deficit. The province of the Indian Islands is a government formed from the India Trade Company, and maintains all the attributes of a commercial enterprise. For instance, as the soil of the islands is quite fertile, more or less all trees and plants peculiar to hot climates [can grow], and in Java coffee is grown more than anything else. Therefore, the [colonial] government planted millions of coffee trees for itself, and the locals worked on the coffee plantations for certain periods of time in lieu of the tax they would otherwise have paid. In this way, they obtained the produce without any expense, and sold it on their own account. This coffee production alone constitutes one-third of the revenues of the province of Indian Islands. Likewise, the Dutch settlers on Java also grow crops such as coffee, tobacco, tea, cinchona, among others, and produce sugar from sugarcane, and they earn considerable sums by exporting this produce to Europe. Therefore, the rule of these colonies provides prosperity for the Dutch state and nation. The people of the said islands work in lieu of the taxes they are obliged to pay to the government but cannot profit from the benefits of the Europeans,

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so that for their own livelihood they grow mainly rice and a small amount of other produce. Therefore, they are mostly poor, and it is rare to find those who are wealthy aside from those who are the employees of the government and the local leaders. These Javanese are mild-mannered and are prone to debauchery, however they are religious and generally perform their prayers daily. Before Islam gained strength here, the Europeans prevented the implementation of certain issues that were against their personal interests. Therefore, the covering of women, which is an obligation of the provisions of the [Islamic] law, is currently no longer practiced. In recent years, when the means of transportation became abundant, an average of 8,000 Muslim pilgrims go to the Hijaz from the Indian Islands each year. The Dutch government is very careful about eliminating all possible elements that may lead the local people to revolt against them, and to ensure that they are not seduced by foreigners. Since they are of the same sect as the locals, Arabs may provoke the locals more easily to revolt, and therefore Arabs, and especially the Islamic religious scholars, are not allowed onto the islands. As a result the people of the islands are doomed to ignorance, which is what [the Dutch] desire. As there are millions of Muslims in the Indian Islands, it is an obligation under the provisions of [Islamic] law to read the sermon during Friday prayers in the exalted imperial name of the Leader of the Faithful, who possesses the lofty title of Custodian of the Two Noble Sanctuaries, the person of the Caliph, His Majesty the World-Holder, but this obligation has not been practiced until now because of the interference of the Dutch. However, when I arrived at my station, which was the first time that the Imperial Sultanate saw fit to appoint a consul general in Batavia, during the first Friday prayers that I attended at the Arab Mosque in the said city in June 1883, the exalted name of our lord the exalted Caliph, the most just Sultan-Protector of religion and the ever-fair King of Kings was mentioned with a complete desire and longing, and the Muslims present were very happy and prostrated themselves in gratitude. During the following Friday prayers, the other mosques throughout Batavia followed suit and read the sermons in the most noble name of the most exalted Command of the Faithful, the Caliph of God on Earth, His Majesty our most exalted Sultan. A few days later, a number of the residents of Batavia applied one after the other to the consulate, each professing their knowledge of the glory and greatness of our lord, His Majesty the Caliph of God on Earth, and requesting imperial salvation by petitioning to be granted subject status. The requirements of the regulations that are in force between states stipulate that one cannot change one’s citizenship on one’s own. Consequently I pleased them by replying kindly that, according to the current regulations of the Imperial Sultanate, those who resided somewhere in the

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Well-Protected Imperial Domains continuously for five years, for instance in Honoured Mecca, could be taken into the strong protection of His Majesty the Caliph. As explained above, the Dutch have been at war with the Acehnese for over fifteen years in order to subjugate them, and they use every means to attain their end. After my arrival in Batavia, upon the request of the Governor-General, during my first interview with him, I humbly requested and gained the permission of the exalted Foreign Ministry to visit the mosque built by the Dutch to please and mollify the Acehnese in the city of Kutaraja [Banda Aceh] that the Dutch had seized and demolished. When I performed the Friday prayers in the noble mosque, the Acehnese who remained in that city after the war and who pretended obey the Dutch, crowded into the said mosque. They shed tears and prayed rising their hands and their voices whilst saying ‘amen’ when the exalted name of the Caliph was mentioned in the sermon for the first time. Thirty years ago, the Imperial Government and the Dutch state signed an agreement concerning the appointment of consuls from the Imperial Sultanate to the Dutch colonies. It was only in the year 1883 that it was deemed necessary, and a consul was appointed for the first time. Through this, the millions of Muslims residing on the Indian Islands will strengthen their connection and loyalty to the Caliph, further connecting the Muslims of this quarter of the Earth with the wider nation of Muhammad. This is one of the signs of the fruits of the reign of the World-Holder, and of the exalted success of His Imperial Majesty’s deeds. May the Most Bountiful Lord God provide His Majesty with health, and grant compassion to all the Islamic nation, and grant our lord His Majesty the noble Sultan with every success until the end of days. 23 June 1886 Your most humble servant, the Consul General in Bombay Source: BOA Y.EE. 8/6

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry on German military operations in Borneo, 1890

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Fî 3 Receb sene [1]307 târihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtın sûretidir

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry on German military operations in Borneo, 1890

Flemenk Devleti müstemlekâtından maʿdûd olan “Borneo” cezîresine Almanya Devleti tarafından asker çıkarılıp cezîre-i mezkûrenin bir kısmı zabt olunduğu ve bu haber dünkü gün Batavya‌ʾya vâsıl olur olmaz Cezâyir-i Hindiye Vilâyeti Meclisi nısfuʾl-leylde akd-ı ictimâʿ eylediği ahz olunan maʿlûmât-ı mücmile iktizâsından olup ol-bâbda destres olunacak tafsîlât baʿdehû arz kılınacağı bedîhîdir Almanya Devleti işbu Borneo cezîresiyle Sumatra‌ʾyı taht-ı zabta almağa çalışmakda ise de Sumatra cezîresi ahâlîsi ve umerâsının maksad ve emelleri cezîre-i azîme-i mezkûrenin hükûmet-i mukaddese-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye ilhâkından ibâret olmağla düvel-i sâʾireden hiç birinin taht-ı hükmünde bulunmağı kabûl etmeyecekleri emsâli delâletiyle müsbit ve müberhendir taraf-ı bendegâneme vâkiʿ olan ihbârât cümlesinden olmak üzere işbu maksadın husûlü zımnında Sumatra umerâsı tarafından Singapurʾda bulunan fırkateyn-i hümâyûna mebʿûslar gönderilmek üzeredir elhâsıl Sumatra mesʾelesinin gün be-gün kesb eylediği sûret cânib-i seniyyüʾl-cevânib-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye olan taʿalluku hasebiyle nazar-ı ehemmiyet bulunduğunu arz ederim her hâlde.

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Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communication dispatched by the Consulate General in Batavia, dated 23 February 1890 We obtained brief information that the German state landed soldiers on the island of Borneo (which is regarded as a Dutch colony) and occupied a part of it. As soon as this news arrived in Batavia yesterday, the council of the province of Indian Islands gathered at midnight. It is evident that we will present further details when we obtain them. Although the German state is trying to occupy these islands of Borneo and Sumatra, the intentions and ambitions of the people and leaders of the island of Sumatra is that the said great island be annexed to the holy government of His Majesty the Caliph. That they will not accept to be ruled by any other country is evident in a number of instances, and I am informed that the leaders of Sumatra are about to dispatch envoys to the Imperial Frigate [Ertuğrul Fırkateyni], which is currently in Singapore, in order to achieve this ambition. Finally I submit that the daily developments of the Sumatra issue deserve attention due to its connection with the exalted Imperial Sultanate. In all matters[…] Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 234/118

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to Foreign Ministry giving a summary of a book written in Malay about Aceh’s relation to the Ottoman Empire and the Dutch actions against Aceh, 1890

Devletlü efendim hazretleri Sumatra‌ ʾda Açe kıtʿa-i azîmesinin cânib-i seniyyüʾl-cevânib-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye taʿalluku umûr-ı maʿlûmeden ise de husûs-ı mezkûr Malay lisânı üzre muharrer bir kitapta manzûr-ı bende-gânem olduğundan mücerred kitâb-ı mezkûrun sûret-i mündericesinin arzı maksadıyla biʾt-tercüme arz ve nakline ictisâr eyledim şöyle ki Sumatra‌ʾda vâkiʿ Açe kıtʿası altıyüz on târihi hicriyesinde taht-ı himâyet ve tabîʿiyyet-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye kabûl buyurulup bundan yirmi beş sene mukaddem dahî Açe emirliği tarafından derbâr-ı şevket-karâra mebʿuslar irsâl olunmağla tecdîd-i tabîʿiyyet ve himâyeti muhtevî bir kıtʿa fermân-ı hümâyûn ile emîri müşârunileyh murassâʿ mecîd-i nişân-ı zîşânı ihsân ve bu sûretle kıtâ-i mezkûrenin merbûtiyeti teʾkîd buyurulmuştur kuyûdât-ı târihiyyeye nazaran âʿsâr-ı sâlifede Flemenk devletiyle Dersaʿâdetʾde münʿakid bir muʿâhedede Açe emîrliği ile Flemenk devleti tarafından

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to Foreign Ministry giving a summary of a book written in Malay about Aceh’s relation to the Ottoman Empire and the Dutch actions against Aceh, 1890

yekdiğer memâlikine dahl ve ta‌ʾarruz olunmaması taʿahhüd ve tarafeyn ahâlî ve tüccârının emn u emân ile icrâ-yı ticâretlerine ruhsat-ı mütekâbile iʿtâ olunmuştur fakat devlet-i müşârunileyhâ ahkâmı muʿâhedeye mugâyir olarak Açe emîrliğine âʾid olan baʿzı adalara tasallut ve Sumatra‌ʾnın cihet-i şimâlîsinde vâkiʿ bir adaya fenâr vazʿı vesîlesiyle mezkûr adayı zabt etmiş ve bin ikiyüz seksen sekiz senesinden beri istîlâ-yı memâlik maksadıyla Açe emîrliğine izhâr-ı adâvet ve iʿlân-ı harb ile şimdiye kadar muhârebeye devâm eylemekde bulunmuştur Açe emirliğine âʾid memâlik heman Sumatra‌ʾnın bir kısm-ı eʿâzımıdır Flemenk devletiyle İngiltere devleti beyninde akd olunan muʿâhede dahî Sigapurʾdan güzerân eden hatt-ı arz-ı coğrâfî hudûd ittihâz olunup işbu

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hattın cihet-i cenûbunda bulunan Malezya kıtʿası Flemenk müstemlekâtı add olunmuş olmasına nazaran Sumatra‌ʾnın bir kısm-ı aʿzâmı yaʿni tamâmen Açe kıtʿa ve mülhakâtı işbu hudûd hâricinde bırakılmıştır hattâ coğrafiyyûndan kebîrin Asya kıtʿası harîtasında Açe kıtʿası Flemenk devleti müstemlekâtından ve Sumatra‌ʾnın kıtʿât-ı sâʾiresinden ayrı bir renk ile tefrîk olduğu umûr-ı vâzıhadandır herhalde emr u fermân hazret-i menlehüʾl-emrindir. 20 Ramazan [1]307 ve 28 Nisan [1]306 Batavya Başşehbenderi Ahmed Rıfkı My exalted, illustrious lord, Although the attachment of the great Aceh region in Sumatra to the exalted Imperial Sultanate is [well] known, I have seen a book written in the Malay language on this topic, and dared to translate and communicate its content with the intention of presenting it [to you]. It says that the Aceh region of Sumatra was accepted into the protection and subject-status of the Sublime State in the year 610 [1213/4]. Twenty-five years ago, the ruler of Aceh sent messengers to the noble capital [Istanbul], and was accorded a Mecidi medal and an imperial edict affirming their subject status and protection. In this way, the aforementioned region’s subject status was affirmed. With regard to historical records, according to an agreement concluded in the Abode of Felicity with the Dutch state, the Emirate of Aceh and the Dutch state agreed not to interfere and attack each other’s countries, and that the subjects and merchants of both could reciprocally trade in each other’s territories in safety. However, the said [Dutch] state, contrary to the agreement, attacked some islands belonging to the Emirate of Aceh, and occupied an island in the north of Sumatra in order to establish a lighthouse. Since the year 1871/2, intending to seize its territory, [the Dutch] have revealed their enmity and declared a war against the Emirate of Aceh, which continues to this day. The territories belonging to the Emirate of Aceh form the greatest part of Sumatra. Even according to an agreement between the Dutch state and Britain, the line crossing Singapore is recognized as the geographical border, and the Malaysian region to the south of this line is recognized as a Dutch colony. As a result, the greatest part of Sumatra, that is to say the Aceh region and its dependencies, have been left outside of this territory. The fact that in the maps of Asia, the Aceh region is shown in a different colour to the other parts of Sumatra, is evidence of this. In all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 10 May 1890 Ahmed Rıfkı, Consul General in Batavia. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 551/2

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491

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the earthquake in central Java, 1891

Huzûr-ı Mekârim-Mevfûr-ı Hazret-i Nezâret-Penâhîʾye 623 228 Devletlü efendim hazretleri Akdemce Cava‌ʾnın cihet-i vüstâsında gâyet şedîd bir hareket-i arz vukûʿ bulup hasârât-ı azîmeyi müʾeddî olmuşdur evvel emirde arz hafifçe harekete başlayıp kıtʿa-i mezkûrede vâkiʿ memâlik yekdiğerini müteʿâkiben bir çâr-ı yek saʿat kadar tezelzül ve pek çok hâne ve ebniye-i sâʾire harâb olup nüfûsca telefât-ı kesîre vukûʿ bulmuşdur en ziyâde düçâr-ı musâb olan memâlikden Cava‌ʾnın cihet-i şimâlîsinde vâkiʿ sâhile müntehî olan Çapara kıtʿasında vâkiʿ Zavane nâm mahal azîm bir harâbe-zâr şeklini alıp kaffe-i büyût ve ebniye-i sâʾire münhedim ve metîn ve müstahkem kâr-gîr binâlar işbu zelzele-i harkulâdenin sadmât-ı şedîdesiyle parça parça çatlayıp yıkılmışdır nüfusça telefâtın mikdârı maʿlûm olmayıp fakat enkâz altından küllî aʿzâ-yı vücûd-ı insâniye ihrâç olunmuşdur hareket-i arzın tekrâr vukûʿundan ihtirâzen Avrupa‌ʾlı ahâlî bambudan çatma muvakkat hânelerde ikâmete mecbûr olmuş ve Samarang nâm şehirde dahî ahâlî havf üzre olup ekserî firâra şitâb eylemişlerdir. Kezâlik Molok cezâyirinden Bande nâm cezîrede vukûʿ bulan hareket-i arz hasârât-ı külliyeyi mûcib olmuşdur işbu hareket-i arzı müteʿâkib defâʿatle sadmât-ı şedîde-i arziye his olunup lağımsedâsına müşâbih gürüldüsü mesmûʿ-ı gûş-ı dehşet olduğu havâdis-i mahalliyeden bulunmağla arzına mücâseret kılındı her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 20 Recep sene [1]308 ve fî 16 Şubat sene [1]306 Batavya Başşehbenderi Ahmed Rıfkı To the presence of the abundantly kind exalted Ministry 623 228 My distinguished exalted lord, Recently a heavy earthquake took place in central Java, causing great damage. At the beginning, the earth began to move slowly and afterwards the lands of the continent shook against for about a quarter of an hour, destroying numerous houses and various buildings and leading to great number of casualties. The place Juwana, located in the Jepara region that lies on the northern shores of Java, is one of the places that has been hit most severely, turning into a huge ruin as all its houses and other buildings collapsed, and its strong stone buildings cracked and fell into ruin due to the intensity of the shakes of

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the extraordinary earthquake. The number of casualties is not known, but all parts of human bodies have been removed from the ruins. To protect themselves from a recurrence of the earthquake, the Europeans are obliged to live in temporary houses built of bamboo, and most of the people of the city called Semarang hastened to escape. Likewise the earthquake caused a total destruction of the island called Banda, which is one of the Maluku islands. Following this earthquake, a number of aftershocks were felt whose sound, resembling that of a mine [explosion], spread terror to the ears. [This information] has been presented as it is local news. In all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 1 March 1891 Ahmed Rıfkı, Consul General in Batavia. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 246/18 (1)

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the importance of Aceh and the relevant policies of the Europeans, 1891

Huzûr-ı Mekârim-Mevfûr-ı Hazret-i Nezâret-Penâhîʾye 627 232 Devletlü efendim hazretleri Müstaʿnî-i arz ve beyân olduğu üzere Sumatra cezîresinin cihet-i şimâlîsinde vâkiʿ Açe Boğazı Avrupa kıtʿasından Hindistan-ı Şarkî ve Çin ve Japon ve memâlik-i sâʾireye gelen biʾl-cümle sefâʾin için en mühim bir mevkiʿ-i tabîʿi olup işbu boğazın muhâfazası ve lâzım gelen mahallerine fenerler vazʿ ve teʾsîsiyle emniyetin ibkâsı düvel-i sâʾirece nasıl mültezim bir madde-i mühim olduğu bedîhîdir Açe kıtʿasında senelerden beru harb ve gavganın devâmı ve bu defʿa dahî kıtʿa-i mezkûrenin abluka altında bulundurulması bir gûne netîce hâsıl edemedikden başka muhâsemâtı teşdîd etmişdir hâl-i hâzır Avrupa emtiʿa-i ticâriyesinin umûmî bir deposu hükmünde olan Malaka şibh-i cezîresiʾnde vâkiʿ “Pinanğ” nâm mahallin Sumatra ile olan serbestî-i ticâretine ve mezkûr Açe Boğazıʾndan gelip geçen sefâʾinin kemâl-i emniyetle mürûrlarına pek de kâfil bulunmaması İngiltere ve Almanya ve Fransa gibi baʿzı devletlerin dâʿî-i iʿtirâzları olması şüphesizdir. Flemenk Devleti bu mesʾeleyi pîş-i nazar-ı dikkatden dûr etmemiş ve Sumatra‌ ʾda bekâsı mücerred Açeʾnin zabtıyla mümkün olabileceğinden yakîn hâsıl etmiş olduğuna mebnî şimdiye kadar hazîneler sarfıyla Açe muhârebâtına devâm eylemiş ise de Açeʾnin zabtı devlet-i müşârunileyhâca

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meşkûk ve heman müstahil hükmünde kalmışdır kıtʿa-i mezkûrenin âhar bir devlete geçmesi ve binâʾen aleyh Sumatra‌ʾnın kâmilen Flemenk Devletiʾnden tefrîki çâresiz görülüyor. Şurasını dahî arz ederim ki Sumatra‌ʾnın cihet-i şarkîsinde vâkiʿ “Deli” nâm kıtʿa-i vâsiʿada erbâb-ı servet ve sâmândan pek çok Almanya‌ʾlı temekkün edip zirâʿat-ı cesîme ile meşgûl ve ekser ticâret kumpanyaları dahî Almanyalıdır Sumatra İngiliz ticâret kumpanyaları dahî var ise de Almanyalılara nisbeten yüzde on derecesinde kalîldir Almanyalılar kendilerini ahâlî-i mahalliyeye ısındırmak içün vâkiʿ olagelmekde olan mesâʿî-i umûmîleri Sumatra‌ʾda Almanya nüfûzunu gün be-gün teʾkîde bâdî olmakda olduğu muhât-ı ilm-i âlî-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîleri buyuruldukda her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 20 Recep sene [1]308 ve fî 16 Şubat sene [1]306 Batavya Başşehbenderi Ahmed Rıfkı To the presence of the abundantly kind exalted Ministry 627 232 My distinguished exalted lord, As there is no need to explain and present, the strait of Aceh, located to the north of the island of Sumatra, is naturally a most important location for all ships coming from Europe to East India, China, Japan and other similar countries. The importance of ensuring the security of [the ships] of the various states in this strait by placing lighthouses at necessary places is evident. Neither the prolongation of the war and struggle that has continued in Aceh for several years, nor the blockade of the said region have yet borne fruit, but rather have exacerbated enmity. There is no doubt that freedom of trade between Sumatra and the place called Penang (located on the Malacca peninsula, which is a kind of general depot for European merchandize), without a guarantee of the completely safe passage of the ships passing through the Aceh strait, will provoke objections from countries like Britain, Germany and France. As the Dutch State has not overlooked this situation, and has comprehended that its survival in Sumatra depends on controlling Aceh, they have continued the Aceh war despite the fortune they have spent on it to date. Nevertheless, the Dutch lack the ability to control Aceh at present, and therefore it seems unavoidable that Sumatra will completely be separated from the Dutch state and pass to another country. I would like to communicate that in the vast region called Deli in North Sumatra, there are numerous wealthy German capitalists who have established settlements there to engage in large-scale agriculture. Most of the commercial

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companies are German as well, and whilst there are British Sumatra companies, their [trade is] as small as ten per cent of that of the Germans. As a result of the Germans’ ongoing widespread activities to win over the local people, German influence in Sumatra is strengthening day by day. This is presented for Your Excellency’s exalted ministerial information. In all matters, to command belongs to the exalted commander of all 1 March 1891 Ahmed Rıfkı, Consul General in Batavia. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 246/18 (2)

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Documents pertaining to Franco-Siamese conflict, 1893

Ottoman ambassador in London to the Foreign Ministry reporting about English policies regarding the Franco-Siamese conflict, 1893 Bâb-ı âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne fî 18 Temmuz sene [18]93 târihiyle Londra Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 282 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir Maʿlûm-ı âlî-i nezâret-penâhîleri buyurulduğu üzere geçenlerde Fransa ile Siyâm krâliyeti beyninde baʿzı müşkilât zuhûr etmiş ve bu müşkilât âhiren Fransa kuvve-i bahriyesiyle Bankok şehrinin kâʾin olduğu nehrin sevâhilinde vâkiʿ istihkâmât beyninde muhâsamât vukûʿuna sebebiyet vermişdir gazetelerin bu bâbdaki neşriyâtıyla buhrânın tevsiʿine dâʾir müntehâ-yı şarkdan peyderpey vürûd eden telgrafnâmeler üzerine Lordlar Kamarasıyla Meclis-i Mebʿûsânʾda heyʾet-i vükelâya îrâd olunan bir takım suʾâllere nazaran vukûʿât-ı mezkûre İngilterece gereği gibi endişeyi mûcib olmuşdur bu suʾallere akşam Kont Rozberi Lordlar Kamarasıʾnda ve Hâriciye Müsteşar Muʿâvini Sir Edward Greyʾi Meclis-i Mebʿûsânʾda müttahidüʾl-meʾâl baʿzı beyânâtda bulunmuşlardır ki beyânât-ı mezkûre ihtilâfın mâhiyeti ile İngiltere Hükûmeti tarafından bu ihtilâfa ne nazarla bakıldığını muʿlindir ehemmiyeti hasebiyle İngiltere Parlamentosunca cârî olan usûl hilâfına olarak bir varakaya biʾt-tahrîr kırâʾat olunan beyânât-ı mezkûrenin sûret-i mütercemesi leffen takdîm kılındı mutâlaʿasından maʿlûm-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri olacağı vechile İngiltere Hükûmeti Fransa ile Siyâm Hükûmetleri beyninde mevcûd ihtilâfâtda bîgâne durmak arzusunda ise de Siyâm Hükûmetiʾnin bekâ-yı istiklâli İngiltereʾnin ve aleʾl-husûs İngiltereʾye âʾid Hindistan kıtʿasının menâfiʿi iktizâsından olmağla bu istiklâl-i siyâsîye îrâs-ı halel edebilecek her 9.1

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Ottoman ambassador in London to the Foreign Ministry reporting about English policies regarding the Franco-Siamese conflict, 1893

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gûne harekete nazîr-i bî-kaydî ile bakmayacakdır Siyâm Hükûmeti Fransa‌ʾnın Hindistanʾdaki müstemlekâtı ile bir İngiliz eyâleti olan “Birmanya” beyninde vâkiʿ olduğu cihetle Lord Beaconsfieldʾin fikrince sâhib-i kuvvet ve miknet komşu beyninde vesâʾit-i ihtilâtiyeyi ve bu sûretle esbâb-ı ihtilâfı menʿ içün en iyi vâsıta olan ve zâten tampon taʿbîr edilen hükûmâtdan maʿdûddur Siyâm kralının on üç ve on beş yaşlarında bulunan iki mahdûmu li-ecliʾt-tahsîl bir müddetden beru İngiltereʾde bulunup Mekâtib-i Aliyyeʾden birine kayd edilmişlerdir emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Translation Office Number Translation of the communiqué received by the Foreign Ministry from the Ottoman Embassy in London, dated 18 July 1893 and numbered 282. As your ministerial Excellency knows lately some tensions occurred between France and the Kingdom of Siam. This tension led later to a clash between French navy and the fortresses located on the bank of the river where Bangkok is located. Judging from the questions that were asked (to the members of the cabinet in the House of Lords and the House of Commons) upon the related publications of the newspapers and the telegrams received from the Far East, relating the escalation of the conflict, these incidents [seems to] have led to a proper anxiety in England. The Early of Rosebery [Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1886, 1892–1894] responded to these questions in the evening at the House of Lords and Sir Edward Grey [Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, 1892–1895] at the House of Commons, with a similar content. These statements indicate the point of view of the English government regarding this conflict. The translation of this statement which (contrary to the prevailing conventions), due to its importance, was read out after it was written, is presented in enclosure. As your ministerial Excellency will understand from its study: Although the English government wants to remain indifferent to the conflict between French and Siamese governments, the continuation of the independence of the Siamese government is necessary for the interests of England and the Indian continent which belongs to England. [Therefore, England] will not remain indifferent to any action that will harm this [Siamese] political independence. The Siamese government is considered a buffer zone (which according to Lord Beaconsfield is the best means to avoid conflict between two powerful neighbours) located between Burma (which is an English province) and the French colonies in India. Two children of the King of Siam,

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one thirteen and the other fifteen years old, are enrolled in one of the royal school and have been in England for a while. To command belongs unto Him to whom all commanding belongs. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 278/151 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 177–182

Ottoman ambassador in London reporting to the Foreign Ministry the developments regarding Franco-Siamese conflict, 1893 Turkish Embassy Maʿrûz-ı kemterleridir Fransa‌ʾnın Siyâm Devlet-i Sağîresi hakkında revâ gördüğü muʿâmele-i hakk-ı şeknâne ve gasbânesi âlemin inkisâr ve hayretini mûcib olmakdadır. Daha geçende Rahomey krâliyetini tahrîb eden Fransa‌ʾnın bugün bi-gayr-i hak Siyâm arâzîsinin bir kısm-ı mühimmini almağa kalkışması Fransa‌ʾda ahlâkın ne derece bozulduğuna ve hattâ yirmi beş sene evvelki emr-i uluvv-ı[?] cenâb ve insâf sâhibi Fransız yerine büsbütün başka bir Fransız kâʾim olduğuna delîldir. İngiltereʾnin müdâhale edeceği ümîd olunur iken bugün o ümîdin zâyiʿ olduğu ve şu sûret teʾeyyüd ettiği hâlde bîçâre Siyâmʾın fedâ edildiği anlaşılıyor. Mâmâfih o küçük hükûmetin Fransa‌ʾya karşı bu derece mukâvemet göstermesi elhak şâyân-ı sitâyiş ve tebrîkdir. Mesʾele Asya mesʾelesi ve binâʾen aleyh dolayısıyla biraz bize de âʾid olduğu içün Fransa‌ʾnın almak istediği ve Siyâmʾın iʿtâsına muvâfakat ettiği ve etmediği parçaları irâʾe etmek üzre Avrupalıların sathî bir harîtacığını leffen takdîm ediyorum. Fî 16 Temmuz sene 1309 9.2

Turkish Embassy The humble request is that; The brutal and unjust treatment which the French government deems suitable to the little Siamese State amazes and provokes the curses of the world. The fact that France (who just recently destroyed the Kingdom of Dahomey) attempts to occupy unjustly an important part of Siamese territory is a testimony of the extent to which morals are corrupted in France and that a completely different France has been erected in place of the fair France of twenty five years ago. Although it was expected that England would intervene, now these hopes have been given up. It is understood that helpless Siam is sacrificed. However, the extent to which this small government resisted France deserves truly praise and congratulation. As this is an Asian issue and is related to us for that reason as well, I present in enclosure a small superficial European map showing the territories claimed by France. [The map shows also] which

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Figure 150

Ottoman ambassador in London reporting to the Foreign Ministry the developments regarding Franco-Siamese conflict, 1893

parts [of these territories are] conceded by the Siamese and which [claims] are rejected. 18 July 1893 Source: BOA Y.PRK.MYD. 13/27 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 183–184.

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Documents relating to the developments with regard to the Aceh war, 1896

Ottoman Ambassador in The Hague to the Foreign Ministry about an Acehnese Attack on the Dutch, 1896 Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded 10.1

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Ottoman ambassador in The Hague to the Foreign Ministry about an Acehnese attack on the Dutch, 1896

Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne fî 11 Mart sene [18]96 târihiyle Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 28 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Gazetelerde münderic bir rivâyete nazaran Hindistan-ı Şarkîʾdeki Flemenk müstemlekâtı dâhilinde kâʾin “Anaga Lainag” civârında “Açiniler”den mürekkeb ve kesîrüʾl-aded bir çete Flemenkli bir müfreze-i askeriye üzerine hücûm ederek bunu düçâr-ı izmihlâl eylemişdir resmî bir telgrafnâmede şehr-i hâlin beşinci günü “Açiniler” tarafından Flemenk askeri üzerine bagteten hücûm olunarak tarafeynden takrîben altmış kişi katl ve cerh edilmiş olduğu muharrerdir hükûmet-i krâliye mütecâsirînin teʾdîbi zımnında meʾmûrîn-i âʿideye zâten evâmir-i lâzime iʿtâ eylemiş imiş emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Sublime Porte Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Office Number This is the translation of the communication dated 11 March [18]96, numbered 28, sent from the Imperial Embassy in The Hague to the Foreign Ministry.

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According to a rumour published in the newspapers, in “Anaga Lainag[?]” which is located in Dutch colonies in the East Indies, a band consisting of a great number of “Acehnese,” attacked a Dutch detachment and caused it to disperse. In an official telegram of the fifth of this month, it is written that the “Acehnese” took the Dutch soldiers by surprise and attacked [them], and about sixty individuals from both sides were killed or injured. The Royal Government is reported to have already given the required orders to the appropriate officials for the punishment of the perpetrators. To command belongs to him who commands all. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 349/18

Ottoman Ambassador in The Hague to the Foreign Ministry on the Actions of Teuku Umar in Aceh, 1896 Bâb-ı Âlî Tercüme Odası numero 13 Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Flemenk Hindistanıʾndaki müstemlekâtından bulunan Açin işlerine dâʾir Lahey Şehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrât sûretinin leffen irsâl kılındığına dâʾir Nezârete fî 11 Nisan [18]96 Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden 36 numerolu tahrîrât Flemenkʾin Hindistanʾdaki müstemlekâtından bulunan Açinʾin işlerine dâʾir Lahey Şehbenderi Mösyö De Vriesʾden burada aldığım tahrîrâtın sûreti melfûfu bulunan harîta ile birlikde ve fî 2 Nisan [18]96 târihli ve otuz beş numerolu tahrîrât-ı âcizâneme zeylen ve leffen takdîm kılındı emr u fermân Melfûf tahrîrâtın sûret-i tercümesidir “Sumatra” cezîresinin cihet-i şimâliyesinde kâʾin “Açin”de serzerde-i zuhûr olan vukûʿât-ı âhire Flemenk Hükûmeti tarafından “Açin” nüvvâbına karşı 1873 senesinde işgâl olunup sebeb-i hudûsü zât-ı âlîlerince şübhesiz maʿlûm olan nâʾire-i harb üzerine enzâr-ı dikkat-i umûmiyeyi yeniden celb eylemişdir hükûmet-i seniyyenin Flemenklilere karşı muzâharetini taleb eylemek üzre “Açin” hükümdârı cânibinden 1868 senesinde sarf olunan mesâʾîye karşı cennet-mekân Sultân Abdülaziz Han ile hükûmet-i seniyye cânibinden ittihâz kılınmış olan sûret-i hareket-i Flemenkʾde hâlen kemâl-i şükrân ile yâd ve tahattur olunmakda olup ol vakte hükûmet-i seniyye buna mukâbil nüvvâba Açin üzerinde hakk-ı hâkimiyeti teklîf buyurmuşidi bin sekiz yüz yetmiş üç senesi evâʾilinde Açin hükümdârının murahhası Açin vükelâsından “Said Abdurrahman” Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin himâyesini taleb etmek üzere Mekke-i Mükerreme tarîkiyle Dersaʿâdetʾe azîmet etdiği zamân bu mesâʿîye tekrâr teşebbüs ve tevessül olunmuş ise de 1874 târihinde Meclis-i Mebʿûsânʾa hitâben Flemenk Hükûmeti cânibinden tastîr kılınan resmî bir raporda dahî 10.2

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beyân olunduğu vechile “mûmâileyhin” meʾmûriyeti kendisince matlûb olan netîceye iktirân edememiş ve fakat hükûmet-i seniyye ile Flemenk Hükûmeti beyninde taʿâtî-i muharrerâta mahal vermiş olup bu ise beyneʾd-devleteyn teşyîd-i münâsebât-ı dostâneden başka bir netîceyi intâc edememişdir. Maʿlûm-ı sefîrâneleri olduğu üzre Flemenk Hükûmeti “Açin” de muzafferriyyât-ı adîde ihrâz edildikden sonra takrîben bundan on beş sene evvel tecâvüzkârâne muhârebede devâm etmeyerek sâdece Aşinʾde bir mevkiʿ-i müstahkem işgâliyle iltikâ etmeği ve memleketde huzûr ve müsâlemetin istikrârına vusûl içün yerli her hükümdârân ve rüʾesâ ile mümkün mertebe akd-i ittifâk etmeği muvâfık-ı maslahat addeylemişdir bunun içün rüʾesâ-yı mahalliyeden “Toekoe Djohan”ın elde edilmesine lüzûm gösterilmiş olup mûmâileyh hakîkat-i hâlde “Açin”de bulunan askerî kumandanlarına hidemât-ı azîme îfâ etmekle berâber diğer tarafdan vaktiyle Flemenk Hükûmetiʾne karşı öyle bir meslek-i harekete sâlik olmuşidi ki erbâb-ı vukûfdan baʿzı zevâtın fikrince mûmâileyhe tamâmıyla emniyet ve iʿtimâd câʾiz değildi. Geçen Martʾın yirmi dokuzuncu ve otuzuncu günlerinde serzede-i sâhai zuhûr olan vukûʿât zevât-ı mûmâileyhin bu bâbdaki fikirlerinin pek musîb olduğunu isbât eylemişdir “Açin” askeri kumandânı refʿ-i livâ-yı isyân eden bir reʾise karşı taht-ı kumandasında bulunan askerle hareket etmesini ve Flemenk asâkirinin ferdâsı günü arkadan yetişeceklerini “Toekoe Djohan”a emr ve işʿâr etmiş ise de merkûm beğle “Açin”in bu kısmında hâʾiz olduğu hükm ve nüfûzu izâʿa eder havfıyla kumandânın emrine imtisâlden biʾl-imtinâʿ berâberindeki asâkirle berâber isyân etmiş ve Flemenk asâkirinin taht-ı işgâlinde bulunan baʿzı mevkâʿîyi muhâsara eylemişdir. Müstemlekât İdâresi “Açin” askeri koordinörü Ceneral “Deykerhoff”in yerine ondan daha ziyâde metâneti olan Miralay “Stemfoort”un taʿyînini memleketin menâfiʿine muvâfık addetmiş ve diğer tarafdan müstemlekât-ı asâkiri başkumandanı Ceneral “Vetter” asâkir-i imdâdiyeyi müstashiben derhal Açinʾe iʿzâm edilmişdir mûmâileyh muvâsaletini müteʿâkib usât aleyhine harbe biʾl-ibtidâr iki mevkiʿ-i müstahkem zabt ve tashîr olunmuş ve bir defʿa dahî Flemenk askerinin ihrâz-ı galebe edeceği kırâʾat-i ahvâlden istidlâl olunmakda bulunmuşdur maʿmâfih yine asıl cây-ı suʾâl olan mâdde Flemenkʾin Açin Hükûmetiʾnin taht-ı hâkimiyetine yeniden idhâli mi yoksa bütün Açin memâlikini doğrudan doğruya Flemenkʾe âʾid bir idâre ile Flemenk müstemlekâtına sarf ve sâdece ilâve mi edeceği husûsudur el-yevm bu mesʾele Flemenk Hükûmeti ile müstemlekât idâresi beyninde teʿâtî-i müzâkerâta bâdî olmuşdur Flemenkliler tarafından işgâl olunan mevkiʿ ile harekât-ı fesâdiyenin zuhûryâfte olduğu nikât-ı mütecâvireyi irâʾe eden Açin muhârebe mevkiʿinin bir kıtʿa harîtası leffen taraf-ı sefîrânelerine irsâl kılındı.

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Sublime Porte Translation Office Number 13 Subject of translation: The copy of the communication on the developments in Aceh, which is a part of the Dutch Indies colonies, dispatched by the [Ottoman Embassy] at The Hague has been sent. To the Ministry on 11 April 1896 Communication from the Imperial Embassy in The Hague, numbered 36 The copy of the communication which I [Abdulhak Hamid (Tarhan), Ottoman Ambassador to The Hague] received here from Monsieur De Vries, the consul in The Hague, is presented with the map which is enclosed with it, together with my humble note dated 2 April 1896 and numbered 35. To command[…] This is the copy translation of the enclosed documents Aceh, which is located in the north of the island of Sumatra, has aroused general public interest due to recent developments resulting from the flames of war which started because of Dutch aggression in 1873 against the Acehnese government, due to reasons that are known to your exalted personage. The Acehnese ruler requested the intervention of the Imperial Government against the Dutch in the year 1868, and the actions adopted by the heaven-dwelling Sultan Abdülaziz Khan and the imperial government in procuring aid against the Dutch are still remembered with complete gratitude. On that occasion, the Imperial Government had proposed to their leaders that they recognize [Ottoman] sovereignty over Aceh. In early 1873, Sayyid Abdurrahman [alZahir], one of the Acehnese ministers and the envoy of the ruler of Aceh, came to the Abode of Felicity by way of Honoured Mecca to apply for the suzerainty of the Sublime State. Although this led to attempts to renew these endeavours, the mission could not achieve the desired result, but led to correspondence between the Ottoman and Dutch governments which produced nothing beyond strengthening the friendly relations between the two countries. [These points] have also been explained in an official report written by the Dutch Government and addressed to the Ottoman parliament. As Your Ambassadorial Excellency knows, after the Dutch government won a number of victories in Aceh fifteen years ago, they did not continue the offensive war, rather contenting themselves with occupying a stronghold, and they deemed it suitable to establish an alliance with all local rulers and leaders to achieve the stability of peace and tranquillity in the country. For this reason, it was deemed necessary to gain the support of the chief Teuku Djohan [Teuku Umar]. The aforementioned [Teuku Umar] had in fact provided great service to the [Dutch] military commanders, but had previously followed such a [bad] course with regard to the Dutch government that according to the opinion of some knowledgeable people it was not appropriate to trust him completely.

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The incidents that took place on the 29 and 30 March last have testified that the judgment of those people on this issue were very correct. The [Dutch] commander of the Acehnese soldiers ordered Teuku Umar to move with the troops under his command against a local leader who had revolted, and informed him that the Dutch soldiers would join them the next day. However, fearing that this would destroy the influence that he had over that part of Aceh through the said local leader, he refused to obey the order of the commander, revolted together with the troops under his command, and besieged some of the places under the control of Dutch soldiers. The colonial administration deemed it suitable to the country’s interests to replace the Aceh military coordinator, General Deykerhoff, with Colonel Stemfoort who is stronger in character than the former. Moreover, General Vetter, the commander-in-chief of the colonial army, was sent immediately to Aceh with a relief force. After their arrival, they fought the rebels and took two strongholds, which demonstrates that the Dutch army will acquire victory once more. However, the actual question is whether the Dutch will re-establish the sovereignty of the Acehnese government, or whether they will take the entire Acehnese territories under a Dutch administration answerable directly to the Dutch colonial administration. This is currently an issue discussed in the correspondence between the Dutch government and the colonial administration. A map of the location of the war in Aceh, showing the area occupied by the Dutch, as well as the places where the disturbances took place, is sent to Your Ambassadorial Excellency in an enclosure. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 551/5

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Ottoman embassy in The Hague on the actions of Teuku Umar, 1896 Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden irsâl kılınan rapor sûretidir. Huzûr-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı sefâret-penâhîlerine fî 19 Mart sene [1]312 târih ve 7 husûsî numerosuyla takdîm eylemiş olduğum tahrîrât-ı âcizânemle arz ve işʿâr edildiği üzere Sumatra adasının cihet-i şimâlîsinde kâʾin Açe adası rüʾesâ-yı kabâʾilinden olup Flemenk Hükûmeti hizmet-i askeriyesine mevcûd maʿiyyeti ile berâber tavʿan dâhil olmuş iken âhiren bir hayli silâh ve cebehâneyi biʾl-istishâb iki bin nefer maʿiyyeti ile berâber bağteten firâr eylemiş bulunan Toko Ömer nâm-ı diğer Toko Cohan nâm sergerdenin vukûʿ-ı isyânından dolayı Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin kıtʿa-i mezkûreye yeniden asker sevkiyle Açelilere karşı mecbûren açmış olduğu muhârebe el-ân bir sûretle netîce pezîr olmamışdır şimdiye kadar Açeʾye imdâd olarak Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾnin mevâkiʿ-i muhtelifesinden dört bine karîb asker ve top ve mühimmât-ı lâzime 10.3

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gönderildiği gibi evvelden beru Açelilere İngilizler tarafından silah gönderildiği hükûmetçe maznûn bulunması cihetiyle sevâhili abluka tahtında bulundurmak üzre on dört kıtʿa harb sefînesi dahî gönderilmişdir Açe kıtʿası mevkiʿan sarp ve dağlık arâzîden ibâret olup ahâlîsi dahî gâyet şeciʿ akvâmdan mürekkeb olmasına binâʾen bu âna kadar vukûʿ bulan muhâberâtdan Flemenkliler bir gûna muzafferiyete nâʾil olamayıp bir hayli telefât vermişler ve el-ân Toko Ömer denilen firârî sergerdenin ne tarafa çekildiği umûm meʾmûrîn-i askeriye ve mülkiyece bâdîʾ-i tahayyür ve endîşe olmakda bulunduğundan bu kere Toko Ömer ve kabîlesinin evvelce sâkin olmuş bulunduğu karye ve civârı sahil cihetine sufun-ı harbiye vâsıtasıyla topa tutularak havâlîsiyle berâber ihrâk edilmiş ise de o taraflara dahî yanaşmadıkları tahakkuk eylemişdir Açe kıtʿasında vukûʿ bulmakda olan muhârebâtın sûret-i cereyânı hakkında şimdiye kadar alınan maʿlûmât sevâhilin umûmen ablukasıyla berren tecâvüzü hareket-i askeriyeden ibâret ise de fevkalâde komiser unvânıyla o tarafa azîmet eden Cezâʾir-i Hindiye kuvve-i beriyyesi başkumandânı Ceneral Vetterʾin tertîb eylediği muhârebe planları mektûm tutulmakdadır umûmen zirâʿatle taʿayyüş eden kabâʾilden mürekkeb olan Açe ahalîsînin yirmi dört seneden beru Flemenk Hükûmetiyle aleʾd-devâm muhârib bulunmaları ahâlî-i merkûmeyi pek ziyâde yormuş ve emr-i zirâʿatden alıkoymuş bulunduğu cihetle bahrî ve berrî taʿkîbâta hükûmetçe devâm edildiği takdîrde sinîn-i vefîreden beru hal ve tesviye edilememiş olan Açe mesʾelesinin bu kere külliyen fasl ve hatme muvaffak olacağı kaviyyen teʾmin ediliyor ise de taʿkîbât-ı lâzimenin her hâlde üç sene müddet ber devâm olması lâzım geleceği dahî baʿzı erbâb-ı vukûf tarafından ityân olunur kaldı ki Flemenk Hükûmeti zâten küçük bir hükûmet olup öyle tûl müddet harbe devâma ne kuvve-i askeriyesi ne de kudret-i mâliyesi müsâʿid olamayacağından muhârebe-i hâzıra netîcesinin dahî sevâbıkı misillü bir netîce-i katʿiyyeye iktirân edemeyeceği kaviyyen tahmîn olunur İngiltere Hükûmetiyle Flemenk Devleti beyninde akd olunan bir muʿâhede de Singapurʾdan geçen hatt-ı arz-ı coğrâfî hudûd ittihâz kılınarak hatt-ı mezkûr tahtında kalan arâzîyi Flemenk müstemlekâtı addedilmiş ve binâberîn Sumatra adasının kısm-ı şimâlîsini yani büsbütün Açe kıtʿası Flemenk müstemlekâtı addolunan hâriç tutulmuş iken Flemenklilerin aleʾt-temâdî Açelilere muhârebeleri hakka gayr-ı mekârin ve binâberîn İngilizlerin müdâhalesini mûcib iken kıtʿa-i mezkûrenin mevkiʿ-i coğrâfîsi cihetle İngiltereʾnin Hindistan müstemlekâtı ve siyemâ en mühim memerr-i sefâʾin olan Malaga Boğazıʾna olan kurbiyeti ve ahâlîsinin ise sevâhilde korsanlık tarzında baʿzı sefâʾin-i ecnebiyeye taʿarruzları ve hatta o sevâhilde kazâzede olan vapura hücûm ile mevcûd yolcu ve tâʾifesini kayd-ı isre bend eyledikleri mevâdd-ı vâkıʿadan bulunduğuna binâʾen İngilizlerin dâʾimâ hâli emniyet ve muhâfazada

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505

bulunması ehassı emelleri olan Malaga Boğazı civârında mahall-i emniyet o yolda hareketlere musâmaha göstermeyeceği tabîʿi olduğundan Flemenklilerin Açeliler aleyhinde olan muhârebâtına nazar-ı müsâmaha ile bakmakda ise de işin sürüncemede kaldığını ve Flemenklilerin âdetâ Açe ahâlîsine gâlibiyetle emniyet-i matlûbeyi istihsâle muvâffak olamadıklarını görerek bilâhare işe bizzat müdâhale eylemesi ve âdetâ Açe kıtʿası mühim olan kudret-i askeriyesine binâʾen istilâ ediyormuş mülâhazası dahî vârid ve dahî Flemenklilerce başlıca bâdîʾ-i endîşe olmakdadır elhâletü hâzihî Açe ahvâli maʿrûzât-ı vâkıʿa-i bendegânem dâʾiresinde bulunmakla Açelilerin hilâfet-i kibriyâ-yı İslâmiyeʾye olan irtibât-ı tâm ve mahsûsları cihetle âtiyen oraca vukûʿ bula[n] harekât-ı askeriyenin dahî huzûr-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı sefâret-penâhîlerine arz kılınacağı maʿrûzdur ol-bâbda Fî 23 Nisan sene [1]312 This is a copy of the report dispatched from the Consulate General in Batavia to the Imperial Embassy in The Hague As was presented and explained to the exalted ambassadorial presence with my humble submission, dated 31 March 1896 and numbered 7, the war that the Dutch were obliged to declare on the Acehnese has not yet come to a conclusion. They re-deployed soldiers to the said place upon the uprising of chief called Teuku Umar (or Toekoe Djohan), one of the tribal leaders on the island of Aceh located in the northern part of the island of Sumatra, who had voluntarily joined Dutch military service with his companions, but afterwards suddenly escaped together with his two thousand men, acquiring a considerable amount of guns and ammunition. To date nearly four thousand soldiers, as well as the requisite cannons and ammunition, have been deployed from various places of the Indian Islands to relieve Aceh. Moreover, [the Dutch] deployed fourteen warships to blockade the coasts, as the government suspects that the British send guns to the Acehnese. Because Aceh’s landscape is craggy and mountainous, and its people courageous, the Dutch have suffered many casualties, and have not been able to achieve victory during the battles that have taken place. At the moment, the main concern of the military and civil authorities is the whereabouts of the runaway chief called Teuku Umar. Therefore, the village where Teuku Umar and his tribe had resided previously and its surroundings, were burned down by cannon fire from warships. Nevertheless, it turned out that they [the Dutch] could not get close to that place. Although the information received to date about the progress of the war in Aceh [indicates that it] consists of a general blockade on the coast and military aggression on land, the battle plans prepared by General Vetter – the commander-in-chief of the land

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forces of the Indian Islands, who arrived there as extraordinary commissary – remain undisclosed. The fact that they have been at war with the Dutch government for twenty-four years has exhausted the people of Aceh, who earn their livelihood entirely from agriculture, which they have been prevented from undertaking. Consequently, it is strongly believed that the Aceh issue, which could not be resolved for several years, will be solved completely and finished if the government continues these naval and land actions, but some knowledgeable people indicate that the necessary actions will need to be continued in any case for three years. Since the Dutch Government is a small government, neither its military force nor its financial capabilities would suffice to continue such a long war, and therefore it is strongly believed that the conclusion of the ongoing war will not bring a decisive end as before. According to a treaty signed by the British and Dutch Governments, the latitude that passes through Singapore has been established as the border, and the lands below that line are recognized as Dutch colonies. Consequently, as the northern part of Sumatra, that is, the Aceh region, is left out of what is considered as Dutch colonies, the continuing Dutch action against the Acehnese is not compatible with justice, and requires the intervention of the British. Nevertheless, the British tolerate the Dutch war against the Acehnese because of [Acehnese] piracy that attacks foreign ships on the coasts, as well as wrecking steamboats, enslaving their passengers and crew. They [the British] are primarily concerned with maintaining the security of Malacca Straits, the most important sea passage that is close to the said region [Aceh], along with the other British colonies in the vicinity of India, and this naturally means that they do not tolerate such actions. However, the main source of the fear on the part of the Dutch is that [the British], witnessing the Dutch inability to produce security through a victory over the Acehnese seeing the issue left unresolved, will later intervene in the situation directly. [The Dutch are also anxious about the] impression that they invaded the Aceh region because of their military power. At the moment, the state of Aceh remains as described in my report. Considering particular and complete attachment of the Acehnese to the great Caliphate of Islam, the future military actions in that region will also be reported to the exalted presence of Your Ambassadorial Excellency. 5 May 1896 Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 353/37 (2) P.S.: The same text is also available in HR.SYS. 551/5

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507

Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier on the Actions of Teuku Umar, 1896 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 1356 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir, Açe kıtʿası rüʾesâsından olup Flemenkliler tarafından celb ve imâle edilerek Flemenk Hükûmeti hizmet ve meʾmûriyetinde bulunmuş olan Toko Ömer nâm sergerdenin maʿiyyetine verilmiş olan maʿâlem-i asâkirden maʿdûd iki bin Açeliʾyi biʾl-istihsâb firâr ve iki Flemenk istihkâmına hücûm etdiği istihbâr olunması üzerine hükûmet-i mezkûre tarafından ittihâz olunan tedâbir-i askeriyeden ve kıtʿa-i mevcûde hakkında Flemenk ve İngiliz Devletlerinin efkâr ve niyât ve hâl ve mevkiʿlerinden bahisle baʿzı ifâdât ve maʿlûmâtı hâvî Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden alınan iki kıtʿa tahrîrâtın sûretleri melfûfuyla berâber 28 Zilkaʿde ve 27 Zilhicce sene [1]313 târihli tezâkir-i âcizî ile takdîm kılınmışidi bu bâbda mezkûr başşehbenderlikden mevrûd tahrîrâtın sûreti irsâl kılındığı ve Flemenk asâkirinin âhiren oldukça mühim baʿzı muzafferiyyâta mazhar oldukları istihbâr olunduğunu şâmil Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden bu kere ahz olunan 20 Mayıs [18]96 târihli ve 47 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesi dahî melfûfuyla berâber arz ve tesyîr olunmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 5 Muharrem sene 1314 ve fî 5 Haziran sene [1]312 Hâriciye Nâzırı 10.4

Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number 1356 To His Grand Vizierial Highness The request of your most humble servant is that The copies of the two communiqués received from the Consulate General in Batavia, together with their enclosures, have been presented together with my humble notes dated 11 May 1896 and 9 June 1896. They included some information relating that the ringleader called Teuku Umar, a chief in the Aceh region, who had been lured and enticed by the Dutch and served the Dutch government as an official, escaped together with two thousand experienced Acehnese soldiers assigned to his service and attacked two Dutch strongholds

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resulting in military precautions being taken by the Dutch government. [The notes also discuss] the position and intentions of the Dutch and British states concerning the said region. The translation of the communiqué received from the Imperial Embassy in The Hague dated 20 May 1896 and numbered 47 are presented together with the enclosed documents, relating that the copies of the communiqués received from the said Consulate General were dispatched, and that it had been reported that the Dutch soldiers had subsequently won some important victories. To command belongs to him who commands all. 16 June 1896 Minister of Foreign Affairs Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 353/37 (1)

11

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the demonstrations of the Chinese against the Dutch in Singapore, 1897

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 17 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]313 târihli Batavya Başşehbenderliği tahrîrâtı sûretidir. Şehr-i cârî-i Rûmîʾnin on dokuzunda Singapurʾda Çinliler tarafından hükûmet-i mahalliye aleyhine baʿzı gûnâ nümâyiş-i ihtilâl-cûyânenin îkâʿıyla olan musâdemede efrâd-ı askeriyeden üç ve Çinlilerden sekiz on kadar telef ve mecrûh olmuş ve musâdeme-i vâkıʿa geceye tesâdüf eylediği cihetle şehr-i mezkûrda mukîm Avrupalıların kâffesi son derece bir havf ve telâşa giriftâr olarak hükûmet-i mahalliye maʿrifetiyle cümlesine silah dağıtılmış olduğu ve ferdâsı dükkan ve mağazaları kâmilen mesdûd kaldığı ve gerçi vakʾânın müsebbiblerinden ileri gelenleri habs ve memleketlerine tebʿîd edilip hâdisâta hitâm verilmiş nazarıyla baktırılmak isteniyorsa da esâsen Singapurʾda ve havâlîsinde olan müstemlekâtında asâkiriye ve zabtiye ve polis efrâdından mürekkeb olmak üzere üç bin neferden ibâret bulunan İngiliz kuvve-i inzibâtiyesine karşı yalnız Singapur şehrinde dört yüz bin nüfûsa bâliğ olan Çinlilerin her bâr izhâr-ı âsâr-ı husûmet ve tehyiʾe-i esbâb-ı iğtişâşdan hâlî kalmadıkları ve kırk bin râddesinde bulunan şehr-i mezkûr cemâʿat-i İslâmiyesiʾnin dahî şu sırada heyecanları tezâyüd ederek Şimâlî Hindistan vukûʿâtının netîcesine vakf-ı enzâr-ı ıstıbâr eyledikleri ve Şimâlî Sumatra‌ʾda kâʾin Açe kıtʿa-i maʿrûfesi ahâlîsinin çete tarzında Flemenklilerle musâdemâtından mâʿadâ bu defʿa asâkir-i nusret-meʾâsir-i hazret-i tâcdârînin reşk-âver enzâr-ı âlem olan muzafferiyâtı üzerine tekrâr taleb-i himâye-i saltanat-ı seniyye emniyesiyle beyinlerinde

Information about the Region

Figure 152

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the demonstrations of the Chinese against the Dutch in Singapore, 1897

bir ittifâk akdiyle meşgûl bulundukları istihbâr kılınmış ve maʿrûzât-ı vâkıʿa-i âcizânemin bura ve havâlîsi vukûʿâtı olmak üzere huzûr-ı sâmi-i âsaf-ı ekremîlerine arz-ı vazîfe-i memlûkiyet addedilmiş olmağla. Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communiqué of the Consulate General in Batavia, dated 29 November 1897 On the nineteenth of the current Rûmî month, the Chinese in Singapore protested against the local government leading to disturbances during which three soldiers and about eight to ten Chinese were killed or injured. All the Europeans residing in the city were frightened and anxious during the clashes that took place during the night, and [therefore] the local government distributed guns to them. The next day, all their shops and stores remained closed. [The authorities] want to give the impression that the main instigators of the

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incident have been imprisoned or deported, and that the incidents have been brought to an end. However, there are about four hundred thousand Chinese in Singapore alone, who do not refrain from manifesting signs of enmity and creating reasons for disturbances on every possible occasion, facing British forces that amount to no more than three thousand including soldiers, gendarmes, and police in Singapore and its environs. The Muslim community of the aforementioned city, amounting to about forty thousand, are increasingly excited nowadays, and are patiently watching the results of the developments in North India. Moreover, upon the victory of His Majesty the Crown-Holder’s ever-victorious soldiers,5 which provokes jealousy in the world, the inhabitants of the country of Aceh located in North Sumatra are arranging an alliance among themselves with the aim of applying once more to the protection of the Imperial Sultanate during their guerrilla struggle with the Dutch. This intelligence on developments in this region has been gathered, and it has been deemed a humble duty of your servant to present them for the information of your exalted high ministerial presence. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 380/54

12

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about Snouck Hurgronje’s activities to manipulate Muslims, 1897

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Fî 17 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]313 târihli Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrâtın sûretidir. Cezâʾir-i Hindiye sekene-i asliyesinin kâmilen İslâm bulunması Flemenk müstemlekât idâresini baʿzen desâyis-i mahsûsa istiʿmâliyle teʾmîn-i menâfiʿa mecbûr kılmakda ve meselâ ehl-i İslâmʾın idâre-i merkûmeye teʾyîd-i revâbıt ve intisâbı zımnında Flemenk erbâb-ı dânişinden baʿzılarını mühtedî sıfatıyla müstemlekat dâhilinde müftilik veyâ âna mümâsil sıfatlarla istihdâm eylemekde olduğu Batavya‌ʾya bidâyet-i muvâsalet-i âcizânemden beru vâkiʿ olan istitlâʿât-ı mahalliye-i çâkerânemden müstebân olmuş ve ez-an cümle yâver-i ekrem hazret-i tâcdârî devletlü Osman Nuri Paşa Hazretleriʾnin Hicaz Vilâyet-i Celîlesi Vâliliğiʾnde bulundukları hengâmda “Doktor Senuk” nâmında Flemenkli bir müsteşrikin cânib-i Hicaz mağfiret-tırâza ferceyâb duhûl olarak 5  Ottoman victory over Greece in 1897.

Information about the Region

511

Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde ulûm-ı dîniye ve lisân-ı Arabî tahsîlinde iken her nasılsa Fransa Cidde konsolosunun sebk etmiş olan ihtâr-ı hayr-hâhânesi üzerine merkûmun hüviyeti anlaşılarak vâli-i müşârunileyh hazretleri cânibinden tard ve tebʿîd edilmiş ise de merkûm bilâhare Abdülgaffar ismiyle ve şehrî bin filorin maʿaş ve ayrıca mesârif karşılığıyla Laheyʾden Batavya‌ʾya gönderilip biʾl-cümle müstemlekât ehl-i İslâm içün umûr-ı dîniye ve mesâlih-i şerʿiyyece müfti nasb edilmiş olduğu görülmüşdür işte bu misillü sûretde Müslüman sîretde fetân kesânın teksîr-i aʿdâdıyla müstemlekât-ı ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin son derecede bulunan cehâlet ve saf derûnluklarından istifâde tarîki Flemenk hükûmetince mültezim olmalıdır ki esâsen Hadramutʾlu olup sinîn-i vefîreden beru burada mukîm bulunan sâdât-ı ulviyeden baʿzı zevât hasbeʾz-ziyâre nezd-i âcizâneme geldiklerinde Abdülhamid Efendi nâm müsteʿârıyla bir şahsın Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye gönderilmiş ve “Safa” nâm mahalle ahâlîsinden bir müslimin kerîmesiyle de teʾehhül eylemiş bulunduğu ve halbûki şahs-ı merkûm esâsen Flemenkʾli bir Protestan ve ismi “Arkolis” olup Ciddeʾde bir vapur kumpanyası ajansı olduğu ve maʿa zâlik Ciddeʾde ikâmeti iktizâ ederken maʿnâ verilemeyen bir sebep üzerine Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde ihtiyâr-ı ikâmet eylediği biʾl-münâsebe ifâde olunmuş bulunmasına ve bu makûle eşhâsın hıtta-i mübâreke-i Hicâziyeʾde bekâsı câʾiz olamayacağı mütebâdir-i fikr-i kâsırânem olmasına mebnî keyfiyetin huzûr-ı sâmî-i dâver-i fehâmîlerine arzına mücâseret kılınmış olmağla her hâlde Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communiqué dispatched from the Consulate General in Batavia dated 29 November 1897. The fact that the residents of the Indian Islands are completely Muslim forces the Dutch colonial administration to take recourse to certain intrigues to secure their interests. For instance, it is understood from the local investigation that I have carried out since my arrival in Batavia, that in order to strengthen the attachment and connection of the Muslims to the mentioned administration, they [the Dutch] employ some Dutch scholars in their colonies [who pretend to be] Muslim converts as muftis or with similar titles. For example, during Osman Nuri Paşa’s governorship in the glorious province of Hijaz, a Dutch orientalist called Doctor Snouck [Hurgronje] found an opportunity to enter the area of Hijaz, the very abode of God’s forgiveness. Through the help of the French consul in Jeddah, his identity was discovered in Honoured Mecca where he was studying religious knowledge and the Arabic language,

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and he was expelled by the governor [of the Hijaz]. However, it is observed that the said [Snouck Hurgronje] was later appointed as the mufti for all the Muslims of the [Dutch] colonies for their religious matters and legal affairs and sent from The Hague to Batavia with the name Abdulgaffar and a monthly salary of one thousand florins plus expenses. The Dutch government apparently seeks to take advantage of the ignorance and credulousness of the Muslims of the colonies in this way by increasing the numbers of corrupt people with Muslim appearance. [Lately] some gentlemen who are Sayyids and originally from Hadramawt but have been living here for several years, came to my humble presence for a visit. It was stated that a person named Abdülhamid Efendi was sent to Honoured Mecca, and married the daughter of a Muslim residing in the Safa neighbourhood. However, it appeared that the latter was a Dutch Protestant named ‘Herklots[?]’, who was an agent of a steamboat company in Jeddah, and therefore whilst required to reside in Jeddah he preferred to settle in Honoured Mecca for an inexplicable reason. As it occurred to my defective mind that it is not appropriate that this kind of people should be within the boundaries of the sacred land of Hijaz, I dared to present the matter to his very illustrious Grand Vizierial presence. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 380/47

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Documents pertaining to the report of the Ottoman consul in Batavia on Islam and the Dutch administration in Indonesia

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry on Islam and the Dutch administration in Indonesia, 1897 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsiʾne Numero 209/41 Müstaʿnî-i arz ve îzâh üzre Sunda ve mülûk-ı cezâʾir-i müctemiʿasıyla Salib ve Borneo ve Gine-i Cedîd cezîrelerinin aksâm-ı mühimmesini şâmil olup Flemenk müstemlekât-ı cesîmesini teşkîl eyleyen Malezya‌ʾnın mecmûʿ nüfûs-ı mazbûtası son istatistiklere nazaran otuz beş milyona resîde olmuşdur meʿâbid ve mekâbir gibi âsâr-ı kadîmenin eşhâdıyla cezâʾir-i mezkûreden Cava ve Sumatra ve civâr ve ehemmiyetçe derece-i sâniyede olan cezâʾir ahâlîsi Çin ve Hindliler ile olan kesret-i ihtilâtlarına mebnî mechûl bir devirden beru Buda ve Brahmanvi mezheblerine sâlik iken mîlâdın on üçüncü asrına doğru Arabların bu havâliye hicret ve berâ-yı ticâret seyâhata başlaması üzerine târih-i mezkûrdan iʿtibâren Malezya‌ʾda din ve mezhebçe bir inkılâb-ı azîm hâsıl olarak İslâmiyet intişâr etmişdir. Bu kıtʿât-ı cesîmede ve bu maʿâşir-i 13.1

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müteferrika beyninde İslâmiyet müddet-i kalîle zarfında biʾl-intişâr rîşe-gîr-i istikrâr olmuş ve istikbâlde terakkî perverân İslâmiyetʾin yüzünü güldürecek beşâʾir-i dîniyeye berâʿat-i istihlâl olmak istiʿdâd ve kâbiliyetini irâʾe edeceği bir zamânda Avrupalıların dest-i taʿarruzuna maʿrûz kalmışdır. Malezya Amerika‌ʾnın keşfinden evvel Avrupalılara maʿlûm değildi. Ancak Amerika‌ʾnın keşfi târihinden sonra Bahr-ı Muhîteʾyi gemilerine cevelân-gâh eden garbî Avrupa‌ʾnın rast geldikleri kıtʿât ve cezâʾirede müstaʿhirât teşkîl eyledikleri misillü Portekizler tarafından tanınmış olan bu cezâʾir bilâhare Flemenkli bir ticâret kumpanyasının yed-i ihtirâsında müʾekkel kalmış ve fakat böyle bir ticâret kumpanyasının muʿaddelât-ı umûrdan maʿdûd olan idârei memleket kaziyyesine derkâr olan vukufsuzluğu ve tabîʿi bulunan adem-i muvaffakıyeti üzerine inân-ı idâreyi biʾl-mecbûriye Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin yed-i ihtiyârına tevdîʿ eylemişdi. On yedinci asrın evâhirinden biʾl-ibtidâ on sekizinci asr-ı evâʾil-i âhiresine kadar imtidâd eyleyen merkez Avrupa inkılâbât-ı düveliyyesi hengâmında Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin Fransa‌ʾya iltihâk eylemesine ve Fransa‌ʾnın İngiltere ile muhârib bulunmasına binâʾen bin sekiz yüz on bir târihinde İngilizler Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾyi işgâl ve baʿdehû Flemenkʾin Fransa‌ʾdan ayrılması üzerine sekiz yüz on altı târihinde iʿâde eylemişler ve binâʾen aleyh Malezya bu târihden iʿtibâren Flemenk müstemlekâtı olarak katʿiyyen tanınmış ve hükûmet-i mezkûrede târih-i mezbûrdan iʿtibâren müstemlekâtının kâbiliyet ve servet-i tabîʿiyyesiyle mütenâsib terakkî ve ümrânına çalışmağa başlamışdır. Lâkin sekene-i asliyesi milyonlara bâliğ olan bir kıtʿa-i baʿîdeye Avrupa‌ʾnın şimâl bâdiyelerinden hicret âdeten, tabʿiyyeten, diyâneten muhâlif ve mikdâr-ı nüfûs-ı mahalliyeye nisbeten lâ-şeyʾün hükmünde bulunan bir takım hukûk kâtili ecânibin dil-hâh vechile iktisâb-ı muvaffakıyet ve teʾmîn-i bekâ ve menfaʿat edemeyecekleri derkârdır. Çünkü işbu iki anâsır-ı mütehâlif arasında esbâb-ı râbıta-i ittihad ve müdâneset mefkûd olduğundan meyânelerinde her bâr iʿlân-ı husûmet ve izhâr-ı nefretle hâkim olmak dâʿiyyesinde bulunan tarafın tebʿa-i mahkûmeye karşı hâʾib ve halsiz kalacağı pek tabîʿi ve otuz seneye karîb bir zamandan beru devâm edegelen Açe muhârebâtı bu bâbda bir misâl-i bedîhîdir. İşte Flemenk müstemlekât idâresi bu gibi hakâyık-ı bâhireye ve netâyici tabîʿiyyeye karşı her an izhâr-ı alâʾim-i zaʿf ve nevmîdiyle berâber yine her fırsatdan istifâde tarîkiyle olsun silâh-ı müdâfaʿayı istiʿmâlinden geri durmamakdadır. İdâre-i merkûmenin bu bâbda muvâfık gördüğü tedâbirden en mühimmi ahâlî-i mahalliyenin uyûn-ı ibtisârını perde-i cehâletle setr etmek ve zulmet-i nâdânî içinde bırakarak behâyim gibi istihdâm eylemek misillü en müʾesser fakat mugâyir-i maʿdelet-i maʿnevî bir kuvvet-i kâhire istihsâline çalışmasıdır şu emniyenin husûlü esbâbının istikmâline dâʾir bir asırdan beru devâm eden müddet-i idâresinde Flemenk hazîne-i devletine ve irâdât-ı

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külliye teʾmînine ve Flemenk çıplak mültecîlerinin keselerini doldurmağa âlet edilen ahâlî-i Müslimeʾye hiç rahm edilmemişdir. Ehl-i İslâmʾın fuyûzât-ı maʿârif ve ulûm-ı dîniye ve mesâʾil-i şerʿiyyeden müstefîd ve müstefyîz olması vesâʿi kâmilen imhâ edilmişdir. Eğerçi nizâmen tahsîl-i maʿârif içün bilâistisnâ her sınıf ahâlîye salâhiyet var ise de kadîm umerâ-yı mahalliye istisnâ edildiği hâlde kânûn nazarında ısklav[slave] esîr addedilmiş ve amelelik hizmetkarlık daha doğrusu esirlik âleminde bir avuç pirinçden ibâret olan akvât-ı yevmiyesini tedârik içün ömrünü imrâr eylemekde bulunmuş olan bir sınıf halkın işbu nizâmdan doğrudan doğruya istifâde edebilmek iktidârında olamayacağı tabîʿidir. Zîrâ otuz beş milyon nüfûsu hâvî olan şu cemʿiyet-i uzmâ-yı İslâmiyenin efrâdı dâhiye-i cehâlet gibi bir belâya karşı sernigûn ve varlıklarından habîr olamayacak bir hîç-i zulmetde müstağrak bulunuyor. Aleʾl-umûm Cezâʾir-i Hindiye ehl-i İslâmî mezheb-i Şâfiʿiʾye sâlik ise de lafzai Celâl ve ism-i pâk-ı cenâb-ı Muhammedîʾyi yad etmekden başka maʿârif-i dîniyeden bî-haber ve cevâmiʿ ve mesâcid-i şerîfe harâbe-zâr bir haldedir. Cava ahkâm ve umerâsı arasında en müteneffizi bulunan (?) Cakarta hâkimine bir cemîle olmak üzere yalnız Solo şehrinde Flemenk hazînesinden sarf edilerek bir câmiʿ-i şerîf inşâ edildiği görülmüşdür. İdâre-i evkâf ve emvâl-i eytâm hükûmet-i mahalliye tarafından ruʾyet olunur. Birinci ve ikinci derece şehir ve kasabalarda mukîm bulunan Hadramut ve Somal Arabları beyninde görülen baʿzı muʿallimînden mâʿadâ yerlilerden gerek ulûm-ı dîniye ve gerek husûsât-ı maddiyece ehl-i vukûf yok gibidir. Şerîʿat-ı garrâ-yı Ahmediyeʾnin âmir bulunduğu farîza-i haccın îfâsı zımnında senevî bu havâlîden binlerce hüccâc cânib-i Hicaz-ı mağfiret-tırâza müstaʿzım olarak o hâk-ı pâk-ı mukaddesde İslâmiyetin şaʿşaʿa-i uluvviyetini müşâhede ile bir dereceye kadar tenvîr-i efkâr eyliyorlarsa da orada ihtiyâr-ı ikâmetle taʿallüm-ı mesâʾil-i şerʿiyyeye muvaffak olmuş ve memleketine avdet ederek taʿlîm etmiş kimse yoktur maʿmâfih müstemlekât politikası esâsen İslâmiyetʾin imhâ-yı esâsına masrûf olduğu cihetle sinîn-i âhirede hüccâc içün vazʿ ve ihdâs edilen kontrol kâʿidesi üzerine sene be-sene mikdâr-ı hüccâcın dahî tenâkısa başladığı istatistiklere mürâcaʿatla istidlâl olunmakdadır. Nezd-i mehâm-ı âşinâ-yı cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîlerinde maʿlûm olduğu vechile cezâʾir-i mezkûreden Borneo ve Salib ve Gine-i Cedîd istisnâ edildiği hâlde müstemlekâtının en mühim aksâmından olan cezâʾir ahâlîsi Malay Cavane (Cavi) Sundana nâmlarıyla lisânlarında küllî tehâlif olarak üç kavimden mürekkebdir. Akvâm-ı selâse-i mezkûrdan Cavi ve Sundana nâmı verilenler bütün bütün mahrûmiyetle yaşıyorlar. Hissiyât-ı dîniyenin noksan veyâ münkariz bulunduğu bir memleketde ahlâk-ı müstahsine ve sâfiyeden dahî eser bulunamayacağı kaziyye-i müteʿârifesine

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bir delîl-i cedîd olmak üzere acınacak bir hâlde bulunan bu müstemlekât halkı irâʾe olunabilir. Şerîʿat-ı mutahharanın katʿiyyen menhiyyâtından maʿdûd olan iʿtiyâdât buraca mübâh menzilesindedir. Meselâ Malaylar istisnâ edildikde kâffe-i akvâm-ı sâʾirenin lahm-ı hınzıra olan inhimâkları nazar-ı istiğrâba çarpar. Usûl-ı şerʿiyye-i izdivâc Cava ve Sumatra istisnâ edildiği hâlde cezâyir-i sâʾirede bütün bütün başka türlü icrâ olunduğu sâmiʿa-res teʾessüf olmakdadır. Sünnet-i seniyyeden olan emr-i hitân baʿzı kurrâ ve nevâhîde el-ân mechûldür. Aleʾl-umûm ta‌ʾife-i nisâ emr-i tesettüre riʿâyet etmezler başları açık yalın ayak gezerler. Ahlâk-ı İslâmiyeʾnin mâ bihiʾl-kıvâm iʿtilâsı olan hüsn-ı iffet Malezya nisvânı beyninde tanınmamışdır behâyim gibi hissiyât-ı hod-serânelerine tâbiʿ olarak Avrupalıların maʿbe-i ihtirâsâtı olmuş kalmışdır bu husûsda zükûru dahî temeddünün mevâhib ve atâyâ-yı aliyyesinden olan hiss-i istirkâbla mütehassıs değildir. Tabʿ-ı nisvân hasebüʾl-hulka âlâyişe masrûf olduğundan havîşân ve mezhebdaşları meyânında göremeyen âlâyiş ve iyâtı bir Hıristiyan bir Çinli bir ubde-i esnâʿda müşâhede edildiği içün Malezya nisvânı resmen bir Çinli bir Nasrânî ile izdivâç ediyor veyâ velîsi tarafından cüzʾî bir meblağ mukâbilinde satılıyor. Bu izdivâcı menʿ eyleyecek burada bir cemʿiyet-i İslâmiye bir sâhibi fetvâ yoktur. Şu sûretle vukûʿ bulan ihtilâtın eseridir ki el-yevm Protestan kilisesine tâbiʿ melez nâmıyla Avrupa hukûkunu hâʾiz bir sınıf halk zuhûr eylemişdir. 26 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]313 târihli arîzamla arz eylediğim vechile Flemenk Hükûmeti umûm müstemlekât içün Doktor Senuk nâmında aslen Protestan bir müsteşriki müfti-i âmm nasb ve refâkatine de bir nümâyiş olmak üzere Hadramutlu Seyyid Osman nâmında birini muʿavin taʿyîn eylediği gibi her livâ ve kazâda dahî hükûmetin murahhas-ı mahsûsuna iktizâ eyleyen baʿzı sâde dilânı müfti ve kadı taʿyîn eylemişdir. Mesâʾil-i ahlâkiye temeddün ve maʿârif ile salah-yâb-ı iʿtilâ olacağı cihetle bi-mennihiʾl-kerîm halîfe-i rûy-ı zemîn emîrüʾl-müʾminîn şevketlü pâdişâhımız efendimiz hazretlerinin sâye-i hümâyûnlarından cenâb-ı İslâmiyetʾin bir rükn-ı mühimmi olan bu kıtʿâtda dahî münâsebât-ı siyâsiyenin müsâʿade eyleyeceği bir sûretde teksîr-i meʾâsir-i mebrûre ve neşr-i âsâr-ı celîle-i dîniye ile sekenesinin tenvîr-i ezhân ve ıslâh-ı ahvâliyle berâber makâm-ı kudsiyet-i ittisâm-ı cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîlerine tezyîd-i hulûsî ve teʾyîd-i revâbıta muvaffak olunacağı bedîdâr ise de şimdilik mesâʾil-i sâʾire âtîye terk edilerek evvel emirde nisvân-ı İslâmʾın Hıristiyan ve ubde-i esnâm ile izdivâcı ile tebdîl-i diyâneti ve bu sûretle beyneʾl-İslâm tabîʿiyyüʾz-zuhûr olan zaʿf ve tefrikanın külliyen refʿ ve ilgâsı çâresinin istihsâli zımnında buraca taraf-ı bendegânemden teşebbüsât-ı mukteziyyeye ibtidâr olunmak üzre müsâʿade-i aliyye-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîlerinin erzânî ricâsıyla berâber vâkiʿ olacak teşebbüsât-ı çâkerânemde hükûmet-i mahalliyeye karşı zâhir olmak üzere keyfiyetin

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Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾyle sâʾir îcâb edenlere emr ve tebliğ ve iktizâ eyleyen taʿlîmâtın dahî sûy-ı kemterâneme irsâl buyurulması bâbında ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 19 Recebüʾl-ferd sene [1]315 ve 1 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]313 Batavya Başşehbenderi Bende-i Mehmed Kamil To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 209/41 As noted in the petition and explanation, Sunda and the archipelagic dominions of the islands of Sulawesi, Borneo, and New Guinea constitute the most important parts of the Dutch colonies in Malaysia. According to the latest statistics, the total population is said to have reached thirty-five million people. [Sites] such as graveyards and temples from ancient times testify that the people of the aforementioned islands of Java and Sumatra, and surrounding region, were at one time adherents of the Buddhist and Brahmanic creeds due to their longstanding intermixing with Chinese and Indians. A new path emerged during the thirteenth century with the arrival of the Arabs through their exploratory travels and search for trade, because from that time, there was a great change in religion and creed in Malaysia through the propagation of Islam. This great event, this wonderful occurrence, in a short period of dissemination took a firm hold among the communities scattered in these great regions, which was to be a joyful occurrence in the future progress of Islam. [However], at the moment that they began to accept and show talent in [religion], they were subjected to attacks at the hands of the Europeans. Malaysia was not known by the Europeans before the first discovery of America. However, from the time of the discovery of America, the Indian Ocean became host to the roving ships of Western Europe, who set up colonies on the surrounding islands, as with those that were discovered by the Portuguese. These islands later fell into the hands of a Dutch trading company, but, as a trading company, it was quite obviously ignorant in the matters pertaining to the burden of administration [and in] managing dominions. As a result of its clear lack of success, it became necessary for the administrative duties to pass into the hands of the government of Holland. From the end of the seventeenth century until the first decade of the eighteenth century [sic], at a time of transformation in the state-system in Central Europe, the Dutch Government joined with France. On France going to war with Britain in 1811, the British occupied the islands of the East Indies, and after Holland separated from France, the islands were returned back [to the Dutch] in 1816. Since that time, Malaysia has been recognised firmly as a Dutch colony, and since then

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the said government began to work to increase and develop the capabilities and potential of the colony. However, it is apparent that the immigration of a group of murderers of justice from the wilderness of North Europe, who are alien to the customs, habits and the religion [of the region], would amount to nothing and that they would not be able to succeed as wished and that they would not be able to secure their existence and interests against the millions of the original inhabitants. Because the bonds of unity and respect are absent as there is not any means of unity between these two opposite elements, and the party that aims to dominate [the other party] by declaring enmity and revealing hatred will naturally remain weak against the subjugated people, and the Aceh wars that have been continuing for about thirty years are an obvious example for this. In the face of these obvious realities and their natural consequences, the Dutch colonial administration, while displaying signs of weakness and hopelessness, seizes every opportunity to use protective weaponry. In this context, the most significant and efficient but unjust measure that the said administration has deemed appropriate to take is to create an overwhelming moral power by covering the eye of foresight of the local people with the curtain of ignorance, leaving them in the darkness of ignorance to be set to work like beasts. In seeking to achieve this aspiration, during the century-long [Dutch] administration, no mercy has been shown to the Muslims, who have been exploited in order to ensure huge revenues for the state treasury of Holland, and to fill the pockets of the naked Dutch settlers. All the means for enlightening and improving the Muslims through the prosperity of education, religious sciences, and the concerns of [Islamic] law have been completely destroyed. Although, all classes of people, without exception, in theory have the right to pursue education, it is apparent that all classes of the local people, with the exception of the former rulers of this place, are considered as slaves by the law, who spend their lives as domestic servants and workmen to earn their daily meal consisting of a handful rice, would not be able to profit from these regulations. As a result of these measures, the members of this great community of Muslims, which comprises thirty-five million people, will be sunk into the unfortunate state of such ignorant darkness that they will become unaware even of their own existence. In general, the Muslims of the Indian Islands are affiliated to the Shafiʿi school of jurisprudence, but they are unaware of religious knowledge beyond citing the Greatest Word [Allah] and the bright name of the exalted [Prophet] Muhammad, and the Friday mosques and the communal mosques are in ruins. Only in the city of Solo was a noble mosque built, and this at the expense of the Dutch treasury as a favour to the ruler of Yogyakarta who is the most influential

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of the rulers and leaders of Java. The pious foundations and orphanages are administered by the local government. There are almost no people knowledgeable among the locals beyond some teachers from among the Hadrami and Somali Arabs who reside in first and second degree cities and towns. Every year, in fulfilment of the obligation set down in the shining law of the Prophet, thousands of pilgrims from this region travel to the Hijaz to perform the Hajj, and enlighten their opinions to a certain extent by observing first hand this holy and pure land that is the illustrious splendour of Islam. However, there is no one who returned to his country and taught after having been able to learn the issues of sharia by residing there [Hijaz]. In fact, it can be inferred from the statistics that the number of pilgrims is decreasing year by year due to the controls that have been introduced in the last few years as a result of colonial policies aimed fundamentally at destroying Islam. As it is known by Your Ministerial Excellency, the people of the most important parts of the mentioned islands, except Borneo, the Celebes and New Guinea, consist of three ethnic groups called Malay, Javanese, and Sundanese, all with different languages. Of these three ethnic groups, the Javanese and the Sundanese are in a state of total deprivation. The opinion that there are also deficiencies of good morals and purity in a country lacking religious sentiments, is evident in the new proofs of the miserable state of the people of these colonies. Practices that are absolutely prohibited by the illustrious holy law are performed here as if they were permitted. For instance, it is bizarre to see the fondness of all ethnic groups except the Malays for pig meat. It is regretful to hear that in these islands, except for Java and Sumatra, the method of marriage as set down by the rules of the holy law is not practiced, but is performed in a very different manner. Circumcision, which is an exalted sunnah [practice of the Prophet], is currently unknown in some townships and villages. In general, the women do not obey the command to cover themselves, and walk around in public barefooted. The beauty of chastity, which is at the heart of Islamic morals, is not practiced among Malayan women, who, following their desires like animals, become and remain subject to the base desire of the Europeans, and in this matter their men are not civilized either, lacking the force of jealousy of their exalted ancestors. As the female gender has been drawn to ostentation, and as the ostentation displayed by a Christian, a Chinese, or an idolater surpasses that of their family members or co-religionists, Malaysian women officially marry Chinese and Christians, or are sold by their guardian for a small sum, [and] there is neither an Islamic association nor an authority on [religious judicial] rulings here to prohibit such marriages. As a result of this intermixing, currently there is a class of people called by the name of ‘mixed race’, who are affiliated to the Protestant

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church and possess European rights. As I communicated in the communiqué dated 7 December 1897, the Dutch government has appointed Doctor Snouck [Hurgronje], who was originally a Protestant Orientalist, as the chief mufti for the colonies, and ostensibly assigned someone called Hadrami Sayyid Uthman as his assistant, and likewise, in all provinces and districts where there is a need for special representatives of the government, they have appointed some willing simpleton to act as legal interpreters and judges. These moral issues will be solved by means of civilising and education, [and] through the imperial protection and generosity of our lord, His Majesty our noble Sultan, the Shadow of God on Earth and Commander of the Faithful, we will be able to strengthen political relations with this very important part of the Islamic world, and in this manner increase the beauty of their manners and disseminate the illustrious works of religion among the inhabitants, thus enlightening the people and reforming the population, as well as increasing the strength and intensity of their collection to the holy and illustrious office of the Caliph. However, first of all, with imperial benevolence, it is necessary to deal with the problem of preventing the religious conversion of Muslim women through their marriage to Christians and idolaters, and in this manner find a means to remedy and abolish the weakness and discourse arising among Muslim subjects, and to leave the other issues for the future. In order to speedily resolve this, it is requested that permission be granted from your exalted ministry to initiate the required initiatives, that the issue should be communicated and orders issued to the Imperial Embassy at The Hague and other relevant parties, and the required instructions should be sent to your servant [i.e. the Consul General] so as to be used against the local government. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 14 December 1897 The servant Mehmed Kamil, Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA Y.PRK.EŞA. 28/58

Grand Vizier to the sultan introducing the report of the Consul General in Batavia, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Amedî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn 1306 Cezâyir-i Hindiye ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin ahvâl-i sâbıka ve hâzırasıyla içinde bulundukları cehâlet derecesi hakkında baʿzı maʿlûmâtı ve taleb-i taʿlîmâtı hâvî Batavya Şehbenderliğiʾnden alınan tahrîrât sûretiyle melfûfunun gönderildiğine dâʾir Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden mebʿûs tezkire melfûfuyla 13.2

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arz ve takdîm kılınmış ve şehbenderin işbu tahrîrâtı be-gâyet câlib-i nazar-ı dikkat ve ehemmiyet olduğundan meʾzûniyet istediği teşebbüsât neden ibâret ise icrâsına müsâraʿat ve ikdâm etmesinin ve merkeze de peyderpey maʿlûmât vermesinin şehbender-i mûmâileyhe teblîği nezâret-i müşârunileyhâya cevâben tavsiye olunmuşdur efendim. Fî 21 Ramazan sene [1]315 fî 31 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]313 Sadrazam Sublime Porte Grand Vizierate Secretariat of the Imperial Council 1306 A communiqué together with its attachments was presented and sent by the exalted Foreign Ministry enclosing a document with copies of attachments dispatched from the consulate in Batavia, reporting on the previous and current state of the Muslims of the Indian Islands, containing therein information about the extent of their degree of ignorance and requesting some instructions. This communiqué of the consul is very important and deserves significant attention. Therefore, my lord, we have replied to the said ministry by advising them to communicate to the said consul that [he should] hasten to take the initiatives for which he requested permission, whatever they may be, and keep his superiors constantly informed. 13 February 1898 Grand Vizier Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 381/55

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the sultan on Dutch actions against Teuku Umar, 1898

Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniye Batavya Başşehbenderliği Aded Rikâb-ı Âfitâb-ı Hazret-i Şehinşâhîye Maʿrûzât-ı Memlûkânemdir. Açeʾnin en nâmdâr umerâ-yı harbiyesinden olup bundan takrîben üç sene evvel istiʿmâl-i hudʿa-i harbiye ile Flemenk asâkirinden bir fırka-i askeriyeyi kâmilen hân-ı helâke sermest ve ganâyim-i harbiye olarak ellerinde mevcûd esliha-i cedîde ve mühimmât-ı harbiyeyi biʾl-iğtinâm taht-ı kumandasında bulunan asâkirini esliha-i maʿrûza ile teslîh etmiş olan “Toko Ömer” nâm sergerde geçende Açeʾnin Flemenkliler yedinde ve nisbeten arâzi-i müsteviyyede

Information about the Region

Figure 153

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the sultan on Dutch actions against Teuku Umar, 1898

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kâʾin bulunan “Selimon” beldesine hücûm ile Flemenklileri püskürtmüş olduğundan merkûmun ahz ve girifti ve her ne sûretle olursa olsun imhâ-yı vücûdu zımnında bu defʿa müstemlekât hükûmeti tarafından bir miralayın kumandasıyla ve Sumatra‌ʾdaki fırka-i askeriyye-i mevcûdenin takviyesi emniyesiyle yeniden dört bin kişilik bir fırka-i askeriyye techîz ve ihzâr ve iktizâ eden mühimmât-ı harbiye ve bataryalar ile mahall-i mezkûra derdest sevk ve irsâl bulunduğu muhât-ı ilm-i âlem-ârâ-yı cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîleri buyuruldukda kâtibe-i ahvâlde emr u fermân-ı şehinşâh-ı âlem-i sebeb refâh ümem-i tâcdâî celîlüʾş-şân-ı şehriyâr müʾeyyed-erkân-ı saltanat-ı âl-i Osmân efendimiz hazretlerinindir. Fî 12 Şaʿbân sene [1]315 ve 20 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]313 An Cava Batavya Başşehbenderi Abd-i Memlûkları Sublime Ottoman State Consulate General in Batavia Number This is my humble petition to the court of His Majesty the exalted King of Kings The ringleader called Teuku Umar is one of the most famous military commanders of Aceh who, about three years ago, destroyed a Dutch military unit completely in an ambush, obtained their new guns and military supplies as war booty, and equipped the soldiers under his command with these guns. He has recently attacked Seulimeum, an Acehnese town held by the Dutch that is located on relatively flat land, and repelled the Dutch. Therefore, in order to capture, imprison and to destroy his body in whatever way possible, reinforcements have been sent to the existing military unit in Sumatra, with an additional unit of four thousand soldiers under the command of a colonel equipped and prepared by the colonial government, which is ready to be deployed to the said place together with the required military supplies and a battery of artillery. When information on these events is brought to the great wisdom of the Caliph, it is for the King of Kings of the World to command according to what is best for our lord, His Majesty the imperial Crown-Holder of the most illustrious [Islamic] community, the Head of the Sultanate of the House of Osman. 6 January 1898 From Java His Majesty’s Consul General, Batavia Source: BOA Y.PRK.EŞA. 28/66 (2)

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Ottoman ambassador in The Hague to the Foreign Ministry on the deliberations in the Dutch parliament about Islam in Indonesia, 1899

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne 12 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [18]98 târihiyle Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 1 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Bin sekiz yüz doksan sekiz senesi Hindistan-ı Şarkî bütçesi hakkında cereyân eden mübâhesât mülâbesesiyle ve meclis-i umûmiyenin Kânûn-ı Evvelʾin yirmi sekiz ve yirmi dokuzuncu günleri vukûʿ bulan ictimâʿlarında Katolik mebʿûslardan biri “Hıristiyanlık” nâmına olarak Hindistanʾda İslâmiyet aleyhine baʿzı tedâbîr ittihâzına hükûmetin daʿvet olunması lüzûmunu dermeyân eylemeği vazîfeden addeylemişdir. Nutk-ı mezkûr ile mebʿûs-ı mûmâileyhin işbu münâsebetsiz teklîfini red ve cerh etmiş olan müstemlekât nâzırı tarafından iʿtâ olunan cevâbın Fransızca tercümeleri leffen takdîm kılındı emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Melfûfun Tercümesidir Katolik fırkasına mensûb mebʿûsândan Mösyö “Van Den Biesen” İslâmiyetʾe karşı hükûmet tarafından ittihâz olunan meslek-i hareketi Hıristiyanlık nâmına tenkîd ve muʾâheze eylemişdir mûmâileyh bilhâssa Hacc-ı şerîf mesʾelesine hasr-ı kelâm ile demişdir ki “İslâmiyetʾin adüvv-ü ekber-i nasrâniyet olduğu maʿlûm bir şeydir. Hıristiyanların ittifâk ve ittihâdıyla İslâmiyetʾin terakkiyâtı menʿ edilmiş olduğu içün muzır olan bu dînin dünyânın cihât-ı sâʾiresinde sürʿatle terakkî etmediği zan olunmasın. Protestan fırkası reʾîsi Mösyö “Kuyper” şarkdaki müstemlekâtımızın İslâmlar tarafından düçâr-ı tehdîd olmakda bulunduğunu geçen sene bir sûret-i vâzıhada beyân ve aleʾl-husûs birçok kütüb-ı dîniye ve fıkhiyyenin Cava adasına idhâl ve İslâmlar tarafından mutâlaʿa olunduğunu der-meyân etmiş olduğu gibi muʿallim “Van Den Berg” dahî cemʿiyyât-ı rûhâniyetin Cava cezîresini tervîç-i makâside muvâfık bir zemîn bularak oraya gelip hattâ birçok tarafdâr da bulduklarını söylemişidi. Mösyö “Kuyper” “Ambon”da yirmi sene ikâmet eden Mösyö “I.J. Vries” in meşhûdâtına nazaran“Ambon”de İslâmiyetʾin müddet-i kalîle zarfında Hindistanʾın âsâyiş ve muhâfazasınca mûcib-i tehlike olacak bir sûretde terakkî eylemekde olduğunu söylemişdir. Reis efendi bu hâl cidden mülâhazaya şâyân ahvâlden olduğu gibi müstemlekât hakkındaki son raporda meşhûd olduğuna göre İslâmiyet “Palembang”ın içeri taraflarında tedrîcî ve fakat dâʾimî bir sûretde intişâr

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eylemekde ve ashâb-ı[?] memleketden el-yevm baʿzı rüʾesâ dîn-i mübîn-i İslâmı kabûl eylemişdir “Tebing-Tinggi” de dahî dîn-i mübîn-i Ahmedîʾnin terakkîsine hizmet edildiği, “Langgur”da yeniden cevâmiʿ-i şerîfe inşâsı ve mevcûd olan câmiʿlerin dahî taʿmîr ve termîmi sûretiyle daha ziyâde vâsıl-ı mertebe-i sübût olmakdadır. “Nor Buru”, “Nor Kerâm” ile “Kığı” cezâyirinde bir takım ahâlîye telkîn-i dîn-i İslâm içün sarf-ı mesâʿî olunmakda idüği kırâʾat olunan rapor meʾâlinden münfehim olmuşdur. “Nor Kerâm”da Hıristiyanlığın intişârına İslâmiyetʾin pek ziyâde mâniʿ olmakdadır. İmdi bu fenâlığın önü alınarak İslâmiyetʾin Hıristiyanlığa galebe çalmaması içün hükûmet tarafından tedbîre tevessül edilip edilmeyeceğini suʾâl eylerim. Reʾis efendi hükûmet hüccâcın Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye azîmetlerine mâniʿ olmak veyâ hiç olmazsa pasaportları pek âlî bir bedel mukâbilinde iʿtâ ederek îfâ-yı hacc-ı şerîfi işgâl eylemek sûretleriyle bu işe mübâşeret etmelidir. Nâzır tarafından beyân olunduğu vechile vebâ ile koleradan havf eylemekde olduğu bahânesiyle buna mümânaʿat edilebiliyor ise de İslâmiyetʾden havf olunmasından dolayı hüccâc Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye gitmekden menʿ edilemez çünkü bu hâl İslâmlara karşı muhâfazasına mecbûr olduğumuz serbestî-i edyân-ı usûl ve kavâʿidine mugâyirdir. Fakat yalnız şarkdaki müstemlekâtımızda hükûmetin inzimâm-ı muvâfakatıyla beher sene birçok eşhâsın Arab elbisesi lâbis olduğu hâlde sarık ve cübbe ile hacı olarak Mekke-i Mükerremeʾden Cava‌ʾya avdetleri tecvîz olunur ahvâlden olmadığı zannındayım. Bu sınıf halk sene be-sene tekessür eylemekdedir. “Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye giden hüccâc-ı müslimînin tezâyüd ve tekessürü “ser levhasıyla Cava‌ʾda sâbık mukîm meʾmûrumuz Mösyö “Herwerden” ın bin sekiz yüz yetmiş beş târihiyle neşr ettiği risâlede bast ve temhîd olunduğu vechile ahâlî-i merkûma fırsat düştükçe idâre-i hükûmete karşı kendi dinlerini tervîç cihetini iltizâm edeceklerdir. Ahkâm-ı celîle-i İslâmiye cümlesinden olan hac mesʾelesine nazar-ı hürmetle bakarak bu bâbda tecvîz-i musâmahaya mecbûriyet yoktur. Zîrâ evvel emirde böyle bir nass-ı celîlin mevcûd olup olmadığı bilinmelidir. Fakat gerek müstemlekâtımızın ve gerek oralardaki emn ve âsâyişin muhâfazası tehlikeye düçâr olacak olur ise hükûmet dîn-i İslâmʾa karşı baʿzı tedâbir ittihâz etmek hakkını hâʾiz değil midir? Niçin hacılar rüʾesâ ile hükûmet tarafından angaryadan muʿaf tutulmakdadırlar niçin bunlar ulemâya mahsûs olan elbiseyi iktisâ etmekdedirler. Müslümanlar her şeye rağmen Hicazʾa gitmek isterler ise niçin pasaport almıyorlar? Yunanistan ile vukûʿ bulan muhârebede asâkir-i şâhâne tarafından ihrâz olunan muzafferiyet Müslümanların taʿassubunu uyandırdığından hâl ve mevkiʿ daha ziyâde kesbi ehemmiyet eylemişdir maʿlûmunuz olsun ki livâsı üzerinde “zevk ve sefâ mezâlim ve hükm-ı kadere teslîmiyet” kelimâtı muharrer olan dîn-i mübîn-i İslâm kadar Cavalıların tenassur etmelerine mâniʿ hiç bir şey yoktur. Müstemlekât Nâzırı Mösyö “Cremer” ferdâsı Kânûn-ı Evvelʾin yirmi dokuzuncu günü âtiʾz-zikr cevâbı iʿtâ eylemişdir. Brabant mebʿûsu Müslümanlar

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aleyhine şiddetli bir politika ittihâzıyla bunların ferâʾiz-i dîniyelerinin en mühimmini îfâdan yaʿni edâ-yı farîza-i hacdan menʿ edilmeleri arzusunda bulunuyor. Mevcûd olan nizâmnâmeʾnin yüz on dokuzuncu maddesi böyle bir muʿâmeleye mâniʿdir. Mâdde-i mezkûrda bütün fırkalar tarafından bilâ-iʿtirâz kabûl ve tasdîk edilmişdir. Ol vakit müstemlekât nâzırı olan Mösyö “Pahud” nizamnâme-i mezkûr hakkında verdiği îzâhâtı ve ol-bâbda cereyân eden müzâkerât-ı umûmiyeyi ihtâr ederim. Mûmâileyh bin sekiz yüz elli üç senesinde takdîm ettiği ikinci lâyihada demiş idüği Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin Hıristiyan bir hükûmet olması hasebiyle dîn-i Isevîʾyi tedâbir-i şedîde ile değil ise bile hiç olmazsa tedâbir-i mutâvaʿat-kârâne ile tervîce mecbûr olduğu hakkındaki iddiʿâ bâtıldır. Reʾs-i umûr idârede bulunan zevâtın bu bâbdaki arzu-yı zâtîleri ne olursa olsun bunlar Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin bir dîn-i resmîsi olmadığını ve bir dînin dahî diğerinin zararına olarak tervîç ve iltizâmı hakkında sarf edilen biʾl-cümle mesâʿînin kânûnen taht-ı teʾmîne alınan serbesti-i mezâhib ve müsâvât-ı edyân hakkındaki usûle mugâyir bir hareket demek olacağını ferâmuş etmemelidirler. Meclis-i Mebʿûsânʾın 18 Ağustos sene 1854 târihindeki ictimâʿ-ı umûmîsinde Mösyö “Pahud” Flemenk Hükûmeti kendisinin hükûmât-ı Hıristiyânîyeʾden olmadığını söylemelidir demişdir. Mûmâileyhin fikr ve mütâlaʿasınca hükûmet bî-taraf olmalıdır. Kral ve rüʾesâ-yı meʾmûrîn-i idâre ile milleti Hıristiyan olabilirler. Fakat iş umûmun ve bâ-husûs kısm-ı aʿzamı Hıristiyan olmayan ahâlînin himâyesine taʿalluk edince evvel beevvel yapılacak bir şey var ise o da iltizâm-ı bî-tarafî ve hırem[?] ve ihtiyâtdır. Müstemlekât nâzırı sözüne devâm ile demişdir ki bundan kırk üç sene evvel vukûʿ bulan bu beyânâtın burada tekrârını muvâfık-ı hâl ve maslahat addeylerim ve bunu da neşr-i dîn edenlerin aleyhine olduğumdan değil sûret-i âkılânede neşr-i dîn edilmesini arzu ettiğim ve Hindî tebʿamızdan her kangı dîn ve mezhebde bulunanlardan olur ise olsun bir propaganda cemʿiyetinin bunlar aleyhindeki hareketinin dâʾimâ mazarrât olacağı fikr ve iʿtikâdında bulunduğum içün bu sözleri burada tekrâr eyledim. Meclis-i Mebʿûsân bütçe hakkındaki lâyihasında Avrupalı ahalî ile ahâlî-i asliye beyninde zuhûru melhûz olan ihtilâfâtda dâʾimâ ahâlî-i asliyenin menâfiʿini gözetmek nâzırın cümle-i vezâʾifinden olduğunu biʾl-beyân bu bâbda mûmâileyhin nazar-ı dikkati celb olunmuşdur. İşte bizce el-ân mûcib-i iştiğâl olan bu mesʾelede meclisin şu teklifini dahî nazar-ı dikkatden dûr tutmayacağım Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Translation Office Number This is the translation of the communiqué received by the Foreign Ministry from the Imperial Embassy at The Hague, dated 12 January 1898, numbered 1.

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During the gathering of the States-General on 28 and 29 December, the budget of the East Indies for the year 1898 was deliberated upon. One of the Catholic MPs felt obliged to suggest that the government should take some precautions against Islam in India in the name of Christianity. The French translations of the said speech and the response of the Minister of Colonies, who refuted and refused the thoughtless proposal of the said MP, are presented as attachment. To command belongs to him who commands all. This is the translation of the attachment: Monsieur Van Den Biesen who is an MP from the Catholic party has criticised the government’s policy with regard to Islam in the name of Christianity. He especially focused on the Hajj during his speech and said that, “It is known that the greatest enemy of Islam is Christianity. One should not think that this harmful religion is not spreading rapidly in several parts of the world because its advancement has been stopped by the alliance and unity of the Christians. Last year Monsieur Kuyper, the leader of the Protestant party, clearly stated that our colonies in the East are threatened by the Muslims, and explained that lots of religious and [Islamic] jurisprudential books were imported to the island of Java, and that the Muslims scrutinized these books. Likewise, the scholar Van Den Berg,6 said that the spiritual associations, which found Java to be a favourable ground for their purposes, came there and found numerous supporters. Monsieur Kuyper basing himself on the observations of I.J. Vries who lived in Ambon for twenty years, stated that within a short period, Islam has progressed to such an extent as to constitute a danger for public order and security of India. Mr President, this is a situation that requires serious consideration. As the last report on the colonies testifies, Islam is spreading into the inner regions of Palembang gradually but permanently. It has been understood from reading that report that recently some leaders of the country have adopted Islam; even in Tebing-Tinggi the advancement of Islam is striven for; in Langgars [Langgur?] new mosques are built and the existing mosques are repaired and restored so that they become permanent; on the islands of North Boeroe, North Ceram and on the Kei islands Islam has been propagated to some people. Islam is hindering the diffusion of Christianity in North Ceram considerably. Now, I would like to ask whether the government will take any precautions to ensure that Islam will not be victorious over Christianity by preventing this evil. Mr President, the government should start by preventing the travel of pilgrims to Honoured Mecca, or at least disrupt the Hajj by granting the passports in return for a very high price. As declared by the minister, it is possible to prohibit pilgrims going to Noble Mecca under the pretence 6  L.W.C. van den Berg.

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of fears of plague and cholera, but not because of fears of Islam, because this goes against the system and rules of freedom of religion that we are obliged to maintain for the Muslims. However, I think that it is not possible to justify the arrival of lots of people every year from Honoured Mecca, who, with the [tacit] consent of the government, [become] hajjis with turbans and robes, wearing Arab clothes. These kinds of people are increasing year on year. Our official, Monsieur [J.D. van] Herwerden, who formerly resided in Java, published a booklet in 1875 entitled “The increasing number of Muslim pilgrims visiting Mecca.” As it is suggested [in that booklet], the said people will advocate their religion against the administration of the government on every occasion. It is not necessary to permit toleration by approaching the issue of the Hajj, which is [claimed as] an illustrious provision of Islam, with respect, because it is firstly necessary to ascertain whether there is such an illustrious obligation. However, in case the maintenance of the security of our colonies in those quarters are endangered, does the government not have the right to implement certain precautions against the religion of Islam? Why do the government and the chiefs exempt the pilgrims from corvée? Why do they [the hajjis] wear clothes that are particular to the class of religious scholars? Why do the Muslims not obtain passports when they want to go to Hijaz in spite of everything? As the victory of the imperial [Ottoman] army in the war against Greece has awakened the fanaticism of the Muslims, its status and position has gained more and more importance. You should know that nothing constitutes as great an obstacle to the Christianisation of the Javanese as Islam, whose banner bears the words “Submission to pleasure, delight, injustice and the judgement of fate”. On the next day, 29 December, Monsieur [Jacob Theodoor] Cremer, the Minister of Colonies, delivered the following answer. The Deputy from Brabant advocates a severe policy with regard to Muslims, and desires the prohibition of the Hajj, which is one of the most important religious duties for them. The one hundred and nineteenth article of the current regulations prohibit such treatment, and the said article was accepted and approved by all parties [in the States-General] without any objection. I would like to recall the explanations of Monsieur [Charles Ferdinand] Pahud (who was the Minister of Colonies at that time [1849–1856]) concerning the said regulations, and the general deliberation on the issue. As the said [minister] remarked in 1853, in the second memorandum, the assertion that as a Christian government the Dutch government is obliged to promote Christianity, at least tacitly if not by means of violent measures, is false. Whatever the personal wishes are of the individuals who are at the head of administrative affairs, they should not forget that the Dutch government does not have an official religion, and that all endeavours to promote one religion over another would be contrary to the system of freedom

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and equality of religion that has been guaranteed by the law. During the general assembly of the parliament on 18 August 1854, Monsieur Pahud said that the Dutch government should declare that it is not a Christian government. According to his opinion, the government should be neutral. The King, the main officers of the administration as well as the nation might be Christian, but when it comes to the public, and especially when dealing with a people of whom the majority are not Christians, impartiality and prudence are the prime requisites. The Minister of Colonies continued his speech by saying: I deem it appropriate and suitable to the proper course to repeat this speech that was delivered forty-three years ago. This is not because I am against spreading religion, but because I want it to be done wisely. I repeated those sentences here because I believe and am convinced that the activities of proselytising among our Indian subjects, whatever their religion may be, will produce harmful consequences. In the States-General’s report on the budget, it was pointed out and emphasised that it is a duty of the minister to take care of the interests of the native population whenever they come into conflict with Europeans. Therefore, on this issue with which we are dealing now, I will not ignore this suggestion of the parliament. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 383/50

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Documents relating to Spanish defeat in Philippines, 1898

Ottoman ambassador in Madrid to the Foreign Ministry about the victory of the insurgents against Spanish colonial administration in Philippines, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne 9 Haziran sene [18]98 târihiyle Madrid Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 501 numerolu tahrîrâtın hülâsaten tercümesidir. “Filipin” cezâyirinde usâtın ihrâz-ı gâlibiyet eylediklerini mübeyyin olarak Mösyö Sagasta tarafından Meclis-i Mebʿûsânʾda kırâʾat edilen nutuk ber-vech-i zîr arz ve tezbîr olunur. “Kavita” inhizâmından sonra hükûmete Ceneral “Ogüst” tarafından üç ve “Pizay” askerî gövernörü tarafından iki telgrafnâme vürûd etmişdir. Ceneral-i mûmâileyh ilk telgrafnâmede “Kavita” vukûʿâtını mücmilen nakl ve İspanya‌ʾnın Hakk-ı hâkimiyeti muhâfaza olunacağını teʾmîn ve bu bâbda yerlilerden birçoğunun muʿâvenetine güvenmekde olduğunu ityân etmiş ve 16.1

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ikinci telgrafnâmesinde rüʾesâ-yı usâtdan birinin bir Amerika harb sefînesi derûnuna gitdiği ve ahâlî-i memleketi isyâna teşvîk etdiği zannında bulunduğu cihetle evvelki kadar izhâr-ı emniyet etmemiş ve mâʿmâfih reʾîs-i merkûmun İspanya‌ʾya karşı vukûʿ bulacak ifsâdât ve tahrîkâtını teʾsîrsiz bırakabileceği ümîdinde bulunduğunu beyân eylemişdir Ceneralin üçüncü telgrafnâmesi ise hükûmet tarafından bugün Meclis-i Mebʿûsânʾa tebliğ olunan telgrafnâmedir. Telgraf kablosunun katʿ edilmesi hasebiyle vesâʾit-i muhâbereye ârız olan sekte hükûmetin Filipin ahvâline dâʾir külli yevm ahz-ı maʿlûmât etmesine ve derûn-ı memleketde tevessüʿ eden hareket-i isyâniyeye karşı tedâbir-i lâzimeyi ittihâz eylemesine mâniʿ olmuşdur. Eğer yerliler İspanya ile akd-ı pîvend ittihâd ve ittifâk etmiş olsaydı düşman Filipin cezâyirinde aslâ nâʾil-i galebe olamaz ve hattâ Cezâyir-i mezkûreye pây-ı endâz-ı taʿarruz olmağa muktedir bulunamaz idi. Hükûmet-i İspanya menâfiʿini müdâfaʿa edenlere îfâ-yı muʿâvenet içün îcâb eden ve kâbil-i icrâ olan biʾl-cümle tedâbiri ittihâz eyleyecekdir. Baʿdehû Mösyö “Sagasta” Santiago ve Küba muhârebesi münâsebetiyle Meclis-i Mebʿûsân tarafından îfâ edilen tebrîkâtdan dolayı ordu ve donanma ve Küba gönüllüleri nâmına olarak beyân-ı teşekkürü hâvî Mareşal “Bilanko”dan vârid olan telgrafnâmeyi kırâʾat eylemişdir. Emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Sublime Porte Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Office Number This is the translation of the communication sent from the Imperial Embassy in Madrid to the Foreign Ministry dated 9 June 1898 and numbered 501 The speech of Monsieur [Práxedes Mateo] Sagasta [the Prime Minister] addressed to the Parliament, explaining that the insurgents had achieved victory in the Philippine Islands, is presented below. After the defeat of Cavite,7 the government received three telegrams from General [Basilio] Augustin and two from the Military Governor of Pasay. In his first telegram, the aforementioned general related events at Cavite, declared that Spain’s sovereign rights would be maintained, and that he trusted, for this, in the assistance of most of the locals. In the second telegram, he related that one of the leaders of the insurgents had visited an American warship, and that he [the General] believed that he [the leader of the insurgents] encouraged the people of the country to revolt. Consequently, he [the General] was not 7  The Cavite region of Luzon was a centre of the Philippine Revolution (1896–1898) which brought an end to Spanish control of the Philippines.

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as confident as he had been previously, but expressed his hope that he would be able to render the said leader’s provocations against Spain ineffective. The third telegram of the General is that which the Government communicated today to the Parliament. The problems with the means of communication, arising from the fact that the telegraph cables are cut down, prevents the government from obtaining daily information, and consequently from taking the necessary precautions against the spread of the revolt throughout the country. If the natives had formed a bond of unity and allied with Spain, the enemy would neither be capable of landing on the Philippine Islands, nor would they be victorious. The Spanish government will take every possible measure she can take to help those who defended the interests of Spain in the said islands. After this, Monsieur Sagasta read Field Marshal [Ramón] Blanco’s telegram expressing the gratitude of the army, navy, and Cuban volunteers to the felicitations of Parliament received following the battles of Santiago and Cuba. To command belongs to him who commands all. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 386/76

Ottoman ambassador in Madrid to the Foreign Ministry about the developments in Spain regarding the Philippines, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne 15 Haziran sene [18]98 târihiyle Madrid Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 504 numerolu mahremâne tahrîrâtın tercümesidir Dün Meclis-i Mebʿûsânʾdan Filipin adalarının sû-i idâresinden dolayı terettüb eden mesʾûliyet hakkında müzâkerâtda bulunulmuşdur müzâkerâtın cihât-ı müteʿaddideye teşmîl edilmiş olmasına bakılır ise müddet-i medîdeden beri gerek muhâfazakâr gerek serbestî tarafdârânından mürekkeb olan heyʾet-i vükelâ tarafından nâ-kâbil-i telâkkî bir sûretde vukûʿ bulan mesâvî ve hattiyâtın taʿayyününden evvel Filipin adalarıyla müstemlekât-ı sâʾirenin İspanya‌ ʾnın elinden çıkıp çıkmayacağı cây-ı suʾâldir mâʿmâfih Madrid gazetelerinin muʾâhezâtına hedef olmuş ve sû-i idâresinden dolayı envâʿ-ı muʿâtebeye müstahak görülmüş olan Filipin governörü sâbık-ı Mareşal “Perimo de Rivera”ya hüsn-ı idâresinden nâşî Meclis-i Mebʿûsan tarafından beyân-ı teşekkürât edilmişdir bununla berâber Mösyö “Uriya” mûmâileyhin sûret-i idâresini takbîh ile kendisini Filipin cezâʾirinin sû-i idâresinin müsebbibi olmağla ithâm eylemişdir şu vakʿayı arz etmekden maksadım mebhûsun anhu mesʾûliyetlerin nezd-i ekalliyetde kesb eylediği ehemmiyetin zât-ı âlî-i 16.2

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âsafânelerine arz ve tebyîninden ibâretdir ekalliyet-i mezkûre Amerika ile münâzaʿaya ve müstemlekâtı müdâfaʿaya mecbûr bulundukça hükûmet ile müttefiken çalışması elbette daha münâsibdir müstemlekât-ı mezkûre bir kere elden gidecek olursa artık istirdâdı kâbil olamaz emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Sublime Porte Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Office Number This is the translation of the confidential communication dispatched by the Imperial Embassy in Madrid to the Foreign Ministry, dated 15 June 1898 and numbered 504 Yesterday, the Parliament deliberated on the responsibility for the bad governance of the Philippines. As the deliberations covered various aspects, it is doubtful whether Spain will lose the Philippines and other colonies before the faults and evils committed in an unimaginable manner by the Council of Ministers – composed of the conservatives as well as the liberals – over a long period of time become evident. Nevertheless, Field Marshal [Fernando] Primo de Rivera,8 former governor of Philippines, who has been blamed for bad governance and [became] the target of the criticism of the Madrid newspapers, was shown gratitude by the Parliament for his good governance. However, Monsieur Uriya[?] pronounced his governance disgraceful, and accused him of being the cause of the bad governance in the Philippines. My purpose in presenting these events is to inform the exalted Grand Vizierate about the importance of the abovementioned responsibilities for the opposition [in Parliament], and it is surely more appropriate for the said opposition to work together with the government in case of a conflict with America, and when they have to defend the colonies. However, if they are obliged to abandon these colonies once, it will not be possible to take them back again. To command belongs to him who commands all. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 386/143

8  Governor between April 1880–March 1883 and April 1897–April 1898.

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the public debate provoked by the Dutch banners that were put on display during the celebrations of the enthronement of the queen, 1898

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Fî 7 Eylül [1]314 târihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrâtın sûretidir. Haşmetlü kraliçe hazretlerinin merâsim-i tetevvüciyyeleri hasebiyle buraca bir hafta icrâ edilen şenlikler esnâsında câmiʿ-i şerîfde hutebâ tarafından müşârunileyhâ nâmına bir duâ kırâʾat edilmesi ve emâkin-i mübârekede Flemenk bandırasının rekz ve küşâdı emr olunmasına mebnî halîfe-i İslâmʾdan mâʿadâ câmiʿlerde kimseye duânın kırâʾati ve bâ-husûs bandıra küşâdı câʾiz olamayacağına dâʾir eʾimme ve hüccâc ve sâdât meyânında cereyân eden münâkaşât buraca bir mesʾele hükmüne girerek kesb-i ehemmiyet eylemiş ve leylen esvâk ve meyâdîne ve başlıca emâkin-i mîrîyeye yaftalar taʿlikiyle hükûmet-i mahalliyenin icrâʾâtı tenkîd ve izhâr-ı husûmet edilmiş ve Flemenk lisânıyla neşr edilen gazeteler bu gibi mesʾele [ye] Arablar sebeb olup düşman-ı hükûmet olan cemâʿat-ı merkûmeye atf-ı enzâr-ı basîret edilmesini hükûmete tavsiye vâdisinde gâyet harâretli ve tecâvüzkârâne lisân istiʿmâliyle bir takım fıkralar derc ve neşriyât-ı vâkıʿa sâdâtdan iki zâtla diğer birinin bilâmuhâkeme üçer mâh habs ve hidemât-ı şâkkada istihdâm cezâsıyla mazlûmen ithâmını müntebih olmasıyla berâber duʿânın kırâʾatinde umûm câmiler polis ve neferât-ı askeriye maʿrifetiyle takayyudât-ı tâmme altında bulundurulmuş ve duânın kırâʾatinden evvel câmilerden çıkanların esâmîsi kapılarındaki meʾmûrîn-i zâbıta tarafından zabt edilmiş olduğunun berâ-yı maʿlûmât arz ve ifâdesine mücâseret kılınmış olmağla Aslına mutâbıkdır. Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communication received from the Ottoman Consulate General in Batavia dated 19 September 1898. During the week-long celebrations on the occasion of Her Majesty the Queen’s coronation, an order was given for the preachers to recite a prayer in the noble mosques in her name, and to erect and display the Dutch flag in the

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holy buildings. A discussion arose among the imams, pilgrims, and sayyids as to whether it was appropriate to put [the Dutch] flag on display, or to recite prayers in the mosque in the name of anybody except the Caliph of Islam. These discussions became an issue here and gained importance, and hostility was displayed by fixing banners at night in the streets, squares, and public places criticizing the local government’s actions, whilst the Dutch-language newspapers included some heated articles with offensive language about the Arabs who were considered to be the cause of this problem, advising the government to keep a close eye on the said community. According to the newspapers, two sayyids and another one were threatened with imprisonment for three months without trial, and with terms of hard labour. During the recitation of the prayer, all mosques were kept under surveillance by the police and military personnel, and the names of those who left the mosque before the recitation of the prayer were recorded by the police. I dared to pronounce and to present these issues for your information. This is a true copy of the original Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 390/100 (2)

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Ottoman ambassador in Berlin to the Foreign Ministry on the rumours about and agreement between Germany and Spain entailing the partition of the colonies, 1899

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretine 2 Haziran sene [18]99 târihiyle Berlin Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 69 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Şâyiʿ olan bir rivâyete nazaran Berlin ve Madrid kabineleri beyninde akd olunan bir sûret tesviye mûcebince İspanya Hükûmeti, Bahr-ı Muhît-i Kebîrʾde ve Yeni Gineʾnin şimâlinde kâʾin olup “Karolin”, “Palamo” ve “Maryan” nâmlarıyla maʿrûf bulunan cezâʾir-i müctemiʿa-i sağîreyi Almanya‌ʾya terke muvâfakat etmiş imiş “Filipin” adalarında İspanya nüfûz-ı hükûmetinin sükûtundan berî cezâʾir-i mezkûrenin İspanya‌ʾca hiçbir ehemmiyeti kalmamış ise de Almanya‌ʾnın nüfûz-ı hükûmeti bu cezâyirin kurbunda bulunan “Bismark” ve “Marşal” adalarıyla “New Gine” sâhilinde kâʾin “Vilhmes Haynd” da takarrur etmiş olduğundan cezâʾir-i mezkûre Almanya‌ʾca hâʾiz-i ehemmiyet bulunmuşdur Almanya tarafından bu kere istimlâk olunan cezâʾirde memleket nüfûsunun mikdârı elli bin kadar tahmîn edilmekde ve hüsn-ı idâre sâyesinde

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bu adaların terakkîye müstaʿid bulundukları rivâyet olunmakdadır ticâretin kısm-ı aʿzamı Alman ticârethâneleri yedinde bulunduğundan Almanya öteden beri “Karolin” adalarını istimlâk arzusunda idi maʿlûm-ı âlî-i âsafâneleri olduğu vechile Almanlar bundan birkaç sene mukaddem cezâʾir-i mezkûreye pây-ı endâz istilâ olmağa teşebbüs etmiş ve bu hâl Almanya ile İspanya arasında gereği gibi ciddî bir ihtilâfa sebep olmuş ise de ihtilâf-ı vâkıʿa haşmetlü Papa On üçüncü Luiʾnin tavassutuyla bertarâf edilmiş idi emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Sublime Porte Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Office Number This is the translation of the communication dispatched by the Imperial Embassy in Berlin to the Foreign Ministry, dated 2 June 1899, numbered 69. According to a rumour, the Spanish Government has agreed to hand over groups of small islands known as the Carolines, Palau, and Mariana, located in the Pacific Ocean to the north of New Guinea, to Germany in accordance with an agreement between the cabinets of Berlin and Madrid. These islands did not have any importance for Spain after the demise of the Spanish Government’s influence in the Philippines, whereas they were deemed important for Germany because they have established their government’s influence in the Bismarck Archipelago, Marshall Islands and Wilhelmsland on the shores of New Guinea, which are located near these islands. The population of the regions that have been recently appropriated by Germany is estimated to be around fifty thousand people, and it is reported that these islands are suitable for development by means of good governance. Germany has wanted to appropriate the Caroline Islands for a long time because the greatest part of its trade is controlled by German companies. As the exalted Grand Vizier already knows, a few years ago the Germans attempted to occupy the said islands by invasion, which necessarily led to a conflict between Germany and Spain. However, this conflict was solved through the mediation of his Excellency Pope Leo XIII. To command belongs to him who commands all. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 397/90

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Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier on the defeat of the Dutch in Aceh and the activities of Snouck Hurgronje, 1899

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 1546 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Flemenk askerinin Açe cihetinde âhiren dahî muvaffakiyetsizliğe uğrayarak tedârikât-ı cedîde-i askeriye ittihâzına karâr verildiği istihbâr kılındığını ve tedârikât-ı mezkûre hakkındaki neşriyâtı hâvî Batavya Başşehbenderiʾnin tahrîrâtı sûreti ile melfûfunun tercümesi 18 Rebîʿülevvel sene [1]317 târihli tezkire-i âciziyle takdîm kılınmış idi mahall-i mezkûre vukûʿ bulan harekât-ı cedîde-i askeriye münâsebetiyle mukaddemâ Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde bulunup Hicaz vilâyet-i celîlesi tarafından tard ve tebʿîd edilmiş ve Flemenk Devleti tarafından Müstemlekât-ı Hindiye Müftiliğiʾne taʿyîn kılınmış olan Hollandalı “Senuk” nâm münâfıkın bu kere ahâlîyi iğfâle çalışmak ve kendisini Devlet-i Aliyye meʾmûr-ı mahsûsu sınıfından göstererek devlet-i müşârunileyhâya itâʿati nasîhat eylemek meʾmûriyet-i mahsûsa-i hafiyye ve zî kıyâfet-i İslâmiye ile mahall-i mezkûra iʿzâm olunduğunu şâmil mezkûr başşehbenderlikden vârid olan tahrîrâtın sûreti dahî leffen arz ve tesyîr kılınmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 19 Rebîʿülevvel sene 1317 ve fî 15 Temmuz sene 1315 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number 1546 To His Grand Vizierial Highness The request of your most humble servant is that; It is reported that after the Dutch soldiers were unsuccessful in Aceh, it was decided to make new military preparations yet again which are detailed in my humble note dated 27 July 1899, together with a copy of the communiqué of the Consulate General in Batavia along with its translated enclosures. In connection with the new military preparations in this region, the Dutch hypocrite

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Foreign minister to the Grand Vizier on the defeat of the Dutch in Aceh and the activities of Snouck Hurgronje, 1899

called Snouck [Hurgronje], who was previously in Honoured Mecca until he was punished and expelled by the exalted provincial government of Hijaz, and was [later] appointed as the mufti of the colonies of the Indies by the Dutch government, has this time been sent to the region on a special secret mission, on the pretence of being a special official of the Sublime State whilst preaching submission to the [Dutch] state wearing Muslim clothes to try to deceive the people of the said place. It is dared to present the documents received from the said Consulate General, along with the copy of the communiqué and its enclosures. To command belongs to him who commands all. 28 July 1899 Foreign Minister Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 398/110

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537

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the revolt of the locals against the Dutch in Banjarmasin, 1899

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Fî 4 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]315 târihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtın sûretidir. Cava‌ʾnın cihet-i şimâlisinde kâʾin takrîben üç milyon nüfûsu hâvî ve kısm-ı aʿzâmı Flemenk müstemlekâtına âʾid bulunan Burneo cezîresiʾnin cenûb tarafında ve sâhilde Bandcermasin nâm şehirde geçen Eylülʾün yirmi birinde yerliler bağteten bir kıyâm icrâsıyla ekâbir-i meʾmûrîn-i mahalliyeden dört kişiyi katl ve itlâf eylemeleri üzerine hükûmet tarafından heman kuvve-i kâfiye iʿzâmıyla ehl-i kıyâmın başlıcalarından on dört şahsı derhâl örfen kurşuna dizdirilmiş ve bir çoğu dahî taht-ı tevkîfe aldırılmışdır müstemlekât hükûmeti yerlilerin bu harekete vergilerin sûret-i usûl istîfâsını bahâne eylediklerini inandırmak istiyor ise de asıl sebeb-i fikr ve emelleri istihsâl-i servetden başka bir şeyʾe maʿtûf olmayan ve ahvâl-i hod serânelerini bîçâre ahâlînin ırz ve nâmusuna tecâvüz cinâyetine kadar vardırmağa cürʾetden çekinmeyen Flemenk meʾmûrlarının harekât-ı iʿtisafkârânelerinden başka bir şey değildir maʿlûm-ı sâmî-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîleri buyurulduğu vechile Borneo ile bunun şimâl tarafında kâʾin Selbîs cezâyir-i kebîresi dâhilinde Flemenk Devletiʾnin hiçbir nüfûz-ı hükûmeti olmayıp yalnız sâhildeki şehirler taht-ı tasarruf ve idâresinde bulunduğundan ber-vech-i maʿrûz Bandcermasin hareket-i ihtilâliyesi pek ziyâde mûcib-i telâş ve endîşesi olmuşdur. Leffiyle mutâbıkdır. Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communication dispatched from the Consulate General in Batavia, dated 16 October 1899 On 21 September last, the locals of the city called Banjarmasin, which is located on the southern shores of the island of Borneo to the north of Java, and which has a population of about three millions that for the greatest part is subject to Dutch colonial rule, rose up suddenly and killed four high-ranking local officials. Upon this, the government immediately deployed a number of troops, and ten of the foremost rebels were shot dead without judicial process,

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and many more were taken into custody. Although the government wants to give the impression that the pretext of the locals for this action was the method of exacting taxes, the real reason is nothing less than the tyrannical behaviour of the Dutch officials, whose intentions are nothing other than amassing fortunes, and whose obstinacy goes so far that they do not hesitate to dare to assault the honour and chastity of the helpless people. As Your Ministerial Excellency knows, the Dutch state only controls and administers the cities on the shores of the big islands of Borneo and Sulawesi (situated to the north of Borneo), and does not have any influence in the interior. Therefore, as explained, the uprising in Banjarmasin has led to great anxiety and worry [among the Dutch]. This corresponds with the enclosure. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 401/66

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Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier relating that the Raja of Brandan expelled the Dutch who wanted to build railway in his territories, 1900

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 3261 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Sumatra cezîresinin cihet-i şimâlîsinde ve Açe memâliki kurbunda ka‌ʾin olup henüz doğrudan doğruya Flemenk idâresi altına girmemiş olan “Brandan” Racasıʾnın memleketi dâhilinden demiryolu geçirilmesini taleb etmek üzre nezdine giden kontrol meʾmûrunu defʿ ile râyet-i felâh âyet-i Osmânî keşîde eylediği istihbâr edildiğini mutazammın Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtın sûreti leffen takdîm kılınmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 11 Şevvâl sene 1317 ve fî 30 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene 1315 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number 3261

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To the presence of the exalted Grand Vizierate The request of your most humble servant is that: A copy of the communication dispatched by the Consulate General in Batavia has been presented in enclosure, and conveys the information that the Rajah of Brandan [?], situated in the north of Sumatra, near Aceh, who is not yet under the direct administration of the Dutch, has rebuffed the inspector who applied to him for a railway passage through his territory by displaying the auspicious standard with the Ottoman insignia. To command belongs to him who commands all. 12 February 1900 Foreign Minister Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 403/39

22

Documents relating to Dutch response to newspaper articles about Dutch colonial administration in Indonesia, 1900

22.1

Verbal note submitted by the Dutch embassy to the Foreign Ministry about an article published in Ma‌ʾlumât newspaper about the Dutch colonial administration, 1900

Sûret Hâriciye Nezâretiʾnde 25 Şubat sene 900 târihiyle Flemenk Sefâretiʾnden vârid olan 6 numerolu takrîr-i şifâhînin tercümesidir. Sefâret Laheyʾden aldığı taʿlîmâta imtisâlen Flemenkʾin Hind müstemlekatına dâʾir Maʿlûmât gazetesinin 30 Ağustos sene [18]99 târihli nüshasında münderic bir bend hakkında Nezâret-i Hâriciyeʾnin nazar-ı dikkatini celb ile berâber melfûf muhtıradan da müstebân olacağı üzre bend-i mezkûr hilâf-ı hakîkat bir takım beyânâtla mâlî olduğundan keyfiyetin her iki Maʿlûmât gazetesiyle sûret-i katʿiyye ve mükemmelede tashîhi hükûmet-i matbûʿasınca arzu edilmekde olduğunu işʿâr eder ve bu lüzûm efkâr-ı ulviyesi müsellim-i enâm olan hükûmet-i seniyyece de tasdîk olunarak bu sûretle keyfiyetin âcilen tashîhi zımnında tedâbir-i mukteziye ittihâz buyurulacağını ümîd eyler. Melfûf Muhtıranın Tercümesidir Maʿlûmât gazetesinin 30 Ağustos sene [18]99 târihli nüshasında münderiç bir bende güyâ Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin teʾsîs-i mekâtib etmesini ve mekâtib-i mevcûde-i İslâmiyeʾde tedrîsât-ı dîniye icrâ ve Kurʾân-ı azîmüʾş-şân tilâvet edilmesini menʿ eylediği beyân olunmuşdur işbu beyânât biʾl-külliye mugâyir-i hakîkat olup Flemenk Hükûmeti biʾl-akis Hind müstemlekâtı nizâmnâme-i esâsînin yüz on dokuzuncu maddesiyle teʾmîn olunan serbestî-i dîn ve mezheb husûsunu emr-i tedrîsâtda muhâfaza eylemekde olduğundan mekâtib-i İslâmiye teʾsîsi ve kırâʾat-ı Kurʿân-ı azîmüʾş-şân

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ile tedrîsât-ı dîniye icrâsı husûslarında serbesti-i tâm vermemekdedir bir de bend-i mezkûrda yerli olmayan rüʾesâ-yı meʾmûrîn-i İslâmiyeʾnin kendi hemşehrîlerinin menâfiʿini kemâhî hakkahâ muhâfazaya muktedir olmayan ve biʾl-akis menâfiʿ-i mezkûreyi ihlâle tasaddî edebilecek olanlar meyânından intihâb edildiği iddiʿâ ediliyor ki hakîkat-i hâl bunun aksidir Flemenk Hükûmeti bu gibi meʾmûriyetlere beyneʾl-akrân temeyyüz etmiş kesânı taʿyîn ve intihâba hasr-ı mesâʿî eyliyor meclis-i idâre-i mahalliyeye arz olunan efʿâl ve harekât dahî sarf-ı tasnîʿâtdan ibâretdir Müslümanlarla Çinlilerin muhallefâtından yüzde beş ve mahlûlât ve emvâl-i eytâm idâresi nâmıyla da ayrıca yüzde iki buçuk nisbetinde bir resm ahz ve istîfâ edilmekde olduğu beyân olunur halbûki yerli olmayan şarklıların muhallefâtında emlâk veyâhud sefâʾin bulunduğu takdîrde yüzde beş bir resm istîfâ olunmakdadır Avrupalıların metrûkâtından ise yüzde beşden ona kadar bir resm ahz edilmekdedir mahlûlât ve emvâl-i eytâm idâresi tarafından îfâ olunan hidemât içün yüzde bir buçukdan üçe kadar olmak üzere istîfâ edilen rüsûmca Avrupalılar ile Arablar ve Çinliler haklarında tamâmıyla muʿâmele-i mütesâviye icrâ olunuyor Maʿlûmât gazetesinin Kurʾân-ı azîmüʾş-şân tilâveti menʿ edilmiş olduğuna ve emr-i tilâvetin mûcib-i mücâzât addedildiğine dâʾir olan iddiʿâsı sırf tasnîʿât kabîlindendir altı kişinin üçer hafta hidemât-ı şarkiyyede istihdâma mahkûmiyetleri anların Kurʾân-ı azîmüʾş-şân tilâvet etmiş olmalarından değil fakat kavânîn-i cezâʾiyyede musarrah ve müstelzim-i mücâzât diğer bir cürmü îkâʿ eylemelerinden neşʾet etmişdir baʿzı Arabların “Mohoherto ile” Sidoarco” nâm mahallerde birer câmiʿ-i şerîf inşâ etmek istedikleri cihetle nefy ve iclâ olundukları hakkındaki iddiʿâya gelince zâten cevâmiʿ-i şerîfeyi ihtivâ eden bu iki kasabada Arab mahalleleri mevcûd değildir bundan da istinbât olunduğu üzere baʿzı Arabların “Mohoherto” ile Sidoarco”yu terk etmeleri hakkında emr iʿtâ edilmesi dîn ve mezhebe müteʿallik esbâba mütenebbî olmayıp fakat sâdece ikâmet tezkirelerini hâmil olamamalarından münbaʿisdir. Maʿlûmât gazetesinin “Abdas Şeyh bin Mübârek et-Tahîmî” ve “Abdullah” nâm kimesnelere dâʾir teʾmînen iʿtâ eylediği maʿlûmât hilâf-ı hakîkatdir. Nihâyetüʾl-emr Maʿlûmâtʾın “Abdurrahman Gayfan” hakkındaki ifâdesi bu gazetenin Flemenk müstemlekâtında umûr-ı adliyenin sûret-i cereyânını istihfâfkârâne telakkî etmekde olduğuna bir delîl-i cedîddir. Copy This is the translation of the verbal communication of the Dutch Embassy to the Foreign Ministry, dated 25 February 1900 numbered 6. The Embassy communicates in accordance with the instructions which it received from The Hague that it wishes to draw the attention of the Foreign

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Ministry to the article published in the Maʿlumat newspaper’s 30 August 1899 issue on the Dutch Indian colonies. As will also be understood from the enclosed memorandum, because the article contains some false statements, his government wishes that the matter will be rectified completely and definitively by Maʿlumat newspapers, by both amending the [published] copy and by more accurately checking [future stories]. [The Dutch government also] hopes that the necessity of this will be approved by the Imperial Government, whose sublime sentiments are observed by the human race, and that the required precautions will be taken to correct this as a matter of urgency. This is the translation of the enclosed memorandum: In an article published in the Maʿlumat newspaper’s 30 August 1899 issue, it was alleged that the Dutch Government prohibited the establishment of schools by Muslims and religious education at the existing Islamic schools, as well as the recitation of the holy Qurʾan. These statements are totally contrary to the truth. Contrary [to the allegations], the Dutch government maintains freedom of religion and confession, guaranteed in the 119th article of the regulations for the Indian colonies, and for matters of education, it therefore gives a complete freedom to the establishment of Islamic schools, recitation of the holy Qurʾan, as well as to religious education. Moreover, in the said article it is claimed that the chief foreign Islamic functionaries are appointed from among those who could potentially undermine the interests of their compatriots, rather than taking care to support them. The truth is exactly the opposite. The Dutch Government strives to appoint to such positions individuals who are distinguished among their peers. The actions and deeds that are attributed to the local governing assembly are also fabrications. We present for your information that the 5 per cent tax is collected from the inheritances of local Muslims and Chinese, and an additional 2.5 per cent in the name of the administration for intestate heirs and the provision of orphans, and 5 per cent is taken from the inheritances of the non-local Orientals when it involves real estate or ships, whereas 5 to 10 per cent is taken from the inheritances of the Europeans. With respect to the due extracted by the administration for intestate heirs and the provision of orphans, which varies from 1.5 to 3 percent, Europeans, Arabs and Chinese are entirely equal. The Maʿlumat newspaper’s claim that the recitation of the holy Qurʾan is prohibited, and that its recitation is considered punishable, is false as well. Six persons who were sentenced to serve three weeks’ hard labour in the east were not sentenced because they recited the Qurʾan, but because they committed another crime that clearly required punishment according to the criminal code. As for the claim that some Arabs were exiled because they wanted to build noble mosques in the places

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called Mojokerto and Sidoarjo,9 those places already have mosques and do not have any Arab quarters. As can be inferred from this, the order for some Arabs to leave Mojokerto and Sidoarjo is not because of religion and confession, but because they did not hold residence permits. The information that the Maʿlumat newspaper gave about the persons called Abdas Shaykh bin Mubarak al-Tahimi and Abdullah is contrary to the truth. Finally Maʿlumat’s comments about Abdurrahman Gayfan are new evidence that this newspaper disdains the way the courts operate in Dutch colonies. Source: BOA Y.MTV. 201/48

From the Ministry of the Interior to the Foreign Ministry about the precautions taken to prevent publications against Dutch colonial administration, 1900 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Flemenkʾin Hind müstemlekâtına dâʾir Maʿlûmât gazetesinin 30 Ağustos sene [18]99 târihli -nüshasında münderic bir bend hilâf-ı hakîkat beyânât ile mâlî olduğundan tashîhi iltimâsını hâvî Flemenk Sefâretiʾnden alınan takrîr ile melfûfu tercümelerinin gönderildiğine dâʾir tevârüd eden 22 Mart sene [1]316 târihli ve kırk yedi numerolu tezkire-i aliyye-i âsafâneleriyle melfûfâtı mutâlaʿa güzâr-ı âcizî oldu sansür muʿâmelâtının âhiren hüsn-ı tensîki cihetiyle baʿdemâ bu gibi neşriyâta meydân verilmeyeceğinin Matbûʿât-ı Dâhiliye İdâresi ifâdesiyle beyânına müşâbehet kılınmışdır ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 9 Muharrem sene [1]318 ve fî 25 Nisan sene [1]316 22.2

To the exalted Foreign Ministry, I have humbly studied the exalted Grand Vizierial note dated 4 April 1900 and numbered 47, which communicated the conveyance of the translation of the Dutch Embassy’s report together with its enclosures, detailing that the article published in the Maʿlumat newspaper’s 30 August 1899 issue on the Dutch Indies colonies was full of incorrect information, and requesting its correction. It is my deficient opinion that it should also be declared to the Domestic Publication Department that presently the good management of the censorship of will not permit such publications [to appear]. To command belongs to him who commands all. 9 May 1900 Source: BOA DH.MKT. 2342/87

9  Both towns in East Java.

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543

Documents related to the prohibition on the publication of a treatise on the history of Siam, 1900

Investigation about whether a treatise on the history of Siam is harmful or not, 1900 Haleb Vilâyeti Maʿârif Müdürlüğü Aded 10 Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Huzûr-ı Sâmîsine Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Trablusşam Rum Ortodoks Mektebi Muʿallimi Lütfullah Antakî nâmına İskenderun Gümrüğüʾne vürûd iden yirmi aded Târih-i Siyâm nâm Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre risâleden bir adedi li-ecliʾl-muʿâyene İskenderun Rüsûmât Nezâretiʾnin 1 Mart sene [1]316 târihli dört numerolu tahrîrâtıyla gönderilip idâre-i çâkerî muʿâyene meʾmûrluğunca ledeʾt-tedkîk münderecâtı mazarratdan sâlim görülmüş ise de mezkûr nüsha bir kere de nezâret-i fehîmânelerince muʿâyene etdirilmek üzre leffen arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla iktizâsının îfâ ve irâde buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 28 Zilkaʿde sene [1]317 ve fî 16 Mart sene[1]316 Haleb Maʿârif Müdürü Zeki Hüseyin İşbu kitâbı muʿâyene ettim mahzûrdan sâlim olmadığı gibi altıncı, sekizinci ve on sekizinci ve yirminci ve yirmi dördüncü ve yirmi beşinci ve elli beşinci ve yetmiş dördüncü sahîfelerinde işâret ettiğim mahaller (?) ve tashîh olmadıkça beyneʾl-eyâdî tedâvülü yâhud yeniden tabʿı câʾiz olmadığını arz eylerim ol-bâbdâ … Fî 18 Nisan sene1315 Bende-i Yunus Hüsnü 23.1

Province of Aleppo Education Directorate Number 10 To the lofty presence of the Exalted Ministry of Education The submission of your most humble servant is that: Twenty copies of a treatise in Arabic called The History of Siam addressed to Lütfullah Antaki, a teacher at the Greek Orthodox School in Syrian Tripoli, arrived at the Iskenderun Customs Office. A copy of it was sent to the inspection committee in the correspondence of the Iskenderun Customs administration

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Figure 155

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Investigation about whether a treatise on the history of Siam is harmful or not, 1900

dated 14 March 1900 numbered 4. Although the inspection officers at this humble directorate sought the truth of the contents and found it clear from harm, a copy of the publication is submitted as an attachment to be inspected by the honourable ministry. The requirements of the command will be implemented. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 29 March 1900 Zeki Hüseyin, director of education in Aleppo I have examined this book and found out that it is not harmless. Consequently, I suggest that it is not right to circulate the book or reprint it before correcting the places which I have highlighted on pages 6, 8, 18, 20, 24, 25, 55 and 74. On this issue[…] 30 April 1899 The servant Yunus Hüsnü Source: BOA MF.MKT. 507/39 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 315–316.

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Prohibition on the publication of a treatise on the history of Siam 1900 Haleb Maʿârif Müdüriyetiʾnin işbu tahrîrâtında berâ-yı muʿâyene gönderildiği beyân olunan Târih-i Siyâm nâm Arabca kitâb ledeʾl-muʿâyene mahzûrdan gayr-ı sâlim bulunmuş ve Hikmet Şerif tarafından biʾt-teʾlîf Trablusşamʾda El-Belâğa matbaʿasında bilâ-ruhsat basılmış olduğundan menʿ-i neşri lüzûmunun Dâhiliye Nezâret ve Rusûmât Emânet-i Celîleleriyle Zabtiye ve Posta ve Telgraf Nezâret-i aliyyelerine ve taʿmîmen Maʿârif idârelerine teblîğ ve işʿâr ve mürsel nüshanın irsâliyle taʿkîbât-ı kânûniye icrâsının Beyrut Maʿârif Müdüriyetiʾne ilâveten izbâr buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 2 Muharrem sene[1]318 ve fî 18 Nisan [1]316 23.2

The Arabic book called The History of Siam, which is mentioned in this letter of the Aleppo Education Directorate to have been sent for inspection, has been found unsound. Moreover, it has been printed by Hikmet Sharif at the al-Balagha press in Syrian Tripoli without authorisation. To command belongs to him who commands all, for announcing the need to prohibit its publication to the Ministry of the Interior, the Exalted Customs Office, the Exalted Ministry of Police and Ministry of Post and Telegram, and in circulation to Education administrations, and sending the dispatched copy to the Beirut Education directorate with an order for legal proceedings. 1 May 1900 Source: BOA MF.MKT. 507/39 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 317.

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Documents related to a book on Indonesia prepared for the Ottoman Sultan by a civil servant of the Dutch colonial administration, 1901

24.1

Note to Midhat Bey informing him and the other authorities about the content of the book, 1901

3124/317 Encümene 27 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]317 Saʿadetlü Midhat Beyefendi Hazretlerine fî 30 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]317 Makâm-ı celîl-i sadâret-penâhîden mevrûd işbu tezkire-i sâmiyede Cezâyir-i Hindiye-i Şarkiyeʾde vâkiʿ Flemenk müstemlekâtında sâkin yerli ahâlînin sûreti idâresiyle zirâʿate dâʾir tertîb eylediği eserin gönderildiğini ve baʿzı ifâdâtı hâvî Batavya Flemenk meʾmûrlarından Mösyö Hobis tarafından Hâriciye

546

Figure 156

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Prohibition on the publication of a treatise on the history of Siam 1900

Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne mürsel mektûbun tercümesi ve atabe-i ulyâ-yı mülûkâneye refʿ ve takdîmi ricâsını mutazammın bir ibâre münderic bulunan eser-i mezkûr nezâret-i müşârunileyhânın tezkiresiyle irsâl kılındığından bahisle biʾt-tedkîk iktizâsının inbâ ve evrâkın iʿâdesi işʿar buyurulmuş ve eser-i mezkûr ledeʾl-muʿâyene cezâyir-i mezkûrdan Cava adasının tensîkât-ı mülkiyesinden ve kahve ve çay ve tütün ve kına kına ve çivid otu mahsullerinin usûl-ı zirâʿatden bâhis ve mahzûrdan sâlim idüği anlaşılmış olmağla atabe-i felek-mertebe-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye arz ve takdîmi merhûn-ı reʾy-i âlî bulunduğunun cevâben işʿâr buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 8 Şaʿbân sene [1]319 fî 7 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]317 Mektûb kalemine fî 8 minhu Vürûdu 12 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]317 Cahid Beğ 13 minhu 3124/317 To the Assembly on 9 November 1901 To His Excellency Midhat Beyefendi on 12 November 1901 In this elevated communication from the illustrious office of the Grand Vizierate, it was related that the copy of the book on the agriculture and administration of the natives residing in Dutch colonies in the islands of the East Indies had been sent, as well as various narratives sent in the translated

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scholarly letter to the exalted Foreign Ministry from the Dutch official in Batavia Monsieur Hobbes, which also contained a request that this book be presented to the lofty threshold of the sovereign. When the book was investigated, it was discovered that it deals with the cultivation methods of produce such as coffee, tea, tobacco, cinchona and indigo, as well as the administrative organisation of the island of Java. It has been seen that the work is harmless. The honour of the response of your exalted opinion is requested as to whether this should be submitted to be presented to the exalted celestial threshold of His Majesty the Caliph. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 20 November 1901 To the Secretarial Office on 21 November 1901 Arrival 25 November 1901 Cahid Bey 26 November 1901 Source: BOA MF.MKT. 595/28

Minister of Education to the Grand Vizier explaining the content of the book, 1901 Nezâret-i Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 44154 Umûmî 182 Husûsî Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Makâm-ı sâmî-i cenâb-ı hidivv-i efhamîlerinden şeref-vârid olan 24 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]317 târih ve iki yüz on dokuz numerolu tezkire-i sâmiyede Cezâʾir-i Hindiye-i Şarkiyeʾde vâkiʿ Flemenk müstemlekâtında sâkin yerli ahâlînin sûreti idâresiyle zirâʿatine dâʾir tertîb eylediği eserin gönderildiğini ve baʿzı ifâdâtı hâvî Batavya Flemenk meʾmûrlarından Mösyö Hobbes tarafından Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne mürsel mektûbun tercümesi ve atabe-i ulyâ-yı mülûkâneye refʿ ve takdîmi ricâsını mutazammın bir ibâreyi muhtevî olan eser-i mezkûr irsâl kılındığından bahisle biʾt-tedkîk iktizâsının inbâsı işʿâr buyurulmakdan nâşî keyfiyet encümen-i teftîş ve muʿâyeneye ledeʾl-havâle eser-i mezkûr Cava adasının tensîkât-ı mülkiyesinden ve kahve ve çay ve tütün ve kına kına ve çivid otu mahsûllerinin usûl-ı zurʿundan bâhis ve mahzûrdan sâlim idüği anlaşıldığı ifâde kılınmış ve atabe-i felek-mertebe-i hazret-i zillullâhîye arz ve takdîmi reʾy-i âlî-i fehâmet-penâhîlerine vâbeste bulunmuş ve eser-i mezkûr teferruʿâtıyla berâber iʿâde-i takdîm-i huzûr-ı sâmî-i cenâb-ı sadâret-penâhîleri kılınmış olmağın ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 7 Ramazan sene [1]319 ve fî 5 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]317 Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Nâzırı 24.2

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Ministry of Public Education Secretarial Office Number 44154 General 182 Special The request of your most humble servant is that: In the Grand Vizierial note that emanated from the office of your exalted Grand Vizierate, dated 6 November 1901 and numbered 219, it was noted that the translation of a letter dispatched by Monsieur Hobbes, a Dutch official in Batavia, to the exalted Foreign Ministry and a book that he had written on agriculture and administration of the natives in the Dutch colonies in East Indian Islands containing an expression requesting its presentation to the exalted imperial threshold has been sent. As the issue has been assigned to the Council of Investigation and Inspection, it is understood that the said work deals with the cultivation methods of produce such as coffee, tea, tobacco, cinchona, and indigo, as well as the administrative organisation of the island of Java. [Moreover] it has been stated that the work is harmless. [Consequently] whether to submit it to the exalted celestial threshold of His Majesty the Shadow of God on Earth depends on your exalted opinion. The said work is dared to be presented to your exalted Grand Vizierial presence together with its attachments. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 18 December 1901 Minister of Public Education Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 424/26

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Reports of the Ottoman consul in Batavia on Sarekat Islam, 1913

25.1 Report of the Ottoman consul in Batavia about Sarekat Islam, 191310 Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden 28 Receb sene 1331 ve 3 Temmuz sene 1913 tarihi ve 227 numero ile mevrûd rapor sûretidir “Sarekat-i İslâmiye” nâmıyla Cava‌ʾda teʾsîs etmek üzere olan cemʿiyete müteʿallik maʿlûmât arz ve işʿârına dâʾir şeref-vürûd iden 16 Mayıs sene 1913 târih ve 18 3591 numerolu emirnâme-i aliyye-i cenâb-ı sefâret-penâhîleri melfûfu gazete ile vâsıl-ı dest-i âcizî oldu. Cemʿiyet-i mezkûreye dâʾir bundan mukaddem maʿlûmât arzı musammem idiyse de programlarının hükûmet-i 10  Sarekat Islam, founded in 1911, was the largest Muslim organisation in the Dutch East Indies, originating as an association of Muslim traders and eventually evolving into a political party.

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mahalliyece tasdîkine taʿlîkan bu netîceye intizâr olunmakda idi maʿmâfih cemʿiyet-i mezkûrenin el-yevm vâsıl olduğu merâhil ile şekle dâʾir baʿzı maʿlûmât ber-vech-i âtî arz olunur şöyle ki: Maʿlûm-ı devletleri buyurulduğu üzere kırk milyona bâliğ olan Cava vesâʾir Cezâyir-i Flemenk-i Hindî ahâlîsi kâmilen İslâm ve hükûmete itâʿat ve inkıyâd-ı mutlaka ile benâm olmağla berâber bunlar ehl-i iffet ve istikâmet ashâbından ve kanâʿat-ı tâmme ile tahalluk-ı kesân olduklarından bunların dünya ve âhiretde varı yoğu ve arzu ve emelleri bir kitâbları olan Kurʾan ile mütesellî ve dünyevî ihtiyâçları dahî bir “sarunağ”a peştemale bürünmek ve yevmiye bir avuç pirinç ile tagazzî ve kanâʿat eylemekdir. Bu zavallı halk vakt-i tulûʿdan gurûba değin pirinç tarlalarını teşkîl eden o çamur ve çirkâb gölleri içinde yalın ayak, başı kabak, nîm çıplak ve diğer tarafdan da hatt-ı istivâda icrâ-yı hükm iden o hurşîd-i bî-rahmın şuʿâ-ı şedâʾidine maʿrûz kaldıkları hâlde yevmiye ancak kırk altmış para nafaka teʾmîn eylemekdedirler. Mâddeten giriftâr oldukları bu zarûret, hicret ve meskenet kifâyet etmiyormuş gibi bir de Cava‌ʾda mikdârı üç yüz bine bâliğ olan muhtekir Çinlilerin tahammül-fersâ hiyel ve desâʾisi mâliye ve ticâriyelerinin esîri olmak ve sâniyen baʿzı mutaʿassıb hükûmet meʾmûrlarının himâyesiyle misyonerler heyʾetinin icrâ-yı nüfûzu ve câhil ve alîl ve fakîr halk meyânında nasrâniyeti neşr ve taʿmîme çalışmaları ahâlînin kalb ve derûnlarını yeʾse ve galeyân-ı gazaba götürecek ahvâl-i maʿneviye ve tabîʿiyyeden idüği müstağnîʿ-i arz ve beyândır. Hülâsâ: Bir tarafdan Çinliler yerlilerin ellerinden lokmalarını gasba ve diğer tarafdan misyonerler dahî dinlerini mahv etmeğe çalışıyorlar ki bâlâda arz eylediğim vechile bunların kuvvâ-yı rûhâniye ve maʿneviyeleri râbıta-i şedîde ile Kurʾân-ı Kerîmʾe merbût ve maddî ihtiyaçları dahî bir avuç pirince manûtdur. İşte bu iki eşyadan bunları mahrûm etmek insaf mıdır? Her şeyi ile sabr ve tahammülün ve zarûretin dahî bir had ve gâyesi olduğundan Cavalılardan az çok hârice seyâhat ile sâʾir memleket ve halk gören zevât hemşehrîlerinin düçâr oldukları bu ducret-i iştimâlin ıslâhını nazar-ı teʾemmül ve mutâlaʿaya alarak buna bir çâre bulmak maksadıyla aralarında bir cemʿiyet teşkîliyle cemʿ ve idhâr olunacak iʿâne ile evvelâ dinlerini muhâfaza (zîrâ maʿlûm-ı dâverîleri buyurulduğu üzere hükûmet tarafından İslâmlara küşâd olunan mekâtibde hükûmet bî-taraflığını muhâfaza kavliyle Kurʾân-ı Kerîm ve ilm-i hâl okutturulmasına maʿa‌ʾt-teʾessüf müsâʿade eylememekdedir) ve sâniyen ıslâh-ı tâʿlîm-i ticâret ve sanâyiʿ etmek üzre cezîrenin nikât-ı muhtelifesine mektebler küşâd etmeğe azm u cezm eylemişlerdir ve “Sarekat-i İslâmiye” nâmıyla tevsîm eyledikleri cemʿiyetin sâlifüʾl-arz programı beyneʾl-ahâlî neşr edinceye bunu işiden halk bilâ-tereddüd kayd ve duhûle cest ü çalâk olmuşlardır. Sarekat-i mezkûre şerâʾitinden biri de cemʿiyete mensûb aʿzâdan bir kimse tarafından bir mağaza ve dükkân küşâd edildikde beyneʾl-İslâm

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ahz ve iʿtâlarını o misillü mağazadan icrâ eylemelidir ki bu nokta Çinlilerin dik gazabını galeyânâ getirmişdir. Nezd-i hükûmetde ve Avrupalı Hiristiyanlar arasında az çok hâʾiz-i nüfûz olan misyonerler heyʾeti dîn nokta-i nazarından ve Cava ticâret ve sanâyiʿ-i heman yed-i inhisârlarına alan Çinliler dahî mâliye ve sanâiye nokta-i nazarından Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyetiʾne birer aduvv-ı ekber kesilmişlerdir. Meselâ misyonerler dühûl ve nüfûz eyledikleri biʾl-cümle Avrupalı aileler nezdinde Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyeti memleket ve hayât için bir mazarrat ve istihdâm-ı hüddâm içün bir müşkilât ve havâyic-i zarûriye fiyʾatının şiddetle artacağını ve daha nice nice hayâlât-ı muzırra ile efkâr ve ezhân-ı halkı tasmîm eylemişlerdir ki çarşı ve pazardan biʾt-tesâdüf bir iki “sent” fark hesâb ile hânesine avdet eden bir kimse “Sarekat-i İslâmiye” Cemʾiyetiʾnin kurbânı(!) olduğunu çünkü gallâ-i esʿâra ve daha neye neye sebep hep Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyeti idüğini makâm-ı şikâyetde söylemekdedirler! Çinlilere gelince bunlar idhâlât ile meşgûl Avrupalı tâcirlerin müşterileri idüğinden Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyeti aleyhindeki her günâ sözlerini, iftirâlarını bunlara ismaʿ ile kendi taraflarına celb eylemekde müşkîlât çekmedikleri gibi Hollandalılara âʾid birkaç evrâk-ı havâdis ki bunların kuvvet-i nakd ile Çinliler menfaʿatine hizmetinin teʾmîni dahî müşkilâta tesâdüf etmemekdedir. Diğer biʾl-cümle lisân-ı mahallî üzre neşr olunan evrâk-ı havâdis ve matbûʿat hep Çinli sermâyedârlarının elinde olduğundan bunlar diledikleri gibi yerli ve ahâlî-i mahalliyeye Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyeti aleyhinde muzır havâdisler neşriyle bunun güyâ bir ihtilâl cemʿiyeti idüğini iʿlân ile hükûmet nazarından sükûta çalışmakdadırlar. Çinliler niʿmet-i ticâret ve sanâyiʿ ile burada el-yevm servet ve sâmâna mâlik ve kendi aralarındaki râbıta ve münâsebeti teʾyîd ve tevsîʿ içün şehr ve kasabalarda müretteb ve muntazam cemʿiyetleri mevcûd olduğundan bu cemʿiyetlerde Sarekat-i İslâmiye aleyhinde tertîb olunan türlü türlü hiyel ve hudʿalar para kuvvetiyle fakîr yerlilerden baʿzılarına icrâ etdirilmekde ve irtikâb olunan ahvâl-i nâ-lâyıkayı Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyetine atf ve isnâd eylemekdedirler. Bu hallere nazaran İslâmlar dahî cemʿiyetleri aleyhine kıyâm eden sâhib-i nüfûz ve nükûd misyonerler ile Çinlilerin bî-rahm ve bî-insâf taʿarruzlarından masûn olmak ümîdiyle cemʿiyet aʿzâlarını teksîre çalışmakda ve fiʾl-hakîka her şehir ve kasabalarda ve civârı karyelerde Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyetine binlerce halk dâhil olmuşlar ve hattâ mesmûʿâta nazaran Surapaya nâm şehirde ârâmsaz yerli asâkir-i nizâmiyeden bir tabûrun Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyetine dâhil olduğu gibi mahall-i sâʾirede dahî askerlerin münferiden kayd ve kabûl oldukları istihbâr edilmişdir. Hükûmet evvelâ Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyetiʾnin işgâl eylediği vâsiʿ mevkiʿa ve sâniyen misyonerler heyʾetinin ve Çinlilerin hat ve hareketiyle ahz eyledikleri bu üç muhtelif cereyân ve havaya bir müddet sükût ile mutarassıdâne seyirci ve Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyetleri mahal ve mevkiʿlerini ve bunlara riyâset eden

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zevâtın hâne ve evrâk ve muhaberâtını teftîş ve muʿâyene ile hükûmet aleyhinde teşekkül etmiş bir cemʿiyet olduğuna dâʾir bir gûnâ delâʾil ve emâreye destres olamamış ise de cemʿiyete dâhil olanların adedi gün be-gûn tekessür ve hükûmetce teftîş ve tarassudu müteʿassır idüğinden hükûmet müşkil bir mevkiʿde bulunmakda idi husûsuyla yerli askerlerin Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyetine kayd ve duhûllerine hükûmet nazar-ı bî-kaydî ile bakmamakda idi hattâ âhiren merkez-i vilâyetin vâkiʿ olduğu “Buitenzorg”da kalıp da erkân-ı harb kâimmakâmlarından ve asâletlü vâli hazretleriyle münâsebâtda bulunan ehibbâmdan bir zât Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyeti ile asâkir-i İslâmiyeʾnin cemʿiyete duhûlleri hakkındaki efkârımı suʾâl eyledikde Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyetiʾnin sırf iktisâdî ve sanâyiʿi bir cemʿiyet idüğinden bunun hükûmete mazarratından ziyâde ileride küllî ve azîm fâʾidesi müşâhede olunacağını ve şu kadar ki asâkirin kayd ve duhûlleri bir menfaʿat teʾmîn edemeyip bunların kayd ve duhûle inhimâkları mahzâ cemʿiyet isminin İslâm olmasından buna hürmeten bir meyl-i tabîʿi idüğini halbûki asâkir kendi vazîfeleriyle meşgûl olmaları îcâb edeceğini cevâben söylemiş ve Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyetiʾnin vücûdunu tasvîb eylemiş idim. Hülâsâ hükûmet her tarafdan maʿlûmât istihsâliyle mesʾeleyi arîz ve amîk teftîş ve muʿâyene etmekde ve ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin hükûmete mutâvaʿat ve inkiyâdından tamâmen emîn ise de cemʿiyet erkânının el-yevm bâliğ olduğu yüz binlerce aʿzâ her türlü teftîş ve nezâret hâricinde ve fevkinde bir mikdâr azîm teşkîl eylediğinin hükûmeti istikbâl içün şübheye ve husûsuyla ileride vukûʿât-ı ihtilâliye zuhûrunda bu azîm kuvvete mukâvemet müşkil olacağından Sarekat-i İslâmiye Cemʿiyeti hükûmetin nezâret ve teftîşine tâbiʿ olacak derecede mevâkiʿ ve aʿzâlarını tahdîd ve taklîl ile cemʿiyetin küçük bir mikyâsda teʾessüsüne ve programlarının tasvîbine hükûmetin şimdilik meyyâl idüğini el-yevm vilâyet başkitâbetini vekâleten îfâ eden umûr-ı ecnebiye müdürü Mösyö De Grafʾdan geçen gün bir sûret-i husûsiye ve dostânede istihsâl-i maʿlûmât eylediğim ve ileride cemʿiyet-i mezkûrenin programı tasdîk ve sûreti teʾessüsüne taraf-ı hükûmetden müsâʿade edildiği takdîrde ayrıca beyân-ı maʿlûmât olunacağı maʿrûzdur ol-bâbda emr u fermân Aslına tamâmen mutâbıkdır fî 12 Ağustos sene [1]913 Bende-i Manyâsîzâde Feridun This is a copy of the report received from the Consulate General in Batavia with the date 3 July 1913 and number 227. I have received the note of His Ambassadorial Excellency [in The Hague] dated 16 May 1913 and numbered 18 3591, requesting the communication of information about the association which is about to be established in Java with the name Sarekat Islam. Although it was intended previously to present

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information about this association, [we] were waiting for the approval of their programme by the local government. Nevertheless, below we present some information about the state of this association at the present date: As Your Excellency knows, the people of Java and the other islands of the Dutch Indies, which amounts to a population of forty million, are all Muslims, and are well-known for their submission and obedience to the government. Moreover, they are chaste, upright, and completely content [with what they have]. All that they have and want for this world and the next is to find consolation with Qurʾan, which is their only book, and to satisfy their worldly needs with wrapping themselves up in sarong-waist cloth, and feeding themselves with a handful of rice a day. These poor people earn just forty to sixty paras11 a day for their livelihood, although they [work] half-naked, barefooted, and with their heads exposed to the violent rays of the merciless sun that dominates the equator from the sunrise until the sunset, in rice fields consisting of lakes of mud and filthy water. As if this destitution, migratory life, and extreme poverty to which they are doomed were not enough, they are entrapped by the unbearable financial and commercial tricks and intrigues of the Chinese profiteers whose population amounts to three hundred thousand in Java. Moreover, there is no need to explain that the extension of the missionaries’ influence, under the protection of some fanatical government officials, and their activities to spread Christianity among ignorant, feeble, and poor people, is a situation which leads the people naturally to a deep despair and arouses their wrath. In sum: from one side, the Chinese are trying to snatch the morsels out of the natives’ hands, and from the other side the missionaries are trying to destroy their religion, whilst their spiritual and moral powers are strongly linked to the Holy Qurʾan, as I explained above, and [while] they are dependent on a handful of rice for their worldly needs. Is it fair to deprive them of these two things? Like anything else, patience and endurance as well as necessity have limits and a purpose. Therefore, in view of the state of their compatriots, and reflecting and deliberating on its improvement, some Javanese individuals who have travelled overseas, and who have seen different countries and peoples, have established an association to find a solution. [For this purpose] they have decided to [use] the donations that will be collected firstly to protect their religion, because, as Your Excellency knows, under the pretext of preserving impartiality, the [Dutch] Government does not, unfortunately, sanction the teaching of the Holy Qurʾan and the principles of Islam in the schools opened by the government for the Muslims, and secondly to open schools at various points of the island to teach and develop trade and industry. When the 11  There were 40 paras in the Ottoman kuruş, known to the Europeans as the piaster.

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said programme of the association, which they established under the name Sarekat Islam, spread among the people, those who heard about it hastened to be enrolled [in the association]. One of the principles of this association is that Muslims should do their shopping at the shops and large stores opened by its members. This point has provoked the anger of the Chinese. The commission of missionaries and the Chinese have become the greatest enemies of the Sarekat Islam association, with [the former] having more or less influence over the government and the European Christians from a religious perspective, and [the latter] having almost entirely monopolized trade and industry in Java from the perspective of finances and industry. For instance, the missionaries have convinced the minds of all European families under their influence that Sarekat Islam is harmful for life as well as for the country, and a [source of] difficulty for the employment of servants, that it will lead to a violent increase in the prices of basic necessities, and [that it will cause] much other imaginary damage. Consequently, someone who returns home from the market and bazaar by chance one or two cents worse off, complains that he is a victim of Sarekat Islam because that association is the cause of high prices and many other things! As for the Chinese, as they are the customers of the European merchants engaged in import trade, they can easily impart [to the Europeans] all kinds of slanders and allegations against Sarekat Islam, and win the Europeans’ support. Likewise, with the power of money it is easy to ensure that a few of the newspapers belonging to the Dutch serve the interests of the Chinese. As all newspapers and other publications published in local languages are in the hands of Chinese profiteers, they spread harmful news among the natives and local people against Sarekat Islam with impunity, and try to arrange that the latter fall into the disfavour of the government by pretending that it is a revolutionary association. Here, the Chinese possess capital by way of trade and industry, and they have regular associations established at cities and towns to extend and strengthen the connections and relations among themselves. Various financial tricks and deceptions that are organized by these associations against Sarekat Islam are undertaken by some of the poor locals. Then the resulting state is attributed to [the activities] of Sarekat Islam. Seeing this situation, the Muslims endeavour to increase the number of the members of the association, hoping to remain immune from the cruel and insensitive assaults of the Chinese, and from the missionaries who possess both influence and money. In fact in all cities, towns, and the villages around them, thousands of people have joined the association of Sarekat Islam. Moreover, according to hearsay, one battalion of local soldiers of the standing army stationed in the city of Surabaya joined Sarekat Islam, and soldiers in other places have enrolled and are accepted individually.

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For a while the government remained a silent observer of these developments, and the three different currents: Firstly the important place occupied by the association of Sarekat Islam; secondly the [position] taken by the commission of missionaries; and [finally] that of the Chinese. [The government also] inspected and examined the places of Sarekat Islam, and the houses, documents, and correspondence of those who lead them, but could not find any evidence or trace [testifying that Sarekat Islam] was formed against the government. However, the government was in a difficult position, since the number of those enrolled in the association increased day by day, so that it was difficult for the government to stand by. The government was especially concerned by the enrolment of the local soldiers in Sarekat Islam. Besides, a dear friend of mine who stayed at Buitenzorg12 – where the centre of the governorship is located – as a deputy for the general staff of the army, and who has contact with His Excellency the Governor, asked my opinion about Sarekat Islam and the enrolment of Muslim soldiers in the association. I approved of the formation of the association of Sarekat Islam, saying in response that it is an exclusively economic and industrial association and therefore it will be seen in the future that it has huge benefits for the government rather than harm. [I also said that] the enrolment of the soldiers will not produce any benefit for them, that the soldiers should be busy with their own duties, and that their excessive enthusiasm for enrolment was exclusively due to the fact that the association bore the name Islam which naturally led to their predilection. In sum, the government is investigating the issue thoroughly by gathering information from all sources. Although they are completely confident about the Muslims’ submission and obedience to the government, the huge number of members the association has attained, amounting to hundreds of thousands, is far beyond any kind of inspection and control. This provokes the government’s suspicion, especially because it will be difficult to resist such a large force if a revolt were to take place in the future. Therefore, the other day I obtained, privately and informally, from Monsieur De Graaf, the director of foreign affairs, who is currently the deputy chief secretary of the governorship, the information that the government is for the moment minded to approve the programme and the establishment of the Sarekat Islam association on a smaller scale by limiting its places and members to a degree that can be controlled and inspected by the government. I would like to communicate that if the government approves the programme and allows the establishment of the

12  Modern Bogor near Jakarta, the summer residence of the Governor General and administrative centre of the Dutch East Indies from 1904.

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association in the future, I will present further information. In this matter, to command […] This is an entirely true copy of the original, 12 August 1913 Your servant, Manyâsîzâde Feridun Source: BOA HR.SYS. 564/5

Report of the Ottoman consul in Batavia on the publications of the local newspaper on Sarekat Islam, 1913 Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden 27 Temmuz sene 1913 târih ve 233 numero ile mevrûd tahrîrât sûretidir. Matbûʿât-ı mahalliyenin “Sarekat-i İslâmiye” Cemʿiyeti aleyhindeki neşriyât-ı bed-hâhânelerinden bir nebze 3 Temmuz sene 1913 târih ve 227 numerolu tahrîrât ile arz eylemiş idim. Batavya‌ʾda tabʿ ve neşr olunup nîm resmî gazete addolunan “Cava Bode” gazetesi 24 Temmuz sene 1913 tarihli nüshasına derc eylediği makâle münderecâtı şâyân-ı mutâlaʿa görünmekle bir kıtʿası bu kere leffen takdîm-i pîşgâh-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı sefâret-penâhîleri kılınmışdır. Mutâlaʿasından manzûr-ı âsafâneleri buyurulacağı üzre Cavalıların Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye azîmetleri esbâbının bir sûret-i mâhirânede menʿi ile berâber Mekke-i Mükerremeʾden avdet eden yerli hüccâcın Arab elbiselerini bile iksâ edebilememeleri gibi Hürriyet ve vicdân ve îzânı menʿ etmek ve her sınıf ahâlîyi amele misillü bir peştemâle (Sarunga) sardırmakla kıyâfeten hakîr ve zelîl bir hâlde tutulmaları gibi insafsızca tedâbir-i zecriye ittihâzını hükûmete tavsiye ve ihtâr etmekdedir. “Batavya Handelsblad” nâm diğer bir gazete 26 Temmuz sene 1913 târihli nüshasının İngilizce kısmına derc eylediği bir fıkrada meʾmûrîn-i mahalliyenin misyonerlik politikası aleyhinde idâre-i lisân eylemekde şu kadar ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin güyâ kıyâm ve ısyânıyla şehr-i Ramazanʾda Avrupalıları katl-i âm eyleyeceklerine dâʾir olan son fıkra makâle muharririnin bir buhtân ve hülyâsı veyâhud hükûmet-i merkeziyenin nazar-ı dikkatini celb etmek maksadıyla bir tazyîʿâtı idüğini ilâveten arz ve mezkûr gazetenin işbu fıkrasını dahî leffen takdîm eyledim. Ol-bâbda … 25.2

This is a copy of the communiqué received from the Consulate General in Batavia with the date 27 July 1913 and number 233 In my communiqué dated 3 July 1913 and numbered 233, I communicated some information about the malicious publications of the local papers against the Sarekat Islam association. As an article published in the 24 July 1913 issue of the Java Bode newspaper, which is regarded as a semi-official newspaper published in Java, has been considered worth studying, a copy of it has been presented in enclosure to Your Exalted Ambassadorial Excellency. When Your

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Excellency studies it, you will see that it advises the government to take merciless coercive measures, such as craftily depriving the Javanese of the means of going to Honoured Mecca, and preventing pilgrims returning from Honoured Mecca from wearing Arab clothing. This is an illegal violation of freedom, conscience, and thought that means holding people in a contemptible and disgraceful state by forcing people from all classes to wear a waist cloth (sarong) like a workman. An article included in the English section of the 26 July 1913 issue of another newspaper called Batavia Handelsblad criticizes the missionary policy of local officials. The article alleges that many Muslims will rise and revolt in the month of Ramadan and massacre all the Europeans. The clipping is enclosed, and I would like to communicate in addition that this last article is a slander and a fantasy of the writer, or a manipulation of the truth by him to attract the attention of the central government. In this matter […] Source: BOA HR.SYS. 564/5

26

Ottoman chargé d’affaires in The Hague to the Foreign Minister about the propaganda war between the Ottoman and English consuls in Batavia, 1915

Hâriciye Nâzırı Devletlü Fehâmetlü Said Halim Paşa Hazretlerine 4164 5 1 Melfûf Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Flemenk müstemlekâtında bulunan ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾyi havf ve hevâşî ve meʾyûsiyete ilkâ eylemek maksadıyla İngiltere hükûmetinin Batavya konsolosu tarafından ibrâz edilen faʿâliyetin ahalî-i müslimeyi makâm-ı celîl-i hilâfete bend eden revâbıt-ı maʿneviye ve umûmiyetle İslâmların hükûmet-i Osmâniyeʾye karşı perverde eyledikleri hissiyât-ı hayır-hâhâneye infihâm eden şehbenderimiz Reʾfet Beyefendiʾnin gayreti sâyesinde sarf edilen binlerce filorine rağmen akâmete düçâr olduğundan ve Singapurʾda bulunan tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾye İngiliz meʾmûrîni tarafından edilen muʿameleden bâhis Batavya Şehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan rapor sûreti leffen takdîm-i pîşgâh-ı sâmîleri kılınmış olmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 19 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]915 Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesi Maslahatgüzârı Talat

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To the exalted prosperous Foreign Minister Said Halim Paşa 4164 5 1 Enclosure The request of your most humble servant is that: The copy of the report dispatched from the Consulate General in Batavia is presented as an attachment to your Grand Vizierial presence, relating the treatment of Ottoman subjects residing in Singapore by British officials. Despite the thousands of florins that have been spent, the activities of the consul of the British government in Batavia to intimidate the Muslims of the Dutch colonies and to lead them to despair has remained unproductive thanks to the endeavours of our consul, Reʾfet Beyefendi, who comprehended the spiritual tie that links the Muslim people to the exalted office of the Caliphate, and the positive sentiments that the Muslims in general hold for the Ottoman Government. To command belongs to him who commands all. 19 January 1915 Chargé d’Affaires of the Imperial Embassy at The Hague Talat Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2406/67

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the Dutch position with regard to the war, 1915

Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsiʾne Aded: 402–5 Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Hollanda‌ʾdan gelen gazetelerin lisânına ve haberlere nazaran Avrupa‌ʾdaki mevkiʿ-i coğrafyaları kendilerini er geç muhârebe-i hâzıraya iştirâke icbâr eyleyeceği zımnındadır. Bura efkâr-ı umûmiyesi de Flemenk Hindî cezâyirinde Alman tehlikesi mevcûd olmayıp bu havâlî ve ebhâra hâkim İngiliz ve daha doğrusu Japonlardan havfen biʾl-istisnâ gerek ümerâ-yı mülkiye ve askeriyesi İngiliz tarafgirliğinde bulunduklarını alenen beyândan çekinmiyorlar. Avrupa‌ʾda Alman gâlibiyeti devâm ettikçe Flemenkʾin dahî hâl-i bî-tarafîyi muhâfaza edeceği nümâyân ise de hüdân-gerde ve aksi takdirde Flemenk içün hayat mesʾelesi addolunan Cezâyir-i Hindî ve Cava‌ʾyı muhâfaza içün İngiliz tarafına meyl ve düşmanlarımıza muʿâvenete şitâb edeceği âşikardır. Burada bulunan baʿzı Almanlar, Hilâfet-i muʿazzama ve hükûmet-i Osmâniyeʾnin

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müttefîki bulunan Almanya‌ʾya Hollanda iʿlân-ı harb eylediği takdîrde Cava ahâlîsi (İslâmlar) dahî cihâda kıyâm edecekleri kavliyle Flemenkleri tehdîde kalkışırlar ise de esbâb-ı müdâfaʿa ve kıyâmdan külliyen mahrûm ve cehl ile püryân bir kitlenin bu ahvâle ne derecede teʾsîr hâsıl edeceğini taʿyîn müşkildir. Flemenkʾin müttefikimiz Almanya aleyhine iʿlân-ı harb eylemesi çâkerleri içün buradan ya hareket veyâhud esîr-i harb olarak tevkîf edileceğim şıklarından birisi olacakdır. Buradan azîmetim takdîrde kangı semte (meselâ şarken Çin ve Amerika‌ʾya ve garben Seylan ve Aden tarîkiyle memâliki Osmâniyeʾye doğru) tevcîh-i hareket eylesem İngiliz, Fransız veyâ Japon sefâyin-i harbiyeleri tarafından râkib olacağım sefînenin hîn-i teftîşinde zabt ve esîr edileceğim âşikâr olmağla “ehven-i şerreyn ihtiyâr olunur” kâʿide-i fıkhiyyesine imtisâlen burada kalmak daha evfak gibi görünmekde ise de ileride burada dahî beyneʾl-İslâm isyân ve tuğyân zuhûrunda Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin bir İslâm ve Osmanlı meʾmûruna ne kötü muʿâmele edeceği kesdirilemeyip hayâtım tehlikede kalacağı vârid-i hâtır olmasına nazaran hükûmet-i seniyye dahî buna mukâbeleten memâlik-i mahrûse-i şâhânede bulunan Flemenk konsoloslarının rehn olarak hıfz edilmelerini istidʿâ ve istirhâm eylerim. Ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 10 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1333 ve fî 11 Şubat sene 1330, 24 Şubat sene 1915 Batavya Başşehbenderi bende-i Jakat To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number: 402–5 General Directorate of Administrative Affairs The request of your most humble servant is that: The news and the newspapers coming from the Netherlands indicate that their geographical location in Europe will sooner or later force them to participate in the ongoing war. The public opinion here [in Batavia] is that there is no German threat in Dutch India Islands. As well as fearing the Japanese, the civil as well as the military officials without exception are not reluctant to express their partiality towards the British, as they dominate these seas and the region. It is apparent that the Dutch will remain neutral as long as the Germans continue to be victorious in Europe, otherwise it is apparent that the Dutch will turn towards the British and hasten to help our enemy in order to protect the Indian Islands and Java, which is considered to be a life-or-death matter for the Dutch.13 Some Germans residing here try to threaten the Dutch by saying that the (Muslim) people of Java will rise up in jihad if the Dutch were to declare 13  On Dutch calculations regarding their neutrality and the potential threats to the Dutch East Indies see Streets-Salter 2017: 88–110.

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war on the Germans, who are the allies of the great Caliphate and the Ottoman Government, but it is difficult to assess what threat might be posed by a crowd [of people] totally lacking any means of defence or revolt, and [a population] characterized by ignorance. For [me] your servant, a declaration of war by the Dutch on our ally Germany will either mean departing from this place or being taken as a prisoner of war. It is apparent that if I depart from this place (no matter where I go, be it to China and America to the East, or to the Ottoman lands via Ceylon or Aden to the West) I will be intercepted and imprisoned when the ship I take is inspected by British, French or Japanese warships. Therefore, it seems more suitable to remain here in accordance with the jurisprudential principle: “the lesser of two evils is preferable.” However, it comes to my mind that it is difficult to estimate how badly the Dutch government will treat a Muslim and Ottoman official if the Muslims rise up and revolt in the future. Therefore, I request that in return, the Imperial Government should keep the Dutch consuls in the Well-Protected Imperial Domains as security. In this and in all other matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. On 24 February 1915 Your servant Jakat, Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2406/80

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the economic impact of the war in Java

Aded 345 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsiʾne Umûr-ı İdâriyye-i Müdîriyet-i Umûmiyesi Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Avrupa muhârebesi münâsebetiyle vukûʿa gelen buhrân-ı umûmî burada dahî teʾsîrâtını ber-vech-i zîr göstermişdir. Cavaʿda baʿzı muhtekir Çinliler yedlerinde bulunan banka kâʾimelerini altın ve gümüş akçeye biʾt-tebdîl şehir ve kasaba ahâlîsi beynine türlü türlü erâcif neşriyle kağıt akçelerinin altın veyâ gümüş akçeye tebdîli ve çünkü bir işgâl-i ecnebî vukûʿunda kağıt akçenin kıymeti olamayacağı beyânıyla ahâlîyi havf ve hırâse getirerek sâde dil ahâlî dahî bundan havfen on filorinlik kağıt akçelerini gelişi güzel altı yedi filorin gümüş akçeye Çinlilerden mübâdeleye şitâb eyleyerek bu yüzden ahâlî hayli mutazarrır olmuşdur hattâ işbu helecân havâs sınıfına bile biʾl-intikâl bankalardaki tevdîʿâtını ahz ve baʿzıları paralarını pek fâhiş fiyatla İngiliz lirasına tebdîl eylemişler idi şöyle ki kableʾl-harb on iki filorin kıymetinde olan bir İngiliz lirası on beş ve on altı filorine kadar satılmakda idi. İki hafta kadar devâm eden

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işbu buhrandan sonra kağıt akçeyi kıymet-i asliyeleriyle kabûl etmeyenlerin düçâr-ı mücâzât olunacaklarına dâʾir taraf-ı hükûmetden sâdır olan evâmir ve tenbîhâtın semeresi görülmüşdür hattâ baʿzı muhtekirlerin gümüş akçeyi bir müddet-i muvakkata içün Cava‌ʾdan hârice nakl eylemeleri esbâbını menʿ içün Cava‌ʾdan hareket eden her yolcu nezdinde yüz filorinden (takrîben bin guruşdan) fazla gümüş akçe bulundurulmaması resmen beyânnâmeler ile ahâlîye tebligât vâkiʿ olmuş idi. Her nevʿ Avrupalı emvâl ve eşyâsı nisbetsiz bir dereceye fırlayarak vaktiyle üç buçuk guruşa füruht edilen bir teneke İsviçre sütü on guruşa satılmış ve dakîk dahî Avusturalya kıtʿasından idhâl edilmesine nazaran ekmekli fiyatına yüzde elli zam edilmişdir şu kadar ki yerli ahâlînin havâyic-i zarûriyyesinden olan pirinç içün hükûmetce bir narh vazʿ edilmiş ise de bu dahî yüzde on zamâʾime tâbiʿ tutulmuşdur. Harbin ilk şehri devrinde Cava‌ʾnın Japonyalılar tarafından zabt ve işgâl ihtimâli ahâlîyi havf ve helecâna getirerek sevâhilde yaşayan baʿzı ahâlî bir müddet içün dâhile ve dağlara çekilmişler ise de bunun şimdilik nâ-be-mevsim idüği anlaşılarak herkesler yerli yerine gelmişlerdir. Ahvâl-i hâzıra münâsebetiyle birçok şeker ve tütün fabrikalarının sedd ü bend edilmeleri ve otuz seneden beru misli görülmemiş kuraklık münâsebetiyle çay ağaçlarının adem-i mahsûllerine fabrikalarının dahî muvakkatan taʿtîl edilmeleri yüzünden binlerce halkın işsiz ve kesbsiz kalmaları buhrân-ı hâzır zamânında ahâlînin zarûretini maʿa‌ʾt-teʾessüf teşdîd eylemişlerdir. Number 345 To the exalted Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Administrative Affairs The request of your most humble servant is that: The general economic crisis that has resulted from the European war has shown its effects in these quarters as well. Some Chinese speculators in Java exchanged the banknotes in their possession for gold and silver coins, and [encouraged] others to do the same by disseminating malicious rumours among people living in towns and cities, arguing that in case of a foreign invasion, banknotes will lose their value, which provoked fear and anger. Acting from fear, people hastened to exchange banknotes of ten florins for six or seven silver florins with the Chinese [bankers]. For this reason, the people have suffered considerable losses. In addition, the agitation has also affected the elite who withdrew their deposits from the banks. Some of them exchanged their money for British pounds at exorbitant rates. One British pound was sold for fifteen or sixteen florins, whereas it had been worth twelve florins before the war. After this crisis, which lasted about two weeks, the government’s orders and warnings that those who do not accept banknotes at their real value would

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be punished have shown their effect. Moreover, to prevent the speculators from transferring silver coins temporarily from Java to abroad, official declarations were issued [barring each] passenger departing from Java from carrying more than one hundred florins (about one thousand piasters) in silver coins. The price of all kinds of European goods rose sharply to an unprecedented level, so that one can of Swedish milk, which used to be sold for three piasters, was [now] sold for ten piasters, and as flour is imported from Australia, the price of bread rose fifty percent. Although the government fixed the price of rice, which constitutes the chief staple of the locals, it was subjected to an increase of ten percent as well. During the first month of the war, people feared the possibility of a Japanese invasion and occupation of Java, and therefore some people living on the coast left for the interior and the mountains. However, as they realized that such an event was not imminent, everybody returned to their own places. Unfortunately, the destitution of the people is exacerbated, as thousands of people lost their jobs since numerous sugar and tobacco factories have closed down as a result of the current situation, and tea factories are temporarily closed because of the poor yield of tea plants as a consequence of the drought, which is without precedent [in severity] in the last thirty years. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2403/36

29

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry relating that the English consul sent coded messages to his home authorities despite being forbidden since the beginning of the war, 1916

Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsiʾne Aded 622/11 Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmîyesi Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir 18/31 Mart sene 1332 târih ve 614–9 numero ile takdîm eylediğim arîza-i çâkerânemde Batavya İngiliz Ceneral konsolosu salâhiyeti hâricine çıkarak etrâfa tecâvüzât ve tehdîdât politikası ittihâz eylediğinden bahs eylemiş idim. Bu defʿa dahî istihbârât-ı mevsûkama ve hattâ mahallî gazetelerince dahî sermâye bahs-ı şikâyet olan bir mesʾele zuhûr etmişdir ki o da İngiliz konsolosu Cava ve biʾl-cümle Flemenk-i Hindî adalarında mevcûd “Eastern” Telgraf Kumpani nâm telgrafhânelerinde müstahdem İngiliz meʾmûrları vâsıtasıyla İngiliz konsolosu (harb-i hâzır bidâyetinden beru mevcûd olan memnûʿiyete rağmen) hükûmet-i metbûʾasına şifreli telgrafnâme keşîde edildiği ve hattâ Cava‌ʾdan sâʾir Flemenk-i Hindî adalarına ve meselâ Sumatra‌ʾya hareket eden baʿzı

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Almanlar esnâ-yı seyr ü seferlerinde İngiliz yelken gemileri tarafından tevkîf ve esîr edilmeleri zımnında Batavya‌ʾdan Singapur vâlisine şifreli telgrafnâme keşîdesiyle bunların esnâ-yı râhda İngiliz kanbotları tarafından tevkîf ve esir edilmeleri esbâbını tehyiʾe eylediği Batavya Hükûmet meʾmûrları tarafından keşf edildiğinden Eastern Telgrafhânesiʾnde müstahdem İngiliz meʾmûrları hükûmet-i mahalliye tarafından hizmetlerinden tard edilmişlerdir. İngiliz konsolosu matbûʿât muharrirleri hakkındaki tehdîdâtını İngiliz menâfiʿine mugâyir neşriyâtda bulunan gazetelere kağıt füruht edilmemesi içün gerek İngiltere fabrikalarına ve gerek Cava‌ʾda kağıt tâcirlerine evâmir-i lâzime iʿtâ eyleyeceği kavliyle matbaʿa müdürlerini izâfe eylediği berâber maʿlûmât arz olunur olbâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 30 Mart sene 1332, 12 Nisan sene 1916 Batavya Başşehbenderi Bende-i Reʾfet To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 622/11 General Directorate of Administrative Affairs The request of your most humble servant is that: In my note dated 31 March 1916 and numbered 614–9, I humbly submitted that the British Consul General in Batavia went beyond his authority and adopted a policy of aggression and threats towards those around him. Now, a new incident has occurred that provided substance to my intelligence, as well as to the local newspapers’ complaints. It appears that the British consul used to send ciphered telegrams (which was prohibited at the beginning of the ongoing war) to his home authorities by means of British employees at the Eastern Telegram Company, which has telegram offices in Java and all the Dutch Indian islands.14 Moreover, the officials of the Batavian Government discovered that the [English consul] arranged the capture of some Germans by English warships by sending ciphered telegrams from Batavia to Singapore when they [the Germans] departed from Java to other Dutch India Islands such as Sumatra. Consequently, the British employees of the Eastern Telegram Office were dismissed by the local government. I would also like to communicate that the British consul threatened the directors of the newspapers by saying that he would order the British paper factories as well as the paper merchants in Java not to sell any paper to the newspapers that publish [stories] against British interests. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 14  On disputes over ciphers see Streets-Salter 2017: 99–102.

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12 April 1916 Consul General in Batavia The servant Reʾfet

Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2419/58

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Ottoman ambassador in Stockholm to the Foreign Ministry about a newspaper article on European politics and Japanese intentions with regard to Indonesia, 1916

Harb-ı Umûmî Istokholm Sefâret-i Seniyyesi Aded 3805 156 Hâriciye Nâzırı Devletlü Halil Beyefendi Hazretleriʾne Bir makâle tercümesi irsâline dâʾir Melfûf 1 Devletlü efendim hazretleri İsveç cerâʾid-i ciddiyesinden “Allehande” nâm gazete dün akşamki nüshasında şâyân-ı vusûka bir muhâbirine atfen ehemmiyetli bir makâle neşr etti bunda muhâbir-i mûmâileyh Rusya‌ʾnın Boğazlar ve Asya siyâseti dolayısıyla Paris Konferansıʾnda ve İngiliz ve Rus murahhasları beyninde münâkaşât vukûʿ bulduğuna dâʾir bir Macar gazetesinin neşriyâtını zikr etdikden sonra Rusların, Mısır ile Hindistan arasında yerleşmesini arzu etmeyen İngiltereʾnin Irak mâcerasını hüsn netîceye îsâl içün Japonya‌ʾdan iki yüz bin asker istemiş olduğunu yazıyor Japonlar bâd-ı hevâ hizmet âdetleri olmadığı cihetle Cava, Sumatra gibi Hollanda müstemlekâtına tasallutlarına muvâfakat olduğu takdîrde ancak teklîf-i vâkıʿ-ı kabûl edebileceklerini cevâben işrâb eylemişler imiş işbu rivâyâtın ne dereceye kadar makrûme-i sıhhat olduğu biʾt-tabʿ kestirilemezse de bize taʿalluk cihetiyle şâyân-ı mutâlaʿa görüldüğünden makâle-i mebʾûsenin Fransızca tercümesi leffen takdîm kılındı ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 20 Nisan sene [1]916 The General War Imperial Embassy at Stockholm Number 3805

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156 To the prosperous Foreign Minister, His Excellency Halil Bey On the dispatch of the translation of an article Attachment 1 My illustrious and exalted lord, Allehanda, which is one of the serious Swedish newspapers, published an important article from one of its trustworthy correspondents in last night’s issue. In the article, the correspondent cited a Hungarian newspaper, which related that during the Paris conference, there was a discussion between the British and Russian delegates on Russia’s Straits and Asia policies. Afterwards, [the correspondent reported that] the British, who did not want the Russians to establish themselves between Egypt and India, requested two hundred thousand soldiers from the Japanese to finish off the British Iraq campaign properly. As the Japanese do not have the habit of offering a free service, they replied that they would accept the request if [the British would consent to] their attack on Dutch colonies like Java and Sumatra. It is apparent that it is not possible to judge the extent of the reliable truth of these relations. However, as it is deemed worthy of consideration due to its relevance to us, the French translation of the mentioned article is presented in enclosure. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 20 April 1916 Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2419/85

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Ottoman consul in Amsterdam to the Foreign Ministry about Dutch plans to increase the number of the ships of its colonial navy, 1916

Consulat Général Ottoman Amsterdam Hâriciye Nâzırı Devletlü Halil Beyefendi Hazretleriʾne Hülâsa: Flemenk donanmasının tezyîdi hakkındaki yeni kânûn lâyihâsına dâʾir Devletlü efendim hazretleri Flemenk müstemlekâtından olan Hindistan-ı Şarkî adalarının her nevʿ taʿarruzât-ı askeriyyeye karşı müdâfaʿası fikriyle öteden beru takarrur eden projenin biri de kuvve-i bahriyenin tezyîdi olup bu husûsda birkaç kruvazör ve tahteʾl-bahrların Flemenk donanmasına ilhâkı zımnında geçen sene lâzım gelen kredi açılmış ve iki kruvazörle dört tahteʾl-bahrın inşâsına başlanmışdı. Bu kere Flemenk Meclis-i Mebʿûsânıʾna Bahriye Nâzırı nâmına hükûmet tarafından verilen yeni bir kânûn lâyihasında evvelce takarrur eden planın

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mütebâkîsi olan diğer bir kruvazörle yeniden üç tahteʾl-bahrın dahî müdâfaʿa-i müstemlekât içün serîʿan inşâsı maksadıyla esbâb-ı mûcibe mazbatasında îzâhât-ı âtiye verilir: “Geçen sene Meclis-i Mebʿûsânʾda iki kruvazörle dört tahteʾl-bahrin mesârifi inşâʾiyeleri içün yirmi sekiz milyon filorinin sarfına müsâʿade verilmiş ve bu meblağın altı milyonu içün geçen sene kredi açıldığı gibi diğer altı milyonu bu seneki bahriye bütçesine idhâl edilmişdi. Fakat görülen lüzûm-ı âcil üzerine donanmamıza yeniden bir kruvazör ile üç tahteʾl-bahrin ilâvesi içün bu sene iki milyon filori daha sarfına meʾzûniyet iʿtâsı îcâb ediyor. Bu meblağın dahî sarfına meʾzûniyet verildiği takdîrde az zamânda müstemlekâtımızın müdâfaʿası emrinde üç mücedded kruvazörle evvelce inşa edilenlerle birlikde tam on aded tahteʾl-bahre mâlik olacağız ki bu sûretle her kruvazöre üç tahteʾl-bahr terfîki mutasavverdir. Bundan başka henüz kızaklarda bulunan üç yüzer tonluk torpido geçer, iki torpido muhribi ve iki aded “Sigonig” diğer torpido ve dahî bu kruvazörlere rabt ve tahteʾl-bahrlere petrol ve meʾkûlât vermek, taʿmîrât-ı lâzimede bulunmak üzere de bir iki depo gemisi ilhâk edilecekdir. Bu gemiler Hollanda tersânelerinde inşâ edilmek üzere şimdiden kapalı zarflar taleb olunmuşdur. Tahteʾl-bahrların hangi nevʿ ve cinsden olacağı mesʾele-i mühimmesi, bugünkü harbin verdiği tecrübelere göre nazar-ı dikkate alınacak ve bunların hacimleri, sâbıkına nisbetle daha büyük olacağı cihetle mesârifi de ol nisbetde biʾt-tabʿ tezâyüd eyleyecekdir. Geçen sene mevâdd-ı ibtidâʾiye ve levâzım-ı inşâʿiyenin tezâyüd eden fiyatı ilcâsıyla bir kruvazör içün on milyon filorinin sarfı tahmin edilmişken, bu sene bu mikdâra yüzde yirmi beş zamm-ı zarûrî ve aynı esbâba mebnî elhâletü hâzihî elimizde mevcûd (K IV) ve (K VII) rakamlı tahteʾl-bahirlerimizin mütemmimâtı için de fazlaca bir masraf-ı ihtiyârı lâbüddür. “İlh.” Îzâhât-ı maʿrûzadan, Flemenk krâliyetinin, müstemlekâtın muhâfaza ve müdâfaʿasına ne derece ehemmiyet verdiği ve bu ehemmiyetin Japonya ve İngiltereʾnin taʿarruzât-ı muhtemelesinden münbaʿis olduğu derkârdır. İngiltere Hükûmeti, Hollanda‌ʾnın ticâretini dâhilde kontrol, düşmanlarına ihrâcât vukûʿı ihtimâlâtını menʿ içün Lahey kabinesini dâʾimî sûretde tazyîk etdiği ve baʿzen tecrübe balonu kabîlinden olarak ajanlar vâsıtasıyla nîm resmî vukûʿ bulan ihbârât-ı telgrafiyede, Hollanda, Almanya meʾkûlât ihrâcında devâm ederse İngiltere ile münâsebât-ı siyâsiyenin münkatıʿ olabileceği ve Cava müstemlekâtının işgâl edileceği ortaya sürüldüğünden, Flemenk milletinin takayyüdât-ı ciddiye ve sefâʾin-i bahriyesinin tezyîdindeki faʿâliyet ve mesâʿîsi şu sırada Londra kabînesini memnûn etmeyecek bir hâdise-i fevk­ alâdedir. Ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir.

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Fî 9 Temmuz sene [1]916 Amsterdam Başşehbenderliği Vekîli Başşehbender Ottoman Consulate General Amsterdam To His Excellency Halil Beyefendi, the Foreign Minister Summary: concerning the new bill proposing the expansion of the Dutch navy My exalted lord; One of the projects that had been decided upon previously for defending the Dutch colonies of East Indian Islands against all sorts of military attack is the expansion of the navy. The credit that was needed for obtaining a few cruisers and submarines was arranged last year, and the construction of two cruisers and four submarines was begun. In the explanatory note of the new bill that has been submitted by the government in the name of the Ministry of the Navy to the Dutch Parliament, the following information is given about the urgent construction of an additional cruiser and three submarines, which were left over from the previously approved project, for the defence of the colonies: Last year the expenditure of twenty-eight million florins for the construction of two cruisers and four submarines was approved. Credit of six million [florins] was arranged for this, and another six million [florins] was approved to be spent from this year’s naval budget. However, due to urgency, permission is needed to spend an additional two million florins for the construction of an additional cruiser and three submarines. If this expenditure is approved we will possess in a short time three new cruisers and, together with the previously built ones, exactly ten submarines for the defence of our colonies. In this way it is conceived to allot three submarines to each cruiser. Further, in the shipyards there is a three-hundred ton torpedo boat that has been begun, two torpedo boats with their frames completed, two other torpedo ships signed off as seaworthy, as well as one or two supply ships that will provide the submarines attached to the cruisers with petrol and food, and that will carry out necessary repairs. [Bids in] closed envelopes are already requested for the construction of these ships in Dutch dockyards. The important question of the type of the submarines will be considered in accordance with the experiences derived from the current war, and as their size will be bigger than the former [submarines], their expenses will accordingly be more. Due to the rise in prices of primary

Information about the Region

567

materials and construction materials during the last year, this year it is necessary to adjust the expenditure, which had been estimated at ten million florins for each cruiser, with a twenty-five percent increase. For the same reason, it is inevitable that more will be spent to complete the available submarines numbered K IV and K VII … The extent of the importance that the Dutch Kingdom attaches to the maintenance and defence of its colonies can be inferred from the information presented above. It is apparent that this importance is motivated by potential Japanese and British attacks. The British government is continuously pressuring the cabinet in The Hague to get the trade of Holland under control, and to prevent the possibility of exporting goods to its enemies. [Moreover] telegram news, delivered semiofficially by means of [secret] agents, suggest that if the Dutch continue to export food to Germany, political [diplomatic] relations [between Britain and the Netherlands] may be cut off, and the colonies of Java could be occupied. Therefore, the increasing care of the Dutch nation and their activities with respect to increasing the number of its warships is an extraordinary event that will not please the cabinet in London. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 9 July 1916 Deputy of the Consulate General Amsterdam Consul General Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2331/32

32

Foreign Ministry to the Grand Vizier on the Sarekat Islam gathering, 1920

Bâb-ı Âlî Hâriciye Nezâreti Kalem-i Mahsûs Sadâret-i uzmâʾya Cava‌ʾnın Sukabumi şehrinde “Sarekat-i İslâm” Cemʿiyeti tarafından akd olunan ictimâʿda kırâʾat edilmiş nutku muhtevî beyânnâme ile müzâkerât-ı vâkıʿayı hâvî “Neratja” nâmındaki gazete maktûʿası tercümesiyle maʿan manzûr-ı sâmî-i fehîmâneleri buyurulmak üzere leffen takdîm kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda” Umûmî Numero: 25289 Husûsî Numero: 328 Târih: 8 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]336/[1]920

568

Figure 157

Chapter 5

Foreign Ministry to the Grand Vizier on the Sarekat Islam gathering, 1920

Information about the Region

569

Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Special Office To the exalted Grand Vizierate The clipping from the Neratja newspaper containing the deliberations, declarations, and the speech that was read during the meeting of the Sarekat Islam association that took place in the city Sukabumi, is presented together with its translation for the information of your Grand Vizierial presence. In this matter […] General Number: 25289 Special Number: 328 Date: 8 December 1920 Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2465/19

33

Note on a communiqué of the Ottoman ambassador in The Hague about American request for permission to search for oil in the Dutch East Indies, 1921

Hukûk Müşâvirliğiʾne fî 7 Temmuz sene [1]337 7 Temmuz sene [1]921 Flemenk Hâriciye Nezâreti tarafından Flemenk Parlamentosuʾna tevdîʿ olunan Turuncu kitaba mütedâʾir bulunan Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnin işbu tahrîrâtı sefâret-i müşârunileyhânın 2 Haziran 1921 târih ve 73/7306 numerolu tahrîrâtına zeyl olup istişâre odası mezkûr 2 Haziran târihli tahrîrât üzerine takdîm etmiş olduğu 6 Temmuz sene [1]337 târih ve 41925 numerolu derkenârda bu husûs hakkında arz-ı mutâlaʿa etmişidi. Ânifüʾz-zikr Turuncu kitabda üç mesʾele yaʿni Cemʿiyet-i Akvâm Nizâmnâmesiʾnin taʿdîli hakkında Flemenk Hükûmeti tarafından vâkiʿ olan teklîfât ve Flemenk ile Bulgaristan beyninde hükûmeteyn memâlikine idhâl olunan eşyânın mütekâbilen en ziyâde mazhar-ı müsâʿade olan millet muʿâmelesine tâbiʿiyyetine dâʾir hâsıl olan iʾtilâfı ve Flemenkʾin şarkî Hindistan müstemlekâtında petrol maʿdenlerini muhtevî arâzîde taharriyâtda bulunmaları hakkında Amerika tebʿasının talebi mevzûʿ bahs edilmişdir. İşbu tahrîrâtın melfûfu dahî mezkûr Turuncu kitaba bir zeyl teşkîl etmekde ve Amerika tebʿasının mebhûsun anh talebine mütedâʾir bulunmakda olup bu mesʾele hükûmet-i seniyyeyi doğrudan doğruya alâkadar etmediği cihetle işbu tahrîrâtın âʾid olduğu dosyada berâ-yı hıfz evrâka havâlesi muktezî bulunduğu maʿrûzdur.

570

Chapter 5

Fî 21 Ağustos sene [1]337 Evrâk Müdüriyetine fî 22 Ağustos sene [1]337 Hıfz Siyâsî To the Legal Consultant on 7 July 1921 This note of the Imperial Embassy at The Hague on the subject of the Orange book presented to the Dutch Parliament by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is an attachment of the said embassy’s note dated 2 June 1921 and numbered 73/7306. The Consultation Office presented its reflections in the note dated 6 July numbered 41925, which it produced upon the [embassy’s] note dated 2 June. In the said Orange book three matters have been taken up: the request of the Dutch Government for amendments to the regulations of the League of Nations; the Dutch and Bulgarian governments’ agreement that entails the reciprocal implementation of the regulations for most favoured nation for goods imported from each other; and the request of American subjects for permission to explore the oil fields of the Dutch East Indian colonies. The appendix of this note constitutes a supplement to the said Orange book concerning the said request of the American subjects. As this issue does not concern the Imperial Government directly, it is requested that these documents need to be sent to the records [department] for preservation. 21 August 1921 To the Directorate of Records on 22 August 1921 Preservation [Department] Political [Department] Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2467/24

Ottoman-Southeast Asian Relations Volume 2

Handbook of Oriental Studies Handbuch der Orientalistik section one

The Near and Middle East Edited by Maribel Fierro (Madrid) M. Şükrü Hanioğlu (Princeton) Renata Holod (University of Pennsylvania) Florian Schwarz (Vienna)

volume 133

The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/ho1

Ottoman-Southeast Asian Relations Sources from the Ottoman Archives volume 2

By

İsmail Hakkı Kadı A.C.S. Peacock With contributions by

Giancarlo Casale, Annabel Teh Gallop, Rıfat Günalan, Patricia Herbert, Jana Igunma, Midori Kawashima, Abraham Sakili and Michael Talbot

LEIDEN | BOSTON

Cover illustration: Ottoman passport of Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid BOA HR.SYS. 563/1 The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available online at http://catalog.loc.gov LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov

Typeface for the Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic scripts: “Brill”. See and download: brill.com/brill-typeface. ISSN 0169-9423 isbn 978-90-04-40461-8 (hardback, set) ISBN 978-90-04-41748-9 (hardback, vol. 1) ISBN 978-90-04-41750-2 (hardback, vol. 2) isbn 978-90-04-40999-6 (e-book) Copyright 2020 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Hes & De Graaf, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Rodopi, Brill Sense, Hotei Publishing, mentis Verlag, Verlag Ferdinand Schöningh and Wilhelm Fink Verlag. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. This book is printed on acid-free paper and produced in a sustainable manner.

Contents volume 1 Preface xxiii Acknowledgements xxvii Signs and Abbreviations xxix Notes on Transliterations, Translations and Spelling xxxi List of Contributors xxxiv Introduction: The Language of Letters Southeast Asian Understandings of Ottoman Diplomatics 1 Annabel Teh Gallop, A.C.S. Peacock and İsmail Hakkı Kadı 1 Documents on 16th Century Ottoman Contacts with Aceh 33 1 Letter from the Sultan of Aceh Alauddin Kahhar to the Ottoman Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent requesting cooperation against the Portuguese, 2–12 January 1566. Transcribed and translated by Giancarlo Casale 33 2 Patent for Kurdoğlu Hızır’s appointment as the commander of the ships and soldiers going to Aceh upon Sultan Alauddin of Aceh’s requests for help against the Portuguese attacks on Muslims, 17 September 1567 52 3 Imperial order to the governor of Egypt about Kurdoğlu Hızır’s appointment as the commander of the ships and soldiers going to Aceh upon Sultan Alauddin of Aceh’s requests for help against the Portuguese attacks on Muslims. 17 September 1567 54 4 Kurdoğlu Hızır’s appointment as admiral and commander in accordance with the request for help from Sultan Alauddin of Aceh, 17 September 1567 56 5 The ambassador of the Sultan of Aceh is allowed to purchase horses, arms, copper, and other goods from Yemen, Jeddah, and Aden, 17 September 1567 58 6 The Sultan of Aceh requests that carpenters, blacksmiths, caulkers, painters, and other craftsmen be sent with the ambassador, 17 September 1567 59 7 Any of the Egyptians who, of their own volition, desire to go to Aceh, shall not be impeded, 17 September 1567 60 8 The ambassador of Aceh should be greeted and escorted to Egypt by the bey of Rhodes, 17 September 1567 61

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9 The Sharif of Mecca should assist the men of the Sultan of Aceh with their travel, 19 September 1567 61 10 Nobody should interfere with the ambassador of the Sultan of Aceh on his way back, 19 September 1567 62 11 Letter to the Sultan of Aceh, 19 September 1567 63 12 The captain who took the Acehnese ambassador away should be supplied with an adequate number of garrison soldiers, 5 October 1567 69 13 The captains and other personnel sent to the Sultan of Aceh should continue to receive their salaries on their return providing they carry out their mission successfully, 20 November 1567 70 14 The appointment of the suitable captains from among those sent from Istanbul as captains for the ships to be sent to Aceh, 26 November 1567 71 15 The deployment of the navy to Aceh is postponed until the suppression of the revolt in Yemen, 15 January 1568 71 16 The ships and the personnel previously appointed to the expedition to Aceh are this time appointed to the expedition to Yemen, 16 February 1568 72 17 The transportation of the ambassador of the padishah of Aceh to his land, March 1571 73 2 Royal Correspondence and Appeals for Help, 1824–1905 75 1 Documents pertaining to the letter of the Sultan of Kedah, Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah requesting aid against the Siamese from the Ottoman government, 1824 75 2 Documents relating to the Acehnese embassy to Istanbul, 1849–52 81 3 Documents relating to the request of Raja Ali bin Jaʿfar, Yang Dipertuan Muda of Riau, to become Ottoman subject, 1856–7 142 4 Documents relating to the petition of the Sultan of Jambi to the Ottoman Sultan, 1858 and 1902–5 153 5 Documents relating to the petitions of Sultan Mansur Shah of Aceh for Ottoman protection, 1868–9 168 6 Documents relating to the letter of the Burmese Prime Minister to the Grand Vizier, 1869 185 7 Documents relating to the Acehnese mission to the Ottoman court and Ottoman attempt to mediate between Aceh and The Netherlands, 1872–73 195

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vii

8 Documents relating to the letter of Sultan Zainal Abidin of Tembusai and the complaints of Southeast Asian Muslims about their English, Dutch and Siamese overlords during the Frigate Ertuğrul’s visit to the region, 1889–90 243 9 Documents relating to the initiatives of Sharif Ali to bring Aceh under Ottoman sovereignty 264 10 Documents relating to the letter in Malay and Arabic from Sultan Alauddin Muhammad Daud Shah in Kota Keumala, Aceh, requesting aid from the Ottoman consul in Batavia, 1893 287 11 Documents related to the clandestine letter of the Sultan of Aceh to the Ottoman sultan and the legal position of the Arabs in Indonesia, 1898 295 12 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the clandestine visit of the ruler of Pontianak to the Ottoman consulate to express his obedience to the Caliph, 1898 316 13 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the sultan relating that the ruler of Aceh sent repeated messages requesting help against the Dutch, 1900 317 14 Dutch embassy in Istanbul to the Foreign Ministry communicating the gratefulness of governor-general of the Dutch East Indies for the medal he received, 1901 318 15 Letter from Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam of Brunei to Sultan Abdülhamid, 15 May 1903 319 16 From the chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier about the congratulations of the Raja of Surakata, 1905 325 3 Royal Visits to Istanbul, 1891–1909 328 1 Documents relating to the visit of Prince Damrong to Istanbul, 1891 328 2 Documents relating to the ruler of Johor’s visit to Istanbul and the Ottoman embassy in Vienna, 1893 363 3 Sultan Zainal Abidin of Tembusai’s alleged clandestine visit to Istanbul, 1898 368 4 Documents relating to Sulaiman Khan of Patani’s plan to visit Istanbul and the Batavian Hadramis’ request for Ottoman protection, 1898 369 5 Documents related to Siamese medals awarded to Ottoman dignitaries in connection with Prince Damrong’s visit to Istanbul, 1894 377

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6 Siamese King Chulalongkorn expresses his gratitude to Ottoman ambassador in Rome for the hospitability shown for prince Damrong during his visit to Istanbul, 1897 381 7 Documents relating to Siamese Prince Chakrabongse’s visit to Istanbul, 1899 382 8 Documents relating to Siamese medals awarded to Ottoman dignitaries in connection with Prince Chakrabongse’s visit to Istanbul, 1901 405 9 Deputy of the Ottoman consul in Singapore to the Foreign Ministry about the passport given to the ruler of Johor who is planning to visit Europe, 1903 411 10 Documents relating to Siamese Prince Boworadet’s visit to Istanbul, 1909 414 4 Consuls 418 1 Correspondence from the Ottoman Ambassador in The Hague, Kostaki Karaca Bey, to the Ottoman Foreign Minister, concerning the establishment of Ottoman consulates in Dutch colonies, 1856 419 2 Grand Vizier to the sultan giving information about the agreement with the Dutch for the establishment of Ottoman consulates in the Dutch Indies, 1857 420 3 Ottoman ambassador in London to the Foreign Ministry requesting the appointment of Sayyid Abdullah bin Amr al-Junaid as the Ottoman consul in Singapore, 1864 422 4 Request of a Dutchman called Hymans for his appointment as the Ottoman consul in Semarang, 1865 423 5 Brother of the deceased Ottoman consul in Singapore, Junaid bin Amr al-Junaid, to the sultan communicating the death of his brother and giving information about the number of Ottoman ships visiting Singapore, 1866 426 6 Teuku Muhammad Arifi[n] to the sultan giving a short description of his dynastic background and requesting his appointment as the Ottoman consul in Singapore, 1871 427 7 Grand Vizier to the sultan introducing the note of the Foreign Ministry for the appointment of an honorary consul to Batavia, and the Sultan’s response, 1882 430 8 Grand Vizier to the Sultan requesting the appointment of Sayyid Junaid as the honorary Ottoman consul in Singapore in place of his deceased brother, 1882 431

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9 Note to the Foreign Minister for the appointment of Galib Bey as the Ottoman Consul General in Batavia, 1883 432 10 Foreign Ministry to the Grand Vizierate requesting the payment of the rent of the Consulate General in Batavia, 1883 435 11 Grand Vizier to the Sultan requesting a medal for Galib Bey, Ottoman Consul General in Batavia, 1883 436 12 Report of the department of consultation on Lord Salisbury’s proposal for the establishment of an Ottoman consul in Singapore, 1886 437 13 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier about the appointment of Ismail Bey to the Consulate General in Batavia along with other appointments, 1886 438 14 Ottoman embassy in Stockholm to the Foreign Ministry requesting a medal for the French Consul General in Batavia for administering the affairs of the Ottoman consulate during the absence of the Ottoman consul, 1886 440 15 Note to the Foreign Minister about the amount of the per diem to be paid to the Consul General in Batavia on his departure, 1886 441 16 Emir of Mecca and the governor of Hijaz advise the Sublime Porte to send someone to the ruler of Sulu to establish contact, 1899 442 17 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting the appointment of Sadık Beliğ Bey to the Consulate General in Batavia, 1900 443 18 Decision to appoint Hacı Atâullah Ahmed Efendi as the Ottoman consul to Singapore and Sayyid Hamid Efendi as his honorary chancellor, 1901 445 19 Hacı Atâullah Ahmed Efendi to the Ministry of Education requesting a medal before departing for his mission, 1901 447 20 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting the payment of the per diem of Hacı Atâullah Ahmed Efendi departing for his mission as the deputy Consul General to Singapore, 1901 448 21 Ibrahim, ruler of Johor, to the sultan announcing the death of Ottoman Consul General in Singapore, 1903 449 22 Order of the Sultan for the replacement of Sadık Beliğ Efendi, the Consul General in Batavia, with a religious person, 1903 450 23 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier proposing the appointment of Kamil Bey to the Consulate General Singapore along with other appointments, 1904 451

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24 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting the payment of the perdiem of Kamil Bey, the newly appointed Consul General in Singapore, 1904 452 25 Documents pertaining to a letter from an individual in Java to the Sultan requesting the appointment of a diplomat for their protection, 1910 453 26 The appointment of Necib Hacı Efendi to the consulate in Manila, 1910 456 27 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting permission for the acceptance of the medal awarded by the Romanian government to Reʾfet Bey, Ottoman consul in Batavia, 1911 457 28 Foreign minister to the Grand Vizier about the appointment of Medenî Molla Ahmed Daud Efendi to the consulate in Rangoon, 1913 458 29 Ottoman Foreign Ministry thanks German Consul General in Singapore for protecting the Ottoman subjects during the absence of an Ottoman consul, 1914 459 30 Ottoman chargé d’affaires at The Hague to the Foreign Minister about his initiatives to preserve the confidentiality of the correspondence between the Consulate General in Batavia and the Foreign Ministry, 1915 460 31 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the importance of his consulate with regard to informing the Muslims of the region about the ongoing war, 1915 462 32 Ottoman ambassador at The Hague to the Foreign Minister about his initiatives to preserve the confidentiality of the correspondence between the Consulate General in Batavia and the Foreign Ministry, 1915 464 33 Approval of the request of Reʾfet Bey, Consul General in Batavia, to return to Istanbul for medical reasons, 1921 466 34 Note on the annuity payable to Reʾfet Bey, Consul General in Batavia and his deputy who will carry out the business of the consulate during his absence, 1921 467 35 Admiral Bristol, USA High Commissioner in Turkey, hands over the documents of the Ottoman consulate in Singapore to the Turkish government, 1925 468 5 Information about the Region 469 1 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry introducing two books about the region he sent, 1884 469

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2 Documents pertaining to the assistance of Mr De Sturler for the preparation of an booklet on the Dutch East Indies and the Ottoman administration’s gratification, 1885 470 3 Ottoman ambassador in Madrid to the Foreign Ministry about the Spanish troops in Philippines, 1885 474 4 A report of the Ottoman consul in Bombay about the Dutch East Indies, 1886 476 5 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry on German military operations in Borneo, 1890 486 6 Ottoman consul in Batavia to Foreign Ministry giving a summary of a book written in Malay about Aceh’s relation to the Ottoman Empire and the Dutch actions against Aceh, 1890 488 7 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the earthquake in central Java, 1891 491 8 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the importance of Aceh and the relevant policies of the Europeans, 1891 492 9 Documents pertaining to Franco-Siamese conflict, 1893 494 10 Documents relating to the developments with regard to the Aceh war, 1896 498 11 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the demonstrations of the Chinese against the Dutch in Singapore, 1897 508 12 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about Snouck Hurgronje’s activities to manipulate Muslims, 1897 510 13 Documents pertaining to the report of the Ottoman consul in Batavia on Islam and the Dutch administration in Indonesia 512 14 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the sultan on Dutch actions against Teuku Umar, 1898 520 15 Ottoman ambassador in The Hague to the Foreign Ministry on the deliberations in the Dutch parliament about Islam in Indonesia, 1899 523 16 Documents relating to Spanish defeat in Philippines, 1898 528 17 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the public debate provoked by the Dutch banners that were put on display during the celebrations of the enthronement of the queen, 1898 532 18 Ottoman ambassador in Berlin to the Foreign Ministry on the rumours about and agreement between Germany and Spain entailing the partition of the colonies, 1899 533

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19 Foreign minister to the Grand Vizier on the defeat of the Dutch in Aceh and the activities of Snouck Hurgronje, 1899 535 20 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the revolt of the locals against the Dutch in Banjarmasin, 1899 537 21 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier relating that the Raja of Brandan expelled the Dutch who wanted to build railway in his territories, 1900 538 22 Documents relating to Dutch response to newspaper articles about Dutch colonial administration in Indonesia, 1900 539 23 Documents related to the prohibition on the publication of a treatise on the history of Siam, 1900 543 24 Documents related to a book on Indonesia prepared for the Ottoman Sultan by a civil servant of the Dutch colonial administration, 1901 545 25 Reports of the Ottoman consul in Batavia on Sarekat Islam, 1913 548 26 Ottoman chargé d’affaires in The Hague to the Foreign Minister about the propaganda war between the Ottoman and English consuls in Batavia, 1915 556 27 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the Dutch position with regard to the war, 1915 557 28 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the economic impact of the war in Java 559 29 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry relating that the English consul sent coded messages to his home authorities despite being forbidden since the beginning of the war, 1916 561 30 Ottoman ambassador in Stockholm to the Foreign Ministry about a newspaper article on European politics and Japanese intentions with regard to Indonesia, 1916 563 31 Ottoman consul in Amsterdam to the Foreign Ministry about Dutch plans to increase the number of the ships of its colonial navy, 1916 564 32 Foreign Ministry to the Grand Vizier on the Sarekat Islam gathering, 1920 567 33 Note on a communiqué of the Ottoman ambassador in The Hague about American request for permission to search for oil in the Dutch East Indies, 1921 569

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volume 2 6 Religious Ties, Propaganda and Ottoman Interest in the Affairs of Muslims in Southeast Asia 571 1 Ottoman propaganda for the unity of Islam, in the Hijaz, during the hajj, c. 1880 572 2 Grand Vizier to the Sultan requesting the distribution of Qurʾans to the prominent people in Java, 1883 574 3 Petition sent by thirteen Acehnese individuals to the Ottoman court requesting help against Dutch aggression, 1885 575 4 Grand Vizier to the sultan requesting a medal for doctor Dorderma[?], a member of the medical commitee of Batavia, for his services, 1886 577 5 Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to Foreign Ministry communicating that Ertuğrul Frigate will be welcome in Batavia, 1890 578 6 Osman Paşa, commander of Ertuğrul Frigate, communicating that they have arrived at Saigon and the note of the Minister of the Navy notifying the Sultan about the news, 1890 579 7 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier relating Sultan’s consent for the implementation of the requirements with regard to oppression in Java, 1890 579 8 Ottoman ambassador at The Hague to the Sultan requesting Ertuğrul Frigate’s visit to Dutch ports in Indonesia, 1890 580 9 Minister of the Navy to the Grand Vizier asking permission to order the commander of Ertuğrul Frigate to visit Batavia, 1890 583 10 Galib Bey, former Ottoman consul in Batavia to the sultan relating his reflections about the improvement of Ottoman relations with Indonesian archipelago, 1891 585 11 Documents pertaining to the activities of Monsieur Herring and the Ottoman administration’s rewarding of him, 1891 590 12 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry asking permission to accept the request of some local noblemen for collecting aid for the orphans of those martyred in the Ottoman-Greek war, 1897 598 13 Consul General in Batavia about his activities to arrange the mentioning of the name of the caliph during khutbas, 1898 600

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14 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Minister requesting his assistance for the endowment of a donation to the mosques and school construction in Batavia, 1898 601 15 Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting a solution for the dispute on a second mosque in Palembang, 1898 603 16 Documents on a newspaper article suggesting that the Ottomans provoke the Muslims of the Dutch Indies against the Dutch government, 1898 605 17 Documents relating to the delivery of Qurʾans to the Muslims of Java, 1899 612 18 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier about the Sultan’s response to the felicitations of the Muslims of Singapore on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr, 1902 619 19 Mustafa Şükrü to the Shaykh al-Islam communicating a request from Naban for books for a library established there, 1903 620 20 Documents pertaining to the publication of a Qurʾan with the Malay translation of the tafsir of Qadi Baydawi on the margins, 1903–1905 621 21 Ottoman ambassador in London to the sultan about his initiatives to promote English intervention into Dutch oppression of the Javanese, 1904 623 22 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry on his activities to ensure the mentioning of the Caliph at the mosques in the region, 1904 625 23 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating that the felicitations of the consulate in Batavia have pleased the Sultan, 1908 625 24 Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting that Sayyid Osman, the mufti of Java, be rewarded with a medal, 1908 626 25 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating that the felicitations of the Meccans in Singapore have pleased the Sultan, 1908 628 26 Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating that the felicitations of Burmese Muslims have pleased the Sultan, 1909 629 27 From the Ministry of Education to the palace about the Qurʾans that are going to be sent to the Malay Muslims in South Africa, 1911 630

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28 Noradounghian Efendi to the Consul General in Batavia communicating the Dutch government’s report on the education of Muslims in the Dutch East Indies, 1912 631 29 Donation of Bangkok committee of Islam to the Ottoman Red Crescent, 1912 632 30 Documents relating to Central Powers’ war propaganda and Muslim soldiers’ uprising against the English in Singapore, 1915 632 31 Donations sent to the Ottoman Empire by Southeast Asian Muslims during World War I, 1915 642 32 Resolution of the Ottoman cabinet for remitting a contribution for the needs of the people of Java, 1916 651 33 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about a letter which he received from the leader of a rebellion against the Dutch around Batavia, 1916 652 34 Ottoman ambassador in The Hague requests advice on whether to deny the news in Dutch newspapers about the activities of a certain Hacı Abdurrahman who claims to be acting on the orders of the sultan, 1916 654 35 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry relating his general opinions about the bad state of Muslims, 1921 655 7 Pilgrimage and Quarantine 661 1 A letter of Jawa pilgrims to Hasib Paşa enclosed with a poem, expressing their gratefulness for suspending some charges extracted from Jawa pilgrims, 1850 661 2 Dutch ambassador in Istanbul requests the assistance of Ottoman authorities for the operation of steamships directly between Jeddah and the Dutch Indies to transport the pilgrims, 1866 666 3 Petition of Acehnese pilgrims to Ottoman authorities complaining about Dutch consul’s interference with them upon their arrival in Jeddah, c. 1872 667 4 Complaints about the Dutch consul in Jeddah who obliged the pilgrims to travel on ships which he has chartered, 1873 672 5 Request for assistance with regard to Ottoman ship detained in Penang while transporting pilgrims from Jeddah to Banda Aceh, 1873 674 6 Documents related to quarantine on Indian and Jawa pilgrims because of the outbreak of cholera in Sumatra, 1882 675

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7 A petition of a Jawa resident of Mecca about the abuses of Osman Paşa, the governor of Hijaz, 1886 678 8 Governor of Hijaz to the chamberlain of the Sultan on the joy caused by the order prohibiting the exploitation and molestation of the pilgrims, 1888 680 9 Governor of Jeddah requests the removal of the quarantine inspector who suggested the prohibition of departure of poor Jawa and Indian pilgrims from their homeland to Hijaz, 1889 681 10 Dutch embassy requests information about thieves and the money they stole from Javanese pilgrims in Hijaz, 1890 682 11 Documents related to quarantine of Indian and Jawa pilgrims, 1893 683 12 Council of Ministers’ decision on refunding the excessive fees obtained from Indian and Jawa pilgrims, 1894 692 13 Allegations about burglary and insecurity on the Roads in Hijaz, 1896 695 14 Governor of Hijaz to the Ministry of the Interior about the hajjis and students in Hijaz who could not return to their home country due to the war, 1915 697 15 Governor of Hijaz to the Ministry of the Interior reporting that the Dutch consul in Mecca and 218 hajjis have left Hijaz with a Dutch ship, 1915 698 16 From Hijaz to the Ministry of the Interior about the miserable state of Jawa hajjis who could not return to their home, 1916 698 8 Southeast Asians in the Ottoman Empire 700 1 The Shaykh al-Azhar requests Ottoman passport for a Jawa who lived for a while in Mecca, to avoid taxation by the Dutch in Java, 1862 701 2 Documents pertaining to Southeast Asian students in the Ottoman Empire, 1895–1907 704 3 Documents pertaining to foreign Muslims’ real estate ownership in the Hijaz, 1881–1910 750 4 Documents pertaining to problems with regard to foreign diplomatic intervention in the Holy Lands through Jawa and Indian residents, 1883 757 5 Documents pertaining to Dutch subjects from Java who were moved from Hijaz and Syria to Adana and Yozgat, 1917–1918 762

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9 Ottoman Citizens in Southeast Asia, the Question of Their Legal Status and the Citizenship of Hadramis in the Dutch Indies 769 1 The newly appointed Ottoman Consul General in Batavia giving information about his journey to Batavia and the Hadramis in the city, 1883 769 2 Legal opinion on whether the Hadramis residing in Dutch colonies can be treated as Ottoman subjects, 1883 772 3 Advice to the Ottoman government to reiterate the connection with Hadramawt to ensure the subject status of the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1883 773 4 Legal opinion about the citizenship status of the Arabs who reside in the Dutch East Indies, 1884 774 5 Ottoman Consul General in Batavia fails to register the Ottoman citizens in the Dutch East Indies, 1886 777 6 Documents pertaining to the problem of inheritance of Abdulaziz Baghdadi, 1887 778 7 Documents pertaining to the expulsion of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Shawi from Batavia and its consequences, 1888 789 8 Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry giving information about the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1890 791 9 Documents pertaining to the Spanish government’s prohibition on Ottoman citizens’ migration to Cuba and Philippines, 1890 793 10 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting, in connection with the affronts to which Ahmed bin Ali Yamaki from Mecca was subjected, official initiatives with the Dutch government to prevent the Batavian government’s limitations on the movement and settlement of Ottoman citizens and Hadramis in the Dutch Indies, 1891 798 11 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry announcing the migration of Sayyid Muhammad bin Saqqaf and his family from Singapore to Jeddah, 1891 802 12 Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the mysterious connections of a subject of the Porte who travelled from Bombay to Batavia, 1898 803 13 Documents on Dutch administration’s regulations and practices with regard to the Hadramis in Indonesia, 1898 805 14 Ottoman embassy at The Hague to the Foreign Minister informing him about the initiative to establish a school in Batavia for Arab children to prevent them from going to Istanbul, 1899 820

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15 Ottoman authorities investigate the identity of Hüsameddin Efendi bin Şerif who is planning to go to Philippines, 1899 821 16 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the difficulties created by the Dutch government with regard to the travel and settlement of the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1899 822 17 Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the difficulties created by the Dutch government with regard to the travel of the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1899 825 18 Note stating that the Ottoman subjects in Dutch colonies possess most favoured nation status, 1902 827 19 Report to the Ottoman sultan on the history of Islam and Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, and the state of the local and Arab Muslims with regard to Dutch administration and suggestions to improve the positions of the Hadramis, 1903 828 20 Foreign Ministry to the Ministry of the Interior about thirty Javanese who want to adopt Ottoman citizenship, 1904 836 21 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting medals for some prominent individuals for their contribution to the construction of a new mosque in Batavia, 1906 837 22 A subject of the Porte residing in Palembang to the sultan requesting intervention against the Dutch authorities who prevent him from entering Palembang, 1907 840 23 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry giving information about the legal status of Ottoman subjects compared to Europeans and the Japanese, 1909 842 24 Ottoman diplomatic initiatives to secure the rights of Ottoman citizens in the Dutch Indies 1910–14 845 25 Ottoman ambassador in St Petersburg reporting the response of Russian Foreign Minister to Ottoman requests to intervene into the issue of the status of Asian Muslims in the Dutch Indies, 1911 855 26 Board of consultation to the Foreign Ministry on their expectation that the Ottoman ambassador at The Hague take initiatives to ensure that Ottoman citizens enjoy the same rights as the Japanese in the Dutch Indies, 1911 859 27 Note to the Foreign Ministry about Chinese involvement in the issue of improving the state of the Asians in Dutch colonies, 1911 862 28 Report of the Ottoman consul in Batavia about the disturbances between the Arabs and the Chinese in Java, 1913 864

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29 Petition to the Foreign Ministry complaining about the disrespectful practices of the Dutch officials in Surabaya, 1914 868 30 Petition to the sultan on the torments which the Dutch officials inflict on Arabs who travel with Ottoman passports to the Dutch Indies, 1914 872 31 Resolution of the Ottoman cabinet to prevent Ottoman women from being deceived by Arabs who bring them to Java to sell them as slaves, 1920 873 32 Documents pertaining to a woman in Istanbul who seeks to contact her husband in Batavia, 1925 875 10 The “white man’s burden” and the Islamic Movement in the Philippines: the Petition of Zamboanga Muslim Leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 877 Kawashima Midori 11 The Ottoman Empire, United States and the Muslims of Moro Province 930 1 Documents related to the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 930 2 Documents relating to the Ottoman Shaykh al-Islam to Philippines, 1915–1916 954 12 Ottoman Prisoners of War in Burma 958 1 American Embassy in Istanbul informs the Ottoman Foreign Ministry about the establishment of a detention camp in Thayetmyo for Ottoman prisoners, 1915 958 2 American Embassy in Istanbul informs the Ottoman Foreign Ministry about the state of Ottoman officers detained in Thayetmyo, 1916 959 3 Documents related to a report on detention camp in Thayetmyo, 1916 960 4 British Foreign Office rejecting Ottoman allegations regarding the health conditions in Thayetmyo detention camp and requesting inspection about the health conditions of Ottoman detentions camps of British prisoners, 1916 964 5 American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry about payment to Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo, 1916 965

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6 American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry communicating British request for a report about the health conditions of Ottoman detention camps of British prisoners, 1916 966 7 American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry on the promotion of Ottoman prisoners in British detention camps, 1916 967 8 British Foreign Office to American Embassy on the list of Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo and Sumerpur and their ranks, 1916 968 9 American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry delivering the messages of Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo, 1916 968 10 British Foreign Office to the Dutch Embassy providing information about Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo upon the request of Ottoman government, 1917 969 11 Documents related to the circumstances in the Thayetmyo detention camp, 1917 969 12 British Government requesting information about the ranks of Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo, 1917 972 13 Documents related to the death of an Ottoman prisoner in Thayetmyo, 1918 973 14 British Foreign Office to the Swedish Embassy requesting information from the Ottoman authorities about the rank of a certain Ottoman prisoner in Thayetmyo, 1918 978 13 Economic Ties 979 1 Documents related to the expenses incurred by Dutch authorities for the victims in an Ottoman ship which had an accident near Cirebon, 1866 979 2 Note to the sultan from his aide communicating that he has purchased 35 different types of birds from China, Java and Sumatra, 1876 981 3 Note to the sultan informing him about a consignement of plant seeds that was ordered for the gardens of the palace, 1883 982 4 List of seeds sent from the botanic garden in Batavia 982 5 Ottoman cabinet resolution regarding Spanish plans to buy a place around the southern entrance to the Red Sea to establish a coal depot for the ships to Philippines, 1887 983

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6 Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about three Ottoman Greek subjects who ended up in Batavia after they were deceived by a captain, 1907 985 7 Ministry of Public Works to the Foreign Ministry about the request of Ottoman consul in Batavia for Ottoman textile products that would be marketable in Batavia, 1908 988 8 Ministry of Commerce to the Ministry of the Interior on preventing the mixing of Manila fibre with that of Kastamonu hemp while producing rope, 1911 989 9 Note of the Ministry of the Interior introducing the communiqué of Consul General in Batavia about quinine production and prices there, 1912 991 10 A Dutch Police Officer from the Dutch Indies requesting his acceptance in Ottoman service, 1914 992 11 Dutch Embassy’s invitation to the fair of the Dutch Indies, 1923 993 12 Petition of Hacı Ibrahim to the governorate of Gerede requesting the restitution of his losses caused by his expulsion from Rangoon by English policemen, 1923 994 Bibliography 997 Archival Sources 997 Primary Sources 998 Published Sources 998 Index 1013

Chapter 6

Religious Ties, Propaganda and Ottoman Interest in the Affairs of Muslims in Southeast Asia There has been a remarkable literature on so called pan-Islamism which has been regarded as a political agenda promoted by Abdülhamid II to increase the influence of the Sultan, who was the Caliph at the same time, over the Muslims around the world (Keddie 1966; Eraslan 1995; Özcan 1997; Sırma 2000; Farah 2008). Most of these works have focused on Ottoman interactions with Muslims elsewhere in the world while Ottoman interactions with Southeast Asian Muslims have not been received comparable attention.1 The documents published in this part are predominantly related to Ottoman interactions with the Muslims of the Dutch Indies while their dealings with the Muslims of Singapore, Thailand and Manila are referred to sporadically. The documents show that until World War I, Ottoman initiatives towards the Muslims of this part of the world remained limited to promoting the recitation of the name of the Sultan during Friday prayers as the universal Caliph. The propaganda of the Ottoman consuls towards that end; the distribution of Qurʾans to the prominent people as well as religious schools in the region; publishing religious books in Malay in Ottoman printing houses; intervening in religious disputes among the local Muslims; exchanging felicitations during religious feasts; donating money for the needs of the people as well as collecting charitable gifts from them in support of Ottoman victims of wars during the early twentieth century were all instruments of interaction and promoting the standing of the Caliph as the universal patron of all Muslims. The fact that the Ottomans were also concerned with the well-being of the Muslims in the region and promoted their civil rights, education and healthcare is also attested in the relevant documents. These activities seems to have gained a new dimension during World War I when Batavia was used as a base where Ottoman propaganda material against the British was reproduced and delivered to British colonies.

1  The few exceptions are Reid 1967; Schmidt 1992; Laffan 2003; Yurdakul 2005 and Kadı 2015.

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_008

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Ottoman propaganda for the unity of Islam, in the Hijaz, during the hajj, c. 1880

İttihâd-ı İslâmʾın istihsâli içün hıtta-i mübâreke-i Hicâziyeʾce muktezî olan tedâbirin temâmî-i icrâsına mevsim-i haccın ziyâdesiyle takarrubu mülâbesesiyle vakt-i müsâʿid olmadığından külliyât ve teferruʿâtı ileriye taʿlîk olunmak üzre el-akdem feʾl-akdem kâʿidesine ittibâʿen şimdilik mutâlaʿa-i âtiyenin arzıyla iktifâ olunur. Maʿlûm-ı âlî buyurulduğu üzere esnâ-yı mevsim-i hacda küre-i arzın her cihetinden Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye ve Medîne-i Münevvereʾye gelmekde olan efrâd-ı İslâmiye Arefe günü Arafatʾda ve bayramın birinci ve ikinci ve üçüncü günleri Mina‌ʾda ictimâʿ ederler her sene iki yüz bin neferden mütecâviz hüccâcın nısfına müsâvî mikdârından yetmiş seksen bini ecnebîlerin taht-ı tasarruflarında bulunan bilâd-ı İslâmiye ahâlîsindendir. Binâʾen aleyh Dersaʿâdetʾde ber vefk-i matlûb ibâre-i Arabiye terkîbine en ziyâde muktedir bir zâta îcâb ve iktizâsına göre Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre nutuklar ve minberlerde okutturulmak üzere hutbeler ve mücemmiʿ-i nâs olan mahallerde taʿlîk olunmak içün iʿlânnâmeler kaleme aldırılıp dâʾire-i kitâbetden tasdîr olunacak tahrîrât-ı mahremâne ile berâber meʾmûriyet-i resmiyesi olmayan bendegândan münâsib bir veyâhud iki zâta tevdîʿan ve vakit zâyiʿ edilmemek içün müsâraʿatan ve âcilen heman Şerif Hazretleriʾne gönderilmesi Orada Hind ve Cava ve Çin ve Kafkasya ve Fas ve Afganistan ve sâʾir bilâd-ı ecnebiyeden gerek mücâveret sûretiyle ve gerek îfâ-yı farîza-i hacc içün bir çok Müslümanlar bulunduğu cihetle müretteb olan hutbe ve nutuk ve iʿlânların derhâl lisânlarına dahî tercüme ettirilerek nutuklar ile hutbelerden Vakfe günü Arafatʾda halkın mücemmiʿi olan Mescid-i İbrahimʾde kırâʾat ettirilmesi ve bayramın birinci ve ikinci [ve] üçüncü günlerinde Mina‌ʾda ve aleʾl-husûs bayramın ikinci günü biʾl-cümle şürefâ ve meʾmûrîn ve mütemeyyizân ile hüccâcdan bulunacak muʿtebârının Şerif Hazretleriʾnin müretteb olan dîvânında ictimâʿları mukarrer olduğu cihetle aleʾl-usûl orada nâme-i hümâyûnların kırâʾatini müteʿâkiben bu nutukların dahî vesâʾit-i münâsebe ile îrâd etdirilmesi Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye baʿdeʾl-avde hüccâc ve züvvâr birkaç haftalar memleketlerine avdeti teʾhîr etmekde ve Çin ve Cava gibi mahall-i baʿîdeden gelenlerden çoğu bir sene ve bir kısmı dahî birkaç seneler Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde ârâm etmekde bulunduklarından sâlifüʾl-arz iʿlânnâmelerin Mesʾa ve mescid-i Ömer ve Soyka ve Keşâşiye gibi mücemmiʿ-i nâs olan mahallere taʿlîk kılınması manût-ı reʾy-i âlî-i hazret-i pâdişâhîdir [30 Zilhicce 1297] Due to the imminence of the Hajj season, it is not convenient to carry out completely the measures that are required in the province of the sacred Hijaz to

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produce Islamic unity. Therefore, in dealing with each matter in its turn, I will content myself with the following reflections and leave the complete matter with all its ramifications for the future. As it is known by Your Excellency, during the Hajj season the Muslims who come from every corner of the Earth to Honoured Mecca and Resplendent Medina gather at Arafat in the evening (ʿarifa) and at Mina on the first and second day of the festival. Approximately half of them, about seventy to eighty thousand of the total number of more than two hundred thousands, are from Islamic countries that are under European administration. The following measures are proposed dependent on the approval of His Majesty the exalted Sultan. In accordance with the requirements of the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul], to have a person able to write in Arabic to compose speeches, the sermon to be read from the pulpit [in the Sultan’s name], and announcements to be displayed at places where people congregate, and to send them immediately to the exalted Sharif via one or two unofficial agents with a confidential note from the office of the secretary; To translate the prepared speeches, sermons, and announcements into [foreign] languages, as there are many Muslims there [in the Hijaz] from India, Java, China, the Caucasus, Morocco, Afghanistan, and other foreign countries (either because they were anywhere nearby, or in order to fulfil the obligation of the Hajj) in order to ensure that the speeches and sermons are read out on the day of waqfa at the Mosque of Abraham where the people gather, that the speeches are suitably read out on the first, second and the third day of the eid, and especially on the second day of the eid after the sermon and the imperial letter are read out at the Sharif’s court, as it has been decided that all the Sharifs, officials, noblemen and the distinguished individuals from among the pilgrims will be present [at that occasion]. After the pilgrims and visitors come to Honoured Mecca, they delay their return to their homeland by a few weeks, and most of those from distant places such as China and Java remain one year, and some of them remain in Honoured Mecca for a number of years. Therefore, the said announcements [should be hung] at places where people congregate such as Masʿai,2 the Great Mosque, the cemeteries and Qushashiyya district.3 [3 December 1880]4 Source: BOA Y.PRK. BŞK. 4/24

2  Masʾi – the street extending between the hillocks known as al-Safa and al-Marwa, located to the north-east and south-west of the Haram, respectively, and which plays an important role in the rituals performed by pilgrims to Mecca (Mortel 1997: 247). 3  Name of a district in Mecca near the Shrine. 4  The date does not occur in the document but is taken from the catalogue.

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Grand Vizier to the Sultan requesting the distribution of Qurʾans to the prominent people in Java, 1883

Devletlü efendim hazretleri Flemenk müstemlekâtından Cava adasındaki ahâlî-i müslimenin baʿzı muʿteberânına nâm-ı nâmiʾ-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhîye olarak birer kıtʿa Mushaf-ı şerîf ihdâ edildiği takdîrde hüsn-i teʾsîri mûcib olacağı cihetle Matbaʿa-i Osmâniyeʾde matbûʿ Mesâhif-i şerîfeden münâsib mikdârının iʿtâsına dâʾir Batavya Şehbenderliğiʾnden verilen müzekkerenin leffiyle icrâ-yı îcâbına dâʾir Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden gelen tezkire geçende arz-ı huzûr-ı âlî kılındıkda zikr olunan Matbaʿa-i Osmâniye nerede olduğunun ve bu nâm ile ne vakit matbaʿa küşâdına ne tarafdan ruhsat verildiğinin biʾt-tahkîk arzını husûsu emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i mülûkâne şeref-sudûr buyurulmağla keyfiyet Maʿârif Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden istifsâr olunmuşidi bu kere nezâret-i müşârunileyhânın zeylen vârid olan cevâbında bu matbaʿa cedd-i emcedi cenâb-ı pâdişâhî cennet-mekân efendimiz hazretlerinin türbe-i şerîfeleri karşısında vâkıʿ Süleyman Paşa Hanıʾnda olup Matbaʿa-i Osmâniye nâmıyla iştihârı üzerinde olan levhadan münbaʿs idüği ve ruhsatı bahsine gelince takrîben on beş sene mukaddem Osman Zeki Bey nâmına ruhsat-nâme verilip bir müddet Vezir Hanıʾnda icrâ-yı sanʿat eylediğinden sonra dört beş sene evvel mezkûr Süleyman Paşa Hanıʾna nakl edildiği gösterilmiş ve mezkûr muhâbereyi şâmil tezkire leffen ve sâlifüʾz-zikr evvelki tezkire ve müzekkere-i maʿrûza dahî maʿan arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda her ne vechile irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i tâcdârî şeref müteʿallik buyurulur ise infâz-ı mantûk-ı münîfine ibtidâr edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim Fî 10 Receb sene [1]300 fî 5 Mayıs sene [12]99 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki, Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleriyle evrâk-ı melfûfe manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmuş ve muʿâmelât-ı mukteziyyenin îfâsı husûsuna irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulurak evrâk-ı mezkûre iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 14 Receb sene [1]300 ve fî 9 Mayıs sene [12]99 Ali Rıza My kind and exalted lord: A communiqué has been sent [to His Majesty] from the consulate in Batavia relating that it would have a positive impact if we presented noble Qurʾans to some of the distinguished Muslims in the Dutch colonies of the island of Java in the illustrious name of the exalted Sultan, and requesting that an adequate

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number of noble Qurʾans be printed at the Ottoman Press, together with the memorandum of the exalted Foreign Ministry requesting the implementation of these requests. When these documents were presented to the exalted presence, he ordered an investigation, and to be informed about the location of the said Ottoman Press, and when and by whom the licence was given to open a printing house with this name. This was referred to the exalted Ministry of Education, which replied that this printing house was in the Süleyman Paşa Khan located opposite the noble tomb of the most dignified late grandfather of His Majesty, and that it is known as the Ottoman Press because of its sign. As for the licence, about fifteen years ago it was given to Osman Zeki Bey who run his business for a while at the Vizier Khan. Afterwards, some four or five years ago, it moved to the said Süleyman Paşa Khan. The note containing the relevant correspondence is presented together with the previous note and the report submitted. My lord, this note is submitted with the understanding that your order on this issue will be carried out whatever it will entail. 17 May 1883 The request of your most humble servant is that, From the most revered hand: this Grand Vizierial note has been brought into the imperial presence, and its contents noted. It is the imperial will of His Majesty that the necessary steps should be taken, and the said documents are returned. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 21 May 1883 Source: BOA İ.HR. 290/18200/2

3

Petition sent by thirteen Acehnese individuals to the Ottoman court requesting help against Dutch aggression, 1885

Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Flemenk Devletiʾnin tasallutundan kurtarılmaları ricâsına dâʾir “Aşi Cava” ahâlîsinden on üç kişi tarafından Hicaz Vilâyetiʾne verilen arîza Tarih: Fî 10 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]301 Hicaz Vilâyet-i Celîlesiʾne fî 27 Muharrem sene 1303 târihiyle Aşi Cava ahâlîsinden on üç kişi tarafından irsâl olunan Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre arîzanın tercümesidir. On dört seneden beru Flemenk Devletiʾne karşı durarak cihât ve gazâdan hâlî kalmayan ve cenâb-ı kâdir-i mutlak hazretleri mansûr ve muzaffer buyursun cemîʿ vakitde zill-ı zelîl-i hilâfet-i kübrâya ilticâdan başka maksadları bulunmayan Aşi Cavalılar nâmına olarak husûsât-ı âtiyeyi arz ve iʿşâr ederiz şöyle ki memleketimizi ahz ve istîsâl içün şimdiye kadar bizimle uğraşarak bi-avniʾllâhi teʿâlâ nâʾil-i zafer olamayan düşmanlarımıza mukâbeleten bu müddet zarfında

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bezl-i mâl ve cân eylemekde isek de maʿmûreten cihândan uzak mesâfede bulunduğumuz cihetle kendimize hiçbir muʿîn bulamadığımızdan düçâr-ı yeʾs ve fütûr olduk şu dâhiyeden tahlîsi ve girîbân edebilmek üzere düvel-i muʿazzamadan birine ilticâ ve dahâleti kurmuş isek de baʿdî-i mesâfe buna mâniʿ oldu fakat artık çâremiz kalmadığından ve Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniyeʾnin bir vezîri bulunduğunu işitdiğimizden ve hilâfet-i kübrâ-yı İslâmiye ile irtibât-ı dîniye ve mezhebiyemiz bulunduğundan başka bir devlete ilticâdan ise sâye-i himâvâye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîye dehâleti ez cân ve dîl arzu etmekteyiz binâʾen aleyh îfâ-yı farîza-i hacc-ı şerîf içün ol cânib-i âlîye azîmet eyleyen cemâʿatimizden baʿzılarıyla cânib-i bâb-ı âlîye takdîm olunmak üzre işbu arz-ı hâli hâk-i pâyinize îsâl eyledik gayret-i İslâmiye ve himmet-i aliyyenizden muʿâvenet bekleriz maʿnevî tabiʿ olduğumuz pâdişâh-ı İslâm efendimiz hazretlerine hâlimizin arzıyla bu düşmanın üzerimizden refʿini ricâ ederiz ve bizden bir ferd kalıncaya kadar müdâfaʿa içün ittifâk ettiğimizden ve ahâlî-i kesîreyi hâvî olan memleketimizin pâ-zede-i kabûl-ı ecânib olmasına Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin aslâ râzı olmayacağını bildiğimizden arz-ı hâle mütecâsir olduk ol-bâbda ve her hâlde fermân merhametlü efendimizindir. Subject of translation: A petition submitted to the Province of Hijaz by thirteen individuals from Aceh, requesting their rescue from the molestation of the Dutch State Date of Translation: 22 December 1885 This is the translation of the petition in Arabic dated 5 November 1885 to the Exalted Province of Hijaz by thirteen individuals from Aceh. We would like to submit and communicate the following issues on behalf of the Aceh Jawa who have not retreated from holy struggle and warfare, but have resisted the Dutch for the last fourteen years, and whose intention is only to take refuge with the protective shadow of the Great Caliphate. To this day we have been sacrificing our belongings and lives against our enemies who, through almighty God’s help, have not been able to attain victory, even though they have been struggling to take over and uproot our kingdom. We felt hopeless, as we could not find anyone to help us due to our remoteness from developed countries of the world. Although we considered taking refuge with one of the Great Powers to free ourselves from this calamity, distance prevented this. However, we wholeheartedly desire to enter the protection of the exalted Caliphate rather than seeking succour from another country, since no other remedy remains, and because we have heard that the Sublime Ottoman State has a vizier in Honoured Mecca, and since we share the religion of the great Islamic Caliphate.

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Therefore, we sent this petition to the dust at your feet to be submitted to the Sublime Porte with some individuals from our community who came to your region to perform the honourable obligation of the Hajj. We expect assistance on account of your exalted favour and Islamic feelings. We request the removal of this enemy by presenting our situation to our lord the Sultan of Islam, of whom we are subjects by religion. We dared to present this petition because we have unanimously agreed to defend [our country] to the last individual man, and because we know that the Sublime Porte will by no means accept a foreign seizure of our country, which contains a huge [number] of [Muslim] people. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to our compassionate lord. Source: BOA HR.TO. 390/87

4

Grand Vizier to the sultan requesting a medal for doctor Dorderma[?], a member of the medical commitee of Batavia, for his services, 1886

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Resmiye Devletlü efendim hazretleri Batavya Meclis-i Sıhhiyesi aʿzâsından Doktor Dorderma‌ ʾnın hidemât-ı vâkıʿasından ve mahall-i mezkûre sekene-i müslimesinin umûr-ı sıhhiyelerince icrâ edildiği muʿâvenetden dolayı Lahey ve Stokholm Sefâret-i seniyyesinin işʿârı vechile dördüncü rütbeden bir kıtʿa Mecidî nişân-ı âlîsiyle taltîfi hakkında Encümen-i Hâriciyeʾden tanzîm olunan mazbatanın leffiyle icrâ-yı îcâbına dâʾir Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresi leffen arz ve takdîm olunmağla ol-bâbda her ne vechile irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulur ise infâz ve hükm-ı celîline ibtidâr olunacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim Fî 4 Safer sene [1]304 fî 20 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]302 Sadrazam Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleriyle melfûf tezkire ve mazbata manzûr-ı âlî olmuş ve mûmâileyhin ber-vech-i istîzân taltîfi husûsuna irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurularak zikr olunan tezkire ve mazbata iʿâde kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 4 Safer sene [1]304 ve fî 21 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]302 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyâri Süreyyâ

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Sublime Porte Grand Vizierate Official My kind and exalted Lord; Presented in the enclosure are the report (and its enclosures) of the Commission of Foreign Affairs on rewarding Doctor Dorderma[?], a member of the medical Committee of Batavia, with a Mecidi medal third class for his services and assistance to the sanitary matters of the Muslims of the said place, in accordance with the request of the Imperial Embassies at Stockholm and The Hague, and the note of the exalted Foreign Ministry requesting its implementation. My lord, this note has been presented with the understanding that whatever the exalted order of Your Majesty will be, it will be hastened to implement its exalted ruling. 2 November 1886 Grand Vizier The request of your most humble servant is that: This Grand Vizierial note, from the most revered hand, and the enclosed note and report have been brought to the lofty presence. The exalted will of His Majesty has decreed to reward the said as requested, and the said note and report are returned. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 3 November 1886 Süreyya, Chief Secretary to His exalted Majesty Source: BOA İ.HR. 303/19276

5

Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to Foreign Ministry communicating that Ertuğrul Frigate will be welcome in Batavia, 1890

Bâb-ı Âlî Tercüme odası Numero Nezârete fî 16 Mart sene [18]90 târihiyle Batavya şehbenderinden mevrûd telgrafnâmenin tercümesidir. Sefîne-i harbiyemiz burada hüsn-ı kabûl olacakdır. Sublime Porte Translation Office Number This is the translation of the telegram from the Ottoman Consulate General in Batavia to the ministry, dated 16 March 1890 Our warship will have a friendly reception here. Source: BOA HR.TO. 344/36

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579

Osman Paşa, commander of Ertuğrul Frigate, communicating that they have arrived at Saigon and the note of the Minister of the Navy notifying the Sultan about the news, 1890

Telgrafnâme Bahriye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Saygonʾa muvâsalet olundu pek sert değilse de dâimâ şimâl rüzgarları hübûb etmekde olduğundan birkaç gün zarfında kömür alınarak yolumuza devâm olunacağı maʿrûzdur. Fî 15 Mar sene [1]306 Osman Mâbeyn-i Hümâyûn Başkitâbet-i Celîlesiʾne Ertuğrul Fırkateyn-i hümâyûnunun Saygon muvâsaletine dâʾir kumandânından alınan telgraf bâlâya derc ile arz olunur. Fî 16 Mart sene [1]306 Nâzır-ı Bahriye Hasan Telegram To the exalted Ministry of the Navy We have arrived in Saigon. If the continuous north winds do not blow too strong, in a few days we will take on coal and continue on our journey. 27 March 1890 Osman To the exalted chief secretary of the private apartments of the Sultan I beg to present the telegram with a note to His Highness [the Minister] received from the commander the Imperial Frigate Ertuğrul on its arrival at Saigon. 28 March 1890 Hasan, Minister of the Navy Source: BOA Y.PRK.ASK. 60/32

7

Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier relating Sultan’s consent for the implementation of the requirements with regard to oppression in Java, 1890

Cava adasında bulunan yirmi dört milyon ahâlî-i müslime büyük bir eziyet içinde olup içlerinde âlim ve kâmil adamlar yetiştikçe memleketden tard olunmakda olduğu beyânıyla bes-şikâyet ve arz-ı tâbiʿiyyeti ve sâʾir ifâdeyi hâvî olan ve Singapurʾdan Şerif Ahmed Adnan Paşa‌ʾya mürsel ve Şerif Hasan bin Ömer el-Habeşi imzâsıyla mümzâ bir mektûba melfûfen zuhûr eden

580

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Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre arîza ile hülâsa-i tercümesi ledeʾl-arz manzûr-ı âlî olarak îcâb ne ise icrâ kılınmak üzre bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî leffen sû-yı sâmî-i fehîmânelerine irsâl kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 26 Ramazan sene [1]307 ve fî 2 Mayıs sene [1]306 Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehrîyârî bende-i Süreyya In a letter bearing the signature of Sharif Hasan bin Umar al-Habashi sent from Singapore to Sharif Ahmed Adnan Paşa,5 reporting that the twenty-four million Muslims located on the island of Java are in great distress, [and] that the wise and experienced men from among them are to be exiled from the kingdom. The Arabic petition,6 together with a summary translation, have been laid before the imperial eyes. Submission will be made to the magnificent command of the Majestic Caliph in his great and noble wisdom, whatever it may be. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 14 May 1890, Chief secretary of His Majesty, Your servant Süreyya Source: BOA İ.DH. 1179/92221

8

Ottoman ambassador at The Hague to the Sultan requesting Ertuğrul Frigate’s visit to Dutch ports in Indonesia, 1890

Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan fî 3 Temmuz sene [18]90 târihli tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Velî-niʿmet-i bî-minnetimiz zât-ı şevket-simât efendimiz hazretlerine olan taʿzîmât-ı abdâne ve sadâkat-kârânemle berâber mutâlaʿât-ı âtiyeyi hâk-i pây-ı hümâyûn-ı mülûkâneye arz etmenizi ricâ ederim Ertuğrul Fırkateyn-i Hümâyûnuʾnun Japonya‌ʾya gitmek üzre Hind Deniziʾnden geçtiği esnâda Sund adalarının Müslüman ahâlîsi beyninde fırkateyn-i hümâyûn-ı mezkûrun Flemenkʾin Hindistanʾdaki limânlarından baʿzılarında râyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi temevvüç ettireceği şâyiʿası deverân etmişdir bunun üzerine hilâfet-i muʿazzamaya merbût olan yerli ahâlî beyninde büyük bir meserret hâsıl olarak 5  Sharif Ahmed Adnan Paşa was the son of Sharif Abdulmuttalib Efendi who served as the Emir of Mecca for three intermittent periods until he died in 1886/87. Mehmed Süreyya 1996: 129, 1763 and Uzunçarşılı 1984: 136. 6  The Arabic petition mentioned in the text was not found in the relevant file at BOA.

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işbu sevâhil-i baʿîdede Osmanlı sancağının parladığını görmek ümîdinde bulunuyorlardı bu şâyiʿa ol kadar kuvvet bulmuşdur ki Flemenkʾin Hindistanʾdaki kuvve-i bahriyesinin kumandânı olan umerâ-yı râyet-i zafer âyâtımız hakkında lâyıkı vechile ihtirâm edilmesi için zîr-i idâresinde bulunan limânlara emir vermişdir ancak Osman Paşa ol kadar arzu ve havâhişle beklendiği mahallerde tevakkuf etmeksizin geçtiğinden bu ümîdler boşa çıkmıştır Flemenklilerin hasûd ve (?) olan kısmı bundan biʾl-istifâde hükümet-i seniyyenin şân ve şöhretine nakîsa îrâs edecek sûrette makâm-ı hilâfet-i muʿazzama hakkında bir takım ekâzib ve müftereyât neşr etmişlerdir Müslümanlar bundan müteʾessir olmağla başşehbenderimiz Rıfkı Bey serkeş olan matbûʿât tarafından vukûʿ bulan şu taʿarruzâta nihâyet verilmek içün olanca gayret ve kuvvetini sarf etmiş ise de bu memlekette ve Flemenkʾde gazeteler pek serbâzâne serbest olduklarından bir şey yapamamıştır açıktan açığa Hindistan Müslümanlarını kendi mesleklerinden inhirâf ettirerek bu husûsdaki mukâvemetlerini bertarâf etmek maksadıyla memleketimizin düşmanları tarafından vukûʿ bulan ta‌ʾarruzât daha şiddetli bir sûretde devâm etmekde bulunmuşdur zimâm ve müfterilerin iskâtı kâbil olmayan böyle bir hâlde bunların iddiʿâlarını fiʿlen tekzîb etmek daha münâsib olabilir fikrindeyim bu cihetle ra‌ʾyet-i zafer âyet-i Osmânîʾnin ve kuvvâ-yı bahriye-i şâhânenin muhâfaza-i şân ve şöhreti zımnında Ertuğrul Fırkateyn-i hümâyûnu kumandânına Japonya‌ʾdan avdetinde yolu üzerinde gibi olan Sund Adasıʾndaki Flemenk limânlarından bir yâhud ikisine uğraması içün emir verilmesi muvâfık-ı maslahat olunur zannındayım bu bâbda arz eylediğim fikr ve mutâlaʿa ile berâber Ertuğrul Fırkateyn-i Hümâyûnuʾnun Açeʾye uğramaktan sarf-ı nazar etmesi husûsunda ısrâr etmeği vazîfeden addederim çünkü bu sırada mahall-i mezkûrun yerli hükümdârı Flemenkʾin zîr-i nüfûzunda bulunmağı aslâ kabûl etmediğinden bugün Flemenkle muhârebe etmektedir binâʾen aleyh Açe sularında bir Osmanlı harb sefînesinin bulunması hükûmet-i seniyyenin düşmanları tarafından her ikisi dahî uygunsuz iki türlü iddiʿânın der-meyân edilmesine vesîle oldur yani Flemenkliler bunu Açe hükümdârı lehinde bir teşvîk-i maʿnevî makâmında telakkî ederler yâhud daha muhtemel ve Devlet-i Aliyye hakkında daha muzır olacağı vechile Flemenkliler Osmanlı sefînesi kumandânını hayli bir takım ihtirâmât ile mevkiʿ-i müşkilde bırakıp bu sûretle güyâ zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i pâdişâhînin Flemenklilerin Müslümanları dâʾire-i itâʿate almasına maʿnen muʿâvenet buyurmakda olduğunu halka inandırmaya çalışacaklardır fikr-i âcizânem tasvîb buyurulduğu takdîrde husûsât-ı sâʾire hakkında Ertuğrul Fırkateyn-i Hümâyûnʾu kumandânının tecrübe sâhibi olan ve dirâyet ve fetânetine iʿtimâd edilebilen başşehbenderimiz Rıfkı Bey ile taʿâtî-i efkâr etmekten başka yapacak bir şeyi kalmaz birçok senelerden beru hizmette

582

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bulunmuş ve dâʾimâ ibrâz-ı sadâkat ve saʿy u gayret eylemiş olan Batavya başşehbenderimizi husûsî olarak velî-niʿmet-i bî-minnetimiz zât-ı şevket-simat efendimiz hazretlerine tavsiye eylediğimi hâk-ı pây-ı hümâyûn-ı mülûkâneye arz eylemenizi ricâ eder ve arz-ı teʾmînât-ı ihtirâmkârîye ibtidâr eylerim Bende-i Karaca Imperial Palace of Yıldız Department of the Chief Secretary This is the translation of the communiqué received from the Imperial Embassy in The Hague, dated 3 July 1890. I request to place the following opinions to the dust at the feet of the imperial monarch, His Exalted Majesty, together with my respect and loyalty to the person of our lord, our benefactor who upbraids not. While the Imperial Frigate Ertuğrul passed through the Indian Ocean on its way to Japan, a rumour circulated among the Muslim people of Sunda Islands that the said imperial frigate would fly the Ottoman flag in some of the ports of the Dutch Indies. Upon this, the local people, who have a strong attachment to the Great Caliphate, were extremely delighted, and were hopeful that they would see the Ottoman banner shining on these distant shores. This rumour gained such strength that the commander of the Dutch Naval troops in the Indies sent orders to the ports under his administration to show appropriate respect to our flag. However, as Osman Paşa passed without stopping at places where he was awaited with such passion and enthusiasm, these hopes proved to be illfated. Some of the Dutch who were jealous and (?), seized the opportunity and spread slander and lies about the position of Great Caliphate which may undermine the fame of the Imperial Government. As the Muslims were saddened by this, Rıfkı Bey, our Consul General, made great efforts with all his strength to stop the defamation carried out by the unruly press. However, as the newspapers are free in this country and the Netherlands, he could not do much about it. [Consequently] this defamation was carried out openly by the enemies of our country with the aim of making Indian Muslims deviate from their path, and of eliminating their strength in this respect, and this has continued ever more intensely. I think that in a situation like this, when silencing slanderers is not possible, it would be more appropriate to refute their claims practically. Therefore, I think that it would be suitable in this situation to order the commander of the Imperial Frigate Ertuğrul to call at one or more Dutch ports on the Sunda Islands, which are more or less located on its way back from Japan, in order to fly the ever-victorious Ottoman flag and to maintain the fame of the power of the Imperial Navy. Along with the opinions and considerations that I have presented on this issue, I deem it a duty to insist that the Imperial Frigate

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583

Ertuğrul should avoid calling at Aceh, because the local ruler of the said place is at war with the Dutch as he rejects absolutely Dutch suzerainty. Therefore, the presence of an Ottoman warship in Acehnese waters will instigate the enemies of the Ottoman Government to propound two kinds of claims both of which are inconvenient. That is to say, the Dutch may consider this as a moral encouragement in favour of the ruler of Aceh, or more probably – and more harmful for the Sublime State – will be that the Dutch may receive the commander of the Ottoman ship with lots of veneration and leave him in a difficult position. In this way, they will try to make the people believe that His Exalted Majesty is lending the Dutch moral assistance in taking Muslims under their control. In case my humble opinion will be approved, nothing needs to be done beyond the exchange of opinions about the details between the commander of the Imperial Frigate Ertuğrul and our experienced Consul General, Rıfkı Bey whose intelligence and comprehension is trustworthy. I beg to submit to the dust at the feet of imperial majesty that I recommend our Consul General in Batavia to His Exalted Majesty, our lord, our benefactor who upbraids not, who has been serving keenly and loyally. I take this opportunity to renew the bonds of respect. Your servant, Karaca Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 237/30

9

Minister of the Navy to the Grand Vizier asking permission to order the commander of Ertuğrul Frigate to visit Batavia, 1890

Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Bahriye Ertuğrul Fırkateyn-i Hümâyûnuʾnun Japonya‌ʾdan avdetinde Sunda adasında Flemenk limânından bir veyâ ikisine uğraması hakkında baʿzı ifâdâta dâʾir Lahey Sefâret-i seniyyesinden vârid olan ve manzûr-ı âlî buyurulan tahrîrâtın ol-bâbda şeref-sâdır olan irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî üzerine tercümesi ile berâber gönderildiği 3 Temmuz sene [1]306 târihli tezkire-i husûsiyei âsafânelerinde beyân buyurulmuş ve ol-bâbda ledeʾl-havâle Erkân-ı Harbiye-i Bahriye Dâʾiresiʾnden tanzîm ve iʿtâ kılınan müzekkere irsâl buyurulan evrâk ile takdîm kılınmışdır maʿlûm-ı âlî buyurulduğu üzre geçende biʾl-istîzân şâyân buyurulan müsâʿade-i seniyye üzerine fırkateyn-i hümâyûnun Dersaʿâdetʾe avdeti içün muvâfık rüzgârın hubûvvı mevsimi hulûl edinceye kadar Japonya limânlarından bulunan Goraka[?] Hyogo ve Nagasaki ve Şangay ile ahâlî-i İslâmiyesi en çok olan Kalkuta‌ʾya gelmesi zımnında kumandânına taʿlîmât verilip sefâret-i müşârunileyhânın işʿârı vechile hareket lâzım geldiği takdîrde Goraka[?] ve Nagasakiʾden sonra hava ve rüzgâr müsâʿid ise saht-ı cenûba

584

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teveccühle Batavya‌ʾya ve baʿdehû Devlet-i Aliyye şehbenderiyle biʾl-müzâkere îcâb ettiği hâlde diğer bir limâna uğraması ve şu hâlde evvelki hatt-ı seyre nisbeten dört yüz mil ziyâde katʿ-ı mesâfe etmesi iktizâ ederek bunda bir beʾis yoğise de cihet-i siyâsiyessince hâl ve istiʿdâd sefer-i maʿrûzu îcâb eder şekil ve derecede ise ol vechile hareket içün kumandan-ı mûmâileyhe teblîgât-ı lâzıme icrâ kılınmak üzre arz ve istîzân-ı keyfiyete cürʾet kılındı ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 5 Zilhicce sene [1]307 Nâzır-ı Bahriye bende-i Hasan Ministry of Naval Affairs In the special Grand Vizierial note, dated 15 July 1890, it was announced that a communiqué has been received from the Imperial Embassy at The Hague containing some statements about the Imperial Frigate Ertuğrul calling at one or more Dutch ports at Sunda Islands on its way back from Japan. This was seen by His Majesty, and has been sent together with its translation in accordance with the great imperial order of the His Majesty the Caliph. The memorandum of the War Council of the Naval Department that was prepared on the issue upon its referral to them is presented together with the documents that were sent. As Your Excellency knows, on the granting of imperial permission, lately the commander was ordered that, until the onset of the season of favourable winds to return to Istanbul, the Imperial Frigate [should] call at Japanese ports of Goraka[?]7 Hyogo, Nagasaki, and Shanghai, and go to Calicut, which has the most Muslim residents. If it is required to move as the embassy advises, after Goraka[?] and Nagasaki they should turn South, providing the weather and wind are suitable, and call at Batavia, and, if it is deemed needed after deliberating with the consul of the Sublime State, at another port. In this event, they will travel four hundred miles further than the previous route. There is no harm in this. In case the political situation and conditions are such that may require the requested journey, I dare to present [this information] and [report] that the [Ertuğrul’s] commander be instructed on the issue and to act accordingly. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 23 July 1890 Your servant Hasan, Minister of the Navy Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 237/30

‫ق غ‬ �

7   ‫�ه�����ا رو‬. We have been unable to identify this place.

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10

585

Galib Bey, former Ottoman consul in Batavia to the sultan relating his reflections about the improvement of Ottoman relations with Indonesian archipelago, 1891

Cenâb-ı Hak her umûrda tevfîkât-ı samadâniyesine mazhariyetle velî-niʿmet-i bî-minnetimiz pâdişâh-ı inâyet-küster efendimiz hazretlerini dünya durdukça kemâl-i ten-dürüstî ve âfiyet ile zîb-i örnek-i hilâfet ve sâye-i tûbâ-vâye-i şâhâneyi hemîşe dâʾim ve kâʾim eyleye ümmet-i nâciye-i İslâmiyeʾyi mütevâliyen rehîni mefharet buyursun mukadderât-ı ezeliye-i lem yezeliye iktizâsından olduğu üzere kazâzede olmuş olan Ertuğrul Fırkateyn-i Hümâyûnʾu bakiye-i musâbînini derbâr-ı şevket-karâra îsâl içün bu kerre pây-ı taht-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeye Japon sefînelerinin vürûdu mülâbesesiyle meʾmûrîyet-i sâbıka-i abidânemden dolayı fikr-i kâsır-ı çâkerânemde neşv ü nemâ bulan semere-i maʿlûmât ve mutâlaʿâtın atabe-i felek-mertebe-i hazret-i gîtî sitânîye arz ve iblâğını lâzime-i zimmet ve mütehattim-i uhde-i abd ve memlûkiyet addeylerim Flemenk Devleti müstemlekâtından olan Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾden Cava cezîresi merkez-i hükûmeti bulunan Batavya şehri başşehbenderliğinde bin iki yüz doksan dokuz senesinden üç yüz iki târihine kadar devâm eden üç sene müddet-i meʾmûriyet-i abîdânem esnâsında havâlî-i mezkûre ile civâriyeti hasebiyle Hindistan ve Hindçini kıtʿalarında meskûn bulunan yüz milyonlarca nüfûs-ı muhtelife-i müslimenin merkez-i hilâfet-i kübrâya olan râbıta-i ubûdiyetlerinin tevsîk ve teʾyîdi esbâbını tedkîk ve tefahhus eylemeği esâs vazîfe ittihâz ile bu yolda vaktiyle merciʿ-i mahsûsuna arz ve iʿlâm edilmiş olan maʿlûmât-ı mahalliye cümlesinden olmak üzere Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾye taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeden birinci defʿa olarak iʿzâm buyrulmaklığım hasebiyle Batavya‌ʾya muvâsalet-i çâkerânemi müteʿâkib binlerce müʾminîn ile berâber salât-ı Cuma edâsı esnâsında o zamana kadar mesbûk olmadığı üzere nâm-ı nâmî-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye hutbe kıra‌ʾatına bedeʾ ve mübâşeret olunması ve müteʿâkiben Cezâyir-i Hindiye vâlisiyle Açe kıtʿasına vukûʿ bulan seyâhatimiz esnâsında Açeliler dahî bu eser-i diyânet-perverîye iktizâʾen esnâ-yı kırâʾat-ı hutbede kezâlik birinci defʿa olarak emîrüʾl-müʾminîn efendimiz hazretlerinin nâm-ı şevket ittisâm-ı şehin-şâhîleri lisân-ı hatîbi tezyîn eylediği sırada hüzzâr-ı müslimîn tarafından ez-cân u dil-i daʿvât-ı deymûmiyeti eyyâm-ı ömr ü şevket-i şâhânenin bir vecd u hâl-i meserrât âver ile zîver-i lisân-ı ubûdiyet kılınması ve bir çok müslimînin fevc fevc şehbenderhâneye mürâcaʿatla taht-ı himâye-i necât gâye-i hazret-i mülûkâneye kabûlleri istirhâm olunması vesâʾire gibi bulunduğum mahaller ahâlîsinin emîrüʾl-müʾminîn ve halîfe-i resûl-ı Rabbüʾl-âlemîn olan zât-ı kudsiyet-simât-ı hazret-i Zillullâhîʾye râbıta-i maʿneviyye ve ubûdiyet-i samîmiyelerinin âsâr-ı aliyyesini velî-niʿmet-i

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aʿzam efendimiz âlem-i İslâmiyetʾin muktedâsı ve dîn-i mübînin hâmî-i yegânesi bulunduğuna bir delîl-i cedîd olmak üzere biʾz-zât müşâhade ile karîrüʾl-ayn olduğuma ve milel-i sâʾirenin sufun-ı harbiye ve ticâriyeleri havâlî-i mezkûrda geşt ü güzâr eyledikçe râyet-i zafer-gâyet-i Osmânîʾnin dahî temevvüc-nümâ-yı satvet olduğunu görmek arzu ve iştiyâk-ı samîmîsi sırası düşdükçe pek çokları tarafından izhâr olunduğuna binâʾen saltanat-ı seniyyei ebediyyetüʾd-devâmın Asya-yı vüstâ ve aksâ-yı şark ahâlî-i muhtelifesi ile tezyîd ve tevsîʿ-i münâsebât eylemesi biʾl-cümle akvâm-ı müslimenin merkezi hilâfet-i kübrâya olan râbıta-i sahîha-i maʿneviyyelerinin teʾkîdiyle ceht-i câmiʿa-i İslâmiyetin mâdde-i husûlünü müstelzim olacak nüfûz-ı maʿneviyye ve siyâsiye-i hilâfet-i seniyyenin an be-an teʾekküd edeceğine ilm-i yakîn hâsıl eylemiş idim sâye-i inâyet-vâye-i hazret-i tâcdâr-i bî-medânîlerinin mazhar-ı lütf-ı aleʾl-âl-i mülûkâneleri olarak geçen sene meʾmûrîyet-i mahsûsa ile Girid cezîresinde bulunduğum esnâda Ertuğrul Fırkateyn-i Hümâyûnuʾnun Japonʾa müteveccihan azîmetini istihbâr eylediğim anda mehbitül-hâmât-ı rabbâniye olduğu mülâbesesiyle her umûr-ı gâmize ve mestûrenin keşfi ile hakâyık ve dekâyık-ı lâzimesini biʾt-takdîr âsâr-ı fiʿliyesini ihzâra masrûf olan inâyeti celîle-i zât-ı aʿzâmüʾl-mülûk-ı şâhâne cümle-i cemîlesinden olmak üzere Avrupa kehvâre-i tertîb ve medeniyetinde perver-şiyâb olmamak hasebiyle o münâsebât-ı düveliyyede henüz bir tıfl-ı nevzâd add ve iʿtibâr olunmakda iken her türlü terekkiyât-ı asriye ve hakâyık-ı dîniyeyi tedkîk ve telakkîye müstaʿid olan Japonya akvâmı nezdine taraf-ı müstecmiʿüʾl-mecd veʾş-şeref hazreti tâcdârîden böyle bir meʾmûriyet-i fevkalâde iʿzâmı husûsunda oraca vukûʿ bulacak fevâʾid ve muhassenât-ı adîdesiyle berâber hatt-ı mezkûrenin muharrî olmak hasebiyle geşt ü güzâr edeceği Hindistan ahâlî-i muhtelifesince hâsıl eyleyeceği teʾsîrât-ı hasene-i azîmeyi havâlî-i mezkûrece olan maʿlûmât-ı maʿrûza-i çâkerâneme binâʾen takdîr ve taʿyînden âciz kalarak âsâr-ı bakiyesini dü-çeşm-i iftihâr ile biʾz-zât müşâhid ve mübâhî olduğum satvet-i cihângîrânelerini Açe kıtʿasına kadar aʿlâ etmiş olan cedd-i büzürg-vâr-ı hazret-i velî-niʿmet-i aʿzamînin şân ve şevket ve kudret ve nüfûzunu aksâ-yı şarka kadar îsâl eyleyen zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i cihân-bânînin bi-hakk-ı müheyyîʾ-i dîn u devlet olduklarını bu vesîle ile dahî çâr-aktâr-ı âleme göstermiş olmalarıyla asr-ı güzîn-i hilâfet-penâhîlerinde ümmet-i nâciye-i İslâmiye ve sûret-i mahsûsada millet-i Osmâniyeʾye bir niʿmet-i gayr-ı müterakkıba olan böyle bir pâdişâh-ı azîmüʾş-şâna nâʾiliyetimizden dolayı secde-i şükrâna kapanarak vücûd-ı bihbûd-ı hümâyûnlarının tûl müddet kemâl-i ten-dürüstî ve âfiyetle serîr-i ârâ-yı şevket ve şân olmaları daʿvâtını dilimin döndüğü vüsʿamın yettiği mertebe âverde-i lisân-ı şükrân eylemiş idim Hindistan ve Hindçini ve Cezâyir-i Hindiye akvâm-ı muhtelife-i müslimesinin ânifen arz edildiği üzre merkez-i hilâfet-i seniyyeye olan râbıta-i ubûdiyetlerinin tevsîkına Japonya

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Devletiʾyle bu râddeye îsâl edilmiş olan münâsebât-ı dostânenin idâmesi akl-ı kâsır-ı kemterânemce bir zerîa-i hasene olup zîrâ taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeden devlet-i müşârunileyhâ nezdinde bir sefîr ikâmesi hâlinde kurb ve civâriyet hasebiyle nüfûs-ı kesîre-i müslimeyi hâvî olan Çin ve Hindçini kıtʿalarıyla da münâsebât-ı mâddiye ve maʿneviyyenin husûl ve tevessüʿü tabîʿi bulunmağla bu vesîle ile akvâm-ı muhtelife-i müslimenin imâmüʾl-müslimîn ve hâdimüʾl-Haremeyniʾş-şerîfeyn olan zât-ı hilâfet-simât-ı hazret-i tâcdâr-ı ekremiyye merbûtiyet ve ubûdiyetleri kaziyye-i maʿrûzasının tahkîm ve teşyîdi vesâʾili istihzâr edilmiş olacağı emr-i gayr-ı mübehhemdir. Batavya‌ʾda müddet-i ikâmet-i çâkerânem esnâsında vâsıl-ı ıtlâʿ-ı kemterânem olan ahvâl-i garîbedendir ki kıtʿât-ı Hindiyeʾde meskûn olan edyân-ı mahalliye ashâbından baʿzı akvâm nezdine sûret-i mahsûsada Katolik ve Protestan misyonerleri gönderilerek bir takım sebük-mağzânî Çin ve Japonʾda dahî meşhûd olduğu üzere tebdîl-i dîn içün iknâʿ ve itmâʿa ve bu uğurda her türlü esbâb ve vesîlei teşebbüse dâmet-i der-meyân-ı gayret oldukları halde muvaffakiyetleri pek mahdûd kalmakda ve hatta baʿzı akvâm nezdinde aslâ teʾsîri görülmemekde ve taraf-ı müslimînden ise böyle meʾmûr-ı mahsûslar bulunmadığı hâlde cenâb-ı Hakkın hikmeti ve nebî-i zîşânın himmet ve muʿaveneti ile şeref-i İslâmʾla müşerref olan mühtedîler sene be-sene tekessür eylemekde olduğu bir müddetden beru Avrupa Hıristiyan âleminin dahî câlib-i nazar-ı dikkati olarak bir çok mübâhasâtını istilzâm eyleyen bir hâl-i hikmet-i iştimâl bulunmağla bir tarafdan millet-i muvahhide-i İslâmiyeʾnin tekessürünü ve diğer cânibden akvâm-ı muhtelife-i müslimenin merkez-i hilâfet-i kübrâya olan ubûdiyet ve merbûtiyetlerinin teʾkîdini mûcib olacak vesâʾilin istihzârı kıtʿât-ı mebhûse ile ihtilât-ı dâʾimînin husûlüne mütevakkıf olup bu ihtilâtın mübnî-i aleyhi olan münâsebâtın ise gıbta fermâ-yı aʿsâr-ı sâbıka olan şu asr-ı güzîn-i hazret-i şehriyârîlerinde biʾl-cümle mesâʾil-i siyâsîyenin hüsn sûretle hal ve faslı husûsunda meşhûd dîre-i şükrân olan tedâbir-i sâʾibe-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî âsâr-ı celîlesinden olmak üzere Japonya Devletiʾyle timena[?] bu râddeye varmış olan münâsebâtın tahkîm ve teşyîdi sûretiyle tahassül edeceği ahvâl-i mahalliyenin meşhûdât ve istitlâʿât-ı çâkerânemden olan zübde-i hakâyıkından olduğunun arz ve îzâhını vecîbe-i uhde-i diyânet ve farîza-i ess-ı esâs gerden-i ubûdiyet addeylerim. Fî 2 Cemâziyelâhire sene 1308 ve fî 1 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene 1306 Abd-i memlûklârı Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı Hukûkiye-i Muhtalita Müdürü May God help our lord, His Majesty the most just Sultan, in all his business, and prolong his life and grant him with complete health as long as the world lasts, entirely protect the Caliphate the imperial realms, and may He ensure that the nation of Islam remains continuously proud.

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I consider it a duty and a requirement of being a servant to relate and present to the illustrious threshold of his exalted Majesty the information and opinion that appeared in my deficient mind on the occasion of the arrival of Japanese ships to the seat of the Imperial Sultanate bringing the survivors of the calamity of the wrecked Ertuğrul Frigate, as a result of my previous service. I was at your service at the Consulate General in the city Batavia (the seat of government of island of Java which is a part of the Indian Islands that are Dutch colonies) for three years from 1299 [1883/1884] to 1302 [1886/1887]. During this period, I deemed it my primary function to explore the means of strengthening the obedience of the hundreds of millions of Muslims in the said region, and due to its proximity in India and Indochina, to the centre of the great Caliphate. I was the first [Consul General] sent by the Imperial Sultanate to the Indian Islands. It was communicated previously to the relevant offices that, soon after my arrival to Batavia, while I was performing the Friday prayer together with thousands of Muslims, contrary to the practice until then, the sermon began to be read in the name of the His Majesty the exalted Caliph. Afterwards, during our journey with the governor of Indian Islands to Aceh, the Acehnese also [adopted] this religious requirement, and the preacher mentioned the noble imperial name of exalted lord His Majesty the Commander of the Faithful in the sermon for the first time. At the same time, the Muslims who were present there prayed devotedly for the continuity of the life of the noble monarch, and lots of people applied to the consulate in groups and requested to be taken under the protection of His Majesty’s throne. Wherever I went, I witnessed these and similar [incidents] as indications of these people’s spiritual connection and obedience to the exalted person of His Majesty the Commander of the Faithful, the Caliph of the Prophet of the Lord of the World, the noble person of His Majesty the Shadow of God on Earth, and as proof that the justice of our great lord is the model for the Islamic world and the only protector of the true religion. When [they saw] other nations’ war and trade ships sailing in the said region, many people expressed their genuine wish to see the victorious Ottoman flag waving mightily [in the region]. For these reasons the things that I have seen have convinced me that if the Eternal Imperial Sultanate increases and expands its relations with various people of Far East and Central Asia, this will strengthen the firm spiritual connection of all Muslim peoples to the great Caliphate, and reinforce the spiritual and political influence of the Caliphate in mobilizing the community of Islam. Last year when I was in Crete on a special mission, I was informed of the departure of Ertuğrul Frigate by the gracious favour of His Majesty. At that very moment, as a result of my knowledge of the region which I have previously shared, I could imagine the favourable impact of the deployment of such a mission by His Majesty to the

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Japanese people, who, with God’s will, [have shown that they] are capable of investigating and understanding all kinds of modern developments and religious truths, although they were considered infants in their relations with [European] countries since they were not part of the European civilisation. The deployment of such a mission by His Majesty the Crown-Holder will produce lots of benefits with regard to [Japan], and in addition this will bring benefits with regard to the various peoples of India who are located on the route. His most noble Majesty, who extended the fame, imperial majesty and power of his illustrious ancestors, who brought his world-conquering might as far as Aceh, the signs of which I witnessed, has shown to the entire world that he is the rightful sustainer of the religion and state. During the distinguished period of His Majesty’s Caliphate I have prostrated myself and thanked God for being favoured with such a great monarch who is a blessing for the community of Islam, and especially for the Ottoman nation, and prayed, as much as I could, for the continuance of His Majesty’s reign and health. According to my deficient mind, the continuation of the current friendly relations with Japan is an excellent means to strengthen the obedience to the centre of the Imperial Caliphate of various people of India, Indochina, and Indian Islands because, if the Imperial Sultanate establishes an embassy in the latter country [Japan], due to its proximity it is natural that spiritual and material relations will be established with the regions like China and Indochina, which have large Muslim populations. There is no doubt that this method will prepare the means for attaining the desired state of strengthened connection and obedience of various Muslim communities to the person of His Majesty the Caliph. One of the interesting things that I came to learn during my stay in Batavia was that special Catholic and Protestant missionaries were sent to the people of the various regions of India who are affiliated to the local religions. As some silly Chinese and Japanese [examples] have shown, [although they] endeavour to do everything and use every means to convince and seduce them to convert, their success remained very limited or totally lacking in the case of some tribes. With God’s will and the help of the glorious and noble Prophet, the number of converts who are honoured with the glory of Islam increases every year even though the Muslims do not [employ] such special functionaries. This is an interesting situation that has attracted the attention of Christian Europe and provoked lots of discussions. The preparation of the means to increase the number of the united Islamic nation, and to strengthen the affiliation and obedience of the various Muslim people to the centre of the great Caliphate, depends on the establishment of a permanent communication with the said regions. The relations that lead to this intermixture will be produced by means of strengthening the relations with the state of Japan, which have [already]

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attained this [significant] level during the distinguished era of His Majesty the Caliph as an example of His Imperial Majesty’s measures to solve all political concerns. I deem it as a religious duty to most humbly communicate and submit [the above mentioned considerations,] which are truly the essence of my humble observations and the information I gathered on the local situation. 13 January 1891 Your humble servant, Director of Sundry Legal Affairs of the Foreign Ministry. Source: BOA Y.PRK.HR. 14/15

11

Documents pertaining to the activities of Monsieur Herring and the Ottoman administration’s rewarding of him, 1891

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry on the impact of the Qurʾans sent by Monsieur Herring for distribution in Indonesia, 1891 Huzûr-ı âlî-i Hazret-i Nezâret-penâhîye 625 230 Devletlü efendim hazretleri Sumatra‌ʾda mütemeyyizân-ı tüccârândan Mösyö Herring tarafından Batavya‌ʾda mukîm Avusturya Konsolosu Mösyö Mayerʾe tevârüd edip taraf-ı bendegâneme irâʾe olunan bir kıtʿa mektûbda nâm-ı âcizâneme olmak üzere Dersaʿâdetʾde tabʿ olunan aleʾl-aʿlâ altı yüz aded Mushaf-ı şerîf hediye eylediği işʿâr olunmuş ve mezkûr Mushaf-ı şerîfler altı aded sandık derûnunda olarak vâsıl olduğundan ahz olunması dahî mûmâileyh tarafından ilâveten ifâde olunmuşdur. Maʿlûm-ı mekârim-i melzûm-ı hazret-i nezâret-penâhîleri olacağı vechile mûmâileyh Mösyö Henriʾnin bu misillü bir teklîfi bendelerince bâʾis-i teʾessür olup hâl-i tagayyur-ı âcizânemi mûmâileyh Mösyö Mayer dahî hissetmekle mektûb-ı mezbûrun biʾt-tekrâr kırâʾatini tavsiye eyledi siyâk-ı işʿâra nazaran mûmâileyh bu defʿa kendisine inâyet ve ihsân buyurulan mecidî nişân-ı zîşânına teşekküren ve ehl-i İslâmʾın muhibbi bulunduğuna binâʾen böyle bir hediyede bulunmuş ve maksad-ı aslî ise menâfiʿ-i umûma âʾid olan mezkûr Mushaf-ı şerîflerin tevzîʿinden ibâret olduğu istidlâl olunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda taraf-ı zî-şeref-i hazret-i âsef-i aʿzamîlerinden şeref-tevârüd edecek emre imtisâlen hareket olunmak üzre mezkûr sandıklar gümrükden çıkarılıp güzelce şehbenderhânede hıfz edilmişdir. Mukaddemâ arz olunduğu üzere Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde Dersaʿâdet Mushaf-ı şerîfleri be-gâyet meşhûr ve makbûl ise de şimdiye kadar buralarda aslâ 11.1

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görülmemiş olduğuna ve baʿzı Arablar tarafından li-ecliʾt-ticâre celb olunup mütedâvil olan Mushaf-ı şerîfler kırâʾati müşkil ve hatâdan gayr-i sâlim bulunduğuna mebnî mezkûr Mushaf-ı şerîflerin buralarda neşri ne derecelerde menâfiʿi mûcib olacağı bedîhîdir. Binâʾen aleyh biʾl-cümle ehl-i İslâm içün farz-ı ayn olan hâmi-i dîn-i mübîn-i garrâ ve halîfe-i resûl-ı Rabb-i Kibriyâ efendimiz hazretlerinin duʿâ-yı devâmî-i şân ve şevket ve selâmeti ve âfiyeti celîleleri her kırâʾatde dahî tekrâr ve edâ eylemek şart-ı mücerrediyle mezkûr Mushaf-ı şerîflerin isim ve şöhret ve mahall-i ikâmeti müşʿir usûlü vechile iktizâ eden defter baʿdehû takdîm olunmak üzre münâsibi vechile meccânen tevzîʿine müsâʿade-i lütf-âde-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîlerini istirhâm eylerim. Bu münâsebetle ber-vech-i âtî husûsun dahî arzına cesâret olunmuşdur şöyle ki mezkûr sandıklar gümrükde muʿâyene olunmak üzere bir dânesi küşâd olunup bir tarafdan gümrük meʾmûrunun vâkıʿ olan suʾâl-i nâ-mütenâhîsine cevâb vermekle meşgûl bulunduğum sırada diğer tarafdan da mezkûr sandıkların Dersaʿâdet Mushaf-ı şerîfleri olduğu maʿlûm olması üzerine gümrük mahalline yığılmış olan ahâlî lisânlarınca “Maşallah itu betul Kelâmullâh datang dari negeri tuan halîfe-i Nebiyyullâh” diyerek Mushaf-ı şerîfleri ziyâret eylemekde ve muhabbet ve ihtirâmât-ı fevkalâdelerinin sevkiyâtıyla mezkûr sandıkları hiç kimseye hâcet bırakmaksızın el üzerinde arabaya nakl etmişlerdir. Hayfâ ki gerek Cava ve gerek Malaya kavminin cânib-i seniyyüʾl-cevânib-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye olan merbûtiyet-i kalbiye ve muhabbet ve ubûdiyeti samîmiyyelerini ne kadar arz etmiş olsa yine tavsîfinden âciz bulunduğum muhât-ı ilm-i âlî-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîleri buyuruldukda her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 20 Receb sene [1]308 ve fî 16 Şubat sene [1]306 Batavya Başşehbenderi To the presence of the exalted Minister 625 230 My exalted lord In a letter shown to me from Monsieur Herring, a prominent merchant in Sumatra, to Monsieur Meier, Austrian Consul in Batavia, it is related that the former presented in my name six hundred excellent Qurʾans that were printed in the Abode of Felicity, and it was also related by the said [Herring] that the said noble Qurʾans should be taken as they have arrived in six chests. As Your Excellency will understand, the request of Monsieur Herring moved your servant profoundly. As Monsieur Meier also realized my sentiments, he advised me to read the said letter once more. The context of the letter suggests that the said [Mr Herring] has made such a present as an expression of

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gratitude for the glorious Mecidi medal that was bestowed to him for his love of Muslims. It is been inferred that his actual purpose is to deliver these noble Qurʾans, which are beneficial to the public. As a result, the chests have been removed from the customs house, and stored carefully at the consulate so as to best act in accordance with the order that will emanate from Your Excellency in this matter. As has been communicated previously, the noble Qurʾans of the Abode of Felicity are quite famous and popularly esteemed in the Indian Islands, but they have never been seen in these parts. The noble Qurʾans that circulate [here] are brought by Arabs for trade, and are difficult to read and are not free from mistakes. Therefore, the benefits of distributing [Istanbul] noble Qurʾans in these quarters are apparent. For this reason, I beg for your permission to distribute these noble Qurʾans for free, with the provision that every time one is read, it will be the personal obligation of all Muslims to pray for the continuation of the fame, greatness and well-being of our lord, the protector of the true religion, the exalted Caliph of the Prophet of Almighty God. This will be done on the understanding that a register will be presented [to the Foreign Ministry] later, indicating the name, status, and place of residence of the recipients. On this occasion, it is dared to raise the following issue as well. When one of the chests was opened at the customs house for inspection, it became known that they contained noble Qurʾans from the Abode of Felicity. Upon this, the people gathered at the customs house to visit the nobles Qurʾans and said “God has willed it, this is truly the Word of God, brought from the land of our lord the Caliph of the Prophet of God”8 in their own languages, while I was answering the endless questions of the customs official. As a result of their extraordinary love and respect, they carried the chests with their hands to the coach, so that no other help was needed. I will not be able to describe adequately the Javanese and Malaysian people’s heartfelt devotion, love and obedience to His Majesty the exalted Caliph even if I try. I make this most humble submission and await the command of the wisdom of Your Excellence. In all things, to command belongs to him who commands all. 1 March 1891 Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA İ.HR. 321/20729

8  We owe the transcription and translation of this sentence to Annabel Teh Gallop.

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11.2 Ottoman embassy in Berlin requests a medal for monsieur Herring Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretine fî 12 Nisan sene [18]91 târihiyle Berlin Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 46 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Lipzig başşehbenderimizin işʿârına nazaran “Sumatra” adasında “Asacan” nâm mahalde emlâke mutasarrıf bulunan Saksonya tebʿasından Mösyö “Herring” nâm zât mahall-i mezkûrda mütemekkin Müslümanlara bir takım Mushaf-ı şerîf tevzîʿ ettikten mâʿadâ farîza-i dîniyelerini îfâ içün görülen lüzûm üzerine mescidler dahî inşâ ettirmiştir sefâret-i seniyye mûmâileyh hakkında Almanya Kabinetosuʾnun efkârını, istifsâr etmiş olmağla kendisinin dördüncü rütbeden bir kıtʿa mecidî nişân-ı zîşânıyla taltîfinde bir gûne mahzûr olmadığı cevâben bildirilmişdir binâʾen aleyh mûmâileyhi kendiliğinden olarak icrâ etmekte olduğu teşebbüsât-ı hayriyede devâm-ı teşvîk için rütbe-i mezkûreden bir kıtʿa mecidî nişânıyla taltîfi vâbeste-i inâyet-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleridir emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Translation Office Number This is the translation of the communiqué received from the Imperial Embassy at Berlin dated 12 April 1891 and numbered 46. According to the communiqué of our Consul General at Leipzig, the person called Monsieur Herring, a subject of Saxony who possesses properties at the place called Asahan on the island of Sumatra, delivered some noble Qurʾans to the Muslims residing in that place. Moreover, when it was needed, he built mosques for the performance of their religious duties. The Imperial Embassy has requested the opinion of the German Cabinet about the said person. [The cabinet] replied that there was no obstacle to rewarding him with a Mecidi medal, fourth class. Accordingly, it depends on your exalted ministerial assistance to reward this person with a Mecidi medal of the said class, in order to encourage him to continue these beneficent initiatives of his own accord. To command belongs to him who commands all. Source: BOA İ.HR. 323/20904

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Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry explaining the complications regarding the medal awarded to Monsieur Herring Huzûr-ı mekârim-mevfûr-ı hazret-i nezâret-penâhîye 645 247 Devletlü efendim hazretleri Sumatra‌ʾda mütehayyizân-ı tüccârdan Mösyö Herringʾin nişân-ı âlîyi hâʾiz olduğuna dâʾir teşrîfâtça bir gûne kayd olmadığından keyfiyetin biʾt-tahkîk arz ve işʿârı irâdesini şâmil fî 18 Şevvâl sene [1]308 târihli enâmil-i zîb-i taʿzîm ve tefhîm olan emir-nâme-i âlî-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîlerinde imtisâlen olbâbdaki maʿlûmât-ı bendegânem geçen posta ile arz olunmuş idi mûmâileyhin Batavya‌ʾdaki Avusturya Konsolosuʾna irsâl ve sûret-i mütercemesi leffen arz ve takdîm kılınan mektûbunda beşinci rütbeden bir kıtʿa mecidî nişân-ı âlîsine nâʾiliyetinden dolayı bir eser-i mehmedet olmak üzre altı yüz aded Mushaf-ı şerîf irsâl eylediğini ve işbu Mushaf-ı şerîflerin taraf-ı bendegâneme iʿtâ olunması beyân eylemişdir o esnâda Almanya Hâriciye Nezâretiʾnden Batavya‌ʾdaki konsoloslarına tevârüd eden bir kıtʿa tahrîrâtda taraf-ı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden mûmâileyh Mösyö Hernifʾin beşinci rütbeden bir kıtʿa mecidiye nişân-ı âlîsi ile taltîfi mutasavver olduğundan bunun derece-i münâsibede olup olmadığı istifsâr olunması üzerine konsolos-ı mûmâileyhe dördüncü rütbeden bir kıtʿa mecidî nişân-ı âlîsiyle taltîfi münâsib olacağını cevâben bildirilmiş olduğunu ifâde etmektedir. Şu hâle ve teşrîfâtça dahî bir gûne kayd olmadığına nazaran mûmâileyh nişân-ı âlîye nâʾil olmazdan evvel ber-vech-i meşrûh bu tarafa öyle bir işʿârda bulunmuş olduğu ve binâʾen aleyh henüz nişân-ı âlîyi hâʾiz olmadığı anlaşılır ve kendisi Berlinʾde olduğundan ol-bâbda doğrudan doğruya tahkîkât icrâsı da mümkün olamamışdır. Mûmâileyh Mösyö Hernifʾde Berlin Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden arz ve inhâ buyurulmuş olduğu üzre şâyân-ı taltîf-i hayr-hâhân-ı devletden olup âsâr-ı hasenesini ezher cihet fiʿlen isbât eylediği nezd-i mekârim vefd-i hazret-i âsaf-ı aʿzamîlerinde maʿlûm ve sefâret-i seniyyenin arz ve inhâları vechile dördüncü rütbeden bir kıtʿa mecidî nişân-ı âlîsiyle taltîf ve tesrîrini manût-ı reʾy-i zerrîn-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîleri bulunmağla be-tekrâr arz-ı hâle cürʾet kılınmışdır her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 30 Zilkaʿde sene [1]308 ve fî 25 Haziran sene [1]307Bende-i Batavya Başşehbenderi 11.3

To the abundantly kind exalted ministerial presence 645 247

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My kind and exalted Lord; Upon the order of your Ministerial Excellency, dated 27 May 1891, requesting the investigation and communication of the state of affairs since there are no records at the [Office of] Protocol showing that Monsieur Herring, one of the prominent merchants of Sumatra, holds a medal, my humble information on the subject was presented in the last post. In a letter that [Herring] sent to the Austrian Consul in Batavia, he communicated that he had sent 600 noble Qurʾans as a sign of gratitude for receiving a Mecidi medal fifth class, and requested that these noble Qurʾans be delivered to me. It was reported in a document that arrived during that period from the German Foreign Ministry to their consul in Batavia that the Sublime State was considering rewarding the said Monsieur Herring with a Mecidi Medal fifth class, and requested the investigation of whether this was the suitable class. Upon this, the said consul replied that it would be appropriate to reward him with a Mecidi medal of the fourth class. Therefore given that there is no record at the [Office of] protocol, it seems that he [Herring] announced this information to these quarters before he attained the medal, and consequently that he has not yet obtained it. As he is now in Berlin, it has not been possible to investigate the issue directly. The said Monsieur Herring has been benevolent to the state, as communicated by the Imperial Embassy in Berlin, and it is known by Your Ministerial Excellency that he has demonstrated his good deeds in practice. Therefore, I dare to present the issue again, and it depends on your exalted ministerial opinion to reward and gratify [Monsieur Herring] with a Mecidi Medal fourth class as suggested by the Imperial Embassy [in Berlin]. In all things, to command belongs to him who commands all. 7 July 1891 Your servant, the Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA İ.HR. 323/20904

Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier explaining the situation and requesting a medal for Monsieur Herring Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 860 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Sumatra mütehayyizân-ı tüccârından Mösyö Herringʾin mecidî nişân-ı âlîsine nâʾiliyetinden dolayı mahallî ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾne li-ecliʾt-tevzîʿ göndermiş olduğu altı yüz aded Mushaf-ı şerîfin meccânen tevzîʿi makrûn-ı 11.4

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müsâʿade-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî buyurulduğu resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan 25 Ramazan sene [1]308 târihli tezkire-i cevâbiye-i cenâb-ı sadâretpenâhîlerinde emr u izbâr buyurulmasına mebnî keyfiyet cevâben Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾne işʿâr olunmuş idi tâcir-i mûmâileyhin ahâlî-i merkûmeye ol vechile Mesâhif-i şerîfe ihdâ ettikten mâʿadâ mesâcid dahî inşâ ettirmiş olduğu cihetle dördüncü rütbeden bir kıtʿa mecidî nişân-ı zîşânıyla taltîfi münâsib olacağını ve bu bâbda Almanya kabinetosunun muvâfakatı alındığını hâvî Berlin Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 12 Nisan sene [18]91 târihli ve kırk altı numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesi ile mûmâileyhin henüz bir nişân-ı âlîye nâʾil olmadığından evvelki işʿârı sehve mebnî olduğunu ve şâyân-ı taltîf bulunduğunu mütezammın ledeʾl-istiʿlâm mezkûr başşehbenderlikden cevâben alınan mektûb melfûfuyla berâber leffen takdîm kılınmış ve icrâ-yı îcâbı vâbeste-i irâde-i aliyye-i hazret-i hidivv-i efhamîleri bulunmuş olmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 8 M sene 1309 ve fî 1 Ağustos sene [1]307 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number 860 The request of your most humble servant is that: The lofty command of the most revered hand of His Majesty the Caliph approving the free distribution of six hundred copies of the noble Qurʾan to the local Muslims sent by Monsieur Herring, one of the prominent merchants of Sumatra, due to his attainment of an exalted Mecidi Medal, was announced to the Consulate General in Batavia in the reply of the Grand Vizierial note dated 4 May 1891. The translation of the communiqué received from the Imperial Embassy at Berlin, dated 12 April 1891 and numbered 46, communicates that it would be appropriate to reward the said merchant with a renowned Mecidi medal fourth class, because, beyond presenting noble Qurʾans to the said people in this way, he also built mosques, and that the consent of the German cabinet was obtained for this award. The response to our request for information, together with its attachments, which was received from our Consulate General, communicates that he was mistaken in his previous report, and that the said [Herring] has not yet obtained a medal but deserved being rewarded. It has been deemed that the implementation of this depends on the exalted will of Your Excellency. To command belongs to him who commands all. 14 August 1891 Foreign Minister. Source: BOA İ.HR. 323/20904

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11.5 Grand Vizier to the sultan requesting a medal for Monsieur Herring Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Amedî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn Devletlü efendim hazretleri Sumatra mütehayyizân-ı tüccârından Mösyö Herringʾin mahall-i ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾne li-ecliʾt-tevzîʿ altı yüz aded Mesâhif-i şerîfe göndermiş olduğu gibi mesâcid-i şerîfe dahî inşâ ettirmesinden dolayı dördüncü rütbeden bir kıtʿa mecidî nişân-ı zîşânıyla taltîfi hakkında Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresi melfûflarıyla berâber arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda her ne vechile emr u irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhî müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulur ise mantûk-ı münîfi infâz edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm olundu efendim. Fî 18 Rebîʿülâhir sene 309 fî 9 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Sadrazam Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olup melfûflarıyla manzûr-ı âlî buyurulan işbu tezkirei sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri üzerine mûcebince irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurulmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 22 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]309 ve fîn 13 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]307 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî Süreyya Sublime Porte Grand Vizierate Secretariat of the Imperial Council My kind and exalted lord, The note of the Foreign Ministry is presented in enclosure together with its attachment. It requests rewarding Monsieur Herring, one of the prominent merchants of Sumatra, with a Mecidi medal fourth class because he sent six hundred copies of the noble Qurʾan for distribution to the local Muslims, and built mosques there as well. My lord, this note has been drawn up with the understanding that the distinguished content of the exalted imperial order of Your Majesty will be implemented whatever it entails. 21 November 1891 Grand Vizier The request of your most humble servant is that: This Grand Vizierial note, from the most revered hand, with its enclosures has been brought to the exalted presence, and it is the imperial command of His Majesty that it be accordingly approved. To command belongs to him who commands all.

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25 November 1891. Süreyya, Chief Secretary to His Majesty. Source: BOA İ.HR. 323/20904

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Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry asking permission to accept the request of some local noblemen for collecting aid for the orphans of those martyred in the Ottoman-Greek war, 1897

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 26 Teşrîn-i Sânî [1]313 târihli Batavya Başşehbenderliği tahrîrâtı sûretidir Cezâir-i Hindiye ahâlî-i müslimesinin son derecede bulunan cehâletleriyle berâber yine dîn-i mübîn-i İslâmiyetʾe olan fıtrî incizâb ve mutâbaʿatları mühibbân-ı âlem-i İslâmiyetʾin âb-ı rûy-ı iftihârı olacak bir mertebe-i ulyâda bulunduğu hâlde şimdiye kadar bu havâlî-i İslâmî beyninde meʾâsir-i hub ve mevâlâtın ibrâz olunamaması gerek müstemlekât idâresinin ilkâʾât-ı bedhâhânesinden ve gerek matbûʿât-ı mahalliye ile neşrinden hâlî kalmadıkları neşriyât gûnâ gûndan ileri gelmiş ve ancak sâye-i kudret-vâye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîde asâkir-i mansûrüʾl-vây-ı şâhânelerinin bu defʿa ihrâz eylediği galabât ve muzafferiyât-ı çâr-ı aktâr-ı âlem-i İslâmiyete reşk-âver mübâhât olduğu gibi bu havâlî-i sekene-i İslâmiyesiʾnin dahî nazar-ı basîretini açmış olduğunun ve sâye-i inâyet-vâye-i hazret-i velî-niʿmet-i aʿzamîde Batavya‌ʾya meʾmûriyet-i âcizânemin icrâsıyla târih-i muvâsaletimden beru küll-i yevm bir eser-i muhabbetin ruʾyeti ve hak-ı ahakk-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye fıtrî ubûdiyet ve sadâkatle mümtezic bir râbıta-i kaviyye-i mutâvaʿatın müşâhedesiyle karîrüʾl-ayn olmakdayım işte cenâb-ı hakkın inâyet-i sübhâniyesi ve peygamber-i zîşân (s.a) efendimizin imdâd-ı rûhâniyetle kuvvetüʾl-uyûn-ı İslâmiyân ve müʾeyyed-i mebnâ-yı saltanat-ı âl-i Osmân olan şevketlü kemâl-i kudretlü pâdişâhımız efendimiz hazretlerine olan ubûdiyetlerinin bir nişâne-i alâmeti olmak üzere bu kere baʿzı mütemeyyizân-ı belde nezd-i bendegâneme gelerek her ne kadar hükûmet-i mahalliye tarafından katʿiyyen taht-ı memnûʿiyete alınmış ise de kendileri halîfe-i zî-şânları uğrunda fedâ-yı cân ile âlem-i İslâmiyetʾe hizmet etmiş olan asâkir-i şâhâneleri eytâm ve erâmiline mahsûs olmak üzre iʿânenin cemʿ ve iʿtâsıyla kesb-i mübâhât eyleyeceklerini biʾl-beyân taraf-ı çâkerânemden kabûlünü temennî ve der-meyân etmiş iseler de bu bâbda meʾzûniyetim olmadığından keyfiyetin evvel emirde huzûr-ı

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sâmî-i cenâb-ı hidivv-i efhamîlerine arzıyla her ne vechile emr u fermân buyurulur ise mantûk-ı âlîsine tevfîk-i hareket olunacağının ifâde ve istifsârına müsâraʿat kılınmış olmağla. Ol-bâbda … Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communiqué received from Consulate General in Batavia, dated 8 December 1897 Despite their utmost ignorance, the inherent attachment and submission to Islam of the Muslims of the Indies is at a high degree that could be a source of pride for those who dearly love the Islamic world. Despite this, until now, it has not been possible to display affection and friendship between the Muslims of these quarters [and the rest of the Islamic world] due to the bad intentions of the colonial administration, and the daily publications of the local press. However, the victories recently won by the ever-victorious imperial army [in the Ottoman-Greek war of 1897] through the powerful guidance of the Caliph, have heartened the Muslims of these lands, just as they have been an enviable source of pride across the entire Islamic world. Since arriving at my humble station in Batavia, which is the generous gift of my noble lord, I have been glad to observe daily signs of genuine affection and a strong and firm connection of submission to the most just Imperial Majesty the Caliph. Thanks to the most noble Sultan, who, through the generous gifts of God and our lord the noble Prophet (peace be upon him), is the carrier of the spirit of strength in the eyes of all Muslims and the bedrock of the Sultanate of the House of Osman, some eminent people of this town recently came to my presence and, even though it is strongly prohibited by the local government, declared that they would be proud to collect and deliver contributions for the orphans and widows of the imperial soldiers who served the Islamic world by sacrificing their lives for the most Noble Caliph. Although they requested that I accept their offer, my humble response was that I was not authorized on this issue, and that I would present the issue firstly to your great khedival excellency, and act in accordance with the content of the order whatever it will entail, and I hasten to ask for [it]. In this matter […]

[N.B.: On 11 January 1898 the Foreign Ministry informed the Grand Vizierate about the request of the Consul General in Batavia and that the Foreign Ministry had responded positively to the request of the local notables.] Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 380/74

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Consul General in Batavia about his activities to arrange the mentioning of the name of the caliph during khutbas, 1898

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnin 5 Mayıs [1]314 târihli tahrîrâtı sûretidir Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde Açe memâliki istisnâ olunduğu hâlde hutebâ-yı Arabʾın bulunmadığı cevâmiʿ ve mesâcid-i şerîfede esnâ-yı kırâʾat-ı hutbede halîfei rûy-ı zemîn ve vekîl-i resûl-ı Rabbüʾl-âlemîn efendimiz hazretlerinin nâm-ı hümâyûn-ı ittisâm-ı zillullâhîleri ezkârdan zehûl edilmekde bulunduğu nefsi Batavya‌ʾda bir iki câmiʿ-i şerîfde müşâhedât-ı âcizânemle ve bilâd-ı sâʾirede sâdât-ı kirâm tarafından olan ihbârâtla tebeyyün eylemiş ve selâtîn-i mahalliyeden olup muʿârefe kesb eylemiş olduğum Sumatra‌ʾda vâkıʿ Deli ve Riyod kıtʿaları hükkâmına vesâyâ-yı lâzimede bulunarak zîr-i tasarruflarında olan bilâdda esnâ-yı salât-ı Cuma‌ʾda hutebâ tarafından deʾb-i dîrîn-i diyânet-i celîleye tevfîkan nâm-ı nâmî-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye edʾiyye-i mefrûzanın tilâveti karargir olmuş ve îdüʾl-hacdan iʿtibâren ibtidâ ettirilmiş ise de kıtʿât-ı sâʾiredeki bilâd içün burada cemâʿat-i İslâmiye nâmına sûretde Müslüman Hollandalı müsteşrik bir protestandan mâʿadâ müfti veyâ reisi olmadığının berâ-yı maʿlûmât arz ve ifâdesine mücâseret kılınmış olmağla her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the note of the Consulate General in Batavia dated 17 May 1898. In the Indian Islands, when the Friday sermon is read in the mosques where no Arab preachers are present, the imperial name of His Majesty the Caliph of God on Earth, our lord, the deputy of the Prophet of the Lord of the World is not mentioned except in the kingdom of Aceh. I humbly witnessed this in two mosques in Batavia, and the munificent sayyids informed me about its occurrence elsewhere. I have given the required advice to the rulers of Deli and Riau, local Sultans in Sumatra whom I know. It has been decided that in the provinces under their rule during Friday prayers, in accordance with the ancient custom of the religion, the required prayers for the exalted name of His Majesty

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the Caliph will be performed by the preachers. Although this has commenced here since the Feast of Pilgrimage,9 the Muslim communities in other provinces do not have muftis or leaders here representing them except for a Dutch Protestant Orientalist who purports to be a Muslim [Snouck Hurgronje]. I dare to express and present these for your information. In all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 386/52

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Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Minister requesting his assistance for the endowment of a donation to the mosques and school construction in Batavia, 1898

Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniye Batavya Başşehbenderliği Aded 299/121 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Batavya‌ʾdaki cemâʿat-i kübrâ-yı muvahhidîn içün mevcûd olan cevâmiʿ ve mesâcid-i şerife, harâbe-zâr bir hâlde bulunması ve ahâlî-i İslâmiye hükûmeti mahalliyeden umûr-ı dîniye ve taʿallüm ve kesbiye husûsâtında hiçbir sûretle delâlet ve muʿâvenete mazhar olamadığından başka merkezi Amsterdam şehrinde olup bir kuvve-i rûhânîye bürünmüş bulunan bir ruhban komitesinin iğfâlâtına da kurbân edilmekde bulunduğu Batavya‌ ʾya muvâsalet-i çâkerânemde kesb-i ıttılâʿ eyleyerek teʾessürât-ı bendegânemi müʾeddî olmuş ve bu bâbda mütehayyızândan baʿzı zevâta olan teşvîkât-ı âcizânem netîcesi olarak teşekkül eden bir komisyon mevcûd iki büyük câmiʿ-i şerif ile neşr-i İslâmiyetʾe olan hidemât-ı celîlesiyle bu havâlîde meşâhir-i mücâhidînden ve kibâr-ı evliyâdan el-İdris Hazretleriʾnin merkad-i şerîflerinin taʿmîri, yeniden bir mekteb inşâsı karargir olmuş ve fakat cemʿ eyledikleri iʿâne hayrât-ı mezkûrenin hayyiz-i vücûda îsâliçün gayr-ı kâfî bulunmuş olduğundan otuz milyona resîde olan ve hükkâm ve umerâ ve efrâdı bilâ-istisnâ atabe-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîye meyl-i mutâvaʿat ve musâdakat-ı şedîde ile merbût bulunan şu cemʿiyet-i uzmâ-yı muvahhidîne karşı bir eser-i teveccüh-ı güsteri hümâyûn olmak ve meʾâsir-i mebrûre-i mâlâ-nihâye-i hazret-i zillullâhîye 9  ʿEid al-Hajj – another term from ʿEid al Adha, ‘the Feast of the Sacrifice’ that commemorates the binding of Isaac and the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

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aksâ-yı şarkdan maʿdûd olan bu memâlikde bir lâhıka-i sâtıʿa-i diyânetperverâne bulunmak ve ahâlî-i sâdıkayı müstağrak-ı şâdî ve şükrân etmek üzre mikdâr-ı münâsib atiyye-i seniyye-i mülûkâne ihsânına ve atiyye-i maʿrûzanın şehbenderhâne gıyâbında olarak Lahey sefâret-i seniyyesi vâsıtasıyla hükûmeti mahalliyeye biʾt-teblîğ Batavya‌ʾda Seyyid Osman nâm zâtın riyâsetinde olan iʿâne komisyonuna gönderilmesine dâʾir lütfen delâlet-i aliyye-i mehâmm-ı âşinâyîlerinin bî-diriğ ve erzân buyurulması tazarruʿuna cürʾet kılınmış olmağla her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 27 Zilhicce sene [1]315 ve fî 5 Mayıs sene [1]314 Batavya Başşehbenderi Bende Sublime Ottoman State Consulate General at Batavia Number 299/121 To the Exalted Foreign Ministry My kind and exalted lord; Upon my humble arrival in Batavia I was saddened that the Friday mosques and communal mosques that are available to the great community of monotheists in Batavia are in ruins, that the Muslim people obtain no assistance or guidance at all from the local government on religious matters and issues pertaining to education and earning their livelihood, and that they are being victimised by the seductions of the committee of priests who play the role of a spiritual force whose centre is located in Amsterdam. Upon my encouragement, a committee comprising a number of prominent people was formed, and it was decided to build a new school, and to repair two extant big mosques as well as the tomb of al-Idrisi, who is one of the greatest saints and the bestknown mujahids for his service to the spread of Islam in these parts. However, the donations they collected are found to be insufficient to put the said pious deeds into practice. Therefore, it has been dared to plead for the guidance of your well-known benevolence to dispense imperial favour towards this greatest community of monotheists of thirty million [people] who are, including all rulers, leaders and lay people, without any exception, attached to the exalted threshold of the illustrious Caliph with submission and intense loyalty. [This should be done by] granting in this country, which is deemed to be the furthest East, a religious monument to the Shadow of God [i.e. the Caliph] through the endowment of an adequate imperial donation, so that the obedient people will be overwhelmed by pleasure and gratitude. The requested donation should be remitted to the donation commission in Batavia chaired by the individual called Sayyid Osman through the Imperial Embassy in The

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Hague, which will declare it to the Dutch government. In this matter, and in all others, to command belongs to him who commands all. 19 May 1898. Your servant, the Consul General in Batavia.

[N.B. The request of the consul was communicated by the Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier and by the Grand Vizier to the Sultan. The available documentation does not provide any information about the response of the Sultan.] Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 386/40

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Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting a solution for the dispute on a second mosque in Palembang, 1898

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 1294 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Sumatra‌ʾda kâʾin Palinan şehrinde mütemevvilînden Elhâc Abdülhamid Masagus nâm zâtın inşâ ettirmiş olduğu câmiʿ-i şerîfde edâ-yı salâtın Batavya müfti muʿâvini tarafından taʿaddüd-ı cemʿiyetin adem-i cevâzına dâʾir verilen fetvâya mebnî menʿ edilmesi üzerine keyfiyet ledeʾl-istiftâ ol-bâbda Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde Makâm-ı Şâfiʿi İmâmı eş-Şeyh Ahmed Hatib Efendi tarafından “Sulhüʾl-cemâʿateyni bi-cevâzi taʿdâdüʾl-cumʿateyni” nâmıyla kaleme alınan risâlenin makâm-ı celîl-i fetvâ-penâhîce mezheb-i Şâfiʿi fukehâsı maʿrifetiyle baʿdeʾt-tasdîk bu mâdde hakkında Flemenk Hükûmetiʾne teblîgât-ı mukteziyye icrâ olunmak üzre bir nüshasının gönderildiğini şâmil Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden ahz olunan tahrîrâtın sûretiyle risâle-i mezkûre 6 S sene [1]316 tarihli tezkire-i çâkerî ile takdîm kılınmış idi muʿâvin-i mûmâileyhin taʿaddüd-i cemʿiyetin adem-i cevâzına dâʾir iʿtâ eylediği fetvâ hakkında kaleme almış olduğu “Teftîhüʾl-mukteleteyn ve tebyînüʾl-müfsideteyn” nâm risâlenin dahî irsâl olunduğu ve kırk bin nüfûs-ı müslimeyi hâvî olan şehr-i mezkûrda taʿaddüd-i cemʿiyetin cevâz ve adem-i cevâzı hakkında tarafeynin sûret-i iddiʿâları ve iki mescid beynindeki mesâfe nazar-ı dikkât ve mutâlaʿaya alınarak mesʾelenin ona göre itfâsı ifâdesini hâvî mezkûr başşehbenderlikden bu kere vârid olan tahrîrâtın sûreti dahî risâle-i mezkûre ile berâber arz ve tesyîr olunmuş ve icrâ-yı îcâbı manût-ı irâde-i aliyye-i sadâret-penâhîleri bulunmuş olmağla emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 19 Safer sene 1316 ve fî 27 Haziran sene 1314. Hâriciye Nâzırı

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Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number 1294 To the exalted presence of His Vizierial Highness The request of your most humble servant is that: The performance of prayers at a noble mosque built by one of the wealthy men of the city of Palembang on Sumatra, called Al-Hajj Abdulhamid Mas Agus, was ruled to be prohibited by the deputy mufti of Batavia due to the impermissibility of splitting the community. In this matter, upon request, a treatise was written by the Shafiʿi imam in Honoured Mecca, Shaykh Ahmad Khatib Efendi, entitled, ‘The agreement of the two communities on the permissibility of two Friday mosques’ (Sulh al-Jamaʿatayn bi-Jawaz Taʿaddud al-Jumʿatayn).10 A copy of the said treatise was presented with my most humble note dated 26 June 1898, along with the copy of the correspondence from the Consulate General in Batavia [communicating these developments and suggesting to] notify the Dutch government about the issue after it [the treatise] was confirmed by the scholars of law of the Shafiʾi school at the office of the Grand Mufti. The correspondence that arrived now from the Consulate General in Batavia communicates that the treatise called ‘The Opening of Two Eyes and the Demonstration of Two Corruptions’ (Taftih al-Muqlatayn wa-Tabyin al-Mufsadatayn)11 about the ruling given on the impermissibility of splitting the community written by the said deputy [mufti] was also sent, and requests to put an end to the matter by taking notice of the distance between the two mosques, and by engaging with the arguments from both sides of the permissibility and impermissibility of splitting the community in a city with a population of forty thousand Muslims. The copy of the correspondence and the said treatise are also presented to your excellency. The implementation of its requirement depends on your exalted Grand Vizierial will. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 9 July 1898 Foreign Minister Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 386/124

10  On this treatise and its author see Kaptein 2014: 128–130, and in general on the controversy in Palembang see Kaptein 2014. 11  On this treatise, in Arabic and Malay by Sayyid ʿUthman, the Muslim partner of Snouck Hurgronje, see Kaptein 2014: 129–131.

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Documents on a newspaper article suggesting that the Ottomans provoke the Muslims of the Dutch Indies against the Dutch government, 1898

Ottoman ambassador in The Hague informs the Foreign Ministry about the discussions in the Dutch parliament on the Ottomans’ initiatives to extend their influence over the Muslims of the Dutch Indies in connection with the recent newspaper articles, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne 13 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [18]98 târihiyle Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 69 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir Dersaʿâdetʾde çıkan “Moniteur Oriental” gazetesiyle âhiren neşr edilip zâten ertesi günü tekzîb olunmuş olan bir fıkradan dolayı Flemenk sefîri tarafından nezd-i âlî-i âsafânelerinde bir teşebbüs icrâ olunduğu ve bu teşebbüse mûcib-i hoşnûdî bir netîce verildiği maʿlûm-ı âlî-i nezâret-penâhîleridir. İşin bu hâlde kalması tabîʿî iken “Journal Du Rotterdam” gazetesi muhabiri ittihâd-ı İslâm lehine birçok entrikalar icrâ olunduğunu iddiʿâ etdiğinden meclis-i mebʿûsânın şehr-i hâlin altıncı günkü ictimâʿında Katolik mebʿûsu “Schaepman” tarafından Hâriciye Nâzırıʾna bir suʾâl îrâd olunmuşdur mezkûr suʾâl ile buna verilen cevâbın tercümesi leffen takdîm kılındı. Bu münâsebetle şurasını da zât-ı âlî-i âsafânelerine arz etmeliyim ki nâzır-ı müşârunileyhin aldığı maʿlûmâta nazaran Kamil Efendi henüz “Batavya”dan müfârekat etmediği gibi halefi Emin Bey meʾmûriyet-i cedîdeʾsine azîmet için el-ân emr almamış olduğunu Liverpoolʾdan bendenize işʿâr ediyor. Emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Melfûf varakanın tercümesidir. Flemenk meclis-i mebʿûsânının 6 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [18]98 târihinde vukûʿ bulan ictimâʿında bin sekiz yüz doksan dokuz senesine mahsûs Hâriciye bütçesinin müzâkeresi esnâsında Katolik mebʿûsu Mösyö “Schaepman” bervech-i âtî îrâd-ı suʾâl etmişdir: “Hâriciye Nâzırıʾnın diğer bir nokta hakkında dahî nazar-ı dikkatini celb ederim. Dün akşam çıkan “Nieuwe Rotterdamshce Courant” gazetesi Hindistanʾdaki müstemlekâtımızda ittihâd-ı İslâm lehine icrâ olunan tahrîkât hakkında bir bend neşr etmişdir. Ben bu entrikalardan bahs etmeyeceğim, fakat bend-i mezkûrda “Moniteur Oriental” gazetesinde münderic havâdis mevzuʿ bahs edilmiş ve “Nieuwe Rotterdamshce Courant” gazetesi muhbiri hükûmetimizin Ermeniler ile meskûn vilâyât-ı şâhâne ile Giridʾde vukûʿ bulan kıtâller münâsebetiyle değil – fakat Devlet-i Aliyye 16.1

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şehbenderlerinin müstemlekâtımızda bu gibi entrikalara iştirâk etmelerine muhâlefet eylediğimizden dolayı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye beyân-ı iʿtizâr etmiş olduğuna dâʾir bir havâdis tasniʿ edilmiş olduğunu iddiʿâ eylemişdi. Bu ilk havâdis neşr olunmamış ise de diğer bir havâdis derc edilmişdir ki bu havâdisi muhtevî olan gazete her ne kadar Bâb-ı Âlîʾde kaleme alınan fıkra-i mezkûre şedîdüʾl-meʾâl değil ise de hükûmetimizin Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye seref-rû ve iʿtirâf-ı kusûr eylemiş olduğunu yazıyor. Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin Bâb-ı Âlîʾye karşı bu yolda hareket etmemiş olduğundan emîn isem de Hâriciye Nâzırıʾnın bu bâbda meclise maʿa‌ ʾl-memnûniye maʿlûmât-ı muhtasara ve muknıʿa vereceği ümidindeyim.” Hâriciye Nâzırı Mösyö “Beaufort, bir vicdânî cevâb vermişdir. Almelo mebʿûsu Mösyö “Schaepman” diğer bir mâddeden dahî bahs etmişdi. El-yevm meclise bu mâdde hakkında dahî ehemmiyet-i azîmeyi hâʾiz baʿzı maʿlûmât iʿtâ edebilirim. Meclisin lâyıha-i muvakkatasında nezdi Bâb-ı Âlîʾde icrâ eylediğimiz teşebbüsâtdan bahs edilmiş ve ittihâd-ı İslâm lehine Dersaʿâdetʾde icrâ olunan entrikalara karşı orada sûret-i müʾesserede hareket edip etmediğimiz suʾâl olunmuş idi. Ben de bu bâbda evrâk-ı havâdis tarafından vukûʿ bulan neşriyâtın mübâlağadan ârî olmadığını söylemişdim. Fakat şurasını alenen iʿtirâf etmeliyim ki bu cevâbı “Nieuwe Rotterdamshce Courant” gazetesinin bu sabahki nüshasını ve Dersaʿâdetʾde çıkan gazeteler tarafından neşr olunup sefîrimiz tarafından yine bu sabâh tebliğ edilmiş olan fıkarâtı okudukdan sonra vermiş olsaydım biraz daha şiddetli bir sûretde idâre-i lisân ederdim. Dersaʿâdet gazetelerinde münderic olup külliyen bî-asıl ve esâs olan havâdisden fevka‌ʾl-gâye düçâr-ı istiğrâb oldum. Cerâʾid-i mezkûrda “Sumatra” ve müstemlekâtımızın cihât-ı sâʾiresinde mukîm Devlet-i Aliyye şehbenderlerine nişanlar verildiğini yazıyorlar. Halbûki “Sumatra”da Devlet-i Aliyye şehbenderi bulunmadığı ve şarkî müstemlekâtımızda dahî yalnız “Batavya”da bir başşehbenderi bulunduğu maʿlûmdur. İmdi şehbender-i mûmâileyhden dolayı cereyân etmiş olan baʿzı ahvâli bu gibi havâdis-i kâzibeye cevâb olarak şimdi meclise beyân edeceğim. Söyleyeceğim şeyler “Moniteur Oriental” ve “İstanbul” gazetelerinin kavlince Flemenk ile Devlet-i Aliyye beyninde akd edilmiş olan mukâvelâta müteʿallik havâdisden büsbütün başka şeyʾe dâʾirdir. İş şundan ibâretdir ki bir müddetden beri “Batavya”ya cânib-i hükûmet-i seniyyeden taʿyîn kılınmış olan bir şehbender vazîfe-i resmiyesini îfâda ibrâz ettiği fart-ı gayret eseri olarak baʿzen dâʾire-i vazîfesi hâricinde bir takım işlerle iştiğâl etmekte idi. Mûmâileyhin hareket-i vâkıʿası müstemlekât hükûmetinin adem-i hoşnûdîsini mûcib olduğundan buraya şikâyet edilmişdir. Binâʾen aleyh şehbender-i mûmâileyhin meʾmûriyet-i mezkûrede bekâsı pek de câʾiz olamayacağına binâʾen tebdîli mümkün olup olmadığını Dersaʿâdet sefîrimiz vâsıtasıyla Bâb-ı Âlîʾden istifsâr eyledim. Mesʾûl-ı vâkıʿamız derhâl isʿâf edilerek şehbender-i mûmâileyh azl ile yerine

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“Liverpool” şehbenderi taʿyîn kılınmış olduğundan mûmâileyhin bu günlerde “Batavya”ya muvâsaleti meʾmûldür. Fakat şehbender-i sâbık azlinden sonra “Batavya”da kalarak evvelce başşehbender sıfatıyla ruʾyet ve tesviye eylediği umûr ve mesâlih ile iştiğâle devâm ettiğinden bu hâlin imtidâdı gayr-ı câʾiz idüği ve mûmâileyh hakkında tedâbir-i şedîdeye tevessül edileceği hükûmet-i mahalliye cânibinden müstemlekât nezâretine bildirilmesi üzerine bu bâbda hükûmet-i seniyyeye işʿâr-ı keyfiyet olunmadıkça bu tedbîre mürâcaʿat etmemesini müstemlekât nâzırı vesâtatıyla Governorʾdan ricâ eyledim. Bunun üzerine sefîrimiz keyfiyeti nezâret-i celîle-i hâriciyeye arz etmiş ve nezâret-i müşârunileyhâ derhâl “Batavya”dan müfârekat etmesini şehbender-i sabık mûmâileyhe bâ-telgraf emr eylemişdir. İşte bu işte bize bezl-i muʿâvenet etmiş olan hükûmet-i seniyyeden şikâyete aslâ hakkımız yokdur. Bundan mâʿadâ Hindistanʾdaki Flemenk müstemlekâtında meskûn ahâlî-i İslâmiye hakkında edilecek muʿâmele hakkında bir sûret-i tesviye akd eylediğine dâʾir gazeteler tarafından verilen havâdis dahî kâmilen bî-asıl ve esâsdır.” Sublime Porte Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation office Number This is the translation of the communiqué from the Imperial Embassy at The Hague to the Foreign Ministry dated 13 December 1898 and numbered 69. It is known to your Ministerial Excellency that an article published in the Istanbul [paper] Moniteur Oriental was disclaimed the following day, and the Dutch ambassador took an initiative with your Ministerial Excellency that was concluded satisfactorily. Although the issue should have been concluded in this way, the correspondent of Journal Du Rotterdam claimed that lots of panIslamic intrigues were being carried out. Upon this, during the [Dutch] parliament’s assembly on the 6th of this month the Catholic MP Schaepman12 asked a question to the Foreign Minister. The translation of the said question and the answer to it is presented in enclosure. In this connection, I would like to present to your Ministerial Excellency that, according to the information that the said minister received, Kamil Efendi has not departed from Batavia yet. Moreover, his predecessor, Emin Bey, announced to me from Liverpool that he has not yet received any order to depart for his new mission. To command belongs to him who commands all. This is the translation of the enclosed document 12  H.J.A.M. Schaepman (1844–1903), Catholic priest and politician.

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[The translation concerns the Dutch MP’s question about the news on Ottoman initiatives to exert influence over the Muslims in the Dutch Indies and the response of the Foreign Minister stating that it is an exaggeration] Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 392/77

Ottoman consul in Batavia informing the Foreign Ministry about a newspaper article suggesting that the Ottomans provoke the Muslims of the Dutch Indies against the Dutch government, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Tercüme Odası Numero 3135 Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Hind ahâlî-i İslâmiyesini Flemenk Hükûmetiʾne karşı harekât-ı isyâniyeye teşvîk için Türkler tarafından baʿzı teşebbüsâtda bulunulduğuna dâʾir “Yeni Roterdam” gazetesinin “Hindistanʾda Tevsîʿ-i Dâʾire-i İslâmiyet Entrikaları” ser-levhâsıyla neşr eylediği mektûbun irsâline dâʾir. Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne 7 Eylül sene [1]314 târihiyle Batavya Başşehben­ derliğiʾnden vârid olan 202 numerolu tahrîrâta melfûf gazete bendinin tercümesidir. Hindistanʾda Tevsîʿ-i Dâʾire-i İslâmiyet Entrikaları “Yeni Roterdam” gazetesi geçende Hind ahâlî-i İslâmiyesini bize karşı hareket-i isyâniyeye teşvîk için Türkler tarafından baʿzı teşebbüsâtda bulunulmakda idüğine dâʾir Dersaʿâdet muhbirinden almış olduğu gâyet mufassal bir mektûbu derc etmişdi. Bu mektûbda büyük bir Cava Hükûmeti teʾsîs etmek içün ahâlî-i mahalliyeden kısm-ı aʿzamının efkârı tasmîm edilmekde ve Dersaʿâdetʾde Saray-ı Hümâyûn dâhilinde zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazreti pâdişâhî riyâset-i hafiyyeleri tahtında olarak bir kuvvet teşekkül ederek nâʾil-i maksad olmak için îcâb eden vesâʾite tevessülden hâlî kalmamakda olduğu teʾmîn olunuyordu. Mezkûr komite bu husûsda o kadar ince ve derin düşünürmüş ki taraf-ı eşref-i hazret-i pâdişâhîye bu telkînâtın icrâsını teshîl maksadıyla tâ Cava‌ʾdan Dersaʿâdetʾe tahsîl için çocuklar celb ettirildiği gibi kraliçenin resm-i tetevvücü münâsebetiyle Flemenkʾe gelmiş olan Hind prenslerini kendilerine celb için teşebbüsâtda bulunmuşlardır. “Delft” mektebi muʿallimlerinden Mösyö “Van Den Berg”13 yine gazeteye yazdığı bir mektûbda mârruʾz-zikr mektûbun baʿzı cihâtını münakaşa ediyor. Ez cümle mûmâileyhin kavlince Osmanlı Pâdişâhına tefvîz-i emânet mesʾelesi şerîʿat-i İslâmiyeʾye mugâyirdir. Eʾimme-i İslâmiye hulefâ idi. 1258 senesinde hilâfet-i Abbâsiyeʾnin inkırâzından sonra artık mustahıkk-ı hilâfet kalmadı. Fiʾl-vâkıʿa hânedânın 16.2

13  Lodewijk Willem Christiaan van den Berg (1845–1927).

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hilâfete mensûb bir zâtın unvân-ı hilâfeti Mısır memâliki tarafından tasdîk edilmişdir. Bu unvân-ı hilâfet Sultân Selîm Hân-ı Evvel Hazretleri tarafından 1517 senesinde Mısırʾın fethi esnâsında ahz olunmuş ise de mukâvele ile ahz olunan bu unvân-ı emânet hakkında âlem-i İslâmʾın tasdîki yoktur. Zîrâ emânet ya ümmetin intihâbı veyâhud sâbıkın taʿyîn-i vasiyeti ile olur. Dîn-i İslâm bu usûl hilâfına olarak istihsâl-i imâmeti de tasdîk eder. Ez cümle imâm-ı sahîh mevcûd olmadığı zamân hak, taraf-ı gâlibde olur. Lâkin bu zâtın da nüfûz ve iktidârı zâʾil olur olmaz hakk-ı imâmeti de zâʾil olur. Binâʾen aleyh selâtîn-i izâm-ı Osmâniyeʾnin unvân-ı hilâfeti bizim kavânîn-i esâsiyemizde “Prens Dö Oranj” unvânının ifâde ettiği maʿnâdan başka bir şey ifâde etmeyeceğinden hükûmet-i Osmâniyeʾnin bu unvândan biʾl-istifâde îkâʿ-ı şureş ve iğtişâşa tasaddî etmesi baʿîdüʾl-ihtimâldir. Hind-i şarkîden tard ve ihrâc olunacağımız fırsat olunsa bile yerimize diğer bir Hıristiyan hükûmetiyle kâʾim olunacağı derkârdır. Devlet-i Aliyye gerek İngiltereʾnin Hindistandaki müstemlekâtında zuhûr eden isyân ve gerek “Açelilerle” olan muhârebelerde gâyet müstakîmâne hareket eylemişdir. Arablar kendilerini Türklerden daha âlim iʿtikâd ederler. Şerîʿat-ı İslâmiyece şerʿan intihâb veyâ taʿyîn olan imâmet eşref-i kabâʾil olan Kureyşʾin en büyük hânedânından olmak iktizâ ettiği hâlde şimdiki halîfe âdî bir Arab bile değildir. Biʾl-farz o memleketi feth etse bile Cezâyir-i mezkûre ahâlîsi tarafından bir prens olmak üzre bile telakkî edilemeyecektir. Devlet-i Aliyye hükûmât-ı İslâmiyeʾnin en kuvvetlisi olduğundan Hadramut Arabları kendi memleketlerinin Bâb-ı Âlîʾnin himâyesi altında olduğunu tasdîk ederlerse de Bâb-ı Âlî bu himâye hakkında iktidâr ve nüfûz-ı sahîha tahvîl etmekden şimdiye kadar tevakkî etmiştir. Ne meʾmûrlarımız ne Avrupalı tâcirler Cezâyir-i Hindiye Arablarına iyi bir nazarla bakmıyorlar. Meʾmûrlârımız bunları ahâlîi mahalliyeye zulm ve gadr eder kaba ve nizâʿcı olmak üzre telakkî ederler. Tüccâr da imzâlarının şerefini muhâfazaya iʿtinâ etmediklerinden şikâyet ederler. Bu şikâyet bir dereceye kadar doğrudur. Bu Arablarʾın müdâfaʿaları değil ise de şurasını beyân etmeliyim ki kurûn-ı vustâda Avrupa zâdegânının da aynı nekâyis ile âlûde olması Arablar hakkında esbâb-ı muhaffefeden addedilmek lâzım gelir. Bunca nekâyisleri ile berâber bir çok hazâillerini ve ez cümle şimdiye kadar millet nâmına aslâ isyân etmediklerini de unutmamalıdır. İçlerinden yalnız meşhûr “Abdurrahman ez-Zâhir” Açeʾde bize karşı isyân edebilmiş ise de bu da aslâ hemşehrileri tarafından mazhar-ı muʿâvenet olamayarak Açelilerin muzâharetine nâil olmuşdur. Hattâ “Batavya”daki Arabların reisi “Seyyid Adil” mûmâileyh Abdurrahmanʾın isyân etmemesi için pek çok hizmet etmiştir. Şüphesiz geçmiş zamanlarda hilâfına vâkıʿ olmuş baʿzı hâdisât da vardır. Ez cümle “Hadramut”da kervanları soymaya alışmış bir Arab Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾye vürûdunda yine silkinde fakat ânı ahvâl-i mahalliyeye tevfîkan taʿdîl ederek devâm etmiş ve binâʾen aleyh korsanlık sanʿat-ı meşrûhasına şürûʿ

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eylemişdir. Lâkin bu gibi vekâyiʿ-i müşevveşe ile mektûbda Arablara isnâd olunan ahvâl arasında büyük bir fark vardır. Meselâ Cezâyirʾde cemʿiyyât-ı muzırra-i İslâmiyede aʿzâdan hiç bir Arab yoktur. Şâyed içlerinden biri Arab olsa orda Cezâyirʾde doğmuş büyümüş ve binâʾen aleyh ahlâk ve efkârca yerlilerden farksız bir hâle gelmiş olanlardandır. Bu cemʿiyyâtın izhâr ettikleri silk-i sûfiyâne Arabların ahlâk ve etvârına pek kâfî ol[ma]dığından Arabların İslâmiyet(?) olmak üzre bu misillü cemʿiyyâtın tevsîʿine çalıştığını farz edenler onların ahvâline muttaliʿ olmayanlardır. Bu bâbda cezîre dâhilinde muzır addolunmak lâzım gelen kimseler varsa onlar da hacılarla şuradan buradan biʾl-hâssa hacı toplamağa gelen kimselerdir hacı toplayanlar ise aleʾl-ekser Arab kıyâfetinde gezip bundan dolayı Avrupalılar tarafından Arab zan edildikleri hâlde hakîkâtde Mekke-i Mükerreme ahâlîsinin en aşağı tabakasına mensûb bir halîtadan ibâret olup Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾnin Arab ahâlîsi bu makûlelere pek fenâ nazarla bakıyorlar. Asıl Arab ahâlîsi esnâ-yı tedkîkât ve tetebbuʿâtda bana muʿâvenet etmiş oldukları cihetle bir gazetede bu sebeple bir bend neşr edildiği sırada oradaki isnâdâtın bir sû-i tefehhümden münbaʿis olup zâten daha fenâ fikirlere zâhib olan bir çok Avrupalıların sû-i zannı mahzâ bundan dolayı tezâyüd edeceğini beyâna mecbûrum. Yerlileri Avrupalılaştırmak mesʾelesine gelince bu cihete ta‌ʾalluku olmak üzre hatırıma bir şey geliyor. Vaktiyle Batavya‌ʾda gerek bu Avrupalılaşmış ve gerek Devlet-i Aliyye ile daha ciddî münâsebâtda bulunabilmek için ciddî teşebbüsâta tevessül etmek fikri bir Bağdadlı ile oğulları tarafından der-meyân edilmişdi. Lâkin bu fikrin netîcesi olarak bu fikir eğerçi Arab kıyâfetinde ve Arab lisânı ile mütekellim olmağla berâber yine şecere-i nesebleri gayr-ı muntazam olacağı ve bundan dolayı hazret-i Peygamberin vatandaşı addedilmedikleri cihetle Arab mahallelerinde iyi bir nazarla bakılamadı. Bence Maʿlûmât gazetesinin aldığı meşhûr mektûblar bundan değilse bile ona benzer bir sebebden tereşşüh etmiş olması ağleb-i ihtimâldir. Mekke-i Mükerreme ahâlîsinden olup hacı toplamak üzre gelen zevâtdan biri tarafından yazılmış ise ona da bir diyeceğim yoktur. İʿtikâd ve kedere[?] Arabları Avrupalılaştırmak mesʾelesinde biʾt-tabiʿ ona merbût olmak lâzım gelen Avrupa kavânîninin yalnız hukûk-ı âile ve verâsete âʾid kısmı onları böyle bir şeyden tenfîr edecektir. Halbûki orada bulunduğum zamân onların bu yolda bir fikri yok idi. İzâhât-ı meşrûha ile Dersaʿâdet muhbirinin beyân ettiği vekâyiʿin sıhhati düçâr-ı iştibâh etmek fikrinde değilim. Yalnız netâyic hakkındaki mutâlaʿât aleyhindeyim. Sublime Porte Translation Office Number 3135

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Draft Translation: Concerning transmitting the letter that was published in the newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamse Courant entitled “Intrigues of Extending the Circle of Islam in India”, claiming that the Turks have taken some initiatives to instigate the Indian Muslims against the Dutch Government. This is the translation of the newspaper article enclosed in the communiqué of the Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry, dated 19 September 1898 and numbered 202. [The translated piece concerns an article on the designs of the Ottoman Sultan to extend his influence in the Dutch Indies] Source: BOA HR.TO. 355/98

Ottoman consul in Batavia informing the Foreign Ministry about another newspaper article published in Batavia, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Tercüme Odası Numero 350 Nevʿ-i Tercüme: “Basîret Üzere Bulunmak” ser-levhâsıyla Batavya‌ʾda çıkan gazeteden münderic bendin leffen irsâline dâʾir 7 Eylül sene [1]314 târihiyle ve 202 numerolu tahrîrâta zeyl. Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne 6 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [18]98 târihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan 213 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Batavya‌ ʾda çıkan “Java Bode” gazetesinin 7 Eylül sene [18]98 tarihli nüshasında münderic bendin Fransızca tercümesi 7 Eylül [1]314 târihli ve iki yüz iki numerolu tahrîrât-ı âcizâneme zeyl olmak üzre leffen takdîm kılındı emr u fermân. Melfûf Bendin Tercümesidir. Flemenk evrâk havâdisinden “Standaard” nâm gazetede “Basîret Üzere Bulunmak” ser-levhâsı tahtında münderic bir bendin muhteviyâtı ber-vech-i âtî derc ve tezyîd olunur şöyle ki memâlik-i şarkiyemizin müdâfaʿasına müteʿallik derc eylediğimiz bendde harb vukûʿunda ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾye tamâmıyla güvenilebileceğine dâʾir mahâfil-i resmiyede deverân iden yanlış fikir hakkında celb-i enzâr-ı dikkat etmiş ve “Anti-Revolutionaere” fırkası tarafından meclis-i mebʿûsâna zâten biʾd-defâʿat irâʾe ve isbât eylemiş olunduğu vechile yerli ahâlî nezdinde İslâm ve Hıristiyan beynine ilkâ-yı hürriyet[?] etmek üzre Şarkʾdan gâyet ciddî ve vâkıfâne telakkiyât vukûʿ bulduğunu der-meyân eylemiş idik. El-yevm Şarkʾdan ve hattâ Dersaʿâdetʾden bu hâl ve mevkîʿden tevellüd edecek tehlikeyi gâyet vâzıh sûrette irâʾe eder bir takım haberler vürûd ediyor. Gâlibâ zât-ı şevket-simât-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî dahî bu işin içinde bulunurlarmış. Dîn-i mübîn-i İslâmʾa müteʿallik telkînât avâm nezdinde biʾs-suhûle icrâ olunabilirse 16.3

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de ekâbir nezdinde icrâsı müşkildir. Mevâkiʿ-i aliyyede bulunan bu zevâtın dahî tahrîk-i ezhânı için Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnuʾndan kemâl-i kerem ile icrâ-yı nüfûz ediliyor. Hind müstemlekâtımızda hükm-ı nüfûzumuzun muhâfazası içün mârrüʾz-zikr rüʾesâ-yı mahalliyeye istinâd etmekde olduğumuz pîş-i nazar nâʾil ve mulâhazaya alınınca telkînât-ı vâkıʿanın kesb ettiği şekil ve sûret-i ciddînin hükm ve hükûmetimizce ehemmiyet-i azîmeyi hâʾiz bulunduğu derhâl anlaşılır. Binâʾen aleyh hükûmetimizin Dersaʿâdetʾde “Basîret Üzre Bulunması” lâ-büd hükmünde olduğu gibi Dersaʿâdetʾde cereyân eden ahvâle tarafımızdan dahî celb-i enzâr-ı dikkat edilmesi derece-i vücûbdadır. Sublime Porte Translation Office Number 350 Draft Translation: Addendum to the communiqué dated 19 September 1898 and numbered 202, which transmitting the article entitled “Being Foresighted” that appeared in a newspaper published in Batavia. This is the translation of the communiqué of the Consulate General Batavia to the Foreign Ministry dated 6 October 1898 and numbered 213. The French translation of an article published in the 7 September 1898 issue of the newspaper Java-bode which is being published in Batavia is presented together with my humble communiqué dated 19 September 1898 and numbered 202. To command […] This is the translation of the enclosed piece.

[The translated piece concerns an article on the dangers of extending Ottoman influence over local dignitaries in the Dutch East Indies] Source: BOA HR.TO. 355/92

17

Documents relating to the delivery of Qurʾans to the Muslims of Java, 1899

The owner of Maʿlumat and Servet newspapers about the request from Java for the delivery of Qurʾans to the people of that place Servet Gazetesi Türkçe ve Fransızca yevmî siyâsî, fennî, edebî, ticârî Osmanlı gazetesidir İstanbul-Bâb-ı Âlî Caddesiʾnde numero 40 Devletlü efendim hazretleri Zât-ı akdes-i hazret-i velî-niʿmet-i bî-minnet-i aʿzamîye isticlâb-ı daʿvât-ı hayriye maksadıyla baʿzı vilâyât-ı şâhâneye Mushaf-ı şerîfe gönderilerek 17.1

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613

fukarâ-yı talebe-i ulûma tevzîʿ buyurulduğu hakkındaki haber-i diyânet eserin sâye-i meʿâli-vâye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâh-ı aʿzamîde neşr etmekde olduğum musavver Arabî “el-Maʿlûmât” gazetesinde Cava‌ʾda okunması üzerine umûmun bâʿis-i meserret olduğu ve şehbender-i sâbık saʿâdetlü Kamil Beyefendi vâsıtasıyla çend sene evvel yedi yüz kadar Kurʾân-ı Kerîm Cava İslâmlarına tevzîʿ buyurulduğu gibi şimdi dahî bu lütf ve âtıfetin tekrârı müsterham bulunduğu bu kere Cava‌ʾda “Buitenzorg” şehrinde mukîm Ahmed bin Salim bâ-vezîr Efendi imzâsıyla idârehâne-i âcizîye îcâb eden bir kıtʿa mektûbdan anlaşılmış ve mezkûr mektûb leffen takdîm kılınmış olmağla icrâ-yı îcâbı manût-ı reʾy-i rezîn-i devletleridir her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 13 Ağustos sene [1]315 Maʿlûmât ve Servet gazeteleri sâhib-i imtiyâz ve ser muharriri bende-i esSeyyid Mehmed Tahir Servet Newspaper This is a daily political, scientific, literary, and commercial Ottoman newspaper in Turkish and French. Istanbul – Sublime Porte Street – Number: 40 My exalted lord To attract prayers for the person of his exalted Majesty, copies of the noble Qurʾan are sent to some imperial provinces and delivered to the poor students of [Islamic] sciences. News relating to this pious act has been read in Java in the illustrated Arabic newspaper al-Maʿlumat, which I am publishing thanks to His Majesty the exalted Caliph. It is understood from the letter that came to our humble office from Ahmed bin Salim Ba-wazir Efendi, residing in the city of Buitenzorg in Java,14 that the news has been a source of general joy and that, as several years ago about seven hundred noble Qurʾans were delivered to the Muslims of Java by the former Consul his Excellency Kamil Bey Efendi, the recurrence of this favour is again requested. As the said letter is presented as an attachment, the implementation of its requirements depends on Your Majesty’s opinion. In all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 25 August 1899 Sayyid Mehmed Tahir, your servant, publisher and chief editor of the newspapers al-Maʿlumat and Servet Source: BOA MF.MKT. 462/33

14  Bogor.

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Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the need for Qurʾans in Java Fî 1 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]315 târihinde Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrâtın sûretidir Cava fukarâ-yı ahâlî-i İslâmiyesince Kelâm-ı Kadîmʾe ihtiyâç olup olmadığı ve ol-bâbda istibkâhât ve evâmir-i mukteziyi hâvî fî 26 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]317 târihli ve yüz üç rakamlı tahrîrât-ı aliyye-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîleri hâme pîrâ-yı taʿzîm ve tekrîm oldu ahâlî-i merkûmeye meccânen Mushaf-ı şerîfe tevzîʿi hakk-ı ehakk-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîde bir kat daha müstelzim-i daʿvât-ı hayriye ve mûcib-i muhassenât-ı azîme olacağı vâreste-i arz ve tezkârdır emr-i tevzîʿa gelince bâ-husûs dâhilde bir sûret-i teʾmînât ve hasenede îfâ edilebilmek içün tevzîʿ edilecek müstahıkkînin esâmîsini îzâhen kendilerinden alınacak senedler mukâbilinde bu havâlîde saltanat-ı seniyyeye kemâl-i sıdk ve ubûdiyetleri cihetle vâsıta-i yegânemiz bulunan ancak Arab kavmi eşrâf ve muʿteberânı vesâtatıyla olabilir. Ve ledeʾl-hâce Cava yerli râca ve umerâsına ihdâ edilmek içün birkaçı müzehheb olmak üzere şimdiki hâlde üç dört yüz nüsha-i şerîfe teʾmîn-i maksada kifâyet eder bu münâsebetle otuz kırk nüsha Elifbâ-yı Osmânî ile bundan başka Cava Müslümanlarının Maʿlûmât Gazetesi matbaʿasında derdest-i tabʿ bulunduğunu işittikleri ve mütemâdiyen ricâ ve taleb eylemekde bulundukları Devlet-i Aliyye ve Yunan muhârebesi târihinin Arabca mütercem nüshasından dahî iki yüz kıtʿa gönderilmesi teʾsîrât-ı hasene ve azîme istihsâl eyleyeceği derkârdır bir tedbîr-i ihtiyatkârî olmak üzere bunların sandık üzerinde hiçbir mühr-ı resmî bulunmamak ve konşimento mürsel dahî bir makâm-ı resmî yazılmamak üzre sigortalı olarak Mesarji Marnim Kumpanyasına tevdîʿan kendisine taraf-ı çâkerîden ihbâr-ı keyfiyet edilmiş olan ve Fransızca isim ve şöhreti melfûf pusulada muharrer bulunan Singapurʾda Seyyid Sakkâf nâm zât nâmına irsâli ve baʿdehû taraf-ı âcizîden îfâ ve muktezâsına müsâraʿat kılanabilmek üzre bu nâmı hâvî konşimentonun evvel emirde taraf-ı çâkerîye tisyârı husûsunda muvâfık-ı hâl ve maslahat olacağı maʿrûzdur. Aslına mutâbıkdır 17.2

This is a copy of the communiqué received from the Consulate General in Batavia on 13 November 1899. The exalted note of the ministry, dated 3 September 1899 and numbered 103, asking whether the poor Muslims of Java need any noble Qurʾans, and containing the necessary orders, has been received with deference. There is no need to relate that the distribution of free noble Qurʾans to the said people will bring about beneficial prayers for His Majesty the most just and exalted Caliph. As for the issue of distribution, [it is possible] to arrange this issue domestically in a safe and proper way through the esteemed and eminent individuals of the Arab community (who are our only intermediaries in these quarters because

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of their complete obedience and submission to the Imperial Sultanate) in return for vouchers indicating the names of those who deserve to receive a noble Qurʾan. At the moment three to four hundred noble Qurʾans will suffice for the purpose. Some of them should be ornamented with gilt so as to be presented to local Javanese Rajas and leaders if necessary, together with thirty to forty Ottoman alphabet books, which the Javanese Muslims continuously request, having heard that it is currently being printed at the publishing house of the Maʿlumat newspaper, and it will be most beneficial to send around two hundred copies of the Arabic translation of the history of the war between the Sublime State and Greece. [The books should be] insured and consigned to the person called Sayyid al-Saqqaf in Singapore (who is informed about the issue and whose name and honorific is written in the enclosed French note) by consigning it by the Messageries Maritimes Company. As a precaution, the chest should not bear any official stamp, and no official post should be written on the bill of lading. Afterwards, the bill of lading bearing this name should firstly be sent to your servant so that its requirements can humbly be carried out. This will be suitable for the situation and the proper course. This is a true copy of the original. Source: BOA MF.MKT. 462/33

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting a medal for Sayyid Ibrahim in Bangkok and permission to deliver a number of the Qurʾans to his school Fî 22 Teşrîn-i Sanî sene [1]315 târihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrâtın sûretidir Siyâm dâhilinde Bankok şehrinde mahallî etfâl-i müslimesine ahkâm-ı celîle-i dîniye ve elsine-i mukteziye taʿlîm ve tedrîs içün muʿâvenet-i umûmiye ve “Medresetüʾl-İslâm” nâmıyla bir mekteb küşâd edildiği beyânıyla keyfiyetin arz-ı atabe-i felek mertebe-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî kılınması husûsunun istîzânını ve ol-bâbda ifâdât-ı sâʾireyi hâvî bu kere mekteb-i mezbûr kâtibi Seyyid İbrahim nâm zât tarafından mevrûd İngilizce tahrîrât manzûr-ı sâmî-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîleri buyurulmak üzere leffen arz ve takdîm kılınmışdır muvâfık-ı reʾy-i rezîn-i isâbet-karîn-i âsafâneleri buyurulduğu hâlde böyle bir emr-i hayrın husûlüne vukûʿ bulan mesâʿî ve ikdâmını takdîren ve emsâlini tergîben kâtib-i mûmâileyhin beşinci rütbeden bir kıtʿa mecidî nişân-ı zî-şânıyla taltîf ve tesrîrini arz eder ve fî 1 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]315 târihli ve 47–469 rakamlı tahrîrât-ı cevâbiye-i çâkerî ile maʿrûzât-ı Mushaf-ı şerîfe ve kütüb-ı sâʾirenin buraya vusûlünde şâkirdânına meccânen tevzîʿ olunmak üzere lüzûmu mikdârının mekteb-i mezbûra gönderilmesi münâsib olup olamayacağı husûsunun istîzânına ictisâr eylerim. Aslına mutâbıkdır. 17.3

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This is a copy of the communiqué received from Consulate General in Batavia dated 4 December 1899 The English letter of a person called Sayyid Ibrahim, the secretary of the Islamic school in Bangkok, has been presented as an attachment for your exalted ministerial information. The letter relates that in order to teach the exalted principles of the religion and the necessary languages to the local Muslim children of the city of Bangkok located in Siam, a school has been opened with the name “Islamic School”, and a campaign of general aid has been organised. The letter includes also other relevant explanations and the request that the issue be presented to the lofty threshold of His Majesty the exalted Caliph. If it is approved by Your Excellency, I dare to request the consignment of the necessary amount of noble Qurʾans and other books (which were requested with my humble communiqué dated 13 November 1899 numbered 47–469), and on their arrival to the said school that they be delivered free to the students. I also request to award the said secretary a Mecidi Medal fifth class as a recognition of his efforts and initiative, to reward and gratify him for such a beneficial work and to encourage similar initiatives. I dare to ask whether this will be appropriate or not. This is a true copy of the original Source: BOA MF.MKT. 462/33

17.4

List of the Qurʾans to be sent to Java

Nüsha

100 Yaldızlı Mushaf-ı Şerîf 100 Hâfız Osman Hattıyla Mushaf-ı Matbaʿa-i Osmâniyeʾden almak üzere Şerîf nakid 200 Şekerzâde hattıyla Mushaf-ı Şerîf gönderildiği hâlde ___ 400 40 Elifbâ-yı Osmânî Kütüb Anbarından 200 Devlet-i Aliyye ve Yunan Muhârebesiʾnin Arabca târihi Son forması derdest tabʿ olup ikmâlinde beher nüshası yirmi beş guruşa mübâyaʿa olunacağı Maʿmûretüʾl-azîz içün alınan Mushaf-ı şerîflerden dört yüz nüshasının irsâli hâlinde ihtiyâr olunacak mesârif-i cildiye ve tezhîbiye

Religious Ties, Propaganda and Ottoman Interest

fî

Nüsha

Hâsılatı

32 7,,20

25 Maʿa cildiye ve tezhîbiyye 375 Cildiyyesi 400 Yekûn

800 2812,,20 3612,,20

617

Units

100 100 200 400 40 200

Gilded noble Qurʾans Noble Qurʾans with the calligraphy of Hafız Osman to be obtained from the Ottoman Press Noble Qurʾans with the calligraphy of Şekerzâde if cash is sent. Ottoman alphabet books From the book depot The Arabic History of the War between the Sublime State and Greece

Its last sheet is currently being printed. When completed, each copy will be sold for twenty-five piasters If four hundred copies of the noble Qurʾans that were purchased for Maʿmûretüʾl-azîz15 are dispatched the expenses for binding and gilding will be: Price

Units

Total

32 7,,20a

25 for binding and gilding 375 for binding

800 2812,,20

400 Total

3612,,20

a Ottoman currency at the time comprised three elements para, kuruş and lira. 1 Lira = 100 Kuruş (Piaster), 1 Kuruş = 40 Paras. Here the numbers refer to 7 Kuruş and 20 Paras.

Source: BOA MF.MKT. 462/33

15  Elazığ, an Eastern Anatolian city.

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Note on the preparation of the Qurʾans to be distributed to the people of Java 30778 Acilen muhâsebeye fî 12 Kânûn-ı Sâni li-sene [1]315 Cava ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiyle etfâline meccânen tevzîʿ olunmak üzre Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin işbu tezkiresiyle taleb olunan dört yüz aded Mushaf-ı şerîfenin Maʿmûretüʾl-azîz içün mübâyaʿa olunup anbarda mahfûz olan eczâ-i Kelâm-ı Kadîmlerden irsâli içün âdî kapaklılarının beheri sekizer guruş ve tezhîb olunacaklarının onar guruşa teclîdini huzûr-ı sâmî-i nezâretpenâhîlerinde Matbaʿa-i Osmâniye Kelâm-ı Kadîm Mücellidi Ali Bey beyân ve ifâde eylemiş ise de muʾahharan mûmâileyhin muhâsebeye celb ederek nihâyet beherinden birer guruş bırakarak tezhîb olunacakların dokuzar ve diğerlerinin yedişer guruşa teclîdini taʿahhüd eylemiş ve fiyat-ı mezkûre biʾl-münâsebe muhâsebede bulunmuş olan Matbaʿa-i Amire rûznâmçecisi efendi muʿtedil görmüş olduğundan ber-vech-i maʿrûz teclîdi karîn-i reʾy-i âlî cenâb-ı nezâretpenâhîleri buyurulduğu takdîrde esmânı olan üç bin guruşun nezâret-i celîleleri sene-i hâliye bütçesinde murakkam zuhûrât tertîbînden sarfı husûsunun taht-ı karâra alınmak üzere meclis-i maʿârife havâle buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 31 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]315 Diğer mücellidlerin celbiyle nümûnesi gösterilerek heman münâkasası Fî 1 Şubat sene [1]315 17.5

30778 Urgent: to the accounting department on 24 January 1900 The four hundred copies of the noble Qurʾans that have been requested for distribution to the Muslims and students of Java by this note of the exalted Foreign Ministry [will be consigned from] the noble Qurʾans that were bought for Ma‌ʾmûret ül-azîz [Elazığ] and kept at the warehouse. Ali Bey, the Qurʾan binder of the Ottoman Press, explained to the exalted ministerial Excellency that those with ordinary covers would be bound for eight piasters each, and those that are ornamented for ten piasters each. However, the latter was afterwards summoned to the accounting department, where he finally reduced the prices by one piaster each, and committed himself to bind the ornamented ones for nine piasters each and the ordinary ones for seven piasters each. This price has been deemed reasonable by the clerk in charge of financial transactions [Rûznâmçeci] who was present at the meeting. If this mode of arranging the binding is approved by Your Ministerial Excellency it will be forwarded to the Council of Education to approve the expenditure of the sum of three thousand piasters from this year’s ministry budget by making an arrangement of extraordinary written expenditure. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all.

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12 February 1900 The price was lowered immediately by summoning other binders to view their samples. 30 February 1900 Source: BOA MF.MKT. 462/33

18

Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier about the Sultan’s response to the felicitations of the Muslims of Singapore on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr, 1902

Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûn Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi 9224 Îd-ı saʿîd-i fıtr münâsebetiyle arz-ı tebrîkâtı hâvî Singapur ahâlî-i müslimesinin keşîde eyledikleri telgrafnâmenin takdîmine dâʾir resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan fî 9 Zilkaʿde sene [1]319 târihli tezkire-i husûsî-i sadâret-penâhîleri manzûr-ı âlî olarak ahâlî-i merkûm tarafına hâk-ı pây-ı mekârim ihtivâ-yı mülûkâneye bu sûretle arz edilen tebrîkât-ı ubûdiyet-kârî nezd-i meʿâlîden hazret-i pâdişâhîde mûcib-i mahzûziyet olduğunun ve cenâb-ı hak îd-ı saʿîdi biʾl-cümle müʾminîn haklarında hayırlı eylesin duʿâsı lütfen tezkâr ile ve selâm-i saʿâdet irtisâm-ı hümâyûn-ı mülûkâne ile taltîf buyurulduklarının mahallî şehbenderliği vâsıtasıyla teblîği şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî îcâb-ı celîlinden olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazreti veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 2 Zilhicce sene [1]319 ve fî 27 Şubat sene [1]317 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî Tahsin Yıldız Imperial Palace Department of Chief Secretary 9224 The petition of congratulations sent by the Muslim people residing in to be presented to the honourable hands to mark [the occasion], dated 17 February 1902. Your high Grand Vizierial note on the subject presented by the aforesaid people to the dust at the noble feet has come before the exalted gaze. The humble and obedient felicitations from that distant place were a great joy to His Imperial Majesty. The command of the Exalted Caliphate is that you will please make known and communicate by means of the consulate in that place his prayer of a happy Eid for all the faithful, together with

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his official felicitous imperial greetings. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 12 March 1902 Tahsin Tahsin, Chief Secretary of His Exalted Majesty Source: BOA İ.HUS. 95/1319/Z-009

19

Mustafa Şükrü to the Shaykh al-Islam communicating a request from Naban for books for a library established there, 1903

Hüve Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Fetvâ-penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı dâʿî-i dirîneleridir ki Bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî meʾmûrîyet-i mahsûsa ile mukaddemâ Çinʾe azîmet-i dâʿiyânemde Singapurʾda mülâkî olduğum eşrâf-ı İslâmiyeʾden bir zâtın bu kere taraf-ı abîdâneme göndermiş olduğu mektûbda kendisinin İslâmiyetʾe hizmet etmek emniye-i hayriyesiyle Hindçini kıtʿasında kâʾin Neban şehrine azîmetle eşrâf-ı mahalliyeden Muhammed Said Efendiʾnin nezdinde ikâmet etmekde bulunduğu ve mûmâileyh Said Efendiʾnin orada nâm-ı nâmîʾ-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîye bir mekteb ile bir de kütübhâne teʾsîs etmiş olduğu ve bu mekteb ve kütübhânenin oralarda tevsîʿ ve intişâr-ı İslâmiyetʾe fevkalâde hüsn-ı teʾsîri olacağı beyânıyla mezkûr kütübhâneye taraf-ı eşref-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîden kütüb-ı mukteziyye-i şerʿiyyenin irsâli husûsunda vesâtat-ı celîle-i meşîhat-penâhîlerine mürâcaʿat ve isticlâb-ı merhamet ve âtıfet-i seniyyeye müsâberet etmeği dâʿîlerine tevdîʿ etmiş olmağla arz-ı keyfiyete müsâraʿat eyledim ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazreti veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 2 Receb sene [1]321 Meclis-i Tedkîkât-ı Şerʿiyye Aʿzâsından ed-Dâʿî Mustafa Şükrü He To the exalted presence of the Shaykh al-Islam The request of your most humble servant is that, When I arrived at Singapore on my way to China on a special mission assigned to me by an imperial command of the Caliph, I met a gentleman who was a prominent Muslim. In the letter that the latter sent me, he states that he went to the city of Naban16 located in Indo-China with the beneficial intention 16  Probably Naban Port in Thailand.

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of serving Islam. There, he stayed at the place of Muhammad Said Efendi who is a local dignitary. He wrote that the said Said Efendi had established there a school and a library in the exalted name of the Caliph, and that this school and library will have an extraordinarily positive impact in spreading Islam there. He insistently requested of me that I apply to the exalted mediation of the Shaykh al-Islam for the dispatch of the necessary Islamic books from the most noble Caliph by appealing to his imperial generosity and compassion and insisting on their donation, and [Consequently] I hastened to present the issue. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 24 September 1903 Submission of the supplicant Mustafa Şükrü, member of the committee of religious examinations. Source: BOA Y.PRK.MŞ. 7/115

20

Documents pertaining to the publication of a Qurʾan with the Malay translation of the tafsir of Qadi Baydawi17 on the margins, 1903–1905

20.1

Ottoman printing press requesting the publication of a Qurʾan with the Malay translation for the Qadi Baydawi tafsir on the margins, 1903

128 Matbaʿa-i Osmâniye müdüriyetinden derûnunda aynen Mushaf-ı Şerîf ve kenârında Cava lisânı üzre mütercem Kadı Beyzâvî Tefsîriʾnin [1]302 senei hicriyesinde nezâret-i celîlelerinin ruhsatıyla tabʿ olunduğundan bahisle tekrâr tabʿına ruhsat taleb olunarak teftîş ve muʿâyene heyʾetine tevdîʿ kılınmış ise de heyʾet-i âcizânenin lisân-ı mezkûre âşinâ kimse bulunmadığı cihetle münderecâtına vâkıf olunmadıkça tabʿı hakkında bir şey denilemeyeceği gibi diyâr-ı baʿîde-i ecnebiyede bulunan akvâm-ı müslimeye mahsûs bir eser-i dîniyenin merkez-i hilâfet-i seniyyede tabʿına müsâʿade olunmaması da akvâm-ı mezkûre içün sûʾ-i teʾsîrden hâlî olmayacağı cihetle baʿdehû îcâb ederse bâb-ı vâlâ-yı fetvâ-penâhîye gönderilmek üzre bir kere de tedkîk-i müʾellefât 17  The tafsir mentioned in the documents was obviously Abd al-Ra‌ʾuf al-Singkili’s Tarjuman al-Mustafid. Sinkili’s work had widely been considered a Malay translation of Baydawi’s tafsir. This misconception seems to have been repeated by Ottoman Press. Riddell has shown that this was not the case and that Sinkili’s work owed more to Tafsir al-Jalalayn. See Riddel 1984: 36–41 and 47–79. For the role of the Shaykh al-Islam’s office in the story of the publication see Dığıroğlu 2018: 26.

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heyʾetinde tezekkür olunmak üzre havâle buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 2 Receb sene [1]321 fî 10 Eylül sene [1]319 128 The directorate of The Ottoman Press related that, in the year 1302 of the Hegira [1884/1885], they published the precise Noble Qurʾan with the Malay [Cava lisânı] translation of the Commentary of Qadi Baydawi in the margins, with the permission of the exalted Ministry [of Education] and requested the Committee of Examination and Inspection for permission to reprint it, despite the fact that no-one on the committee was familiar with the said language, and it is not possible to say anything about its publication without knowing its content. However, preventing, at the centre of the exalted caliphate, the publication of a religious work intended for the Muslim people of a distant foreign country will have an adverse effect on the said people. Therefore, to command belongs to him who commands all, with regard to addressing the issue to the Committee of the Examination of Manuscripts for deliberation and then to lofty gate of the Shaykh al-Islam if it is subsequently deemed necessary. 23 September 1903 Source: BOA MF.MKT. 865/52

Ottoman printing press requesting the publication of a Qurʾan with the Malay translation of the Qadi Baydawi tafsir on the margins, 1905 Bâb-ı Fetvâ Dâʾire-i Meşîhat-i İslâmiye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 37 Maʿârif Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Cava lisânı üzre mütercem Kadı Beyzâvî Tefsîr-i Şerîfiʾnin tekrâr tabʿ ve neşrine ruhsat iʿtâsı Bekir Sami Efendi tarafından istidʿâ ve Mekke-i Mükerreme Matbaʿası Kütüb-i Câviye musahhihleri tarafından musaddak bir nüshası iʿtâ olunduğu ve nezâret-i celîleleri tedkîk-i kütüb-i dîniye ve şerʿiyye heyʾeti meyânında Cava lisânına âşinâ kimse bulunmadığı beyânıyla evvel emirde bâb-ı meşîhatçe tedkîkine dâʾir vürûd eden 18 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1323 tarihli ve otuz adedli tezkire-i düstûrîleri tedkîk-i müʾellâfât heyʾetine ledeʾl-havâle tercüme-i mezkûrenin aslına muvâfakatini tasdîk eden musahhihler Mekke-i Mükerreme ulemâsından ve Cava lisânına âşinâ zevâtdan olup 20.2

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bunların tasdîkleri şâyân-ı iʿtibâr olunacağı gibi mukaddemâ nezâret-i celîlelerinden verilen ruhsat ile matbûʿ bulunduğu cihetle tekrâr tabʿ ve neşri câʾiz idüği ifâde olunarak nüsha-i mezkûre matviyyen sû-yı âlîlerine iʿâde kılındı efendim. Fî 18 Cumâdelâhire sene 1323 ve fî 6 Ağustos sene 1321 Şeyhülislâm Mehmed Cemaleddin Gate of Legal Rulings Department of Islamic Shaykhdom Secretarial Office Number 37 To the Exalted Ministry of Education Your Highness, my illustrious lord, Your noble note dated 22 June 1905 and numbered 30 was referred to the Committee of the Examination of Manuscripts, communicating: that Bekir Sami Efendi requested permission to reprint and distribute the Malay [Cava lisânı üzre] translation of the Noble Commentary of Qadi Baydawi; that a certified copy was presented by the proof-readers of Malay books [Kütüb-i Câviye] of the Printing Press of Honoured Mecca; that there was no-one with a command of the Malay language [Cava lisânı] at the Committee of Investigating Religious and Legal Books of your Exalted Ministry; and that it should first be examined by the office of the Shaykh al-Islam. [The Committee of the Examination of Manuscripts responded] that the proof-readers who approved the conformity of the said translation to the original are from among the religious scholars of Honoured Mecca who are familiar with the Malay language [Cava lisânı], and that their approval should be given the highest credit. Moreover, because it was previously published with the permission of the exalted ministry, its reprinting and distribution is permissible. My lord, the said certified copy has been presented to Your Excellency. 19 August 1905 Shaykh al-Islam Mehmed Cemaleddin Source: BOA MF.MKT. 865/52

21

Ottoman ambassador in London to the sultan about his initiatives to promote English intervention into Dutch oppression of the Javanese, 1904

Mâbeyn-i Hümâyûn Cenâb-ı Mülûkâne Başkitâbet-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Âlîsiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri

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Flemenkler tarafından Cava ahâlî-i müslimesi hakkında revâ görülen muʿâmelât-ı nâ-lâyıka ve zulüm-kârâneden dolayı İngiltere Hükûmeti tarafından Hollanda Hükûmetiʾne vesâyâ-yı dostâne îfâsını âmir şeref-sâdır buyurulan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî mantûk-ı münîfince İngiltere Hâriciye Nâzırı nezdinde teşebbüsât-ı mukteziye îfâsında kusûr etmediği ve müşârunileyhin teşebbüsât-ı âcizânemi tedkîk ve mutâlaʿadan sonra bir cevâb-ı katʿî verebileceğini ifâde eylediğini fî 21 Temmuz sene [1]320 târihli arîza-i cevâbiye-i kemterânemle arz eylemiş idim. Lord Landoʾnun meselei mezkûreyi kemâl-i dikkât ve iʿtinâ mutâlaʿa eylediği ve fakat bu husûsda İngiltere Devletiʾnin müdâhalesine salâhiyet verecek bir hakk-ı sarîh olmaması hasebiyle arzu-yı şâhâne vechile harekete muvaffak olamayacağına müteʾessif olduğu beyânât-ı âhire-i cevâbiyyesinden müstebân olduğu maʿrûzdur olbâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 6 Ağustos sene 1320 Londra Sefîr-i Kebîri bende-i [Mühür] To the illustrious office of the exalted Chief Secretary of the Imperial Private Apartments of His Majesty My kind and exalted lord; With my humble note dated 3 August 1904, I communicated that I did not neglect to take the required initiatives with the British foreign minister, in accordance with the imperial order of the exalted Caliph, that the British government should intervene with the Dutch government, due to the inappropriate and oppressive treatment that the Dutch see fit to inflict on the Muslim people of Java. The said [British foreign minister] stated that he would give a definitive answer after investigating my humble initiative. [With this I would like to] communicate that it has been understood from his subsequent response that Lord Lansdowne has investigated and considered the said issue with a complete care and attention, but regretted that he could not behave in accordance with His Majesty’s will as there is no explicit right that gives the British state the authority to intervene. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 19 August 1904 Your Servant, Ambassador in London [Seal] Source: BOA Y.MTV. 263/63 [N.B.: The same text is also available at Y.PRK.EŞA. 43/42]

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625

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry on his activities to ensure the mentioning of the Caliph at the mosques in the region, 1904

Kırk iki numerosu ve 28 Receb sene 1322 ve 25 Eylül sene 1320 târihi ile Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne takdîm kılınan arîza sûretidir Şehr-i cârî-yi Rûmîʾnin yirmi dördüne tesâdüf eyleyen Cuma günü evvelce edilen vesâyâ ve ittihâz kılınan tedâbir semeresi ile leyle-i Berâtʾa hürmeten ve tahmînen[?] Pentopasar[?]ve Kürküt[?] isimleri ile yâd olunup Cuma namazı kılınan Male câmîlerinde nâm-ı kudsiyet be-nâm-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i hilâfetpenâhînin tebcîl ve kırâʾat edildiğinin ve şu muvaffakıyyet-i abîdânemin an karîb medâʾin-i sâʾirede dahî arz-ı cemâl ve kemâl eylemesi tedâbirinin ittihâz kılınarak netîcesinden ümidvâr bulunduğunun maʿlûmât-ı sâʾireden olarak arzına cesâret kılınır ol-bâbda This is a copy of the note submitted from the Consulate General in Batavia to the exalted Foreign Ministry dated 8 October 1904 and numbered 42 I dare to communicate [the following] for your information that as a result of the previous advice and initiatives, on the Friday that coincided with the 24th of this Rûmî Month [7 October 1904], the holy imperial name of His Majesty the exalted Caliph has been mentioned and glorified at the Malay mosques called Pintu Pasar[?] and Krukut where Friday prayers are performed because it was laylat al bara‌ʾa.18 I will take measures so that this success of mine will be replicated in other cities very soon, for which outcome I am hopeful. In this matter […] Source: BOA Y.PRK.EŞA. 46/69

23

Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating that the felicitations of the consulate in Batavia have pleased the Sultan, 1908

Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi 8104

18  The night in mid-Shaʿban regarded as a particularly auspicious time for prayers for forgiveness.

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Îd saʿîd-i fıtrʾda şehbenderhâneye bir buçuk saʿat mesâfede bulunan Bahoban Câmiʿ-i Şerîfiʾne gidilerek duʿâ-yı ezdiyâd-ı ömr ve iclâl-i hazret-i hilâfetpenâhînin refʿ-i kabûl-gâh-ı cenâb-ı Rabb-i İzzet kılındığını ve müteʿâkiben şehbenderhânede ne sûretle îfâ-yı tebrîkât edildiğini ve ifâdât-ı sâʾireyi hâvî Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden gelen tahrîrât sûretinin Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresiyle berâber takdîmini hâvî resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan 17 Zilhicce sene [1]325 târihli tezkire-i husûsiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmuş ve tebrîkât-ı maʿrûza-i mahzûziyet-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfetpenâhîye mûcib olduğunun mezkûr şehbenderliğe tebşîri emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî iktizâ-yı âlîsinden bulunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 20 Zilhicce sene [1]325 fî 11 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]323 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî Tahsin Yıldız Imperial Palace Department of the Chief Secretary 8104 On the auspicious Eid al-Fitr, prayers were said to Almighty God for the prolongation of the life and of His revered Majesty the Caliph in the noble Bahoban Mosque, located an hour-and-a-half from the consulate, and later presented their congratulations and other declarations at the consulate. This information was presented in documents sent together with attachments from the Consulate General in Batavia to the exalted Foreign Ministry, and these have been taken into the most revered presence [of His Majesty] through the special Grand Vizierial note, dated 21 January 1908. The command and imperial order of His Majesty is that the said consulate should give the good news that the felicitations presented to the Exalted Caliph have pleased him greatly. In this matter to command belongs to him who commands all. 24 January 1908 Tahsin, Chief Secretary of His Exalted Majesty. Source: BOA İ.HUS. 162/1325/Z-37

24

Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting that Sayyid Osman, the mufti of Java, be rewarded with a medal, 1908

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi

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Aded 17 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene 1323 târihiyle Cezâyir-i Hindiye Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrât sûretidir Cehele ve avâm-ı nâsın mizâcına muvâfık gelmiş olan bidʿât-ı seyyiʾenin dünyanın her tarafında sürʿatle neşr ve taʿammüm etmiş olmasındaki zaʿfiyet-i beşeriyeye vâkıf olan baʿzı vicdansızların mücerred cerr-i menfaʿat kasdı ile bir takım âdât-ı seyyiʾeyi bir vakitden beru Cava ve havâlîsindeki ehl-i İslâm arasında taʿmîme çalışmakda olmalarına mebnî birisi mevlîd-i şerîf kırâʾati esnâsında “Finos[?]” dedikleri kadîm Arab tanbûruyla def çalmanın hürmetine ve mevlîd-i şerîf kırâʾatinde lâzım olan usûl ve âdâb-ı şerʿiyyeye ve diğeri dahî murâbahacılık gibi ikrâh-ı maʿîşet olan bir müsîbetin istihlâline ve ibâdât ve tâʿâtin yalnız nezâfet-i kalbiyeden ibâret olduğuna ve taganniyâtın hissiyât-ı kalbiyeyi ihyâ eylediğine ve kadınların dahî meclis-i ricâlde zikr eyledikleri takdîrde tahsîl-i kerâmeti teshîl eyleyeceklerine ve kerâmet izhârına vesâʾireye dâʾir birçok sebük mağzânın kapılmış oldukları mezheb-i cedîd-i bâtılın red ve tekzîbine dâʾir hemîşe etmekde olduğu vaʿz ve nasîhati şâmil âhiren teʾlîf eylediği iki nüsha-i sağîre ile tabʿ ve tevzîʿ ettirmek üzre tertîb ve tahrîr eylediği şecere-i tayyibe-i hazerât-ı âl-i Osmân-ı zîşânın huzûr-ı lâmiʿüʾn-nûr-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye takdîmi ricâsına vesâtat-ı celîle-i hazret-i âsafâneleri raygan buyurulması iltimâsı ile taraf-ı memlûkâneme âsâr-ı mezkûreyi iʿtâ eyleyen meşâhir-i fuzelâ-yı asr ve ulemâ-yı mütebahhireden Cava Müftisi Seyyid Osman Alaviʾnin ferzân ve şeyhûhetine ve esdak-ı edʿiyye-i havâyât-ı hazret-i velî-niʿmet-i bî-minnetden bulunduğuna ve lâ-ekal beş altıyüz nüshayı mütecâviz teʾlîfât-ı İslâmiyeʾde bulunmuş olduğuna inâyeten ve merhameten dördüncü rütbeden bir kıtʿa mecidî nişân-ı zîşân ile taltîfine delâlet ve müsâʿade-i hidivv-i aʿzamîleri istirhâmına cürʾet ve âsâr-ı mezkûrenin takdîmine mübâderet eylerim ol-bâbda Aslına mutâbıkdır. Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communiqué received from the Consulate General at Batavia in the Indian Islands, 30 January 1908. Some unscrupulous people who discovered the weakness of human beings, which led to the dissemination of bad innovations that have matched the temperament of ignorant and common people throughout the world, have been trying for some time to disseminate some bad practices among the Muslims in Java and its surroundings, purely for their own interests. It is said that they

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have taken to playing the ancient Arab lute, which they call gambus, during the recitation of the honourable Mawlid19 and the required rites and legal customs during the recitation, legitimising the evil of usury (which is abhorrent), claiming that worship consists of being pure in heart and that singing rejuvenates the feelings of the heart, that if women also chant at the congregation of men, this will make the obtainment of miraculous deeds easier, the display of miraculous deeds, and so forth. Therefore, Sayyid Osman Alawi, the Mufti of Java,20 has compiled two small booklets in which he collected the sermons that he had [previously] given, denying and refuting these new, fallacious, and superstitious practices to which numerous cretinous people have surrendered themselves. He has given these works to me together with a beautiful genealogy of the exalted and glorious House of Osman that he compiled and wrote for publication and distribution, and requested Your Excellency’s generous mediation for presenting [the works] to the enlightened presence of His Majesty the exalted Caliph. I dare to set about presenting the works, and requesting Your Excellency’s guidance and permission for rewarding him with a Mecidi Medal fourth class as a sign of compassion and benevolence for his wisdom and shaykhdom, as he is one of the well-known virtuous persons of the age, a profoundly learned man who has made at least more than five to six hundred copies of Islamic works, and is someone who prays loyally for the life of His Majesty the Sultan. In this matter […] This is a true copy of the original Source: BOA İ.TAL. 447/1326/RA-013

25

Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating that the felicitations of the Meccans in Singapore have pleased the Sultan, 1908

Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Başkitâbet Dâʾiresi 4876 Îd-ı saʿîd-i fıtr münâsebetiyle Singapurʾda mukîm Mekke-i Mükerreme ahâlîsinin tebrîkât-ı ubûdiyet-kârânelerinin atabe-i ulyâ-yı hazret-i pâdişâhîye arz ve iblâğı istirhâmını hâvî Mekke-i Mükerreme kulübü[?] Reisi Ali Mesud imzâsıyla Singapurʾdan keşîde olunan telgrafnâme tercümesinin takdîmine dâʾir resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan fî 7 Şevvâl sene [1]326 târihli tezkire-i husûsiye-i

19  Recitation of a poem describing the birth of the prophet. 20  On him see Kaptein 2014.

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sadâret-penâhîleri manzûr-ı âlî olarak tebrîkât-ı maʿrûza mûcib-i mahzûziyeti seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî olduğunun ber mantûk-ı emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî tebşîrine ibtidâr kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 8 Şevvâl sene [1]326 fi 21 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]324 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî Yıldız Imperial Palace Department of the Chief Secretary 4876 The most humble felicitations sent to the exalted threshold of His Imperial Majesty on the happy occasion of Eid al-Fitr from the people of Honoured Mecca residing in Singapore, sent in a translated telegram from Singapore signed by the chief of Honoured Mecca Club[?], Ali Masʿud, was brought to the most revered presence of His Majesty by the special exalted Grand Vizierial note dated 2 November 1908. The command and imperial order of His Majesty is that the good news be given that the felicitations presented to the Exalted Caliph have pleased him greatly. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 3 November 1908. Tahsin, Chief Secretary to His Majesty. Source: BOA İ.HUS. 171/1326/L-04

26

Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating that the felicitations of Burmese Muslims have pleased the Sultan, 1909

Mâbeyn-i Hümâyun-ı Mülûkâne Başkitâbeti 47 Cülûs-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî vesîle-i mütemenniyesiyle arz-ı tebrîkât ve temenniyâtı hâvî Burma ahâlî-i İslâmiyesi nâmına keşîde edilen telgrafnâmenin irsâl buyurulduğunu mütezammın 22 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]327 târihli ve 26 numerolu tezkire-i husûsiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri melfûfuyla berâber manzûr-ı âlî buyurularak tebrîkât ve temenniyât-ı vâkıʿadan dolayı ahâlî-i mezkûreye mahzûziyet-i seniyye-i mülûkânenin teblîği husûsuna irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî şeref-sudûr buyurulmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 23 Rebîʿiʾl-evvel [Rebîʿülâhir] sene [1]327 fî 30 Nisan sene [1]325 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî bende-i Halid Ziya

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Private Apartments of the Imperial Sovereign Chief Secretary 47 The felicitations and good wishes on behalf of the Muslims of Burma presented in a telegraph sent on the anniversary of the enthronement of His Majesty the Caliph was received through the special exalted Grand Vizierial note, together with enclosures, dated 12 May 1908, number 26. The exalted command of the Caliph is that his great pleasure at these wishes and felicitations be made known to the said people. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 13 May 1909 Your servant Halid Ziya, Chief Secretary to His Majesty. Source: BOA İ.HUS. 174/1327/Ra-08

27

From the Ministry of Education to the palace about the Qurʾans that are going to be sent to the Malay Muslims in South Africa, 1911

Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Nezâreti Tahrîrât Müdüriyeti Numero 51 Husûsî 1129 Umûmî Yıldız Komisyonuna Cenûbî Afrika‌ʾda vâkıʿ Malay Müslümanlarına ihdâ olunmak üzere mikdâr-ı münâsib Mushaf-ı şerîfe irsâli Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin işʿârı üzerine bâtezkire-i sâmiye izbâr olunduğundan mukaddemâ Trablusgarbʾa gönderilmek üzere ihzâr edildiği hâlde gönderilemeyerek Yıldız Kütübhânesiʾnde kalmış olan Mushaf-ı şerîfeden elli adedinin levâzım idâresinden gönderilen Zihni Efendiʾye teslîmen irsâli mütemennâdır efendim. Fî 6 Rebîʿülâhîr sene [1]329 ve fî 24 Mart sene [1]327 Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Nâzırı Nâmına Müsteşar Ministry of Education Directorate of Correspondence Number 51 Special 1129 General To the Yıldız Commission

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Upon the request of the exalted Foreign Ministry it has been ordered [by the Grand Vizierate] that an adequate number of the noble Qurʾans should be sent as presents to the Malay Muslims in South Africa. Although they [the Qurʾans] were prepared initially to be sent to Tripolitania, this did not happen and they remained at the Yıldız Library. My lord, now it is desired to send fifty of these noble Qurʾans by entrusting them to Zihni Efendi who has been sent from the Administration of Supplies. 6 April 1911 Undersecretary, in the name of the Minister of Education Source: BOA Y.EE. 144/31 28

Noradounghian Efendi to the Consul General in Batavia communicating the Dutch government’s report on the education of Muslims in the Dutch East Indies, 1912

Nevradonkiyan Efendi Hazretleriʾnden Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet Beyʾe tahrîrât Flemenk Meclis-i Millîsi Encümen-i Mahsûsûʾnda 1912 sene-i efrenciyesi bütçesinin hîn-i müzâkeresinde Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin Hindistan müstemlekesi Müslümanlarının tedrîsât-ı umûmiyesine âʾid tanzîm olunup muhteviyâtı câlib-i nazar-ı dikkat bulunmasından dolayı Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden gönderilen rapor hülâsâsı tercümesi leffen tisyâr kılınmış olmağla bu bâbdaki mutâlaʿanızın inbâsı tavsiye olunur efendim. 3 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]912 Communiqué from exalted Noradounghian Efendi21 to Reʾfet Bey, Consul General in Batavia, The Dutch government prepared a report on the general education of the Muslims of the Dutch colonies in India for the budget deliberations of the Frank year 1912 during a special meeting of the Dutch National Assembly. The Imperial Embassy in The Hague forwarded the report as they thought that its content deserve attention. My lord, the summary translation of [the report] is presented in enclosure. It is requested that you communicate your thoughts on the subject. 3 November 1912 Source: BOA HR.SYS. 564/5

21  An Armenian Ottoman statesman who had been a consultant at the Ottoman Foreign Ministry before he became the Foreign Minister in 1912.

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Donation of Bangkok committee of Islam to the Ottoman Red Crescent, 1912

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Hâriciye Umûr-ı Siyâsiye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Tercüme Şuʿbesi Mesned-i celîl-i sadâret-i uzmâya 7 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene 1912 târihiyle Hindçini Bankası tarafından “Bangkok”dan Odesa tarîkiyle takdîm kılınan telgrafnâmenin tercümesidir. “Bangkok” Encümen-i İslâm-ı Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemʿiyetine bin frank irsâl etmiştir fermân 25 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1328 Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Political Affairs Translation Office This is the translation of the telegram of the Bangkok branch of the Indochina Bank dated 7 December 1912 to the illustrious Grand Vizierate The Bangkok Islamic Committee has sent on thousand francs to the Red Crescent Society. To command[…] 8 December 1912 Source: BOA HR.TO. 543/13 Previous publication: Kadı with Peacock 2017: 355–356.

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Documents relating to Central Powers’ war propaganda and Muslim soldiers’ uprising against the English in Singapore, 1915

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about German-Ottoman cooperation to mobilize Asian Muslims against England and France, 1915 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâhiliye Nezâreti Şifre Kalemi Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsine Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Batavya Almanya Ceneral Konsolosuʾnun meʾzûnen gaybûbeti münâsebetiyle vekâlet eden Vis Konsol Berlinʾden Hâriciye Nezâretiʾnden ahz eylediği emirnâmenin bir kıtʿa sûretini çâkerlerine tevdîʿ eylemişdir. 30.1

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Nezâret-i celîle-i efhamîlerine mahsûs şehbenderhâne ve şifre miftâhı mevcûd olmayıp âhiren Dersaʿâdetʾde bulunduğum müddet Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesi cânib-i sâmîsinden çâkerlerine teslîm olunan şifre miftâhı ile sâlifüʾl-arz emirnâme tercümesinin ber-vech-i âtî hallini istirhâm eylerim. Hilâfet-i muʿazzama tarafından İngiltere ve Fransa aleyhinde cihâd iʿlân edilmiş ve âlem-i İslâm mevcûdiyeti içün işbu cihâda iştirâk eylemelerini ve el-yevm Almanya, Avusturya asâkir-i Osmâniye tarafından gâlibiyet ihrâz eylediğini ihbâr içün Singapur, ve Penanğ ve sevâhil-i mücâvereye iʿzâm edilmek üzre mütedeyyin Arab yâhud Türkʾden hademe amele yâhud tüccâr kıyâfetiyle eşhâs intihâb etmek mesʾelesidir maksad-ı mezkûr içün istihdâm olunacak eşhâsı tebşîrât-ı mezkûreyi Kalküta‌ʾya kadar neşr ve intikâl ve Delhi ve Pencabʾdaki vatanperver ehl-i İslâmʾa iblâğa ve bunlar vesâtatıyla Afganistan emîrinin câsuslarını haberdâr etmek lâzımdır bu bâbda istihdâm olunacak eşhâs Hindistanʾda hareket-i ihtilâliyeye dâʾir maʿlûmât ahz etmeğe çalışacak ve bu hareket-i ihtilâliyeye riyâset edenlere nakid ve esliha irsâli mümkün olup olmadığını tedkîk edecekdir işbu taʿlîmât ahkâmını konsolos Ceneral münâsib bileceği tarîk ile icrâya serbest ve aleʾl-husûs maksad-ı mezkûrun icrâsıçün ne kadar akçeye lüzûm var ise sarfa meʾzûndur konsolos vekîli bu bâbda hükûmeti seniyyeden taʿlîmât alıp almadığımı ve kendisine de muʿâvenete hâzır olup olmadığımı suʾâl eylemekdedir her ne kadar taʿlîmât almamış isem de düşman-ı müşterekemize zarar îkâʿı vazîfemiz îcâbından olmağla muʿâvenete hâzır olduğumu cevâben söyledim sâlifüʾl-arz konsoloshâneye geçen hafta zarfında gösterdiğim muʿâvenet ber-vech-i âtîdir evvelâ iʿlân-ı cihâda dâʾir beş kıtʿa fetvâ-yı şerîfeyi Hindistan lisânına tercüme ve sâniyen bâlâdaki taʿlîmâtın birinci fıkrasında muharrer vezâifi îfâ etmek üzre Hindli bir Müslüman bulup el-yevm bunun ahvâl ve harekâtı hakkında kanâʿat hâsıl etmek üzere nezâret tahtında bulundurmakdır baʿdehû fetvâ-yı şerîfelerin Hindce tercümeleriyle ol tarafa iʿzâm olunacağı ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 27 Safer sene 1333 ve 14 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene 1915 Batavya Başşehbenderi Bende-i Reʾfet Sublime Porte Ministry of the Interior Cipher office To the exalted Foreign Ministry The request of your most humble servant is that The vice-consul, who acts as the deputy for the German Consul General in Batavia as the latter is on leave with permission, submitted to your servant a copy of the instructions he received from the Foreign Ministry in Berlin.

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As I do not possess your exalted Ministry’s particular cipher for consulates, I beg you to decode the following translation of the instructions with the code that was entrusted to me by the exalted Ministry of the Interior during my last stay in the Abode of Felicity. The Great Caliphate has declared a holy war against Britain and France, and for now the Muslim world has not taken up this said struggle. Today, great victories are being gained by the German, Austrian, and Ottoman armies, and [it is proposed that] pious Arabs or Turks acting as domestic servants or merchants in Singapore and Penang and the surrounding shores should be employed to disseminate this information. The individuals that are going to be employed for this purpose will be expected to spread and transmit this good news as far as to Calcutta, to communicate it to the patriotic Muslims in Delhi and Punjab, and, by means of these patriots, to the spies of the ruler of Afghanistan who need to be informed. The individuals employed for this purpose will gather information about the revolutionary movements in India, and investigate whether it is possible to send money and weapons to the leaders of these revolutionary movements. The Consul General is free to implement the contents of these instructions in such a suitable manner as he deems appropriate, and is authorized to spend the amount of money that is needed to carry out this mission. The Vice-Consul asked whether any instructions on this issue had been received from the Imperial Government, and whether I am ready to help him. I have responded by saying that although I have not received any instructions, I am ready to help as it is our duty to harm our common enemy. The assistance that I lent the said consulate during the last week is as follows. First of all, five noble fatwas concerning the declaration of the call to jihad are translated into the Indian language. Secondly, we have found an Indian Muslim prepared to carry out the mission as outlined by the first article of the above instructions. Now the said person is kept under surveillance to discover where his loyalties lie. At a later time the Hindi translations of the noble fatwas will be sent in that direction. In this matter and in all others, to command belongs to him who commands all. 14 January 1915 Reʾfet, your servant, Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA DH.EUM.7.Şb. 3/40

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the incidents with regard to Muslim soldiers’ uprising against the English in Singapore Hâriciye Nezâreti Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsine Aded 7–407 Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi 30.2

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Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Fî 10 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1333 târih ve 6–404 numerolu arîza-i çâkerîde Singapurʾda beyneʾl-asâkir İngiliz aleyhinde geçen on beş Şubatʾdan beru isyân zuhûr eylediğini arz eylemişdim. Cava‌ʾya gelen yolcuların ve gerek mahallî gazeteler tarafından sûret-i mahsûsada Singapurʾda iʿzam olunan muhâbirlerin ifâdât ve neşriyâtı sâlifüʾl-arz arîzada iʿtâ olunan maʿlûmâtı müʾeyyed ve sebebi kıyâm İngiltereʾnin hilâfet-i İslâmiye ve hükûmet-i seniyyeye karşı iʿlân-ı harb eylemiş idüği ecânib tarafından dahî alenen ve umûmen teslîm ve beyân edilmekdedir. Singapur kalʿa ve silah depoları Hindli asker-i İslâmiye ve anlara iltihâk eden Hindûlar tarafından işgâl edilmektedir. Singapur vâlisi şehirde şuret ve ihtilâl vücûdu beyânıyla İngiliz himâyesinde ve Singapurʾa civâr olan “Cohor” ve “Perak” racâlarından asker-i muʿâvene taleb eylemiş ise de bunlar muvâsaletlerinde sebeb-i celbleri mezhebdaşları İslâm askeri üzerine istiʿmâl-i silâha da‌ʾvet olunduklarını anlamaları üzerine bunlar yalnız hâriçden gelen düşmana hücûma müheyyâ olup mezhebdaşları aleyhine silah istiʿmâl eyleyemeyecekleri beyânıyla avdet eylemişlerdir. Kışla ve kalʿalara tahassun eden asker-i isyâniyeyi erzakdan ve aleʾl-husûs sudan mahrûm içün kışlalara giden su yollarının katʿ edilmesi üzerine asker-i isyâniye Singapur vâlisine “asâkirin erzâk ve suları katʿ edildiği takdirde şehri topa tutup birkaç saʿat zarfında ihrâk-ı biʾn-nâr eyleyeceklerini” haber göndermişler ve bu tehdîd üzerine askerin erzâkı muntazaman irsâl ve su yolları kâmilen feth ve küşâd edilmişdir. Asker-i isyâniyenin ahz eyledikleri mevkiʿ-i müstahkemi nazar-ı dikkate alan Singapur vâlisi bunları sulhen barışdırmak içün şehr-i mezkûr Arab ağniyâ ve eşrâfına, Hadramutlu Seyyid Eşfak Efendiʾnin tavassutuna mürâcaʿat eylemiş ise de el-ân bir netîceye vâsıl olunamamışdır. İhtilâlin ilk günlerinde bini mütecâviz Avrupalılar (ekserîsi İngiliz ve Fransız olmak üzere) itlâf edildiği maʿrûzdur ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 18 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1333 ve fî 4 Mart sene 1915 Batavya Başşehbenderi bende-i Reʾfet To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 7–407 General Directorate of Administrative Affairs The request of your most humble servant is that, In my humble communiqué, dated 25 February 1915 and numbered 6–404, I related that the soldiers in Singapore had been revolting against the British since 15 February.22 The testimonies of the passengers who arrived in Java, and the publications of the local newspapers that sent special correspondents to 22  On the mutiny of Indian soldiers in Singapore in 1915 see Streets-Salter 2017: 17–54.

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Singapore, verify the information given in my communiqué. All the foreigners also admit and declare that that revolt is caused by Britain’s declaration of war on the Islamic Caliphate and the Imperial Government. The forts and arsenals in Singapore are occupied by Muslim Indian soldiers, and the Hindus who joined them. The governor of Singapore, declaring that there was a revolt and disorder in the city, asked for auxiliary soldiers from the rajas of Johor and Perak, which are under English suzerainty. However, when they arrived they realized that they were summoned to use guns against co-religionist Muslim soldiers, they went back saying that they were ready to attack the enemy coming from abroad, but they would not use guns against their co-religionists. When the waterways to the barracks were cut off to deprive the rebel soldiers – who withdrew to barracks and forts – of provisions and water, [the rebels] sent word to the governor of Singapore that, “If the soldiers’ provisions and water are cut off, we will blast the city with canon fire for a great number of hours and burn it with fire.” Upon this threat, the provisions of the soldiers were sent regularly and the waterways were opened completely. In view of the stronghold held by the rebel soldiers, the Governor of Singapore applied to Hadrami Sayyid Ashfaq Efendi, a prominent, rich Arab of the city, to bring them to terms. However, no result has yet been obtained. It is suggested that during the first few days of the revolt, more than a thousand Europeans (most of them British and French) were killed. In this matter and in all others, to command belongs to him who commands all. 4 March 1915 Your servant Reʾfet, Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2336/1

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry relating that Ottoman propaganda network has been uncovered by English authorities and the developments with regard to the uprising in Singapore Bâb-ı Âlî Dâhiliye Nezâreti Şifre Kalemi Aded 13–420 Melfûf 10 Tahrîrât Hariciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd şifrenin hallidir 30.3

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Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir 27 Safer sene 333 târih ve 392 numero ile takdîm eylediğim şifreli arîza mâbaʿdidir. Vukûʿat-ı hakîkiye-i harbiyyeden Hindistan ahâlîsini haberdâr ve fırsat-ı felâhı ve necât idüğine dâʾir Hindistanca burada tabʿ etdirdiğimiz melfûf varakaları Singapurʾa ve oradan da Rangoon ve Kalküta‌ʾya vapur tâifeleri vâsıtasıyla irsâle muvaffak olduk Singapurʾda âhiren İngiliz aleyhinde isyân eden Hindli asker meyânında varaka-i melfûfede fetvâ-yı şerîfeyi hâvî nüshalar bulunmak ve edilen tahkîkât ve teftişden postahânede Batavya‌ʾdan mersûl paket bulunması üzerine şehr-i mezkûr vâlisi Boren İngiliz Konsoloshânesiʾne ihbâr-ı keyfiyet eylemiş ve buraca edilen taharriyâtda mezkûr varakaların tabʿ edildiği matbaʿa keşf ve muharriri kendisini meʾmûrîn-i mahalliyyeye teslîme mecbûr olmuşdur İngiliz aleyhindeki neşriyât buraca cürm teşkîl edemeyeceğinden karîben muharrirînin tahliyesi meʾmûl olup aksi takdîrde mûmâileyhi müdâfaʿa içün şehbenderhânelerimizin ismini meydana koymayarak Osmanlı ve Alman tebʿalarının muʿâvenet kavliyle bir avukat taʿyîn edilmesi mütekarrerdir Hindistanʾa gönderdiğimiz adamdan el-ân haber alınamadı Singapur kalʿelerinden üç adedi el-ân mücâhidîn yedinde idüği maʿrûzdur ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 17 Cemâziyelevvel sene [1]333 ve fî 20 Mart sene [1]331 Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet Sublime Porte Ministry of the Interior Cipher Department Number 13–420 Enclosure 10 Note This is the deciphered text of the coded note received by the exalted Foreign Ministry from the Ottoman Consulate General in Batavia The request of most your humble servant is that, This is the extension of the ciphered request that I submitted with the date 14 January 1915, number 392. The enclosed pamphlets that are aimed at informing the people of India about the real developments related to the war and promoting it as an opportunity for them to save themselves, are published here in Hindustani. We were able to send these pamphlets to Singapore, and from there to Rangoon and Calcutta by means of the steamboats’ crewmen.

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However, the pamphlets on Indian soldiers who rose up recently against the British in Singapore, which included the noble fatwa [for jihad], were intercepted. Upon investigation, the package sent from Batavia was found, and Boren, the Governor of the said city, informed the British consulate about the issue. Upon the investigation that was carried out here, the printing house where the said pamphlets were published was discovered and its editor was obliged to surrender to the local authorities. It is expected that the editor will be released soon, as anti-British publications cannot be a crime here. If not, without making public our Consulate General’s name, it has been decided to appoint a lawyer to represent him who will purport to help Ottoman and German citizens. Until now we have not received any news from the man whom we sent to India. It has been related that three of the fortresses of Singapore are in the hands of the mujahids.23 In this and in all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 2 April 1915 Reʾfet, Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2336/1

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry relating his propaganda activities Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsine Aded 23–448 Melfûf Aded 4 Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir 10 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1333 târih ve 4–401 numerolu arîza-i çâkerîyle vâkıʿ olan istirhâm-ı abîdânem üzerine 26, 27, 28, 29 ve 30 Nisan sene 1915 târihli telgrafnâme-i sâmî-i cenâb-ı efhamîleri Lahey sefâret-i seniyyesi maʿrifet-i aliyyesiyle biʾl-vüsûl heman “Malay” lisânına biʾt-tercüme yerli gazeteleriyle neşr ettirilmiş, düşmanlarımızın Kalʿa-i Sultâniye ile Gelibolu şibh-i cezîresinde münhezim oldukları havâdisi beyneʾl-İslâm memnûniyet ve mahzûziyet-i vefîreyi müstelzim olmuşdur. 30.4

23  The Singapore mutineers mentioned in the previous document.

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Düşmanlarımız üzerine gün be-gün tevâlî eden muzafferiyâtımıza burhân-ı celî olmak üzere zât-ı akdes-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâh efendimiz hazretlerine gâzî unvân-ı celîlinin ilâvesine dâʾir heyʾet-i vükelâca vâkıʿ olan istirhâm nezdi şevket-vefd-i hazret-i şehinşâhîde lütfen kabûl buyurulup baʿd-ezin gâzîlik unvân-ı celîlinin hutbelerde dahî kırâʾati içün yarınki Cuma gününden iʿtibâren Batavya‌ʾdaki Câmi-i Kebîrʾde taʿzîmât-ı lâzıme ile kırâʾata bedʾ ve mübâşeret edileceği maʿrûzdur ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 26 Receb sene 1333 ve fî 10 Haziran sene 1915 Batavya Başşehbenderi Bende-i Reʾfet Zeyl Harekât-ı harbiyeye dâʾir makâm-ı celîl-i sadâret-i uzmâdan sefâret-i seniyyeye keşîde buyurulan telgrafnâmelerin gazeteye derc ettirdiğim dört kıtʿa nüshaları manzûr-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı efhamîleri buyurulmak üzere bu kerre leffen takdîme cürʾet eylerim fermân. To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 23–448 Enclosure Number 4 General Directorate of Administrative Affairs The request of your most humble servant is that, Your most high ministerial telegrams dated 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 April 1915, which were composed upon my request expressed in my petition dated 25 February 1915 numbered 4–401, were translated and published in the local newspapers soon after they arrived, with the help of the Imperial Embassy at The Hague. The news that our enemies were defeated at the Fortress of the Sultan [Çanakkale] and the Gallipoli peninsula has provoked much pleasure and celebration among the Muslims. The Ministerial Cabinet’s request to adjoin the illustrious title ‘Ghazi’ [warrior for the faith] to the sacred person of our lord His Majesty the Caliphas an obvious testimony of our continuous victories over our enemies has been approved as a favour of kindness by His Majesty the illustrious King of Kings. This is to inform you that the title Ghazi will henceforth, beginning from the Friday of tomorrow onwards, be mentioned with the required respect during the sermons preached at the great mosque in Batavia. In this matter and in all others, to command belongs to him who commands all.

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10 June 1915 Reʾfet, your servant, Consul General in Batavia

PS: I dare to enclose for your information four copies of the newspapers in which I published the telegrams about military operations sent from your exalted ministerial presence to the Imperial Embassy at The Hague. To command[…] Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2323/15

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry relating that the ghazi title of the sultan has been mentioned during the khutba in Batavia Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsine Aded 26–451 Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki 26 Receb sene 1333 târih ve 23–448 numerolu arîzanın mâbaʿdıdır. Dünkü Cuma günü Batavya Câmi-i Kebîriʾnde cemâʿat-i küberâ hâzır olduğu hâlde hatîb efendi tarafından kırâʾat olunan belîğ bir hutbede zât-ı akdes hazret-i hilâfet-penâh efendimiz hazretlerinin unvân-ı şehinşâhîlerine bâ-fetvâ-yı şerîf ve mazbata-i heyʾet-i vükelâ ilâve buyurulan gâzilik unvân-ı celîli ile mezîd-i ömr ü âfiyet ve şevket-i şehriyârîleri edʿiyye-i hayriyesi ve asker-i İslâmiyenin devâm ve gâlibiyet ve muzafferiyeti duʿâsı yâd ve tezkâr edildiği maʿrûzdur olbâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 28 Receb sene 1333 ve fî 29 Mayıs sene 1331 Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet 30.5

To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 26–451 General Directorate of Administrative Affairs The request of your most humble servant is that, This is the extension of the request dated 9 June 1915 and numbered 23–448. I report that during a very lucid sermon that was read out by the preacher yesterday (Friday) at the Great Mosque of Batavia in the presence of the great congregation, prayers were said for the endurance and victory of the soldiers of Islam, and the prolongation of the healthy life and the glory of the sacred person of His Majesty the exalted Caliph, while mentioning his exalted title ghazi which was added to the title of the King of Kings by means of an noble ruling and the decision of the Ministerial Cabinet. In this matter and in all others, to command belongs to him who commands all.

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11 June 1915 Reʾfet, Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2323/16

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry relating the prayers of the congregation in Batavia for the victory of Ottoman army Hâriciye Nâzırı Devletlü Halil Beyefendi Hazretlerine 4482 Batavya‌ʾda îd-i saîd-i fıtr Devletlü efendim hazretleri Bu kere Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtda îd-ı saʿîd-i fıtr münâsebetiyle Batavya‌ʾda Câmiʿ-i Kebîrʾde ictimâʿ eden binlerce cemâʿat-i müslimînin hatîb efendi tarafından baʿdeʾl-edâ-yı salât kırâʾat edilen mezîd-i ömr ü âfiyet ve şevket-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî ve asâkir-i Osmâniyeʾnin nusret ve muzafferiyeti edʾiyye-i hayriyesine âmin-i hıvân[?] oldukları ve salât-ı îdʾin bu sûretle müsekkîʾ-i[?] hitâm olduğu işʿâr kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 13 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1915 Lahey sefîri To His Excellency Halil Beyefendi, Foreign Minister 4482 Eid al-Fitr in Batavia 30.6

My exalted lord, According to a document we received from the Consulate General in Batavia, a congregation of thousands of members of the Muslim community gathered at the Great Friday Mosque in Batavia on the occasion of the felicitous Eid al-Fitr, and after the prayers had finished, the preacher recited an auspicious prayer for the increase of the life and glory of His Majesty the Caliph, and for the victory of the Ottoman soldiers, which was answered with a mighty ‘amen’, and in this way the Eid prayers came to a close. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 13 October 1915 Ambassador at The Hague Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2415/40

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Donations sent to the Ottoman Empire by Southeast Asian Muslims during World War I, 1915

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the revenue of the operetta performed in Batavia for the benefit of the Ottoman Red Crescent and German Red Cross, 1915 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsine Numero 16–430 Melfûf 2 Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Husûlâtı münâsafeten Hilâl-i Ahmer ve Almanya Salîb-i Ahmeri menfaʿatine olmak üzre mâh-ı hâl-i efrencînin geçen on üçüncü Salı günü akşamı bir müddetten beru Batavya‌ʾda bulunan Alman “Operet” Kumpâniyesi tarafına “Graf dö Lüksemburg” opereti iʿtâ olunarak Hâsılat-ı sâfiyenin bâliğ olduğu ikibin yediyüz elli dokuz florin kırkbeş sentden (2759,45) nısfı olan bin üç yüz yetmiş dokuz filorin yetmiş üç sent (1379, 73) Hilâl-i Ahmer menfaʿatine biʾl-ifrâz melfûf “çek” masrafı baʿdeʾt-teʾdiye mütebâki kalan bin üç yüz yetmiş dört filorin elli altı sent (1374, 56) Amsterdam üzerine nâm-ı âlem-i efhamîlerine ahz olunan bir kıtʿa “çek” bu kere leffen takdîm-i pîşkâr-ı sâmî-i cenâb-ı nezâretpenâhîleri kılınmışdır. Almanya Maliye Nâzırı asâletlü Helferrih Hazretleriʾnin (Karl Helfferich) Batavya‌ ʾda bulunan iki birâderleriyle Almanya Ceneral Konsoloshânesi ve başşehbenderhânemiz tarafına müştereken tertîb edilen işbu müsâmereye Almanya‌ʾlı ve sâʾir ecânib ve tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾden mâʿadâ birçok Hindlilerin gelmeleri herkesin nazar-ı dikkatini celb eylemiş ve bî-taraf bir memleketde Hindistan ahâlîsinin hilâfet-i İslâmiyeʾye olan hürmet ve muhabbetlerini bilâ-fütûr alenen izhâr eylemeleri İngiliz Konsoloshânesiʾnce hayreti mûcib olmuşdur. Târihde çend hafta evvel İngiliz Françe ve Belçika konsolosları tarafından müştereken Salîb-i Ahmerleri menfaʿatine iʿtâ olunan “Sinema” oyunu esnâsında her birerlerinin milli şarkıları tagannî olunarak gürültüler edilmiş ve Çinlilerin işbu “sinema”ya duhûlüne müsâʿade edilmediğinden mahallî gazeteler tarafından güftugûsu mûcib olmuş idi. Hindlilerden ise hiçbir kimse gitmemiş idi. Bizim tertîbâtımızda ise bilâ-istisnâ tiyatroya duhûle herkese müsâʿade edilmiş ve maʿa şarkılar tagannisiyle gürültüler yerine çiçekten maʿmûl ve müzeyyen büyük kıtʿada biri Hilâl-i Ahmer ve diğeri Salîb-i Ahmer olmak üzre tiyatro sahnesi üzerine kemâl-i sükût ve sükûnla iki büyük çelenk vazʿ edilmiş idiği bu gürültüsüz nümâyişâtın teʾsîrât-ı maʿneviyesi daha azîm ve işbu tertîbât Osmanlı ve Alman uhuvvetini muʾin[?] 31.1

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idüği mahallî gazeteleri tarafından türlü türlü tefsîr edilerek her tarafda nazar-ı dikkat ve hasedi celb edilmiş idi. Üç perdeden ibâret olan operanın her teneffüs zamânlarında altı Malay (Müslüman) mekteb kızlarının sîneleri harîrden iʿmâl ettirdiğimiz Hilâl-i Ahmer ile müzeyyen ve diğer altı Alman kızları olmak üzre Hilâl ve Alman Salîb-i Ahmeri menfaʿatine halka çiçek ve ponpon ve sigara sattılar ki bu yüzden edilen hâsılât bin üç yüz elli filoriye bâliğ olmuş idi. İşbu müsâmere hâsılât ve mesârifâtına ve Hilâl-i Ahmerimiz hissesine ifrâz edilen mikdâra dâʾir mûmâileyh Mösyö Helferihʾden aldığım tahrîrâtın sûreti bu kere leffen takdîmi pîşgâh-ı sâmî-i cenâb-ı efhamîleri kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 8 Cemâziyelâhire sene 1333 ve fî 22 Nisan sene 1915 Batavya Başşehbenderi Bende-i Reʾfet To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 16–430 Enclosure 2 Directorate General of Administrative Affairs My humble request is that; On the thirteenth of the current European month [April 1915], the German Operetta company, which has been in Batavia for a while, performed the operetta Der Graf von Luxemburg24 for the equal benefit of the Red Crescent and German Red Cross. The Red Crescent has been allotted one thousand three hundred and seventy-nine florins and seventy-three cents (1379.73), which is the half of the total net receipts of two thousand seven hundred and fiftynine florins and forty-five cents (2759.45). The cheque for one thousand three hundred and seventy-four florins and fifty-six cents (1374.56), which is what remained after the bank expenses were subtracted, was received in Amsterdam in the exalted name of the Foreign Minister, and is now presented in enclosure to the presence of your Excellency. This performance was organized collectively by our Consulate General, the German-Consulate General, and two brothers of His Excellency [Karl Theodor] Helfferich, the German Minister of Finance25 who are in Batavia. The fact that lots of Indians attended the performance along with Ottoman subjects, Germans, and other foreigners, has attracted great attention. The fact that the people of India, in a neutral country, jauntily 24  By the Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. 25  From 1915–16.

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displayed their regard and affection for the Caliphate of Islam surprised the British Consulate. During the cinema show, which was presented for the collective benefit of the [Allied] Red Crosses by the British, French and Belgian Consuls a couple of weeks ago, the national anthems of each of them were sung with a great clamour, but since the Chinese were not allowed to enter this cinema this lead to rumours spread in the local newspapers. No Indians attended either. As for our organisation, everybody was allowed to attend the theatre. The local newspapers made various comments about the fact that two huge wreathes produced and ornamented with flowers, one [representing] the Red Crescent and the other the Red Cross, were fixed on the stage with a complete tranquillity and silence instead of clamours by singing songs, that the impact of this display is greater without such clamour, and that this organization is a testimony of Ottoman-German fraternity. This attracted attention and provoked jealousy from all sides. During the breaks of the operetta, which consists of three acts, six (Muslim) Malayan schoolgirls, whose chests were ornamented with Red Crescents that we had made from silk, along with another six German girls, sold flowers, pompons, and cigarettes to the people for the benefit of [Red] Crescent and German Red Cross. The revenue that was raised in this way reached 350 florins. The copy of the document that I received from Monsieur [Karl] Helfferich about the revenue and expenses of the performance, and the amount that is allotted to our Red Crescent, is this time presented in enclosure to the exalted presence of Your Excellency. In this matter and in all others, to command belongs to him who commands all. 22 April 1915 Your servant Reʾfet, Consul General in Batavia. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2171/16

German Minister of Finance about the revenue of the operetta performed in Batavia for the benefit of the Ottoman Red Crescent and German Red Cross, 1915 Straits und Sunda Syndikat (copy) Batavia, April 20th 1915 [in Ottoman Turkish] attachment of the communiqué of the Consulate General in Batavia, numbered 430/16 My Dear Sir, I herewith beg to render you account with regard to our joint undertaking on the 13th inst. Cash receipts for tickets Fl. 1539.65 Cash receipt for sale flowers a.s.o 1350 Total receipt Fl. 2889.65 less bill versteeg (bonbons) Fl. 100.10 31.2

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Flowers 30.10 130.20 Net Receipt Fl. 2759.45 whereof one half for the Red Crescent … Fl. 1379.73 for which amount please find enclosed Cheque on the Javasch Bank. I beg to remark, that there are another Fl. 45 – for sale of tickets still outstanding. Should this amount be cashed, I shall be pleased to hand you over also half of this amount. With kind regards and my best wishes for your country, I am sincerely Yours (signature) E. Helfferich To Reʾfet Bey Present Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2171/16

Grand Vizier to Consul General in Batavia requesting the mobilisation of local noblemen for contributing to the Red Crescent, 1915 Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Hülâsâ: Hilâl-i Ahmer menfaʿatine iʿâne cemʿine dâʾir Nevʿ-i müsvedde: Sadrazam ve Hâriciye Nâzırı Said Halim Paşa Hazretleriʾnden Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet Beyefendiʾye 22 Nisan sene 1915 târih ve 430/16 numerolu tâhrîrâtları cevâbıdır. Tertîb olunan müsâmereden mütehassıl 1374,56 filoriyi hâvi çek biʾl-vusûl Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemʿiyetiʾne îsâl ettirilmek bâbında mesbûk olan hüccet-i vâlâları mûcib-i memnûniyet oldu. Balkan muhârebâtı esnâsında Hilâl-i Ahmerʾe mühim muʿâvenetlerde bulunmuş olan Cava ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin hissiyât-ı insâniyesine mürâcaʿat olunarak bunların iʿâne iʿtâsına teşvîk edilmeleri Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemʿiyetiʾnden bu defʿa bâ-tezkire işʿâr edilmiş ve bu husûsda Balkan harbi esnâsında teberruʿâtda bulunmuş olan “Sorabaya‌ʾda Şeyh Ali Muhsin eş-Şiblîʾnin” mahdûmu ile teşrîk-i mesâʿî edilmesi de ilâveten bildirilmişdir maʿa hâzâ ahvâl ve evsâfı tahkîk olunarak câlib-i emniyet görüldüğü takdirde gerek mûmâileyhin gerek sâʾir zevâtın cemʿ-i iʿâne husûsunda muʿavenetlerinden istifâdeye tevessül edilmesi takdîr-i vâlânıza muhavvel bulunmağla îcâb-ı hâlin icrâsı siyâkında şukka-i muhibbî terkîm kılındı Derkenar: Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemʿiyetiʾnin 8 Haziran sene 1331 târihli ve 1237/217 numerolu tezkiresi üzerine Derkenar: Doğru hat olmamak hasebiyle Batavya‌ ʾya telgraf keşîde edilememişdir. 31.3

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Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Administrative Affairs Summary: concerning charity collections for the benefit of the Red Crescent Subject of text: Said Halim Paşa, Grand Vizier and Foreign Minister to Reʾfet Bey, Consul General Batavia This is the response to his communiqué dated 22 April 1915 and numbered 430/16. The arrival of the communiqué of His Excellency about sending the cheque of 1374.56 florins received as a result of the organised performance for the benefit of the Red Crescent Society has led to great pleasure. The Red Crescent Society has requested that we should apply to the humanitarian sentiments of the Muslims of Java, who made important contributions to the Red Crescent during the Balkan Wars, and encourage them to give contributions. On this issue it has been suggested we should cooperate with the son of Shaykh Ali Muhsin al-Shibli in Surabaya who contributed during the Balkan Wars. Along with these, it is up to Your Excellency’s judgement to investigate the qualities and standing of the said person, and other comparable individuals, and benefit from their assistance for the collection of contributions after their credentials are verified. This note has been drawn for the implementation of the requirements of the situation. Marginalia: Upon the note of the Red Crescent Society dated 21 June 1915 and numbered 1237/217 Marginalia: Due to the absence of a direct line to Batavia, no telegram could be sent. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2171/17

Vice director of Red Crescent to Foreign Ministry requesting the Consul General in Batavia be charged with collecting contributions from the Javanese for the Red Crescent, 1915 Osmanlı Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemʿiyeti Merkez-i Umûmîsi Aded 1237/217 Hâriciye nezâret-i celîlesiʾne Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Muhât-ı ilm-i sâmîleri olduğu vechile Osmanlı Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemʿiyeti Trablusgarb ve Balkan muhârebâtı esnâsında âlem-i İslâmʾın her tarafdan mazhar-ı muʿâvenet olmuş ve Osmanlı vatanına îfâ ettiği hidemâtı ancak bu sâyede teʾmîn edebilmişdir. Cemʿiyetimizin muhârebe-i hâzırada deruhde eylediği vezâʾif nakd-i mevcûdunu tüketmekde ve menbaʿ-ı esâsî-i iʿânât olan Hind Müslümanlarının bu sırada Hilâl-i Ahmerʾe yardım eylemesi müstahil 31.4

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bulunmakda olduğundan Balkan muhârebâtı esnâsında Hilâl-i Ahmerʾe mühim muʿâvenetlerde bulunmuş olan Cava ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin şîme-i diyânet ve insâniyetine mürâcaʿat olunarak cemʿiyetimize iʿânesine teşvîk edilmesi husûsunun mahall-i mezkûr şehbenderliğine emr buyurulması müsterhamdır. Fî 8 Haziran sene 1331 Osmanlı Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemʿiyeti Reis-i Sânîsi Ottoman Red Crescent Society General Headquarters Number 123/217 To the exalted Foreign Ministry The request of your most humble servant is that: As your Excellency knows, the Ottoman Red Crescent Society received contributions from all sides of the Islamic World during the Tripoli and Balkan Wars, and was able to serve the Ottoman fatherland solely thanks to this. The duties that our Society is carrying out in the current war are using up all of our current finances. It is expected that the Indian Muslims, who are the principal source of contributions, would contribute to the Red Crescent in these days. Therefore, I request Your Excellency to write to command the Consul [of Batavia] to apply to the humanitarian and religious qualities of the Muslims of Java, who made important contributions to the Red Crescent during the Balkan Wars, and to encourage contributions to our Society. 21 June 1915. Vice-Director of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2171/17

Foreign Minister to Consul General in Batavia announcing the shipment of the receipt of the contribution received from Batavia, 1916 Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Hülâsa: Bir kıtʿa Hilâl-i Ahmer makbûzunun irsâli hakkında Nevʿ-i müsvedde: Hâriciye Nâzırı Halil Beyefendi Hazretleriʾnden Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet Beyefendiʾye tahrîrât Müstenid olduğu evrâk: Dâʾire-i sadâretin 2 Şubat sene [1]331 târihli ve 379 numerolu tezkiresi 14 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]331 tarihli ve 522/49 numerolu tahrîrât-ı behiyyelerine cevâbdır. Osmanlı Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemʿiyeti ile Alman ve Avusturya Salîb-i Ahmer Cemʿiyetleri menfaʿatine Batavya‌ʾda verilen müsâmere hâsılâtından Hilâl-i Ahmerʾe isâbet ettiği beyânıyla gönderilen üç bin yüz doksan üç filorin 31.5

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kırk santimi nâtık 26 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]915 târihli poliçe 20 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]331 târihinde savb-ı sâmî-i hazret-i sadâret-penâhîye takdîm kılınmış ve meblağ-ı mezkûrun muʿâdili olan yirmi sekiz bin yedi yüz kırk buçuk guruş mukâbilinde Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemʿiyetiʾnden alınıp 2 Şubat sene [1]331 târihli tezkire-i cevâbiye-i sadâret-penâhîye leffen gönderilen makbûz taraf-ı vâlâlarına tesyîr edilmişdir. Ol-bâbda irâde efendimindir. 4 Şubat sene [1]331 Derkenar: Beyânı mukâbele edilmiştir. Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Administrative Affairs, Summary: concerning the receipt of a dispatch for the Red Crescent Subject of text: Communiqué from the exalted Foreign Minister Halil Bey to Reʾfet Bey, Consul General in Batavia. Document on which it is based: Note of the office of the Grand Vizier dated 15 February 1916 and numbered 379 This is the reply to your communiqué dated 27 October 1915 and numbered 522/49. The bill of exchange sent with the explanation that it was the Red Crescent’s share of the revenue of the performance that was presented for the benefit of Ottoman Red Crescent Society and German and Austrian Red Cross, dated 26 October 1915 and containing 3,193.40 florins, has been handed to His Highness the exalted Grand Vizier on 2 February 1916. The receipt of 28,740.5 piasters, which is the equivalent of the said amount obtained from the Red Cross Society and sent as an attachment of the note of reply of the Grand Vizierate dated 15 February 1916, has been sent to Your Excellency. It is to my Lord to command on this matter. 17 February 1916 Marginalia: A reply has been sent. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2172/12

From the Minister of War to Foreign Minister about collecting the money sent form Batavia for the defence of Dardanelles, 1916 Harbiye Nezâreti Muhâsebât Dâʾiresi Şuʿbe 3 Umûmî Husûsî Hâriciye nezâret-i celîlesiʾne Meʾâl: Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnce cemʿ edilip mürsel mebâliğa dâʾir Devletlü efendim hazretleri 31.6

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Muhâsebe şuʿbesi ifâdesiyle vârid olan 10 Şubat sene [1]331 târihli ve 78 683/3013 numerolu tezkire-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleri cevâbıdır. Çanakkale müdâfaʿalarına hediye olmak üzre Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnce cemʿ edilen sekiz yüz on yedi filorin altı senti nâtık bir kıtʿa çek ciro edilerek irsâl buyurulmuş ise de mezkûr çekde muhteviyâtının Dersaʿâdetʾde kangı bankadan tesviye edileceğine dâʾir sarâhat olmadığı cihetle hiçbir banka tarafından teʾdiye edilmediğine ve nezâret-i celîlelerine tesviyesi muharrer bulunduğuna binâʾen Lahey sefâret-i seniyyesiyle biʾl-muhâbere Amsterdamʾda bulunan Nedrlandiş Handel Maşapi Bankasıʾndan muhteviyâtının istihsâl ve harbiye depo-yı umûmîsine irsâl buyurulması zımnında mezkûr çek leffen irsâl kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 30 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]334 ve fî 21 Şubat sene [1]331 Harbiye Nâzırı nâmına Ministry of War Accounting Department Department 3 978 General 9222 Particular To the exalted Foreign Ministry Content: concerning the sum of money collected and remitted by Consulate General in Batavia My kind and exalted Lord; This is the response to the exalted ministerial note, dated 23 February 1916 and numbered 78 683/3013, as expressed by the accounting department. Although a cheque of 817 florins and 6 cents that was collected by the Consulate General in Batavia as a present for the defence of the Dardanelles was endorsed and sent, none of the banks will honour it, since the cheque does not indicate which bank in Istanbul should pay its sum. As it is written on the cheque that it should be paid to the [Foreign] Ministry, it has been sent in enclosure so that it can be cashed with the Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij Bank by communicating with the Imperial Embassy at The Hague and remitting it to the General Military Depot. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 5 March 1916. On behalf of Minister of War Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2175/4

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Foreign Minister to the vice director of Red Crescent requesting the delivery of the receipt for the contributions received from Manila, Colombia, New York, Philadelphia, 1916 Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Hülâsa: Hilâl-i Ahmer iʿânesi hakkında Nevʿ-i Müsvedde: Hâriciye Nâzırı Halil Beyefendi Hazretleriʾnden Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemʿiyeti Reis-i Sânîsi Besim Ömer Paşa‌ʾya tezkire Müstenid olduğu evrâk: Washington Sefâreti Maslahatgüzârlığıʾnın 16 Şubat sene [1]916 târihli ve 4602/10 numerolu tahrîrâtı Manila Şehbenderliği vekîli ile Cenûbî Amerika‌ ʾnın Kolombiya‌ ʾdaki Almanya Sefâreti ve Newyork Başşehbenderliği ve Filedelfiya‌ʾda mukîm tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾden Muharrem Alikaki ve rüfekâsı taraflarından Hilâl-i Ahmer nâmına cemʿ olunup sefâret-i seniyyeye irsâl olunan cemʿan 1171 dolar 97 sentin Amerika Hâriciye Nezâreti ve Dersaʿadet Sefâreti vesâtatıyla cemʿiyet-i muhteremeye gönderilmiş ve bu bâbda taraf-ı âlîlerine dahî işʿâr-ı keyfiyet edilmiş olduğu Washington Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden bildirilmiş meblağ-ı mezbûrun vusûlünde makbûzların irsâline himmet olunması bâbında. 7 Mart sene 1332 31.7

Foreign Ministry Directorate General of Administrative Affairs Summary: concerning Red Crescent contributions Subject of text: Note from the exalted Foreign Minister Halil Bey to the Vice Director of the Red Crescent Society Besim Ömer Paşa. The document on which it is based: Communiqué of the Charge d’affaires of the Embassy in Washington dated 16 February 1916 and numbered 4602/10. The 1,171 dollars and 97 cents which was collected on behalf of the Red Crescent by the [Ottoman] Vice-Consulate in Manila, the German Embassy in Colombia in South America, the [Ottoman] Consulate General in New York, and Muharrem Alikaki, an Ottoman subject residing in Philadelphia, together with his companions, has been sent to the Society through the American State Department and the [American] Embassy in the Abode of Felicity. The Imperial Embassy in Washington announced that this matter was also reported to your Excellency. [I request your] favour for sending the receipt upon the arrival of the mentioned amount. In this matter[…] 20 March 1916 Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2172/12

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651

Resolution of the Ottoman cabinet for remitting a contribution for the needs of the people of Java, 1916

Sıra Numerosu: 605 Tarih: 3 Cemâziyyelevvel [1]334, 24 Şubat [1]331 Meclis-i Vükelâ Müzâkerâtına Mahsûs Zabıtnâme Tebliğ olunduğu devâʾir ve târih-i tebliğ: Hâriciye Nezâreti, Maliye Nezâret-i Celîlelerine, 25 Şubat sene [1]331ʾde tebliğ olunmuşdur. Hülâsa-i meʾâli Cava esîlabzedegânın fakr u zarûreti hasebiyle kendilerine îcâb eden muʿâvenetin îfâsı zımnında kraliçe hazretlerinin zevci Prens Hanriʾnin taht-ı riyâsetinde bir iʿâne komisyonu teşekkül ettiği Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden işʿâr olunduğundan bahisle hükûmet-i seniyyece iʿâneye iştirâk olunup olunmayacağının ve iştirâk takdîrinde mikdârıyla sûret-i tesviyesinin taʿyîni hakkında Hâriciye Nezâretiʾnin 18 Şubat sene [1]331 târih ve dört yüz seksen üç numerolu tezkiresi okundu. Karârı Mâliye bütçesinin masârif-i gayr-ı melhûza tertîbinden yirmi beş bin guruş iʿâne iʿtâsı tensîb olunduğunun Mâliye nezâretiʾne teblîği ve cevâben Hâriciye nezâretiʾne maʿlûmât iʿtâsı tezekkür kılındı. Number: 605 Date: 8 March 1916 Minutes of the special deliberations of the Council of Ministers Date of announcement and the departments to which it was announced: It was announced to the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance on 9 March 1916. Summary of its content: The note of the Foreign Ministry dated 2 March 1916 and numbered 483 has been read. [It communicated that] the Imperial Embassy at The Hague announced that an aid commission was formed under the presidency of Prince Hendrik, the husband of Her Majesty the Queen, to provide the required aid to the destitute Javanese victims of the floods. [The Dutch Foreign Ministry asked] whether the Imperial Government will take part in the contribution, and if so to determine how much and how it will be delivered. Decision It has been decided to announce to the Ministry of Finance that it was deemed appropriate to give a contribution of 25,000 piasters, to be charged as an extraordinary expense from the budget of the Ministry of Finance, and to inform the Foreign Ministry. Source: BOA MV. 200/104

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about a letter which he received from the leader of a rebellion against the Dutch around Batavia, 1916

Batavya Başşehbenderi Reʾfet Beğʾin 628/12 adedli ve 22 Nisan sene 916 târihli tahrîrâtın sûreti Cava cezîresinin nikât-ı muhtelifesinde olduğu misillü şehr-i hâl-i efrencînin dokuzuncu Pazar gecesi Batavya‌ʾdan on beş mil mesâfede vâkiʿ Hollandalı Mösyö Ament nâm kimesnenin Tjondet Batoe Ounfar nâm arâzîsinde meskûn yüzlerce ahâlî-i İslâmiye arâzî sâhibinin zavallı halk aleyhinde revâ gördüğü meselâ arâzî bedel-i îcârını vakt u zamânıyla vermeyenlerin hânelerini hacz ve fürûht edilemeyen mahcûz hâneleri ihrâk-ı biʾn-nâr etdirerek halkı hâne ve yuvasız bırakmak gibi türlü türlü mezâlime artık tahammül edemeyerek isyân ve mezkûr arâzîde bulunan polis ve sâʾir meʾmûrîni defʿ ve tard eylemişler ise de baʿdehû vürûd eden asâkir-i muʿâvene ile ehl-i kurrâya riyâset edenlerden baʿzıları katl ve cerh edildikden sonra vukûʿât teskîn edilmişdir. Burada şâyân-ı arz ve beyân bir vakʿa cereyân etmişdir ki o da sâlifüʾl-arz mezâlimden müştekî olanlara riyâset eden “Eutong Meliki” Efendi nâm zâtın sağ ve sol yanlarında iki nefer sagîr evlâdları olduğu ve bu sagîr ve maʿsûmlarına Osmanlı sancağımızı vererek ahâlîyi teşcîʿ eylediği bir zamânda polis tarafından endaht edilen kurşunlarla şehîd edildiği maʿatteʾessüf arz olunur. Şehîd-i merhûm Meliki Efendi işbu vukûʿât-ı müʾessifeden on beş gün evvel şehbenderhâneye hitâben yazıp teslîmini tevdîʿ eylediği zâtın ihmâliyle işbu mektûb vukûʿât-ı maʿrûzadan ancak iki gün sonra bendenize teslîm edilmiş idi. İşbu mektûbun münderecâtı melfûf sûretiyle tercümesinden müstebân buyurulacağı vechile arâzî sâhibiyle meʾmûrînden şikâyetle (?)-i hâl eylemekde ve tavassut-ı âcizînin talebinden ibâret bulunmakdadır. Sâlifüʾl-arz mektûbun geç vürûduna ve vukûʿât-ı müʾessifenin icrâ edildiğine rağmen arâzî-i mezkûrede ber hayât ve mevcûd bulunanların selâmet ve menfaʿatlerini muhâfaza maksadıyla vâlî-i vilâyetle münâsebeti son derecede iyi ve kendisi Meclis-i İdâre-i Vilâyet aʿzâsından müteneffiz ehibbâmdan bir zât ile sûret-i husûsiyede gidip görüştüm. Ve merhûmdan aldığım mektûb münderecâtından mûmâileyhe tefhîm ile bu bâbda ahâlîyi teskîn içün tavassuta hâzır olduğumu ve şu kadar ki ahâlînin ihtiyâcât ve zarûretlerini tehvîn içün bir vaʿd iʿtâ eylemelerini teklîf eylemiş isem de bu bâbda şimdilik yapılabilecek bir şey kalmadığı ve vukûʿât-ı müʾessife tamâmıyla teskîn edildiğini söylediler. Sâlifüʾl-arz şikâyâtda bulunan ahâlî aleyhinde taraf-ı hükûmetden asâkir ve zâbıta sevk olunduğu ve ehl-i kurrâya silah endaht edildiği takdîrde bunlara kurşun isâbet etmemek içün buna tâlipler kollarına birer nüsha ve hamâyil taʿalluk eylediklerinden bu nüshalar polis tarafından zabt ve cemʿ edilmekde

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ve bunları tahrîr ve ahâlîye tevzîʿ eylemekle maznûn-ı aleyh olan Arab ve bir çok yerliler tevkîf edildikleri maʿa‌ʾt-teʾessüf arz olunur ol-bâbda Aslına mutâbıkdır. Copy of the note of Reʾfet Bey, the Consul General in Batavia, numbered 628/12 dated 22 April 1916. As in various other places on the island of Java, during Sunday night, the nineteenth of this Frankish month [Gregorian Calendar], hundreds of Muslim people living on Monsieur Ament’s land known as Tjondet Batoe Ounfar, which is located at a distance of fifteen miles from Batavia, revolted and expelled the police and other officials as they could not any more endure the landlord’s oppressions of the poor people such as sequestering the houses of those who could not pay their rent on time, and burning down the sequestered houses which that not be sold, leaving the people homeless. However, tranquillity was restored after additional troops, arrived and some of the leaders of the revolt were killed and others injured. During the event, an incident happened which deserves to be related. That is, an individual called Eutong Meliki, who led those complaining about the said oppressions, had his two younger on either side of him. I relate with sorrow that he was martyred by bullets fired by the police whilst he was encouraging people by giving our Ottoman flag to his young and innocent children. This letter written by Meliki Efendi, the said martyr, to the consulate fifteen days before the regretful events, was presented to me two days after the events because of the negligence of the person who was entrusted with its delivery. As will be understood from the enclosed copy-translation, the letter contained complaints about the landowner and the officials, and requested my mediation for the resolution of the situation. Despite the delayed arrival of the said letter, and the occurrence of the regretful events, for the interest and safety of those who are survive and remain on the said land, I have privately visited and spoken with someone who has good relations with the governor of the province, a close friend who is a man of influence and a member of the Provincial Administrative Council. I let him know about the content of the letter that I had received from the late [Meliki], and told him that I was ready to mediate to calm the people in case they [the provincial government] will promise to facilitate the needs and necessities of the people. However, [he] said that there was nothing to do about the issue at the moment, since the regrettable event had been completely pacified. [I inform you] with regret that the government deployed soldiers and policemen against the people who had presented the above-mentioned complaints, and as the volunteers fixed talismans to their arms to protect themselves from

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the bullets of the armed forces when they fired, the police seized these examples and arrested a number of natives and Arabs who are suspected of having made and distributed them to the people. In this matter […] This is a true copy of the original Source: BOA DH.EUM.4.Şb 6/55

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Ottoman ambassador in The Hague requests advice on whether to deny the news in Dutch newspapers about the activities of a certain Hacı Abdurrahman who claims to be acting on the orders of the sultan, 1916

Bâb-ı Âlî Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı Siyâsiye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Mühimme Kalemi Hülâsâ: Hacı Abdurrahman nâmındaki şahsın teşvîkâtına dâʾir. Kayd olunmuştur. Başkumandanlık Vekâleti ve Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlelerine Hacı Abdurrahman nâmında bir şahsın güyâ zât-ı hazret-i pâdişâhî tarafından almış olduğu emir üzerine Şarkî Celebes Oriental cezâirinde baʿzı teşvîkâtda bulunduğuna ve bunun netîcesi olarak yerli ahâlîden bir mikdârının ihtidâ ederek İslâmı kabûl eylediğine dâʾir maʿlûmât ve tafsîlâtı hâvî “Cava Bode” nâm gazeteden naklen “Nieuwe Courant” cerîdesinde görülen makâlenin Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden irsâl kılınan Fransızca tercümesi leffen tesyîr kılındı. Bir sûreti de (…) celîlesiʾne gönderildi. İşbu havâdisin tekzîbi îcâb edip etmediği sefâret-i seniyyeden suʾâl edilmekte olmağla bu bâbdaki maʿlûmât ve mutâlaʿa-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîlerinin işʿârına himmet buyurulması bâbında 3 Mayıs sene [1]332 Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Political Affairs Department of Important Affairs Summary: Concerning the encouragements of one Hacı Abdurrahman [This case] has been recorded To the exalted Deputy Chief of Staff and the Ministry of the Interior The dispatch sent from the Exalted Embassy in The Hague contains French translation of articles found in the Java-Bode newspaper transmitted in the Nieuwe Courant containing the details and reports of there being a certain

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person in the Eastern Celebes Islands called Hacı Abdurrahman who allegedly acted upon the order of His Imperial Majesty and engaged in some proselytisation, the consequence of which is that a number of the native people are said to have converted to and accepted Islam. There is also a copy that has been sent to the exalted (?). As the exalted embassy enquires whether these news should be denied or not, this note is to request your assistance for obtaining the exalted opinion of his ministerial excellency. 16 May 1916 Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2420/29

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry relating his general opinions about the bad state of Muslims, 1921

Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsiʾne Aded 987/5 Mahremâne Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Avrupa Devletleriʾnin mülk ve milel-i muhtelife idâresi hakkındaki mahâreti siyâsiye ve dûr-ı endîşeleri kâbil-i inkâr değildir tebʿa-i İslâmiyeʾsi kesîr olan Avrupa Devletleri bilâ-istisnâ bunların kuvvâ-yı rûhâniyesinin her şuʿbâtına edyânına iʿtikâdâtına ihsâsât ve hevesât ve ahlâk ve âdâtına yakînen tetebbuʿ ile mensûb oldukları hükûmetlerine ol-bâbda maʿlûmât-ı vâsıʿa iʿtâsıyla berâber diğer tarafdan bunların îmân ve iʿtikâdât ve hattâ ahlâklarını ifsâd ve maddî ve maʿnevî terakkîlerine hâʾil olabilecek her türlü hîle ve hudʿâyı tehyiʾe ve ihzâr maksadıyla leyl ü nehâr meşgûl mütehassıs ve müteʿallim zevâtdan mürekkeb cemʿiyetler heyʾetler istihdâm eylemekdedirler. Bundan maksad, güyâ ahâlî İslâm dîninde kaldıkça bir Hıristiyan hükûmet ve idâresine sâdık olamaz imiş! Sülâle-i âl-i nebîye mensûbiyetle “Seyyidlik” nâmını taşıyan ve bir avuç nakid mukâbilinde dînini, milletini ve vatanını satan bir takım esfel-i sâfilîn Arablar bulunmakdadır. Avrupa hükûmetleri nezdinde mevcûd olan bu misillü müʾessesât-ı hâdimeyi aralarında râbıta ve münâsebât idâme edilmekde ve İslâmların ahvâl-i rûhâniye ve iʿtikâdâtının ihlâl ve ifsâdına medâr olabilecek her türlü keşfiyât ve itlâʿlarını tevsîʿ-i maʿlûmât maksadıyla yekdiğerlerine iblâğ ve tefhîm eylemekdedirler. Bu heyʾet ve cemʿiyetlerin, maʿrûf ve maʿlûm olan dînî misyonerler alaylarıyla dahî münâsebât-ı mütevâliye ve mübâdelât-ı efkârda bulundukları müsellemdir. İslâm mekâtibinde tedrîs olunan biʾl-cümle kütüb ve resâʾil, cemʿiyet-i mezkûrlar tarafından tabʿ ve tertîb edildiği misillü ahâlîye yevmiye gıdâ-yı maʿnevî teşkîl edecek kâffe-i evrâk-ı havâdis ve matbûʿâtı dahî diledikleri yola sevk ve

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îsâl içün mezkûr cemʿiyetlerin nezâretine tevdîʿ ve ihâle edilmişdir. Hülâsâ: her türlü gıdâ-yı maʿneviye sâlifüʾl-arz hâdim-i İslâmiyet cemʿiyetleri tarafından tabʿ ve tevzîʿ edilmekdedir. İdâre-i memleket teşkîlâtında bu gûnâ şuʿbe bizim hükûmetimizde maʿa‌ʾt-teʾessüf mevcûd değildir. Bizce mineʾl-kadîm kabûl ve ittihâz olunan usûl-ı idâre, gayr-i Müslim tebʿamızı her türlü niʿmet-i maʿârifden ber-hudâr ederek millet-i hâkimeyi zulm ve cehâlete sevk ve hattâ fiʿlen ve maddeten bunların ticâret ve sanâyiʿ cemʿiyetlerinin teşkîlâtına mâniʿ olmak idi zîrâ millet-i hâkime arasında cemʿiyetler şirketler teʾsîsi, güyâ sultanlarımızı halʿ maksadına mütenebbî idüği sûretiyle tefsîr edilir idi! Hıristiyan tebʿalarımızın ticâret ve sanâyiʿ mekteblerinin târih-i teʾsîsi, hükûmetimiz tarafından küşâd olunan ticâret ve sanâyiʿ mekteblerinden maʿa‌ ʾt-teʾessüf daha kadîm ve maʿa‌ʾt-teʾessüf daha mükemmeldir. Sâlifüʾl-arz hâdim-i İslâmiyet cemʿiyetin belâ ve şerrinden tahlîs-i girîbanla oldukça tahsîl ve terbiye görerek hâdim-i millet ve terakki-perver görünen efkâr-ı münevvere ashâbından olan bir İslâmʾı, kendi kavm ve cinsi arasında nazardan külliyen iskât ve binâʾen aleyh halk ve ahâlînin o misillü zevât-ı hamiyet-simâta iktidâsını menʿ maksadıyla cemʿiyet-i mezkûreye müşâvir ve nâşirlik eyledikleri bâlâda şerh edilen Arablar tarafından usûl-ı âtiye vechile neşriyât ve işâʿaya temessük olunur: “Falan ve falan kimsenin akvâl ve efʿâl ve evzâʿına nazaran anda İslâmiyetʾten zerrece âsâr ve alâmet olmayıp Muʿtezileʾden fazla bir zındık ve Râfızî olmağla âna iktidâʾ ve hattâ ânınla musâhabet ve münâsebeti küfr idüği.” O kâfir-i biʾllâh olan “Seyyidler” ve Arablar, halkı türlü türlü sözlerle iknâʿa ve hamiyet-i İslâmiye ile meʾlûf efkâr-ı nûrun ashâbını mahv ve imhâya bezl-i mukadderet eylemekdedirler. Muhâberâtın el-ân tâbiʿ olduğu siyâset-i sansürlerinden ihtirâzen burada ism zikrinden ictinâb edeceğim. Şu kadar ki ulûm-ı ilâhiyedeki maʿlûmât-ı vâsıʿa ve ictihâdât-ı dîniyesiyle maʿrûf ve bir çok Hıristiyanların ihtidâsına vâsıta olan bir zât-ı diyânet-simâtın muvaffakiyyâtına tahammül edemeyen misyonerler heyʾetiyle o hâdim-i İslâmiyet cemʿiyetinin hücûm ve tasallutlarına maʿrûz kalan o zât-ı diyânetperverîyi uyûn-ı İslâmiyeʾden düşürmek maksadıyla, o hâʾin-i dîn-i mübîn olan “Seyyidler” mûmâileyhin küfrüne usûl-ı maʿrûz vechile fetvâ vermekde idiler! Erbâb-ı dâniş ve mütehassıslardan mürekkeb ve hükûmetler tarafından müntehab ve himâye olunan sâlifüʾl-arz cemʿiyet ve heyʾetlere inzimâm eden misyonerler gürûh ve erkânının aʿmâl ve ifsâdâtları yalnız kendi memâlik ve müstemlekâtlarına münhasır kalmayıp İslâmlarla meskûn biʾl-cümle bilâdda bunların efʿâl ve gayretleri eseri müşâhade olunmakdadır. Mesela: Memâlik-i Osmâniye ahâlîsince zebanzed olup sebâvetimden beru işittiğim “Bu dünya bizim değildir bu fânî dünyâyı biz kâfirlere terk ettik bizim saʿâdetlü dünyâmız ahretdir ânınçün ahretimizi iʿmâra çalışalım” gibi dünyâdan ve hâkimiyetden

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ferâgat ve ahretde hâkim olacağız hülyâsıyla dünyâmızı kâfirlere terk ile mahkûmiyete ve tâbiʿiyyete katlanmak fikirlerini, ve hattâ mukaddes vatanımızın en azîz bir kısmını teşkîl eden o feyz ve bereketli İzmirʾi bile “Gavur İzmiri” nâmıyla tesmiye ederek o şehr-i şehîdin gavurluğuna fetvâ vermek bir İslâm siyâseti midir yoksa Türk kârı mıdır? hâyır, hep bu gûnâ efkâr-ı mesmûʿa, İslâmiyeti mahva çalışan sâlifüʾl-arz heyʾet ve cemʿiyetlerin ve cemʿiyetlere müşâvir ve nâşir olan çingâne ve münâfık Arabların aʿmâl ve efʿâli eseridir ki bundan evvel, saray-ı hümâyûnlar, vükelâ ve vüzerâların konaklarını işgâl edenler bu gürûh-ı lâ-yeflihûndan olmadıklarını isbât pek müşkildir. “Düşenin dostu kalmaz” darb-ı mesel hikmet-i müstetâbı burada dahî tecemmüʿ ederek, iyi günlerimizde zâhiren sâdık ve İslâmiyet nâmıyla kendilerini bize dost satan Arab hemşehrilerimiz el-yevm ber-vech-i âtî: Evvelen- Türkler ile münâsebâtda bulunmaklığımızı icbâr eden esbâb ne olabilir. Hilâfet mesʾelesi ise bu mesʾele aramızda mineʾl-kadîm münâzaʿun fîhdir yaʿni biz Arablar hilâfeti Kureyş kabîlesine mensûb Arablarda görmek isteriz Türkler ise hilâfeti bizden gasb ettiler. Sâniyen- Türkler ticârî ve sanâyiʿi bir millet olmadıklarından onlarla ahz ve iʿtâ-i muʿâmele ve münâsebâtda bulunmağa mecbûriyetimiz yoktur binâʾen aleyh biʾl-cümle Avrupalılar nazarından sâkıt olan Türklerle münâsebâtda bulunmaklığımız fâʾideden ziyâde hakkımızda mazarratı mûcibdir. İtilaf devletleri ise kudret ve azametleriyle ve ticâret ve sanâyiʿde terakkîleri ve idârei memleketde mahâret ve adâletleriyle maʿrûf idüklerinden anlarla hüsn-ı münâsebâtı teʾyîd hakkımızda ezher cihet istifâdeli ve hayırlıdır lisânını istiʿmâl ve efkârını işâʿa eylemekdedirler. Arabların bir kısmı bu denâʾet şeyi para zoruyla yapıyor, diğer kısmı dahî menfaʿat-i ticâriye veyâ sâʾika-i siyâsiye ile sükûta râzı ve avâm kısmı ise rüʾesâya iktidâʾ ile umûmiyetle tarîk-i dalâlete saptıkları veyâ tıynetlerinde merkûz çingânelik hasebiyle noksânî-i izzet-i nefs ve fıkdânî-i hamiyet-i dîniye, milliye ve vataniyyeden ileri gelmektedir. Arabların bütün neşriyât ve ifsâdâtının, çok şükür Hind ahâlîsine aslâ teʾsîri olmayıp bilakis aleyhlerine munkalib olduğu berâ-yı maʿlûmât arz olunur olbâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 21 Cemâziyelâhir sene 1339 ve fî 1 Mart sene 1337/1921 Batavya Başşehbenderi Bende-i Reʾfet To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 987/5 Confidential The request of your most humble servant is that; It is impossible to deny the Europeans’ political skills in administering various peoples and lands. Without any exception, all the European countries that

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have lots of Muslim subjects investigate closely every aspect of spiritual vigour, religion, convictions, emotions, desires, morals, and customs, and inform their governments extensively on the issue. On the other hand, they employ commissions and associations that consist of knowledgeable people and experts who work day and night to prepare all kinds of tricks to prevent their [Muslims’] spiritual and material progress, and to spoil their religious beliefs, convictions, and even their morals. This is because [they believe] that as long as the people remain Muslim, they cannot be loyal to a Christian government! There are some Arabs bearing the title sayyid, for they belong to the family of the illustrious Prophet, but are the lowest of the low, since they betray their fatherland and people in return for a little cash. There are a variety of different institutions that exist in European governments that establish communication with each other and, with the aim of accumulating knowledge, share all kinds of discoveries that might be a means for spoiling the spiritual state and convictions of Muslims. It is known that these commissions and associations have continuous relations with known religious missionaries, and that they exchange ideas. All the books and booklets that are taught at Islamic schools are arranged and published by these associations. Likewise, all newspapers and [other] publications that constitute the daily moral diet of people are subject to the supervision of the said associations. In sum, all such works are published and delivered by the Association for Serving Islam. Unfortunately, there is not such an organization in the administrative structure of our country. The way of administration that we have adopted since time immemorial provides our non-Muslim subjects with all blessings of learning, while condemning the ruling people [Muslims] to darkness and ignorance, and even preventing them practically and materially from establishing trade and industrial associations, since the establishment of associations and companies among the ruling people [Muslims] was supposedly considered to be aimed at dethroning our sultans! Unfortunately, the trade and industry schools of our Christian subjects are older and better when compared to trade and industry schools opened by our government. When an intellectual Muslim with a progressive appearance [emerges] – who, by getting rid of the evils of the said Association for Serving Islam, and by attaining much education and through teaching, serves the people – in order to discredit him among his own people and to prevent the people from complying with such zealous individuals, the said Arabs (who were mentioned briefly above as serving the said association as consultants and propagators) resort to such publications and announcements as follows: “Regarding the remarks, deeds and positions of such and such a person, he does not bear the

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least traces and signs of Islam, and is more of a defecting [rafida] unbeliever than the Muʿtazilis.26 Therefore having friendship with, relation to, or to follow him is blasphemy.” Those infidel “Sayyids” and Arabs use all kinds of words to convince the people, and use every effort to destroy the men of enlightened ideas with Islamic zeal. Due to the present censorship of communication, I will avoid mentioning any names. A religious person, who is known for his extensive knowledge on religious sciences and for his religious opinions, helped numerous Christians to convert to Islam. In order to discredit him among the Muslims, at the same time that he was facing the attacks and molestations of the committee of missionaries, who could not endure his successes, and the said Association for Serving Islam, those said sayyids, betrayers of Islam, issued a ruling declaring the said person to be an infidel! The evils and ambitions of the gang of missionaries, who join the said associations and commissions that consist of experts and consultants appointed and supported by the government, do not remain confined to their own countries and colonies. The traces of their endeavours and actions are visible in all places settled by Muslims. For instance: the well-known [phrase] in the Ottoman realms that I have heard since my childhood [says that]: “This world is not ours. We have left this mortal world to the infidels. Our happy world is the next world. Therefore we should labour to make our next world flourish.” Is it an Islamic policy or a Turkish act to endure condemnation and subjugation by abandoning this world and sovereignty in this way to the infidels, imagining that we will be supreme at the next world, or to issue rulings concerning the infidelity of the city of martyrs by calling great and prosperous Izmir (which is a dear part of our sacred fatherland) “Izmir of Infidels”? No! All these kinds of ideas are the products of the wishes and activities of the mean and hypocritical Arabs who are advisors to or propagators of the above-mentioned commissions and associations that try to destroy Islam. It is difficult to testify that those who previously occupied the imperial palaces and the mansions of the viziers and ministers were not from among this gang of incorrigibles. The application of the wisdom of the proverb, “No friends remain when one falls” is apt here as well. Our Arab compatriots, who in our good days, presented themselves as loyal friends in the name of Islam, currently employ the following arguments: “First of all, what can be the reason that compels us to have relations with the Turks? If it is the Caliphate, this issue has been disputed between us since ancient times. That is to say, we the Arabs would like to see the Caliphate 26  A school of Islamic theology in the early centuries of Islam that proposed the path to the religious truth of God was through rationality, knowledge, and reason.

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[belonging] to an Arab from the Quraysh family, while the Turks have usurped the Caliphate from us. “Secondly, as the Turks are not a nation of trade and industry, we do not have to purchase and sell [their goods] or have exchange and relations with them. Therefore, having relations with the Turks, who fell into disfavour of the Europeans, will bring us more harm than good. On the other hand, the Entente States are known for their power and greatness, their progress in industry, and their proficiency in administration. Therefore, strengthening good relations with them is will be profitable and beneficial for us.” Some of the Arabs are doing this shameful thing for money, whilst others remain silent due to political motivations or commercial benefit. As for the common people, they go astray following their leaders or due to their deficient self-respect and lack of religious, national, and patriotic zeal emanating from the meanness routed in their nature. I would like to communicate for your information that all publications and evils of the Arabs fortunately do not have any effect on the Indian people, but quite the contrary [their endeavours] have turned against them. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 1 March 1921 Consul General in Batavia, the servant Reʾfet Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2465/72

Chapter 7

Pilgrimage and Quarantine During the second half of the nineteenth century, with the advent of steamships, pilgrimage from Southeast Asia to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina increased dramatically. This presented a variety of new prob­ lems and opportunities for both the ottomans and the colonial powers controlling Southeast Asia. For the Ottomans, the hajj represented an op­ portunity to project their claims to be recognised as Caliphs by Muslims from across the world, and more generally to promote the prestige of the Ottoman state. On the other hand, the greatly increased numbers of hajjis presented major problems of crowd and above all disease control. Poor sanitary conditions on the ships meant a high risk of cholera and quarantine stations were established at entrance to the Red Sea, most notably the island of Kamran. Colonial powers also closely monitored the health situation in the region, fearful of the hajj resulting in epi­ demics in regions under their control, but also with an eye to showing ‘Muslim populations, who were increasingly “restive”, both in the Middle East and Southeast Asia that the West had their best interests at heart’ (Tagliacozzo 2013: 139). At the same time the presence of their subjects in the Hijaz for the pilgrimage provided European powers with an excuse to establish consulates at Jeddah, which could also function as valuable centres for intelligence collection (Tagliacozzo 2013: 177–200). 1

A letter of Jawa pilgrims to Hasib Paşa enclosed with a poem, expressing their gratefulness for suspending some charges extracted from Jawa pilgrims, 18501

We seek help from the Lord with sincere, sufficient prayers, and implore morn and night his Excellency the vizier through whose hands are drawn clouds of beneficence which encompass mankind with his favours, who, from the purity of his origins, grasped the reins of glory and pride, he who has a lofty origin, the ideal man of the age, the vizier and right hand of the Ottoman dynasty, he who bestowed his favour upon the pilgrims to God’s Shrine [Mecca] by abolishing 1  The document does not bear a date but the enclosed poem and related Ottoman docu­ ments do.

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_009

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Letter of Jawa pilgrims to Hasib Paşa

unjust practices, he in whom are gathered the noble characteristics of lineage and high esteem, and between mighty glory and gain, he who administers the kingdom with correct opinions, he who unveils your affairs with auspicious fortune, the vizier who commands, the aforementioned pivot, both night and day, of the people of the Two Holy Shrines, he who provides favours, the lord of the Holy Shrine, the governor of Jeddah and its region, and Ethiopia, together with all its adjoining territories, His Excellency Sayyid Muhammad Hasib Paşa, may God let him attain blessings in this world and the next. Your Excellency, who is like a watering hole that quenches the thirst of all who come to it, you are informed of sincere prayers from everybody after they have undertaken the circumambulation of God’s Shrine [the Kaaba] and study of the lessons of the principles of Islam, giving both thanks and praise in per­ petuity to God for the favours he has bestowed on us, and the cares he has removed from us, [expressions which derived] from sincerity and praise, not

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Figure 159 Poem enclosed with the letter of Jawa pilgrims to Hasib Paşa

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lies, which we present out of our hearts’ sincere friendship and which we shall continue until the day when hearts are laid bare to requite you for those griev­ ances of ours that you have addressed, the oppression that weakened us that you prevented, and looking after us with justice and equity, and the kindness [shown] to the weak pilgrims of Jawa to God’s Shrine [Mecca] during the reign of our lord the greatest sultan and noblest khaqan who is possessed of right opinion and auspicious fortune, our lord the sultan son of the sultan, sultan Abdülmecid son of the late sultan Mahmud of praiseworthy character and morals, he who abolished oppression and crushed every wrongdoer. We have presented to Your Excellency a treatise entitled al-Durra al-Saniyya fi Bushra al-Muʾminin concerning the preservation of this Ottoman state; we have complemented this with a qasida which I have called al-Qawl al-Sadid fi Dhikr Baʿd Mazaya Mawlana al-Sultan Abdülmecid, in order to do some of what is required, for the gift should conform with the person presenting it. No wonder we praise God Exalted and Glorious for the bounty he has bestowed on us, and we still raise our palms in prayer towards the recipient of prayers, in the heart of the resplendent Kaaba, on [Mt] Abu Qubays,2 and the [cave of] Hira’.3 We do this out of thanks for the compassion and care we have received; they [the pilgrims] rely on these, and your glance into them is sufficient [to ensure they are provided]. We ask God to confirm, accept and grant that which He promised us in the Qurʾan where he says, “Call on me and I will answer,”4 and “If my servants ask about me reply I am near and ready to answer the suppli­ cant when he calls upon me.”5 “Therein is a lesson for those of understanding.”6 You continue to uphold justice and equity, and to treat the ordinary people as if they were your own kin. May God give you power and lengthen your days for us, by the sanctity of your ancestor the trusted Prophet, and his fortunate Companions,7 as long as the full moon shines and the musk of the [perfect] ending remains fragrant.8 [Signatures and seals] Your petitioner the humble Muhammad Salih bin Muhammad Murid alRawi al-Samman al-Jawi. May God forgive him. [Seal #1924] Muhammad 2  The first place from which the Prophet Muhammad publicly proclaimed Islam. 3  The first place where the Prophet received the revelation of the Qurʾan. The places listed here are all popular pilgrimage places in Mecca. 4  Qurʾan 40/60. 5  Qurʾan 2/186. 6  Qurʾan 12/111. 7  This refers to the fact that Hasib Paşa was a Sayyid. 8  Cf. Qurʾan 83:26.

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Salih bin Murid al-Rawi al-Samman, ‘Muhammad Salih, son of Murid, al-Rawi al-Samman’ The petitioner Muhammad Id bin Sa‌ʾid Palembang. May God forgive him. [Seal #1923] al-wâthiq bi-yad Allah al-sa‌ʾîd Muhammad Ayad bin al-Syaikh alSaid Falimbani, ‘He who trusts in the hand of God, the fortunate Muhammad Ayad, son of the Shaykh al-Said, of Palembang’ Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdullah Zabidi. May God forgive him. [Seal #1922] Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Zabidi 1265, ‘Muhammad, son of Abdullah alZabidi 1265 (1848/9)’ Shaykh Abdullah bin Muhammad Zabidi. May God forgive him. [Seal #1921] Abdullah bin Muhammad Zabidi, ‘Abdullah, son of Muhammad Zabidi’ Abd al-Ghani bin Muhammad Zayn Banten. May God forgive him. [Seal #1920] Abdul Ghani bin al-Syaikh Muhammad Zain al-Bantani 1244, ‘Abdul Ghani, son of the Syaikh Muhammad Zain, of Banten, 1244 (1828/9)’ Shaykh Muhammad Ali bin Abdullah al-Jawi. May God forgive him. [Seal #1919] Syaikh Muhammad Ali bin Abdullah al-Syaikh al-Sha(?), ‘Syaikh Muhammad Ali, son of Abdullah al-Syaikh al-Sha(?)’ Ibrahim bin Wud al-Jawi. May God forgive him. [Seal #1918] Ibrahim alKhulusi bin Wuddin, ‘Ibrahim al-Khulusi, son of Wuddin (1841/2)’ The prisoner of his mistakes and sins, Ismaʿil bin Abdullah al-Khalidi al-Jawi. May God forgive him. [Seal #1917] Ismail bin Abdullah al-Khâlidî al-Shâfiʾî 1257, ‘Ismail, son of Abdullah, of the Khalidi [brotherhood], of the Shafiʾi [school of law], 1257 (1841/2)’ Ahmad Khatib bin Abd al-Ghaffar Sambas al-Jawi. [Seal #1916] Ahmad Khatib bin Abdul Ghaffar Sambas 1255, ‘Ahmad Khatib, son of Abdul Ghaffar, Sambas, 1255 (1839/40)’ Your petitioner Muhammad Arshad bin Abd al-Fattah Yunus. May God forgive him. [Seal #1915] al-Syaikh Muhammad Arsyad Bugis Wajuʾ 1253, ‘The Syaikh Muhammad Arsyad, a Bugis from Wajo, 1253 (1837/8)’

Note: Many of the signatories are far more than pilgrims. Quite a few were fa­ mous agents of the Khalidiyya order in Southeast Asia. Ahmad Khatib bin Abd alGhaffar Sambas even went to found his own order, which exists in Indonesia today. The poem enclosed to the letter contains extensive compliments and praise to Abdülmecid and Hasib Paşa. The interesting thing about the poem is that the first letter of each hemistich (in gold) spells out the two verses given in elevatio at the top, giving the names of Abdülmecid, Hasib Paşa, and the calligrapher, whose name is given as al-Khalidi Ismail Jawi. The final hemistich in gold is a chronogram for the date, 1266. Source: BOA I.DH. 211/12286(1)

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Dutch ambassador in Istanbul requests the assistance of Ottoman authorities for the operation of steamships directly between Jeddah and the Dutch Indies to transport the pilgrims, 1866

Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Java ve Sumatra hüccâcını nakl için Ciddeʾye sûret-i mahsûsda bir vapur işlemesine müsâʿade buyurulmasına dâʾir Makâm-ı Nezâret-i Celîle-i Hâriciyeʾye 19 Haziran sene [12]82 târihiyle Flemenk Sefâretiʾnden iʿtâ olunan takrîrin tercümesidir. Hindistanʾda kâʾin Flemenk müstemlekâtı hüccâcının vakt-i münâsibde ve mümkün olduğu derece hâl-i intizâmda vatanlarına avdetlerini teshîl için Hicaz Vilâyet-i Celîlesiʾne taʿlîmât-ı mukteziye iʿtâsı husûsunda vesâtat-ı aliyye-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîlerine mürâcaʿat edildiği “Nederland” ve “Lloyd De Roterdam” vapur kumpâniyeleri Java ve Sumatra‌ʾdan hüccâcı Ciddeʾye götürüp getirmek üzre sûret-i mahsûsada vapur işletmeğe ve bu seyâhat için avdet biletleri iʿta etmeğe karar vermişlerdir. Hindistanʾdaki Flemenk müstemlekâtı ile Hıtta-i Irakiye beyninde avdet biletleriyle doğrudan doğruya vapur işletilmesinden hüccâc-ı mûmâileyhimce hâsıl olacak fevâʾid ve menâfiʿi zikr ve beyâna hâcet göremem bâ-husûs hüccâc mukaddemâ pek çok defʿalar olduğu gibi memleketlerine avdet için lâzım gelen vesâʾitin fıkdânı cihetiyle Hicazʾda kalmağa ve yâhud orada pek çok borçlara girmeğe mecbûr olmayacaklardır. Hüccâcın Hicazʾda temdîd-i ikâmetlerinde ve yahud Singapur tarîkiyle avdetlerinden müstefid olan baʿzı kesân tarafından teşebbüs-i mebhûse[?] muhâlefet edilmesi tabîʿi ise de işbu hizmet-i nakliyeden bir netîce-i hasene ümîd edebilmek için Arabistan meʾmûrîn-i mahalliyesinin muʿâvenet ve müzâharetleri lâbüddür. İşte bu husûsda hükûmet-i seniyyenin muʿâvenetini talebe mücâseret eder mesʾûl-ı senâverânemin şüphesiz îcâbını icrâ buyuracakları cihetle şimdiden arz-ı teşekküre müsâraʿat eylerim. Beyân-ı hâl meʾâsir-i ihtirâm-kârîye vesîle ittihâz kılındı About permitting the operation of a special steamship to Jeddah for the trans­ portation of Javanese and Sumatran pilgrims This is the translation of the declaration given from the Dutch Embassy to the office of the Exalted Foreign Ministry, dated 1 July 1866 The lofty mediation of the minister is requested to give the necessary in­ structions to the Exalted Province of Hijaz to facilitate the orderly return of the pilgrims of the Dutch possessions in India, to their homeland when it is appro­ priate and possible. The steamship companies Nederland and Rotterdam[sche] Lloyd have decided to operate special steamships to take out and return back the pilgrims from Java and Sumatra, and to issue tickets for this journey. I think it unnecessary to enumerate the great benefits to the pilgrims of operating

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steamships with return tickets directly between Iraqi provinces and the Dutch possessions in India, particularly that the pilgrims will not be compelled to remain in Hijaz, nor to enter into a great deal of debt there due to a lack of transportation as has frequently been the case. Naturally, certain individuals, who profit from the prolongation of the pilgrims’ stay in Hijaz or their return via Singapore, will oppose [this initiative]. Nevertheless, in order see the good results of this transportation service, it is essential to have the help and assis­ tance of the local officials in Arabia. In this matter it is dared to request the as­ sistance of the Exalted Government and I would like to make my submission of gratitude already, as it is beyond any doubt that the requirement of my humble request will be implemented. The present declaration is a means by which to pay my regards to your most revered personage. Source: BOA HR.TO. 188/4

3

Petition of Acehnese pilgrims to Ottoman authorities complaining about Dutch consul’s interference with them upon their arrival in Jeddah, c. 18729

Cost 1 kuruş The petition of your servants is that:10 After the appropriate prayers, gifts and salutations: Those who present this petition to Your Excellency are pilgrims of God’s Holy Shrine from Aceh, who have come to this Holy Land that is in the shadow of the resplendent sultan­ ate. When we disembarked the steam-boat, we were intercepted at sea by the Dutch consul and his forces, who detained us as if we were prisoners, attacked us, coerced us, and took from each of us three riyals. Initially we refused to sur­ render, claiming that we were not his [the consul’s] subjects and he in no way had rights over us. He replied that these were orders from the Sublime State, and as subjects of that State we obeyed. As is well established and well known, the people of Aceh are an independent people with their own ruler who have been subjects of the Sublime State since ancient times. They fly its banners in their country, and are protected by its shelter from every enemy, and neither Dutch nor anyone else have any rights over them in any way. Neither the Dutch nor anyone else has been able to set up residence in their country [Aceh], even for the purposes of trade. Rather, the people of Aceh are sheltered beneath the shadow of the resplendent [Ottoman] sultanate, and protect their land from 9  The petition does not bear any date but is filed together with documents dated 1872. 10  This phrase is in Turkish.

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Petition of Acehnese pilgrims to Ottoman authorities complaining about Dutch consul’s interference with them upon their arrival in Jeddah, c. 1872

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enemies with [all] their souls. By the grace of God Exalted, no enemy has been able to get control over any of the military assets of the Sublime State that have on them the insignia of the Ottoman State which are preserved till now among the people of Aceh, who regard them as an impregnable fortress. Petitions have been carried from the people of Aceh to the threshold of the Sublime State asking for a state official to come to Aceh in order to take it over.11 This was promised because [the Sublime State] knew that the land and people of Aceh belong to it. Therefore your Excellency, who is someone who undertakes to build the pillars of the Sublime State, to repel harm and to protect its subjects and territories, under whose Sublime Sultanate he is: we have dared to present this petition in the hope through your justice and exalted zeal, that which was taken from us in the assault be returned to us and that [the Consul] be pre­ vented from intercepting the Acehnese, lest Acehnese come in the future and know that the taking of three riyals by order of the consul is something which is not good. To command belongs to Him who has command. [Seal #1907] Harun bin Abdul Rahman Asyi 1289, ‘Harun bin Abdul Rahman Asyi 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1908] Husain bin Alah Asyi 1289, ‘Husain, son of Alah, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1909] Muhammad bin Muhammad Amin Asyi 1289, ‘Muhammad, son of Muhammad Amin, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1910] Lankutah bin Lamburuh Asyi 1289, ‘Lankutah bin Lamburuh, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1911] Banta bin Selamat Asyi 1289, ‘Banta, son of Selamat, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1912] Dikarun bin Janjah Asyi [12]89, ‘Dikarun, son of Janjah, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1913] Ali bin Lankutah Asyi 1289, ‘Ali, son of Lankutah, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1914] Yusuf bin qādhī al-Asyi (?)9, ‘Yusuf, son of the kadi of Aceh, (?)9 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1895] Semaun bin Zaid Asyi 1289, ‘Semaun, son of Zaid, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1896] Tenakaluk bin Balik Asyi 1289, ‘Tenakaluk, son of Balik, Asyi, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1897] Saman[?] bin (?) Asyi 1289, ‘Saman, son of (?), Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1898] Hasan bin Muhammad Salih Asyi 1289, ‘Hasan son of Muhammad Salih Asyi 1289 (1872/3)’ 11  This could also refer to taking over the military assets referred to in the previous sentence.

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[Seal #1899] Amumatam bin Pam Asyi 1289, ‘Amumatam, son of Pam, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1900] Tuah bin Jim Asyi [128]9, ‘Tuah, son of Jim, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1901] Bayan bin Mansyan Asyi 1289, ‘Bayan, son of Mansyan Asyi 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1902] Muhammad bin Hajat Asyi 1289, ‘Muhammad, son of Hajat, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1903] Muhammad Salih Asyi 1289, ‘Muhammad Salih Asyi 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1904] Taha bin Harun Asyi 1289, ‘Taha, son of Harun, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1905] Dawud bin Tanun Asyi 1289, ‘Daud, son of Tanun, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1906] Sulaiman bin Jal (?) Asyi (?), ‘Sulaiman, son of Jal (?), Aceh (?)’ [Seal #1888] Muhammad bin Said al-Asyi 1289, ‘Muhammad, son of Said, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1889] Husain bin Umar al-Asyi 1289, ‘Husain, son of Umar, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1738] Muhammad Salih bin Abdul Rahim al-Asyi 1229, ‘Muhammad Salih, son of Abdul Rahim, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1740] Hasan bin Ahmad al-Asyi 1289, ‘Hasan, son of Ahmad, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1737] Husain bin Ali al-Asyi 1289, ‘Husain, son of Ali, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1891] Jamaluddin bin Baik 1289, ‘Jamaluddin, son of Baik, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1892] Muhammad Saman bin Ali al-Asyi 1289, ‘Muhammad Saman, son of Ali, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1893] Muhammad Amin bin Muhammad Said al-Asyi 1289, ‘Muhammad Amin, son of Muhammad Said, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1733] Abdul Rauf bin Hasan al-Asyi 1289, ‘Abdul Rauf, son of Hasan, of Aceh, 1289 (1872)’ [Seal #1739] Muhammad bin Husain al-Asyi 1289, ‘Muhammad, son of Husain, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1890] Abu Bakar bin Muhammad al-Asyi 1289, ‘Abu Bakar, son of Muhammad, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1894] Abdul Salam bin Jamaluddin al-Asyi, ‘Abdul Salam, son of Jamaluddin, of Aceh’ [Seal #1877] Sayid Hamzah Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Sayyid Hamzah, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1878] Fakih Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Fakih Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’

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[Seal #1879] Khatib Kasyi Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Khatib Kasyi, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1880] Ahmad Kanda Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Ahmad Kanda, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1881] Ngabehi Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Ngabehi Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1882] Ansyi Alam Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Encik[?] Alam, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1883] Mualim Nganda Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Mualim Nganda, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1884] Mualim Ibrahim Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Mualim Ibrahim, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1885] Mualim Fatah Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Mualim Fatah, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1886] Mualim Batu al-Besar Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Mualim Batu al-Besar, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1887] Mualim Batua Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Mualim Batua, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1869] Khatib Nganta Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Khatib Nganta, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1870] Riyu Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Riyu, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1871] Fakih Tunku Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Fakih Tunku Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1872] Khatib Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Khatib Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1873] Mualim Sekar Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Mualim Sekar, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1874] Kari Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Kari, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1875] Ismail Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Ismail, Kerinci, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1876] Imam Kerinsyi 1289, ‘Imam Kerinci 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1736] al-Haj Umar bin Auf al-Asyi 1280, ‘The Haji Umar, son of Auf, of Aceh, 1280 (1863/4)’ [Seal #1927] ‘abduhu Idris bin Abdul Rauf al-Asyi 1288, ‘His servant, Idris, son of Abdul Rauf, of Aceh, 1288 (1871/2)’ [Seal #1741] Yusuf bin Muhammad Arif al-Asyi 1289, ‘Yusuf, son of Muhammad Arif, of Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1928] Muhammad Abid bin Sulaiman (?) 1289, ‘Muhammad Abid, son of Sulaiman, (?) 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1868] al-Haj Abdul Rahman bin Malim Air Alang (?), ‘The Haji Abdul Rahman, son of Malim Air Alang (?)’ [Seal #1867] Abdullah bin al-Haj Sirah Asyi 1289, ‘Abdullah, son of the Haji Sirah, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1866] Uthman bin Bakit Asyi 1289, ‘Uthman, son of Bakit, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1865] Daud bin al-Haj Sirah Asyi 1289, ‘Daud, son of the Haji Sirah, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’

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[Seal #1864] Abdullah bin Teuku Perang Asyi 1289, ‘Abdullah, son of Teuku Perang, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1863] Musa bin [Nyak] Putih Asyi 1289, ‘Musa, son of [Nyak] Putih, Aceh, 1289 (1872/3)’ [Seal #1750] Muhammad Tahir bin al-Syaikh Abdul Karim 1285, ‘Muhammad Tahir, son of the Syaikh Abdul Karim, 1285 (1868/9)’ [Seal #1749] Fataqabbalahū Rabbuhū bi-qabūlin // Hasan 1289, ‘“So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance” (Qurʾan 3:37) // Hasan, 1289 (1872/3)’ Source: BOA A.MKT.MHM. 457/55(3)

4

Complaints about the Dutch consul in Jeddah who obliged the pilgrims to travel on ships which he has chartered, 1873

Huzûr-ı meʿâl-i mevfûr-ı hazret-i sadâret-penâhîye fî 4 Rebîʿulâhir sene [12]90 ve fî 19 Nisan sene [12]89 târihiyle Hicaz Vilâyetiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrâtın sûreti Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Ciddeʾde mukîm Flemenk Devleti Konsolosuʾnun Ciddeʾde hüccâc hakkında vukûʿa gelen baʿzı muʿâmelât-ı nâ-marziyesi hakkında sebkat eden arz ve işʿâr-ı kemterâneme cevâben fî 19 Muharrem sene [12]90 târih ve iki numerolu şeref-sâdır olan emir-nâme-i sâmî-i cenâb-ı sadâret-penâhîlerinde devlet-i müşârûn-ileyhâ sefâretiyle biʾl-muhâbere akdemce dahî bâ-emirnâme-i sâmî emr ve işʿâr buyurulduğu üzre konsolos-ı mûmâileyhin hüccâc-ı merkûmenin karaya çıkdıktan sonra kendileriyle icrâ-yı münâsebâtdan ve tahsîl-i rüsûmât­ dan menʿini hâvî sefâret-i müşârunileyhâ cânibinden kendisine emr-i katʿî gönderilmiş olduğu beyân-ı âlîsiyle konsolos-ı mûmâileyh hüccâc-ı merkûme yedlerinde bulunan pasaportlarını vize etmeğe ve konsolato harcı almağa hakkı olup bunun hâricinde ve vezâif-i meʾmûriyetinin hilâfında bir gûne hâl ve hareket görülür ise îcâbına bakılmak üzre keyfiyetin arz ve işʿârı emr u fermân buyurulmuş ve ol vechile keyfiyet Cidde Kâimmakâmlığıʾna biʾl-etrâf beyân ve izbâr kılınmış ise de konosolos-ı mûmâileyhin derkâr olan efkâr u mişvârı iktizâsınca nîk durmayıp arasıra hilâf-ı maʿdelet baʿzı hâlâta tasaddî edegeldiği misillü bu kere dahî îfâ-yı farîza-i hac ile vatan ve memleketlerine mütevec­ cihan avdet ve Ciddeʾde tecemmüʿ eden hüccâc-ı mûmâileyhin istedikleri vapur ve sefâine binmekden menʿ ile kendisinin istikrâ eylediği Nelvoskove[?] nâm vapura binmeleri için taʿannüd ve ısrârda bulunduğu mahallinden işʿâr ve müteʿâkiben bu husûsa dâʾir Ciddeʾde mukîm Fransa konsulatosu cânibin­ den mevrûd takrîr ile melfûf müzekkere aynen ve leffen pîşgâh-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı hidivv-i efhamîlerine takdîm ve tisyâr olunmuş ve beyâna hâcet olmadığı üzre yolcular her kangı tebʿa ve milletden olur ise olsun kendilerinin nazar-ı emniyet

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ve râhatlarını celb edecek sefâyin ve vesâʾite ile nakl ve azîmetlerinde muhtâr olduklarından konsolos-ı mûmâileyhin ber minvâl-i muharrer muhtâc-ı merkûmeyi şu sûretle taht-ı mecbûriyete almakda hakkı olmayacağından olbâbda baʿzı ihtâr ve vecâibâyı hâvî taraf-ı çâkerânemden konsolos-ı mûmâi­ leyhe yazılan tahrîrâtın sûreti dahî leffen arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla ve Ciddeʾnin ehemmiyetine ve nezâket-i mevkiʿiyyesiyle berâber konsolos-ı mûmâileyhin huşûnet-i mizâcı arasıra bu gibi hâlâtın tahaddüs ve nükûsetine sebebiyet vermekte bulunmağla mücerred beyân-ı hal muʿarrazında terkîm-i arîza-i kemterîye cürʾet ve cesâret kılınmış olmağın ol-bâbda This is the copy of the correspondence that arrived from the Province of Hijaz to the presence of His Highness the Grand Vizier, dated 1 May 1873 It is the submission of your most humble servant that: [Reports of] certain unwelcome behaviour of the Dutch consul residing in Jeddah with regard to the pilgrims at Jeddah were forwarded. In response to the submission and communication of your humble servant, being the noble grand Vizierial order number two dated 19 March 1873 it was explained that, as was previously ordered by means of a Grand Vizierial order, having communi­ cated with the embassy of the said country, a definitive command was sent [to the consul] from the said embassy containing a prohibition on interfering with the aforementioned pilgrims and collecting fees once they landed. The consul was to issue visas for the passports they held, and take the permitted consulage that was due. Beyond this, it was commanded that, should the consul act in a manner contrary to the nature of his official duties, it should be reported so as to deal with the situation as necessary. Although this situation was reported and explained in detail to the deputy governorship of Jeddah, the said consul did not behave properly as a result of his [ill] temperament. but from time to time, acted contrary to justice. Likewise, this time, the pilgrims who completed the obligation of pilgrimage were seeking to return to their homelands and countries and gathered in Jeddah. However [the consul] prohibited them from boarding steamships and ships they preferred and stubbornly pressed them to board the steamship ‘Nelvoskove’[?], which he himself hired. This was an­ nounced [from Jeddah]. The original declaration from the French consulate in Jeddah on this matter and the enclosed writ are presented in enclosure to your lofty khedivial presence. Needless to say, the travellers whatever their citizen­ ship and country are free to board and travel on ships that appeal to their secu­ rity and comfort. Therefore, the said consul does not have the right to compel these unfortunates as explained. In this matter, your most humble servant made some warnings to the said consul. The copies of this correspondence are also presented in enclosure and, given the importance and local sensibilities

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of Jeddah, I should do the same again if the said consul engages in any like in­ stances of harsh behaviour in the future. This humble petition only dares and presumes to convey a statement of the situation in this matter. Source: BOA HR.H. 446/7

5

Request for assistance with regard to Ottoman ship detained in Penang while transporting pilgrims from Jeddah to Banda Aceh, 1873

Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Ciddeʾden Açin tarafına giden hüccâc sefînesinin tevkîfine dâʾir Nezâret-i Celîle-i Hâriciyeʾye fî 16 Temmuz sene 1873 târihiyle Singapurʾdan Seyyid Muhammed el-Yakub imzâsıyla keşîde olunan telgrafnâmenin tercümesidir. Meşhed Ahmedʾin Osmanlı Sancağıʾnı hâmil olan Pencab nâm sefînesi hüc­ câc ve hamûle ile Ciddeʾden hareket edip Açin havâlîsinde hiç maʿlûmât ver­ ilmeksizin ablukaya meʾmûr olan sefîne tarafından Açin limânına duhûlüne ruhsat verilmemiş ve sefîne-i mezbûre Penang nâm mahalde tevkîf olunmuş olduğundan bu bâbda evâmir-i aliyye-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîlerine intizâren hüccâcın düyûna müstağrak oldukları arz olunur. Cevânibin ücreti teʾdiye olunmuşdur. 16/7/1873 Draft translation: concerning the detention of the pilgrim ship going from Jeddah to Aceh. This is the translation of the telegram to the Exalted Foreign Ministry signed by Sayyid Muhammad al-Yaʿqub from Singapore, dated 16 July 1876. The ship ‘Panjab’, owned by Meşhed Ahmed under the Ottoman flag, left Jeddah with pilgrims and cargo but was denied from entrance to the port of Aceh, by ships appointed for blockade, without any explanation. The said ship was detained at the place called Penang. In this matter, it is submitted to wait for the exalted command of the minister regarding the pilgrims who are drowning in debt. The fees of the parties have been paid. 16/7/1873 Source: BOA HR.TO. 550/94

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675

Documents related to quarantine on Indian and Jawa pilgrims because of the outbreak of cholera in Sumatra, 1882

Quarantine regulations pertaining to pilgrim ships coming from outside Bab el-Mandeb, 1882 Bâbüʾl-Mendeb hâricinden işbu bin iki yüz doksan dokuz senesinde gelecek hüccâcın Kamaran Adasıʾnda icrâ edilecek karantinasına dâʾir taʿlîmâttır. Birinci Mâdde Bâbüʾl-Mendeb hâricinden hüccâcı hâmil olarak vürûd ede­ cek biʾl-cümle sefâʾinin patenteleri her nasıl olur ise olsun Bahr-ı Ahmerʾde vâkiʿ memâlik-i mahrûse-i şâhâne limânlarından hiç birine uğramaksızın doğruca Kamaran Adasıʾna gidecektir. İkinci Mâdde Hüccâc gemisi hüccâcın Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye nakline mah­ sûs olarak istikrâ olunan sefâʾine ıtlâk olunur. Üçüncü Mâdde Bu makûle sefâʾinin Kamaran Adasıʾna vürûdunda bütün hüccâc karaya çıkarılarak nizâmı vechile tabîb maʿrifetiyle muʿâyene olu­ nacak ve eğerçi geldiği mahalli temiz olup da esnâ-yı râhda şüpheli bir şey vukûʿ bulmamış ise tam beş gün karantina bekleyecek ve eşyâ ve sâʾire tathîr edileceği gibi hüccâcı tekrâr mahall-i maksûda götüreceği cihetle sefîne dahî tathîr edilecektir. Dördüncü Mâdde Koleradan bulaşık olan mahalden gelen ve yahud esnâ-yı râhda derûnunda şüpheli bir hâl zuhûr eden sefâʾine hüccâcla berâber nizâ­ men karantina icrâ etdirilecek ve bu da lâ-ekal on günden on beş güne kadar olacaktır. Beşinci Mâdde Bu hâlde bulunanlara kolera nizâmnâmesinde muharrer mevâddın kâffesi bilâ-istisnâ icrâ edilecektir. Altıncı Mâdde Hiçbir sefine karantina müddetini tekmîl etdikden sonra getirmiş olduğu hüccâcı tekrâr almadıkça Kamaran Adasıʾnı terk edemeyecektir. Yedinci Mâdde Bâbüʾl-Mendeb hâricinde vâkiʿ Arabistan sevâhilinden hüccâcı hâmilen gelecek senbuklar dahî sefâʾin-i sâʾire misillü doğruca Kamaran Adasıʾna gitmeğe mecbûr olup sâʾir limânlardan red olunacaktır. Sekizinci Mâdde Basra‌ʾdan hüccâcı hâmil olarak cânib-i âlî-i Hicazʾa gide­ cek olan sefâʾin dahî mutlakâ Kamaran Adasıʾna gidip yalnız bunlar hakkında patentelerine göre ber mûceb-i nizâm muʿâmele olunacaktır. Dokuzuncu Mâdde Eşya ve yük ve emtiʿa dahî var ise sefîne ile berâber kol­ era nizâmnâmesi ahkâmına tâbiʿ olacaktır Onuncu Mâdde Hindistan mevâridatına aleʾl-umûm bin sekiz yüz altmış yedi senesi kolera nizâmnâmesi mûcebince muʿâmele edilecektir. Dersaʿâdet Alafranka fî 20 Haziran sene 1882 6.1

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These are the instructions concerning the establishment of a quarantine on the island of Kamaran for pilgrims coming from beyond the Bab el-Mandeb in the year 1299 [1882/3] First item: All of the ships bringing pilgrims coming outside of the Bab el-Mandeb, regardless of whatever health licenses they might hold, must head straight to Kamaran Island without calling at any of the ports of the Well-Protected Imperial Domains located on the Red Sea. Second item: The pilgrim ships are the special ships hired for transporting pilgrims to Honoured Mecca. Third item: All the pilgrims travelling on this sort of ships to Kamaran Island will be taken ashore, and in accordance with the procedures will undergo a medical examination by physicians. Should they come from a place clean of disease and nothing suspicious occurred in the course of their journey, they will wait for five full days in quarantine, and their goods and other things will be cleaned. Likewise, their ship will also be cleaned in this way since it will take the pilgrims to the desired location. Fourth item: If the place they came from is contaminated with cholera, or a suspicious incident occurred in the ship during the journey, the ships, together with the pilgrims, will be put into quarantine in accordance with the regula­ tions and this will be at least between ten and fifteenth days. Fifth item: All the articles written in the cholera regulations will be imple­ mented without exception to those in this situation. Sixth item: No ship having completed its time in quarantine may afterwards leave Kamaran Island without taking back the pilgrims that it brought. Seventh item: Pilgrims coming in local ships from the shores of Arabia situ­ ated outside the Bab el-Mandeb, as well as other ships, will be obliged to go to Kamaran Island directly, and are to be turned away from other ports. Eighth item: Ships coming from Basra and carrying pilgrims to the exalt­ ed area of Hijaz must also absolutely go to Kamaran Island. But these will be treated in accordance with their health licences and the requirements of the regulations. Ninth item: If there are wares, cargo, and goods, these are subject to the provisions of the cholera regulations together with the ship. Tenth item: All of the routes to India are to be treated according to the re­ quirements of the cholera regulation of the year 1867. The Abode of Felicity 20 June 1882 (European calendar) Source: BOA Y.A.RES. 16/22

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Ministry of Health’s decision to implement quarantine on Indian and Jawa pilgrims because of the outbreak of cholera in Sumatra, 1882 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Sumatra Adasıʾnda kolera illetinin zuhûru cihetiyle Bahr-ı Muhît-i Hindiyeʾden gelecek hüccâca karantina beklettirilmesi için lâzım gelen tedâbi­ rin ittihâz ve icrâsı zımnında sebk iden tebliğât üzerine Sıhhiye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden gelen tezkire melfûf taʿlîmât ile berâber arz ve takdîm kılındı hülâsa-i meʾâline nazaran Hind ve Cava hüccâcından ahvâl-i sıhhiyesi yolunda olanların ihtiyat olarak beş ve içlerinde kolera âsârı müşâhede kılınanların dahî nizamnâme-i mahsûsu mûcebince on günden on beş güne kadar karantinaya konulmak üzre Kamaran Adasıʾna çıkarılmaları ve fakat mezkûr adada bulu­ nan karantina mahallinin emsâli delâletiyle mikdârı maʿlûm olan o civâr hüc­ câcînin istiʿâbına kifâyet etmeyeceği cihetle tafahhuzhâne usûlüne tevfîkan yüz yirmi arîş inşâsı lâzım geldiği gibi husûsât-ı sıhhiyeye nezâret etmek üzre bir inspektör ve hizmet-i tıbbiyede bulunmak üzre altı tabîb ve bir eczâcı ve umûr-ı hesâbiye meʾmûru olarak altı kâtib ve karantina bekleyecek hüccâcın emr-i muhâfazası için büyücek rütbeden bir zâbit kumandasında iki yüz nefer asker ve yirmi beş gardiyan taʿyîni ve bir de limanın umûr-ı zâbıtasına bak­ mak için dahî Ciddeʾde bulunan karakol sefînesinin mezbûr Kamaran Adasıʾna iʿzâmı ve müteferriʿâtının tavzîhi ile berâber bunlardan zikr olunan altı tabîbe şehrî üçer bin ve eczâcı ile kâtiblere biner ve gardiyanlara üçer yüz guruş maʿaş tahsîsi îcâb edeceği misillü gerek işbu maʿâşât ve gerek masârıf-ı sâʾireye baʿdehû bu yüzden vukûʿ bulacak hâsılât karşılık tutulmak üzre evvel emirde vukûʿı zarûrî ve tabîʿî olan masârıfât için şimdiden iki yüz bin guruşun Yemen Vilâyetiʾne havâlesi meclis-i umûr-ı sıhhiyece kararlaştırılmış ve ehemmiyet ve âciliyet-i maslahata binâʾen ber-vech-i karâr ve işʿâr îfâ-yı mukteziyye için lâzım gelenlere teblîğât-ı mukteziyye icrâ edilmiş olmağla muʿâmelât-ı resmiyesinin icrâsı hakkında her ne vechile emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı hazret-i mülûkâne müteʿallik ve şeref-sudûr buyurulur ise mantûk-ı âlîsinin infâzına mübâderet edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 10 Şaʿbân sene [12]99 fî 15 Haziran sene [12]98 6.2

Your Excellency, my compassionate lord, The note received from the exalted Ministry of Health, issued upon the an­ nouncement [for the need of] enacting precautions for having pilgrims from the Indian Ocean to enter quarantine, in connection with the outbreak of chol­ era in the region of the island of Sumatra, is submitted and presented together with the attached instructions. In summary, healthy Indian and Jawa pilgrims [should] be taken to Kamaran Island to spend five days in quarantine, while those exhibiting symptoms of cholera spend ten to fifteen days in accordance

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with the special regulations. However, the quarantine [facilities] on this island would not be sufficient for the pilgrims of that region, whose [large] number is known from previous experience. Therefore it is necessary that 120 huts be built fit for quarantine techniques, as well as to appoint: an inspector for the supervision of health matters; six doctors to perform medical duties; a phar­ macist; six clerks to deal with financial matters; two hundred soldiers under the command of a fairly high-ranking officer to oversee the stay of the pilgrims in quarantine; and twenty-five warders. In addition, in order to observe the security affairs of the port, the patrol ship in Jeddah should be equipped and deployed to Kamaran Island. It will be necessary to assign the said six doc­ tors a monthly salary of around 3,000 piasters each, the pharmacist and the clerks around 1,000 piasters each, and the warders around 300 piasters each. Therefore, the Council of Health has decided to transfer an initial amount of 200,000 piasters to the Province of Yemen for the essential expenses and to cover [the amount] from the revenues that will occur for these salaries and other expenses. In consequence of the importance and urgency of the matter, the necessary is communicated to the required persons in accordance with the decision and the notification. This note of praise is written, my lord, on the understanding that whatever the command and order of His Imperial Majesty will be with regard to the implementation of its official procedures, the imple­ mentation of its exalted content will be commenced. 27 June 1882 Source: BOA Y.A.RES. 16/22

7

A petition of a Jawa resident of Mecca about the abuses of Osman Paşa, the governor of Hijaz, 188612

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Mesned-i celîl-i sadâret-i uzmâya fî gurre-i Ramazân sene [1]303 târihiyle Mekke-i Mükerreme mücâvirlerinden Cavalı Hasan bin İbrahim imzâsıyla irsâl olunan Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre varakanın tercümesidir. Hicaz Vâlisi Osman Paşa Hazretleriʾnin icrâʾât-ı muzırrası şâyân-ı dikkat­ dir müşârunileyh ehl-i İslâmı tenfîr edecek hâl ve hareketde bulunmakdan geri durmayıp geçen sene Cidde şehrindeki Ayn-ı Zübeydeʾyi taʿmîr etmek 12  The petition might have been written at the behest of Awn al-Rafiq, who was then en­ gaged in fierce rivalry with Osman Paşa. See Abu-Manneh 1973.

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üzre hüccâcın her birinden akçe alarak yüz bin riyâl kadar toplamış ise de bu paraların hiçbiri mevzûʿlarına sarf olunmayıp yed-i ketmânda kaldı bu sene dahî yine minvâl-i sâbık vechile ganî ve fakîri siyâta tutarak akçe tahsîline kalkmışdır veremeyen olur ise habs ve tevkîf ediyor eşrâf ile rüʾesâ-yı urban mürtebâtları olan mebâliği Mekke-i Mükerreme ile Ciddeʾdeki vâli paşanın sarrâflarına kırdırmadıkça almıyorlar taraf-ı müşârunileyhden Mekkeʾde nasb olunan emîn-i ihtisâb ile Cidde belediye reîsi dükkân ve hânelere bir takım mümteniʿüʾt-tahammül resmleri vazʿ edip ahâlîyi izʿâc ediyorlar Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde kâʾin Şeyh Mahmud mezarı millet bahçesi yapılmışdır ahâlî şu bidʿatı kemâl derece nefretle görmekdedirler hâsılı müşârunileyh zulm ve teʿaddî ile meʾlûf ve menfaʿat-i zâtiye ile mevsûf olduğundan yaptığı şeylerden bura ahâlîsi cümleten dilgîrdirler binâʾen aleyh ileride bir fenâlık zuhûr etmez­ den evvel müşârunileyhin azl ve tebdîliyle âsâyişin iʿâde buyurulmasını hâssat­ ten ihtâr ederim Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Translation Office Number This is the translation of the Arabic document dated 3 June 1886 sent to the Grand Vizierate by a Jawa resident of Mecca, Hasan bin Ibrahim. The detrimental activities of Osman Paşa, the governor of Hijaz, deserve attention. He does not refrain from deeds that disgust the Muslims. Although he last year amassed about one hundred thousand riyals by collecting money from each of the pilgrims to repair the Ayn al-Zubayda spring in Jeddah, the money has not been spent on its designated purpose but remained in hidden hands. This year he has started to extract money from the poor and the rich by harming them like in the past. If somebody does not pay, he is arrested and imprisoned. The Sharifs and tribal leaders do not accept the sum to be paid to themselves, unless it is discounted by the moneylenders of the Governor in the Honoured Mecca or Jeddah. The market controller and the mayor appointed by Osman Paşa to Mecca leave the people helpless by imposing some insuffer­ able taxes on shops and houses. The graveyard of Shaykh Mahmud, which is located in Honoured Mecca, has been converted into a public garden. People observe this innovation with complete hatred. In sum, Osman Paşa is accus­ tomed to oppression and is motivated by his personal interests. Consequently, all the local people are angry about his deeds. For this reason, I strongly rec­ ommend dismissing and replacing him in order to restore tranquillity before further damage is done. Source: BOA Y.PRK.A 4/44

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Governor of Hijaz to the chamberlain of the Sultan on the joy caused by the order prohibiting the exploitation and molestation of the pilgrims, 1888

Hicaz Vilâyeti Aded Kurenâ-yı Sânî-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî Cânib-i Âlîsiʾne Saʿâdetlü efendim hazretleri Şimdiye değin Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde Cava hüccâcı ile mücâvirîninden Cava şeyhleri ve Şeyhüʾl-meşâyihi taraflarından nâ-meşrûʿ olarak alınagelen bir takım akçeler ile hüccâc-ı mûmâileyhimin Ciddeʾye bu ayda vürûdlarında oraca üç beş kişiden mürekkeb komisyon maʿrifetiyle ve avdetleri için vapur navlı nâmıyla kendilerinden istifâ olunan akçelerin fîmâ baʿd alınmayacağı ve ferden ferdâ hakkında ednâ mertebe muʿâmele-i gadriye ve ızrâriye ibkâʿına meydan verilmeyeceği ve kâffe-i hüccâc-ı müslimîne misâfir-i azîzimiz nazarıyla bakılarak haklarında ol vechile muʿâmele olunacağı ol-bâbda tan­ zîm ve neşr olunan matbûʿ iʿlânnameler ile cümleye iʿlân ve işâʿa olduğunu müteâkib hüccâc ve mücâvirîn-i mûmâileyhimden üç yüzden mütecâviz bir cemm-i gafîrin dâʾire-i hükûmet-i seniyyeye gelerek şu vechile mazhar oldukları merhamet ve adâlet-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîden dolayı arz-ı min­ net ve teşekkürâtla berâber tertîb etmiş oldukları Arabiyyüʾl-ibâre edʿiye-i meʾsûreyi eşkerîz-i meserret oldukları hâlde savt-ı bülend ile tilâvet ve tekrâr ve cümle tarafından ifrâre-i emîn îsâl bâr-gâh-ı bil-idrak cenâb-ı perverd-gâr kılınmış ve zikr olunan iʿlânnâmenin bir nüshasıyla mezkûr duʿâ varakası maʿa tercüme manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmak üzre leffen arz ve takdîm edilmiş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u irâde efendim hazretlerinindir. Fî 14 Cemâziyelâhir sene [1]306 ve fî 2 Şubat sene [1]304 Vâlî-i vilâyet-i Hicaz Mehmed Nafiz bin Ahmed Hijaz Province Number To the lofty presence of the second confidential chamberlain of His Imperial Sovereign Majesty: Your Excellency, An official notice was prepared and announced in print, prohibiting the collection of some fees which, until now have been collected unlawfully in Honoured Mecca by the shaykhs and the chief shaykh of Jawa from the Jawa pilgrims and residents [of Hijaz]; and the collection of money, by a commis­ sion of three to five individuals, under the name of steamship return fare, on

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their [pilgrims’] arrival in Jeddah in this month. [The same notice stated that] no one could be molested, damaged or subjected to contemptuous treatment and all pilgrims should be considered as our sacred quests and treated accord­ ingly. After the official notice was proclaimed and transmitted in order to regu­ late and advertise this matter to all, a great multitude of over three hundred pilgrims and residents came to the office of the Exalted Government, submit­ ted their gratitude and thanks for the compassion and justice of His Majesty the Caliph, and read and repeated with joyful tears the prayers of devotion which they had prepared. A copy of the official notice and the said prayer sheets, together with a translation, are presented in enclosure for His Majesty’s information. In this matter it is for my lord to command. 14 February 1888 Governor of the province of Hijaz, Mehmed Nafiz bin Ahmed Source: BOA Y.PRK.UM. 14/11

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Governor of Jeddah requests the removal of the quarantine inspector who suggested the prohibition of departure of poor Jawa and Indian pilgrims from their homeland to Hijaz, 1889

Sıhhiye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Cidde karantina inspektörü Cava ve Hindistanʾdan gelen fukarâ-yı hüccâcın fakr-ı hallerini ve oralarda gûyâ zarûret çektiklerini ser-rişte ederek bu misillü fukarânın Cava ve Hindistanca menʿ-i azîmetleri için mahalleri hükûmetlerine teblîğât îfâsı lüzûmunu nezâret-i celîlelerine işʿâr ettiği istihbâr olunduğundan ve bunun mazarrât-ı maddiye ve maʿneviyesi ise bedîhî olup ehl-i İslâmʾın kıblegâh-ı kâffe-i İslâm olan Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye azîmetden menʿ edecek esbâba teşebbüs etmiş inspektörün sû-i niyet ve fikrini meydana koymakda bulunduğundan ve bu hâl ile Ciddeʾde kalması câʾiz olmayacağından bahisle icrâ-yı îcâbına ve baʿzı ifâdeye dâʾir Hicaz Vilâyet-i Celîlesiʾnden mebʿûs tahrîrât leffen tesyîr-i sû-yı âlî-i dâverâneleri kılınmış olmağla ve ehemmiyet-i maslaha­ ta nazaran bu bâbda olan maʿlûmât ve mutâlaʿa-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîlerinin beyân ve inbâsı bâbında Fî 23 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]305 To the Exalted Ministry of Health It has been heard that the Jeddah quarantine inspector has submitted a re­ port about the poverty of the poor pilgrims coming from Jawa and India, alleg­ ing that they were suffering there [Hijaz] and advising your exalted ministry

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of the necessity of notifying the governments of Jawa and India in order to prevent the departure of the poor people. There are obvious material and spiritual damages in this. It will not be proper for this inspector to remain in Jeddah in this line of conduct since he has shown his malevolence and inten­ tion of preventing Muslims from their journey to Honoured Mecca, which is the sole direction of worship for all the people of Islam, The correspondence from the Exalted Province of Hijaz reporting [this] and [requesting the] imple­ mentation of its requirement is sent in enclosure to your exalted presence. With respect to the importance of this case, [this note is issued to request] the announcement and communication of your exalted Ministerial excellency’s information and consideration on this matter. 5 December 1889 Source: BOA DH.MKT.1696/54

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Dutch embassy requests information about thieves and the money they stole from Javanese pilgrims in Hijaz, 1890

218 Cava ahâlîsinden ve Flemenk tebʿasından bulunan hüccâcın üç bin doları sirkat olunduğu ve bu bâbda baʿzı kesânın taht-ı mazbûtda bulunduğu beyânıyla nükûd-ı mesrûkanın zâhire ihrâc ve sâriklerinin düçâr-ı mücâzât ed­ ilmesi cânib-i sefâretden iltimâs olunmağın mahallince tedkîkât ve taharriyât-ı serîʿa ve lâzime biʾl-icrâ ber mûceb-i iltimâs muʿâmele-i mukteziyyenin îfâsı zımnında Hicaz Vilâyet-i Celilesiʾne vesâyâ-yı lâzıme icrâsına himem-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleri şâyân buyurulmak babında. Fî 22 Muharrem sene [1]308 ve fî 26 Ağustos sene [1]306 The [Dutch] embassy communicated that three thousand dollars were stolen from pilgrims who are inhabitants of Java and Dutch subjects, and that some individuals were kept under custody for this issue, and requested an investiga­ tion into the stolen money and the punishment of the thieves. [This note is] to [request] your exalted ministerial assistance for giving the necessary advice to the Governorate of Hijaz for performing the investigation and exploration quickly and the implementation of the necessary procedures. 7 September 1890 Source: BOA DH.MKT.1786/73

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683

Documents related to quarantine of Indian and Jawa pilgrims, 1893

Ministry of Health requesting assistance from the Grand Vizierate for the arrangement of quarantine for the pilgrims coming from Indian Ocean, 1893 Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Sıhhiye Tahrîrât Odası Aded 341 Huzûr-ı Meʿâl-i Mevfûr-ı Cenâb-ı Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Bu sene-i mübârekede dahî Bahr-ı Muhît-i Hindiyeʾden cânib-i âlî-i Hicazʾa gelecek biʾl-cümle hüccâc zeviʾl-ibtihâcın mevkıʿ-i tahaffuza dâʾimî ittihâz olunmuş olan Kamaran Adasıʾnda taʿlîmât-ı mahsûsasına tevfîkan karantinaya konulmak üzre bir inspektör ile altı tabîb ve iki kâtib ve iki yazıcı ve iki nefer ser-gardiyân ve ütü makinesi için bir makinist ve bir ateşci ve kadınlar hakkında icrâ olunacak muʿâmele-i tebhîriyede istihdâm olunmak üzre bir de kadın gardiyanın taʿyîn ve iʿzâmı ve sâʾir iktizâ eden meʾmûrîn ve hademenin dahî mahallince tedârik ve istihdâmı ve hüccâcın muhâfazası için sinîn-i sâbıkada gönderildiği gibi büyücek rütbeden bir zâbıtanın iki yüz nefer asâkir-i şâhâne ile mezkûr adaya meʾmûr edilmesi ve emr-i muhâfazaya dikkat ve nezâret ol­ unmak üzre kapudânına taʿlîmât-ı katʿiyye iʿtâsıyla orada bulunan Donanma-yı Hümâyûnʾdan bir sefînenin emsâli misillü biʾt-taʿyîn Kamaranʾa gönderilmesi ve Hudeydeʾde bu sene zuhûr etmiş olan koleradan dolayı hıtta-i Yemâniyeʾden avdet eden asâkir-i şâhâne ile yolcular hakkında olunan karantinadan dolayı zâten Kamaran Tahaffuzhânesi açık bulunarak etibbâ-yı sıhhiyeden bir hay­ lisi orada mevcûd ve inspektörlük vazîfesi dahî Hudeyde karantinası tabîbi rıfʿatlü Malezyan Efendiʾye mahmûl ise de zamân-ı haccın takarrubu ciheti­ yle hıtta-i Hicâziye ve Yemâniyeʾnin husûsât-ı sıhhiyece kesb edeceği ehem­ miyet ve nezâket-i fevkalâdesi hasebiyle mûmâileyh Malezyan Efendiʾnin meʾmûriyet-i asliyesine iʿâdesiyle yerine çend seneden beri Cidde karantinesi inspektörlüğünde bulunmuş ve hüsn-ı hizmeti görülmüş olan Doktor Vomen şehrî beş bin guruş maʿaş ile taʿyîni ve Kamaran heyʾet-i hâzırasının dahî tezyî­ di ve bu heyʾet-i sıhhiye maʿaş ve harc-ı râhlarının tahsîl olunacak rüsûm-ı sıhhiyeden tesviye ve iʿtâsı husûslarına meclis-i umûr-ı sıhhiyece karar veriler­ ek meʾmûrîn-i mûmâileyhimin esâmîsiyle mikdâr-ı maʿaş ve harc-ı râhlarını mübeyyin tanzîm olunan defter leffen takdîm ve isrâ kılınmış ve tahaffuzhânei mezkûrun vürûd edecek hüccâc için Receb-i Şerîf ibtidâsında küşâd olunarak Zilhicce nihâyetine kadar imtidâd edeceği cihetle inspektör-i mûmâileyh geçen Çarşamba günü hareket eylemiş olan Hidivviye Kumpanyası vapuruyla 11.1

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ol tarafa gönderildiği gibi ilâveten gönderilmesine lüzûm görünen etibbâ ve meʾmûrîn sâʾirenin dahî derdest iʿzâm bulunmuş olduğuna ve hıtta-ı mezkûrda ledeʾl-hamd illet-i mezkûre mündefiʿ olmuş ise de Hudeydeʾden çıkacaklar beş gün ihtiyât karantinasına tâbiʿ bulunması hasebiyle asâkir-i şâhâne ile sefîne-i hümâyûn sâbıkı misillü hıtta-i Yemâniyeʾden taʿyîn ve iʿzâm olunduğu hâlde bunlar evvel emirde Kamaranʾda beş gün karantinaya konularak ikmâl-i müd­ det eyledikden sonra vazîfe-i meʾmûriyetlerine devâm edeceklerine binâʾen inspektör-ı mûmâileyhin umûr-ı meʾmûresi hakkında muʿâvenet ve teshîlât-ı mukteziyyenin ifâsı zımnında telgrafla Yemen Vilâyetiʾne emir iʿtâsıyla berâber bir zâbıta ile iki yüz nefer asâkir-i şâhânenin hüccâcın muhâfazasına meʾmûren irsâli için Yedinci Ordu-yı Hümâyûn Müşîriyetiʾne maʿlûmât verilmek üzre taraf-ı sâmî-i seraskerîye ve sâlifüʾl-arz sefîne-i hümâyûnun hemen Kamaranʾa meʾmûr edilmesi zımnında dahî Bahriye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne teblîğât-ı muk­ teziyye îfâsı husûsunun huzûr-ı meʿâl-i nüşûr-ı dâver-i efhamîlerine arz ve izbârı dâʾire-i sıhhiyeden ifâde kılınmış olmağın emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 27 Cemâziyelâhire sene [1]310 ve fî 4 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]308 Sıhhiye Nâzırı bende-i Ministry of Health Correspondence Office Number 341 To the presence of the great Grand Vizierial personage, The submission of your most humble servant is: The General Health Council has decided to appoint and dispatch an inspec­ tor with six doctors, two secretaries, two scribes, two head warders, a machin­ ist to operate the pressing machine, a fireman, and a woman warder to be employed for fumigation of women, as in this blessed year, as well, all of the felicitous pilgrims coming from Indian Ocean to the exalted Hijaz are to go through quarantine in accordance with its special instructions, on Kamaran Island which is assigned as a permanent place for quarantine. [According to the same decision] other necessary officials and servants are to be procured from the local area. Moreover, for the security of the pilgrims, as in former years, a fairly high-ranking officer together with two hundred imperial soldiers are to be appointed to the island. In order to observe and enforce the order of protec­ tion, a ship of the imperial navy there is to be likewise allocated to Kamaran under a captain with precise instructions. As a result of cholera that occurred in Hudaydah this year quarantine has been implemented for imperial sol­ diers and travellers returning from Yemen. Therefore the Kamaran quarantine

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facility is active and a number of medical doctors are present there. Moreover, the function of inspectorship is fulfilled by his excellency Malezyan Efendi, doctor of the Hudaydah quarantine. However, the said Malezyan Efendi should return to his actual office, because of the importance and extreme delicacy of securing the health situation on the Hijazi and Yemen while the pilgrimage season approaches. In his place, Doctor Vomen, with many years’ experience and good service in the Jeddah quarantine, be appointed with a monthly sal­ ary of five thousand piastres. The number of current staff in Kamran should be increased and their travel expenses and salaries be collected and paid from health tax that will be collected. [Having taken these decisions General Health Council has] sent the attached register explaining the names of the said of­ ficials together with their salaries and travel expenses. As the said quaran­ tine facility for the arriving pilgrims will be open from the beginning of [the month of] noble Rajab until the end of Dhuʾl-Hijja the said inspector was sent to that place last Wednesday on a steamship of the Khedival Company, and the dispatch of the required doctors and other officials is in hand. Although the said disease has fortunately been defeated at the said place, those com­ ing from Hudaydah are subject to five days’ quarantine. In case the imperial soldiers and imperial ship are to be appointed and dispatched from Yemen as before they will proceed to their duties after having completed their time of five days in quarantine. Therefore, the Ministry of Health requests from your high personage to send a telegram to the Governorate of Yemen commanding it to assist and facilitate the official duties of the said inspector, along with making the necessary announcements to exalted Ministry of War to inform the command of the Seventh Imperial Army for dispatching two hundred impe­ rial soldiers with an officer for the protection of the pilgrims, as well as to the Exalted Ministry of the Navy for the immediate appointment of the above said imperial ship to Kamaran. To command belongs to him who commands all. 16 January 1893 Your servant, the Minister of Health Source: BOA İ.SH. 1/1310/B-3

Decision of the General Health Council concerning the arrangement of quarantine for the pilgrims coming from Indian Ocean, 1893 Bâb-ı Âlî Meclis-i Mahsûs 1827 Sıhhiye Nezâretiʾnin meyâne-i bendegânemizde kırâʾat olunan tez­ kiresinde bu sene-i mübârekede dahî Bahr-ı Muhît-i Hindiyeʾden cânib-i Hicaz mağfiret-tırâza gelecek hüccâcın mevkiʿ-i tahaffuza dâʾimî ittihâz 11.2

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olunan Kamaran Adasıʾnda taʿlîmât-ı mahsûsasına tevfîkan karantinaya vazʿı zımnında bir inspektör ile altı tabîb ve iki kâtib ve iki yazıcı ve iki nefer sergardiyân ve altı nefer gardiyan ve ütü makinesi için bir makinist ve bir ateşci ve kadınlar hakkında icrâ olunacak muʿâmele-i tebhîriyede istihdâm olun­ mak için bir kadın gardiyanın taʿyîn ve iʿzâmı ve sâʾir iktizâ eden meʾmûrîn ve hademenin dahî mahallince tedârik ve istihdâmı ve emr-i muhâfazada bulunmak üzre büyücek rütbede bir zâbit ile iki yüz nefer asâkir-i şâhânenin ve oradaki Donanma-yı Hümâyûnʾdan bir sefînenin emsâli misillü biʾt-taʿyîn Kamaranʾa gönderilmesi ve Hudeydeʾde bu sene zuhûr etmiş olan koleradan dolayı hıtta-i Yemâniyeʾden avdet eden asâkir-i şâhâne ile yolcular hakkında karantina icrâsı hasebiyle Kamaranʾda etibbâ-yı sıhhiye mevcûd ve inspe­ ktörlük vazîfesi Hudeydeʾde karantina tabîbi Malezya[n] Efendiʾye muhavvel ise de mevsim-i haccın takarrübü cihetiyle hıtta-i Hicâziye ve Yemâniyeʾnin husûsât-ı sıhhiyece kesb edecek ehemmiyet-i fevkalâdeden dolayı mûmâileyh Malezyan Efendiʾnin meʾmûriyet-i asliyesine iʿâdesiyle yerine çend seneden beru Cidde karantinası inspektörlüğünde bulunarak hüsn-ı hizmeti müşâhid olan Doktor Vomenʾin şehrî beş bin guruş maʿaş ile taʿyîni ve Kamaran heyʾet-i hâzırasının dahî tezyîdi ve işbu heyʾet-i sıhhiye maʿaş ve harc-ı râhlarının tahsîl olunacak rüsûm-ı sıhhiyeden tesviyesi husûslarına Meclis-i Umûr-ı Sıhhiyeʾce karâr verilerek meʾmûrîn-i mûmâileyhimin esâmîsini ve mikdâr-ı maʿaş ve harc-ı râhlarını mübeyyen tanzîm olunan defterin gönderildiği ve mezkûr tahaffuzhâne Receb-i Şerîf ibtidâsından Zilhicce nihâyetine kadar küşâd edileceğini mebnî mûmâileyh inspektör ol tarafa iʿzâm olunduğu gibi ilâveten gönderilmesine lüzûm görünen etibbâ ve meʾmûrîn-i sâʾirenin dahî derdest iʿzâm olunduğu ve hıtta-i mezkûrede lehüʾl-hamd illet-i müdhişe mündefiʿ olmuş ise de Hudeydeʾden çıkacak olanlar beş gün ihtiyât karantinasına tâbiʿ bulunması sebebiyle asâkir-i şâhâne ile sefîne-i hümâyûn sâbıkı misillü hıtta-i Yemâniyeʾden taʿyîn ve iʿzâm olunduğu hâlde bunlar evvel emirde Kamaranʾda beş gün karantinaya konularak ikmâl-i müddet eyledikten sonra vazîfe-i meʿmûriyetlerine devâm edecekleri beyânıyla mûmâileyh inspektörün umûr-ı meʾmûriyeti hakkında muʿâvenât ve teshîlât-ı mukteziyyenin îfâsı zımnında telgrafla Yemen Vilâyetiʾne ve bir zâbıta ile iki yüz nefer asâkir-i şâhânenin hüccâcın muhâfazasına meʾmûren iʿzâmı zımnında Yedinci Ordu-yı Hümâyûn müşîriyetine işʿâr-ı keyfiyet olunmasının taraf-ı Seraskerîʾye ve mezkûr sefînei hümâyûnun Kamaranʾa meʾmûr edilmesi zımnında Bahriye Nezâretiʾne teblîğât-ı mukteziyyenin îfâsı lüzûmu der-meyân olunmuş ve mezkûr defter münderecâtına nazaran şehrî verilecek maʿâşâtın mikdârı otuz beş bin altı yüz elli guruş ile yirmi liradan ve harc-ı râhların mikdârı dahî cemʿan elli dört bin guruşdan ibâret idüği anlaşıldığı gibi işbu maʿaş ve harc-ı râhların hâsılât-ı vâkıʿadan tesviyesi emsâl-i sâbıka ve câriyesi iktizâsından olarak ber-vech-i

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işʿâr îcâbının icrâsı müttehiden biʾt-tezekkür sâlifüʾl-beyân tezkire ve defter lef­ fen arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla muvâfık-ı irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfetpenâhî olduğu hâlde îfâ-yı mukteziyâtına ibtidâr edileceği muhât-ı ilm-i âlî buyuruldukda olbâbda ve kâtıbe-i ahvâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emr efendimindir. Fî 3 Receb sene [1]310 ve fî 10 Kânûn-ı Sânî [1]308 Dâhiliye Nâzırı, Hâriciye Nâzırı ve Şûrâ-yı Devlet Reis-i Vekîli, Bahriye Nâzırı, Adliye Nâzırı, Serasker, Şeyhülislâm, Sadr-ı aʿzâm ve yâver-i ekrem, Sadâret Müsteşarı, Ticâret ve Nâfia Nâzırı, Mâliye Nâzırı, Maʿârif Nâzırı, Evkâf-ı Hümâyûn Nâzırı, Tophâne-i Âmire Müşîri Meclis-i Vükelâya meʾmûr Cevdet Paşa bulunmadı Sublime Porte Special Council 1827 In the note of the Ministry of Health read in the presence of your most humble servants, it was suggested that the General Health Council should de­ cide to appoint and dispatch an inspector with six doctors, two secretaries, two scribes, two head warders, a machinist to operate the pressing machine, a fireman, and a woman warder to be employed for fumigation of women, as in this blessed year, as well, all of the felicitous pilgrims coming from Indian Ocean to the exalted Hijaz are to go through quarantine in accordance with its special instructions, on Kamaran Island which is assigned as a permanent place for quarantine. [According to the same note] other necessary officials and servants should be procured from the local area. Moreover, for the secu­ rity of the pilgrims, as in former years, a fairly high-ranking officer together with two hundred imperial soldiers should be appointed to the island. In order to observe and enforce the order of protection, a ship of the imperial navy should be likewise allocated to Kamaran under a captain with precise instruc­ tions. As a result of cholera that occurred in Hudaydah this year quarantine has been implemented for imperial soldiers and travellers returning from Yemen. Therefore, medical doctors are present there. Moreover, the function of inspectorship is fulfilled by his excellency Malezyan Efendi, doctor of the Hudaydah quarantine. However, the said Malezyan Efendi should return to his actual office, because of the importance and extreme delicacy of securing the health situation on the Hijaz and Yemen while the pilgrimage season ap­ proaches. In his place, Doctor Vomen, with many years’ experience and good service in the Jeddah quarantine, should be appointed with a monthly salary of five thousand piasters. The number of current staff in Kamaran should be increased and their travel expenses and salaries be collected and paid from

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health tax that will be collected. [In the same note it was explained that] the register explaining the names of the said officials together with their salaries and travel expenses was sent. Moreover, as this quarantine facility for the ar­ riving pilgrims will be open from the beginning of [the month of] noble Rajab until the end of Dhuʾl-Hijjah, this inspector, the required doctors and other of­ ficials are all sent to this place. Although the “terrible disease” has fortunately been defeated there, those coming from Hudaydah are subject to five days’ quarantine. If the imperial soldiers and imperial ship are to be appointed and dispatched from Yemen as before, they will proceed to their duties after having completed their time of five days in quarantine. Therefore, [the Department of Health explains that it is necessary] to send a telegram to the Governorate of Yemen to assist and facilitate the official duties of the said inspector, along with making the necessary announcements to exalted Ministry of War to in­ form the command of the Seventh Imperial Army for dispatching two hundred imperial soldiers with an officer for the protection of the pilgrims, as well as to the Exalted Ministry of the Navy for the appointment of the above said impe­ rial ship to Kamaran. From the contents of the aforementioned register it is understood that the amount of the monthly salaries consists of 35,650 piasters and 20 lira and the travel allowances, totalling 54,000 piasters. Likewise, the payment of these salaries and travel allowances from the actual receipts is a requirement in accordance with its precedent and current examples. Having agreed unanimously to carry out the necessary in accordance with the note, the note together with the register is submitted in enclosure. If it suits the ex­ alted will of the Caliph the requisite actions for this matter will be undertaken. To command belongs to my lord who commands all. 21 January 1893 Minister of the Interior, Foreign Minister and Deputy Head of the Council of State, Minister of the Navy, Minister of Justice, Commander-in-Chief, Grand Mufti, Grand Vizier and Chief Aide-de-Camp, Vizierial Secretary of State, Trade and Industry Minister, Finance Minister, Minister of Education, Minister of Imperial Pious Foundations, Intendant of the Imperial Dockyards The official of the Council of Ministers, Cevdet Paşa, was not present. Source: BOA İ.SH. 1/1310/B-3

11.3 Register of the staff of quarantine at Kamaran Island, 1893 Kamaranʾa iʿzâm olunacak heyʾet-i sıhhiyeyi terkîb eden meʾmûrînin es­ âmîsiyle mikdâr-ı maʿaş ve harc-ı râhlarını mübeyyin tanzîm kılınan defterdir

689

Pilgrimage and Quarantine

Sıra Meʾmûriyet Numerosu

Esâmî

Maʿâşât

1

İnspektör

Doktor Vomen

5000

1

Muvakkat Tabîb Muvakkat Tabîb Muvakkat Tabîb

Doktor Panas Doktor Akantopolides Doktor Kolağası Muhyiddin Bey Doktor Karalis Doktor Moskides Doktor Olçanski Tahir Efendi

3000

12000

3000

12000

3000

12000

İsmet Efendi Mösyö Henri Kohaydan Mösyö Ernest Ropt Arnavud Hasan Ağa Yav Hüsnü Ağa Mehmed Ebusirem Ağa İsa Meslul Ağa Mehmed Kemal Ağa

1500 3000

 6000  6000

1500

 6000

2 3

4 5 6 1 2 1 2 1

Muvakkat Tabîb Muvakkat Tabîb Muvakkat Tabîb Birinci Kâtib İkinci Kâtib Birinci Yazıcı İkinci Yazıcı

1

Birinci Başgardiyan İkinci Başgardiyan Gardiyan

2

Gardiyan

3

Gardiyan

2

Azîmet ve Avdet-i Harc-ı râhı

3000 3000 3000 3000

1000  750  250

 250  250

mülâhazât

Harc-ı râhı baʿdehû taʿyîn olunacakdır

Kamaranʾda bulundukları Kamaranʾda bulundukları Kamaranʾda bulundukları Kamaranʾda bulunduğu

Kamaranʾda bulundukları Kamaranʾda bulundukları Kamaranʾda bulundukları Kamaranʾda bulundukları Kamaranʾda bulundukları

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(cont.)

Esâmî

Maʿâşât

4

Gardiyan

250

Kamaranʾda bulundukları

5

Gardiyan

250

6

Gardiyan

Cevher Abdullah Ağa Sabit Ahmed Ağa Server Ağa

Kamaranʾda bulundukları Kamaranʾda bulundukları Kamaranʾda bulundukları

Ütü makinesi Dofa eliçiz için makinist Ateşci

Morsen Ağa

Gardiyan

Mahallince bir kadın intihâb ve istihdâm olunması

Azîmet ve Avdet-i Harc-ı râhı

mülâhazât

Sıra Meʾmûriyet Numerosu

250 Yirmi aded lira-yı Osmânî Dört yüz guruş

Kamaranʾda bulundukları Tahaffuzhâneye gelecek kadınlar hakkında muʿâmele-i teb­ hîriye icrâsına meʾmûrdur

This is the register showing the officials of the health society to be dispatched to Kamaran with their names, level of salary, and travel costs. Rank number

Office

Name

Salary

1

Inspector

Doctor Vomen

5000

1

Temporary doctor

Doctor Panas

3000

Observations In an outbound travel costs

12000

Travel costs are to be allocated later on

691

Pilgrimage and Quarantine (cont.)

Rank number

Office

Name

Salary

Observations In an outbound travel costs

2

Temporary doctor Temporary doctor Temporary doctor Temporary doctor Temporary doctor First secretary Second secretary First scribe

Doctor Akantopolides Doctor Captain Muhyiddin Bey Doctor Karalis

3000

12000

3000

12000

3 4 5 6 1 2 1

Doctor Moskides 3000 Doctor Olçanski 3000 Tahir Efendi

3000

İsmet Efendi

1500

 6000

3000

 6000

1500

 6000

2

Monsieur Henri Kohaydan Second Monsieur Ernest scribe Ropt First chief Arnavud Hasan warder Ağa Second chief Yav Hüsnü Ağa warder Warder Mehmed Ebusirem Ağa Warder İsa Meslul Ağa

3

Warder

4

Warder

5

Warder

2 1 2 1

3000

1000  750  250  250

Mehmed Kemal  250 Ağa Cevher Abdullah  250 Ağa Sabit Ahmed Ağa  250

Located in Kamaran Located in Kamaran Located in Kamaran Located in Kamaran

Located in Kamaran Located in Kamaran Located in Kamaran Located in Kamaran Located in Kamaran Located in Kamaran Located in Kamaran

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(cont.)

Rank number

Office

Name

Salary

6

Warder

Server Ağa

250

Machinist for the ironing machine Fireman

Dofa eliçiz

Twenty Ottoman liras

Morsen Ağa

Warder

A women to be found and selected in the region

400 gurush

Observations In an outbound travel costs Located in Kamaran Located in Kamaran

Located in Kamaran This is an official who will deal with steaming for the women who come to quarantine.

Source: BOA İ.SH. 1/1310/B-3

12

Council of Ministers’ decision on refunding the excessive fees obtained from Indian and Jawa pilgrims, 1894

Bâb-ı Âlî Meclis-i Mahsûs 1478 Geçen sene hacdan evvel ve sonra Medîne-i Münevvereʾye giden kavâfil-i hüccâc deve ücretleriyle Hind ve Cava hüccâcının esâsen yedişer riyâlden ibâret olan mutavvıf? avâʾid-i mukarreresinin beşer riyâl fazla olarak alındığından fazla-i mezkûrenin istirdâdı hakkında İngiltere ve Flemenk Devletlerinin Cidde konsolosları tarafından alınan tezkireler sûretlerinin ve ol-bâbdaki muhâbere evrâkının leffiyle icrâ-yı îcâbına dâʾir Hicaz Vilâyetiʾnden mebʿûs tahrîrât miyâne-i bendegânemizde kırâʾat olundu işʿârât-ı vâkıʿaya göre zikr ol­ unan Hind ve Cava hüccâcından mutavvıf avâʾid-i mukarreresinin sâbıkından beşer riyâl fazla olarak meşâyih tarafından tahsîl olunup bu da hüccâc-ı mûmâileyhimin şikâyetini ve bilâhare mezkûr konsolosların mebhûsun-anh

Pilgrimage and Quarantine

693

olan fazla meʾhûzâtın istirdâdı hakkındaki iddiʿâsını mûcib olduğu anlaşılmış ve îfâ-yı farîza-i hacc niyet-i hayriyesiyle Hicazʾa gelen hüccâcın husûl-ı emn ve istirâhâti için devletce azîm fedâkarlıklar ihtiyârıyla her türlü tedâbir ittihâz ve icrâ olunageldiği hâlde memâlik-i mahrûse-i şâhânenin cihât-ı muhtelifesin­ den ve bâ-husûs memâlik-i ecnebiyeden gelen hüccâcdan kadîmen maʿlûm ve muʿayyen olan mikdârdan fazla mutavvıf ve deve ucûrâtı taleb ve ahzıyla îkâʿ-ı müşkîlât edilmesi kendilerince biʾt-tabʿ teʾessürâtı ve tâbiʿiyyet-i ecnebi­ yede bulunan hüccâcın muhâfaza-i hukûku vesîlesiyle mezkûr konsoloslar tarafından şikâyât ve müddeʿiyyâtı ve bilâhare hüccâc-ı ecnebiyenin mensûb oldukları devletlerin müdâhalâtını dâʿî olup bu ise beldeteyn-i tayyibedeteynin hâʾiz olduğu kudsiyet ve ehemmiyeti cihetle mülken ve siyâseten gayr-ı câʾiz olduğuna ve hakîkat ve mâhiyeti vilâyetin işʿârıyla tezâhür eden müddeʿiyyât-ı vâkıʿa hakkında bir tedbîr-i münâsib ittihâzıyla konsolosların ilzâmı îcâb-ı maslahatdan bulunduğuna binâʾen ol-bâbda cereyân eden müzâkerâtın netîcesinde mezkûr Hind ve Cava hüccâcından fazla ücret alındığı ber-vechi maʿrûz işʿârât-ı resmiye ile sâbit olduğu ve bundan dolayı vâkiʿ olan şikâyât taʿkîb olunmakda bulunduğu mülâbesesiyle işi meskût bırakmak müstelzem-i mehâzir olmasıyla biʾl-vücûh muvâfık-ı hâl ve maslahat olmayıp fazla alınan ücretin reddi lâzım gelir ise de hüccâc-ı merkûmenin beherinden fazla alınmış olan beşer riyâlin sûret-i resmiyede tazmîni yoluna gidilmesi münâsib olmayacağından işbu alınan fazlaya mukâbil münâsib mikdâr akçe verilmek üzre gayrı resmî olarak emâret ve vilâyet-i müşârunileyhimâ ile İngiltere ve Flemenk Devletlerinin Ciddedeki konsolosları beyninde bir sûret-i tesviye bu­ lunup îcâbının icrâsı ve mevsim-i haccı şerîfde hüccâcın gideceği mahallere âʾid deve kirâlarıyla mutavvıf ve sâʾir avâʾidinin emsâl ve sevâbıkına muvâfık sûretde mikdârları taʿyîn ve mukaddemâ icrâ olunduğu misillü lâzım gelen lisânlarda iʿlânnâmeler tabʿ ve taʿlîk olunarak hüccâca bildirilmesi ve işbu iʿlân varakalarının birer nüshasının dahî mezkûr konsoloslara gönderilmesi veʾl-hâsıl sâye-i makderet-vâye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîde hüccâc-ı müslimînin kemâl-i emn ve istirâhatle ve hiçbir gûne izʿâcât ve müşkilâta uğramaksızın ve fazla ücret vermeksizin iyâb ve zihâbı esbâbının istihsâli husûslarının sûreti müʾessere ve müʾekkedede cânib-i emâret ve vilâyete teblîği ve İngiltere ve Flemenk sefâretlerine de indeʾl-iktizâ bu bâbda sûret-i münâsebede cevâb verilmek üzre Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne de maʿlûmât iʿtâsı biʾt-tezekkür mez­ kûr konsolosların tezkirelerinin sâlifüʾl-beyân sûretleri leffen arz ve takdîm kılındı ise de ol-bâbda her ne vechile irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî şeref-efzâ-yı sünûh ve sudûr buyurulur ise isâbet anda olacağı muhât-ı ilm-i âlî buyuruldukda kâtıbe-i ahvâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emr efendimindir. Fî 26 Cemâziyelûlâ sene [1]312 ve fî 13 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]310

694

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Dâhiliye Nâzırı, Hâriciye Nâzırı ve Şûrâ-yı Devlet Reisi Vekili, Bahriye Nazırı, Adliye Nazırı, Serasker, Şeyhülislâm, Sadr-ı aʿzâm ve Yâver-i Ekrem Sadâret müsteşarı, Ticâret ve Nâfia Nâzırı, Maʿârif Nâzırı, Evkâf-ı Hümâyûn Nâzırı, Mâliye Nâzırı, Tophâne-i Âmire Müşîri, Meclis-i Vükelâya Meʾmûr Cevdet Paşa bulunmadı Sublime Porte Council of Ministers 1478 [The following documents] were read in the presence of your most humble servants: the copies of the notes of British and Dutch consuls in Jeddah, relat­ ing that last year camel fees of the pilgrims who went last year to Resplendent Medina before and after the pilgrimage, and the fees of the guides of circum­ ambulation [of the Kaaba], which were in fact set as seven riyals for Indian and Jawa pilgrims, both overcharged by five riyals, and requesting the return of the overcharge; and the related correspondence sent from the Governorate of Hijaz requesting the necessary implementation. It is understood from the evidence that the shaykhs charged each of the said Indian and Jawa pilgrims five riyals more than the set fee for circumambulation guides and that this led to the pilgrims’ complaints and afterwards to the claims of the consuls for the repayment of this overcharge. The state has exerted itself to the ut­ most to ensure the safety and comfort of pilgrims coming to Hijaz with the auspicious intention of pursuing the obligation of pilgrimage. Nevertheless, when pilgrims coming from the various parts of the Well-Protected Imperial Domains, and especially from foreign realms, encounter difficulties in the form of the demands of the circumambulation guides and cameleers for fees which exceed the set amount, well known from ancient times, this leads naturally to grievances. Then, the protection of the rights of the pilgrims who are for­ eign subjects leads to their consuls complaining and making claims, and then their states intervening. Owing to the sanctity and importance of the two holy cities, in terms of territoriality and politics this is not permissible. It is useful to take appropriate precautions about the claims, the accuracy and truth of which are attested by the reports of the Governorate, and to refute the consuls. Consequently, as a result of the negotiations that took place in this matter, [it has been decided that] the official testimonies reveal that excessive fees were charged from the pilgrims of India and Jawa. Moreover, as the current complaint is being pursued, leaving the issue inconclusive is not appropriate, since it might result in developments that should be avoided. Although the excess fees should be returned, it is not appropriate that five riyals by which

Pilgrimage and Quarantine

695

the said pilgrims were overcharged, be redressed officially. Therefore, an unof­ ficial method of redress, providing a sum of money in compensation for the excess fees, should be devised and the necessary should be arranged between the Emirate [of Mecca], the Governorate [of the Hijaz] and the consuls of the states of Britain and Holland resident in Jeddah. Moreover, during the pilgrim­ age season, the camel fees for the places where the pilgrims travel, as well as the fees of the circumambulation guides etc. should be set on the basis of their former levels and announced to the pilgrims by fixing announcements in the relevant languages as was done previously. Moreover, a copy of these announcements should also be sent to the said consuls. As a result, thanks to His Majesty the Caliph, the Emirate [of Mecca] and the Governorate should be ordered strongly and insistently to arrange the means for the complete secu­ rity and ease of the Muslim pilgrims, so that they never suffer any disturbances or difficulties, and they do not pay excessive fees when they come and go with the goods they have acquired. The Foreign Ministry should also be informed so that appropriate answers can be given on this issue to the embassies of Britain and Holland when it is required. [These reflections] have been pronounced and the above mentioned copies of the notes of the said consuls are presented in enclosure. Nevertheless, whatever may be the imperial order of His Majesty the Caliph in this matter, that will be the right one. Having presented this for your all-encompassing exalted wisdom, to command belongs to him who com­ mands all. 24 November 1894 Minister of the Interior, Foreign Minister and Deputy Chief of the Council of State, Minister of the Navy, Minister of Justice, Minister of War, Shaykh alIslam, Grand Vizier and Imperial Aide Undersecretary of the Grand Vizierate, Trade and Public Works Minister, Minister of Education, Imperial Pious Foundations Minister, Finance Minister, The Minister of the Imperial Arsenal of Ordnance and Artillery, Cevdet Paşa, who is appointed to the Council of Ministers, was not present Source: BOA İ.DH. 1318/1312/C-21

13

Allegations about burglary and insecurity on the Roads in Hijaz, 1896

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sâdâret Âmedî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn

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1409 Bedevî Arablardan mürekkeb çeteler tarafından Mekke-i Mükerreme ile Medîne-i Münevvere tarîkleri üzerinde baʿzı Hindli ve Cavalı hüccâcın emvâl ve eşyâsı sirkat olunduğunu ve Cidde ile Mekke-i Mükerreme beyninde mevâridâtın münkatıʿ olduğunu hâvî İngiltere sefâretiʾnden alınan takrîr ter­ cümesinin gönderildiğine ve İngiltere Sefâreti baş tercümânı tarafından bu bâbda başkaca vukûʿ bulan beyânâta dâʾir Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden mebʿûs tezkirenin leffiyle keyfiyetin emîr-i Mekke-i Mükerreme Paşa Hazretleriʾnden mahremâne istifsâr kılındığı 27 Cemâziyelûlâ sene [1]314 târihinde bâ-tezkire-i husûsiye-i senâverî arz kılınmışdı zikr olunan inkitâʿ-ı mevâridât mâddesi hurma mevsimi olmak münâsebetiyle Arabânʾın bir müd­ det develerini indirmemesinden münbaʿs olmak lâzım geleceği gibi Yenbuʿ ile Medîne-i Münevvere arasındaki münâkalâtın bir müddetcik teʾehhür etdiğinden münbaʿis olduğu gibi gasb-ı emvâl keyfiyetinin ve Mekke-i Mükerreme tarîki mevâridâtının inkıtâʿı mâddesinin gayr-ı sahîh olup kavâfilin keʾl-evvel amed şüd etmekde olduğunu ve ol-bâbda baʿzı ifâdâtı şâmil emâret-i müşârunileyhâdan cevâben gelen telgraf-nâme manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmak için arz ve takdîm kılındı efendim. Fi 6 Cemâziyelâhire sene [1]314 fî 31 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]312 Sadr-ı aʿzâm Sublime Porte Office of the Grand Vizierate Âmedî of the Imperial Diwan 1409 [According to] a report sent from the British embassy, some gangs of Bedouin Arabs cut off access between Jeddah and Honoured Mecca and cer­ tain Indian and Java pilgrims have had their goods and belongings stolen on the roads to Honoured Mecca and the Resplendent Medina. The translation of the report was sent for confidential inquiry to His Excellency the Emir of Honoured Mecca in the enclosure of the communiqué of the Exalted Foreign Ministry containing some related statements of the head dragoman of the British embassy. This was presented for your information in a praiseworthy special note dated 3 November 1896 that Mecca. The telegram received from the said emirate contains, along with others, the statements that: the aforesaid [allegations about the] issue of blockage of routes might be a consequence of a short delay in the transportation between Yanbuʿ and Resplendent Medina, and the Arabs’ not sending down their camels [for transportation] because of the date [harvest] season; neither the [allegations about the] issue of the

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seizure of goods, nor the closure of the roads on the routes to Honoured Mecca are true; the caravans are coming and going as before. My Lord the telegram is presented for your exalted information. 12 November 1896 Grand Vizier Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 362/31

14

Governor of Hijaz to the Ministry of the Interior about the hajjis and students in Hijaz who could not return to their home country due to the war, 1915

Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devlet-i Osmâniye Posta ve Telefon Nezâreti Berâ-yı hac veyâ tahsîl-i ulûm maksadıyla Mekkeʾye gelerek muhârebe se­ bebiyle ne âilelerinden para celb ve ne de memleketlerine azîmetleri müm­ kün olamayan ve düçâr-ı sefâlet olan külliyetli Cavalıları almak üzere Ciddeʾye üç Flemenk vapuru gelmiş ve takım takım sevklerine başlanmış olduğu gibi devlet-i harbî ve gayri muhârebe tebʿasından Hicâzʾda aynı sûretle sefâlete maʿrûz kalan fukarâ-yı hüccâcın dahî bu bâbdaki müsâʿadetâ binâʾen ve fırsat zuhûr etdikçe sevk edilecekleri arz olunur. Hicaz Vâlî ve Kumandânı Fî 16 Temmuz sene [1]331 To the exalted Ministry of the Interior, Ottoman State Ministry of Post and Telegram Three Dutch steamboats have come to Jeddah to pick up a large number of Jawas who came to Mecca for the merit of pilgrimage or to study, but who could not receive money from their families or return to their country due to the war. They have begun to be sent in groups. It is submitted that, in accordance with the relevant permission, the subjects of neutral and enemy states will be sent away in the same manner whenever possible. Governor and Commander of Hijaz. 29 July 1915 Source: BOA DH.EUM.4.Şb. 3/28

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Governor of Hijaz to the Ministry of the Interior reporting that the Dutch consul in Mecca and 218 hajjis have left Hijaz with a Dutch ship, 1915

Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Dördüncü Hollanda vapuru Flemenk konsolos ve konsolos vekilliği eden ve aynı zamanda Avusturya konsolosluğu vekâletinde bulunan Cavalı Harun el-Reşid ve âilesine ve üç nefer kavasla iki yüz on sekiz Cava hüccâcını hâmilen 23 Temmuz sene [1]331 târihinde hareket eylediği mahallî mutasarrıflığın işʿârı üzerine maʿrûzdur Fî 7 Ağustos sene [1]331 Vâlî ve Kumandan Gâlib To the Exalted Ministry of the Interior It is submitted that, based on the report of the local governorship, a fourth Dutch steamboat departed on 5 August 1915 carrying Harun al-Rashid from Jawa, who had been Dutch vice-consul and consul as well as the vice-consul of Austria, his family, three embassy guards, and 218 Jawa pilgrims. 20 August 1915 Galib, Governor and Commander Source: BOA DH.EUM.4.Şb. 3/28

16

From Hijaz to the Ministry of the Interior about the miserable state of Jawa hajjis who could not return to their home, 1916

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâhiliye Nezâreti Şifre Kalemi Evvelki sene mevsim-i haccında gelip kalmış olan ve evvelden bulunan Cavalılar ahvâl-i hâzıra dolayısıyla gidemediklerinden açlık ve sefâletleri gittikçe şâyân-ı merhamet bir haldedir Cavalılar hakîkaten ahlâk-ı hasene ile muttasıfdırlar Mekke ve Ciddeʾde bunlardan ticâretle meşgûl ve halleri müsâʿid olanlar pek kesîr ve mühim adamlar vardır. Medîneʾde ikâmet etme­ zler. Bu kadar orada bulundukları hâlde bu derece düçâr-ı perîşân ve zarûret olmayacaklarını beyânı ile sevk ve iʿzâmlarını hükûmet-i seniyyeden istirhâm ediyorlar. Bunlar da yüz yirmi kişi kadardır. Temâdîʾ-i sefâletlerine meydân kal­ mamak üzre ücret-i nakliye ve yiyecekleri içün her birine ekallî yarımşar lira kâfi olacağından iʿtâsına müsâʿade-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleri müsterhamdır, 28 Kânûn-ı evvel sene [1]331, Muhafız Basri

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Sublime Porte Ministry of the Interior Encryption Office The poverty and hunger of the Jawas remaining in Mecca after the hajj sea­ son of last year, and those who were there previously, who could not go back due to the current situation, deserves compassion. The Jawas have good mor­ als. There are lots of their important men in Mecca and Jeddah who are well-off and engaged in trade. They do not live in Medina. They state that they would not be in such a miserable state if they had not stayed there for such a long time, and request the imperial government to send them home. They are about hundred and twenty persons. As a low amount of a half lira will be sufficient for the transportation and food of each of them, it is pleaded from your exalted ministry to pay it to prevent them from this miserable state. 10 January 1916, Governor Basri Source: BOA DH.EUM.2.Şb 26/36

Chapter 8

Southeast Asians in the Ottoman Empire The largest concentration of Southeast Asians in the Ottoman Empire was of course in the Hijaz, where many pilgrims took up residence, hoping for the honour of dying in the vicinity of the holy cities. The Southeast Asians (or “Jawa”) of the Hijaz were described at length by Snouck Hurgronje (2007: 229ff), but there were also migrants in other parts of the empire. Numerous Southeast Asian students came to study in Cairo at al-Azhar, the greatest Muslim teaching centre (Laffan 2013). However, from the point of view of the Dutch authorities, by far the most important group of Southeast Asians were the students, almost entirely of Hadrami descent, who studied in the modern educational institutions in Istanbul i.e. Dâruşşafaka (Orphans’ School), Mekteb-i Sultânî (Imperial School), Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şahane (Imperial Civil Service School), Mekteb-i Hukûk-ı Şâhâne (Imperial School of Law), Halkalı Zirâʿat Mektebi (Halkalı Agriculture School) and Aşiret Mektebi (The School for Tribes).1 Jan Schmidt (1992: 91–108) relied on Dutch sources for his investigation of the concerns and diplomatic initiatives of the Dutch authorities about these students. The documents in this chapter shed light on the details of the education of these students as well as on Ottoman attitude towards Dutch diplomatic initiatives. Other documents deal with the Ottoman attitude towards Southeast Asian residents of Hijaz whose real estate 1  Dâruşşafaka (Orphans’ School) was a secondary school established in 1873 by a philanthropic organisation to promote education among Muslims of modest means. It became one of the best schools of the empire. Mekteb-i Sultânî (Imperial School) present day Galatasaray Lisesi was founded in 1868 as a high school in close collaboration of French Ministry of Education to provide education for both Muslim and non-Muslim students. Subsequently primary and secondary education was added to the School. Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şahane (Imperial Civil Service School) was set up in 1869 as a course to train clerks for Ottoman bureaucracy. When the Students from Java arrived in Istanbul the school had evolved into a college with three years of secondary (idadi) and two years of professional classes. Mekteb-i Hukûk-ı Şâhâne (Imperial School of Law), was established in 1878 replacing an earlier law school (Galatasaray Hukuk mektebi). Halkalı Zirâʿat Mektebi (Halkalı Agriculture School) was established in 1892 for the education of agriculturalists that were needed for the modernisation of agriculture in the Empire. Aşiret Mektebi (The School for Tribes) was established in 1892 for the education of the children of the tribal leaders in the Empire in line with the modernisation agenda of the Empire and to integrate them further into the imperial system. Its education included both primary and secondary classes. See Somel 2001: 52–54, 239–240 and Rogan 1996: 83–107.

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_010

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ownership in the province was deemed as a threat that could lead to the intervention of European countries in the affairs of the province since these residents were citizens of these countries. Another group of documents are about a few Dutch subjects from Java who were moved from Medina to Adana during WWI. 1

The Shaykh al-Azhar requests Ottoman passport for a Jawa who lived for a while in Mecca, to avoid taxation by the Dutch in Java, 1862

From the shaykh al-Azhar to the Ottoman Grand Vizier Praise to you, O God,2 and thanks to you who are beyond description. Prayers and blessings on the Prophet3 and his family and companions who are preserved from doubt. Rare greetings which are widely spread and the purest of prayers are ordered like well-strung pearls do we lead to the brilliant being, the possessor of high ambition, protected from all slanderers, who wears the crown of emirs, our mighty, greatly honoured lord, the Grand Vizier [sadr al-aʿzam], may God exalted protect him from all trials and tribulations, and preserve him from the eyes of the envious and unjust, by the glory of the lord of lords, amen, Oh one who replies to prayers. After the appropriate sincere greetings and [expression of] great respect, we inform you – may God inform you – that this man came from a distant place, and suffered great weariness; he is a man of faith and piety, a man from the country of the land of Jawa. He has dwelled in Mecca for a long period in search of knowledge and to gain benefits. He has got married there and has raised his children like its natives. Now he desires to return to his country to trade there and to earn profits for his children. At the moment the country is under the rule of the Christians. He wishes to ask from the Sublime [Ottoman] State for a passport, so that the Christians do not tax his trading capital. This is what is requested, and its acceptance by God and by you is hoped for, by the glory of our lord the Prophet and [Fatima] the radiant, the chaste, amen, O best one to be asked. The blessings of God upon the best of his creation Muhammad and his house and companions. 3 Rajab 1276 [25 December 1862] the humble 2  Literally ‘O one who lies between the letters kaf and nun’; kaf and nun make up the Arabic fiat of creation, kun, thereby signifying the name of the creator. 3  Literally ‘the well-guarded secret and the hidden essence’.

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Figure 161

Chapter 8

The Shaykh al-Azhar requests Ottoman passport for a Jawa who lived for a while in Mecca, to avoid taxation by the Dutch, 1862

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Ibrahim al-Bajuri4 servant of knowledge and (?) in the Azhar [Envelope]

By his grace and generosity May it reach, God willing, the city of Islambol [Istanbul] And be delivered to the hand of the noble, respected, mighty Grand Vizier [Envelope]

Praise be to God, mighty is He A servant came from a distant land/seeking your auspicious court/a man bearing a request and a complaint/ he is from the kingdom of Jawa seeking, begging and hoping from the Sublime State/the lord of the splendid, exalted kingdom/to permit for him with regard to his monies from trade/that he should not be taxed by any type of infidel. This is the request and the hope from God and from you is that it is accepted. By the glory of our master the Prophet, amen, O best one to be asked [for favours].

Figure 162 Envelope of the letter of the Shaykh al-Azhar, 1862

4  Ibrahim al-Bajuri (1198/1784–1277/1860) was Shaykh al-Azhar from 1847 to 1860. See “Bajuri, Shaykh Ibrahim” in Goldschmidt 2000: 33.

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Figure 163

Envelope of the letter of the Shaykh al-Azhar, 1862

The humble servant making the request, the hajj Muhammad Azhari bin alhajj Abdullah resident by the mosque of our lord Sultan Beyazid The reason for the request of the poor servant: he wished to trade in the land of Jawa to acquire the expenses for his dependents in honourable Mecca. Source: BOA A.MKT.UM. 372/94

2

Documents pertaining to Southeast Asian students in the Ottoman Empire, 1895–1907

The efforts of the French consul and Ottoman charge d’affaires regarding the children detained on their way to the Ottoman Empire for education, 9 September 1886 The humble petition: Shaykh Jamal al-Din, the poor [servant] who prays for the continuation of the strength, power and force of the Sublime [Ottoman] State – which God, before whose might all who are on earth bow down, has supported with the clear truth and spreading the banner of his greatness over the glorious nobles – presents to the Noble Threshold and the honourable Foreign Ministry: 2.1

Southeast Asians in the Ottoman Empire

Figure 164

The efforts of the French consul and Ottoman chargé d’affaires regarding the children detained on their way to the Ottoman Empire for education, 9 September 1886

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I departed Istanbul in 1290 [1873–4] heading to the Indian lands, and my journey and stay in India lasted around eleven lunar years. Then last year, by God’s will and power, I turned the reins from India and headed to Dutch Netherlands in the Indian Islands, where I met eminent Ali Galib Beg, the consul of the Sublime State – may God perpetuate it for ever – in Batavia. I learned for myself and through the traces it left of the Dutch rulers’ ill-treatment of a group of Muslims, especially those who held to the indissoluble bond of the Exalted [Ottoman] State, may God make it eternal. Merely by witnessing this situation which is contrary to international and national laws and [those of] the royal colonies, my heart persuaded me to leave the island of Java and I set off from it for the island of the Celebes which is broader than Java. Most of its people are Muslims, and each group has absolute Muslim kings and sultans. The Dutch state has no power of coercion except by ingratiating behaviour. I found all its people, rich and poor, subjects and kings, [ready to] sacrifice themselves for Your Majesty, constantly praying for the increase in the power of the Sublime State – may God aid it. Most of them came to me to learn the sharia of Muhammad, seeking guidance of the Sufi tariqa, and the prophetic, Ridwani oath of allegiance.5 They begged me to reside in their land for about a year. I agreed and stayed with them about ten months, and when I wanted to return from those lands to Istanbul, they gave me two youths of their race to be taught the prophetic laws, sciences and ethics, and discipline and civilisation which is the centre of sciences. They excelled with these praiseworthy characteristics, craving [to study in] Istanbul and they were the best of mankind. When I stopped at the Dutch border, the governor of Makassar in the island of the Celebes took them both from me by force, imprisoned them and tortured them because they were not obedient to his desire. As this tyranny is an insult to all the people of Islam and is a cause of disrespect to the noble elders, especially subjects of the Sublime State who are distinguished by nobility and honour among mankind, I came to the capital of Batavia and complained to his excellency Monsieur Jouslain, the French consul, chargé d’affaires of the Sublime State. He informed me of the Dutch authorities’ mistreatment, their lack of care and attention to the affairs of the Sublime State, such as their failure to implement certain regulations when eminent Ali Galib Beg was consul. Nonetheless, I was treated courteously and with kindness.6 I strengthened my heart with the strength of the protection of the imperial State, and I asked for the said monsieur’s help. His praiseworthy excellency exerted every effort to settle this dreadful affair, and he spent three months approaching [the Dutch] 5  The oath of Ridwan originally refers to an oath of allegiance sworn to Muhammad by his Companions. In Sufi circles it designates the disciple’s allegiance to his spiritual guide. 6  Reading mulayāna for the nonsensical mulayāma of the text.

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with appropriate ideas and stratagems to win them over. The boys were returned, although they were in the most remote part of the land. All the Arabs and people of this region were amazed at this event, and constantly pray God with the suppliant palms to increase the power, status and majesty of Sublime State and his Imperial Majesty. By my life, through this affair the glory of Islam and the might of the Sublime State has become apparent to them, for it is able to do what is desired. This is only because of the efforts of praiseworthy Monsieur Jouslain. Truly, someone such as his excellency – I mean Monsieur Jouslain the chargé d’affaires of the Sublime State in Java who has gone out of his way in his efforts to spread the signs of imperial might and power by his good intentions and his service – is most worthy and fitting to [receive] more imperial attention and regal sympathy. God has made it incumbent on me to report this affair to your excellency, and [to relate] the praiseworthy efforts of the said Monsieur to the supreme, noble Council, may God perpetuate your Excellency with everlasting blessings beneath the shadow of his Majesty God’s Caliph for ever. 10 Dhuʾl-Hijja 1303 [9 September 1886]. The petitioner, servant of the jurisprudents and the dervishes Sayyid Shaykh Jamal al-Din al-Qadiri. [Seal] Source: BOA HR.SYS. 564/5

Note from the Grand Vizier to the Minister of Education about the enrolment of the students at schools in Istanbul, 1895 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret-i Uzmâ Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn Vilâyât-ı Mümtâze ve Muhtâre Kalemi Aded 85 Maʿârif Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Cava Adasıʾnda etfâl-i müslimînin emr-i tahsîllerine Flemenkliler tarafından iʿtinâ olunmamasından nâşî dâʾire-i cehl ve nâdânîde kalmakda olmalarına mebnî Hadramut sâdâtından Cava‌ʾda mukîm Seyyid Abdullah Attâs Efendi mahdûmlarıyla diğer iki çocuğunu Mısırʾda rüşdiye derecesinde bulunan mekâtibe götürmüş ise de iktidâr-ı mâlîsinin adem-i kifâyeti cihetiyle Dersaʿâdetʾe gelmeğe mecbûr olmuş olduğundan sinn-i tahsîlde bulunan altı çocuğun Dâruşşafaka ve Aşîret mekteblerine kayd ve idhâli ifâdesine dâʾir Mısır Fevkalâde Komiseri Devletlü Gâzî Ahmed Muhtar Paşa Hazretleriʾnden vârid olan tahrîrât ledeʾl-arz manzûr-ı âlî olarak etfâl-i merkûmenin Aşîret Mektebiʾne kaydı münâsib olmayacağından diğer mekâtibe yerleştirilmelerine 2.2

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ve kendilerine güzel bakılmasının dahî îcâb edenlere tenbîh ve teblîğ olunmasına irâde-i merhamet-âde-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurulmuş olmağla ber mantûk-ı emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn îfâ-yı muktezâsına himmet buyurmaları siyâkında tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 27 Zilkaʿde sene 1312 ve fî 10 Mayıs sene [1]311 Sadr-ı aʿzâm ve yâver-i ekrem Cevad Sublime Porte Office of the Grand Vizier Imperial Council Department of Special and Autonomous Provinces Number 85 To the Exalted Ministry of Education Your Highness, my illustrious lord, As the children of the Muslims on the island of Java are doomed to remain in ignorance and boorishness due to the Dutch’s lack of care about their education, Sayyid Abdullah al-Attas Efendi who is a Hadrami sayyid residing in Java, took his sons together with two other children to go to lessons at middle schools in Egypt, but was obliged to come to the Abode of Felicity because of insufficient financial means. In the correspondence sent from His Excellency Gazi Ahmed Muhtar Paşa submitted to the exalted sight [the Ottoman sultan], the Supreme Commissioner for Egypt requested the enrolment of the six children, who are of the age of education, in the Orphans’ School and The School for Tribes. As the enrolment of the aforesaid children in The School for Tribes will not be appropriate, the compassionate order of His Majesty the Caliph commanded that they be relocated to other schools, and that it was required that they should be well taken care of by those responsible. My lord, this laudatory note has been presented to [request] your assistance for the implementation of the requirements of the compassionate command of the address of imperial orders. 22 May 1895 Cevad, Grand Vizier and the Aide to His Majesty Source: BOA MF.MKT. 266/54

Note from the Grand Vizier to the Minister of Education about the enrolment of the students at schools in Istanbul, 1895 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret-i Uzmâ Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn Vilâyât-ı Mümtâze ve Muhtâre Kalemi 2.3

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Aded 102 Maʿârif Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Hadramut sâdâtından olup Mısır tarîkiyle Dersaʿâdetʾe gelmiş olan Seyyid Abdullah Attâs Efendiʾnin tahsîlde bulunan altı çocuğun Dâruşşafaka ve Aşîret mekteblerine kayd ve idhâli Mısır Fevkalâde Komiserliğiʾnden işʿâr olunmuş ise de etfâl-i merkûmenin Aşîret Mektebiʾne kaydı münâsib olmayacağından diğer mekâtibe yerleştirilmeleri ve kendilerine güzelce bakılmasının dahî îcâb edenlere tenbîh ve tavsiye olunması hakkında şeref-sâdır olan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhî bâ-tezkire-i senâverî savb-ı âlîlerine tebliğ ve işʿâr kılınmışdı alınan fî 20 Mayıs sene [1]311 târih ve seksen iki rakamlı tezkire-i cevâbiye-i devletlerinde Mekteb-i Mülkiye ile Sultânîʾye kayd ve kabûllerine baʿzı esbâb-ı mâniʿa bulunduğu cihetle sinleri müsâʿid olanların leylî Mekâtib-i Askeriyeʾden birine ve on, on bir yaşlarında bulunanlarının dahî henüz tahsîlleri ibtidâî derecesinde olmasına nazaran meʾkûlât esmânı nezâret-i celîleleri veznesinden tesviye olunmakda olan Dâruşşafaka‌ʾya kabûlleri için mekâtib-i askeriye nezâret-i celîlesiyle Dâruşşafaka idâresine icrâ-yı teblîğât olunması işʿâr buyurulmuş ise de etfâl-i merkûme sâʾirlerine mikyas olmadığından dört neferenin Mekteb-i Mülkiye ile Sultânîʾye kabûlüyle ikisinin dahî Dâruşşafaka‌ʾya irsâli münâsib görülerek ol-bâbda Dâruşşafaka müdüriyetine yazılan tezkire-i senâverî tefrîk edilecek çocuklarla berâber müdüriyet-i mezkûreye gönderilmek üzre leffen taraf-ı âlîlerine gönderilmiş olmağla îfâ-yı muktezâsına himmet buyurmaları siyâkında terkîm-i tezkire-i senâverîye mübâderet olundu efendim. Fî 8 Zilhicce sene 1312 ve fî 20 Mayıs sene [1]311 Sadr-ı aʿzâm ve yâver-i ekrem bende-i Cevad Sublime Porte Office of the Grand Vizier Imperial Council Department of Special and Autonomous Provinces Number 102 To the Exalted Ministry of Education Your Highness, my illustrious lord, The Supreme Commissionership for Egypt requested the enrolment of the six children of Sayyid Abdullah al-Attas Efendi, a Hadrami Sayyid who came to the Abode of Felicity by way of Egypt, to the Orphans’ School and The School for Tribes. However, the noble will of the exalted command of His Majesty was that the enrolment of the aforesaid children to The School for Tribes would

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not be appropriate, and that they be relocated to other schools, and that it was required that they should be well taken care of by those responsible. This was communicated to Your Excellency. In your Excellency’s reply, dated 1 June 1895 and numbered 82, it was stated that as there were certain obstacles against enrolling them to the Imperial Civil Service School and the Imperial School [Galatasaray], those of a suitable age should be enrolled in one of the military boarding schools, and those aged ten or eleven be accepted in the Orphans’ School, whose food expenses are paid by your exalted Ministry, since their education is at primary school level, and that this should be commanded to be communicated to the Exalted Directorate of Military Schools, and the Directorate of the Orphans’ School. However, as the aforementioned children are not on the same level as others, it has been deemed appropriate that four of them be accepted to the Imperial Civil Service School and Imperial School, and also that two of them be send to the Orphans’ School. In this matter, the ministerial note addressed to the directorate of the Orphans’ School has been sent to Your Excellency in order that it will be sent together with the children to the directorate. My lord, this note has been prepared to [request] your assistance for the implementation its requirements. 1 June 1895 Cevad, Grand Vizier and Aide to His Majesty Source: BOA MF.MKT. 266/54

2.4

List of the students enrolled to schools in Istanbul Sinleri

Mülkiye

Osman Abdullah Efendi

18 15

Dâruşşafaka

Muhammed Abdullah Efendi Muhsin Ali Efendi

Dâruşşafaka

İdrus Alevî Efendi

11

Dâruşşafaka

Haşim Abdullah Efendi

12

Dâruşşafaka

Ömer Alevî Efendi

11

12

Rüşdiye fevkinde tahsîl görmüşdür Rüşdiye derecesinde tahsîl görmüşdür. İbtidâiye derecesinde tahsîl görmüşdür. İbtidâiye derecesinde tahsîl görmüşdür. İbtidâiye derecesinde tahsîl görmüşdür. İbtidâiye derecesinde tahsîl görmüşdür

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Age Civil Service

Osman Abdullah Efendi

18 15

Orphans’ School

Muhammad Abdullah Efendi Muhsin Ali Efendi

Orphans’ School

Idrus Alawi Efendi

11

Orphans’ School

Hashim Abdullah Efendi

12

Orphans’ School

Omar Alawi Efendi

11

12

Is educated beyond secondary school Is educated at secondary school level Is educated at primary school level Is educated at primary school level Is educated at primary school level Is educated at primary school level

Source: BOA MF.MKT. 266/54

2.5

List of the students enrolled in schools in Istanbul

Maʿârif Nezâret-i Umûmiye Mektûbî Kalemi Numero Haşim bin Abdullah el-Attâs İdrus bin Alevî el-Attâs Ömer bin Alevî el-Attâs Muhsin bin Ali el-Attâs Osman bin Abdullah el-Attâs Muhammed bin Abdullah el-Attâs

Fiʾs-Sultânî Fiʾs-Sultânî Fî Dâruşşafaka Fî Dâruşşafaka Fiʾl-Mülkiye Fiʾl-Mülkiye

Ministry of Public Education Secretarial Office Number: Haşim bin Abdullah al-Attas Idrus bin Alawi al-Attas Omar bin Alawi al-Attas Muhsin bin Ali al-Attas Osman bin Abdullah al-Attas Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Attas

At Imperial School At Imperial School At Orphans’ School At Orphans’ School At the School of Civil Services At the School of Civil Services

Source: BOA MF.MKT. 266/54

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Minister of Education to the director of Imperial Civil Service School on the enrolment of the students from Java, 1895 Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne Müdüriyet-i Aliyyesiʾne Hadramut sâdâtından olup Mısır tarîkiyle Dersaʿâdetʾe gelmiş olan Seyyid Abdullah Attâs Efendiʾnin sinn-i tahsîlde bulunan çocuklarından sinleri kebîr olan Osman bin Abdullah ve Muhammed bin Abdullah Efendilerin Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâneʾnin meccânen leylî kısmına kayd ve kabûlleriyle güzelce bakılmaları şeref-sâdır olan irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî muktezâ-yı âlîsinden olduğu şeref-vârid olan 8 Zilhicce sene [1]312 târih ve 102 numerolu tezkire-i sâmiyede işʿâr buyurulmuş olmağla ol vechile îcâbının icrâsı husûsuna himem-i vâlâ-yı atûfîleri derkâr buyurulmak bâbında emr u irâde hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 15 Zilhicce sene [1]312 ve fî 27 Mayıs sene [1]311 Maʿârif Nâzırı Aslına mutâbıkdır 2.6

To the directorate of the Imperial Civil Service School In accordance with the exalted imperial order of His Majesty the Caliph: Osman bin Abdullah and Muhammad bin Abdullah Efendis, who are the elder children at the age of education of Sayyid Abdullah al-Attas, a sayyid of Hadramawt who came to the Abode of Felicity by way of Egypt, should be registered for free in the boarding section of the Imperial Civil Service School, and they should be properly looked after. As this has been ordained by the Grand Vizierial note dated 2 June 1895 and numbered 102, your exalted assistance is required in order to put this matter into execution. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 9 June 1895 Minister of Education A true copy of the original Source: BOA MF.MKT. 452/1

Foreign Minister to the Grand Vizier requesting permission for the payment of the travel expenses of five individuals instead of three students who will travel to Istanbul for education, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 817 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir 2.7

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713

Batavya etfâl-i müslimesinden şimdilik üç neferinin Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâneʾye yâhud Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye meccânen kayd ve kabûlleri ve cüzʾî bir meblağa bâliğ olacak olan mesârif-i seferiyelerinin tesviyesi husûsuna biʾl-istîzân irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurularak hükm-i münîfinin Maʿârif Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne teblîğ edildiğini ve îfâ-yı îcâbı ifâdesini şâmil resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olan 20 Zilkaʿde sene [1]315 târihli ve yüz kırk beş numerolu tezkire-i sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri mütâlaʿa-güzâr-ı âcizî olarak ol vechile keyfiyet Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾne işʿâr edilmiş idi mezkûr şehbenderlikçe beş çocuğun navlı Dersaʿâdetʾde tesviye olunmak üzere mahall-i mezkûrdan yarın hareket edecek olan vapura râkib olacağı ve bunların navılları üç yüz liraya bâliğ olacağı beyânıyla bu meblağın hükûmet-i seniyyece tesviye olunup olunmayacağı mezkûr vapur acentesi tarafından suʾâl ile bu bâbda heman bir cevâb iʿtâsı taleb olunmuş ve zikr olunan çocukların işbu vapura yetiştirilmediği hâlde bir aya kadar daha orada kalmalarını müstelzim ve şehbenderlikçe biʾz-zarûre mesârif-i zâʾide ihtiyârını mûcib olacağı ve hükm-ı irâde-i seniyye üç çocuğa münhasır olduğu hâlde şimdi zikr olunan acente tarafından beş nefer olarak gösterilmesi bunların hâl-i sebâvetleri cihetle yalnız gelemeyeceklerinden orada yanlarına iki adam refîk edilmiş olmasından mütevellid olduğu melhûz bulunmuş olduğu ifâde kılındığına nazaran îcâbının sürʿat-i emr ve inbâsı manût-ı irâde-i aliyye-i hazret-i sadâret-penâhîleridir emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 30 Zilhicce sene 1315 ve fî 9 Mayıs sene 1314 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number 817 My most humble request is that; The present request about accepting and enrolling three individuals from among the Muslim children of Batavia to the Imperial Civil Service School or to the Imperial School free of charge, together with the reimbursement of their travel expenses (which will constitute a small amount) has been graciously approved by His Majesty the Exalted Caliph. I have seen the exalted Grand Vizierial note dated 12 April 1898 and numbered 145, which communicated that the Ministry of Education had been informed of this, and ordered its implementation. [Upon this] I announced the situation to the Consulate General in Batavia. The said consulate announced that five children would be sent by the steamboat departing from Batavia tomorrow, on the understanding

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that their travel expenses will be paid in the Abode of Felicity, and explained that their travel expenses would amount to three hundred liras. According to the consulate, the said steamboat agency asked whether this amount would be paid by the Imperial Government, and requested an immediate answer. If these children do not catch this steamboat, they will have an additional stay of about a month, which would impose needless expenses on the consulate. [The consulate also communicated that] it has been thought that the said agency talked about five children (even though the imperial order was confined to three children) because they [the children] were accompanied by two men, since the children could not travel on their own. Ordering and communicating speedily the implementation of its requirement depends on the sublime will of Your Highness the exalted Grand Vizier. To command belongs to him who commands all. 21 May 1898 Foreign Minister Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 385/13

Letter of the chief of the Arabs in Bogor to the sultan announcing that they have sent their children to Istanbul for education, December 1898 In the name of God the all merciful the all compassionate Praise be to God lord of both worlds, and blessings and greetings upon the noblest of prophets, Muhammad, his house and his companions. The request to the exalted place of the glorious Caliphate whose shadow covers the Islamic world, whose sentiments are a protection for the Muhammadan umma, especially in this new age in which the glorious place [i.e. the Caliphate] has been lighted by a variety of charitable deeds and which has advanced over previous ages by the spread of the abundance of knowledge, especially among the ordinary people of the Islamic countries, on account of the compassion, sentiments and love of our generous lord, great Caliph and noble sultan, the commander of the faithful and the deputy of the lord of messengers [Muhammad], the sultan of the sultan, the ghazi sultan Abdülhamid Khan II, may God aid his Caliphate and prolong his sultanate over the duration of the days and nights, amen, one thousand amens. We, a group of virtuous servants of the people of the island of Java, rejoice, for it is one of the greatest good tidings and most abundant blessings for my people, whom we thought to have been drowned in the seas of ignorance and the darkness of tyranny, deprived of books of learning and useful knowledge of religion and the world. How could it be otherwise when it [knowledge] is an obligation us and [we are] ordered to seek knowledge from the cradle to 2.8

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Figure 165

715

Letter of the chief of the Arabs in Bogor to the sultan announcing that they have sent their children to Istanbul for education, December 1898

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the grave? Our praise and thankfulness increased when Muslim Jawa children were accepted into the imperial schools in your exalted abode of the Caliphate [Istanbul]. On account of this we, a group of sincere and righteous servants, sent our young children to be educated, trained and enlightened with the blessings of abundant [knowledge], under the shadow of our sultan, and we were delighted. For that reason we request of the compassion of our exalted state [the Ottoman empire] that you hear these our requests, and we extend our hands in supplication and prayer to God, exalted is He, to prolong the life of our great Caliph for all the Muslims, and to make him a source and wellspring of religious and secular charity, which is showered upon all the Muslims in the entire world, amen, Oh God, amen. The blessings and mercy of God be upon you and all the ministers and commanders. Written in Bogor at the beginning of December 1898, corresponding to 18 Rajab 1316. Your servant the chief of the Arabs in Java in the town of Bogor Abdurrahman bin Abdullah Ba Junaid Your servant Abubakar Sungkar Source: BOA İ.MF.5 1316/N-2

List of the students who departed from Batavia to Istanbul for education Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniye Batavya Başşehbenderliği Aded Ahmed Said Efendi 16 yaşında olduğu Abdullah Efendi 12 yaşında olduğu Muhammed Efendi 11 yaşında olduğu Davud Efendi 9 yaşında olduğu Selman Efendi 7 yaşında olduğu Ebûbekir Senger nâm zâtın mahdûmları olduğu Ahmed Efendi 11 yaşında olduğu Said Efendi 8 yaşında olduğu Şeyh Bacüneyd Efendiʾnin mahdûmları olduğu 2.9

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Bu kere Mekâtib-i Şâhâneʾye duhûl istirhâmıyla Batavya‌ʾdan Dersaʿâdetʾe müteveccihan hareket eden etfâlin esâmîsini mübeyyin pusuladır. Sublime Ottoman State Consulate General in Batavia Number Ahmad Said Efendi 16 years old Abdullah Efendi 12 years old Muhammad Efendi 11 years old Daud Efendi 9 years old Salman Efendi 7 years old These are all sons of Abu Bakar Sangar Ahmad Efendi 11 years old Said Efendi 8 years old These are all sons of Shaykh Ba Junaid Efendi This note lists the names of the children who departed from Batavia to the Abode of Felicity with the aim of attending imperial schools. Source: BOA İ.MF. 5/1316/N-2

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry announcing the departure of additional children from Java to Istanbul for education, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 21 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]314 târihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrâtın sûretidir Husûsât-ı âtiyenin hâk-ı pây-ı dekâyık-i peymâ-yı âsaf-ı aʿzamîlerine arzına müsâraʿat eylerim mahdûmlarının Mekâtib-i Şâhâneʾye kabûlü istirhâmında bulunan zevâtdan olup Cava‌ʾda vâkiʿ Bokor kasabası Arab cemâʿati reisi Şeyh Bacüneyd ile Ebûbekir Senger nâm zâtlar tarafından atabe-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı mülûkâneye hitâben olan bir arz-ı hâl ile ayrıca abd-i âcizlerine olan bir kıtʿa mektûbu leffen takdîm eyledim mutâlaʿasından rehîn-i ilm-i âlî-i cenâb-ı nezâretpenâhîleri buyurulacağı vechile mûmâileyhimâ şuyûʿ-ı tahvîl-i meʾmûriyet-i çâkerânem üzerine husûsiyet-i halleri muktezâsı olarak reʾy-i âcizâneme kableʾl-mürâcaʿa mahdûmlarının Dersaʿâdetʾe berâ-yı sevk ve iʿzâm her dürlü hazırlıklarını görerek ve hattâ pasaportlarını ahz ederek kasaba-i mezkûreden Batavya‌ʾya göndermişler ve etfâlin teʾhîr-i azîmetine dâʾir şeref-tevârüd eden emr-i telgrâfî-i dâver-i efhamîleri üzerine mûmâileyhimâyı nezd-i çâkerânem biʾl-celb halefimin muvâsaletine ve bâ-savb-ı âsafânelerinden alacağı 2.10

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emr üzerine Şehbender Şolez Efendiʾnin vukûʿ-ı ihbârına değin çocukların teʾhîr-i azîmet eylemelerini taleb ve tefhîm eylediğim hâlde zîr-i himâye-i fuyûzât-vâye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîde perver-şiyâb-ı ilm ve maʿrifet ve o sâye-i âlîde iktisâb eyleyecekleri feyz ve rıfʿat ile evlâdlarının beyneʾl-akrân hâʾiz-i şeref ve meziyet olmuş bulunmalarının müşâhedesi yeğâne emelleri bulunduğunu ityân ve diyânetimiz vechile evlâdımızın dârüʾl-hilâfede tahsîl ve taʿlîmi her şeyden efdal olduğu zemîninde bir takım cümleler der-meyân ederek istirhâmlarında ısrâr ve avâtıf-ı hazret-i şehriyârîden bu bâbda mahrûm olamayacakları ümîd-i kavîsinde bulunduklarını da ilâveten izhâr eylemişler ve fiʾl-hakîka etfâl-i merkûme ebeveyni tarafından Masajri Kumpanyası vapurlarından birine biʾl-irkâb Dersaʿâdetʾe müteveccihan hareket etmişlerdir merkûmânın Dersaʿâdetʾe muvâsaletlerinde sahâbet olunmadığı takdîrde lisân-ı âşinâ olmadıklarından biʾt-tabʿ düçâr olacakları müzâyakadan nâşî keyfiyetin müsâraʿatan arz ve işʿârıyla berâber esâmîsini mübeyyin bir kıtʿa varakanın takdîmine mücâseret ve bunların dahî Mekâtib-i Şâhâneʾden birine kayd ve idhâl buyurulması bu havâlîce ezser nev bâʿis-i şükrân-ı firâvân ve bâhusûs makâm-ı muʿallâ-yı hilâfet-uzmâya derece-i ubûdiyet ve merbûtiyetleri hareketʿ-i vâkıʿalarından anlaşılan bu iki ihtiyâr pederi müstağrak-ı minnet ve sürûr-ı bî-payân eyleyerek bu vesîle ile de daʿvât-ı hayriye-i hazret-i zillullâhîyi müstelzim olacağı bî-iştibâh bulunduğunun ifâdesine müsâberet kılınmış olmağla her hâlde Aslına mutâbıkdır Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the note received from Consulate General in Batavia with the date 3 December 1898 I hasten to present the following to the dust at the feet of the great power of Your Vizierial Highness. Enclosed I present the petition addressed to the magnificent threshold of His Majesty, and the letter addressed to [me] your most humble servant by individuals called Shaykh Ba Junaid (who is the leader of the Arab community in the Bogor township of Java), and Abubakar Sungkar, who requested the admission of their sons to the imperial schools. As Your Ministerial Highness will understand on examining [their letter and petition], the said individuals, upon my humble advice, have completed all kinds of preparations to send their sons to the Abode of Felicity, and have obtained their passports and sent them from Bogor to Batavia. Upon Your Ministerial Excellency’s telegram ordering the delay of the departure of the children, I

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summoned them to my humble presence and said that they were to delay the departure of the children until the arrival of my successor, and the announcement of Consul Şolez[?] Efendi after he receives the related orders from Your Ministerial Excellency. However, they insisted on their request saying that it is their sole desire to see their sons nourished with science and knowledge under the protection of the enlightened and prosperous majesty of the Caliph with science and knowledge, and become clothed with honour and virtue among their peers thanks to the prosperity and eminence that they will obtain. Moreover, with regard to our religion, they say that it is more virtuous than anything to have their children educated and instructed at the abode of the Caliphate. In addition, they declared that they strongly hoped that they will not be deprived of this favour of His Imperial Majesty in this matter. Indeed, the fact is that their parents put these children on board one of the steamboats of Messageries [Maritimes] Company, and departed for the Abode of Felicity. As the said children are not familiar with foreign languages, they will naturally get confused on their arrival in the Abode of Felicity if they do not have a companion. Therefore, I dared to hasten to present this issue together with a document indicating their names. Their admission to one of the imperial schools will be a new cause for much gratefulness here. Indeed, these two elderly fathers, whose affection and humble respect for the office of the exalted great Caliphate is evident from their actions, will be overcome with gratitude and joy, and thereby procure favourable prayers for the exalted Shadow of the God. In all matters […] A true copy of the original Source: BOA İ.MF. 5/1316/N-2

Ottoman consul in Batavia announcing the implementation of the ministerial order to delay the departure of the students, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Fî 21 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]314 târihli Batavya Başşehbenderliği tahrîrâtı sûretidir Mekâtib-i Şahâneʾye kabûlleri istirhâmında bulunan etfâlin şimdilik otuz neferden ibâret bulunduğunu fî 24 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [18]98 târihli takdîm olunan bir kıtʿa arîza-i çâkerânemle huzûr-ı müfeyyezüʾn-nûr-ı cenâb-ı âsafi aʿzamîlerine arz olunmuşidi etfâl-i merkûmenin teʾhîr-i azîmetlerine dâʾir hâme pirâ-yı tefhîm-i çâkerânem olan emr-i telgrâfî-i nezâret-penâhîleri üzerine Batavya‌ʾda olanlardan baʿzılarının esâmîsi vekîl Şolez Efendiʾye kayd 2.11

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etdirilmiş ve mûmâileyhden alacakları habere değin intizâr eylemeleri ihtâr olunduğu gibi Singapur ve havâlîsinde olanlara dahî bilâhare Şehbenderhâneʾye mürâcaʿat eylemeleri işʿâr edilmiş olduğunun arz ve ifâdesine mücâseret kılınmış olmağla Aslına mutâbıkdır Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the note of the Consulate General in Batavia dated 3 December 1898 It is dared to submit for your consideration that in my note dated 24 November 1898, it was most humbly submitted to Your Ministerial Excellency that the children who requested to be admitted to the imperial schools currently consist of thirty individuals. When I was informed of Your Ministerial Excellency’s telegram ordering the delay of the departure of the said students, the names of some of them who were in Batavia were recorded by the Vice-Consul Şolez Efendi, and they were told to wait until they receive news from the said [Şolez Efendi]. Likewise it was also announced to those who were in Singapore that they should later apply to the consulate. A true copy of the original Source: BOA İ.MF. 5/1316/N-2

Note from the emirate of Dhofar to the Foreign Ministry requesting assistance for some students who are on their way from Batavia to Istanbul, 1899 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Fî 22 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]314 tarihli Zafar Emâretiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrâtın sûretidir Cava‌ʾda mukîm sâdât-ı aleviyyeden baʿzıları çocuklarını sâye-i hazret-i pâdişâhîde Mekâtib-i Şahâneʾde tahsîl-i ulûm ve fünûn etmek üzre Dersaʿâdetʾe iʿzâm eylediklerini ve mûmâileyhin Beyrut tarîkiyle Cava‌ʾdan gelecek Fransız vapuruna irkâb eylediklerini kendilerinden aldığım mektûbda işʿâr etmişlerdir mukaddemâ Cava‌ʾdan gelen çocuklar himmet ve delâlet-i aliyye-i dâverîleriyle mekteblere yerleşdirilmiş olduğundan ve bu kere gelenler dahî ötekiler gibi Malayʾdan başka lisân bilmediklerinden vapurun Dersaʿâdetʾe vusûlünde kendilerinin vapurdan ahzıyla sâye-i ihsân-vâye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye 2.12

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sığınmak içün bu kadar uzak yerlerden gelmiş ehl-i İslâm olmalarına göre hangi mekteblere yerleşdirilecek ise îcâbının icrâsı içün lâzım gelenlere işʿâr buyurulması manût-ı himem-i aliyye-i celîle-i âsafâneleridir ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Aslına mutâbıkdır Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communiqué received from the Emirate of Dhofar [Oman], dated 3 January 1899 Some of the Alawi Sayyids residing in Java informed us in a letter I have received from them that, thanks to His Majesty the Sultan, they have sent their children to the Abode of Felicity to gather knowledge and science at the imperial schools, and that they embarked on the French steamer which will come from Java by way of Beirut. The children who came previously from Java had been placed at schools with the exalted guidance of Your Excellency. Like the previous students these ones do not know any language other than Malay. Therefore Your exalted and lofty Ministerial Excellency’s help is needed to give the necessary orders to officials to collect the children from the steamboat upon its arrival in the Abode of Felicity, and to decide in which schools to enrol them, as they are Muslims who have come from distant places to take refuge with the His Majesty the benevolent and exalted Caliph. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. A true copy of the original Source: BOA İ.MF. 5/1316/N-2

Foreign minister to the Grand Vizier requesting instructions about the students who departed from Batavia to Istanbul despite being ordered to delay their departure, 1899 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 3199 Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Singapur ve Cava mütemeyyizân-ı İslâmıʾnın Mekâtib-i Şâhâneʾye kabûle etmek içün Dersaʿâdetʾe göndermek istedikleri etfâlin adedi otuzdan ibâret olup baʿzılarının tesrîʿ-i azîmetleri istidʿâsında bulundukları Batavya 2.13

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Başşehbenderliğiʾnden işʿâr kılınmış ise de mekâtibe şâkirdân kabûlü zamânı geçmiş olduğu gibi yer dahî bulunmadığı Maʿârif Nâzırı Devletlü Paşa Hazretleri tarafından ifâde kılınmasına mebnî şehbenderliğe ol vechile cevâb tastîriyle mezkûr çocukların teʾhir-i azîmetleri tavsiye edildiği 19 Receb sene [1]316 târihli tezkire-i çâkeriyle arz ve işʿâr kılınmışidi ol-bâbda îcâb edenlere tebliğ-i keyfiyet olunduğunu ve ancak Cava‌ʾda kâʾin Bokor kasabası Arab cemâʿati reisi Şeyh Bacüneyd ile Ebûbekir Senger nâm zâtlar mahdûmlarının mekâtib-i mezkûreye kabûlleri istirhâmını hâvî atabe-i felek-mertebe-i hazret-i zillullâhîye takdîm olunmak üzre verdikleri arz-ı hâl ile ol-bâbda kendisine yazmış oldukları mektûbun ve zikr olunan çocukların mikdâr-ı esâmîsini mübeyyin defterin irsâl olunduğunu ve işʿâr-ı mesbûk-ı âcizî vechile işbu etfâlin teʾhîr-i iʿzâmları mûmâileyhimâya tefhîm olunmuş ise de kendileri sâye-i inâyet-vâye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîde evlâdlarının Dârüʾl-hilâfetiʾl-aliyyeʾde iktisâb-ı ilm ve feyz etmeleri ahass-ı âmâlleri olduğu ve bunların Dersaʿâdetʾe iʿzâmları içün malzemeleri ikmâl ve pasaportları istihsâl edilerek kasaba-i mezkûreden Batavya‌ʾya göndermiş olduklarını beyân ile istirhâm-ı vâkıʿalarında ısrâr ve Mesajri vapuruna irkâb ve bu tarafa tisyâr eylemiş olduklarını ve bunların lisâna âşinâ olmadıkları cihetle buraya vusûllerinde mahzar-ı sahâbet olmadıkları takdîrde düçâr-ı müzâyaka olacakları gibi bunların kabûlleri oralarca yeniden bâʿis-i şükrân olacağını hâvî Batavya Şehbender-i sâbıkından alınan iki kıtʿa tahrîrâtın sûretiyle melfûfâtı ve zikr olunan çocukların vürûdunda vapurdan ahzıyla bir mektebe yerleşdirilmeleri ifâdesini şâmil Zafar Emîri tarafından gönderilen tezkirenin sûretleriyle berâber leffen takdîm kılınmış ve îfâ-yı muktezâsı irâdei aliyye-i dâver-i efhâmîlerine vâbeste bulunmuş olmağla emr u fermân hazreti veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 22 Şaʿbân sene [1]316 ve fî 24 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]314 Hâriciye Nâzırı Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number 3199 To the presence of the Exalted Grand Vizier My most humble request is that; The Consulate General in Batavia has announced that there are thirty students whom the Muslim notables of Singapore and Java wish to send to the Abode of Felicity in order to be admitted to the imperial schools, and that some of them request their departure to be accelerated. However, His Excellency the Paşa, the Minister of Education has stated that the deadline of accepting

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students has passed, and that there were no additional places for new students. This was communicated with a note of your servant dated 3 December 1898, and that it was written in response to the consulate advising the need to delay the departure of the said children. The necessary people had been informed of the situation, and sent enclosed the petition of individuals called Shaykh Ba Junaid, leader of the Arab community in the Bogor township of Java, and Abubakar Sungkar, addressed to the lofty threshold of His Majesty the Shadow of God, requesting the admission of their children to the said school, together with a letter written to the said consul, and the register containing the number and the names of the said children. In the same humble note, it was reported that although the said individuals had been told to delay the departure of these children in accordance with my previous announcement, they [Shaykh Ba Junaid and Abubakar Sungkar] insisted on their requests by explaining that it was their greatest wish to have their children gain knowledge and prosperity at the Sublime Abode of the Caliphate thanks to the help and benevolence of His Majesty the Exalted Caliph, and that having completed all the preparations for their departure to Abode of Felicity and obtained their passports, they had sent [the children] from Bogor to Batavia. They [the children] were embarked on the steamboat of Messageries [Maritimes Company] and sent here, but they were likely get confused on their arrival as they are not familiar with the language and were unaccompanied. Their admission would stimulate great gratitude in that place [Java]. Copies of two communiqués received from the former consul of Batavia and their attachments, and the copy of the note received from the Emir of Dhofar requesting that the children be collected from the steamboat on its arrival and enrolled with a school, are presented in enclosure. The implementation of its requirement depends on the exalted will of Your Ministerial Excellency. To command belongs to him who commands all. 5 January 1899 Foreign Minister Source: BOA İ.MF. 5/1316/N-2

Grand Vizier to the sultan informing him about the students who departed from Batavia to Istanbul and requesting his order, 1899 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Amedî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn 2663 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Cava‌ ʾda kâʾin Bokor kasabası Arab cemâʿati reisi Şeyh Bacüneyd ile Ebûbekir Senger nâm zâtların sâye-i maʿârif-vâye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîde 2.14

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tahsîl-i ulûm ve fünûn etmek üzere mahdûmlarının Mekâtib-i Şâhâneʾye kayd ve kabûlleri istirhâmını hâvî atabe-i felek-mertebe-i hazret-i zillullâhîye takdîm olunmak üzre verdikleri arz-ı hâlin gönderildiğini ve yedi neferden ibâret olan etfâl-i merkûmeyi Mesajri vapuruna biʾl-irkâb Dersaʿâdetʾe iʿzâm eyledikleri beyânıyla vapurun Dersaʿâdetʾe vürûdunda çocukların vapurdan ahzıyla îcâb eden Mekâtib-i Şâhâneʾye kayd ve kabûlleri ifâdesini hâvî Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden alınan iki kıtʿa tahrîrâtın leffiyle icrâ-yı îcâbını mütezammın Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresi melfûflarıyla arz ve takdîm olunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda her ne vechile irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî şeref-sünûh ve sudûr buyurulur ise mantûk-ı âlîsi infâz edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim Fî 27 Şaʿbân sene [1]316 fî 29 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]314 Sadrazam Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olup melfûflarıyla manzûr-ı âlî buyurulan işbu tezkirei sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri üzerine mûcebince irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurulmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 9 Ramazan sene [1]316 fî 9 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]314 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî Bende-i Tahsin Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretariat of the Imperial Council 2663 [The request of the Grand Vizier] My kind and exalted Lord; The petition sent by the individuals called Shaykh Ba Junaid (who is the leader of the Arab community of the Bogor township on Java) and Abubakar Sungkar to the exalted wisdom of the Caliph contains a request submitted to the lofty threshold of His Majesty the Shadow of God for the admission of their children to the imperial schools in order that they might gather science and knowledge. Moreover, they have sent the said children, seven individuals in all, to the Abode of Felicity by embarking them upon the Messageries [Maritimes Company’s] steamboat, and [request] that upon the arrival of the boat in the Abode of Felicity, the children should be collected, and accepted and enrolled in the appropriate imperial schools. The two documents with their attachments received from the Consulate General in Batavia are presented together with the note with attachments of the Foreign Ministry containing what is required for this to be implemented. This explanatory note has been presented,

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my lord, with the understanding that, whatever the noble path decreed by the magnificent order of the exalted Caliph may be, it will be implemented. 10 January 1899 Grand Vizier [The order of the Sultan as expressed by his chief secretary] The request of your most humble servant is that: From the most revered hand: this Grand Vizierial note with its attachments have been brought to the sublime presence, and is conformable to the noble decision of the exalted will of the Caliph. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 21 January 1899 The servant Tahsin, Chief Secretary to His Majesty Source: BOA İ.MF. 5/1316/N-2

Ottoman ambassador at The Hague to the Foreign Ministry communicating the deliberations at the Dutch parliament about the students from Java in Istanbul, 1899 Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası Aded Hâriciye Nezâretine 6 Şubat sene [18]99 târihiyle Lahey Sefâret-i seniyyesinden vârid olan 9 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir Dersaʿâdetʾde mekâtibe kabûl olunan Cava etfâl-i müslimîni hakkında Meclis-i Mebʿûsânʾda îrâd olunan suʾâl ile Hâriciye Nâzırı tarafından verilen cevâbı hâvî zabıtnâmenin bir kısmı leffen takdîm kılındı emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Melfûfun tercümesidir Meclis-i Mebʿûsânʾın şehr-i hâlin ikinci günü vukûʿ bulan ictimâʿında aʿzâdan Mösyö “Beravetzen Van Dö Bazin” hâriciye nâzırına berâ-yı tahsîl Cava‌ʾdan Dersaʿâdetʾe azîmet eden etfâl-i müslimînin şehr-i mezkûrdaki sefîrimiz huzûrunda isbât-ı vücûd etmeğe mecbûr mudurlar zannıma göre mûmâileyhim Cava‌ʾdan azîmetlerinde pasaport almakda olduklarından mezkûr pasaportu Dersaʿâdetʾe vusûllerinde ya sefîr veyâ konsolosa vize ettirmeğe mecbûr edilmeleri münâsib olur hakîkat-i hâl böyle mi yoksa sefâret-hâne veyâ konsoloshâne pasaportu görmekle mi iktifâ ediyorlar burasını anlamak isterim zîrâ mesʾelenin ehemmiyeti derkârdır mûmâileyhim bilâhare cezîreye nasıl bir fikr-i siyâsî ile avdet edecekleri mâddesi şimdiden nazar-ı dikkate alınmalıdır yolunda bir suʾâl îrâd etmesi üzerine nâzır-ı mûmâileyh Dersaʿâdetʾde bulunan genç İslâmlar hakkında bahs etdiğiniz mâdde değeri 2.15

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olmadığı hâlde birçok kîl ü kâli mûcib oldu zan ederim Flemenk gazetelerinin Dersaʿâdetʾde bulunan muhbirlerinin gayretini takbîh arzusunda değilsem de mûmâileyhim ehemmiyet-i cüzʾiyesi olan baʿzı şeylerde iltizâm-ı mübâlağa ediyorlar Dersaʿâdetʾde kesîrüʾl-vukûʿ olduğu vechile her ne sebebe mebnî ise baʿzı evliyâ-yı etfâl mahdûmlarını memâlik-i ecnebiyede tahsîl etdirdikleri gibi Cava‌ʾda da bir takım Müslümanlar oğullarını Dersaʿâdetʾde bir Türk iʿdâdîsinde tahsîl etdirmek fikrinde oldukları görülüyor geçenlerde bunların yedi gençden ibâret olduğunu bahs etmiş isem de elhâletü hâzihî yalnız dört kişiden ibâretdir ve mâʿmâfih bu günlerde bir kaçının vürûduna intizâr olunur bir vakitler Cava‌ʾdan Dersaʿâdetʾe birçok gençler iʿzâmı arzu olunduğuna dâʾir bir takım şâyiʿa-i devrân etmekde idi Devlet-i Aliyye hâriciye nâzırı Cavalı gençlerin mesârif-i tahsîliyesinin cânib-i hükûmet-i seniyyeden teʾdiye edilemeyeceğini Dersaʿâdet sefîrimize bir sûret-i katʿiyyede bildirmişdir işte mûmâileyhim Dersaʿâdetʾde tahsîl arzusunda bulundukları takdîrde mesârif-i tahsîliyeleri velîleri veyâ zât-ı sâʾireye âʾid olup hükûmet-i seniyye cânibinden tesviye edilmeyecekdir konsoloshânede isbât-ı vücûda mecbûr olup olmadıklarını bilemezsem de mürâcaʿat etmedikleri zannındayım maʿmâfih konsolosumuzun onlarla münâsebâtda bulunmasına mahal yokdur memâlik-i ecnebiyede ikâmetlerinden dolayı bilâhare avdetlerinde ne gibi müşkilâta tesâdüf edebilecekleri mesʾelesi ise hükûmetce karârlaşdırılacakdır meʾâlinde idâre-i lisân eylemişdir Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Translation Office Number This is the communiqué received by the Foreign Ministry from the Imperial Embassy at The Hague, dated 6 February 1899 and numbered 9. A part of the minutes concerning the question asked in the States-General about the Muslim children of Java who have been admitted to the schools in the Abode of Felicity for their education, and the answer given by the Foreign Minister, is presented in enclosure. To command belongs to him who commands all. This is the translation of the attachment: During the session that took place on the second day of this month, MP Monsieur Brantsen van de Zijp asked the Foreign Minister [the following question]: Are the Muslim children who have gone from Java to the Abode of Felicity for education obliged to present themselves to our ambassador in the said city? In my opinion, as these children obtain passports on their departure from Java, it is appropriate to oblige them to get a visa for their passports either

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from the ambassador or the consul on their arrival in the Abode of Felicity. I would like to know whether [the procedure] works in this way, or whether the embassy or the consulate is content with seeing the passport, because the importance of the issue is evident. The question, “With what political views will these children return later to the island?” should from now on also be taken into consideration. The minister [replied]: I think that the issue you have raised has be the cause of much discussion, although it does not affect the young Muslims in in the Abode of Felicity. I do not want to criticise the endeavours of the news reporters of Dutch newspapers in Istanbul, but they sometimes exaggerate things that are of little importance. For whatever reason, some parents educate their children in foreign countries, as happens very often in the Abode of Felicity as well. Likewise, some Muslims in Java seem to want to educate their sons in a Turkish high school in the Abode of Felicity. Although I had lately said that they consist of seven youths, at the moment they consist only of four youths, and at the present time the arrival of a couple more is expected. Some time ago a rumour was circulating that there was a desire to send lots of students from Java to the Abode of Felicity. The Foreign Minister of the Sublime State has stated definitively to our ambassador in the Abode of Felicity that the Imperial Government will not pay the education expenses of the youths from Java. It is therefore clear that if they want to be educated in the Abode of Felicity, their education expenses will be paid by their parents or others and not by the Imperial Government. Although I do not know whether they are obliged to present themselves at the consulate or not, I believe that they did not apply. Nevertheless, there is no reason for our consul to deal with them. He used careful language by saying that; the government will decide upon the issue of what kind of difficulties they might encounter [after their return] because of their residence in a foreign country. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 394/96

Director of the Imperial Civil Service School to the Ministry of Education asking whether to register the students from Java in the college of the Imperial Civil Service School, 1899 Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne 112 Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne sunûf-ı aliyyesine duhûl edecek talebenin tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden bulunması nizâmen meşrût olup 27 Mayıs sene [1]311 târihinde bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî meccânen Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i 2.16

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Şâhâne Kısm-ı İʿdâdîsine kayd ve kabûl olunan Cavalı Osman ve Muhammed Abdullah el-Attâs Efendiler sunûf-ı iʿdâdiyeden bu sene şehâdet-nâmeleri aldıkdan sonra sunûf-ı aliyyeye duhûle tâlib olacaklarından ve mûmâileyhimâ ise tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden olmadıklarından haklarında ne vechile muʿâmele olunmak lâzım geleceğinin arz ve istîzânına mücâseret kılındı ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 21 Şevvâl sene [1]316 ve fî 20 Şubat sene [1]314 Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne Müdürü bende-i Recâî Imperial Civil Service School 112 To the Exalted Ministry of Education My kind and exalted lord; According to the regulations, it is a prerequisite that students who enter the advanced classes of the Imperial Civil Service School be subjects of the Sublime State. Osman and Muhammad Abdullah al-Attas Efendis from Java, who have been registered, free of charge, in the preparatory section of the Imperial Civil Service School as a result of the illustrious command of His Majesty the exalted Caliph dated 8 June 1895, will request to be admitted to the higher classes after they obtain their diplomas from the preparatory section this year. As the said [students] are not subjects of the Sublime State, I have dared to ask how to carry out the procedures. On this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 4 March 1899 Recai, Director of the Imperial Civil Service School Source: BOA MF.MKT. 452/1

Council of education about the enrollment of the students from Java in the college of the Imperial Civil Service School, 1899 Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne kısm-ı iʿdâdîsi müntehî sınıfında bulunan Cavalı Osman ve Muhammed Abdullah el-Attâs Efendilerin sunûf-ı aliyyeye kabûlleri lâzım gelip gelmeyeceği husûsu baʿdehû biʾt-tezkire karârlaşdırılmak üzere evvel emirde mûmâileyhimânın mektebe duhûlleri hakkında olan irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî kaydının meclise irâʾesiyle sâʾir mûmâileyhimânın zamânı hulûlünde sunûf-ı aliyye derslerini dahî taʿkîbe talib olup olmadıklarının kendilerinden istimzâcıyla tahakkuk edecek halde ve bu bâbda idârece olunacak mutâlaʿanın beyânı zımnında işbu tezkire iʿâde-i Mekteb-i Şâhâne Müdüriyet-i Aliyyesiʾne tevdîʿ kılındı Fî 6 Mart sene [1]315 Meclis-i Maarif 2.17

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The question of whether Osman and Muhammad Abdullah al-Attas Efendis from Java, who are in the final class of the preparatory section of the Imperial Civil Service School, should be admitted to higher classes or not should be decided upon later by means of a note. First of all, the record of the will of His Majesty the exalted Caliph concerning the enrolment of the said [students] to the school [should be] shown to the council [of education]. When the time comes, the other relevant [students] should be asked whether they want to attend the higher classes, and in case they be willing, the relevant view of the [school] administration should be communicated. For this purpose, this note has been delivered to the exalted Directorate of the Imperial Civil Service School. 18 March 1899 Council of Education Source: BOA MF.MKT. 452/1

Council of Education about the enrollment of the students from Java in the college of the Imperial Civil Service School, 1899 Mûmâileyhimânın meccânen Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâneʾye kayd ve kabûlleri hakkındaki irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî tezkire-i aliyye-i nezâretpenâhî ile teblîğ buyurulmuş olmasıyla tezkire-i mezkûrenin sûreti biʾl-ihrâc leffen takdîm kılınmış ve mûmâileyhimâ sunûf-ı aliyye derslerini taʿkîbe tâlib buunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 7 Mart sene [1]315 As the exalted order of His Majesty the illustrious Sultan concerning the registration and acceptance of the said [students] free of charge to the Imperial Civil Service School has been communicated with the exalted note of the Ministry [of Education], a copy of the said note has been made and presented as an attachment, and the [students] are willing to attend the advanced lessons of the college. In this matter to command belongs to him who commands all. 19 March 1899 2.18

Source: BOA MF.MKT. 452/1

Council of Education about the enrollment of the students from Java in the college of the Imperial Civil Service School, 1899 27 Mayıs sene [1]311 târihinde bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî meccânen Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne kısm-ı iʿdâdîsine kayd ve kabûl olunan Cavalı Osman ve Muhammed Abdullah el-Attâs Efendilerin sunûf-ı iʿdâdiyede bu sene şehâdetnâme aldıkdan sonra sunûf-ı aliyye derslerini taʿkîbe tâlib bulunduklarının ve mûmâileyhimâ tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden olmadıklarından haklarında ne vechile muʿâmele olunmak lâzım geleceğinin istîzânına dâʾir 2.19

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olan Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne Müdüriyet-i Aliyyesiʾnin işbu tezkiresi kırâʾat olundu. Îcâb-ı keyfiyet ledeʾt-tezekkür Mekteb-i Mülkiye nizâmnâmesinin dokuzuncu mâddesi mûcebince mekteb-i sunûf-ı aliyyesine duhûl tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden olmağla meşrût ise de mûmâileyhimâ Osman ve Abdullah Efendilerin mektebe kabûllerine müteʿallik olan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı mülûkâne (?) siyâkında güzelce bakılmaları emr u fermân buyurulmuş olmasına ve bu kere mekteb-i mezkûr idâresinden alınan maʿlûmâtda mûmâileyhimânın tâbiʿiyyet-i saltanat-ı seniyyeyi iktisâb içün tezkire-i Osmâniye istihsâline teşebbüs etdikleri anlaşılmasına nazaran aleʾl-usûl musâbakat imtihânına idhâl ile ihrâz-ı muvaffakiyet eyledikleri takdîrde sunûf-ı aliyye derslerini taʿkîb etmelerine müsâʿade olunup fakat şehâdetnâmeye nâʾil olacakları vakit tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi iktisâb edememiş bulunurlarsa ol halde sûreti istihdâmları tebʿa-i ecnebiye gibi müsâʿade-i mahsûsa ile mukayyed olmak lâzım geleceği mutâlaʿa kılınmakda ise de mektebin sâlifüʾz-zikr dokuzuncu mâddesinde mütehassıl şübheye mebnî bir kerede keyfiyetin bâb-ı âlîden suʾâli mütevakkıf-ı reʾy-i âlîdir ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir fî 29 Zilhicce sene [1]316 ve fî 28 Nisan sene [1]315 Osman and Muhammad Abdullah al-Attas Efendis from Java, who were registered in the high school section of the Imperial Civil Service School as a result of the illustrious command of His Majesty the exalted Caliph dated 8 June 1895, desire to attend the lessons of the advanced classes after they obtain their diplomas from the preparatory section. As the said [students] are not subjects of the Sublime State, [the directorate] asks how to carry out the procedures. The following recommendation has been made in consideration of these issues. The ninth article of the regulations of the Imperial Civil Service School restricts the entrance to the advanced classes to subjects of the Sublime State. However, the exalted imperial command related to the acceptance of the said Osman and Abdullah Efendis to the school, instructs us and to look after them properly. Additionally, from the information obtained from the directorate of this school it is understood that the said [students] have applied for Ottoman identity cards to adopt citizenship of the Imperial Sultanate. It is therefore [to be understood that] they may enter the exam in the usual manner, and if they succeed, should be allowed to attend the advanced lessons. However, if they fail to obtain Ottoman citizenship prior to obtaining their diploma, their employment should be bound to special permission as foreign subjects. Nevertheless, due to the doubt emanating from the aforementioned ninth article of the school, it is deemed suitable to address the issue to lofty consideration of the Sublime Porte as well. In this matter, command belongs to him who commands all. 10 May 1899 Source: BOA MF.MKT. 452/1

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Minister of Education to the Grand Vizier about the enrollment of the students from Java in the college of the Imperial Civil Service School Nezaret-i Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Mektûbî Kalemi Numero 12323 Umûmî 50 Husûsî Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne kısm-ı iʿdâdîsine bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî 27 Mayıs sene [1]311 târihinde kayd ve kabûl olunan Cavalı Osman ve Muhammed Abdullah el-Attâs Efendiler sunûf-ı iʿdâdiyeden bu sene şehâdetnâme aldıkdan sonra sunûf-ı aliyyeye duhûle tâlib bulunduklarından ve halbûki mektebin sunûf-ı aliyyesine duhûl edecek talebenin tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden olması nizâmen meşrût idüğinden bahisle istifsâr-ı muʿâmeleyi hâvî mekteb-i mezbûr müdüriyet-i behiyyesinin tezkiresi meclise ledeʾl-havâle mekteb-i mezbûr nizâmnâmesinin dokuzuncu mâddesi mûcebince sunûf-ı aliyyeye duhûl tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden olmağla meşrût ise de mûmâileyhimâ Osman ve Abdullah Efendilerin mektebe kabûllerine dâʾir olan irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı mülûkânede mûmâileyhimâya güzelce bakılması emr u fermân buyurulmuş olmasına ve bu kere mekteb-i mezbûr idâresinden alınan maʿlûmâta göre mûmâileyhimânın tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeyi iktisâb içün tezkire-i Osmâniye istihsâline teşebbüs etmiş olduklarına nazaran aleʾl-usûl müsâbakat imtihânına kabûl ile ihrâz-ı muvaffakiyet etdikleri takdîrde sunûf-ı aliyye derslerini taʿkîb etmelerine müsâʿade olunması ve fakat şehâdetnâmeye nâʾil olacakları vakit tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi iktisâb edememiş bulunursa o hâlde sûret-i istihdâmları tebʿa-i ecnebiye gibi müsâʿade-i mahsûsa ile mukayyed bulunması tensîb kılınmakda ise de nizâm-ı mektebin sâlifüʾl-arz dokuzuncu mâddesindeki sarâhate karşı bunlar hakkında bir muʿâmele-i istisnâya icrâsı bu bâbda emr-i mahsûsa manût olduğundan keyfiyetin cânib-i sâmî-i cenâb-ı sedâret-penâhîlerinden istîzânı ifâde kılınmış ve mutâlaʿa-i maʿrûza muvâfık-ı hâl ve maslahat bulunmuş olmağla iktizâsının emr u inbâsına müsâʿade-i celîle-i cenâb-ı vekâlet-penâhîleri şâyân buyurulmak bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 28 Muharrem sene [1]317 ve 26 Mayıs sene [1]315 Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Nâzırı Bende-i Zühdü 2.20

Ministry of Public Education Secretarial Office Number 12323 General 50 Special

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The request of your most humble servant is that:

[The note starts with relating the state of affairs with regard to the enrolment of Osman and Muhammad Abdullah al-Attas from Java in the Imperial Civil Service School, and the reflections of the Council of Education, as expressed in the previous document. The following translation begins from ‘ise de nizâm-ı mektebin sâlifüʾlarz dokuzuncu mâddesindeki …’]

Regarding the unambiguous nature of the ninth article of the regulations of the said school, the implementation of exceptional treatment for these [students] depends on a special order on the subject. Therefore, the issue is referred to a judgement from Your Grand Vizierial Highness. As the reflections presented are deemed suitable to the situation and the proper course, it is for your Grand Vizierial Highness to issue the command for the implementation of its requirement. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 8 June 1899, Zühdü, your servant, Minister of Education Source: BOA İ.MF. 5/1316/S-4

Grand Vizier to the sultan about the enrolment of the students from Java in the college of the Imperial Civil Service School and the Sultan’s response Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Amedî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn 354 Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Mukaddemâ bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhî Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâneʾnin kısm-ı iʿdâdîsine kayd ve kabûl olunan Cavalı Osman ve Muhammed Abdullah el-Attâs Efendiler sunûf-ı iʿdâdiyeden bu sene şehâdetnâme aldıkdan sonra sünûf-ı aliyyeye girmek arzusunda bulunduklarından ve halbûki mekteb-i mezkûrun sunûf-ı aliyyesine devâm edecek talebenin tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden olması nizâmen meşrût olup kendileri tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi iktisâb içün tezkire-i Osmâniye istihsâline teşebbüs etmişler ise de ledeʾl-imtihân şehâdetnâmeye nâʾil olacakları sırada tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi iktisâb edememiş bulundukları hâlde sûret-i devâmları müsâʿade-i mahsûsa ile mukayyed olması lâzım geleceğinden bahisle istifsâr-ı muʿâmeleyi hâvî Maʿârif Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresi arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda her ne vechile irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî şeref-sünûh ve sudûr buyurulur ise hükm-ı celîli infâz olunacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 3 Safer sene 317 fî 31 Mayıs sene [1]315 Sadrazam 2.21

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Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olup melfûfuyla berâber manzûr-ı âlî buyurulan işbu tezkire-i sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri üzerine mûcebince irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurulmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 12 Safer sene [1]317 ve fî 9 Haziran sene [1]315 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyârî Bende-i Tahsin Sublime Porte Office of the Grand Vizier Secretariat of the Imperial Council 354 [The note of the Grand Vizier] My kind and exalted lord; [The note of the Grand Vizier relates the situation with regard to the enrolment of Osman and Muhammad from Java in the College of the Imperial Civil Service School and the request of the Minister of Education as expressed in the previous document] Grand Vizier 13 June 1899 [The response of the Sultan as expressed by his chief secretary] This Grand Vizierial note, from the most revered hand, together with its attachments has been brought into the imperial presence, and the exalted command of the noble decree of the Caliph has been issued in accordance with its contents. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 22 June 1899, Tahsin, Chief Secretary to His Exalted Majesty Source: BOA İ.MF. 5/1316/S-4

2.22 Omar al-Attas’s request for enrollment to the [Galatasaray] Imperial School as a free boarding student, 1899 Kayda biʾl-mürâcaʿa müstedʿî ile refîkleri hakkında dört sene mukaddem şeref-sünûh eylediği beyân olunan irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîleri mübliğ tezkire-i aliyyenin rabtıyla muhâsebeye iʿtâsı zımnında işbu arz-ı hâl evrak kalemine tevdîʿ olundu. Fî 7 Ağustos sene [1]315 Taleb olunan dosya altı aded olarak leffen takdîm kılınmışdır. Fî 7 Ağustos sene [1]315 Dört sene mukaddem hemşehrisiyle berâber bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i pâdişâhî Dâruşşafaka‌ʾya kabûl edilmiş ise de hemşehrisi Muhsin Efendiʾnin vefât eylemiş olduğundan kendisi dahî Dâruşşafaka‌ʾdan hurûç ve Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye

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nehârî olarak duhûl edip ve fakat emr-i idârece muztar ve âciz kaldığından ol-bâbdaki irâde-i seniyye-i âsafâneye tevfîkan mekteb-i mezkûra meccânen leylî olarak kabûlü Cavalı Ömer el-Attâs Efendi tarafından takdîm olunan bu istidʿânâmede istirhâm olunuyor. Dosyasına ledeʾl-mürâcaʿa Cava Adasıʾnda mukîm Seyyid Abdullah Attâs Efendiʾnin mahdûmu olan müstedʿî Ömer Efendi ile beş nefer refîkinin Aşîret Mektebiʾne kabûlü münâsib olamayacağı cihetle diğer mekâtibe yerleştirilmeleri, muktezâ-yı emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîden olduğu 10 Mayıs sene 1311 târih ve seksen beş numerolu tezkire-i sâmiyede işʿâr buyurulması üzerine ikisi Mekteb-i Mülkiyeʾye ikisi Mekteb-i Sultâniyeʾye ve diğer ikisi Dâruşşafaka‌ʾya kayd edildiği anlaşılmışdır. Dâruşşafaka‌ʾda bulunan Ömer Efendi hemşehrisinin vefâtına mebnî yalnız kaldığından Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye nehârî olarak devâma başlamış ve ber-vechi maʿrûz mekteb-i mezkûra meccânen leylî olarak, kaydını istirhâm etmekde bulunmuş olup kendisinin burada garîbüʾd-diyâr bulunmasına ve şeref-sudûr buyurulan irâde-i seniyyede kendilerine güzel bakılması dahî emr u fermân buyurulmuş olmasına binâen sadaka-i efser-i hazret-i şehriyârî olmak üzre diğer arkadaşları gibi meccânen Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye kabûlü reʾy-i âlî-i nezâretpenâhîlerine tevâfuk eylediği hâlde keyfiyetin mekteb-i mezbûr müdüriyet-i aliyyesine işʿârı için bu istidʿânâmenin mektûbî kalemine havâle buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 12 Ağustos sene 1315 [On the margin] This petition has been sent to the Office of Records, to be dispatched to the accounting [office], enclosing the lofty [Grand Vizierial] note explaining his majesty the Caliph’s imperial order which is said to have been issued about the supplicant and his friends. 24 August 1899 Six copies of the requested file are presented in enclosure 24 August 1899 Upon the exalted order of His Imperıal Majesty, [Omar al-Attas] was accepted four years ago to the Orphans’ School together with his compatriot. However, as his compatriot Muhsin Efendi died, he left the Orphans’ School and enrolled to the Imperial School as a day student. However, in this petition submitted by the Omar al-Attas from Java, he requests to be accepted to the said school as a free boarding student due to his financial difficulties, in accordance with the exalted ministerial order. Upon consulting his file it has been understood that, on 22 May 1895 a Grand Vizierial note, numbered 85, was issued [communicating] that it was the requirement of the imperial order of His Majesty the Caliph that the petitioner Omar Efendi, son of Sayyid Abdullah Attas

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Efendi residing on the island of Java, and five of his compatriots be enrolled to other schools as their acceptance to The School for Tribes was not deemed to be appropriate. Upon this, two of them were enrolled to the Imperial Civil Service School, two of them to the Imperial School, and two of them to the Orphans’ School. Upon the death of his compatriot, Omar Efendi, who was at Orphans’ School, was left alone, and therefore started at the Imperial School as a day student and requested his enrolment as a free boarding student in the same school. Finding this individual in a piteous state in a distant foreign land, and an exalted command having been issued to command that he be well looked after, consequently, in conformity with to your Vizierial opinion, he should be permitted to attend the Imperial School for free through the great charity of His Majesty, This petitionary letter is forwarded to the secretarial office in order to be presented to the lofty directorate of the said school. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 24 August 1899 Source: BOA MF.MKT. 266/54

Kamil Bey, Ottoman Consul General in Liverpool, requesting a salary for Hüsameddin Efendi who brought the students from Java to Istanbul, 1901 Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde sâkin milyonlarca ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin makâm-ı muʿallâ-yı hilâfet-i uzmâya teʾyîd-i revâbıt-ı maʿneviyeleri emrinde hidemât-ı fevka‌ʾl-âdesi sebk etmiş ve Cava ahâlî-i müslimesinden li-ecliʾt-tahsîl pây-ı taht-ı saltanat-ı seniyyelerine celbi muktezâ-yı emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn-ı mülûkânelerinden bulunan etfâli biʾl-istishâb Dersaʿâdetʾe kadar şedd-i merâhil eylemiş olan erbâb-ı fazl ve irfândan ve ashâb-ı fakr ve zarûretden Hüsameddin Efendi kullarının bin guruş kadar bir maʿaş ihsânıyla tesrîr ve ikdârına dâʾir Liverpol Başşehbenderi olup mukaddemâ Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnde bulunmuş olan Kamil Bey kölelerinden alınan tahrîrât-ı husûsiye geçenlerde hâk-i pây-ı merâhim-ihtivâ-yı hazret-i zillullâhîlerine arz ve takdîm kılınmış ve mûmâileyh kullarının ezher cihet-i âtıfet ve merhamet-i hazret-i velî-niʿmet-i bîminnet-i aʿzamîlerine şâyeste görülmüş olduğu maʿrûzdur fermân. Abd-i memlûkları Umûr-ı şehbenderî müdürü Es-Seyyid Mehmed Tevfik 2.23

The correspondence of His Majesty’s servant Kamil Bey, the Consul General in Liverpool who had been in Batavia in the same capacity, was presented to the dust under the feet of His Majesty, the Shadow of God on Earth, concerning a reward for Hüsameddin Efendi, a virtuous and enlightened man in poverty,

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with a salary of about thousand piasters, who carried out extraordinary services for strengthening the spiritual connection of millions of Muslims residing on the Indian Islands to the lofty office of the great Caliphate, and travelled the great distance to Istanbul in the company of the Muslim children from Java who came for their education to the throne of the exalted sultanate in accordance with the requirement of the imperial order of His Majesty. It is submitted that this was done for the aforementioned servant [Hüsameddin] by the good favour and compassion of his most blessed Majesty. To command[…] The servant of your servants Director of Consular Affairs Es-Sayyid Mehmed Tevfik [Date given in the Catalogue 19 April 1901] Source: BOA Y.PRK.EŞA. 37/97

Note to the Directorate of Education of the province of Aegean Islands communicating that the students from Java will be sent to Lesbos for a change of climate for medical reasons, 1903 26 Temmuz [1]319 65 Cezâyir-i Bahr-i Sefid Vilâyeti Maʿârif Müdüriyetiʾne Aşîret Mekteb-i Hümâyûnʾu dördüncü sene şâkirdânından Cavalı yedi efendinin hastalıklarına mebnî berâ-yı tebdîl-i âb u havâdan dört mâh müddetle Midilliʾye iʿzâmları heyʾet-i sıhhiye raporu üzerine umûm mekâtib-i askeriye-i şâhâne nezâret-i celîlesinden bâ-tezkire işʿâr ve beheriçün mecidî yirmi guruş hesâbıyla kırkar guruşdan iki yüz seksen ve yanlarına refîk edilen meʾmûrun azîmet ve avdeti içün de yüz yirmi guruş ki cemʿan dört yüz guruş harc-ı râhları biʾl-iʿtâ ol tarafa iʿzâm-ı irâʾe kılınmış olmağla talebe-i mûmâileyhin Midilli İʿdâdîsine ikâme ve mekteb-i leylî talebesi meyânında mektebce itʿâm ve her sûretle istirâhatleri teʾmîn olmağla berâber mütehassıs olan şehrî otuzar guruş maʿaşları Temmuz nihâyetine kadar buraca verilmiş olduğundan maʿâşât-ı mezkûrelerinin Ağustos ibtidâsından iʿtibâren avdetlerine değin oraca mâh be-mâh tesviyesi ve dört mâhın hitâmında bize bir meʾmûr refâkatiyle ve sâlifüʾz-zikr dört yüz guruş harc-ı râhının tesviyesiyle buraya iʿâde ve iʿzâm edilerek maʿâş ve harc-ı râhlarına verilecek mebâliğ senedâtının nakid makâmında irsâli lüzûmu muhâsebe ifâdesiyle beyân olunur. 2.24

8 August 1903 65 To the Directorate of Education of the Province of the Mediterranean Islands Upon the report of the medical committee, the General Administration of the Imperial Military Schools has communicated with a note that, due to

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their illness, seven efendis from Java who are students in the fourth year of The School for Tribes [will be] sent to Lesbos for four months for a change of climate for medical reasons. Moreover, each of them is to receive allowance of [two] Mecidiyes worth twenty piasters [each, amounting to] forty piasters [making a total of] 280 piasters, and 120 piasters for the travel expenses of the clerk who is appointed to accompany them, totalling 400 piasters. Therefore, it is announced that the said [students be] settled at the Lesbos High School, eat at the school like the boarding students of the school, and everything possible should be arranged for their rest. Moreover, the accounting department stated that their monthly allowance of thirty piasters each is given here until the end of July, and so should be paid there monthly from the beginning of August until their return. At the end of four months they should be returned to us in the company of a clerk entitled to the said allowance of 400 piasters, and it was explained that their allowances and expenses should to be paid in cash. Source: BOA MF.MKT. 722/32

Note to the Grand Vizier about Ali from Java’s request for enrolment to the Halkalı School of Agriculture, 1904 Bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye kayd ve kabûl edilmiş olan Cavalı talebeden yedi yüz doksan üç numeroda mukayyed Ali Efendi bin Sehl memleketince teʾmîn-i maʿîşete medâr olmak üzre zirâʿat tahsîli arzusunda olduğundan ve kendisi hüsn-i ahlâk ve sîret ashâbından olup sinnen dahî yirmi dört yaşında bulunduğundan Halkalı Zirâʿat Mektebiʾne nakli Sultânî Müdüriyetiʾnin işbu tezkiresinde işʿâr kılınmış ve ol vechile icrâ-yı îcâbının Orman ve Meʿâdin ve Zirâʿat Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne izbâr olunmak üzre işbu tezkirenin mektûbî kalemine havâle buyurulması reʾy-i sâmî-i âsafânelerine manût bulunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 25 Ağustos sene [1]320 2.25

By the imperial command of His Majesty the Caliph, Ali Efendi bin Sahl (enrolment number 793) is one of the students from Java admitted to the [Galatasaray] Imperial School, and he wants to study the science of agriculture in order to earn a livelihood in his country. He is twenty-four years old, possesses good morals and virtues, and should therefore be transferred to the Halkalı Agriculture School. The Directorate of [Galatasaray] Imperial School has communicated that the requirements of this matter should be forwarded to the Secretarial Office to pass to the exalted Ministry of Mines and Forests; whether this should be implemented depends on your exalted Grand Vizierial view. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 7 September 1904 Source: BOA MF.MKT. 806/73

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Note to the Minister of Education communicating that it is not possible to enrol Ali from Java to the Halkalı Agriculture School, 1904 Bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye kayd ve kabûl edilmiş olan Cavalı Ali Efendi bin Sehl memleketinde teʾmîn-i maʿîşete medâr olmak üzere fenn-i zirâʿat tahsîli arzusunda bulunduğu cihetle mûmâileyhin Halkalı Zirâʿat Mektebiʾne naklini Mekteb-i Sultânî müdürünün işʿârına atfen Orman ve Meʿâdin Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne izbâr olunmuş ise de cevâben vârid olan işbu tezkirede mekteb-i mezkûra kayd olunacak talebenin sinleri on altı ile yirmi raddesinde bulunacağı ve Mekteb-i Sultânî ve Dâruşşafaka veyâ Mekâtib-i İʿdâdiyeʾden meʾzûn olmaları şerâʾit-i kabûle cümlesinden bulunduğunu ve efendi-i mûmâileyhin bu şerâʾiti hâʾiz olamamasına mebnî biʾz-zarûre kabûlü mümkün olamayacağı işʿâr kılınmış ve şu hâlde mûmâileyh mekteb-i mezbûra kabûl içün şerâʾit-i lâzımeyi hâʾiz olmadığından isʿâf-ı müstedʿâsına imkân olamayacağının cevâben Mekteb-i Sultânî Müdüriyet-i Aliyyesiʾne izbâr olunması içün işbu tezkirenin mektûbî kalemine havâle buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 6 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]320 2.26

Ali Efendi bin Sahl from Java, who was accepted in the [Galatasaray] Imperial School as a result of the imperial order of His Majesty the exalted Caliph, wants to study the science of agriculture in order to earn a livelihood in his country. Upon the communication of the Director of the [Galatasaray] Imperial School, his transfer to Halkalı Agriculture School has been forwarded to the exalted Ministry of Forests and Mines. However, in this [enclosed] response, it has been communicated that the provisions of acceptance for enrolment state that students who are to enrol in the said school must be between 16 and 20 years old, and be graduates of either the [Galatasaray] Imperial School, the Orphans’ School, or one of the high schools, and that the said Efendi could not be accepted as he does not meet those requirements. This note to the Secretarial Office is sent in order to communicate this answer to the exalted Directorate of [Galatasaray] Imperial School, that is that in this case it is not possible to grant his request since he does not satisfy the provisions for enrolment to the said school. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 19 November 1904 Source: BOA MF.MKT. 806/73

Note to the Foreign Ministry about the acceptance of five students from Java to Mekteb-i Sultânî, 1905 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne 3 Ağustos sene [1]321 târihli ve on yedi numerolu tezkire-i aliyye-i âsafâneleri cevâbıdır 2.27

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Cava‌ʾnın Semaran şehrinin en maʿrûf olan el-Akvan familyesinden Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye kabûlleri mahallinden inhâ olunmuş olan beş efendinin bir defʿaya mahsûs olmak üzere on beş lirâ-yı Osmânî elbise bedeli ve senevî yirmi beşer lira ücretle Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye leylî olarak kabûlleri biʾt-tensîb keyfiyet bu defʾa Mekteb-i Sultânî Müdüriyetiʾne izbâr kılınmış olduğunun muhâsebe ifâdesiyle savb-ı sâmî-i dâverânelerine beyânına ibtidâr kılındı ol-bâbda To the exalted Foreign Ministry This is the response to your Excellency’s note dated 16 August 1905, and numbered 17 Five efendis, from the al-Akwân family, which is the most noted family in the city of Semarang in Java, have been accepted – on this occasion as an exception – to the [Galatasaray] Imperial School as boarding students, with fifteen Ottoman liras for clothing and a yearly [tuition] fee of twenty-five liras each. It is announced to Your Excellency that, with the agreement of the accounting department, this situation has been communicated to the directorate of the Imperial School. Source: BOA MF.MKT. 876/79

Superintendent of Imperial Military Schools to the Grand Vizier requesting permission for the students from Java to learn French, 1905 Tophâne-i Âmire Müşiriyeti Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Devletlü efendim hazretleri Aşîret Mekteb-i Hümâyûnuʾnda ikmâl-i tahsîl ile Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne Aşîret sınıf-ı mahsûsuna nakl edilmiş olan Cavalı Ahmed ve Said Efendilerin sınıf-ı mezkûrda Fransızca tedrîs edilmemekde olup vatan-ı aslîleri ise memâlik-i ecnebiyeden olmak hasebiyle Fransızca lisânının tahsîline muhtâc bulunduklarından bahisle ücreti kendi taraflarından verilmek üzre tutmuş oldukları muʿallim vâsıtasıyla mekteb-i mezbûrca derslerin hitâmından sonra yevmiye bir saʿat Fransızca tedrîs eylemelerine veyâhud muʿallimîn nezdine gidip gelmelerine müsâʿade olunması mûmâileyhimâ tarafından bâ- arz-ı hâl istirhâm olunduğu Aşîret Mekteb-i Hümâyûnʾu müdür-i sânîsi ve ders nâzırı tarafından bâ-tezkire işʿâr olunmuş olmasıyla makrûn-ı müsâʿade-i seniyyei cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî buyurulduğu takdîrde keyfiyetin Maʿârif Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne teblîği husûsuna himem-i aliyye-i âsafâneleri şâyân buyurulmak bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 28 Şevvâl sene [1]322 ve fî 22 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]320 Yâverân-ı Hazret-i Şehriyârîden Tophâne-i Âmire Müşîri ve Umum Mekâtib-i Askeriye-i Şâhâne Nâzırı 2.28

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The Office of Marshal of the Imperial Ordnance Secretarial Office Number My kind and exalted lord; Ahmed and Said Efendis from Java who have graduated from The School for Tribes, and since transferred to the special class on tribes in the Imperial Civil Service School, need to learn French since their country of origin is a foreign country, but French is not taught on this course. Therefore, they petition for permission to learn French from a teacher hired at their own expense, either at the said school after the lessons are finished, or by going to the teacher’s house. [This has been] communicated with a note by the vice-director and the academic director of The School for Tribes. If [this] attains the approval of the exalted Caliph, your lofty Grand Vizierial assistance is requested in order to communicate this situation to the exalted Ministry of Education. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 5 January 1905 Aide to His Imperial Majesty, Marshal of the Imperial Ordnance and the Superintendent-General of Imperial Military Schools Source: BOA Y.MTV. 269/229

Director of The Imperial School to the Minister of Education about sending Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Sahl Efendi from Java back to his home country without graduating from the school Mekteb-i Sultânî Aded 41 Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri İrâde-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî mûcib-i âlîsince bundan yedi sene evvel Cava ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnden Mekâtib-i Şâhâneʾye kayd ve kabûl olunan on kadar şâkird meyânında sinnen en büyükleri olup yolda diğerlerine bakmak üzre oraca refâkatlerine verilen ve arkadaşlarıyla berâber Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye kayd olunan Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Sehl Efendi yedi seneden beru mektebe devâm etmekde ise de sinninin adem-i müsâʿadesinden nâşî tedrîsât-ı fenniye ve Fransaviyyeʾyi lâyıkıyla taʿkîb edememiş ve yirmi sekiz yaşını mütecâviz olduğundan ikmâl-i tahsîli mütehayyel addedilerek maʿlûmât-ı meksûbesiyle biʾl-iktifâ memleketine iʿâdesini niyâz etmekde bulunmuşdur efendi-i mûmâileyh memleketince efkar-ı fukarâdan olduğu arkadaşlarının ifâdâtından anlaşıldığına ve maʿmâfih salâh-ı hâl ve hüsn-ı ahlâk ile muttasıf ve sâdâtdan olduğuna mebnî yol masrafıyla berâber sadaka-i sırr-ı meʿâlî efser-i hazret-i 2.29

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hilâfet-penâhî olmak üzere bir mikdâr atıyye-i seniyye-i haseneyle mutyiben memleketine iʿâdesi mütevakkıf-ı aliyye-i âsafâneleridir ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 5 Şaʿbân sene [1]323 ve fî 21 Eylül sene [1]321 Mekteb-i Sultânî Müdürü [Galatasaray] Imperial School Number 41 To the Exalted Ministry of Education My kind and exalted lord; Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Sahl Efendi was the oldest of the ten-or-so Muslim students from Java who were accepted and enrolled to the Imperial Schools about seven years ago as a result of the will of His Majesty the exalted Caliph. The said [Ali] was tasked with accompanying his friends and to take care of them on their way [to Istanbul], and was enrolled in the [Galatasaray] Imperial School together with his friends who came in his company. Although he has been attending the school for seven years, his age did not allow him to pursue the subjects of Science and French adequately. As he is older than twenty-eight years, it is considered impossible that he [will be able to] complete his education. Therefore, he pleaded to be returned to his home country, contenting himself with a certificate of attendance. As it is understood from the testimonies of his friends, the said Efendi is from among the poorest of the poor of his country. However, he is a sayyid, and possesses good morals. Therefore, it is up to your ministerial [approval] to send him to his country by granting him his travel expenses, and a small amount of imperial benevolence as alms of His Majesty the exalted Caliph. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 5 October 1905 Director of the [Galatasaray] Imperial School Source: BOA MF.MKT. 887/51

Note to the Minister of Education about arranging Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Sahl Efendi from Java’s travel expenses, 1905 Sebk iden işʿâr-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîlerine cevâben vârid olan işbu tezkire-i sâmiyede Mekteb-i Sultânî talebesinden ve Cava ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnden olup memleketine iʿâdesini istidʿâ eden Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Sehl Efendiʾye masârif-i zarûriyesi içün üç bin guruş iʿtâsı Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne izbâr olunmakla biʾl-muhâbere iktizâsının îfâsı işʿâr kılınmış olduğundan meblağ-ı mezbûrun nezâret-i celîleleri tahsildârına tevdîʿan irsâli 2.30

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lüzûmunun nezâret-i müşârunileyhâya izbâr ve tebliğ olunması zımnında işbu tezkirenin mektûbî kalemine havâle buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 27 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]321 In this [enclosed] Grand Vizierial note that was issued in response to the note of the exalted ministry, the exalted Ministry of the Interior is instructed to give three thousand piasters for the necessary expenses of Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Sahl Efendi who is a Muslim from Java and a student of the [Galatasaray] Imperial School, and who has requested that he return to his home country. The implementation of this has been ordered by instructing the Secretarial Office to inform the said ministry that it is required that they forward the amount by entrusting it to the revenue official of their exalted ministry. In this matter to command belongs to him who commands all. 3 November 1905 Source: BOA MF.MKT. 887/51

Minister of Education to the Minister of Interior about the payment of Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Sahl Efendi from Java’s travel expenses, 1905 Nezâret-i Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 620 Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Mekteb-i Sultânî talebesinden ve Cava ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnden olup memleketine iʿâdesini istidʿâ iden Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Sehl Efendiʾye masârif-i zarûriyesi içün üç bin guruş iʿtâsının nezâret-i celîle-i âsafânelerine izbâr buyurulduğu sebk iden işʿâr-ı âcizîye cevâben şeref-vârid olan tezkirei sâmiye-i cenâb-ı sadâret-penâhîde bildirilmesi üzerine meblağ-ı mezkûrun nezâret-i âcizî tahsildârına tevdîʿan irsâli lüzûmunun savb-ı alî-i âsafânelerine izbârı biʾl-havâle muhâsebeden ifâde edilmekle îfâ-yı muktezâsına himemi aliyye-i dâverîleri derkâr buyurulmak bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 24 Ramazan sene [1]323 ve fî 8 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]321 Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Nâzırı İşbu tezkirede muharrer üç bin guruş 10 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]321 târihinde mûmâileyh Ali Efendiʾye iʿtâ edildiğinin beyânıyla tezkire-i mezkûreye cevâb-ı 2.31

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âlî tastîri bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 23 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]321 Cevâb Fî 24 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]321 Ministry of Education Secretarial Office Number 620 To the Exalted Ministry of the Interior My kind and exalted lord Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Sahl Efendi, who is a Muslim from Java and a student of the [Galatasaray] Imperial School, has requested to return to his home country. The Grand Vizierial note that was issued upon my humble request notified that it had been communicated to your exalted ministry to pay him three thousand piasters for his necessary expenses. Moreover, it has been announced by the accounting department that the said amount needs to be sent by entrusting it to the revenue official of our ministry, and your exalted assistance is requested in the implementation of its requirements. In this matter to command belongs to him who commands all. 21 November 1905 Minister of Education This present note in response to the said [Grand Vizierial] note communicates that the three thousand piasters mentioned was paid to the said Ali Efendi on 23 November 1905. In this matter to commands belongs to him who commands all. 6 December 1905 Answer 7 December 1905 Source: BOA DH.MKT. 1022/38

2.32 Requests for medals from Ahmad and Said Ba Junaid from Java, 1906 Umûm Mekâtib-i Askeriye-i Şâhâne Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Kulları sâye-i maʿârif-vâye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye bu sene-i mübârekede Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne Aşîret Sınıf-ı Mahsûsuʾndan bâ-şehâdetnâme neşʾet edip emsâli misillü (?) arkadaşlarımız kullarına bir lütf-ı aleʾl-âl olmak üzere tefvîz buyurulmakda olan merâtibe nâʾiliyetimize elsine-i ecnebiyenin memleketimizde son derece lüzûmu ve tebʿa-i ecnebiyeden bulunduğumuz mâniʿ olmuş ise de ânın yerine sâyeʾl-iftihârımız olacak olan nişân ile taltîfimiz hakkında bundan dört mâh mukaddem atabe-i ulyâya arz olunmak üzre delâlet-i nezâret-penâhîlerini istirhâm etdik ise de bu âna kadar intizârda

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kaldık halbûki sınıf arkadaşlarını kullarının her biri bir sûretle âtıfet-i celîle-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîden hisse-mend olup diyâr-ı baʿîdeden Dârüʾl-hilafet-i uzmâya ilticâ etmiş bunca senelerden beri sıdk-ı mesâî eylemiş olan kullarının bilâ-taltîf bırakılmasına vicdân-ı nezâret-penâhîlerinin râzı olmayacağı bedîhî ve kullarının yeğâne arzusu münâsib bir nişân ile taltîfimiz bulunduğu cihetle delâlet ve inâyet-i sâmî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîlerinin hakkımızda bî-diriğ buyurulması müsterhamdır ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 22 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]321 Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne Aşîret Sınıf-ı Mahsûs Mezunlarından Cavalı Bendeleri Ahmed Ba Junaid, Bendeleri Said Ba Junaid To the Exalted General Administration of the Imperial Military Schools My kind and exalted lord; Thanks to the wisdom of His Majesty the exalted Caliph, in this holy year we have graduated with diplomas from the special class for tribes at the Imperial Civil Service School. The importance of the foreign [French] language in our country, and the fact that we are foreigners, have prevented us from obtaining the rank which is bestowed on our classmates, His Majesty’s servants. Four months ago, we requested Your Excellency’s guidance for the submission of our [request] to the elevated threshold that we be honoured with medals that would be our source of pride instead of [the ranks which we could not obtain]. However, we have not yet received any response. It is apparent that the conscience of Your Excellency will not accept leaving these servants of yours – who have taken refuge to the seat of the great Caliphate from a distant land and made sincere efforts for so many years – without a reward, whilst our classmates received their shares, in one way or another, of the exalted benevolence of the illustrious Caliph. As the only wish of your servants is to be honoured with a suitable medal, we plead not to be deprived of the exalted help and guidance of your Excellency. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 4 February 1906 Your servant Ahmad Ba Junaid from Java and your servant Said Ba Junaid from Java, graduates of the special class for tribes of the Imperial Civil Service School. Source: BOA İ.TAL. 401/1324/C-023

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Correspondence between the director of Mekteb-i Sultânî, Ministry of Education and the programme commission about exempting Javanese Omar al-Attas from the French exam, 1906 Mekteb-i Sultânî Aded 11 Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Bundan on sene mukaddem bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye kayd ve kabûl olunan Cavalı şâkirdândan elli yedi numerolu Ömer el-Attâs Efendi el-yevm Türkçeʾde altıncı yani müntehî sınıfda ve Fransızca‌ʾda beşinci sınıfda bulunmakdadır Fransızca beşinci sınıf tahsîlâtıyla iktifâ ile Türkçeʾden bu sene imtihâna kabûl olunmağı istidʿâ ve ehliyet-nâme ahzına muvaffak olur ise Mekteb-i Hukûkʾa devâm ile nizâmât ve kavânîni Devlet-i Aliyyeʾyi tahsîl eyleyerek memleketine avdetle menâfiʿ-i hilâfet-i İslâmiyeʾye hizmet eylemek ehass-ı âmâli bulunduğunu beyân eyliyor hem Fransızca hem Türkçeʾden müntehî sınıflarda bulunmayan şâkirdânın yalnız Türkçeʾden imtihânlarına müsâʿade olunmak mektebce usûl-ı müttehazaya muvâfık değilse de mûmâileyhin Cavalı olmasına ve sinni müterakkî ve ilm-i hukûk tahsîline hevâhişger olup vaktiyle avdet etmesi de münâsib olacağına binâʾen hakkında muʿâmele-i istisnâʾiye icrâsıyla yalnız Türkçeʾden imtihâna kabûlü ve muvaffak olduğu takdîrde yedine usûlen ehliyetnâme iʿtâsı mütevakkıf-ı irâde-i aliyye-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleridir ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 2 Rebîʿülevvel sene [1]324 ve fî 12 Nisan sene [1]322 Mekteb-i Sultânî Müdürü Bende-i Abdurrahman Program komisyonuna fî 15 minhu Bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye kayd ve kabûl olunmuş olan Cavalı şâkirdândan Ömer el-Attâs Efendiʾnin el-yevm Türkçeʾde altıncı yani müntehî sınıfda ve Fransızca‌ʾda beşinci sınıfda bulunmakda olup Fransızca beşinci sınıf tahsîlâtıyla biʾl-iktifâ ehliyet-nâme ahzına muvaffak olursa Mekteb-i Hukûkʾa devâm ile nizâmât ve kavânîn-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʿyi tahsîl eyleyerek memleketine avdetle menâfiʿ-i hilâfet-i İslâmiyeʾye hizmet eylemek arzusunda bulunduğundan Türkçeʾden bu sene imtihâna kabûlünü istidʿâ etdiği beyânıyla istîzân-ı muʿâmeleye dâʾir mekteb-i mezkûr müdüriyetinin işbu tezkiresi mutâlaʿa olundu Fransızca‌ʾdan dahî müntehî sınıfda bulunmayan şâkirdânın yalnız Türkçeʾden imtihânlarına müsâʿade olunması mektebce müttehaz usûle muvâkıf değilse de metn-i tezkirede gösterildiği üzere mûmâileyhin Cavalı olmasına ve sinni müterakkî bulunmasına binâʾen diğerleri 2.33

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hakkında emsâl olmamak şartıyla ber-vech-i muharrer yalnız Türkçeʾden imtihâna kabûlü münâsib görülmüş olduğunun cevâben işʿârı tezekkür kılındı Fî 24 Mayıs sene 1322 [Galatasaray] Imperial School Number 11 To the exalted Ministry of Education My kind and exalted Lord Omar al-Attas Efendi (student number 57), who is one of the students who had been accepted to the [Galatasaray] Imperial School ten years ago as a result of the will of His Majesty the exalted Caliph, is currently in the year six class in Turkish and in year five class in French. He requests to be exempted from further study of French on completing the year five class, and to be admitted to the Turkish exam this year. He states that if he obtains his diploma, it is his greatest desire to attend the School of Law in order to learn the laws and regulations of the Sublime State, and afterwards to return to his country to serve the interests of the Islamic Caliphate. However, allowing students who are not in the final classes for both French and Turkish to be examined in Turkish alone is contrary to the usual method of graduating from the school. Nevertheless, the said student from Java is of an advanced age, he is enthusiastic about learning the science of law, and it will be appropriate that he returns [back home] in a timely manner. Therefore, it is up to the will of Your Ministerial Excellency to grant an exemption, and to examine him only in Turkish and grant him a diploma if he passes. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 25 April 1906 Your Servant Abdurrahman, Director of [Galatasaray] Imperial School To the programme commission on the 28th of the same [month] Omar al-Attas Efendi, who is one of the students who had been accepted to [Galatasaray] Imperial School as a result of the will of His Majesty the exalted Caliph, is currently in the sixth, that is the final class in Turkish, and in the fifth class in French. He requests to be exempted from further study of French beyond the fifth class, and to be admitted to the exam in Turkish, stating that if he obtains his diploma, it is his greatest desire to attend the School of Law to learn the laws and regulations of the Sublime State, and afterwards return to his country to serve the interest of the Islamic Caliphate. This note of the director communicating [this plea and] requesting [permission] for this treatment has been deliberated upon. 6 June 1906 Source: BOA MF.MKT. 935/52

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Grand Vizier to the Sultan requesting medals for Ahmad and Said Ba Junaid from Java and the Sultan’s approval, 1906 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Amedî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn 1400 Devletlü efendim hazretleri Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şâhâne Aşîret Sınıf-ı Mahsûsuʾndan bu sene bâ-şehâdetnâme neşʾet etmiş olan Cavalı Ahmed ve Said Ba Junaid Efendilerin taltîfleri hakkında Maʿârif Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnin tezkiresi arz ve takdîm kılınmış olmağla mûmâileyhimâya dördüncü rütbeden birer kıtʿa mecîdî nişân-ı zîşânı iʿtâsı hakkında her ne vechile irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurulur ise mantûk-ı âlîsi infâz edileceği beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim Fî 28 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1324 ve fî 8 Haziran sene [1]322 Sadrazam Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Resîde-i dest-i taʿzîm olup melfûflarıyla manzûr-ı âlî buyurulan işbu tezkirei sâmiye-i sadâret-penâhîleri üzerine mûcibince irâde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî şeref-müteʿallik buyurulmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir Fî 3 Cemâziyelâhir sene [1]324 fî 12 Temmuz sene [1]322 Serkâtib-i Hazret-i Şehriyarî Bende-i Tahsin 2.34

Sublime Porte Office of the Grand Vizier Secretariat of the Imperial Council 1400 My kind and exalted lord; The note of the exalted Ministry of Education about rewarding Ahmad and Said Ba Junaid efendis from Java, who have graduated with a diploma from the special class for tribes of the Imperial Civil Service School is presented [in enclosure]. My lord, this note has been presented with the understanding that, with regard to presenting the said individuals with famous Mecidi medals of the fourth class, whatever the imperial will of the His Majesty the exalted Caliph may be, its noble requirements will be implemented. 21 June 1906 Grand Vizier The request of your most humble servant is that:

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The exalted command of the Caliph is that steps be taken in accordance with this Grand Vizierial note, from the most revered hand, brought into the lofty presence. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 25 July 1906 Tahsin, Chief Secretary to His Majesty Source: BOA İ.TAL. 401/1324/C-023

The request of Omar al-Attas from Java for permission and passport to visit his home country, 1907 Mekteb-i Hukûk-ı Şâhâne Müdüriyet-i Aliyyesi Cânib-i Aliyyesiʾne Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Çâkerleri bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâh-ı aʿzamî Mekteb-i Sultâniye kabûl ve tedrîs-i meşrût-ı ulûm ve fünûnu tahsîl etdikden sonra sâye-i mâʿarif-vâye-i hazret-i pâdişâhîde ulûm ve fünûnun tabakât-ı aliyyesinden perver-şiyâb olmak emniyesiyle irâde-i aliyye-i atûfîlerinde bulunmakla mübâhî olan Mekteb-i Hukûk-ı Şâhâneʾye kayd ve kabûl buyuruldum bu kere baʿzı husûsât-ı mühimme-i zâtiyenin tesviye ve icrâsı içün memleketim olan Cava‌ʾya gideceğimden müsâʿade-i aliyye-i müdîr-i ekremîlerinin iʿtâsıyla Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden nâm-ı çâkerâneme muharrer bir avd pasaportun iʿtâ buyurulması zımnında lâzım gelen muʿâmelenin îfâsı istirhâm ve niyâz mahsûsunda bulunurum ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 20 Mart sene [1]323 Mekteb-i Hukûk-ı Şâhane birinci sınıf birinci şuʿbe talebesinden ve Cava ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnden bendeleri Ömer el-Attâs 2.35

To the exalted Chief Directorate of the Imperial School of Law My kind and exalted lord Thanks to the exalted will of His Majesty the great Caliph, I was admitted to the [Galatasaray] Imperial School through the will of His Majesty the Sultan, and studied the appropriate subjects of science and knowledge. Afterwards, thanks to the great wisdom of His Majesty, I was accepted and enrolled in the Imperial School of Law to be nourished by acquiring a higher level of knowledge and sciences. As I will go to Java to look after some important personal affairs, I request the implementation of the necessary procedure, with the permission of the exalted Director, to receive a return passport in my humble name from the exalted Foreign Ministry. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 2 March 1907 Your servant Omar al-Attas, student in the first division of the first class of the Imperial School of Law. Source: BOA MF.MKT. 989/28

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Director of the imperial School of Law to the Ministry of Education about Omar al-Attas’s request for passport, 1907 Mekteb-i Hukûk-ı Şâhâne Numero 18 Maʿârif-i Umûmiye Nezâret-i Celilesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Cava ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnden olup bâ-irâde-i seniyye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî mukaddemâ Mekteb-i Sultânîʾye kayd ve kabûl olunan ve mekteb-i mezbûrca tahsîlini ikmâl etmesi üzerine de Mekteb-i Hukûk-ı Şâhâneʾye kabûl ve devâmına müsâʿade buyurulmuş olan Ömer el-Attâs Efendi bu kere baʿzı husûsât-ı zâtiyesini biʾt-tesviye avdet etmek üzre memleketine azîmet edeceğinden bahs ile mektebce aleʾl-usûl terhîsiyle beraber nezâret-i celîlesince nâmına mahsûs bir pasaport iʿtâsı esbâbının istikmâlini niyaz etmiş ise de taleb eylediği pasaport içün istidʿâsı vech ile keyfiyetin nezâret-i müşârunileyhâya izbârı vâbeste-i reʾy-i sâmî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri bulunmuşdur ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 18 Safer sene [1]325 ve fî 20 Mart sene [1]323 Müdür-i Mekteb-i Hukûk-ı Şâhâne 2.36

Imperial School of Law Number 18 To the exalted Ministry of Education My kind and exalted lord; Omar al-Attas Efendi, who is a Muslim from Java, had previously been accepted to the [Galatasaray] Imperial School, by the exalted will of His Majesty the illustrious Caliph. After having completed his education at the said school, he was accepted and enrolled in the Imperial School of Law. He relates that he will go to Java and return after fixing some important personal affairs, and requests permission from the school for the implementation of the procedure to receive a passport in his name from the [Foreign] Ministry. However, communicating his request for a passport and informing the said ministry about the issue depends on the will of Your Ministerial Excellency. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 2 April 1907 Director of the Imperial School of Law Source: BOA MF.MKT. 989/28

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Documents pertaining to foreign Muslims’ real estate ownership in the Hijaz, 1881–1910

President of Şûrâ-yı Devlet, to Naşid Paşa, former governor of Hijaz, requesting his reflections about the illegal real estate possession of foreigners in the Hijaz, 1881 Hicaz Vâli-i sabıkı Naşid Paşa Hazretlerine Tezkire-i Aliyye-i Riyâset-penâhî Arâzî-i mübâreke-i Hicâziyeʾde düvel-i ecnebiye tebʿa-i müslimesine tasarruf-ı emlâk etdirilmemesi hakkında olan memnûʿiyet-i kânûniyeye münâfî tebʿa-i ecnebiyeye Medîne-i Münevverece füruht olunan emlâkin mikdârı ile o misillü mugâyir-i kânûn muʿâmelât fâʿillerinin esâmîsiyle tahkîk ve işʿârı zımnında Hicaz vilâyetine tastîr buyurulan emir-nâme-i sâmîye cevâben gelen iki kıtʿa tahrîrât Şûrâ-yı Devletʾe havâle buyurulmağla Dâhiliye Dâʾiresiʾnde ledeʾl-kırâʿe meʾallerinde Medîne-i Münevvere kadı-i sâbıkı fazîletlü Atâî Efendiʾnin infisâline kadar ecnebî tebʿa-i müslimesine yirmi dört bâb hâne ile bir bâb değirmen füruht edildiği gibi doksan dört senesinden beru doksan altı senesi nihâyetine değin üç sene zarfında Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde iki yüz ve doksan yedi senesinde ve zamân-ı âlîlerinde doksan bâb ki cemʿan iki yüz doksan kıtʿa emlâkin dahî Mekke-i Mükerreme mahkeme-i şerʿiyyesince düvel-i ecnebiye tebʿasına ferâğı icrâ edildiği gösterilmiş olup istihlâk-i ecânib kânûnunda havâlî-i mübârekede ecnebîlerin istihlâklarının memnûʿîyeti musarrah olduğundan bu sarâhat-i kânûniyeye mugâyir icrâ-yı muʿâmelât olunması ilel ve esbâbının ve bu bâbda olan maʿlûmât ve mutâlaʿât-ı aliyyelerinin işʿârı husûsunda savb-ı vâlâ-yı düstûrlarına teblîği ifâde kılınmış olmağla 6 Şevvâl sene [12]98 3.1

Presidential note [of the president of the Council of State] to Naşid Paşa, former Governor of Hijaz: Two communiqués have been received from the provincial government of Hijaz in response to the imperial order concerning the investigation and reporting of the amount of real estate sold to foreigners in Resplendent Medina, despite the law prohibiting foreign Muslims from possessing real estate in the blessed lands of Hijaz, as well as the names of the perpetrating [officials] responsible for such illegal proceedings. According to these communiqués addressed to the Council of State, and read at the Board of Internal Affairs, 24 houses and a mill were sold to Muslim foreigners until Atâî Efendi, the former [Islamic] judge of Resplendent Medina, was dismissed. Likewise, during the three years between 1877 and 1879, 200 properties, and 90 in the year 1879/1880, during Your Excellency’s term [of service], amounting to a total of 290 properties sold by the court in Honoured Mecca to Muslim foreigners. Your Excellency

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is requested to forward your information of and reflections on the reasons for these illegal proceedings, which continue despite the explicit prohibition in the relevant code relating to foreign ownership, of foreign possession [of property and land] in the holy lands of the Hijaz. 1 September 1881 Source: BOA SD. 2254/30

Sultan’s order to promote the adoption of Ottoman citizenship among foreign real estate owners in Hijaz, 1882 Hıtta-i Hicâziyeʾde ecnebîlerin emlâk ve arâzî istimlâkı hakkında olan memnûʿiyete karşı Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde birçok emlâkin Hind ve Cava ahâlîsi gibi ecânib tabîʿiyyetinde olan Müslümanların uhdesine geçirilmiş olduğu ve heman emlâkın sekizde biri şimdi bunların taht-ı temellükünde bulunduğu ve tabʿiyet-i ecnebiyede bulunan baʿzı eşhâsı saltanat-ı seniyye tabʿiyetine dehâlet arzusunda olarak bu bâbda arz-ı hâller dahî iʿtâ etmişler iken cânibi hükûmetde muʿâmelât-ı teshîliye ve tervîciye icrâ kılınmamakda ve bu istidʿâda bulunanlara konsulatoları tarafından muʿâmelât-ı bâride icrâ olunmakda olmasıyla bu hâl dahî sâʾirlerine cürʾet bahş olamamakda idüği vâsıl-ı semʿ-i âlî olmuş ve arâzi-i Hicâziye de ecnebîlerin istimlâkı ahden ve katʿiyyen memnûʿ bulunduğu ve hükm-ı memnûʿiyetin oraca temâmî-i cereyânı derecei vücûbda olduğu hâlde tahkîkât-ı mevsûkadan istinbât buyurulduğuna göre istimlâk-i ecânibe müsâʿade olunması oraca baʿzı meʾmûrların harc-ı vesâyikini teksîr ile istifâdât-ı gayri meşrûʿaya mübtenî bulunduğu cihetle gerek evvelce ve gerek bundan böyle tâbiʿiyyet-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye dehâlet arzu ve istidʿâsında bulunanlar haklarında her türlü teshîlât ve tervîcâtın îfâsıyla berâber istimlâk hakkında olan hükm-ı memnûʿiyetin hallerden vikâyesi ne gibi tedâbir-i müʾessere ittihâz ve icrâsına mütevakkıf ise Meclis-i Vükelâca biʾl-etrâf müzâkeresiyle karârının atabe-i ulyâya arz ve işʿârı irâde ve fermân buyurulmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 2 Rebîʿülâhir sene [12]99 ve fî 9 Şubat sene [12]97 3.2

His Majesty has heard that a lot of properties have been acquired by Muslims who are foreigners, such as Indians and Jawa, despite the prohibition on foreigners possessing property and land in the land of Hijaz; that almost one-eighth of all real estate is now under their possession; that some individuals who are foreigners are willing to adopt the citizenship of the Imperial Sultanate, and have presented their petitions to that end, but the government does not facilitate or approve this procedure and that their consulates discourage those who submitted requests to that end; and that this state does not encourage others [to adopt Ottoman citizenship]. Reliable investigation has shown that permitting foreigners to possess [land and property in Hijaz] – despite the fact that

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foreign possession in the land of Hijaz it is absolutely forbidden and that it is essential to implement the clause of prohibition completely there – comes as a result of [the search of] some civil servants for illegitimate gain by increasing document fees. Therefore, His Majesty has ordered that all manner of convenience and encouragement should be given to those who want to the citizenship of the Imperial Sultanate retrospectively or in the future, and that the Council of Ministers should deliberate upon the precautions that need to be taken to protect the clause of prohibition [from infringements], and to submit their decision to the lofty threshold. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 21 February 1882. Source: BOA İ.DH. 1295–2/102011

Minister of the Interior to the Grand Vizier about preventing foreigners’ inheritance of real estates in Hijaz, 1909 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Umûr-ı Dâhiliye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 1755 Huzûr-ı Âlî-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Hicaz kıtʿası dâhilinde tebʿa-i ecnebiyenin arâzî ve emlâk iştirâ ve tasarruf etmeleri memnûʿ iken ecânibden baʿzılarının vesâʾil-i mütenevviʿa ile Osmanlı tâbiʿiyyeti iktisâb ederek bu vech ile baʿzı arâzî aldıkları vâkıʿ olup şu kadar ki bunların vefâtlarında tâbiʿiyyet-i ecnebiyesini muhâfaza etmekde bulunan verese ve evlâdı hadd-i zâtında temellük edemeyecekleri bu arâzîyi hukûk-ı irsiyeye müsteniden tasarruf iddiʿâsında bulundukları dahî görülmekde olduğundan böyle ırsen tebʿa-i ecnebiye eline geçmiş olan arâzînin hükûmetce istimlâki mi yoksa bu gibilerin iddiâʿ-yı tasarruflarının keʾen lem yekün addıyle devletçe idâre ve tasarrufu mu lâzım geleceğinin sürʿat-i inbâsı lüzûmuna dâʾir Hicaz vilâyeti makâmından vârid olan tahrîrât leffen takdîm kılınmağla keyfiyetinin li-ecliʾt-tedkîk Şûrâ-yı Devletʾe tevdîʿi reʾy-i sâmî-i fehîmânelerine manûtdur ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî Gurre-i Receb sene [1]327 ve fî 6 Temmuz sene [1]325 Dâhiliye Nâzırı 3.3

Sublime Porte Ministry of the Interior Secretarial Office Number 1755

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To His Grand Vizierial Highness The request of your most humble servant is that: It appears that, despite the prohibition on foreigners purchasing and owning land and property in Hijaz region, some foreigners obtain Ottoman citizenship by various means and purchase some land in this way. It appears that they claim that they possess these lands with hereditary rights, while in fact on their death their children and inheritors who retain foreign citizenship cannot possess it. The Governorship of Hijaz sent a communiqué, which is enclosed [with this note], requesting to be informed quickly about whether such lands, obtained by foreigners with hereditary rights, should be compulsorily purchased by the government, or whether the state should regard the claims of such individuals as invalid, and take control of and administer [the land]. It depends on the will of Your Excellency to address the issue to the Council of State for investigation. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 19 July 1909 Minister of the Interior Source: BOA SD. 2268/6

Note from Şûrâ-yı Devlet to the administration of land registry and cadastre requesting their reflections about how to prevent foreigners from inheriting real estate in the Hijaz, 1909 Şûrâ-yı Devletʾe Mahsûs Müsvedde Varakası Fî Zilkaʿde sene [1]327 târihli zabtı mûcebince Defter-i Hâkânî Nezâretiʾne Tezkire Hicaz kıtʿası dâhilinde tebʿa-i ecnebiyenin arâzî ve emlâk iştirâ ve tasarruf etmeleri memnûʿ iken ecânibden baʿzılarının vesâʾil-i mütenevviʿa ile tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi biʾl-iktisâb hatt-ı mezkûrede emlâk ve arâzî iştirâ ederek muʾahharan vefâtı vukûʿ bulanlar emlâk ve arâzîsine tebʿa-i ecnebiyeden bulunan vârislerinin hukûk-ı ırsiyeye istinâden tasarruf iddiʿâsında bulunduklarından bahisle bu makûle emlâk ve arâzînin hükûmetce istimlâkı mı yoksa bu gibilerin iddiʿâ-yı tasarruflarının keʾen lem yekün addıyle devletçe idâre ve tasarrufu mu lâzım geleceği istifsârına dâʾir Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden biʾl-vürûd Şûrâ-yı Devletʾe havâle buyurulan ve biʾl-muhâbere cevâben alınan iki kıtʿa tezkire ve melfûfâtı mülkiye dâʾiresinde ledeʾl-kırâʾe bu misillü emlâk ve arâzî hakkında nezâret-i aliyyelerince şimdiye kadar ne muʿâmele icrâ edilmiş olduğunun ilâve-i mutâlaʿa ile işʿârı husûsunun savb-ı âlî-i samûhîlerine inbâsı ifâde edilmiş ve evrâk-ı mezkûre iʿâde olunmak üzre leffen irsâl kılınmış olmağla îfâ-yı muktezâsına himem-i aliyye-i semûhîleri masrûf buyurulmak bâbında 1 Zilhicce sene [1]327 ve fi 1 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]325 3.4

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Special paper for draft [records] of the Council of Ministers Note to the Ministry of Imperial Records, in accordance with the minutes dated 14 November 1909 [Summarizes the note (above) of the Minister of the Interior about foreigners’ possession of real estate in Hijaz and the relevant problems.]

The note sent from the exalted Ministry of the Interior was forwarded to the Council of State, and the response communicated in two notes with attachments received at the Civil Service Department, requests additional information to be provided on the procedures implemented by your exalted administration concerning these kind of estates and lands until now. [Therefore] the said documents are sent in enclosure on condition that they be returned, and that Your Excellency lend all assistance in order to implement the required action. In this matter […] 14 December 1909 Source: BOA SD. 2268/6

Suggestions of the administration of land registry and cadastre about how to prevent foreigners from inheriting real estate in the Hijaz, 1910 Defter-i Hâkânî Nezâreti Tahrîrât Kalemi Aded 147 Şûrâ-yı Devlet Riyâset-i Celîlesiʾne Tebʿa-i Müslime-i ecnebiyeden iken bilâhare tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi ihrâz ve muʾahharan vefât edenlerin hatt-ı Hicâziyeʾdeki emlâk ve arâzîsine dâʾir Reis Beyefendi Hazretleri Hicaz kıtʿası dâhilinde tebʿa-i ecnebiyenin emlâk ve arâzî iştirâ ve tasarruf etmeleri memnûʿ iken tebʿa-i Müslime-i ecnebiyeden baʿzılarının vesâʾil-i mütenevviʿa ile tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi biʾl-iktisâb hatt-ı mezkûrede emlâk ve arâzî iştirâ ederek muʾahharan vefâtı vukûʿ bulanların emlâk ve arâzîsine tebʿa-i ecnebiyeden bulunan vârislerinin hukûk-ı ırsiyeye istinâden tasarruf iddiʿâsında bulunduklarından bahisle bu makûle emlâk ve arâzînin hükûmetçe istimlâki mi yoksa bu gibilerin iddiʿâ-yı tasarruflarının keʾen lem yekün addıyle devletçe idâre ve tasarrufu mu lâzım geleceği istifsârına dâʾir Hicaz Vilâyetiʾnin Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesi makâmının tezkiresiyle gönderilen tahrîrâtının leffiyle bu misillü emlâk ve arâzî hakkında şimdiye kadar ne muʿâmele icrâ edilmiş olduğunun ilâve-i mutâlaʿa ile işʿârı hakkında vârid olan 5 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]325 târihiyle ve yüz yirmi sekiz numerolu tezkire-i riyâset-penâhîleri nezâret-i 3.5

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dâʿiyânem encümenine ledeʾl-havâle tâbiʿiyyet-i ecnebiyede bulunanların Müslim olsun gayri Müslim bulunsun hatt-ı Hicâziyeʾde emlâk ve arâzî teferruʿ edemeyecekleri ecânibin memâlik-i Osmâniyeʾde istimlâk-ı emlâk ve arâzîye salâhiyetini mütezammın olan protokolün mâdde-i mahsûsiyesiyle Şûrâ-yı Devlet Tanzîmât Dâʾiresiʾnin 30 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]310 târihli tezkire-i sâmiye ile teblîğ buyurulan karârı îcâbâtından ve hatt-ı mezkûrede tapu usûlü henüz cârî olmadığı cihetle orada muʿâmelât-ı tasarrufiye mehâkim-i şerʿiyyece icrâ edilmekde ve nevʿiyet-i arâzî dahî mechûl bulunmakda olup ancak vilâyeti müşârunileyhânın evrâk meyânında bulunan 8 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]325 târihli tezkiresinde dahî gösterilmiş olduğu vechile esâsen ecnebî tebʿasından iken muʾahharan tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi biʾl-iktisâb hatt-ı Hicâziyeʾde emlâk ve arâzî mübâyaʿa edenlerin vefâtları vukûʿunda tâbiʿiyyet-i ecnebiyede bulunan vârislerinin ve emlâk ve arâzîde hukûk-ı ırsiyeleri tasdîk olunduğu sûretde ecânibin hatt-ı mübârekede emlâk ve arâzî edinmeleri emrindeki maksadlarına vesîle verilmiş ve ber minvâl-i maʿrûz memnûʿiyet-i kânûniyenin hükmü iskât edilmiş olacağına ve bu misillü emlâk ve arâzînin devlet nâmına mübâyaʿa ve idâresi vücûh-ı adîde ile müşkil olmağla berâber ecânibin hatt-ı mübârekede emlâk ve arâzî edinmemeleri hakkında öteden beri devletçe taʿkîb olunan maksadı teʾmîn edemeyeceğine ve mahlûliyeti cihetine gidilmek dahî sedâʿ ve şikâyâtı müstelzim olacağına göre işin hâʾiz olduğu ehemmiyetle mütenâsib bir sûretde tedkîkiyle bu kabil kesânın vukûʿ-ı vefâtlarında tebʿa-i ecnebiyeden bulunan vârisleri mûrislerinin hatt-ı Hicâziyeʾde mutasarrıf olduğu emlâk ve arâzîden hisse-mend-i intifâʿ olmak arzu etdikleri sûretde bu intifâʿlarının memnûʿiyet-i kânûniyeye istinâden tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi ihrâz etmeleriyle meşrût kılınması veyâhud teʾmîn-i maksadı kâfil devletçe sâʾir tedbîr ittihâz olunması ve hatt-ı Hicâziyeʾde tapu usûlü cârî olmadığı cihetle beyʿ ve şirâʾ-i emlâk muʿâmelâtı mehâkim-i şerʿiyye maʿrifetiyle cereyân etmekde olacağından husûsât-ı mümâsilede iltizâm-ı iʿtinâ ve ihtiyât edilmesi içün Hicaz vilâyetiyle mülhakâtında bulunan nüvvâb-ı şerʿ-i şerîfe vesâyâ-yı lâzıme îfâsı husûsunun dahî taraf-ı âlî-i meşîhat-penâhîye işʿâr buyurulması lüzûmunun cevâben arz ve işʿârı encümen-i mezkûrdan ifâde ve evrâk-ı mürsile leffen iʿâde olunmuşdur efendim hazretleri Fî 29 Muharrem sene [1]328 ve fî 28 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]325 Defter-i Hâkânî Nâzırı nâmına Muʿâvin bende-i Rıza Ministry of Imperial Records Correspondence Office Number 147

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To the exalted presidency of the Council of State Concerning the properties and lands in Hijaz belonging to foreigners who obtained Ottoman citizenship and died afterwards. Exalted Mr. President: [Summary of the note of the Minister of the Interior about foreigners’ possession of real estates in Hijaz and the relevant note of presidency of the Council of State (above)]. [The said documents were] assigned to the committee of my humble department [of Land Registry and Survey Office] where it was suggested that those holding foreign citizenship cannot possess property or land in the region of Hijaz, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims. This is a requirement of the special article in the protocol concerning the ability of foreigners to own property and land in Ottoman Realms, and in accordance with the decision of the Reform Department of the Council of State, which was announced in the note dated 12 December 1894. In the said region, the system of registering land deeds is not yet in force. Therefore, the procedures pertaining to possession are carried out in the [Islamic] law courts, and consequently the sorts of lands are unknown. However, as it is also shown in the said province’s communiqué dated 21 October 1909, in cases where foreigners who later adopted Ottoman citizenship and bought properties and land in the province of Hijaz subsequently died, the hereditary rights of their foreign inheritors will be approved, this will lead to what the order on foreign ownership of property and land in the Hijaz is aimed at preventing, and, as explained, the clause of the law about the prohibition will be negated. The purchase and administration of such properties and land by the state is problematic from a number of perspectives, and will not ensure the ultimate objective of the state in preventing foreign possession of properties and land in the province of Hijaz. As opting for escheating will lead to complaints and clamour, the issue should be investigated in a manner suitable to its importance. Based on the prohibition in the law, either it should be made clear that that the upholding of usufructuary rights of foreign inheritors in on the death of such said individuals to properties and land in Hijaz is contingent on their acquisition of Ottoman citizenship, or that the state introduce other measures that will support the required purpose. It is also necessary to announce to the Shaykh al-Islam to advise the deputy-judges of the [Islamic] courts in the province of Hijaz to be vigilant about these sorts of issues, as the procedures of buying and selling real estate takes place in [Islamic] courts since the land registry system is not applicable in the province of Hijaz. My Lord [with these considerations] the sent documents are returned in enclosure.

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10 February 1910 Your servant Rıza, on behalf of the president of Land Registry and Survey Office Source: BOA SD. 2268/6

4

Documents pertaining to problems with regard to foreign diplomatic intervention in the Holy Lands through Jawa and Indian residents, 1883

Reflections about preventing foreign diplomatic intervention into Hijaz through Jawa and Indian residents, 1883 Kurenâ-yı Cenâb-ı Şehriyârîʾden Saʿâdetlü Besim Beyefendi Hazretlerine Saʿâdetlü efendim hazretleri Hindistan ile Flemenk Devleti müstemlekâtı ahâlîsinden Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde takrîben yirmi bine karîb Müslüman olup bunlar her ne kadar mütevattın hükmünde iseler de ahâlî ile beyinlerinde zuhûr eden her nevʿ deʿâvî ve münâzaʿâtda Ciddeʾdeki İngiltere ve Flemenk Devletleri konsolatolarına mürâcaʿat ve konsolatolarından istihmâl etmekde bulunuyorlar memâliki mahrûse-i şâhânede temdîd-i müddet ikâmet kânûnen taleb ve istidʿâları vukûʿ bulmadıkça ecnebîler içün sebeb-i tahavvül-i tâbiʿiyyet olamayacağı cihetle Cava ve Hindistan halkının husûsât-ı vâkıʿalarında böyle konsolatolarına mürâcaʿat ve Buhârâ ve Semerkand ahâlîsinin dilediği konsolatodan taleb-i himâyet eylemelerine memâlik-i sâʾire Devlet-i Aliyyeʾce cârî olan kâʿideye nazaran bir diyecek yok ise de ziyâret ve mücâveret niyetiyle işbu mahall-i mübâreke gelerek bilâhare icrâ-yı ticâret ve sanʿata bedeʾ ve mübâşeret eyleyen ecnebî Müslümanların ahâlî-i kirâm ile meyânelerinde biʾt-tabʿ tahassül eden münâsebât ve muʿâmelâtın ihdâs ve istilzâm eylediği deʿâvî ve münâzaʿât üzerine konsolatolara mürâcaʿat ve Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde cereyân eyleyen ticâretden münbaʿis deʿâvîden dolayı yerlüden bulunan müddeʿî-i aleyhin Ciddeʾdeki mahkeme-i ticârete celb ve ihzârına kıyâm ve mübâderet etmeleri müşkilâtı mûcib görünerek bu bâbda dahî burası içün muʿâmele-i istisnâʾiye icrâsı talebiyle ahâlî-i kirâm sızlanagelmiş ve hatta konsolosların müdâhaleden memnûʿiyetine dâʾir mukaddemâ Bâb-ı Âlî-i cânib-i sâmîsinden emr-i âlî vürûd etmiş idüği beyânıyla hükm-ı emirnâme-i sâmîye muvâfık muʿâmele icrâsı mütevâliyen taleb ve ihtâr olunmakda bulunmuşdur vürûdu beyân olunan emirnâme-i sâmî ise 13 Cemâziyelâhire sene [12]89 târihiyle müverrah ve Cidde Mutasarrıflığıʾna muharrer olup meʾâlî dahî Flemenk Devleti bandırasıyla Ciddeʾye gelen Cavalı hüccâcın henüz sefîneden çıkmazdan evvel 4.1

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haklarında devlet-i müşârunileyhâ konsolosunun istediği tedâbiri icrâ edebilip fakat sefîneden esnâ-yı hürûclarında veyâhud karaya çıkdıkdan sonra müddet-i ikâmetlerinde gerek karantinaca ve gerek hükûmetçe merʿiyyüʾl-icrâ olan usûl ve nizâma tâbiʿ olmalarının emr-i tabîʿi bulunduğunu beyândan ibâret olup vâkıʿan ecnebîlerin karantina ve hükûmetçe merʿiyyüʾl-icrâ olan usûl ve nizâma mütâbaatları minvâl-i muharrer üzre emr-i tabîʿî olup fakat memâlik-i mahrûse-i şâhânenin sâʾir mahallerince ecnebîler hakkında emlâk husûsâtından mâʿadâ muʿâmelâtda icrâsı îcâb eden usûl ve nizâmın hîn-i cereyânında konsolotalarının inzimâm-ı vesâteti îcâb eyleyip buraca hazm ve kabûl olunamayarak mûcib-i şikâyet olan mâdde dahî işbu vesâtatın hülûlü mesʾelesi iken işbu emirde bu mesʾelenin buraca merzî-i ahâlî-i kirâma tevfîkan hal ve tesviyesine medâr olabilecek bir sarâhat olamamak cihetiyle bununla bir şey yapılamayacağı derkâr ise de Mekke-i Mükerreme ve Medîne-i Münevvereʾnin nefsüʾl-emirde bilâd-ı sâʾire gibi mevkiʿ-i ticâret olmayıp mahall-i mukaddes ziyâret olmağla buraya gelecek tebʿa-i Müslime-i ecnebiyenin esâs kasd ve niyeti mücerred hac ve ziyâretden ibâret iken içlerinden ihtiyâr-ı mücâveret ve o hâlde icrâ-yı sanʿat ve ticâretle menâfiʿ-i sekene-i kadîmeye müşâreket etmek isteyenlerin usûl ve kavânîn-i mahalliyeyi doğrudan doğruya kabûle râzı olmaları dahî husûsiyet-i mevkiʿiyyeye göre kâbil-i teklîf ve icrâ gibi mutâlaʿa olunduğuna binâʾen züvvâr ve mücâvirînden olduğu hâlde temdîd-i müddet ikâmetle ahz ve iʿtâya girişmiş ve kânûn-ı ticâretin taʿyîn etdiği kavâʿid-i esâsiye hükmünce de ticâret ıtlâkına gayr-ı şâyân bulunmuş olan biʾl-cümle tebʿa-i Müslime-i ecnebiye ile ahâlî-i Mekke-i Mükerreme ve Medîne-i Münevvere meyânında tahaddüs eyleyecek kâffe-i deʿâvî ve münâzaʿâtın mümkün olduğu hâlde bilâ-vâsıta rüʾyet ve faslı usûlünün ittihâzı cânib-i celîl-i sadâret-i uzmâya arz ve istîzân kılınmış olduğunun arz ve beyânına cürʾet olunur ol-bâbda emr u irâde efendim hazretlerinindir. Fî 19 Rebîʿülevvel sene [1]300 ve fî 17 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [12]98, Vâlî ve Kumandân-ı Hicaz Mekke-i Mükerremeʾden From the personal advisors to His Majesty, to His Excellency Besim Beyefendi My felicitous lord; There are about twenty thousand Muslims from India and Dutch colonies residing in Honoured Mecca. Although they are de jure residents, they apply to and make use of the services of the consulates of the states of Britain and Holland in Jeddah whenever they have a legal case or dispute with the local people. For foreigners, a prolonged period of residence in the Well-Protected Imperial Domains cannot be [considered] as a cause for granting them [Ottoman] citizenship unless they have requested it legally. There is no mention in the current agreements between the Ottoman Empire and foreign

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countries concerning the recourse of Jawa and Indian people to the consulates of their colonial rulers, nor concerning requests for protection in any case by the people of Bukhara and Samarkand to any [European] consul to whom they wish to apply. However, it has been considered that this will cause problems when foreign Muslims who come to this holy place for pilgrimage and worship and later begin to practice a craft and engage in trade, apply to their consulates upon disagreements and lawsuits with the local people, which result naturally from the transactions and relations between them, or when they [foreign Muslims] attempt to sue local defendants in the commercial court in Jeddah for lawsuits that result from dealings that took place in Mecca. Therefore, the local people have been complaining and requesting exceptional treatment for this place as well, saying that the Sublime Porte had in fact issued an exalted order prohibiting the intervention of the consuls, and demanding repeatedly that they in accordance with the exalted order. The said exalted order was written to the governorship of Jeddah, dated 18 August 1872. It consists of the declaration that, with regard to the Jawa pilgrims who come to Jeddah on Dutch ships, the Dutch consul has the right to implement any measures he wishes before they disembark, but during and after their landing and throughout their stay, they are naturally subject to the current law and regulations concerning quarantine [administration], and those of this government in general. Foreigners’ liability to the current law and regulations of the quarantine [administration] and the government is an ordinary situation as written [in the order]. But, in other places in the Well-Protected Imperial Domains, the implementation of laws and regulations about foreigners requires the presence of the mediation of their consuls during their implementation, except for proprietary issues. However, it is the very occurrence of this mediation that has not been accepted here, and has caused these complaints. Yet, it is apparent that nothing can be done with the said order, since it does not contain any explicit basis for resolving of this issue in a manner that will satisfy local people. Nevertheless, due to the peculiarity of the place, it has been deemed possible to suggest and enforce [the rule] that those who prefer to remain, and to share in the privileges of the existing residents by way of trade or performing a craft, should comply directly with the local laws and regulations, since Honoured Mecca and Resplendent Medina are not trade sites like other towns, but holy places of pilgrimage, in that the fundamental intention of foreign Muslims who come to here is to perform the Hajj. Therefore, it is dared to request of the lofty Grand Vizierate that, in accordance with the provisions of the basic law stipulated in the commercial code, an order be issued that there be a trial adoption of the regulation that all cases and disputes between the residents of Honoured Mecca and Resplendent Medina and all foreign Muslims, who are

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originally visitors and pilgrims who prolonged their stay and engaged in trade, should be dealt with without any external interference. On this issue, to command belongs to my exalted lord. 28 January 1883, Governor and commander of Hijaz, from Honoured Mecca Source: BOA Y.PRK.UM. 5/63

British endeavours to gain citizens in Hadramawt and its ramifications for Indians and Java in the Ottoman Empire, 1883 Hâdise-i Cedîde Yemenʾden bir mektûb vârid olup müʾeddâsından Mukallâʾda vukuʿ eden şurişin teskîn ve musâlahası akd olundukdan sonra Aden governörü Mukallâ Şeyhiʾni kendi tarafına celb etdiği anlaşılmışdır bu kabîlden olarak ihbâr-ı vâride meyânında konsolos sûretiyle Hudeydeʾye bir İngiliz vâsıl olmuş ve ahâlîyi tarafına celb etmek üzre an-asl Hindli olanların cümlesi devlet-i metbûʿası olan İngiltere Devleti himâyesine girmelerini iʿlân ve işâʿa etmesinden dolayı pek çok kimesneler konsolos-ı mûmâileyhin daʿvetini icâbetle İngiliz tabʿiyetini kabûl etmişler ve beyâbanda olup mineʾl-kadîm Yemenʾde tevellüd etmiş olanlar dahî bunun yedinden pasaport almışlardır işbu ahvâlin sebeb-i vukûʿı meʾmûrîn-i mahalliyenin eser-i müsâmahası ve taʿbîr-i diğer ile irtikâblarından ileri gelen vahim yolsuzluklardan ibâretdir halbûki bu misillü nâ-becâ hareketler bilâhare fesâdâta sebebiyet vereceği gibi ecnebîlerin Yemen kıtʿasında ibrâz-ı tasallut ve konsoloslarının teksîrine bâdî olacakdır çünkü Hudeyde ve Zebʾid ile bunların etrâf ve enhâsında pek çok erbâb-ı ticâret ve sanâʿat ve daha pek çok kabîleler bulunmakdadır ki an-asl Hindlilerdir İşte buna misal olarak dahî Mekke ve Taif ve Medîne-i Münevvereʾnin civarlarında bulunan karyelerde sâkin ahâlinin çoğu üç yüz sene evvel Hind ve Garb ve Java gibi mahallerden hicret ederek Hicaz ve memâlik-i Yemenʾde tavattun eden kimesnelerden ibâretdir halbûki İngiliz ve Fransız ile Flemenk Devletleri Hind ve Cava ve gayri olan memâlik-i İslâmiyeʾye temellük ve tasallut etmeleri yüz senelik bir şeyden ibâretdir. Usûl ve kavâʿid-i düveliye muktezâsınca an-asl memleket-i ecnebiyeden diyerek hiçbir kimesne himâye-i ecnebiyeye giremez meğer ki istilâ olunmuş bir memleketden hicret edip de diğer bir memleketde ihtiyâr-ı ikâmet edenlerin muhmîliği câʾiz olur lâkin memleketi istilâ olunmayıp yalnız kendiliği ile devlet-i metbûʿasından gayri olan bir memleketde ihtiyâr-ı ikâmet edenler mukîm oldukları memleket hükümdârı tebʿasından maʿdûd olacakları bedîhî olup memleket-i asliyeleri kendileri çıkdıkdan sonra bir devlet-i ecnebiyyenin istilâsına düçâr olsa bile mâdem ki memleketini istilâdan evvel ihtiyârî ile terk etmiş artık bu makûleden eşhâsı hiçbir vakitde devlet-i mutasallita tebʿasından add olunmayacakları vâzıhâtdandır işte bu misillü vukûʿâtdan bilâhare Zafar ve 4.2

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Hadramut kıtʿalarına düşmanlar tarafından teşiyyât-ı garazkârânenin izhârı ve şüphesiz olarak sonra da Yemen ve Hicazʾa sirâyet edeceği melhûz olduğundan harekât-ı zâhire ve bâtınenin bu vakitde taʿcîl edilmesi lâzımeden olup hayrın adem-i teʾhîri ve şerrin refʿi dahî terk olunmayacağı derkâr olmağla muʿallâ-yı lem-yezel hazretleri pâdişâh-ı nev-câh efendimiz hazretlerini taht-ı âlî baht-ı Osmânîʾde ber devâm ve ber karâr buyursun âmîn bi-hürmeti fahrüʾl-âlemîn. [29 Zilhicce 1300] Recent developments From the content of a letter that arrived from Yemen, it is understood that after the disturbances in Mukalla were calmed down and an agreement was reached, the governor of Aden won over the Shaykh of Mukalla. In connection with this, an Englishman arrived in Hudaydah as consul and, to win over the people, declared that all of those who are originally from India, [should] adopt the protection of the British state to which he is affiliated. Many people responded to the invitation of the said consul and adopted British citizenship. Even those who reside in the desert and have been in Yemen since time immemorial have obtained passports from him. This is caused by the grave corruptions resulting from the lenience, or what one might call the dishonesty, of local officials. Such improper actions later lead to disorders, the foreigners’ assault on Yemen, and the increase of the [number] of their consulates, because there are lots of tradesmen and craftsmen, as well as many tribes in Hudaydah and Zabid and in their surroundings, who are originally from India. Likewise, most of the residents of the villages in the vicinity of Mecca, Taif, and Resplendent Medina consist of people from India, the west, and Java who migrated three hundred years ago to Hijaz and the country of Yemen and settled there, while the assault and occupation of the British, French and the Dutch states on Islamic countries like India, Java, and others is a matter of a hundred years. According to the law of nations, nobody can enter foreign protection under the pretext of being a foreigner [a citizen of that country] originally, but the protection of those who emigrated from an occupied country and preferred to settle in another country is legitimate. However, it is apparent that those whose country is not occupied, but who preferred of their own accord to settle in a country other than the one belonging to the state to which they are subject, will be considered to be the subjects of the ruler of the country where they reside. It is clear that such individuals who left their country of their own will cannot be considered as the subjects of the occupying state even if their original country is subject to foreign occupation after their departure. There is no doubt that the manifestation of evil acts by the enemies in Dhofar

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and Hadramawt regions, after the occurrence of this kind of incidents, suggests that these will later spread to Yemen and Hijaz as well. Therefore it is necessary to hasten to take internal and external measures now. It is apparent that it is not possible to postpone beneficence and abandon the prevention of evil. May God almighty prolong and strengthen the reign of our Lord, His Imperial Majesty. Amen with deference to the pride of the universe the Prophet Muhammad. [31 October 1883]7 Source: BOA Y.PRK.AZJ. 8/83

5

Documents pertaining to Dutch subjects from Java who were moved from Hijaz and Syria to Adana and Yozgat, 1917–1918

5.1 The death of Indonesians who were moved from Syria to Yozgat, 1916 Ankara Vilâyeti Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 55007 1243 Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Hülâsâ: Suriyeʾden Yozgatʾa gönderilen Cezâir-i Hind ahâlîsinden üç şahsın vefât eylediğine dâʾir. Devletlü efendim hazretleri 26 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]331 târihli ve 53552–1102 numerolu tahrîrâta lâhıkadır. Düvel-i muhâsama tebʿasından olup Yozgat sancağı dâhilinde iskânları Dördüncü Ordu-yı Hümâyûn Kumandanlığıʾnca biʾt-tensîb Suriye Vilâyetiʾnin tahrîrâtıyla vürûd etmiş olan Cezâir-i Hind ahâlîsinden Abdülvehhab ve zevcesi Hayriye ve oğlu Abdüsselamʾın ecel-i mevʿûduyla vefât ettikleri Yozgat Mutasarrıflığıʾndan işʿâr olunmağla arz-ı maʿlûmâta mübâşeret kılındı olbâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 8 Cemâziyelevvel sene [1]334 ve fî 29 Şubat sene [1]331 Ankara Vâli Vekîli Governorate of Ankara Secretarial Office Number 55007 1243 7  This date does not occur in the document but is taken from the catalogue.

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To the Exalted Ministry of the Interior Summary: Concerning the death of the three persons from the region of the Indian Islands sent off to Yozgat from Syria. Your Highness, my illustrious lord, This is an addendum to the communiqué dated 8 February 1916 and numbered 5352–1102. In the incoming correspondence of the administration of Yozgat [it was reported that] Abdulwahhab, his wife Khayriye and his son Abdusselam, from the region of the Indian Islands, the subjects of enemy countries who were settled in the district of Yozgat upon the order of the Commandership of the Fourth Imperial Army and the communication of the Governorate of Syria, died a natural death, and this [note] is to submit this information. In this matter, to command belongs unto him who commands all. 13 March 1916 Deputy Governor of Ankara Source: BOA DH.EUM.4.Şb. 5/17

Foreign Ministry to the Ministry of the Interior requesting information about whereabouts of Dutch subjects from Java who were moved from Medina to Adana and whether they are engaged in forced labour, 1917 Bâb-ı Âlî Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı Siyâsiye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Aded 1107–105630 Dâhiliye Nezâreti Celîlesi Cânib-i Âlîsiʾne Hülâsâ: Medîne-i Münevvereʾden Adana‌ʾya Flemenkli tebʿa nakl olunduğu Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Flemenk sefâretinden alınan bir takrîrde meʾmûrîn-i Osmâniye tarafından verilen emre tevfîkan çalışdırılmak üzre Medîne-i Münevvereʾden Adana‌ʾya nakl olunan eşhâs meyânında Flemenk tebʿasından birçok kişi bulunduğu Ciddeʾdeki Flemenk konsolosunun işʿârına atfen Flemenk Hâriciye Nâzırı tarafından bildirilmekde olduğundan bahisle mûmâileyh konsolosun işʿâr-ı vâkıʿı tebeyyün eylediği takdîrde mevzûʿ-ı bahs olan Flemenklilerin cebren çalışdırılmalarından sarf-ı nazar olunarak mümkün ise arzu etdikleri mahalle nakillerine müsâʿade olunması esbâbının istikmâli ve tahkîkât-ı matlûbenin ve ittihâz olunacak tedâbirin netîcesinden bir an evvel maʿlûmât iʿtâsı iltimâs olunmuşdur îcâb-ı hâlin icrâ ve inbâsı mütevakkıf-ı müsâʿade-i fehîmâneleridir ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. 5.2

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Fî 16 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]333 Hâriciye Nâzırı Vekîli Nâmına Umûr-ı Siyâsiye Müdüriyet-i Umûmîyesini İdâreye Meʾmûr Müsteşâr Muʿâvini İbrahim Celil Bey Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Political Affairs Number 1107–105630 To the exalted presence of the illustrious Ministry of the Interior Summary: Dutch subjects have been moved from Resplendent Medina to Adana The request of your most humble servant is that: In a communiqué received from the Dutch Embassy, it is related that, based on the reports of the Dutch consulate in Jeddah, the Dutch Foreign Ministry informed [the Embassy] that there were many Dutch subjects among the people who were moved from Resplendent Medina to Adana for forced labour in accordance with orders of Ottoman officials. It is requested that, if the claims of the consulate turn out to be true, these Dutch subjects should not be forced to work, and they should be permitted to arrange transportation to other places if they wish. The embassy also requests that the results of the investigation into this, and the measures that will be taken, be communicated immediately. The implementation depends on your exalted permission. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 16 December 1917 On behalf of the Foreign Minister, İbrahim Celil Bey, vice-undersecretary assigned to administer the General Directorate of Political Affairs Source: BOA DH.EUM.5.Şb 60/18

Ministry of the Interior to Foreign Ministry on whereabouts of Dutch subjects from Java, 1918 Dâhiliye Nezâreti Emniyet-i Umûmiye Müdüriyeti Şuʿbesi 5 Aded 208 Hâriciye Nezâreti Vekâlet-i Celîlesiʾne Medîneʾden gönderilen Flemenkliler hakkında 5.3

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Devletlü efendim hazretleri Umûr-ı siyâsiye müdüriyet-i umûmiyesi ifâdesiyle vârid olan 22 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]334 târih ve 87–719 numerolu tezkire-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleri cevâbıdır Medîneʾden Adana‌ ʾya gönderilen muhâcirler arasında Flemenk tebʿasından üç Cavalı Müslim vürûd ederek birisi Kozan ve ikisi İçil livâsına sevk edildiği Adana vilâyetinden bildirilmişdir merkûmların cebren çalışdırılıp çalıştırılmadığı ve başka mahallere nakillerini arzu edip etmediklerinin dahî biʾt-tahkîk inbâsı mahallerine yazılmışdır ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî Cemâziyelevvel sene [1]336 ve 16 Şubat [1]334 Dâhiliye Nâzırı Vekîli Ministry of the Interior General Directorate of Police Department 5 Number 208 To the exalted Foreign Ministry Concerning the Dutch subjects sent from Medina My kind and exalted lord: This is the answer to the exalted ministerial note, dated 22 January 1918, numbered 87–719 that occurred upon the statement of the General Directorate Political Affairs. It appears that there were three Muslims from Java among the immigrants who were sent from Medina to Adana. The Governorship of Adana announced that one of them was sent to the province of Kozan, and two of them to İçel. Messages have been sent to these places to investigate whether they are forced to work, and if they want to be moved to other places. To command belongs to him who commands all. 16 February 1918 Deputy Minister of the Interior Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2448/29

Foreign Ministry to the Ministry of the Interior requesting the investigation of whether the Dutch ( Javanese) subjects and the Malaysians who were moved from Medina to Adana are engaged in forced labour, 1918 Bâb-ı Âlî Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı Siyâsiye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Aded 5.4

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448–3581 Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Âlîsiʾne Hülâsâ: Medîne-i Münevvereʾden Adana‌ ʾya nakl olunan Flemenkliler hakkında Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Medîneʾden Adana‌ʾya gönderilen Flemenklilere dâʾir Emniyet-i Umûmiye Müdüriyetiʾnin 208 numerosunu muhtevî olarak vârid olan 16 Şubat sene [13]34 târihli tezkire-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleri üzerine Flemenk sefâretine teblîğât-ı cevâbiye icrâ olunmuşidi sefâret-i müşârunileyhâdan bu kere alınan takrîrde Medîneʾden Adana‌ʾya nakl olunan muhâcirler arasında Malezyalı ve Cavalı eşhâs bulunup bunların tesviye-i turâb ameliyâtında istihdâm olunmak üzere Adana‌ʾya gönderildikleri sefâretçe alınan maʿlûmât-ı mütemmimeden anlaşıldığından bahisle merkûmların cebren çalıştırılıp çalıştırılmadığı ve başkaca mahallere nakillerini arzu edip etmedikleri hakkındaki maʿlûmâtın bir an evvel inbâsı iltimâs olunmuşdur îcâb-ı hâlin îfâ ve işʿârı mütevakkıf-ı müsâʿade-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleridir ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 21 Cemâziyelâhire sene [1]336 ve fi 3 Nisan sene [13]34 Hâriciye Nâzırı Nâmına Umûr-ı Siyâsiye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesini idâreye meʾmûr Müsteşar Muʿâvini İbrahim Celil Bey Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Political Affairs Number 448–3581 To the illustrious presence of the exalted Ministry of the Interior Summary: concerning the Dutch who were moved from Resplendent Medina to Adana. My most humble request is that; A response was given to the Dutch embassy about the Dutch who were sent from Medina to Adana, in response to the note of the Ministry [of Interior] dated 16 February 1918 that contained the note of the General Directorate of Police numbered 208. In the statement received from the embassy, it appeared from the additional information acquired by the embassy that there were individuals from Malaysia and Java among the immigrants who were moved from Medina to Adana, and that these individuals were moved to Adana to be employed in levelling the land. They requested to be informed as soon as possible about whether the said [individuals] had been forced to work, and whether they wished to be moved to other places. The implementation of the requirement and its communication [to the embassy] depends on the permission of

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His Ministerial Excellency. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 3 April 1918. On behalf of the Foreign Minister, İbrahim Celil Bey, the vice-undersecretary assigned to administer the General Directorate of Political Affairs Source: BOA DH.EUM.5.Şb 60/18

Governorate of Adana to the Ministry of the Interior on whereabouts of Dutch ( Javanese) Citizens, 1918 Adana Vilâyeti Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Umûmî Husûsî 574 Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Huzûr-ı Sâmîsiʾne Maʿrûz-ı çâkerleridir 19 Mayıs sene [1]334 târihli telgrafnâme-i nezâret-penâhîlerine arîza-i cevâbiyedir Medîneʾden Adana‌ʾya nakl olunan mücâvirîn meyânında Cavalı Abdurrahim bin Mahmud ve Mahmud bin Abdülkadir ve Yakub bin Abdullahʾın [1]332 ve [1]333 senelerinde İçil ve Kozan livâlarıyla Yumurtalık kazâsına sevk olundukları 29 Kânûn-ı Sâni sene [1]334 târih ve 114 numerolu şifre telgrafnâme ile arz olunmuş ise de merkûmunun cebren çalıştırılıp çalıştırılmadıklarının dahî tahkîk ve işʿârı cevâben şeref-vârid olan Şubat sene [1]334 târih ve 79 numerolu emirnâme-i devletlerinde işʿâr buyurulmasına ve Cavalı bu nâmda bir kimesnenin vürûd etmediği icâb eden mahallerle biʾl-muhâbere cevâben beyân olunmasına mebnî muhâcirîn idâresinden istifâh-i keyfiyet olunmuş idi Medîneʾden gönderilen mücâvirînin mülhakâta berâ-yı iskân sevklerinde lâzım gelen vesâʾik tanzîm ve yedlerine tevdîʿ olunarak sevkiyâtdaki kayıdlarına o sûretle şerh verildiği ve mahfûzen iʿzâm kılınmadıklarından dolayı tertîb olunmuş olan mezkûr İçil ve Kozan livâlarıyla Yumurtalık kazâsına gitmeyerek diğer mahallere azîmetleri muhtemel idüği beyân kılınması üzerine diğer mülhakâta taʿmîmen teblîgât icrâsıyla istiʿlâm kılınmış ve alınacak cevâbların başkaca arzı tabîʿî bulunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 21 Mayıs sene [1]334 Adana Vâlisi 5.5

Province of Adana Secretarial Office Number

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General Particular 574 To the illustrious presence of the exalted Ministry of the Interior This is the request of your servant, This report is the response to the ministerial telegram dated 19 May 1918. With a cipher telegram dated 29 January 1918 and numbered 114, we communicated [to your Excellency] that in connection with the residents from Java who were transported from Medina to Adana, Abdurrahim bin Mahmud and Mahmud bin Abdulkadir and Yakub bin Abdullah were moved to the provinces of İçel, Kozan and the county of Yumurtalık in the years 1916 and 1917. Your order, dated February 1918 and numbered 79, requested the investigation and communication of whether the aforementioned were forced to work. Upon this, a communication was written to the places concerned and it was communicated in response that no Javanese person was found with this name. Therefore the Administration of Immigrants was asked for an explanation. [The Administration of Immigrants] stated that while the residents of Medina were transported for settlement to their place, the necessary documents were prepared and handed over to themselves and the annotations on their transportation were recorded in this way. As they were not transported under guard they may have gone to other places instead of the provinces of İçel, Kozan and the county of Yumurtalık. Upon this a general announcement has been issued to other places [in the province of Adana] requesting information. The answers will certainly be communicated. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 21 May 1918 Governor of Adana Source: BOA DH.EUM.5.Şb 60/18

Chapter 9

Ottoman Citizens in Southeast Asia, the Question of Their Legal Status and the Citizenship of Hadramis in the Dutch Indies The Hadrami Arabs resident in Southeast Asia played a crucial role as intermediaries between the Ottomans and the region. Hadrami immigration to Southeast Asia became especially intense during the 19th century, although it had earlier antecedents (on the diaspora see Freitag and Clarence Smith 1997). Leading Hadrami families such as the al-Saqqafs played a major role in the economy and politics of Southeast Asia, and it was Hadramis who often served as ambassadors of Southeast Asian rulers to Istanbul (Kathirithamby-Wells 2015), and as illustrated in Chapter 7, it was Hadramis who constituted the bulk of the students from Java who studied in Istanbul. Hadramis claimed to be Ottoman subjects, even if Istanbul enjoyed no effective rule over Hadramawt, and this claim was accepted by the Ottomans. However, as the documents published in this chapter indicate, the Hadrami claim to Ottoman citizenship was not necessarily accepted by the Dutch authorities in Southeast Asia, who in any event distinguished between Ottoman subjects born in the empire’s European territories, who were entitled to the privileges of European citizens, and those from the rest of the empire, who were classed as Orientals, and thus had a less privileged legal status. The Ottoman government devoted considerable efforts to getting the Dutch to recognise the Hadramis’ status as Ottoman subjects, and furthermore, argued for their equal treatment as Europeans, regardless of their place of birth within the empire. 1

The newly appointed Ottoman Consul General in Batavia giving information about his journey to Batavia and the Hadramis in the city, 1883

Devletlü Siyâdetlü Seyyid Fazlullah Paşa Hazretlerinin Huzûr-ı Saʿâdetlerine Maʿrûz-ı bende-i dîrîneleridir ki Müterettib uhde-i ağabeydânem olan duʿâ-yı vâcibüʾl-edâ-yı siyâdetpenâhîlerine baʿdeʾt-tezkâr şu vechile arz-ı makâle mübâderet eylerim ki Dersaʿâdetʾden hareket-i bendegânemin onuncu günü Port Saidʾe muvâsalet birle ertesi günü Flemenk vapuruna râkiben ve mahall-i meʾmûriyet-i © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_011

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kemterâneme müteveccihan azîmet olunmuş idi baʿdehû hiçbir mahalle uğranılmaksızın yirmi bir gün zarfında Sumatra Cezîresiʾnde vâkiʿ Padang şehrine ve bir gün sonra tekrâr hareketle iki gün zarfında yani Dersaʿadetʾden müfârakat-ı çâkerânemin otuz dördüncü günü âminen ve sâlimen Batavya‌ʾya muvâsalet-i bendegânem müyesser olarak işbu inâyet-i Hakʾdan dolayı derhâl derdest tazarruʿu küşâd birle arz-ı şükrân ve mehmedet ve tezâyüd-i eyyâm-ı ömr ü ikbâl-i devletleri refʿ-i bârigâh-ı cenâb-ı Rabb-i ahadiyet kılındı buraya muvâsalet-i bendegânemi müteʿâkib sâdât ve eşrâf-ı Arab peyderpey ziyâreti âcizâneme gelerek derece-i nihâyede izhâr-ı sürûr ve şâdumânî eylemişler ve vikâye-i hukûk ve menâfiʿleri zımnında birinci defʿa olmak üzre taraf-ı saltanat-ı seniyyeden meʾmûr irsâl buyurulmasından dolayı câlis-i serîr-i hilâfet-i kübrâ olan şevketlü kudretlü pâdişâh-ı cem-câh ve şehr-i yâr-ı kâr-ı âgâh efendimiz hazretlerinin tezâyüd-i eyyâm-ı ömr ü ikbâl ve tevâfir-i şân ve şevket ve iclâl-i hümâyûnları duʿâ-yı hayr intimâsını îsâl-ı kabûl-gâh-ı cenâb-ı Rabb-i müteʿâl eylemişlerdir Dersaʿâdetʾden müfârakat-ı âcizânem esnâsında ihsân ve inâyet buyurulan iki kıtʿa vesîka-i şerîflerinden birini sülâle-i tâhirei saʿâdet-i bâhirelerinden Seydi Abdurrahmanʾa ve diğerini ekber-i sâdât Batavyaʿda bulunmadığı cihetle huzzâr-ı sâdâta iʿtâ eylediğimden cümlesi işbu iltifât ve tebşîr-i devletinden bir kat daha mesrûr olarak her ne ifâde ve arzu eder isem cân ve baş ile icrâya hâzır olduklarını beyân eylediler mûmâileyh Seydi Abdurrahman ise kemâl-i meserretinden eşk-i rîz-i memnûniyet olarak gece gündüz bendelerini yalnız bırakmamakdadır doğrusu şu lütf ve inâyeti kerem-kârîlerinin yüz bin lisânım olsa yine edâ-yı teşekküründen âcizim kezâlik ihsân buyurulmuş olan resâʾilden şimdilik bir nüsha mûmâileyh Seydi Abdurrahmanʾa iʿtâ kılınıp inşallâh ileride lâzım gelenlere verilecekdir buradaki eşrâf-ı Arabʾdan istihbâr eylediğime göre nefs-i Batavya‌ʾda cümlesi Hadramutlu olmak üzre iki bin kadar ve tekmîl Flemenk cezâyirinde on beş bin mikdarı Arab tahmîn ediliyor Batavya şehrinde dört beş kadar büyük cevâmiʿ-i şerîfe mevcûd olup cümlesinde salât-ı Cuma edâ olunmakda ise de şimdiye değin hutbede nâm-ı celîlüʾl-unvân-ı hilâfetin tilâveti muʿtâd değil iken işbu Şaʿbânüʾl-muʿazzamʾın on yedinci Cuma günü edâ-yı salât-ı şerîfe için cevâmiʿ-i mezbûreden birine gittiğimde esnâ-yı hutbede hatîb ilk defʿa olmak üzre unvân-ı celîlüʾş-şân-ı hilâfeti zikr eylemiş olduğundan cümle müslimîn münşerihüʾl-bal olmuşlardır şimdilik destres olduğum maʿlûmâtın arz ve işʿârına müsâraʿat kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazreti men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 19 Şaʿbân sene [1]300 ve fî 12 Haziran sene [1]299 an Batavya Bende-i Batavya Başşehbenderi To His Most Felicitous Excellency Sayyid Fazlullah Paşa The request of your most humble servant is that:

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After reciting the prayers that I owe to the person of Your Most Honoured Excellency I beg to commence this petitionary report as follows: On the tenth day following my humble departure from the Abode of Felicity, I arrived at Port Said, and departed on the following day for my place of service by embarking upon a Dutch ship. Without calling anywhere else, we arrived at the city of Padang on the island Sumatra within twenty one days and, departing once more the following day, we arrived within two days (that is on the thirty fourth day of my humble departure from the Abode of Felicity) safe and sound at Batavia. Upon, this I immediately started to present my gratitude to Your Excellency, and prayed to our Lord the One True God to extend your Excellency’s days. Following my arrival in this place, a number of sayyids and prominent Arabs humbly visited me one after the other and expressed their pleasure and happiness, praying to almighty God for the prolongation of the life and reign of our glorious lord, the all-powerful Sultan who sits on the throne of great Caliphate, as well as for the enhancement of his glory and fame, on account of him sending an official from the Imperial Sultanate for the first time to protect their rights and interests. I gave one of the two documents [of sayyidship] with which I was bestowed on my humble departure from the Abode of Felicity to Sidi Abdurrahman, who belongs to the great noble family of the Prophet, and the other to the sayyids who were present, as the head sayyid was not in Batavia at that time. This compliment pleased them once more, and they declared that they were ready to carry out with heart and soul whatever I would say and wish. As for Sidi Abdurrahman, he would not leave me alone for days and nights as a result of his tearful gladness, and, frankly speaking, even if I had hundred thousand tongues, I would not be able to present his thanks to Your Excellency adequately for the benevolent bounty he received. Likewise, I have given Sidi Abdurrahman a copy of the booklets that were entrusted to me, and in the future, God willing, I will give the others to the relevant individuals. I have learned from the prominent Arabs here that it is estimated there are around two thousand Hadramis in Batavia, and a further fifteen thousand such Arabs throughout the rest of the Dutch islands. In the city of Batavia, there are four or five big mosques in Batavia, and Friday prayers are performed in all of them. Until now it was not usual to recite the Friday sermon in the glorious name of the Caliph, but when I went to one of the mosques for prayer on Friday 22 of this present June [1883], the preacher recited the sermon in the glorious name of the Caliph for the first time, and all Muslims became full of joy. I hasten to submit to communicate all the news until now. In this and in all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 25 June 1883, Batavia Your servant, the Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA Y.PRK.EŞA. 3/60

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Legal opinion on whether the Hadramis residing in Dutch colonies can be treated as Ottoman subjects, 1883

Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Hadramut ahâlîsinden olup Flemenk Devleti müstemlekâtında tavattun edenlere Devlet-i Aliyye tebʿası muʿâmele olunup olunamayacağına ve Memâlik-i şâhâneye seyahat edecek Flemenk tebʿasının Batavya Başşehbenderhânesiʾne pasaportlarını vize ettirmeleri hakkında Hukûk müşâvirlerinin fî 14 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [18]83 târihli mutâlaʿanâmeleri tercümesidir Batavya başşehbenderi Flemenk Devleti müstemlekâtında mutavattın olup ekserîsi an-asl Arabistanʾın cihet-i cenûbiyesinde kâʾin Hadramut Eyâleti ahâlîsinden bulunan Arabların doğru mezkûr şehbenderliğe tâbi olmalarını tahrîrât-ı melfûfesinde teklîf ediyor. Tahrîrâtda münderic mülâhazâtı tasdîkde tereddüd etmez isek de bu bâbda Flemenk Hükûmeti nezdinde buraca icrâ olunacak teşebbüsâta esâs olacak mutâlaʿât-ı amîkayı der-meyân etmezden evvel hükûmet-i seniyyenin Hadramut hakkında muhâfaza (?) hukûkunun nevʿ ve sûretiyle derece-i şümûlüne dâʾir îzâhât-ı kâmile istihsâl etmek yani eyâlet-i mezkûre ahâlîsinin ne dereceye kadar kavânîn ve nizâmât-ı seniyyeye tâbiʿ oldukları ve memâlik-i ecnebiyeye azîmet edecekleri sırada pasaport veyâ mürûr tezkeresi mi aldıklarını Hindistanʾda seyâhatleri esnâsında gerek Devlet-i Aliyye şehbenderleri ve gerek İngiltere hükûmet-i mahalliyesi tarafından haklarında ne yolda muʿâmele olunduğunu bilmek arzusundadır işbu maʿlûmât-ı müfîde ve mukteziyye ancak Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾyle Bombay Başşehbenderliğiʾnden istihsâl olunabileceğinden zikr olunan (?) nezâret-i müşârunileyhâ ile şehbenderlik-i mezkûra tebliğ ve işʿârıyla istiʿlâm olunmak lâzım geleceği reʾy ve efkârındayız (?) şehbender-i mûmâileyhin tarafından der-meyân olunan vize husûsuna gelince Flemenk Hükûmeti gerek hukûk-ı milel kavâʿidi ve gerek biʾl-cümle memâlik-i mütemeddinede merʿiyyüʾl-icrâ olan taʿâmül üzerine müʾesses bu hakkımıza cidden iʿtirâz edecekdir. Fî 22 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [12]99 Draft translation: concerning whether the Hadramis residing in the colonies of the Dutch State can be treated as subjects of the Sublime State or not, and the requirement for Dutch subjects to obtain visas from the Consulate General in Batavia before travelling to the Imperial Dominions. This is the translation1 of the report of the legal advisors, dated 14 November [18]83 1  The report was apparently written in French.

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In his enclosed letters, the Consul General in Batavia suggests that the Arabs residing in the colonies of the Dutch State who originate from the South Arabian province of Hadramawt should be subject to [the protection of] the said consulate. Although we do not hesitate to approve the reflections included in the correspondence, before putting forward the detailed considerations that will form the basis of the initiatives to be taken with the Dutch government, [we would] like to obtain a complete explanation of the nature and the extent of the Imperial Government’s duties of protection of the Hadramis. That is, to investigate to what extent the residents of the said province are subject to imperial laws and regulations, whether they obtain passports or travel documents when they depart to a foreign country, and how the consuls of the Sublime State, as well as the local British administration, treat them during their journeys to India. As this information can be obtained only from the Ministry of the Interior and the Consulate General at Bombay, it is noted. It is our view and opinion that it is necessary to contact the said ministry and the consulate. As for the issue of visas proposed by our consul [in Batavia], the Dutch government will seriously oppose this despite its being based on the conventions of the Law of Nations, as well as the practice of all civilised countries. 4 December 1883 Source: BOA HR.TO. 367/22

3

Advice to the Ottoman government to reiterate the connection with Hadramawt to ensure the subject status of the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1883

Batavya şehrine taraf-ı Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden taʿyîn buyurulan şehbenderin husûl-ı hüsn-i muvaffakiyetiyle ileride hiçbir tarafdan muʿârazaya ve müşkilât tahaddüsüne meydân kalmamak için hâtır-ı dâʿiyâneme hutûr eden bir mülâhazanın arz ve ifâdesine cesâret olunur şöyle ki nefs-i Batavya ile mülhakâtında tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden olmak üzre Sâdât-ı Aleviye ile Arabʾdan başka nüfûs olmayıp bunlardan iki bini Batavya‌ʾda ve on beş bini mülhakâtda mütevattın iseler de fiʾl-asl cümlesi Hadramutlu olduklarından ve Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye cihet-i tâbiʿiyyetleri dahî bundan yani Hadramut kıtʿasının Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye tâbiʿiyyet ve râtıbâtından neşʾet edip hattâ Hadramut emîr-i sâbık müteveffâ Galib el-Kesîri müteveffâ Hasib Paşa‌ʾnın Hicaz vâliliği zamânında bir kıtʿa nişân-ı âlî ve buyuruldu ile teʾyîd olunmuş ve bundan çend sene mukaddem vefâtında oğlu Emir Mansur nasb buyurularak şimdiye kadar zimâm-ı idâre onun yedinde bulunmuş olduğundan işbu irtibâtın teʾyîdiyle Batavya ve

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mülhakâtında bulunan Arab ve sâdâtın muhâfaza-i tâbiʿiyyetleri için Emir Mansur mûmâileyhin Yemen Vilâyeti tarafından bir kıtʿa buyuruldu-yı âlî ile emâretinin teʾyîdi ve münâsib nişân ile sîne-i ubûdiyetinin tenvîr ve telmîʿi lâzıme-i maslahatdan ise de her hâlde emr u fermân şevketlü pâdişâhımız velî-niʿmetimiz efendimindir. Ed-dâî Fasl bin Ulvi I humbly dare to present a suggestion in order to remove any future difficulties or objections to the success of the consul appointed by the Sublime State to the city of Batavia, which is as follows. In the city of Batavia and its surroundings there are no subjects of the Sublime State except the Alawi Sayyids and a number of Arabs, and two thousand of them reside in Batavia with a further fifteen thousand living in the surrounding area. They are all originally from Hadramawt and are also subjects of Sublime State, that is to say their subject status derives from the connection and subject status of the province of Hadramawt to the Sublime State. During the governorship of Hasib Paşa in the Hijaz, the late Ghalib al-Kathiri, the former Emir of Hadramawt, was confirmed [in office] by means of an imperial diploma and a Grand Vizierial order. Upon his death several years ago, his son, Emir Mansur, was appointed in his place, and the administration of that place has remained in his hands until today. Therefore, to confirm the subject status of the Arabs and Sayyids residing in Batavia and its surroundings, it is necessary to renew this connection by confirming him as Emir by means of an order from the Province of Yemen to the said Emir Mansur, and to reiterate his subject status through a suitable imperial diploma. However, in whatever matter, it is to our lord, our glorious Sultan and our noble benefactor, to issue any command and order. Your supplicant, Fasl bin Ulwi Source: BOA Y.PRK.EŞA. 3/60

4

Legal opinion about the citizenship status of the Arabs who reside in the Dutch East Indies, 1884

Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Batavya‌ʾya hicret eden Arabların tâbiʿyyeti hakkında Flemenk meʾmûrlarının metâlib-i gâribelerine dâʾir Hukûk müşâvirlerinin fî 10 Mart sene [18]84 târihli ve 394 numerolu mutâlaʿanâmeleri tercümesidir. Saʿâdetlü Karaca Paşa Hazretleriʾnden vârid olan tahrîrât melfûfuyla Batavya Başşehbenderi tarafından Lahey Sefâret-i seniyyesine irsâl olunan tahrîrâtın

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sûreti mutâlaʿa-güzâr-ı âcizânemiz olmuşdur evvel be-evvel şurasını arz ve işʿâr ederiz ki bir şehbenderin vezâʾifi yalnız mesâlih-i ticâriyeye münhasır olmayıp fakat ikâmet eyledikleri memleketde temekkün ve yahud oradan mürûr eden tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin murâfaʿa ve himâyelerine müteʿallik husûsâtı dahî şâmildir. Flemenk meʾmûrlarının metâlib-i garîbelerini teʾyîden der-pîş eyledikleri yegâne delîl Devlet-i Aliyye ile Flemenk beyninde münakid fî 20 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene 1856 târihli mukâvelenâmedir mukâvele-i mezkûre hayli vakitden beru mürûr-ı zamân ile hükümden sâkıt olmuş olmağla onu der-pîş ve bâ-kâʾide makâmında ittihâz etmek biʾt-tâbiʿ câʾiz değildir kavâʿid-i hukûkiye mûcebince Arab muhâcirlerinden kangıları tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden olmak lâzım geldiği mesʾelesine gelince tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniye Kânûnnâmesiʾnin iʿlânından evvel hicret edenleri andan sonra muhâceret eyleyenlerden tefrîk etmek lâzımdır ikinci sınıfa dâhil olan Arab muhâcirler Kânûnnâme-i mezkûrun beşinci mâddesi ahkâmına tevfîkan tebdîl-i tâbiʿiyyet eylemelerine taraf-ı hükûmet-i seniyyeden müsâʿade buyuruluncaya değin tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾde kalacakları vâreste-i kayd-ı iştibâhdır husûsen ki bunlar Flemenk tâbiʿiyyetini li-ecliʾl-ihzâr hiçbir teşebbüsde bulunmamışlardır tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniye Kânûnuʾnun târih-i iʿlânı bulunan bin sekiz yüz altmış dokuz senesinden evvel hicret ile memâliki şâhâneye artık avdet etmemek fikriyle müddet-i medîdeden beru Flemenk Devletiʾnin taht-ı idâresindeki Hindistan kıtʿasında ihtiyâr-ı ikâmet eden birinci sınıf Arab muhâcirleri ise evvelâ Flemenk tâbiʿiyyetini ihrâz etmedikleri, sâniyen Flemenk Devleti müddet-i medîdeden beru memâlik-i mezkûrda mütemekkin Arabları bir kânûn-ı husûsî ile Flemenk tâbiʿiyyetini kabûle icbâr eylemediği cihetle tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyye sıfatını gâyib etmemişlerdir imdi Arablar hiçbir vakit tebdîl-i tâbiʿiyyet talebinde bulunmadıkları gibi Flemenk Devleti dahî bu meʾâlde bir kânûn iʿlân eylemediğinden devlet-i müşârunileyh eşhâs-ı merkûmeyi yalnız kavânîn-i sarîhanın fikdânı hasebiyle sarf ve sâdece kendi tebʿasından addedemez hattâ Flemenk Hükûmetiʾne merbût Hindistanʾda oldukları hâl memâlik-i mezkûrda tevellüd eden Arablar bile hukûk-ı düvel kavâʿidi mûcebince Flemenk tebʿasından add olunamazlar tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden bulunan Arablar ile teʾehhül eden yerli kadınlara gelince bunlar dahî izdivaçları münâsebetiyle tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi ihrâz etmişlerdir reʾy-i âcizânemize göre Flemenk Hükûmeti adâlet ve hakkâniyete muvâfık olan kavâʿid-i mezkûreyi red edemez husûsen ki kendisi dahî bu kavâʿidi memâlik-i şâhânede mütemekkin Flemenk tebʿasının işlerinde tatbik ve icrâ eylemekdedir eğer Flemenk Devleti mukâbele biʾl-misl kâʿidesinde münbaʿs vezâʾifini tanımaz ise hükûmet-i seniye dahî bir hayli müddetden beru memâlik-i şâhânede temekkün ve tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden bulunan

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nisvân ile teʾehhül ve bâ-husûs pederleri Flemenk ve vâlideleri Devlet-i Aliyye tebʿasından oldukları hâlde memâlik-i şâhânede tevellüd eden Flemenklilerin tâbiʿiyyet-i ecnebiyelerine bi-hakkın iʿtirâz edebilir. Hukûk nokta-i nazarınca mutâlaʿât-ı âcizânemiz bunlardan ibâret olup kavâʿid-i mezkûreyi tervîç için ne yolda hareket olunmak lâzım geleceğinin hükûmet-i seniyyenin karâr-ı âlîsine manûtdur Bâb-ı Âlî inkisârı mûcib olabilecek sûretde ya açıkdan açığa hareket etmek ve yahud Karaca Paşa Hazretleriʾnin tavsiyesi vechile hükûmetce davranmak şekillerinden birini kabûl ve ihtiyâr buyurulabilir. Fî 18 Mart sene [1]300 Draft translation:2 On the strange demands of the Dutch authorities with regard to the citizenship of Arabs who have immigrated to Batavia. This is the translation of the report of the legal advisors dated 10 March 1884. We have humbly studied the communiqué of His Excellency Karaca Paşa together with the enclosed communiqué sent by the Consul General at Batavia to the Imperial Embassy at The Hague. First of all, we want to state that the duty of a consul is not limited to commercial issues, but that it also includes issues pertaining to the protection of Ottoman subjects who settle in or visit the country where he resides, and to hearing [their petitions]. The only evidence which the Dutch authorities have put forward to support their strange demands is the agreement between the Sublime State and the Netherlands dated 20 October 1856. As the said agreement has not been in effect for quite a long time due to the passage of time, it is not permissible to refer to it and to accept it as a [valid] basis. As for the question of which Arab immigrants should be considered as subjects of the Sublime State according to the principles of law, it is necessary to differentiate between those who emigrated before the declaration of The Ottoman Nationality Law3 and those who emigrated afterwards. According to the provisions of the fifth article of this law, there is no doubt that the Arab immigrants who are in the latter group remain Ottoman citizens until the Imperial Government permits them to change their citizenship. Moreover, they have not taken any initiative to adopt Dutch citizenship. The former group of Arab immigrants, who emigrated before 1869, when The Ottoman Nationality Law was proclaimed, 2  The report was apparently written in French originally. 3  The Ottoman Nationality Law was passed in 1869. “The law was developed to define membership in marginal and difficult cases of shared allegiance. Its focus was acquisition and loss of membership rather than the rights of citizenship. Ottoman nationality law was largely consistent with international norms …” (Hanley 2016: 277).

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to those parts of the region of India under Dutch rule with no intention of returning to the Ottoman lands, and who have resided there for a very long time, have not lost their status as Ottoman citizens because, first of all, they did not obtain Dutch citizenship, and secondly, the Dutch State has not forced the Arabs who have been residing in the said country for a very long to adopt Dutch citizenship through any special law. Now, as the Arabs have never demanded to change their citizenship and the Dutch State has not proclaimed a law to that end, the latter cannot consider these individuals as its own subjects simply because of the absence of unequivocal laws. Moreover, according to the Law of Nations, even the Arabs who were born in those parts of India subject to the Dutch Government cannot be considered as Dutch subjects. As for the local women who married with Arab subjects of the Sublime State, they too have acquired Ottoman citizenship due to their marriage. In our humble view, the Dutch State cannot deny these principles which are congruent with justice and equity, especially because the Dutch themselves implement these principles with regard to the Dutch subjects residing in the Imperial Domains as well. If the Dutch Governments does not recognize its duties of reciprocity, the Imperial Government can also reject the foreign status, both of the Dutch who have been residing in the Imperial Domains for a very long time and have married women who were subjects of the Sublime State, and especially of those who were born in the Imperial Domains to Dutch fathers and mothers who were subjects of the Sublime State. Our humble view from the legal perspective consists of these reflections based on the principles that it is possible to pursue, and it is up to the Imperial Government to decide what path of action is most fit to take. The Sublime Porte may choose to act openly, which may offend [the Dutch], or to take and follow the advice of His Excellency Karaca Paşa and hold discussions between the two governments. 30 March 1884 Source: BOA HR.TO. 367/65

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Ottoman Consul General in Batavia fails to register the Ottoman citizens in the Dutch East Indies, 1886

Bâb-ı Âlî Tercüme Odası Numero Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Batavya‌ʾda mütemekkin tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾnin esâmîsini mübeyyin defterin leffen irsâline dâʾir.

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Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne fî 22 Mayıs sene [18]86 târihiyle İstokholm Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Taʿlîmât-ı aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîlerine imtisâlen Batavya‌ʾda mütemekkin tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden yalnız iki kişinin sicill-i nüfûs varakalarını leffen takdîm eder ve Batavya Başşehbenderinin dâʾire-i meʾmûriyeti dâhilinde ikâmet eden sâʾir tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾyi aleʾl-umûm kayd ve tescîle muvaffak olamadığını arz ederim emr u fermân. Fî 26 Mayıs sene 1302 Sublime Porte Translation Office Number Draft translation: The shipment of the register indicating the names of the subjects of the Sublime State residing in Batavia. Translation of the communiqué, dated 22 May 1886, received by the Foreign Ministry from the Imperial Embassy in Stockholm. I would like to present, in accordance with the exalted ministerial orders, the enclosed identity records of only two individual subjects of the Sublime State residing in Batavia, and communicate that the Consul General in Batavia was not able to register entirely the remaining Ottoman subjects residing at the places subject to his remit. 7 June 1886 Source: BOA HR.TO. 51/74

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Documents pertaining to the problem of inheritance of Abdülaziz Baghdadi, 1887

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry giving information about the legal problems pertaining to the inheritance of Abdülaziz Baghdadi, an Ottoman citizen who died in Batavia, 1887 Huzûr-ı Âlî-i Cenâb-ı Nezâret-Penâhîye 426 123 Devletlü efendim hazretleri Batavya mütemekkinlerinden olup bundan akdem vefât etmiş olan Abdülaziz Efendiʾnin emvâl-i metrûkesinin verese beyninde taksîm ve intikâlâtından mevzûʿ olan nizâmı vechile taraf-ı hükûmetden yüzde beş resm taleb olunması müteveffâ-yı mûmâileyhin evlâdından Ahmed ve Abdülfettah Efendiler işbu 6.1

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resmin külliyetinden şikâyet ederek Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde müʾesses olup bu günkü târihli arîza-i âcizânemde arz eylediğim vechile Avrupalı ve Asyalı her nereli olur ise olsun ehl-i İslâmʾın gayrı hakkında merʿî olan ve Avrupalı taʿbîr olunan kânûn mûcebince intikâlât resminin ekall-i kalîl olmasına mebnî işbu kânûnun menâfiʿ-i imtiyâziyesinden istifâde etmek üzre kânûn-ı mezkûrun bir sûret-i istisnâiyede haklarında merʿî tutulmasını iddiʿâ ve ol-bâbda şehbenderhânenin tavassutunu dahî taleb etmiş oldukları mukaddemce dahî arz olunmuşdu müstaʿni-i arz ve beyân üzre tebʿamızın bilâ-istisnâ muʿâmelât ve tekâlif ve vergi ve sâʾirde tebʿa-i ecnebiye misillü menâfiʿ ve imtiyâzât-ı kânûniyeden istifâde etmeleri lâzımeden ve ol-bâbda icrâ-yı teşebbüsü vazîfeden addeylediğim cihetle muʾahharan dahî Cezâyir-i Hindiye Kâtib-i Umûmîsiʾne vukûʿ bulan ifâdâtım üzerine mûmâileyh Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde mütemekkin biʾl-cümle ehl-i İslâmʾın verâset ve intikâlâtı usûl-ı mevzûʿasına tevfîkan mehâkim-i şerʿiyye tarafından icrâ olunduğundan âʾid olduğu resmin dahî istîfâsı tabîʿî bulunduğunu ve mûmâileyh Ahmed ve Abdülfettah Efendilerin iddiâ-yı vâkıʿaları işbu resmin külliyetinden şikâyetle kendilerinin Avrupalı gibi tanınması ve haklarında mezkûr Avrupalı kânûnunun icrâsıyla mûcebince intikâlât resminin ahz olunmasından ibâret olup fakat kânûn-ı mezkûrda verâsetin sûret-i tevzîʿâtı başka olduğundan mûmâileyhimin Avrupalı kânûnuna dehâleti mâddesi hakkında olan istidʿâları ve kânûn-ı mezkûrun bilâ-kayd ve şart haklarında merʿiyet-i ahkâmına sûret-i muvâfakatlerini hâvî taʿahhüdâtları sıbkat etmiş olmağla işbu taʿahhüdâtları dahî hükûmetce kabûl olunduğu takdîrde verâsetin kânûn-ı mezkûr ahkâmına tevfîkan tevzîʿi lâzım geleceğini ve mûmâileyhim Batavya‌ʾda mütevellid ve mutavattın bulunmasına mebnî kendilerinin tabʿiyetleri evvel ve âhar hükûmetce tasdîk olunmadığından bu mâddede dahî tabʿiyetleri mesʾelesi yine meydana konularak haklarında tavassut-ı bendegânemi adem-i kabûlde mağdûr olduklarını beyân etmişdir işbu Avrupalı kânûnu hakkında olan maʿlûmât-ı bendegâne ve mutâlaʿât-ı kâsırânem mezkûr bu günkü târihli arîza-i âcizânemde arz ve ehl-i İslâmʾın yerli kânûna tabaʿiyetleri hakkında olan bend kânûnu Fransızca tercümesiyle mezkûr arîzaya leffen takdîm kılınmış olduğundan mûmâileyhimin Avrupa kânûnundan istifâdeleri mücerred bend-i mezkûrun tebdîl ve taʿdîline manût ve mütevakkıf görünmüş ve iddiʿâ-yı vâkıʿa ve mesʾelenin ehemmiyetine nazaran keyfiyetin arzına müsâraʿat kılınmış olmağla şeref-sânih olacak emr u fermân isâbet-beyân-ı cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri vechile hareket olunacağı bedîhî bulunmuşdur her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 12 Mayıs sene [1]303 Bende-i Batavya Başşehbenderi

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To the exalted presence of his ministerial Excellency 426 123 To my lord, Your Excellency I previously submitted a humble petitionary communication [relating] that the [Dutch colonial] government had demanded, in accordance with the current regulations, five per cent due for the probate and division of the inheritance between the heirs of Abdülaziz Efendi, a resident of Batavia who died recently. Ahmed and Abdülfettah Efendis, the children of the deceased, complained about the immensity of this fee as it was a regulation of the East Indies. They claimed that European law should be implemented as an exception, so as to benefit from the privileges provided by this law, and they requested the mediation of the consulate to that end, as the transfer due is very low according to this law which is implemented for non-Muslims whether they are European or Asian. There is no need to state that our citizens, without exception, should enjoy the same legal privileges with regard to procedures, dues, and taxes as [other] foreign citizens. [Therefore] I considered it my duty to take the initiative and expressed [my views accordingly] to the Secretary-General of the East Indies. Upon hearing my statements the said [Secretary-General] stated that the inheritances and the transfer [of inheritances to heirs] of all Muslims residing in the East Indies are settled, in accordance with the established method, by the sharia courts, and that it was natural to pay the corresponding dues. He stated that the claim of the said Ahmad and Abdülfettah Efendis consists of their complaints about the immensity of this due and their [request] for recognition as Europeans so that the European law will be implemented for them, and the corresponding probate duty be collected. However, as the method of division [of the inheritances] is different in the said [European] law, they were obliged to give [written] requests to enter the [jurisprudence] of European law and [written] commitments stating their consent for the unconditional implementation of the stipulations of the said law for themselves. This has now been done, and if their undertakings are accepted by the government, the inheritance will be divided in accordance with the stipulations of this law. He further stated that he was sorry to refuse, on this issue as well, my mediation for them on the grounds of their citizenship, since their citizenship was not approved by the previous or present governments, because they were born and are settled in Batavia. I presented my limited information about this European law with my abovementioned petition bearing today’s date, and enclosed the French translation of the relevant article of the law concerning Muslims being subject to the local law. Therefore it is considered that whether they will benefit from the European law or not, depends exclusively on the adjustment of

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the said article. I hastened to communicate this due to the importance of the issue and the claims, and it is apparent that I will act in accordance with the exalted ministerial order stating the appropriate [opinion]. In any matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 24 May 1887 Your servant, the Consul General of Batavia Source: BOA HR.HMŞ.İŞO. 170/23

The director of the Department of Complex Legal Affairs to the Foreign Minister giving details about the issue of the inheritance of Abdülaziz Efendi and advising to take serious initiatives with the Dutch government to secure European status for Ottoman subjects in Dutch colonies, 1888 Müzekkere 335 Batavya Başşehbenderi esbak müteveffâ Seyyid Abdülaziz Efendiʾnin mahdûmu Abdülfettah Efendi işi hakkında Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne sebk iden işʿâr-ı âlî-i nezâret-penâhîlerine cevâben bu kerre vârid olup havâle buyurulan fî 27 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene 1887 târihli tahrîrât meʾâline nazaran mûmâileyh Abdülfettah Efendiʾnin istiʿtâf eylediği tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi istihfâf eder fenâ bir adam olup çünkü borçlarını tesviye etmemek içün uhûd-ı atîkadan biʾl-istifâde İstanbulʾdaki dâyinlerinden tahlîsi girîbân etmek ümidiyle Flemenk tebʿası sıfatıyla tanınması husûsunu Dersaʿâdet Flemenk sefâretinden taleb ve istidʿâ eylediği cihetle mûmâileyhin Flemenk müstemlekâtında tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾden ve memâlik-i şâhânede ise Flemenk tâbiʿiyyetinden istifâde edebileceği Dersaʿâdet Flemenk Sefâretiʾnin işʿârı iktizâsından bulunduğu devleteyn-i müşârunileyhâ Hâriciye Nezâretiʾnden beyân ve ifâde olduğundan ve bu bâbda Karaca Bey Hazretlerine irâʾe olunan evrâk mûmâileyhin sû-i harekâtınca aslâ şübhe bırakmadığından ol-bâbda evâmir-i ifâdei nezâret-penâhîlerine intizâren mûmâileyh Abdülfettah Efendi hakkında şimdilik Flemenk Hâriciye Nezareti nezdinde teşebbüsat icrâsından sarf-ı nazar edildiği anlaşılmışdır. Bu bâbda lâyıkıyla izâh-ı merâm olunabilmek için mâdde-i şürûʿdan evvel baʿzı maʿlûmât arz-ı vecîbeden add olunur şöyle ki Flemenk Devletiʾnin müstemlekât-ı şarkiyyesi ıtlâk olunan Cezâyir-i vesîʿa-i Hindiyeʾde mütemekkin ve mütevattın ahâlî iki sınıfa münkasım olup kavânîn ve nizâmât-ı mahalliye ahkâmınca sınıf-ı evvel yerliler ve yerlilere müşâbih olanlar sınıf-ı sânî dahî Avrupalılar ve Avrupalıʾya müşâbih bulunanlardır sınıf-ı evvelden maʿdûd olup yerlilere teşbîh edilen kesân metn-i kânûn hükmünce “Asyalı ecânib” nâmıyla Asya ahâlî-i muhtelifesi ve aleʾl-ıtlâk put perestler ve Çinliler ve 6.2

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Arablar ve Müslümanlar ve sınıf-ı sânî dâhilinde bulunanlar ise asıl Avrupalılar ve biʾl-cümle Hıristiyan dîninde bulunanlar olup tâbiʿiyyet-i taʿbîleri kânûn-ı mezkûrda mevcûd değildir sınıfeyn-i mezkûreyn menâkisâtda ve baʿzen de muʿâmelât ve ukûbât ve husûsât-ı sâʾirede muhtelif kânûn ve nizâma tâbiʿ olup baʿzı mevâdda Avrupalılar yerlilerden ziyâde imtiyâz ve menfaʿat-i kânûna nâildirler. İmdi şehbender-i esbak müteveffâ Abdülaziz Efendi kendiyi Bağdadʾda mütevellid olmak ve tâbîʿ-i tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden bulunmak hasebiyle Flemenk müsemlekâtında vukûʿ bulan müddet-i medîde ikâmeti esnâda o sıfatla hakkında Avrupalı gibi muʿâmele olunmasını taleb ve iddiʿâdan hâlî kalmamış ise de hükûmet-i mahalliye mûmâileyhin Devlet-i Aliyye tâbiʿiyyetine iʿtirâz etmediği hâlde bile mahzâ Bağdadʾda tevellüdü cihetiyle kendisini Asya ahâlîsinden add ile hakkında yerli gibi muʿâmeleden hâlî kalmamışdır. Geçen sene mûmâileyhin vukûʿ-ı vefâtıyla bir zevcesi ve Abdülfettâh ve Ahmed nâmlarıyla iki nefer sulbî kebîr oğulları ile iki kebîre sulbiye kerîmesi ve Batavya‌ʾda bir çok dahî emlâki kalmış olduğundan emlâk-i mezkûrenin nizâmen merkûm ve merkûmlara intikâli lâzım gelmekle çünki hükûmet-i mahalliye bunlar hakkında dahî pederleri misillü yerli muʿâmelesi etmek istediğinden emlâk-i mezbûrenin emr-i intikâli için yüzde beş resm ki cemʿan külliyetli bir meblağ taleb etmiş olduğundan ve halbûki bunlar hakkında Avrupalı gibi muʿâmele edilmiş olsa nizâmen cüzʾî bir resm istifâ eylemek lâzım geleceğinden mûmâileyhimâ Abdülfettah ve Ahmed Efendiler şu hâlden Cezâyir-i Hindiye vâlisine şikâyet eylemeleriyle pederleri Asya kıtʿasında mütevellid olmak hasebiyle tâbîʿî yerli gibi muʿâmele görmeleri lâzım geleceği ve şu kadar ki hiç olmaz ise büyük pederlerinin Dersaʿâdetʾde tevellüdünü bir şehâdet-nâme ile isbât edebilirler ise ol vakit haklarında Avrupalı gibi muʿâmele edileceği cevâbını almış olduklarından bunlardan Abdülfettah Efendi mahzâ böyle bir şehâdetnâme istihsâli için geçenlerde Dersaʿâdetʾe kadar gelmişidi. Bu sırada şuranın dahî arzı lâzımedendir ki hâl-i hayâtında müteveffâ Abdülaziz Efendi hükûmet-i mahalliye ile beyninde tahaddüs eden bu gibi mevâd üzerine Laheyʾde Flemenk Hükûmet-i Merkeziyyesi ile Hükûmet-i Seniyyeʾye arz ve şikâyet-i hâl eylemek üzre bundan altı yedi sene mukaddem oğlu mûmâileyh Abdülfettah Efendiʾyi Avrupa‌ʾya gönderdiği esnâda o vakit Batavya‌ʾda Saltanat-ı Seniyye şehbenderhânesi henüz ihdas edilmemiş olması cihetiyle Abdülfettah Efendi Batavya Hükûmetiʾnden bir “reispas” yaʿni yerlilere ve Asya ahâlîsinden bulunan ecnebîlere dahî verilir ve derûnunda hâmilinin tâbiʿiyyeti zikr olunmaz bir nevʿ yol tezkiresi ahz etmiş ve mezkûr tezkire ile ol vakit Dersaʿâdetʾe dahî gelerek müddeti geçmiş olan varaka-i mezkûre yerine Dersaʿâdet Flemenk Sefâretiʾnden iʿtâ edilmiş olan bir Flemenk pasaportu ile Batavya‌ʾya avdet eylemişdir mûmâileyh ol vakitten beri

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kendisinin Flemenk Devleti tâbiʿiyyetinde bulunması lâzım geleceği zaʿmıyla muʾahharan dahî Dersaʿâdetʾe Flemenk pasaportuyla gelmişdir diğer tarafdan Abdülfettah Efendiʾnin birâderi Ahmed Efendi ise birkaç sene evvel Mekke-i Mükkeremeʾden Batavya‌ʾya Osmanlı pasaportuyla avdet eylemişdir bunların kangı tâbiʿiyyetde bulunmaları iktizâ eyleyeceği husûsunun tedkîkine girişildikde her ne kadar kendileri Batavya‌ʾda yerli bir vâlideden tevellüd eylemiş iseler de peder ve cedlerinin tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden olmaları hasebiyle bunların dahî tâbiʿiyyet-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾde bulunmaları gerek Saltanat-ı Seniyye kavânîni ve gerek hukûk-ı düvel kavâʿidi iktizâsındandır vâkıʿan çâkerleri Batavya‌ʾda bulunduğum esnâda baʿzı meʾmûrîn-i mahalliye Flemenk müstemlekâtında yerlilere teşbîh edilen ecânibden yaʿni Asyalılardan hâsıl olacak çocukların hükûmet-i mezkûre tebʿasından bulunmaları lâzım geleceği iddiʿâsında bulunmuşlar ise de ecânibin ve husûsuyla Arabların yerliler üzerine teʾsîr-i nüfûzlarından gâyet mütelâşî olmalarından ve taʿassublarından ileri gelen işbu iddiʿâları kavânîn-i mahalliyede aslâ münderic olmamak hasebiyle kavl-i mücerredden ibâretdir nitekim müstemlekât-ı mezkûrede mutavattın milel-i muhtelifeden Avrupalıların orada mütevellid olan ve ahfadlarının tâbiʿiyyet-i asliyelerinden aslâ min-fek olmamaları (?) teʾyîd ve isbâta kâfî add olunur. Ber minvâl-i maʿrûz mûmâileyh Abdülfettah Efendi âhiren Dersaʿâdetʾe muvâsaletle büyük pederi Hızır Efendiʾnin burada tevellüdüne dâʾir usûlü dâʾiresinde bir şehâdet-nâme istihsâl ettikden sonra mezkûr şehâdetnâme üzerine Batavya‌ʾda Avrupalı gibi muʿâmele olunmak için ledeʾl-hâce himâyet ve siyânet görmek üzre Devlet-i Aliyye tâbiʿiyyetine dehâletini makâm-ı sâmî-i nezâret-i celîlelerinden istidʿâ eylemiş ve keyfiyet usûlü vechile tâbiʿiyyet kalemine ledeʾl-havâle mûmâileyhin zâten tâbiʿiyyeti Devlet-i Aliyyeʾde bulunması lâzım geleceği husûsu kendisine biʾt-tefhîm dâʾire idâresinden yedine bir kıtʿa tezkire-i Osmâniye dahî iʿtâ kılınmışdır şu kadar ki mûmâileyhin Dersaʿâdetʾde evvelki ikâmeti esnâsında bırakmış olduğu bir deyn mâddesinden dolayı bu defʿa aleyhine ikâme-i daʿvâ olunmuş ve mûmâileyh Flemenk Devleti tebʿasından bulunduğunu ifâde eylemesi üzerine hasmı Dersaʿâdet Flemenk konsolatosuna mürâcaʿat eylediğinden orada daʿvâ derdest rüʾyet iken bervech-i maʿrûz Abdülfettah Efendiʾnin tasdîk-i tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyesi vukûʿ bulmakla mûmâileyh Flemenk tebʿası gibi başlanmış olan bir daʿvâyı tekrâr Flemenk Konsolatosuʾna mürâcaʿatla usûl ve kavâʿid-i merʿiyye iktizâsınca yine Flemenk tebʿası gibi ve fakat oraya mürâcaʿatı taʿaddüd eylememek üzre sulhen ve defʿaten tesviye eylemişdir. İşte Abdülfettah Efendi Dersaʿâdetʾde iken vâkıʿ olan ifâdesine nazaran vukûʿ-ı hâl bundan ibaret olup Flemenk Hâriciye Nezareti tarafından Karaca Bey Hazretlerine edilen teblîğât vechile bunda mûmâileyh Abdülfettah

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Efendiʾnin tâbiʿiyyet-i Saltanat-ı Seniyyeʾyi istihfâf eder bir hâl ve hareketi bulunmadığına ve Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin zan ve kıyâs vechile mûmâileyhin şu hareketi hiyel-âmiz fırsat olunsa bile sâbit olacak harekât-ı müttehimesinden nerede bulunmuş olsa dahî iki devlet kavânîni kendisini teʾdîbe kâfil olacağı müsellemâtdan olmakla berâber yine hukûk-ı şahsiye ve sarîhasının muhâfazası mütehattim bulunduğuna ve husûsuyla bu işte yalnız mûmâileyh Abdülfettah Efendi değil birâderi Ahmed Efendi ile vâlidesinin ve zevcine tebʿan Devlet-i Aliyye tâbiʿâtından bulunması lâzım gelen bir hemşîresinin dahî alâkadâr olmaları cihetiyle onların da Devlet-i Aliyye tebʿası sıfatıyla hukûklarının vikâyesi lâzımeden olduğuna binâʾen bunların her birerleri hakkında Avrupalı muʿâmelesi edilmesi zımnında Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesi tarafından Flemenk Hükûmeti nezdinde teşebbüsât-ı müʾessere ve serîʿa icrâsı derece-i vücûbda olduğu iʿtikâdındayım zîrâ bâdî-i nazarda yalnız müteveffâ Abdülaziz Efendi veresesine münhasır gibi görünen şu mâdde Flemenk müstemlekâtında bulunan ve bulunacak olan biʾl-cümle tebʿa-i şâhâneye dahî şümûlü olan bir mesʾele-i esâsiye bulunmağla yerliler menzilesinde keyfe mâ-yeşâ muʿamele görmekte olan tebʿa-i merkûmenin de muhâfaza-i hukûk ve menâfiʿi için mesʾele-i mezkûrenin Flemenk Devleti ile bir an evvel fasl ve tesviyesi şân-ı âlî ve hukûk-ı mukaddese-i Saltanat-ı Seniyye iktizâsındandır. Sâye-i mekârim-vâye-i hazret-i tâcdârîde memâlik-i mahrûsede bulunan her sınıf tebʿa-i şâhâne musâvât-ı kâmileye mazhar oldukları hâlde bunlardan bir kısmının yaʿni Asya kıtʿası dâhilindeki memâlik-i şâhâne ahâlîsinin Flemenk müstemlekâtında yerliler misillü muʿâmele görmesi ve diğer bir kısmının yaʿni Avrupa kıtʿasında vâkıʿ memâlik-i mahrûse ahâlîsinin orada Avrupalı kânûnuna tâbiʿ bulunması ve kezâlik İslâm ve Hıristiyan tebʿa-i şâhânenin umûr-ı dîniyeye müteʿallik husûsâtın gayrısında dahî başka başka muʿâmele görmesi muvâfık hak ve adl olamayacağına ve mukaddemâ Flemenk müstemlekâtında Devlet-i Aliyye tebʿasının hukûk ve menâfiʿi nazar-ı iʿtibâra alınmayarak yapılmış olan böyle garib bir kanûnun netîce-i seyyiʾâtı olmak üzre mütezarrır olan tebʿa-i şâhânenin vikâye-i menâfiʿi için her bâr hükûmet-i mahalliyeye mürâcaʿat vukûʿunda “ne yapalım kânûnumuz böyledir” cevâbını almakdan başka bir kâʾideyi müfîd olmamakda idiğine ve fî zamâninâ vesâʾit-i nakliyenin tevâfiri ve beyneʾl-milel veʾl-akvâm münâsebât ve muʿâmelâtın tezâyüdü cihetiyle baʿdemâ dahî Flemenk müstemlekâtında kesretle bulunabilecek olan tebʿa-i şâhânenin vikâye-i menâfiʿi husûsu cânib-i Saltanat-ı Seniyyeʾden nazar-ı iʿtibâra alınarak bundan çend sene akdem Batavya Başşehbenderliği teʾsîs ve ihdâs buyurulmuş ise de ber-vech-i maʿrûz İslâm tebʿa-i şâhânenin Avrupalı olsun Asyalı bulunsun Flemenk müstemlekâtında münâkehâtdan gayrı husûsâtda Avrupalı gibi addolunması husûsuna Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin muvâfakati istihsâl edilmedikçe mezkûr şehbenderhâneʾnin Batavya‌ʾda hiçbir

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hükm ve ehemmiyeti hâʾiz olamayacağına binâʾen sâye-i inâyet-vâye-i hazreti pâdişâhîde tebʿası memâlik-i mahrûse-i şâhânede her türlü imtiyâzâtdan müstefid olan ve senevî on bin kadar hüccâcı îfâ-yı farîza-i hacc-ı şerîf esnâsında emniyet ve râhata ve menâfiʿ-i uhûdiyeye mazhar bulunan Flemenk Devleti nezdinde Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesi vâsıtasıyla bu bâbda teşebbüsât-ı ciddiye ve müʾessire icrâsı derece-i vücûbda görülmüş ve zâten bu mesʾele Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnin istişâre odasına havâle buyurulmuş olan muharrerât-ı müteʿaddide ve mufassılasında biʾl-etrâf arz ve tafsîl kılınmış olup keyfiyet oraca nazar-ı tedkîk ve mutâlaʿadan geçirildikden sonra iktizâ-yı hâle göre Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne evâmir-i lâzıme iʿtâsı ve fakat müteveffâ Abdülaziz Efendi veresesinin hukûku zâyiʿ olmamak üzre ol-bâbdaki fî 15 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1887 târihli tahrîrât-ı aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleri münderecâtının husûsât-ı mebsûta vechile Flemenk Hâriciye Nezâreti nezdinde tekrâr tervîci husûsunun dahî heman sefâret-i müşârunileyhâya işʿârı manût-ı emr ve irâde-i aliyye-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri bulunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 18 Cemâdiyelevvel sene [1]305 ve fî 20 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]303 Umûr-ı hukûk-ı muhallita müdürü Ali Warrant/Report 335 The response of the Imperial Embassy at The Hague in a communiqué dated 27 December 1887, to the exalted ministerial letter on the issue of the application of Abdülfettah Efendi, son of late Sayyid Abdülaziz Efendi (the former Consul General in Batavia), has been received and referred [to us]. According to its content Abdülfettah is a bad man who has shown contempt of his Ottoman citizenship, because he has applied to the Dutch Embassy in the Abode of Felicity for Dutch citizenship in order to escape the debts owed to his creditors in Istanbul, in accordance with ancient privileges. That he might make use of his Ottoman citizenship in the Dutch colonies, and of his Dutch citizenship in Imperial Realms, has been discovered from the information sent by the Dutch embassy at the Abode of Felicity, and explained and related by the Foreign Ministry of the two states in question. Moreover, the documents shown to His Excellency Karaca Bey do not leave any doubt as to the truth of the matter. It is understood that, therefore relevant exalted ministerial instructions is awaited before any measures with the Dutch Foreign Ministry concerning the said Abdüfettah Efendi. We consider it our duty to give some background information before dealing with the case at hand so that we can explain our point properly, which is as follows. The people residing on the extensive Indian Islands that comprise the

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eastern colonies of the Dutch state are divided into two groups, according to the local laws and regulations. The first group consists of the natives, and those who are similar to the natives, and the second group comprises the Europeans and those similar to the Europeans. According to the law, those who form the first group with the label Asian Foreigners comprise various sorts of Asian people, idolaters, Chinese, Arabs, and Muslims. Those who are included in the second group are real Europeans and all Christians. The citizenship of subjects is not mentioned in the aforementioned law. The two groups are subject to different laws and regulations with regard to taxation, religious practices, criminal procedures, and various other matters, and in some matters the Europeans are legally more privileged when compared to the locals. Now, during his long stay in Dutch colonies, the former consul, the late Abdülaziz Efendi, claimed that it was required that he be treated like the Europeans on the grounds that he was born in Baghdad and that he was a citizen of the Ottoman Empire. The local government did not reject his Ottoman citizenship, but regarded him as an Asian, since he was born in Baghdad and treated him like the locals. The said [Abdülaziz Efendi] died last year, leaving behind a wife, two adult sons called Abdülfettah and Ahmed, and two adult daughters along with a number of properties in Batavia. In accordance with the aforementioned regulations, it was required that the said property be transferred to his said [wife and children]. Because the local government wants to treat them as natives like their father, they demand a transfer fee of five per cent for the said properties, which amounts to an exorbitant sum. If they were to be treated like Europeans, they would have to pay only a tiny amount in tax according to the regulations. When Abdülfettah and Ahmed Efendis complained to the Governor of the East Indies, they were informed that it was necessary, naturally, to be treated like the natives, since their father was born on the Asian continent, and that they would only be treated as Europeans if, at least, they were able to testify with an official certificate that their grandfather was born in the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul]. Therefore, Abdülfettah Efendi came, lately, as far as the Abode of Felicity in order to obtain such a certificate. At this stage, it is necessary to relate the following as well. About six or seven years ago, when late Abdülaziz Efendi was alive, he sent his son Abdülfettah Efendi to Europe to complain to the Dutch Central Government at The Hague, as well as a petition to the Imperial Government, concerning the nature of problems he had encountered with the local [colonial] government. At that time the consulate of the Imperial Sultanate in Batavia had not been established yet, and so Abdülfettah Efendi obtained from the Government of Batavia a reispas, that is, a travel document given to the natives and Asian foreigners that does not indicate the nationality of the holder. On that particular

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occasion, he also visited the Abode of Felicity, and obtained a Dutch passport from the Dutch Embassy at the Abode of Felicity, in order to travel to Batavia in place of the said travel document that had expired. Since that time, he came to the Abode of Felicity on a Dutch Passport as well, as he deemed that he was a citizen of the Dutch State. On the other hand, Abdülfettah Efendi’s brother, Ahmed Efendi, returned a few years ago from Honoured Mecca to Batavia on an Ottoman passport. As to establishing which citizenship they actually possess, despite their being born in Batavia to a native mother, in accordance with the Law of Nations as well as the laws of the Imperial Sultanate, they are subjects of the Sublime State as their father and ancestors were subjects of the Sublime State. As a matter of fact, when I, your servant, was in Batavia, some local officials claimed that the children of the foreigners grouped with the natives, that is, those of Asian descent, are necessarily to be considered the citizens of the said [colonial] government. However, this claim is in no way included in the context of local law, but rather consists of an ungrounded statement that emanates from their fanaticism and their anxiety over the influence of foreigners over the locals, especially that of the Arabs. The fact that the Europeans from various nationalities residing in the said colonies do not abandon the original nationality of their ancestors (?) is deemed as a sufficient testimony [to this]. As explained before, the said Abdülfettah Efendi eventually travelled to the Abode of Felicity, and obtained an official certificate declaring that his grandfather, Hızır Efendi, was born in that place. With this certificate, he applied to the exalted [foreign] ministry citizenship of the Sublime state, in order that he be treated as a European in Batavia, and enjoy [Ottoman] protection when required. When the issue was addressed to the Department of Citizenship, he was informed that he was naturally entitled to citizenship of the Sublime State and the directorate of the department granted him an Ottoman identity card. However, due to an issue of some debts that he had left behind during his previous stay in the Abode of Felicity, he was sued [for repayment]. As, on that occasion, he had stated that he was a subject of the Dutch State, his rival applied to the Dutch consulate in the Abode of Felicity. While the case was proceeding there, Abdülfettah Efendi was awarded Ottoman citizenship, as explained above. Therefore, he settled the case at once with reconciliation in accordance with the current regulations by applying again to the Dutch Consulate since the case had started as if he was a Dutch citizen, on the condition that he was not to apply there any further. This is the state of affairs according to Abdülfettah Efendi’s testimony, which occurred during his stay in the Abode of Felicity. Abdülfettah Efendi has not done anything to dishonour his status as a citizen of the Imperial Sultanate as

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stated by the Dutch Foreign Ministry to His Excellency Karaca Bey. Moreover, it is apparent that if he had the opportunity to act deceitfully as the Dutch Government suggests, the laws of both countries would guarantee to put him right in any event if he were to undertake an action such as that with which he is accused, and it is still clearly necessary to support his inherent personal rights. Furthermore, this matter concerns not only Abdülfettah Efendi, but also his brother Ahmed Efendi, as well as his mother and one of his sisters, who should be considered as a subject of the Sublime State due to her association with her [Ottoman] husband. Consequently, it is necessary to ensure the protection of their rights as subjects of the Sublime State. Therefore, I think that it is obligatory that the Imperial Embassy at The Hague should take immediate and efficient measures with the Dutch Government in order to ensure that each one of them is treated as a European, because this issue, which seems, at first glance, to be related exclusively to the inheritance of the late Abdülaziz Efendi, is in fact a fundamental issue which concerns all imperial subjects who are present in or will visit the Dutch colonies. Therefore, it is a matter of the utmost importance, in conformity with the exalted fame and the holy law of the Imperial Sultanate, that this issue be resolved with the Dutch Government as soon as possible, in order to protect the rights and interests of the said subjects who are as subject to arbitrary treatment as much as the natives. Due to the great fortune of the wisdom of His Majesty, in the Well-Protected Domains all imperial subjects from various classes enjoy complete equality in Ottoman lands. It is not equitable or just that those people from the imperial domains in the region of Asia are treated as natives in the Dutch colonies, whilst those others who originate from the Well-Protected Domains in Europe are subject there to European laws, nor likewise that the Muslim and Christian imperial subjects are subject to different treatment with regard to issues other than religious affairs. As it stands, there is not a viable alternative to receiving the answer “What can I do? This is our law!,” every time we apply to the local government for the protection of the interest of imperial subjects when they are aggrieved due to the harmful consequences of an awkward law that has been codified without taking into consideration the rights and interests of subjects of the Sublime State in Dutch colonies. A number of years ago, the Consulate General in Batavia was established when the Imperial Sultanate took into consideration the issue of protecting the interests of imperial subjects in the Dutch colonies, whose number was likely to increase due to the ever-improving means of transportation and the increase in commerce between the nations and their people. However, the said consulate will not have any effect or consequence unless the consent of the Dutch government is obtained for treating Muslim imperial subjects as European, whether they are

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Asian or European, in all issues in Dutch colonies except for those related to marriage. Considering that [Dutch] subjects profit from all sorts of privileges in the Well-Projected Imperial Domains, thanks to the gracious wisdom of His Imperial Majesty, and that each year 10,000 [of their] pilgrims enjoy security, comfort, and solemn benefits from performing their pilgrimage, it is deemed obligatory to take serious and effective measures on this matter through the Imperial Embassy at The Hague. This issue has already been presented and explained in detail in various pieces of correspondence from the Consulate General in Batavia, which were addressed to the Department of Consultation. Therefore it depends on the exalted will of Your Ministerial Excellency to give the requisite orders to the Imperial Embassy at The Hague as the situation demands and, after it has been investigated and reflected upon, so that the said embassy might immediately promote the content of your exalted ministerial note dated 15 November 1887 at the Dutch Foreign Ministry, to prevent the loss of the rights of the inheritors of late Abdülaziz Efendi. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 1 February 1888, Ali, Director of [the department of] Complex Legal Affairs. Source: BOA HR.HMŞ.İŞO. 171/25

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Documents pertaining to the expulsion of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Shawi from Batavia and its consequences, 1888

Ottoman ambassador at The Hague informing the Foreign Ministry about his initiative with regard to Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Shawi who was expelled from the Dutch Indies, 1888 Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Hindistanʾdaki Flemenk müstemlekâtından tebʿîd edilen Şeyh Abdülkadir bin Ali Seviʾnin memleketine avdetine müsâʿade olunması hakkında Flemenk Hâriciye Nâzırı nezdinde icrâ olunan teşebbüsâta dâʾir fî 19 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [18]87 târihli ve 19 numerolu tahrîrâta cevâb. Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne fî 29 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene 1887 târihiyle Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 29 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Hindistanʾdaki Flemenk müstemlekâtından tebʿîd edilen “Şeyh Abdülkadir bin Ali Sevi”nin memleketine avdetine müsâʿade olunması hakkında iʿta eylediği arz-ı hâle dâʾir fî 19 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1887 târihli ve 19 numerolu tahrîrât-ı aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleri ahz olundu. Bu bâbda Hâriciye Nâzırıʾyla vukûʿ bulan mülâkât üzerine şeyh-i mûmâileyhin taleb-i vâkıʿını tervîcen nâzır-ı müşârunileyhe bir takrîr-i resmî irsâl eyledim. Müşârunileyh Şeyh Abdülkadir emniyet ve âsâyiş-i memleketce tehlikeli 7.1

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bir adam değil ise müsâʿade-i matlûbeyi Flemenk müstemlekatı idâresinden biʾl-istihsâl hükûmet-i seniyyenin celb-i hoş-nîdisine mümkün mertebe çalışacağını vaʿd eyledi. Maʿmâfih müstemlekât idâresine yazılan tahrîrâtın cevâbı biʾt-tabʿ teʾehhür edeceğinden bu cevâbı alır almaz netîce-i teşebbüsâtımı zât-ı âlî-i âsafânelerine arz ve işʿâra sürʿat edeceğim derkârdır emr u fermân. Fî 2 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene 1303. Draft translation: Response to the communiqué dated 19 November 1887, number 19, on the initiatives taken with the Dutch Foreign Minister with regard to Shaykh Abd al-Qadir bin Ali al-Shawi who was expelled from the Dutch colonies in India. This is the translation of the communiqué, dated 29 December 1887, number 29, received by the exalted Foreign Ministry from the Imperial Embassy at The Hague. I have received the ministerial communiqué, dated 19 November 1887 and numbered 19, on the petition of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir bin Ali al-Shawi, who was expelled from the Dutch Indies, requesting permission to return to his home country. After an interview with the Foreign Minister on this issue, I dispatched an official petition to the Minister to remind him of the request of this Shaykh. The said [Minister] promised me that he would try, as much as possible, to please the Imperial Government by obtaining permission from the Administration of Dutch Colonies, provided that Shaykh Abd al-Qadir is not a danger to the security and public order of the country. Nevertheless, as the response to the letter written to the Colonial Administration will naturally be delayed, it is apparent that that I will hasten to communicate the result of my initiatives as soon I receive this answer. To command […] 14 January 1888 Source: BOA HR.TO. 51/92

Copy of a petition demanding the collection of documents pertaining to the estates of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Shawi who was expelled from Sumatra, 1893 Arz-ı hâl Sûreti Devletlü efendim hazretleri Yemen ahâlîsinden eş-Şeyh Abdülkadir eş-Şevîʿ nâm müvekkilim Flemenk Hükûmetiʾne tâbiʿ Cava ve Borneo ve Sumatra kıtʿalarında ikâmet etmekde iken bundan on üç sene mukaddem hiçbir sebeb-i meşrûʿ olmadığı hâlde Flemenk Hükûmeti tarafından mezkûr kıtʿalardan tard ve tebʿîd ve bundan 7.2

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dolayı haylice mutazarrır kalmış ve binâberîn-i hükûmet-i müşârunileyhâ aleyhine tazmînât daʿvâsını ikâmet edeceğinden ibtidâ-yı emirde mûmâileyhin kıtʿât-ı mezkûrda mutasarrıf olduğu emvâl ve emlâki müsbit sahîh ve senedât-ı resmiye cümlesinden olmak üzre Batoyiş nâmıyla maʿrûf bulunan ve mûmâileyhin taht-ı tasarrufunda cârî olan cesîm bir kıtʿa arâzînin dokuz kıtʿadan ibâret olan hüccetleri ile Dahob ve Abdussamet nâm kimesnelerin zimmetlerinde bulunan mûmâileyhin matlûbâtını mübeyyin diğer bir kıtʿa sened-i resmî Cava aksâmından Batavya nâm mahalde mukîm Salim bin Ahmed el-Sarve nâm kimesne nezdinde kalmış olmağla mezkûr dokuz hüccet ile sened-i mezbûrun oralarda bulunan sefâret-i seniyyenin maʿrifetiyle merkûm Salim bin Ahmed el-Tesrigʾden ahz ve istirdâdı zımnında lâzım gelen tahrîrâtın irsâl buyurulmasını istirhâm eylerim ol-bâbda fî 17 Ağustos sene [1]309 Yusuf Hüsnü Copy of a petition My kind and exalted lord: Thirteen years ago my client called Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Shawi from the region of Yemen, who was residing in Java, Borneo and Sumatra, which are subject to the Dutch Government, was expelled from this country without any legitimate reason and incurred considerable losses as a result, and so he intends to sue the Dutch Government for damages. Therefore he needs, first of all, the documentary evidences that are currently in the possession of an inhabitant of the region of Batavia on the island of Java called Salim bin Ahmad al-Sarwa. [The documents include] nine pieces of deeds pertaining to a huge piece of land known as Batu Licin which belongs to this [Shaykh] and another official voucher showing his claims for which persons called Dahob and Abdussamet are answerable. I make the present request in this letter so that these nine depositions, together with the said certificate, be retrieved from Salim bin Ahmad al-Sarwa by the means of the imperial embassy in that place. 29 August 1893. Yusuf Hüsnü Source: BOA HR.H. 253/6

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Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry giving information about the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1890

Makâm-ı Âlî-i Hazret-i Nezâret-Penâhîʾye Devletlü efendim hazretleri Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde mütemekkin ve hemen cümlesi Hadramutlu olmak üzre on dört bine karîb Arab olup ekserî basma mendil gibi mensûcât-ı

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mahalliyeden olan baʿzı kumaş ve mercan ve sâʾir ufak tefek eşya füruhtuyla iktisab-ı maʿîşet etmekde oldukları misillü meşâyih ve sâdâtdan baʿzı zevât dükkan ve mağaza küşâdıyla Arabistan ve mahall-i sâʾire emtiʿa ve eşyâsı beyʿ ve şirâsıyla ticâret ve Cavaʿda hâne ve cesîm arazîlere dahî tasarruf ede gelmekde bulunmuşlardır işbu Arablar usûl ve âdâb ve dîn-i mübîn-i garrânın Cezâyir-i Hindiye-i Şarkiyeʾde teʾyîdine bir vâsıta-i kaviyye olup hükûmet ise bunların intişârlarını istemeyerek haklarında bilâ-mûcib ve hilâf vâkiʿ şikâyât ile aleʾd-devâm köylerde ikâmet ve tavattunlarına müsâʿade etmemekde ve mukaddemâ tavattun etmiş olanlarını dahî vakt be-vakt büyük şehirlere ircâʿ ve iʿâde ve şimdiye kadar emlâk ve arâzî intikâlâtından alınan resmin tazʿîfiyle Arabların Cava‌ʾda tasarruf-ı emlâklerini düçâr-ı tasʿîb eylemekde bulunmuşdur. Hadramutʾun cânib-i seniyyüʾl-cevânib-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye mertûbiyeti ve ahâlîsini tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden bulunması hasebiyle nezd-i hükûmetde icrâ-yı teşebbüsât olundukça mahall-i mezkûr hakkında olan iʿtirâzlarını der-pîş ederek bunları tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyye sıfatıyla tanımak istemeyerek şikâyât-ı vâkıʿayı redde ısrâr göstermekde olduğu muhât-ı ilm-i âlî-i hazreti nezâret-penâhîleri buyuruldukda her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 31 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]305 Bende-i Batavya Başşehbenderi To the exalted ministerial office: My kind and exalted lord: There are nearly fourteen thousand Arabs who are almost entirely from Hadramawt residing in the East Indies. Most of them earn their livelihood by dealing in some local textiles, mostly printed cotton cloth and handkerchiefs, and some other small items such as coral. Likewise, some individuals from among the sayyids and shaykhs are engaged in trade by opening shops where they sell goods from Arabia and other places. They also possess houses and large plots of land in Java. These Arabs have been a strong means of affirming the principles and practices of Islam in the East Indies. However, the government does not want them to spread, and prevents them from settling in the villages by putting forward some unnecessary and ungrounded complaints. Those who settled there previously are sometimes made to return to the big cities [by the government, which] now makes it difficult to the Arabs to possess property in Java by doubling the transfer dues of land and properties. Considering Hadramawt’s affiliation to the Imperial Sultanate, and because its people are subjects of Sublime State, measures have been taken with the Dutch authorities. As a result, it is brought to the attention of Your Ministerial Highness that they have made known their objections concerning the status of

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said place [Hadramawt], and do not want to recognize [Hadramis] as subjects of the Sublime State, insisting that they reject these complaints. In all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 12 February 1890 Your servant Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA HR.HMŞ.İŞO. 174/5

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Documents pertaining to the Spanish government’s prohibition on Ottoman citizens’ migration to Cuba and Philippines, 1890

Ottoman diplomats in Spain inform the home authorities about the Spanish authorities’ prohibition on the entrance of Ottoman subjects to Cuba and Philippines, 1890 Bâb-ı Âlî Tercüme Odası Numero 1 Nevʿ-i Tercüme: “Küba” adasıyla “Filipin” cezâirinde tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin menʿ-i muhâceretleri için İspanya Hükûmeti tarafından ittihâz olunan tedâbire dâʾir Barselona Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrât sûretinin leffen irsâl kılındığına dâʾir Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne fî 28 Haziran sene [18]90 târihli Madrid Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 105 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin “Küba” adasıyla “Filipin” cezâirine menʿ-i muhâceretleri için İspanya Hükûmeti tarafından ittihâz olunan tedâbir Barselona Başşehbenderimizden mevrûd tahrîrâtın sûreti tercümesiyle leffen irsâl kılındı. Tedâbir-i mezkûrenin tebʿa-i şâhâneye iʿlânı zımnında îcâb edenlere vesâyâyı lâzıme icrâsını ve İspanya‌ʾnın mârruʾz-zikr müstemlekâtına azîmet için pasaportlarını vize ettirmek üzre kançılaryalarımıza mürâcaʿat edecek tebʿa-i Osmâniye hakkında taraf-ı âcizâneme ta‌ʾlimat iʿtâsını ricâ eylerim emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Madrid Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne fî 17 Haziran sene [18]90 târihiyle Barselona Başşehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan 53 numerolu tahrîrâtın sûreti tercümesidir. Binlerce eşhâs “Türk” nâm-ı umûmîsi tahtında olarak İspanya müstem­ lekâtından “Küba” adası ile “Filipin” cezâirine azîmet ettiklerinden İspanya meʾmûrîni tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin müstemlekât-ı mezkûreye duhûllerini menʿ eylemişlerdir. “Katalanya” Bahriye Kumandânı Vays Amiral “Visento De Montozo[?]” memnûʿiyet-i mezkûreye dâʾir olan biʾl-cümle evrâkın sûretlerini taraf-ı âcizîye teblîğ eyledi. Evrâk-ı mezkûre ile memnûʿiyet-i vâkıʿa hakkında 9.1

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zât-ı âlî-i sefîrânelerinin maʿlûmâtı olduğu melhûz ise de müstemlekât-ı mezkûreden birine azîmet arzusunda bulunacak tebʿa-i Osmâniye pasaportlarının vizeleri hakkında taʿlîmât taleb için evrâk-ı mezkûre leffen irsâl kılındı emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Tahrîrât-ı mezkûreye melfûf varakanın tercümesidir. Bahriye Nezâreti âlât ve edevât müdür-i umûmîsi Müstemlekât Nâzırı tarafından “Filipin” cezâiri vâlisine gönderilen zîrde tahrîr-i mektûb sûretini tebliğ eylemişdir. “Türk” nâm-ı umûmîsi altında olarak birçok eşhâsın bir vakitden beri “Filipin” cezâirine muvâsalet etmekde olduklarını müşʿir fî 30 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]889 târihli ve 1070 numerolu tahrîrât-ı resmiyeleri üzerine ve “Küba” adasında olduğu gibi cezâir-i mezkûrda dahî muhâcirîn-i merkûmûnun tezâyidini menʿ etmek maksadıyla nâsiye-i hükûmet haşmetlü kraliçe hazretleri geçen Ağustosʾun üçü târihiyle Hâriciye Nâzırı tarafından teklîf olunan tedâbirin cezâir-i mezkûrede tatbîk ve icrâsını emr etmişdir. Sene-i mezkûre Temmuzuʾnun on üçünde sâdır olan emr-i krâlî mûcebince “Küba” vâlisine işʿâr eylediğim misillü eşhâs-ı mezkûr tarafınızdan dahî fî 4 Temmuz sene 1870 tarihli ecânib kanûnû dâhilinde add ve iʿtibâr edilmelidir. Karâr-ı mezkûrun bilâ-ifâte-i vakt icrâ olunabilmesi için Hâriciye ve Bahriye dâʾirelerince tedâbiri lâzıme ittihâzı lüzûmu bâ-emr-i fermânım Hâriciye ve Bahriye Nezâretlerine dahî teblîğ edilmişdir. 27 Haziran 1306 Sublime Porte Translation Office Number 1 Translation content: That the copy of the communiqué of the Consulate General in Barcelona on the precautions taken by the Spanish Government to prevent the immigration of Ottoman citizens to Cuba island and Philippine archipelago, has been sent in enclosure. Translation of the communiqué received by the Foreign Ministry from the Imperial Embassy in Madrid, dated 28 June 1890 and numbered 105. The precautions taken by the Spanish Government to prohibit the immigration of Ottoman subjects to the island of Cuba and the Philippine archipelago has been sent in enclosure with the copy of the communiqué received from our Consul General in Barcelona. I request that the required [authorities] be advised of the announcement of these precautions to imperial subjects, and that I be given instructions concerning Ottoman subjects who apply to our chancery to obtain a visa for their passport to travel to the Spanish colonies. To command belongs to him who commands all.

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Copy of the translation of the communiqué received by the Imperial Embassy in Madrid from the Consulate General in Barcelona, dated 17 June 1890, number 53. The Spanish authorities have prohibited Ottoman citizens from entering some of their colonies because thousands of people have departed for the island of Cuba and the Philippine archipelago, registered under the general label “Turk”. Vice Admiral Vincente de Manterola[?] commander of the Catalonia naval sector, has presented me the copies of all the documents related to this prohibition. Although I believe that Your Excellency is informed about these documents and the prohibition, I send them in enclosure to request instructions with regard to the visas for the passports of Ottoman subjects who might wish to depart for the said colonies. To command belongs to him who commands all. This is the translation of the document enclosed in this communiqué: The Director General of Supplies to the Ministry of the Navy has given notice of the contents of the letter sent by the Minister of Colonies to the Governor of Philippine Archipelago. The official letter dated 30 December 1889, number 1070, related that, for a while, numerous people have arrived at the Philippine Archipelago, as well as the island of Cuba, under the general label “Turk.” As a result, on 3 August last year, Her Majesty has approved the implementation and enforcement of the precautionary measures proposed by the Foreign Minister, aiming at preventing the increase of these immigrants on the said islands. On 13 July of the same year, in accordance with the royal command, I notified the governor of Cuba that these people should be considered to be under the regulations of the Law on Foreigners, of 4 July 1870; the same is to be done by you. To ensure the speedy implementation of this decision, it has been announced to the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of the Navy that their departments need to take the required precautions at this time. 9 July 1890 Source: BOA HR.TO. 69/35

Ottoman ambassador in Madrid to the Foreign Ministry advising them to issue orders to prevent the immigration of the poor to Spanish colonies Bâb-ı Âlî Tercüme Odası Numero Nevʿ-i Tercüme: Tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin Filipin cezîrelerine menʿ-i duhûlleri için hükûmet-i krâliye cânibinden emr verildiği hakkında fî 28 Haziran sene [18]91 tarihli ve 105 numerolu tahrîrâta zeyl. 9.2

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Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne fî 22 Ağustos sene [18]91 târihiyle Madrid Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 63 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin “Küba” ve “Filipin” cezîrelerine menʿ-i duhûlleri için hükûmet-i krâliye cânibinden emr verildiğini fî 28 Haziran sene [18]90 tarihli ve yüz beş numerolu tahrîrâtıyla arz ve işʿâr etmiş idim âhiren ehibbân-ı başşehbenderimizden mevrûd bir kıtʿa tahrîrâta nazaran şehbender-i mûmâ[ileyh] tebʾa-i Osmanîyeʾden ve Cebel-i Lübnan ahâlîsinden “Civan İlyas” ve “Habid Molla” nâm kimesneleri cezîre-i mezkûrede karaya çıkartmak husûsunda müşkîlâta tesâdüf etmişdir işbu tedâbir-i şedîdenin ittihâzına başlıca sebeb eşhâs-ı merkûmenin pejmurde elbise ile sokaklarda gezerek hükûmeti mahalliye ve ahâlîsinin tenfîrini celb eylemeleridir sâlifüʾz-zikr tahrîrât-ı âcizânemin cevâbına henüz destres olamadığımdan ve diğer tarafdan ise bir seneyi mütecâviz müddetden beri hükümetçe ittihâz olunan resmi bir tedbîrden ibâret idüğinden tebʿamızı hiç olmaz ise sûret-i gayrı resmiyede himâye ile berâber baʿdemâ münâsib elbise iktisâ etmeleri için kendilerine tenbîhât ve ihtârât-ı lâzıme icrâsını şehbender-i mûmâileyhe tavsiye eylemeği vazîfeden addeyledim ileride tevsîʿi muhtemel olan bu fenâlığın önünü almak üzre esbâb-ı maʿîşete mâlik olduklarını ityâna muktedir olmayan eşhâsın memâlik-i ecnebiyeye muhâceretleri katʿiyyen menʿ için îcâb edenlere tekrâr evâmir iʿtâsı muvâfık-ı hâl ve maslahatdır emr u fermân. 20 Ağustos sene 1307. Sublime Porte Translation Office Number Draft translation: Addendum to the communiqué, dated 28 June 1891, number 105, relating that the Royal [Spanish] Government ordered the prohibition on Ottoman subjects entering the Philippine Islands. This is the translation of the communiqué dated 22 August 1891, number 63, received by the Foreign Ministry from the Imperial Embassy in Madrid Through my communiqué dated 28 June 1890, number 105, I related that the Royal [Spanish] Government has ordered Ottoman subjects to be prohibited from entering the islands of Cuba and the Philippines. According to a document received from the friends of our Consul General, the latter encountered difficulties in the landing of Ottoman subjects from the region of Mount Lebanon, named Civan Ilyas and Habid Molla, on the said island [Cuba]. The main reason for the implementation of these severe measures is that the said individuals provoked the hatred of the local government and the people by wandering on the streets with shabby clothes. As I did not receive a response to my above mentioned communiqué, and because this matter relates to an

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official precaution initiated by the government for more than a year now, I deemed it my duty to advise the consul to protect our subjects in whatever case, at least unofficially, to give them any necessary warnings and advice, and, from now on, to arrange suitable clothes for them to wear. To prevent the proliferation of this mischief, which has the potential to grow, it is required to issue, once more, orders to the necessary authorities to prohibit the immigration to foreign countries of individuals who cannot prove that they possess means of supporting themselves. To command […] 1 September 1891 Source: BOA HR.TO. 69/56

Instructions to Ottoman authorities not to supply visas to Ottoman citizens who want to immigrate to Cuba and Philippines Evrak Numerosu: 191/21 Umûm Şehremânet-i Celîle ve Zabtiye Nezâret-i Aliyyesiʾne ve Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin Küba ile Filipin cezâyirine menʿ-i muhâceretleri için İspanya Hükûmeti tarafından ittihâz olunan tedâbire dâʾir Barselona Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mebʿûs tahrîrât ve tercümesinin irsâliyle İspanya müstemlekâtına azîmet zımnında pasaportlarını vize ettirmek üzre mürâcaʿat edecek tebʿa-i Osmâniye hakkında taʿlîmât iʿtâsı Madrid Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden biʾt-tahrîrât taleb olunmasına binâen oralara gidecek olanların pasaportlarının vize edilmemesinin cevâben sefâret-i müşârunileyhâya derdest işâr bulunduğu beyânıyla iktizâsının îfâsı taraf-ı âlî-i dâverîlerinden bâ-tezkire izbâr olunmakdan nâşi keyfiyet sicill-i nüfûs idâre-i umûmiyesine ledeʾl-havâle ol-bâbda iʿtâ olunan tezkirede ber mûceb-i işʿâr memâlik-i şâhâneden mahall-i mezkûreye azîmet etmek üzre pasaport talebinde bulunanlara mahallerince pasaport iʿtâ olunmaması ve yedlerinde pasaportu mevcûd olup da vize ettirmek isteyenlerin dahî pasaportlarının vize edilmemesi zımnında keyfiyetin taʿmîmen vilâyât ve müstakil mutasarrıflıklara ve şehr-emânet-i celîlesiyle Zabtiye Nezâret-i Aliyyesiʾne teblîği ifâde olunarak îcâbı icrâ kılınmış olmağla beyân-ı hâle ibtidâr kılındı ol-bâbda taʿmîmen teblîğât icrâsı götürülerek îcâbı icrâ kılınmağla oraca da âna göre iktizâsının îfâsına himem 27 Ağustos sene [1]306 Derkenar: Suriye, Kastamonu, Hüdavendiğar, Edirne, Aydın, Hicaz, Bağdad, Selanik, Konya, Erzurum, Diyarbekir, Haleb, Adana, Trablusgarb, Sivas, Manastır, İşkodra, Yemen, Maʿmûretüʾl-Azîz, Ankara, Van, Trabzon, Yanya, Cezâyir, Bingazi, Bidlis, Kosova, Musul, Basra, Beyrut, Kudüs, Zor, Biğa, İzmid, Çatalca, Girid, Sisam, Cebel-i Lübnan, Şehremâneti, Zabtiye, Hariciye Derkenar: Battalı Nüfûsa verilmişdir 9.3

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Document number: 191/21 To all exalted Municipalities, the exalted Ministry of Police, and the exalted Foreign Ministry: The Imperial Embassy in Madrid had forwarded the correspondence and their translations sent by the Consulate General in Barcelona concerning the precautions taken by the Spanish Government to prevent the migration of the Ottoman citizens to Cuba and Philippines, and requested instructions on Ottoman subjects applying to obtain a visa for their passports to travel to the Spanish colonies. Upon this, His Excellency [Foreign Minister or Grand Vizier] announced with a note that the said Embassy was ordered not to grant visa to those going to these places, and ordered [the other departments] the implementation of the necessary. The purpose of the present declaration is to communicate that upon this, the issue was referred to the Directorate General of Population Records and that the latter notified the provincial governments, provincial sub-governments together with the exalted municipalities, and to the exalted Ministry of Police that passports should not be given to those requesting a passport from the Imperial Realms to those places, nor should those already in possession of a passport desiring a visa be granted a visa for their passports. We request your assistance in this matter by announcing this decision by means of a circular note. 8 September 1890 Marginal note [of recipients]: Syria, Kastamonu, Bursa, Edirne, Aydın, Hijaz, Baghdad, Salonica, Konya, Erzurum, Diyarbekir, Aleppo, Adana, Tripoli of Libya, Sivas, Monastir, Scutari, Yemen, Harput, Ankara, Van, Trabzon, Ioannia, Algeria, Benghazi, Bitlis, Kosovo, Mosul, Basra, Beirut, Jerusalem, Deir ez-Zor, Dardanelles, Izmit, Çatalca, Crete, Samos, Mount Lebanon, the municipal administrations, [Ministry of] Police, Foreign [Ministry]. Marginal note: The draft has been given to the Population [Department] Source: BOA DH.MKT. 1762/97

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Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting, in connection with the affronts to which Ahmed bin Ali Yamaki from Mecca was subjected, official initiatives with the Dutch government to prevent the Batavian government’s limitations on the movement and settlement of Ottoman citizens and Hadramis in the Dutch Indies, 1891

Huzûr-ı Mekârim-Mevfûr-ı Hazret-i Nezâret-Penâhîʾye 620 225

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Devletlü efendim hazretleri Cava ve Sumatra ve Cezâyir-i sâʾire ahâlîsinden cânib-i Hicaz mağfiret-tırâza azîmet edecek olan hüccâca vapur biletleri ahz ettirmek ve sâʾir umûrlarına muʿâvenet ile celb-i menfaʿat eylemek maksadıyla Mekke-i Mükerreme ahâlîsinden baʿzı kimesneler hüccâc ile berâber bu taraflara gelip gitmekde iseler de mahallî hükûmetleri aleʾl-umûm Arabların ve aleʾl-husûs her sene Hadramut taraflarından bir gûne geçineceği ve sanʿatı olmayan pek çok Arab bu taraflara gelmekde olması hasebiyle bunların öteden beru cezîrenin içeri taraflarına azîmetlerine ve köyler arasında hallerine göre ticâret etmek için geşt ü güzârlarına ruhsat vermediği ve hattâ Cava dâhilinde baʿzı kurrâ ve kasabâtda sekiz on seneden beru temekkün ve teʾehhül ile emlâke mutasarrıf olan Hadramut ahâlîsinin nizâmât-ı mahalliyeye tevfîkan oralarda devâm-ı ikâmetlerine müsâʿade olunmayıp Batavya ve yâhud bu gibi sâhilde bulunan şehirlere iʿâde ve Arablara tahsîs olunan mahallâtda ikâmete mecbûr edildiği cihetle Cezâyir-i Hindiye vâlisine arz-ı hâlden ve ol-bâbda evvel ve âhir istiʿtâf ve istirhâmdan hâlî kalmadıkları ve isʿâf mesʾullerine aslâ müsâʿade olunmadığı mukaddemâ dahî arz olunmuş idi. Bu kabîlden olarak geçen sene Mekke-i Mükerreme ahâlîsinden Seyyid Ahmed bin Ali Yemâkî nâmında bir zât hüccâc ile berâber bu tarafa gelmiş ve fakat Ciddeʾde mukîm Flemenk Konsolosu tarafından vukûʿ bulan işʿâr-ı telgrâfî üzerine taraf-ı hükûmetden şübheli add olunarak Batavya‌ʾda ikâmetine müsâʿade olunmamış ise de taraf-ı bendegânemden icrâ olunan tavassut üzerine güç hâl ile ikâmetine ruhsat istihsâl edilebilmiş ve mûmâileyh birkaç ay buralarda ikâmetden sonra hüccâc ile berâber Ciddeʾye avdet ve bu defʿa yine Singapurʾa ricʿat ve Sumatra‌ʾda vâkıʿ “Ovi[?]” nâm mahalle azîmet eylemişdir orada her ne esbâba mebnî ise taraf-ı hükûmetden mahbese ilkâ ve işʿârına nazaran esnâ-yı mahbûsiyetinde darb ve hidemât-ı şukkada istihdâm gibi hakkında muʿâmele-i şedîde icrâ kılınmış ve bir mâh habsde kaldıkdan sonra Singapurʾa gelip oradan taraf-ı bende-gâneme irsâl eylediği mektûbunda gördüğü muʿâmeleden dolayı ikâme-i daʿvâ eylemek üzre Batavya‌ʾya gelmesine ruhsat talebinde bulunmuş olduğundan ol-bâbda taraf-ı hükûmetden lâzım gelen ruhsat biʾl-istihsâl kendisine derhâl işʿâr kılınmışdır. Cava‌ʾda sâkin olan Hadramut Arablarıyla bu tarafa gelip giden Mekke-i Mükerreme ahâlîsinden baʿzı ebnâ-yı Arabʾın vâkiʿ olan cümle şikâyetleri bâlâda arz olunan husûsâtdan ve mahallî hükûmetlerinden gördükleri habs ve cezâ-yı nakdî ahzı gibi muʿâmelât dahî esbâb-ı meşrûhadan münbaʿs hâlâtdan olup hükûmet-i mahalliyeye mürâcaʿat olundukça aleʾl-umûm Arabların dâhil-i Cava‌ʾda geşt ü güzârlarına ruhsat verilmemesi ve mukaddemâ iskân ve temekkün etmiş olanların dahî büyük şehirlere iʿâdeleri ve kendilerine tahsîs olunan mahallâtda ikâmetleri kavânîn ve nizâmât-ı mahalliye iktizâsından bulunduğundan bahisle isʿâf istidʿâları mümkün olamayacağı beyân ve her

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kim olur ise olsun Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde ikâmet için lâzım gelen ruhsata nâʾil oldukda kavânîn-i mahalliyeye tâbiʿ olarak Cezâyir-i Hindiye sekenesi add olunacağı ve haklarında hiçbir vechile müdâhale kabûl olamayacağı hakkında evvel ve âhar vâkiʿ olan mutâlaʿatlarını der-meyân eylediklerine ve mukaddemâ atûfetlü Galib Beyefendi Hazretleri tarafından arz olunduğu üzre zâten Hadramut Arablarının tâbiʿiyyetleri muʿterezun-fîh olup tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyye sıfatıyla tanınmadıklarından haklarında icrâ olunan vesâtata karşı hükûmet tarafından gösterilen iʿtirâzata ve Arablar tarafından dahî vâkiʿ olan şikâyet-i mütemâdiyeye binâʾen keyfiyetin huzûr-ı mekârim-mevfûr-ı hazret-i nezâretpenâhîlerine arzına mücâseret kılınmışdır. Ber-vech-i maʿrûz Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniye pasaportunu hâmilen bu taraflara gelen Mekke-i Mükerreme ahâlîsinin dâhil-i Cava‌ʾda geşt ü güzâr ve ikâmetlerine mümânaʿat olunmaması ve mezkûr Hadramutluların taraf-ı mekârim-i savb-ı hazret-i âsaf-ı aʿzamîlerinden ittihâzı tensîb buyurulacak tedbîr ve karâr üzerine teşebbüsât-ı resmiye icrâsıyla ahâlî-i mezkûrenin dahî Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde mahall-i iskâniyelerinde ikâmet ve geşt ü güzârlarına mümânaʿat olunmaması ve tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyye sıfatıyla tanınması esbâbının istihsâli hakkında Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne emr u irâdesi husûsuna müsâʿade-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîleri şâyân buyurulmak bâbında ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 23 Cemâziyelûlâ sene [1]308 ve fî 22 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]306 Bende-i Batavya Başşehbenderi To his most noble Ministerial Highness 620 225 My kind and exalted lord: Previously I reported that some people from Honoured Mecca came to these quarters, and returned there with the pilgrims to gain profit by assisting them in their affairs and by arranging tickets for the people of Java, Sumatra and other islands to go to the Hijaz. However, as numerous Arabs in general and Hadramis (who do not possess any trade to earn their livelihood) in particular arrive in these quarters every year, the local government neither permitted the Arabs to go to the interior of the island, nor to travel between the villages for trade. Moreover, the Hadramis, who had been residing in some villages and townships in Java for eight to ten years, some of whom have married and who own property there, were not allowed to stay any more. They were sent to Batavia and similar coastal cities where they were forced to settle in the quarters arranged for Arabs. They have submitted petitions throughout this

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time, now as previously to the Governor of the East Indies, but their requests and pleas were not accepted. From among those people, an individual called Sayyid Ahmad bin Ali Yamaki from Honoured Mecca came last year to these parts together with the pilgrims. But, upon on receiving a report by telegram from the Dutch consul residing in Jeddah, the government here came to regard him as suspicious, and did not allow him to stay in Batavia. Nevertheless, with great difficulty and through my mediation, he obtained permission to stay. After residing here for of a number of months, the said [Sayyid Ahmed] returned to Jeddah along with the pilgrims. The next time, he came to Singapore and arrived at a place called [Pulau] Wei [?]4 in Sumatra. There, for whatever reason, he was imprisoned by the government. According to his report, during his imprisonment he was subjected to severe treatment such as being beaten and forced to labour. After an imprisonment of one month, he came to Singapore and sent me a letter requesting permission to come to Batavia to prosecute [the authorities] due to the treatment to which he had been subjected. Consequently, I informed him as soon as I obtained the required permission from the government. All the complaints of the Hadrami Arabs residing in Java, and the people of Honoured Mecca who visit these places, result from these various issues, as do the fines and imprisonment subjected upon them by the local government. When I applied to the local authorities, it was stated that it was not possible to oblige their requests on the grounds that is the provisions of the local laws and regulations not to allow Arabs to travel to the interior of Java, rather that they should remove those who settled there previously to big cities, and establish them in the neighbourhoods arranged for them. They also clarified their position, which they express repeatedly, that if any individual whatsoever obtains the necessary permission to reside in the East Indies, he will be considered to become subject to the local laws, and therefore no intervention on his behalf will be accepted. As it was previously pointed out by His Excellency Galib Bey, the citizenship of Hadrami Arabs is a controversial matter, and they are not recognized as subjects of the Sublime State. Consequently, the government rejects any mediation on their behalf, despite the continuous complaints of the Arabs. Therefore, it has been dared to present the issue to your noble Ministerial Excellency. As a result of this, it is left to the decision of Your Ministerial Excellency to issue commands to the Imperial Embassy at The Hague in order to prevent the 4  The reading is uncertain, the Arabic script has Ovi; Pulau Wei is an island just off Banda Aceh.

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prohibition on the travel and settlement in the interior of Java of those coming from Honoured Mecca holding passports of the Sublime Ottoman State, as explained above, to take official measures to prevent the prohibition on the travel and settlement of the aforementioned Hadramis in their places of residence, and to achieve the recognition of [the Hadramis] as subjects of the Sublime State. In this matter and in all others, to command belongs to him who commands all. 3 January 1891, your servant Consul General in Batavia. Source: BOA HR.HMŞ.İŞO. 175/60

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry announcing the migration of Sayyid Muhammad bin Saqqaf and his family from Singapore to Jeddah, 1891

Huzûr-ı Mekârim-Mevfûr-ı Hazret-i Nezâret-penâhîye Devletlü efendim hazretleri Singapurʾda mukîm saʿâdetlü Seyyid Muhammed bin Sakkâf Efendi Hazretleri bu defʿa âileleriyle berâber Ciddeʾye nakl ve hicret buyurmuşlardır müşârunileyh Singapurʾda mütevellid olup umûr-ı ticârete sülûk buyurmuş ve tâliʿlerinin kendilerine yâr u yâver olması hasebiyle bî-hadd ü şimâr servet ve sâmâna mâlik olup muʾahharan her nasılsa İngiliz hükûmetiyle beyinlerinde hâsıl olan mübâniyete mebnî orada ikâmeti tecvîz buyurmayarak bu defʿa Lloyd Kumpanya vapurlarından “Pozidon” nâm vapuru sekiz bin İngiliz lirasına îcâr ile yüz otuz nefer âileleri halkıyla Ciddeʾye müteveccihan Singapurʾdan hareket buyurmuşlardır müşârunileyh cânib-i seniyyüʾl-cevânib-i saltanat-ı seniyye olan sadâkat ve hamiyet ve merbûtiyet-i vicdâniyenin sâikası olarak geçen sene devlet-i ebed müddet-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye olan ubûdiyet-i mahsûsiyelerini enzâr-ı umûmiyeye vazʿ ile kesb-i nîknâm eylemiş ve cümlenin mazhar-ı hüsn-ı takdîr ve ihtirâmı olmuş zevât-ı muʿteberândan bulunmuş olduklarına mebnî arz-ı keyfiyete ictisâr kılınmış olmağla her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 23 Cumâdelûlâ sene [1]308 ve fî 22 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]306 Batavya Başşehbenderi Ahmed Rıfkı To the most graceful presence of Your Ministerial Excellency Your Highness, my exalted lord, His Excellency Sayyid Muhammad bin Saqqaf Efendi, a resident of Singapore, has moved and migrated to Jeddah together with his family. He was born in Singapore and engaged in commerce. With the help of good luck, he

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accumulated a limitless wealth and fortune, but later, due to some sort of a dispute with the British government, he deemed it unwise to stay there, and left Singapore for Jeddah together with 130 members of his family on board the Lloyd Company’s steamboat Poseidon, hired for eight thousand British pounds. The aforementioned [Sayyid Muhammad] has achieved a good name by publically making his submission [of loyalty] to the Eternal State of His Majesty the Caliph last year out of allegiance, patriotism, and devotion to the most high Exalted Sultanate, and he has the sincere approbation and respect of all, He being an honourable individual, I dared to relate these circumstances. In all matters, to command belongs to him who commands all. 3 January 1891 Ahmed Rıfkı, Consul General Batavia Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 244/15

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Ottoman Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the mysterious connections of a subject of the Porte who travelled from Bombay to Batavia, 1898

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 5 Mayıs sene [1]314 târihli Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnin tahrîrâtı sûretidir Şerif Abdülmuttalib Paşa merhûmun ahfâdından olup Bombay Başşehbenderi Kadir Bey tarafından bir aded tavsiyenâme abd-i âcizlerine gelmiş olan Şerif Nasır Bey dâʿîleri bir müddet Hindistanʾın Bombay ve Nizam ve Kalküta ve cihât-ı sâʾireden seyâhat eyledikden sonra Singapur tarîkiyle ber-vech-i maʿrûz Batavya‌ʾya gelmiş ise de yedinde İngiltereʾnin Dersaʿâdet Sefîri Sir Philip Köri ve Mısır Ceneral-i Konsolosu Lord Kromer taraflarından Bombay, Madras, Kalküte ve Singapur vâli-i umûmîliklerine ayrı ayrı tavsiyenâmeler bulunduğu vülât-ı merkûmenin berâ-yı daʿvet ve mülâkât mûmâileyhe göndermiş oldukları tezkirelerin işhâdıyla munzam olan hikâyât-ı şifâhiyesinden anlamış ve tahkîk ve tebeyyün-ı efkârıyla sebeb-i seyâhatine kesb-i vukûf içün sûret-i zâhirede ihtirâmen mülâbase-i şehbenderhânede müsâfereten alıkoymuş isem de efkâr-ı mahsûsâsını ketm etmekde olduğu cihetle yalnız bu havâlîde olan hükkâm ve umerâyı ve aʿyanı ziyâret etmek üzre olan âmâl-i inhimâk-kârânesini anlayabilmiş olduğuma ve Singapur vâlisinden hükûmet-i mahalliyeye olan tavsiyenâme ve yedinde olup Bombay Şehbenderhânesiʾnden verilmiş olan pasaportu ve ol-bâbda vâkıʿ olan istidʿâsı

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üzerine taraf-ı âcizânemden usûlen vâkıʿ olan delâlet ve iltimâs hilâfına olarak vilâyetden mûmâileyhin Cava‌ʾda seyâhat-i hod-serânesine müsâʿade edilmediği ve kendisinin İngiliz ricâl-i siyâsiyesiyle olan münâsebâtı şâyân-ı dikkat bulunduğu husûsâtına mebnî keyfiyetin berâ-yı maʿlûmât arz ve ifâdesine mücâseret kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda. Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is the copy of the communiqué of the Consulate General in Batavia dated 17 May 1898 Your supplicant Sharif Nasır Bey, a descendant of Sharif Abdulmuttalib Paşa, who came to me with a letter of reference from the Consul General in Bombay Kadir Bey, has arrived in Batavia via Singapore after travelling for some time through India, to Bombay, Hyderabad, and Calcutta, among other places. He holds separate letters of recommendation directed to each of the governors-general of Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, and Singapore from Sir Philip Currie, ambassador of Britain to the Abode of Felicity, and the Consul General in Egypt, Lord Cromer, as well as notes of invitation to various functions and meetings from these governors, and we had learned additional information from his oral testimony. Although I have shown him outward respect and kept him at the consulate as a guest in order to understand his intentions and the reasons behind his travels, he keeps the true reasons hidden, and I could only gather that he is extremely willing to visit the rulers, leaders, and noblemen in these parts. Moreover, it is my humble observation that, despite the fact that he has in his possession a letter of reference from the Governor of Singapore to the local authorities here, as well as a passport given to him by the Consulate General in Bombay, and my guidance and assistance which I offered him as a mere formality upon his request, the provincial government has not permitted him to undertake his desired travels in Java. In addition, his relations with senior British officials seems to be a source of concern. These matters are presented to be submitted for your information. In this matter[…] Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 386/47

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Documents on Dutch administration’s regulations and practices with regard to the Hadramis in Indonesia, 1898

Petition from the Hadramis in Batavia to the Ottoman Sultan about their problems with the Dutch administration, 1898 This is a petition from all the Arab, Alid sayyids resident in the Indian islands Praise be to God in accordance with his bounty and greatness, and peace and blessings be upon our lord Muhammad the Messenger and over his family and companions altogether. We pray to God and seek intercession with Him through His chosen Prophet and his pure family to extend and lengthen the life of the refuge of the great Caliphate, our lord the great sultan and glorious khaqan, lord of the two lands and two seas, servant of the two Holy Shrines, the sultan son of the Sultan, the ghazi sultan Abdülhamid Khan II, may God lengthen his rule and support his strength with glory and victory and strengthening him and the clear victory (al-fath al-mubin)5 through the protection of the lord of messengers [the Prophet Muhammad]. The petition to the noble threshold – may God perpetuate its strength and preserve it – consists of the following items. Item One: History of Hadramawt. It is a large country, a province of Yemen. Yemen has two provinces, the first of which extends from the Hijaz to Ayn Bamaʿbad, and the second from Ayn Bamaʿbad to Sayhun; the latter is Hadramawt. Its governor in the time of the Prophet was Ziyad bin Labid alAnsari. After the Prophet’s death, our lord Abu Bakr al-Siddiq was appointed as his successor, and he sent to Ziyad and kept him in his position and ordered him to get the oath of allegiance from the people of Hadramawt for Abu Bakr. The people of Tamim and their neighbours agreed to this, then our lord Ahmad bin Isa al-Muhajir migrated from Basra to Hadramawt and settled there, fathering the household of Abu Alawi who still exist today. From them come ulema and righteous doers, and they are very numerous, around 40, 000. After that the emirs of Hadramawt split up, each one taking control over a region. The one who became emir of Hadramawt on behalf of the Sublime State through a sultanic firman was Badr bin Abdullah, known as Abu Tuwayraq. Many firmans were sent to him through the governor of Sanaa. Among them was the sultanic firman of Sultan Selim [sent] via the governor of Sanaa. The population of Hadramawt from Oman to Najran is around two million. The famous ports of Hadramawt are al-Mukalla, al-Shihr, Dhofar, Burum, Abar Ali [i.e. Biʾr Ali], al-Majdaha, al-Hawr, Balhaf and Sayhun. In Balhaf the [Ottoman] sultan’s 13.1

5  Qurʾan 48: 1.

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Petition from the Hadramis in Batavia to the Ottoman Sultan about their problems with the Dutch administration, 1898

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Petition from the Hadramis in Batavia to the Ottoman Sultan about their problems with the Dutch administration, 1898

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Figure 168

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Petition from the Hadramis in Batavia to the Ottoman Sultan about their problems with the Dutch administration, 1898

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Petition from the Hadramis in Batavia to the Ottoman Sultan about their problems with the Dutch administration, 1898

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flag is flown every Friday. The well-known cities in Hadramawt are Tarim and its surroundings [comprising] many villages and Sa‌ʾyun and its surroundings comprising many villages. Its governor at the moment is Mansur, whose father was given a sultanic firman by sultan Abdülmecid in 1297/1879–80. The aforementioned Mansur is a descendant of Badr Abu Tuwayraq al-Kathiri mentioned above. Other cities are Shibam, a large and ancient city, al-Qatn, Hawrah, and Hijrayn, whose governor is Iwad bin Umar al-Qatifi al-Himyari. The current governor of al-Mukalla, al-Shihr, Harida – a well-known city – and their surroundings, is the Alid sayyid family of al-Attas. No one other than them governs. Dauʿan is divided into two sections, the left and the right, some of which is subject to Al Amudi and some of which comprises numerous cities. The rest of Hadramawt to the east and west comprises numerous tribes whom no one controls. This is the situation of Hadramawt in total. Item Two. When trade in the direction of Hadramawt dried up owing to lack of organisation, [its people] started to migrate to India, Java, Zanzibar and other places to earn a living. They entered the kingdom of Hyderabad in India and entered into military service. Some of them were armed with Arab arms and some with the arms of the Nizam. They numbered about 500,000. Those who migrated to Singapore, in the possession of the British, and Java, a Dutch colony, did business in these two countries. Their commerce grew and they gained possession of land and their wealth increased. As for at Singapore, the British government treats them equally with Europeans. Item Three. The Arabs who entered the Dutch colonies of Batavia, Surabaya, Semarang and other Indian islands were numerous, about 30, 000 Alid sayyids whose occupation was trade, and their wealth and trade grew and they gained possession of great properties, land and real estate. But the Dutch government treated the Arabs with contempt and the Dutch government’s injustice to the Arabs increased. For example, if an Arab enters Batavia or another Indian island, the government orders that he present a petition to the government to ask for a residence permit with two Arabs as guarantors. The permit is issued for six months and he has to pay a tax which is currently 12 Rupiah. After six months he presents another petition asking for a residence permit for the purposes of trade. A permit called the reispas is issued. Then if he wants to travel to a different city he has to get a permit and pay the annual poll-tax [jizya]6 whether he is rich or poor. They appoint a head over the Arabs in each town who collects the poll-tax [jizya] and other [taxes] and pays them to the 6  The word jizya is doubtless chosen to show the humiliation of Muslims at being subjected to a poll tax.

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government. Among them is the restriction on the Arabs which does not permit them to live in places along state roads but only 80 meters from it, unlike other Europeans, Chinese and Indians and all [other] nationalities, who have none of these restrictions as is well-known and mentioned in Arabic newspapers. If any Arab possesses land where he desires to live, even if it is worth 100, 000 Rupiah, he is only granted permission after many difficulties. Another example [of this oppression], is that if there is a quarrel between an Arab and a European, even if the latter is the aggressor against the Arab, the European sends a letter to the court of summary justice. The Arab will be brought and sentenced to hard labour without the judge even receiving any bribe from the plaintiff. This happens even if he is a noble sayyid, and this [treatment] contravenes justice and freedom. Another example [of Dutch injustice] is that if an Arab desires to marry he must pay a tax to the government of 10 Rupiah whether he is rich or poor. Another is that if someone dies and leaves possessions and cash and so on, the Dutch government seizes 5%. Another is that Arabs are forbidden from travelling in the interior of the land for trade, unlike other people, and if we started to list all the injustices against the Arabs committed by the government, we would not have enough lines [to record them], for they see a dog as better than an Arab and they show their contempt for the Arab in the streets, who cannot defend himself for fear of the government’s injustice. Item Four. When the consul of the Sublime [Ottoman] State, Ali Galib Beg, reached Batavia he started to distribute sultanic mementos to the Hadrami Arabs as if they were Ottoman subjects. The chief [of the Hadramis] at that time was Shaykh Muhammad bin Hasan Babhir who strove hard to thwart the efforts of Ali Galib Beg. He forged a petition to the governor-general of the Dutch colonies in Java and wrote false declarations that they are not Ottoman subjects and that they were happy to be Dutch subjects. This is a lie and fabrication on his part. God refuses that any Arab should be a Dutch citizen, as it is universally acknowledged that they are citizens of the Sublime Ottoman State in both ancient and modern times. May God treat him in the next world as he did in this. These fabrications are nothing but lies. Item Five. The compassion from our lord the great Caliph is sought by our presentation of these aforementioned items, and compassion for his sincere subjects, by him putting them under sultanic protection, and releasing them from the noose of humiliation, and granting them freedom like the rest of the subjects of states who have obtained complete freedom in the kingdom of Holland. We request of our lord the great sultan and glorious khaqan the commander of the faithful and the deputy (khalifa) of the chief of Messengers, the ghazi sultan Abdülmecid Khan II and the mediation of the great state the

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presentation of the aforementioned items. The great state undertakes a service for humanity, while we, the Arab sayyids and shaykhs, request acceptance of these matters. Item Six. If a sultanic decree is issued concerning the supremacy of rights and preventing despotism and excess contrary to the recorded divine law and civil rights; we will oppose infringement of our rights by the sword, for we are of the noble house. In the pure sharia it is not permitted that we be humiliated and reviled, especially members of the Prophet’s family, and we see every state honours those who are related to it prophets and messengers and esteems their worth and position. It is required from His Majesty that the sayyids be under the shadow of the protection of the great Caliph who is deputy for their ancestor Mustafa [i.e. Muhammad]. Composed in the port of Batavia on 10 Dhuʾl-Qiʿda 1315, [2 April 1898] [Signed by] All the Arabs

[There follows a list of over a hundred signatures of leading Hadrami families, including numerous members of the Aydarus, Jasbi, Habashi, Kathiri, al-Haddad and alSaqqaf families]. Source: BOA Y.PRK.AZJ. 35/95

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the Arabs in Indonesia, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 1 Nisan sene [1]314 târihli Batavya Başşehbenderliği tahrîrâtı sûretidir Bugünkü tarihli diğer bir arîza-i bendegânemde ahvâlini arz eylediğim Arabların Flemenk müstemlekâtı kavânîn ve nizâmâtı nazarında olan derecei hukûk-ı müktesebelerini ve cezâʾir-i mezkûre sükkân-ı asliyesiyle ecânib-i şarkiye beynindeki vazʿiyyet ve muhâlefetini biʾt-tabʿ arz etmemiş olduğumdan emr u fermân-ı cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri şeref-taʿalluk buyurulduğu takdîrde mufassalan arz ve işʿârına müsâraʿat olunacağı maʿrazında ol-bâbda 13.2

Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communication of the Consulate General in Batavia, dated 13 April 1898

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In my other communication of today, which contained [information about] the state of the Arabs, I explained neither the rights to which they are entitled with regard to the laws and regulations of the Dutch colonies, nor the state of affairs and tensions between the oriental foreigners and the native inhabitants of the said islands. I will hasten to present [these issues] and explain in detail in case an exalted ministerial order will be issued [to that end]. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 385/2 (2)

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the Hadramis and their legal position in Indonesia, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 1 Nisan sene [1]314 târihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtın sûretidir. Maʿlûm-ı âlî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri olduğu vechile Hadramut kıtʿası Arabistanʾın cihet-i cenûbiyyesinde şimâlen Necran ve Yemen ve Vâdiyüʾl-Ahkâf ile cenûben Umman Deniziʾyle mahdûd ve kırk bir derece tûl-ı garbî ile elli üç derece tûl-ı şarkîye imtidâd eyleyen sevâhili şâmil olup arâzîsinin baʿzı mahalleri çöl ve baʿzı mahalleri Cebel-i Âsad ve Cebel-i Kamer ve Biʾr Ali havâlîsi gibi dağlık sengistândan ibâret ve el-Mukalla, ve el-Şihir ve Şaqar ve Burom ve Abar Ali ve el-Mecdeha ve el-Hor ve Balhaf ve Simot iskelelerini ve Terim ve Seyun ve el-Katn ve Suveire ve el-Hacreyn bilâdıyla Şibam Aynân ve kısm-ı bilâd-ı kadîmesini hâvî ve başlıca Benî Temim, Benî Hacer, Benî Hamdan, Benî Kinde kabâʾilinden mürekkeb olarak alâ rivâyeti iki milyona karîb nüfûs ahâlîsi vardır. Hadramut kıtʿası daha zamân-ı saʿâdet-i hazret-i risâlet-penâhîde Ziyad bin Lebid el-Ensârî rahmetullâh-i aleyh maʿrifetiyle dâhil-i havza-i idâre-i İslâmiye edilmiş iken hilâfet-i Ebu Bekir es-Sıddık “Radiyallâhu anh” da yalnız Terim havâlîsi sekenesi arz-ı biʿat etmiş ve Ömer el-Fâruk “Radiyallâhu anh” devrinden sonra seyyidüʾş-şühedâ İmam Hüseyin Ebî Tâlib ahfâdından Ahmed bin İsa el-Muhâcirîn İmâm Cafer es-Sâdık bin İmam Zeynelabidin Basra‌ʾdan avdetle Hadramutʾda tavattun ve mürûr-ı zamânla evlâd ve ahfâdı tekessür ve Hadramutʾun her cihetine intişâr ederek her biri birer mahalde birer emâret ve kabîle teşkîl etmişlerdir. Seyyid-i müşârunileyhin evlâd ve ahfâdı el-yevm kırk bin râddesine bâliğ olup baʿzıları el-yevm Hadramutʾda ve baʿzıları Zengibar ve cihât-ı müteʿaddide-i Hindiyeʾye hicret ve kesb u ticâretle meʾlûf bulunmakdadır. Sâdât-ı müşârunileyhim Alevî unvânıyla muʿanven olup kabâʾil-i hazâriyenin bedevât âleminde pûyân ve arasıra yekdiğere itâle-i dest-i tecâvüz ve tuğyân eylemeleri üzerine ehlî addolunan şehr ve kasabât halkını hicrete mecbûr eylemiş 13.3

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ve bundan beş asır evvel Hindistan-ı garbî ve şimâlîye hicrete başlayanlar yavaş yavaş cihât-ı Hindiyeʾnin her noktasına intişâr eylediği gibi Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾye de dâhil olmuşlardır. Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾde İslâmiyetʾin intişârı Arab huzzârmînin vusûlünden mukaddem Endülüsʾden gelmiş olduğu el-yevm Cava‌ʾnın yanında ve Surakarta havâlîsinde pâyidâr olan makbereleri kitâbesinden istidlâl olunan Arab-ı muğâribiyyenin ictihâdıyla ibtidâ etmiş ve fakat Hadramut Arablarıʾnın hicret ve tavattunları dahî teʾeyyüd-ı esâs-ı İslâm teʾsîrât-ı azîme bahş etmişdir. Bu vechile Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾye hicretle tavattun etmiş olan Arab Huzzârmı cenâb-ı vâhibüʾl-atâyâ hazretlerinin mevâhib-i aliyyesinden olarak bu havâlîde cilveger-i şuhûd olan enʿâm-ı hazâʾin-i tabîʿiyyeden istifâdeye başlamış ve sekene-i asliye ile kâbil-i kıyâs olmayan zekâ-yı fıtrîleri îcâbınca tevsîʿ-i dâʾire-i ticâret ve müddet-i yesîre zarfında iktisâb-ı servet ve bir tarafdan selâtîn ve umerâ-yı kadîmeye müsâheretle baʿzı hükûmetlerin reʾsen umerâ-yı mahalliyeyi istihlâf ve bu kabilden olarak Borneoʾnun Pontianak ve Sarawak ve Cava‌ʾnın Surakarta havâlîsinde ve Madora‌ʾda muhtelif hükûmetler teşkîl eyledikleri gibi el-ân Flemenk Hükûmeti müdâhalesini şerâʾit-i mahsûsa ile kabûl etmiş bulunan nîm müstakil baʿzı hükûmât-ı sağîrede dahî menâsib-i mühimmeyi işgâl eylemekde bulunmuşlardır. Bu sûretle umerâ-yı kadîme ile ihtilât edenler biʾt-tabʿ sınıf-ı sâdât olup bunlar meyânında en ziyâde hâʾiz-i nüfûz ve şöhret olanlar âl-i es-Sakkâf, âl-i el-Kâf, âl-i el-Cüneyd, âl-i el-Sırrı, âl-i el-Ukbal, âl-i el-Attâs, âl-i eş-Şihâb, âl-i el-Aydarûs, âl-i el-Haddâdʾdır. Evlâd-ı Arabʾın bu havâlîde nâʾil oldukları refâh hâl bir buçuk asır imtidâd eylemiş velâkin Cezâʾir-i Hindiye sekenesi Avrupalıların sehm-i taʿarruzuna düçâr olduğu târihden iʿtibâren ikbâl-i Arab dahî nikbete tahavvül ederek bu gün bir hâl-i esef iştimâle inkılâb fakat şu edbâr-ı hamâset-i kıbele şehâmet-i tabʿa mâlik olan bu kavm-i necîbin kalbinde itfâsı gayr-ı kâbil bir ateş-i intikâm peydâ etmiş ve Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin müddet-i idâresinde müstemlekâtın her tarafında her ne sûretle olur ise olsun zuhûr etmiş olan vukûʿât ve ihtilâller bu Arabların ilkâʿâtı üzerine kesb-i vüsʿat eylemişdir. Ehl-i muvahhidînin dâreynde yegâne sirâc-ı minhâc-ı hidâyeti olan Kurʾân-ı Kerîmʾin lisân-ı Arabî üzere bulunması ve Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾde İslâmiyetʾin intişâr ve istikrârı muhâlata-i Arabʾla husûl pezîr olması kazâyâsına mebnî selâmet-i müstakbilesini menâfiʿ-i âtiyesini taʿmîm cehâlet-i ahâliyle alâʾik ve hissiyât-ı dîniyenin zevâl ve taklîlinde arayan müstemlekât hükûmeti bu hâdim-i diyanet olan Arabları dahî kuyûd-ı şâkka tahtında bulundurmakda ve binâʾen aleyh kavânîn-i mevcûdeye ve muʿâmelât-ı keyfiyeye tevfîkan yerliler ve hattâ Çinlilerden dûn bir sûretde muʿâmele eylemekdedir. Hâlife-i rûy-ı zemîn emîrüʾl-müʾminîn pâdişâh-ı hakâyık-âgâh-ı şehriyâr-ı dekâyik-i iktinâh efendimiz hazretleri âlem-i İslâmiyetʾin bir rükn-ı mühimmine dârüʾl-karâr olan Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾde taraf-ı müstecmiʿüʾl-mecd veʾş-şeref-i

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hümâyûnlarından bir meʾmûrun bulundurulması maksad-ı âlîsiyle Batavya şehrinde ihdâs buyurulan başşehbenderhânenin şuyûʿ-ı ihdâsı en ziyâde ahvâli ber-vech-i bâlâ icmâlen arz olunan Arablara medâr-ı münn ü hubûr olmuşdur. Arabistan ve havâlîsinin saltanat-ı seniyye-i Osmâniyeʾnin kalem-rû ve hükümrânîsi dâhilinde bulunan memâlikin eczâ-yı mütemmimesinden bulunması ve Hadramut kıtʿasında dahî tevârih-i muhtelife ile bâ-fermân-ı âlî hükûmet-i seniyyenin hukûk-ı hükümrânîsinin teʾyîd buyurulmuş olması Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾde tavattun ve temekkün eden bu bî-çârelere kuvvet kalb bahş ederek selâmet-i âtiye ve necât-ı müstakbelelerini bu şehbenderhânenin delâletiyle hükûmeti metbûʾalarının inâyet ve merhametinden intizâr eylemek emelini tevlîd eylemişdir. Binâenaleyh Hindʾde bugün nefs-i Cava cezîresinde kâʾin Batavya, Seribon, Sahlaranig, Sorabaya şehrlerinde mevcûd olan Arablar tarafından makâm-ı celîl-i hilâfet-i uzmâya hitâben tanzîm olunan bir kıtʿa mahzar-ı umûmî beyneʾs-sâdât ilm ve fazlıyla müştehir es-Seyyid Hüseyin bin Muhsin elAttâs, es-Seyyid Ali bin Şihâb, es-Seyyid Taha bin Ahmed el-Haddâd, es-Seyyid Abdülkadir bin Hüseyin el-İdûse nâm zâtlar vâsıtasıyla abd-i memlûklarına tevdîʿ ve teslîm edilmiş ve manzûr-ı âlî buyurulmak üzere bâ-posta mâbeyni hümâyûn-ı cenâb-ı mülûkâne cânib-i âlîsine takdîm ve irsâl kılınmışdır. Meʾâline gelince evvelâ Hadramut kıtʿasının hükûmet-i seniyyeye olan merbûtiyet ve münâsebeti hakkındaki maʿlûmât-ı târihiyyeden sâniyen kendilerinin esbâb-ı hicretinden sâlisen Flemenk müstemlekât hükûmetinin olan muʿâmelât-ı taʿaddiyât-ı gâyâtından ve menâfiʿ-i şahsiyelerine hizmeten baʿzı rüʾesâ-yı Arabʾın mezâliminden bahisle tâbiʿiyyet-i asliye-i Osmâniyelerinin bir esâs-ı kaviyye rabtıyla taʿyîni istirhâmına ve râbiʿan mâbeynlerindeki sâdât-ı kirâm ittisâl-i cenâb-ı risâlet-penâhîden bulunmalarıyla ihtilâl ve arâka-i dem-i fezâyıha ictisâr ederek telvîs-i tâm eylemeği tecvîz etmediklerini ve fakat vâkiʿ olan istirhâmâtı taʿvîk eylediği takdîrde sel-i seyf ile teʾmîn-i hukûka âmâde bulunduklarını mutazammın olduğu muhât-ı ilm-i âlî-i cenâb-ı hidivv-i efhamîleri buyuruldukda ve her hâlde Sublime Porte Foreign Department Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the communication of the Consulate General in Batavia, dated 13 April 1898 As Your Ministerial Excellency knows, the Hadramawt region is located in the south of the Arabian Peninsula and is bordered by Najran, Yemen and Wadi al-Ahqaf in the north, and the sea of Oman in the south. [Its] coast [stretches] from 41 degrees latitude west to 53 degrees latitude east, and some places of its

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land consist of desert while other places are rocky mountains like Jabal Asad, Jabal Qamar, and Biʾr Ali. It contains the ports of al-Mukalla, al-Shihr, Shaqr, Burum, Abar Ali,7 al-Majdaha,8 al-Hawr, Balhaf, and Sayhut; and the towns of Tarim, Saiʾun, al-Qatn, Suwayri, al-Hajarayn, Shibam, Aynan, and partly [other] ancient towns. The population of nearly two million [consists] mainly [of the following] tribes: Bani Tamim, Bani Hajar, Bani Hamdan and Bani Kinda. The Hadramawt region was brought under Islamic rule by the late [Ubayd Allah ibn] Ziyad bin al-Labid al-Ansari (may God have mercy on him) as early as the time of the Prophet. During the Caliphate of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may God be well pleased with him), only the residents around Tarim recognized [him as the Caliph]. After the period of Umar al-Faruq (may God be well pleased with him) Ahmad bin Isa al-Muhâjirîn Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq bin Imam Zayn alʿAbidin (a descendant of the lord of the martyrs Imam Husayin bin Abi Talib) returned from Basra and settled in Hadramawt. In due time, the number of his children and descendants increased and spread to everywhere in Hadramawt, and each of them established Emirates and clans in every place. Today the number of sons and descendants of the said Sayyid is as much as about forty thousand, and some of them [live] in Hadramawt, whilst some others migrated to Zanzibar and to various places in India, and are engaged in trade. The said Sayyids bear the title ‘Alawi’. As numerous tribes existed independently, sometimes they attacked each other, and went as far as to force the people of cities and towns (who were called ‘settled’) to migrate. Those who started to immigrate to west and north India five centuries ago slowly began to spread throughout India, and they entered the Indian Islands as well. That the spread of Islam to the Indian Islands predates the arrival of the Arabs of Hadramawt, and [that it] started with the endeavours of the Arabs of the Maghreb coming from Andalusia, is deduced from the extant gravestones located around Surakarta near Java. However, the immigration and the settlement of the Hadrami Arabs has strengthened the foundation of Islam, and bestowed on it great influence. As a result, the Hadrami Arabs who immigrated and settled in the Indian islands began to benefit from the natural treasures in the region as a gift of God, and thanks to their natural intelligence (which is incomparable with the locals) they broadened their trade and in a short period acquired fortunes. They also established kinship by marriage with the local sultans and emirs, and succeeded them, and founded various governments around Pontianak and Sarawak in Borneo, and Surakarta in Java and in Madura. 7  I.e. Bir ʿAli. 8  Ra‌ʾs Majdaha lies to the west of Burum, although we have not discovered other evidence of it serving as a port.

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Likewise, they occupy important positions in some of the semi-independent governments that recognize the authority of the Dutch government under certain stipulations. Naturally, they are Sayyids who intermarried with the ancient Emirs. The most famous and influential of them are the al-Saqqaf family, the al-Kaf family, the al-Junaid family, the al-Sari[?] family, the al-ʿUqbal family, al-Attas family, the al-Shihab family, the al-ʿAydarus family, and the al-Haddad family. The prosperous state that the Arabs attained in this region lasted for a century and a half, and came to an end and turned into a calamity since the Europeans began to attack the residents of the Indian Islands. However, these noble people, possessing a courageous and active character, were determined to take revenge, and all the events and revolts that took place during the rule of the Dutch government have broadened upon the instigation of these Arabs. The colonial government seeks its further interest and its survival in the future by means of the diffusion of ignorance among people, and the decline of religious sentiments. The spread and stability of Islam in the Indian Islands depends on the mixing [of the locals] with Arabs, as the noble Qurʾan, which is the only guiding light of the path of the monotheists, is in the Arabic language. Therefore, the colonial government keeps these Arabs who are the servants of the religion in miserable state, and, according to the current regulations and arbitrary practices, they are treated as lower than the natives and even than the Chinese. The establishment of the Consulate General in Batavia as a result of the wish of the Caliph on the Face of the Earth, the Commander of the Faithful, our lord His Majesty the most just and exalted Sultan to have an agent in Indian Islands, which is an important part of the Islamic world, has especially pleased the Arabs whose situation has been presented above in sum. Arabia and its surroundings constitute a part of the countries that are under the sovereignty of the Imperial Ottoman Sultanate, and the Imperial Sultanate’s sovereignty over the Hadramawt region has also been reiterated on at various by means of imperial orders. Therefore, this has heartened those wretched people who are settled in the Indian Islands, and produced the expectation for imperial benevolence and compassion through the guidance of this Consulate General that will provide their government for their further safety and survival in the future. Consequently, a general report prepared by the Arabs who reside in the cities of Batavia, Cirebon, Semarang, and Surabaya on Java, and addressed to the office of the exalted Great Caliphate, has been presented to your servant by Sayyid Husayn bin Muhsin al-Attas, Sayyid Ali bin Shihab, Sayyid Taha bin Ahmad al-Haddad, and Sayyid Abd al-Qadir bin Husayn al-ʿAydarus, who are known for their wisdom and virtue among the sayyids. I have sent the report by post to the Imperial Private Apartments to be presented for the information

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of the exalted presence. As for its content: firstly, it gives historical information about Hadramawt’s connection and relation to the imperial government; secondly, [it explains] the reasons of their immigration; thirdly, [it gives information] about the Dutch colonial government’s repressions and some Arab leaders’ oppressions for personal gain, and [includes] the request for the establishment of their actual Ottoman citizenship on sound grounds; fourthly, [it includes the statement that] as there are sayyids (descendants of the Prophet) among them, they do not deem it appropriate to rise up and cause bloodshed, but that they are ready to obtain their rights by drawing the swords if this is deemed to be required. This is presented for the consideration of your exalted khedival knowledge, and in this matter Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 385/2 (4)

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry on Dutch administration’s regulations and practices with regard to the Arabs in Indonesia, 1898 Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 7 Eylül [1]314 târihli Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnin tahrîrâtı sûretidir. Müstemlekât hükûmeti tarafından bin sekiz yüz kırk altı senesi Ağustosuʾnun on ikisinde neşr edilmiş olan nizamnâmenin yirmi dördüncü mâddesinde Müslimîn ve edyân-ı kadîmeye mensûb olup Ecânib-i Şarkıye nâmıyla yâd edilmekde bulunan cemâʿât-ı muhtelifenin tahsîsen Cava cezîresi ahâlî-i asliyesiyle biʾl-ihtilât temekkünleri taht-ı memnûʿiyyete alınarak cemâʿât-ı merkûmenin her birine baʿzı livâ ve kazâ ve nevâhî merkezlerinde ayrıca ve müteferrik sûretde mahalleler tahsîsi ve binâʾen aleyh işbu tahsîs edilen şehir ve kasabaların hilâfında sâkin bulunanlar ihrâç edilmiş olduklarından emlâk ve akârâtının terki veyâhud yok bahâsına mecbûriyet-i füruhtu gibi hasârâtdan ve tahdîd-i ticâretlerinden mütevellid zarar ve ziyânlarından bess-i şekvâ ve teksîr-i güft-gû ile irâʾe-i âsâr-ı sevrâ eden ashâbından nâşî hükûmet-i mahalliye altmış altı senesinde taʿdîlen diğer bir nizamnâme neşrine mecbûriyet his eyleyerek sene-i merkûme Haziranıʾnın altısında neşr olunan nizâmnâmenin birinci ve ikinci ve üçüncü mâddelerinde Ecânib-i Şarkiyeʾnin taraf-ı hükûmetden taʿyîn edilen bilâd ve mahallelerde sâkin bulunmaları mecbûriyeti ibkâ ve fakat bunların hâricinde olan mahallerde ikâmetleri istihsâl edecekleri müsâʿade üzerine mümkün olacağı teʾmîn edilmiş ve müsâʿadât-ı vâkıʿa zirâʿat ve sanâʿat ve umûr-ı nâfiʿa teşebbüsâtı veyâ hükûmetle isticâren arâzî üzerine olunacak kontrato gibi imâret-i memlekete hâdim mevâddı müstenid 13.4

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olup hükûmet-i hasbeʾl-îcâb müsâʿade-i mezkûrenin refʿiyle ihrâçlarına dâʾir selâhiyeti hıfz ve dördüncü mâddesinde ecânib-i merkûmenin mütehassası olan mahallerden veyâ bilâd-ı muʿayyeneden mâʿadâ olan mahallerde kadîmen sâkin bulunanlar mâdde-i sâlisede muharrer hükûmetin salâhiyeti kezâlik hıfz edilmekle berâber mülklerinden ihrâç edilmeyip ikâmetleri tecvîz ve cevâz-ı vâkıʿayı yalnız evlâd ve ensâbına teşmîl olunmuş olduğu hâlde merbûten arz ve takdîm kılınıp cerâyid-i mahalliyeden müstahrec bulunan makalede manzûr-ı âlî-i dâver-i efhamîleri buyurulacağı vechile Cava cezîresinin cihet-i şimâliyesinde vâkiʿ “Sidhoardjo” beldesinde mukîm Arablar şehr-i mezkûrda hükûmet-i mahalliye tarafından kendilerine mahalle tahsîs edilmemiş bulunmasının der-meyânıyla ihrâcına teşebbüs edilmesi ve altmış altı senesinde neşr edilmiş olan nizamnâme-i mebhûsun anhın ikinci mâddesinin bahş eylediği müsâʿade üzerine belde-i mezkûrede tavattun eylemiş ve mülk ve akâr sâhibi olmuş bulunmalarının der pîş-i nazar-ı maʿdelet edilmemesi ve cemâʿat-i merkûmenin kâffesi erbâb-ı ticâretden olmaları ile muhavver muʿâmelâtının esâsından kalʿıyla hânumânlarının mahvı cihetine gidilmesi husûsâtına mebnî keyfiyetin arzına müsâraʿat ve Arablar hakkında olan işbu misillü mezâlim ve taʿaddiyâtı tafsîlen ve akvâm-ı muhtelife-i mevcûde meyânındaki tefâvüt-ı hukûklarını mevâdd-ı kânûniye-i mevzûʿaya ve teʿâmül-i keyfî-i cârîye tatbîkan huzûr-ı sâmî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîlerine arz etmek üzre derdest tahrîr bulunan lâyiha-i çâkerânemin karîben arz ve takdîm olunacağının ifâdesine cürʾet kılınmış olmağla her hâlde Aslına mutabıkdır. Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number This is a copy of the note of the Consulate General in Batavia, dated 19 September 1898. The twenty fourth article of the regulations issued by the colonial government on 12 August 1846 prohibited various communities, including Muslims and the believers of the ancient religions, who are described as “Oriental Foreigners”, from living among the native populace of Java. Separate quarters were assigned for each of these communities in a number of provincial centres, towns, and townships. Those who settled in other cities and townships contrary to the restrictions were driven out. This led to the dissemination of complaints, and increase of criticism over losses such as the abandoning or forced sale of real estate and rental properties, as well as damages caused by restrictions on their trade. As those who suffered these losses seemed ready

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to erupt in anger, the local government felt obliged to issue another regulation in the year [18]66. The first, second, and the third articles of the regulations that were issued on the 6th of June of the said year, maintained the obligation for Oriental Foreigners to settle in the towns and quarters assigned by the government, but granted the possibility of residing in other places by obtaining permission to that end. The permission in question can be based on works serving the development of the country such as agriculture, crafts, and public work enterprises, or by contracting land from the government in return for a rent. [Nevertheless] the government maintained the authority to withdraw this permission when needed. [According to] the fourth article [of the regulatory decision], Oriental Foreigners who had resided since ancient times in places other than the towns assigned to them would not be expelled from their properties, their residence would be legalized, and this legalization would apply exclusively to their children and descendants with the stipulation that the government would maintain the right expressed in the third article. Despite this, I hasten to present to the exalted presence of Your Ministerial Excellency one report from this place that, as you will see from the enclosed articles taken from the local newspapers, relates that it has been attempted to expel the Arabs residing in the town of Sidoarjo located in the north part of the island of Java by arguing that the local government did not assign any quarters to them. They ignored the fact that they had settled in this town and possessed real estate and rental properties under the permission granted by the second article of the aforementioned regulations issued in [18]66, and that the whole community consists of traders who would be ruined completely if their businesses – which are already in bad shape – were to be totally eradicated. I dare to express that I will soon present to your exalted Ministry the humble report that I am currently writing about the details of this sort of oppressions and affronts towards the Arabs, and the differences of the rights granted to the various communities with regard to the provisions of the established laws and current customary practices. This is a true copy of the original Source: BOA Y.A.HUS. 390/100 (3)

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Ottoman embassy at The Hague to the Foreign Minister informing him about the initiative to establish a school in Batavia for Arab children to prevent them from going to Istanbul, 1899

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye Tercüme Odası

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Aded Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne 14 Şubat sene [18]99 târihiyle Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnden vârid olan 14 numerolu tahrîrâtın tercümesidir. Evlâd-ı Arabʾın li-ecliʾt-tedrîs Dersaʿâdetʾe azîmetine hâcet kalmamak için Batavya‌ʾda bunlara mahsûs bir mekteb teʾsîs maksadıyla Arablardan baʿzı kesânın Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin şehr-i mezkûr fahrî müşâviri olan Said Osman nezdinde akd-i cemʿiyet ettikleri Batavya Gazetesiʾnin 8 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [18]99 târihli nüshasında muharrerdir bu teşebbüs ve nümâyiş evlâdlarını Dersaʿâdetʾe gönderen baʿzı Cavalılara karşı bir vakitden beri bura evrâk havâdisiyle Hindʾdeki Flemenk gazeteleri beyninde tekevvün eden münâkaşât-ı kalemiye netîcesi olduğu derkârdır emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Translation Office Number This is the translation of the communiqué received by the Foreign Ministry from the Imperial Embassy at the Hague, dated 14 February 1899, number 14. The 8 February 1899 issue of the newspaper Batavia reports that some Arabs held a meeting in the presence of Said Osman, who is an honorary advisor to the Dutch Government in the city, to establish a special school in Batavia for the education of Arab children so that they will not need to go to the Abode of Felicity for their education. It is apparent that this initiative and declaration is the result of a debate in print between Dutch newspapers in the Indies that has recently taken place concerning a number of people in Java who have sent their children to the Abode of Felicity. To command belongs to him who commands all. Source: BOA Y.A.HUS 393/114

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Ottoman authorities investigate the identity of Hüsameddin Efendi bin Şerif who is planning to go to Philippines, 1899

Zabtiye Nezâret-i Aliyyesiʾne Fî 15 Şevvâl sene [1]316 Fî 14 Şubat sene [1]314 Dersaʿâdet ahâlîsinden Hüsameddin Efendi bin Şerif nâm kimesnenin yedinde Beyrut Vilâyet-i Aliyyesiʾnden verilmiş 18 Mart sene [1]314 târihli bir husûsî ve yirmi dokuz umûmî numerolu bir kıtʿa pasaport bulunduğu hâlde Filipin Cezâyir-i müctemiʿasından “Selebes” adalarında kâʾin “Makasar”a azîmet eylemek üzre şehbenderhâneye mürâcaʿat ettiği Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnin

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işʿârına atfen Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden bâ-tezkire izbâr olunmakdan nâşî mûmâileyhin hüviyeti vilâyet-i müşârunileyhâdan istifsâr olunmuş ise bu kere cevâbı mütezammın alınan 19 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene-i minhu târihli ve iki yüz elli üç numerolu tahrîrâtda mûmâileyh an-asl Dersaʿâdet ahâlîsinden olduğu ve hocalıkla Bombayʾdan taleb edildiği beyânıyla bir sene evvel Beyrutʾa uğrayıp aleʾl-usûl verdiği kefâlet-nâme üzerine Nüfûs Nezâretiʾnden pasaport alıp Bombayʾa gitmiş ve âhiren Cava ahâlîsinden Dersaʿâdetce mektebe girecek yedi çocuk ile birlikte buraya avdet ve Fransız vapuruyla Dersaʿâdetʾe azîmet eylemiş olduğu gösterilmişdir mûmâileyh Dersaʿâdetʾe gelmiş olduğundan hüviyet ve ahvâlinin sâniyen biʾt-tahkîk inbâsı husûsuna himem-i aliyyeleri maʿrûz buyurulmak bâbında. To the exalted Ministry of Police 26 February 1899 An individual named Hüsameddin Efendi bin Şerif from the Abode of Felicity in possession of a passport given to him from the exalted province of Beirut dated 30 March 1898, with the special number 1 and the general number 29, has made an application to the consulate [for permission] to travel to Makassar, situated in the Celebes Islands, part of the Philippines archipelago. Based on the notifications made by the Consulate General in Batavia, and the exalted Foreign Ministry, more information about the identity of this individual was requested from the provincial government. In the reply dated 31 January 1899, numbered 253, it is indicated that he is originally from the Abode of Felicity, and that, en route to taking up a teaching position in Bombay a year ago, he first stopped at Beirut and obtained a passport by supplying documents of security in accordance with the normal procedures of the Ministry of Civil Registry. Afterwards, he returned to the Abode of Felicity from Java on a French steamboat, together with seven children from Java who would attend school in the Abode of Felicity. As this individual has now arrived at the Abode of Felicity, your exalted favour is requested in order to investigate and reveal his identity and intentions. Source: BOA DH.MKT. 2170/73

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Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the difficulties created by the Dutch government with regard to the travel and settlement of the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1899

Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniye Batavya Başşehbenderliği

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Aded 440–29 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Saltanat-ı Seniyye ile Flemenk Devleti beynindeki muʿâhede-i mevcûdenin biʾl-cümle tebʿa-i şâhânenin Flemenk müstemlekâtında Avrupalıların nâʾil oldukları hukûka mazhariyetleri ve ol-bâbda husûsât-ı sâʾire esâsları üzerine tecdîdi lüzûmu târih ve numeroları merbûten mütekaddim tahrîrât-ı çâkerî ile arz ve inhâ kılınmışdı devlet-i müşârunileyhâ müstemlekât-ı Hindiyesiʾnin hemen her tarafında meskûn ve mikdârı yirmi bini mütecâviz ekserîsi Hadramutlu Arabları öteden beru kendi tebʿasından add ile yerliler misillü kavânîn-i istisnâiye ahkâmına tâbiʿ kalarak ve muʿâhede-i mezkûrenin sekizinci mâddesini esâs ittihâz ederek icrâ-yı iʿtisâfâtdan geri durmamakda ve ol-bâbdaki teşebbüsât-ı musırra ve mükerreremize hareket-i vâkıʿası muvâfık ahd olduğunu söylemekden başka bir şey yapmamakdadır maʿlûm-ı sâmî-i hazret-i nezâret-penâhîleri buyurulduğu vechile bu muʿâhedenin sekizinci mâddesi mûcebince tebʿamızın yedlerinde bulunan pasaportlar kendilerini müstemlekâtda ikâmet veyâ seyahat için ruhsat-nâme-i mahsûsa ahz ve istihsâlinden vâreste kılmadığı gibi kendilerini müstemlekâtdan tard etmeğe vâlinin hakkı vardır. Flemenk Hükûmeti Avrupalıların da bu muʿâmeleye tâbiʿ bulunduklarını söyleyebiliyor ise de bu bir zâhirî sözden ibâretdir. Bir Avrupalıʾya sûret-i umûmiyede ikâmet veyâ seyahat ruhsat tezkiresi iʿtâsında müşkilât gösterilmez ve bu sûretle müstemlekâtın her tarafında istediği gibi seyahat ve ticâretde serbest olur bu muʿâmeleden baʿzen Hıristiyan ve Musevî Osmanlılar da müstefid olabiliyorlar ancak Arablar ile sâʾir tebʿa-i İslâmiyemiz hakkında muʿâmele böyle değildir bunların ikâmetlerine müsâʿade olunan şehir sevâhilde ve muʿayyendir bu şehirler hâricine çıkmalarına hiçbir vechile müsâʿade olunmaz ve bu cihetle ticâretleri tevessüʿ edemez bundan başka ikâmete meʾzûn bulundukları şehirlerin birinden diğerine gidebilmek için her seferde hükûmetin her bir hareket ve fiʿlinden mesʾûl olmak üzre yine kendi içlerinden taʿyîn eyledikleri “Kapudân-ı Arab” nâmını alan eşhâsın tasvîbiyle ve kemâl-i müşkîlât ile bir mürûr tezkiresi almağa mecbûrdurlar bu tezkireler derûnuna gidecekleri şehri ve hangi tarîkle azîmet edeceklerini ve daha bu gibi tafsîlât-ı sâʾireyi taʿaddîyi yazdırmak lâzımdır bu kadar iʿtisâfâta rağmen bunların zât-ı akdes-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye derece-i sıdk ve irtibâtlarına pâyân yokdur ahvâl-i maʿrûzaya ehemmiyeti ve siyâsete istihsâl olacak menfaʿat-i azîm cihetiyle çâre-sâz buyurulması istirhâmına ez-ser-nev cürʾet kılınmış olmağla emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 5 Temmuz sene [1]315 Batavya Başşehbenderi bende-i Emin

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The Sublime Ottoman State Consulate General in Batavia Number 440–29 To the exalted Foreign Ministry My kind and exalted lord; In my humble communiqués (the dates and numbers of which preceded [this communiqué]), I communicated the necessity to renew the current agreement between the Imperial Sultanate and the Dutch State on the basis of the principle that all imperial subjects in the Dutch colonies attain the rights enjoyed by the Europeans and other relevant issues. For a long time, they have regarded more than twenty thousand Arabs who live throughout the Dutch colonies, most of them Hadramis, as their own subjects, and have subjugated them to the principles of exceptional laws as they do with the natives. Moreover, they continually abuse the eighth article of the aforementioned agreement. In response to our effective and repeated initiatives, they do nothing other than saying that their actions conform to the agreement. As Your Ministerial Excellency knows, according to the eighth article of this agreement, the passports do not exempt our citizens from the requirement of obtaining special licences to travel and settle in the colonies, and the governor maintains the right to expel them from the colonies. Although the Dutch Government says that the Europeans are also subject to this treatment, this is only empty talk because when granting a travel or residence permit to a European they [the Dutch authorities] do not generally make it difficult for them. As a result, they [the Europeans] are free to travel anywhere and to carry out their trade in the colonies. Sometimes, Christian and Jewish Ottomans enjoy the same treatment, but the treatment with regard to the Arabs and our other Muslim subjects is not like this. The cities where they are allowed to settle are on the coast and are specifically defined. They are in no way allowed to leave these cities [for other places in the colonies], and therefore their trade cannot grow. Moreover, each time they want to travel from one of the cities where they are allowed to reside to another one, they are obliged to obtain, with great difficulty, passage licences through the assent of individuals called “Captain of the Arabs” who are appointed by the government from among themselves and are responsible for their every movement and action. In these licences, it is necessary to register the name of the city to where they will travel, as well as the route that they will take, and other similarly inconvenient details. Despite all this oppression, there is no limit to their obedience to the person of His Majesty the Holy Caliph. It is dared to beg to find a solution to this situation,

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because of its importance and the political benefits that will be obtained from it. To command belongs to him who commands all. 17 July 1899 Your servant, the Consul General at Batavia Source: BOA HR.SYS. 564/5

17

Ottoman consul in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about the difficulties created by the Dutch government with regard to the travel of the Arabs in the Dutch Indies, 1899

Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniye Batavya Başşehbenderliği Aded 478–51 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Müstemlekat Hükûmeti bu kere dahî Arablar hakkındaki iʿtisâfât-ı mütemâdiyesine zamîmeten ufak tefek iş ve bir şeyle istihsâl-i maʿîşet için nice zahmetle istihsâl kılınmış mürûr tezkirelerini hâmilen geçen Teşrîn-i Sânî-i Efrencîʾnin on altısında Batavya‌ʾdan şimendüfer ile iki saʿat mesâfede “Bandong” şehrine giden melfûfen mütekaddim pusulada mündericüʾl-esâmî Hadramutlu Arablardan on kişiyi orada mezkûr mürûr tezkirelerinde muharrer müddetden ziyâde oturmuş olmak töhmetiyle ellişer filorin cezâ-yı nakdî iʿtâsına mahkûm etmiş ve bu bîçâre ancak üçü bu akçeyi vermeğe muktedir olabilmekle diğerlerinin cezâsını on altışar gün müddetle hidemât-ı şâkkaya tahvîl eylemişdir maʿlûm-ı sâmî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri buyurulduğu vechile Flemenk Hükûmet-i mahalliyesi öteden beru tebʿa-i İslâmiyemizi yerliler misillü Avrupâyî hukûkundan mahrûm kılarak düçâr-ı taʿaddî eylemekde ve bunun mazarrat ve vehâmeti müstaʿnî-i arz bulunmakdadır hükûmet-i mûmâileyhâ devleteyn beyninde münʿakid muʿâhede ile müʾeyyed nizâmât-ı mahalliyeye müsteniden ol-bâbdaki teşebbüsât ve teblîğât-ı vâkıʿayı semeresiz bırakmakda ve müdâhalemizi hiç kabûl etmemekde olduğundan on beşinci mâddesi mûcebince tecdîdi salâhiyeti derkâr bulunan bir sûreti melfûf mezkûr muʿâhedenin ikinci ve üçüncü ve on birinci ve aleʾl-husûs sekizinci mâddeleriyle ol-bâbdaki târih ve numeroları kezâlik matviyyen mütekaddim muharrerât-ı çâkerânemi nazar-ı takdîr-i âlî-i âsafânelerine arz eylerim emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 30 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]315

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Batavya Başşehbenderi bende-i Emin Es-Seyyid Abdülkadir bin Ahmed el-Bahr Es-Seyyid Abdurrahman bin Ebubekir Cefrî Şeyh Said bin Hamid Abid Abid bin Mübârek (?) Said eş-Şerʿî Ömer bin Said bin Talib Hadi bin Salih bin Talib Merʿî bin Muhammed bin Talib Cafer bin Ömer bin Said Hadi bin İvaz (?) Sublime Ottoman State Consulate General at Batavia Number 478–51 To the exalted Foreign Ministry My kind and exalted Lord In addition to its continuous oppressions, recently the Colonial Administration has subjected ten individual Hadrami Arabs, whose names are included in the enclosed note, to a fine of fifty florins each by accusing them of having stayed there longer than the period recorded in their travel permits. On 16 November last (by the calendar of the Franks), [these Arabs] went with their travel permits – which they had obtained with great difficulty – from Batavia to the city of Bandung located at two hours distance by train, in order to earn their livelihood by means of some odd jobs. Since only three of these helpless [Arabs] were capable of paying this money, the fines of the remaining [individuals] were converted into hard labour of sixteen days. As Your Ministerial Excellency knows, the local Dutch Government has been oppressing our Muslim subjects for a long time by depriving them of the rights of the Europeans, just as they do to the natives. There is no need to explain the damage and severity of this. All initiatives and announcements related to the issue, which are based on local regulations that are reiterated in the agreements between the two states are rendered fruitless by the [Dutch] government, who reject our interventions [on behalf of the Arabs]. Therefore, I wish to draw your exalted ministerial attention to the second, third, eleventh, and especially the eighth article of the said agreement (whose fifteenth article indicates that its adjustment is possible) as well as my relevant humble previous communiqués whose numbers and dates are presented in enclosure. To command belongs to him who commands all.

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12 December 1899 Your servant Emin, the Consul General in Batavia Sayyid Abd al-Qadir bin Ahmad al-Bahr Sayyid Abd al-Rahman bin Abu Bakr Jafri Shaykh Said bin Hamid Abid Abid bin Mubarak (?) Said al-Sharʾi Amr bin Said bin Talib Hadi bin Salih bin Talib Marʿi bin Muhammad bin Talib Jafar bin Amr bin Said Hadi bin Iwad (?) Source: BOA HR.SYS. 564/5

18

Note stating that the Ottoman subjects in Dutch colonies possess most favoured nation status, 1902

Flemenk Devletiʾyle ticâret muʿahedesi müzâkerâtı henüz başlamamış olup bu mesʾelenin ona taʿalluku münâsib görülemeyeceğine ve diğer tarafdan Devlet-i Aliyye tebʿasının biʾl-cümle Flemenk müstemlekâtında en ziyâde nâʾil-i müsâʿade olan millet muʿâmelesine hakk-ı ahdîsi olarak bu hak nizâmât-ı dâhiliye ile ilgâ edilemeyeceği gibi bu bâbda Flemenk Hâriciye Nezâreti nezdinde icrâ olunacak kâr âgâhâne bir teşebbüsden fenâ bir netîce çıkmasına da mahal olmadığına mebnî sefâret-i seniyyece işʿârât-ı sâbıka dâʾiresinde tedkîk-i mesʾele ile iktisâb-ı delâʾil olundukdan sonra devlet-i müşârunileyhâ hâriciye nâzırı ile bu bâbda müdâvele-i efkâr olunması ve görülecek sûret-i telakkî ve alınacak cevâba göre teʾemmül-i münâsib olunacağının tekrâr emr ve işʿârı lüzûmu maʿrûzdur. Fî 5 Mart sene [1]318 The deliberations with the Dutch State on a trade agreement have not yet started, and it is not appropriate to link this issue [i.e. the problem of the status of the Ottoman subjects in the Dutch Indies] to that. Moreover, subjects of the Sublime State have the right to enjoy most favoured nation status throughout the Dutch colonies according to treaties and this right cannot be withdrawn by internal regulations. [Furthermore,] it is impossible that the relevant initiatives with the Dutch Foreign Ministry will have a negative result. Therefore, it would be appropriate

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for the Imperial Embassy [at The Hague] to exchange ideas on this matter with the Dutch Foreign Minister, after the issue has been investigated in accordance with the previous communications and the relevant evidence has been gathered. [Then the issue] should be scrutinized according to the approach [of the Dutch Foreign Minister] and his response. It is suggested that an order [to that end] should be issued. 18 March 1902 Source: BOA HR.SYS. 564/5

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Report to the Ottoman sultan on the history of Islam and Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, and the state of the local and Arab Muslims with regard to Dutch administration and suggestions to improve the positions of the Hadramis, 1903

Muhât-ı ilm-i âlem-ârâ-yı cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîleri buyurulduğu vechile Endülüs Hükûmet-i İslâmiyesiʾnin zevâli ve ehl-i İslâmʾın mezâlim-i Hıristiyânîʾden tahlîsi girîbân-ı eylem-i emniyesiyle Afrika-yı Şimâlî-i Vustâʾya fevc fevc hicret eyledikleri bir hengâmda ehl-i beytden bir âile Ümitburnu tarîkiyle Cezâir-i Hindiye cihetine intikâl eyleyerek Avrupa‌ʾca o hengâmda verâ-yı mechûliyetde kalmış olan “Malezya” adaları cümlesinden bulunan Sumatra cezîresine muvâsalet ve ahâlî-i mahalliyeye telkîn-i dîn-i Muhammedî eyleyerek o târihden iʿtibâren nûr-ı hidâyet-i İslâmʾın o havâlîde milyonlarca ahâlî beyninde tenevvürü ibtidâ eylemiş idi. Bu târihden yarım asır sonra Cezîretüʾl-Arabʾın mevâkiʿ-i cenûbiyesinden ticâret maksadıyla evvelâ Hindistan sevâhiline ve sevâhil-i mezkûreyi taʿkîben Cezâir-i Hindiyeʾye vâsıl olmuş bulunan Arablar neşr-i İslâmʾa hizmetle Sumatra‌ʾdan bedeʾ ile Namluk Cezâyiriʾne varıncaya kadar İslâmiyetʾin neşr-i taʿmîmine çalışmışlar Portekizlerin ilk Hind ve baʿdehû Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾye muvâsaletlerine değin umûm “Malezya” ahâlîsi İslâm ile müşerref olmuş bulunuyordu. Portekiz ve İspanyolları müteʿâkiben Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾde Hollandalıların teşkîl eylediği “Hind-i Şarkî Ticâret Şirketi” Cezâir-i Hindiyeʾde evvel emirde ticâret sûretiyle ahâlî-i mahalliye hulûl ederek ve tevâʾif-i mülûkdan mürekkeb olan birçok hükûmât-ı sağîre-i İslâmiye tevsiʿ-i muʿâmelât eyleyerek kesb-i servet ve kuvvet eyledikden sonra hükûmât-ı mezkûre meyânına neşr-i nifâk sûretiyle yekdiğeri aleyhine kıyâm ve honrîz muhârebâtı intâc ettirib zaîf görünen cihete muʿâvenet etmek ve muʿâvenet-i mevʿûdeye mukâbil âtiyen teʾmîn-i nüfûz-ı hükümrânî eyleyecek mukâvelâta rabt sûretiyle şirket-i ticâriye yarım asır zarfında bir hükûmet-i siyâsiye hâlini kesb eyleyerek bu sûretle evvel emirde nefs-i Cava cezîresinde bulunan hükûmât-ı İslâmiyeʾyi meydandan

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kaldırıp doğrudan doğruya icrâ-yı hükûmete başlamış “Napolyon Bonapart”ın sükûtu üzerine İngiltere ile akd eylediği muʿâhede iktizâsınca Hollanda Hükûmeti Cava ve havâlisi adaları müstemleke addeyleyerek şirket-i ticâriyeyi lağv eylemiş ve bin sekiz yüz on beş târihinden beri hükûmet-i merkûme Cava‌ʾdan mâʿadâ Sumatra ve Mülûk cezâʾiri ahâlîsini peyderpey dâʾire-i itâʿate alarak hâlen otuz sekiz milyon nüfûs-ı İslâmiyeʾden mürekkeb olan “Malezya” cezâʾirinde icrâ-yı hükûmet etmekde bulunmuşdur. Emr-i idâre-i hükûmet kânûn-ı adâlet-nümûnun bahş eylediği hukûkun teʾmîn-i hayâtı kaziyyesine mübtenî olunca heyʾet-i ictimâʿiye efrâdının saʿâdet-i dünyeviye ve hayâtiyelerini teʾmîn eyleyeceği cihetle şahs-ı maʿnevî-i heyʾet-i ictimâʿiyye olan hükûmetin teʿâlî-i şân ve şerefi ve heyʾet-i hükûmetin bünyânı heyʾet-i ictimâʿiyeden bir fark olmayarak bir uzv-ı gayr-i mefâriki telakkî edilip efrâd ile hükûmet arasında her husûsda âhenk-i iʾtilâfın rûnemûn olacağı bedîdâr ise de hayfâ ki sâlifüʾl-arz nüfûsdan mürekkeb bir heyʾet-i muʿazzama-i İslâmiye arasına sokulmuş olan Hollandalıların teşkîl etdikleri hükûmet ahâlî-i mahalliyenin saʿâdet-i hâl ve istikbâliyesine hâdim olmamakla beraber bir asr-ı medeniyetin nefretle telakkî eyleyeceği bir esâs-ı zulm-ı müstenid vazʿ eyledikleri kavânîni nazarında ahâlî-i İslâmiye behîmiyyet derekesine tutulmuş ve mezâlim-i iʿtisâfâtın envâʿı hâlâ tevekkül örpenecek bir sûretde icrâsı edilmekde bulunmuşdur. Hollanda hükûmetinin müstemlekâtında mevzûʿ olan kavânîn-i esâsiyesi nokta-i nazarından ahâlî-i İslâmiye-i mahalliye hukûk-ı medeniyyeden mahrûm tutulmuştur. Hukûk-ı medeniyeden mahrûm olan bu ahâlî-i mazlûme ile Hıristiyan olup akvâm-ı muhtelifeye mensûb bulunanlar beyninde hukûk-ı münâvebe yokdur. Müslümanların hukûk-ı medeniyeden mahrûmiyetleri eseridir ki el-yevm Müslümanlar nefsi büyük şehirler dâhilinde muʿayyen olan mahallâtda ikâme, kisve-i asliye-i kadîmelerini tebdîl etmemeğe ve yalın ayak nim çıplak gezmeğe, ve mahallât arasında tesâdüf eyleyecekleri Hıristiyanlara zânû-be-zemîn olarak taʿzîm ve selâm eylemeğe, Batavya ve Sorabaya gibi cesîm şehirler müstesnâ olarak sâʾir dâhil-i kasabâtda tramvay arabalarında Hıristiyanlardan bir şapkalı bulunduğu hâlde ahâlî-i asliyeden birinin rakûbe adem-i salâhiyeti ve ebnâ-yı İslâm meyânında ferden ferîdenin Avrupa-kârî bir arabaya mâlik olmamasına gibi istisnâʾiyyât-ı elîmenin meydan bulunmasını istilzâm eylemişdir. Müslümanlar Hollandalı ve umûm Hıristiyanlar nazarında bir nevʿ esâret tahtında bulunduklarındandır ki emsâli bî-adîdesiyle müsbet olduğu vechile tahtüʾz-zevc olan bir kadın veyâhud bir bâkire kız cebren hâne-i zevc veyâ pederden alındığı hâlde mütecâsir olan Hıristiyan aleyhinde zevc veyâ pederin ikâme-i daʿvâ ile nâmus ve haysiyetine muʿin olacak yeri daʿva ve hukûk-ı cinâʾiyeden İslâmlar tarafından bir Hıristiyan aleyhine ikâme-i daʿvâ ile ve

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ihkâk-ı hakka medâr olacak mehâkimin mevcûd olmadığı yüzünden ehl-i İslâmʾın düçâr olduğu taʿarruzât-ı zulm-ı iʿtisâfât-ı lâ-yuʿâd velâ yuhsâdır. Hollanda Hükûmeti idâre-i müstemlekâtında başlıca nazar-ı iʿtibâra aldığı nikâtın ehemmi olan ahâlî-i mahalliyeyi cehâlet içinde bulundurup cehâletin temin eylediği zaîfden istifâde etmek noktasına maʿtûf olduğu cihetle müstemlekâtın hiç birinde etfâl-i İslâmiyeʾyi taʿlîm ve terbiyeye hâdim mekâtib ve müʾessesât-i sâʾirenin küşâdına mâniʿ olduğu gibi ahâlî-i asliyenin ecânib-i İslâmiye ile münâsebâtı katʿiyyen tahdîde alınmışdır. Binâʾen nefsî Hindistan ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnden ferd-i vâhidin müstemlekât dâhiline gelerek münâsebât-ı ticâriyede bulunması müstecid bulunduğu gibi taht-ı tâbiʿiyyet-i cihân-kıymet-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîlerinde bulunmakla mübâhî olan ehl-i İslâmʾın dahî Hollanda müstemlekâtına dühûl ve pîrâ-yı münâsebât-ı ticâriye eylemesi müstebʿiddir. Esbâb-ı maʿrûzadan nâşîdir ki Hadramut, İlhsa, Necd ve Bağdad havâlîsinden Flemenk müstemlekatına gitmiş ve gitmekde olan tebʿa-i şâhâneleri sâʾir hükûmât ahâlîsi gibi münâsebât-ı ticariye vesâʾiresinde hürriyete mazhar olamayarak aynı yerliler gibi hükûmet-i mahalliyenin iʿtisâfâtına düçâr olmakda bulunurlar. Tebʿa-i şâhâneleri sıfatında Hollanda müstemlekâtında bulunan Arablar altmış bin nüfûsa bâliğ olup bunların ekserîsi bir asır evvel berâ-yı ticâret “Malezya” adalara gidip kesb-i servet ve siyâd eylemiş bulunduğu hâlde husûsen otuz seneden beru Arabların ahâlî-i mahalliye nezdinde ayrıca sâhib-i hürmet ve nüfûz olması yüzünden müstemlekât hükûmeti ecânib meyânında biʾl-hâssa Arabları bedeʾ esâ[re]tine alarak keyfe mâ-yeşâ tecâvüzâtda bulunması yüzünden binlerce hânumânın mahv u perîşan olmasın intâc eylemişdir. Nezd-i mekârim-i vefd-i hümâyûnlarında maʿlûm olduğu vechile Kerbelâ fâciʿasından sonra evlâd-ı Hazret-i İmâm-ı Hüseyin Efendimizʾin hıtta-i Irak ve Arabiyeʾnin her tarafına muhâceret ve ilticâları zamânında idi ki Hadramut kıtʿasına hicret eden sâdât-ı aleviyenin bir kısmı Hadramutʾun fetret hâlinden Hind ve Cezâʾir-i Hindiyeʾye kadar hicrete mecbûr bulunması hasebiyle elyevm Cava cezâʾir-i tâbiʿasında birçok sâdât-ı kirâm bulunmakda dâd u sited ile iştiğâl eylemekde iseler de mezâlim-i mahalliye yüzünden hâlleri merhameti seniyyelerine muhtâc kalmış bulunduğuna mübtenî pederim merhûmun yirmi sene mukaddem Südde-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhîlerine vukuʿ bulan arz ve istirhâmı üzerine Hollanda müstemlekâtı dâhilindeki tebʿa-i şâhânelerinin ve husûsan o havâlîdeki sâdât-ı kirâmın muhâfaza-i hukûkları ve Devlet-i Aliyyeleriyle Hollanda Hükûmeti beyninde münʿakid muʿâhedenin bahş eylediği hukûk ve imtiyâzâtın muhâfazası zımnında Batavya‌ʾda bir şehbenderlik ihdâsı fermân buyurulmuşdur. Başşehbenderhâneʾnin târihi teʾsîsinden bu âna değin tebʿa-i şâhânelerinin düçâr olmakda bulundukları

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taʿarruzâtın önü alınamamış ve Hollanda Hükûmeti saltanat-ı seniyyeleri ile akd eylemiş bulunduğu muʿâhede ahkâmını icrâda teʾvîlât-ı adîdeye teşebbüsle başşehbenderliğin teʾsîsinden müntazır bulunan semere iktitâf edilememişdir. Dâîleri hilâfet-i İslâmiye-i muʿazzamanın dâʿiyân-ı sâdıküʾl-cinânından olup teʿâlî-i şân ve şevket-i Devlet-i Aliyyeleri muhibbi ve bu emirde ledeʾl-hâce fedâ-yı nefse âmâde bulunduğum cihetle her bâr sâmiʿa (?) (?) ve teʾessüf-ı dâʿiyânem olmakda bulunan Hollanda mezâlimi ve husûsen zîr-i cenâh müstelzimüʾl-felâh hilâfet-penâhîlerinde müreffehen ve âminen yaşamakda bulunan şürefâ ve sâdâtın hasebüʾl-kader Cava ve havâlîsine intikâl etmiş bulunan ihvânı hakkında Hollanda hükûmeti tarafından revâ görülen ve “Engizisyon” devirlerini andıran mezâlim-i vâkıʿa hasebiyle asâleten (?) ve teʾessürle atabe-i ulyâ-yı cenâb-ı zilluʾllâhîlerine mevâdd-ı âtiyenin arzına ictisâr eylerim şöyle ki: Evvelâ: Vâlid-i mâced-i kesîrüʾl-mehâmid-i seniyyeleri cennet-mekân Sultân Abdülhamid Hân Hazretlerinin devr-i hümâyûnlarında Hollanda Hükûmetiyle akd edilmiş olan ahidnâmenin ahkâm-ı mahsûsasında: “tarafeyn-i akdeyn tebʿası musâvât-ı tâmiye mazhar olacaklardır” fıkrasının bahş eylediği salâhiyet mûcebince Cava havâlîsinde bulunan tebʿa-i şâhâneleri ve husûsen sâdâtın hukûk-ı imtiyâzâtının siyâneti zımnında Bâb-ı Âlîce teşebbüsât-ı ciddiyenin icrâsı. Sâniyen: Hollanda Hükûmeti müstemlekâtında vazʿ edildiği kânûn-ı esâsîde yerli olan ehl-i İslâm ile ecânib-i İslâmiye ve edyân-ı kadîme-i müşrikeye mensûb Hind ve Çin akvâmını “ahâlî-i Asyaviye” nâmı tahtında bir kısım iʿtibâr eyleyerek hukûk-ı medeniyelerini tanımadığı cihetle bu yüzden tebʿa-i şâhânelerinin giriftâr oldukları adem-i müsâvâtın refʿi. Sâlisen: mâlüʾl-arz kânûn-ı esâsî-i mahalliye nazaran nefsi Hollandalı ve sâʾir Avrupalı ve aleʾl-ıtlâk memleket nazar-ı iʿtibâra alınmayarak Asya ve kıtaʿât-ı sâʾirede bulunan biʾl-cümle Hıristiyanlara ve hatta Yahudiler hukûk-ı medeniyeyi ve biʾl-cümle imtiyâzâtı hâʾiz bulunduklarından tebʿa-i şâhânelerinin dahî hükûmat-ı Iseviyye-i muhtelifeye mensûb Avrupalılar mertebesinde hukûk ve imtiyâzâta nâʾil olmaları. Râbiʿan: Hollanda Hükûmeti tebʿa-i şâhânelerinden olup Rumeli vilâyât-ı şâhâneleri ahâlîsinden olan eşhâsa sâʾir hükûmât-ı Hıristiyâniye tebʿasının hukûk ve imtiyâzâtını vermekde ise de Asya ve Afrika kıtʿalarında bulunan vilâyât sekenesinden olan tebʿa-i hümâyûnları mâlüʾl-arz “Ahâlî-i Asyaviye” addolunduğu iʿtibârıyla hukûk ve imtiyâzâtı arz ile yerliler gibi vesâʾir akvâm-ı Asyaviye gibi iʿtibâr edildiğinden Rumeli ve Anadoluʾdan olan tebʿa-i şâhâneleri hakkındaki fark ve tefâvüt-i muʿâmelenin refʿi. Hâmisen: Tebʿa-i şâhâneleri hakkında icrâ edilegelmekde olan taʿaddiyât misillü geçen bin dokuz yüz sene-i mîlâdiyesine gelinceye kadar Japonyalılar

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hakkında teshîl edile gelmekde bulunduğu hâlde Japon Hükûmetiʾnin taleb ve ısrârı üzerine Hollanda Hükûmetiyle âhiren akd edildiği ahidnâme mûcebince hâlen Cava ve tevâbiʿ-i cezâirde bulunan umûm Japonyalılar Avrupalı hukûkunu iktisâb eylemiş bulundukları misâl ittihâzıyla Asya ve Afrika kıtʿalarında bulunan vilâyat-ı şâhâneleri ahâlîsinden olan tebʿa-i Osmanlıların dahî hukûk ve imtiyâzâtının taleb ve iddiʿâsı istihsâlî şân-ı âlî-i saltanat-ı seniyyeleri ile çespan olup ve bu yüzden otuz sekiz milyona bâliğ olan “Malezya” ahâlî-i İslâmiyesi nazarında şevket ve satvet-i hümâyûnları (?) fahr ve mübâhât olarak hilâfet-i uzmâ-yı İslâmiyelerinin fevâʾid-i mâddiye ve maʿneviyyesini hizmet edileceği gibi umûm âlem-i İslâmiyetʾe teʾsîrât-ı azîmesi dahî olacağı vâreste-i şekk-i gevâh ve bu sûretle milyonlarca efendi-i[?] muvahhidînden sudûr edecek daʿvât-ı hayriye mazhar buyurulacakları âzâde-i irtiyâb ve iştibâhdır. Merhûm Seyyid Fazıl Paşazâde ed-dâʿî Sehl As your Caliphal Majesty knows, when Muslims were immigrating in groups to North-Central Africa to escape Christian oppression during the decline of the Islamic Government of Andalusia, a family from the household of the Prophet passed to the direction of Indian Islands by way of Cape of Good Hope. They arrived at the island of Sumatra – an island of the “Malaysian” islands, which were then unknown by Europe – and propagated the religion of Muhammad. Since that date, the light of Islam sparked the conversion of millions of people of that place. Half a century later, Arabs from the Southern parts of the Arabian Peninsula reached first the shores of India, and later the Indian Islands, with the aim of engaging in commerce, and they served to disseminate Islam from Sumatra as far as the Molucca Islands. The whole “Malaysian” people were honoured with Islam before the arrival of the Portuguese, first in India and afterwards in the Indian Islands. Following the Portuguese and the Spanish, the Dutch founded “The East India Trade Company” in the Indian islands, which initially penetrated the local population by way of trade. After they gained strength by expanding their relations with the small local Islamic governments consisting of many principalities, they provoked dissension between these governments and caused them to rise against each other, and created blood-thirsty wars. [Then] they aided the side that seemed weaker by signing agreements that would procure them [the Dutch] influence over the sovereignty [of that government]. In this way, this trading company removed the Islamic governments on the island of Java within half a century, and began to rule directly by turning itself into a government. After the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Dutch government suspended the trading company and regarded Java and its surrounding islands as its colonies in accordance with an

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agreement that they had signed with Britain. Since 1815, in addition to Java, this government has also gradually subjugated the peoples of the islands of Sumatra and Maluku, so that now they rule over a population of thirty-eight million Muslims who live in the “Malaysian” islands. When the administration of government is supported by rights granted by just laws, [it will] assure the happiness of the individuals of the community in this world and the next, and enhance the glory and honour of the government, which is a personification of the community. It is apparent that the institutions of government [should be] established [on the understanding that] they do not differ from their society, and that they are an inseparable part of it. [This] will produce complete harmony between individuals and the government. It is regretful that the government formed by the Dutch, which is set among a huge Muslim community, does not serve the present or future happiness of the local people. Moreover, they have instituted laws based on oppressive principles, to be regarded with abhorrence in a civilized age, that regard Muslims as animals, and they continue to implement various oppressions and unlawfulness [against them]. From the perspective of the Dutch Government’s current colonial constitutional laws, the local Muslim people are deprived of the civil rights. There are no reciprocal rights between he Christians (who belong to various ethnic groups) and this oppressed people who are deprived of the civil rights. As the Muslims are deprived of the civil rights, a policy of discrimination is implemented, so that, for example, Muslims [are obliged to] reside in the specific quarters in the centre of big cities, are prohibited from changing their ancient traditional clothes and thus walk around half-naked and bare-footed, [are obliged to] salute and show respect to the Christians whom they encounter in the street. In towns aside from the big cities such as Batavia and Surabaya, the natives are prohibited from boarding trams on which there is already a Christian wearing a hat, and Muslims are prohibited from owning European cars. In the view of the Dutch and Christians in general, the Muslims are in a sense prisoners. As is testified by countless examples, there is neither any authority to help fathers and husbands to maintain their honour and integrity by suing the Christian offender if a married women or a virgin girl is forcefully taken from the house of her husband or father, nor are there any courts where Muslims can sue Christians and obtain their rights in criminal cases. Therefore the attacks, oppressions, and corruption faced by the Muslims there are unimaginable. The most important point that the Dutch government takes into consideration with respect to the administration of its colonies is to keep the local people ignorant, and to take advantage of the vulnerability produced by ignorance.

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Therefore, in their colonies, they prevent the establishment of schools and other institutions that would serve the education of Muslim children. Moreover relations between the local people and foreign Muslims are completely restricted. Consequently, a Muslim Indian coming to the colonies and establishing commercial relations is an unheard situation, and it is similarly unimaginable that a Muslim who is honoured by being a subject of the Exalted Caliphate would enter the Dutch colonies and establish commercial relations. Owing to these reasons, imperial subjects who have been going from Hadramawt, al-Hasa, Najd, and Baghdad to the Dutch colonies, contrary to the subjects of other governments, do not enjoy freedom in their commercial and other relations, but are subject to the same unlawful actions of the local government as the natives are. Imperial subjects of Arab origin based in the Dutch colonies comprise a population of sixty thousand. Most of them came a century ago to the “Malaysia” islands for the purposes of commerce, and earned fortunes and gained nobility. As the Arabs are respected by the local people and possess influence there, for the last thirty years the colonial government has imprisoned and insulted them as they wished, leading to the ruin of thousands of households. As is known by Your Imperial Majesty, after the disaster of Karbala the children of our exalted lord, the noble Imam Husain migrated, and took refuge throughout the lands of Iraq and Arabia. It was at this moment that a part of the Alawi Sayyids, who had previously moved to Hadramawt were obliged to move as far as India and Indian islands on account of economic difficulties. Consequently there are a considerable number of sayyids to be found among the subjects of the island of Java. Although they are engaged in trade, due to local oppression they are in need of the exalted compassion [of your Majesty]. Therefore, twenty years ago, upon my late father’s request, it was ordered by the elevated threshold of the exalted Caliph to establish a consulate in Batavia in order to safeguard the rights and privileges of imperial subjects in the Dutch colonies in general, and those of the noble sayyids in particular, that had been bestowed by the agreement signed between the Sublime State and the Government of Holland. [However] from the date of the establishment of the Consulate General till now, it has not been possible to prevent the affronts faced by imperial subjects faced, and as the Dutch government has made numerous attempts to misinterpret the articles of the agreement, it has not been possible to obtain the fruits expected from the establishment of the Consulate General. Your supplicant, who is a loyal servant of great Islamic Caliphate, is an enthusiast for the advancement of the fame and imperial majesty of the most

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beloved Sublime State, and I am ready to sacrifice myself for this goal when required. In this respect, it is a matter of constant sorrow for me to witness Dutch oppression in general, and [particularly] this current oppression – reminiscent of the Inquisition – that the Dutch government has seen fit to inflict upon the brothers of the sharifs and sayyids who live in prosperity and security under the exalted Caliph’s protection, brought by fate to Java and its surroundings. Therefore, I dare to present the following points to the elevated threshold of the shadow of God: Firstly: to protect the rightful privileges of imperial subjects in the region of Java – in general and those of the sayyids in particular – the Sublime Porte [should] take serious steps, in accordance with the authority bestowed by the special provisions of the agreement signed with the Dutch government during the imperial era of the late, much-blessed noble father of His Majesty, Sultan Abdülhamid Han, to enforce the provision that: “The subjects of the signatories of the agreement will enjoy complete equality” Secondly: as the constitution established in the colonies of the Dutch Government classifies native and foreign Muslims under the title “Asian people”, together with the followers of ancient polytheist religions such as the Hindu and Chinese people, they do not recognise their civil rights. The inequality that results from this should be removed. Thirdly: according to the said local constitution, the Dutch originating from Holland, other Europeans, all Christians without regard to whether they originate in Asia or other continents, as well as the Jews, possess civil rights and all privileges. Therefore, imperial subjects [should] also enjoy rights and privileges at the same level as the Europeans affiliated to the various Christian governments. Fourthly: the discrimination between imperial subjects from Rumelia [i.e. Europe] and those from Anatolia [i.e. Asia] should be abolished. The Dutch government grants rights and privileges to individuals from the imperial provinces in Rumelia as they do to the subjects of Christian governments, but regards imperial subjects from the Asian and African provinces as “Asian people”, and thus deems their rights and privileges to be the same as the natives and other Asian people. Fifthly: until 1900, the oppressive treatment currently endured by imperial subjects was applied to the Japanese as well. However, upon the request and insistence of the Japanese government, the Japanese residing in Java and its dependencies obtained European rights in accordance with an agreement that was later signed with the Dutch government. By taking this as an example, requesting and claiming the rights and privileges of Ottoman subjects from

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the imperial provinces in Asia and Africa is fitting for the exalted fame of the Imperial Sultanate. This will serve the material and spiritual interests of the great Islamic Caliphate by enhancing the fame and belovedness of his imperial majesty and power in the eyes of the thirty-eight million Muslims of “Malaysia”. Likewise, there is no doubt that it will have a great impact on the Islamic world in general. It is also beyond doubt that this will ensure that [his Majesty] will obtain the favourable blessings that will emanate from millions of monotheists. Your servant Sahl, son of the late Sayyid Fazıl Paşa 29 March 1903 [Date given in the catalogue. It is not noted in the document.] Source: BOA Y.PRK.AZJ. 46/10

20

Foreign Ministry to the Ministry of the Interior about thirty Javanese who want to adopt Ottoman citizenship, 1904

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 251 Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Cava‌ʾda kâʾin Weltevredenʾden Abdullah imzâsıyla nezâret-i celîlerine keşîde olunan telgrafnâmede otuz kişinin kabûl-ı tâbiʿiyyet istidʿâsında bulundukları işʿâr olunduğu beyânıyla tâbiʿiyyet-i saltanat-ı seniyyeye duhûl içün îfâsı muktezî şerâʾite nazaran Batavya Başşehbenderliği vâsıtasıyla îcâbının icrâsı ifâdesini şâmil vârid olan 17 Rebîʿülevvel sene [1]322 târihli ve 192 numerolu tezkire-i aliyye-i âsafâneleri tâbiʿiyyet kalemine ledeʾl-havâle tâbiʿiyyet nizâmnâme-i hümâyûnun üçüncü ve dördüncü mâddeleri ahkâmına ve sûret-i işʿâra nazaran mebhûsun anh otuz kişinin şerâʾit-i kânûniyeyi îfâ etmemiş oldukları ve el-yevm Cava‌ʾda bulundukları gibi dördüncü mâdde mûcebince müstesnâ olarak kabûlleri de müstelzim-i ihtilâfât olacağı ve fakat hükûmet-i metbûʿaları tarafından tebdîl-i tâbiʿiyyete meʾzûniyet istihsâl ederler ise ol vakit kabûl-ı tâbiʿiyyetleri içün hükûmet-i seniyyeye resmen mürâcaʿat eylemeleri lâzım geleceği cihetle âna göre ashâb-ı istidʿâya sûret-i münâsebede tefhîm-i keyfiyet edilmesi husûsunun mezkûr başşehbenderliğe tavsiyesi lüzûmu ifâde ve inbâ ve ol vechile îcâbı icrâ kılınmağla emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 30 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1322 ve fî 1 Temmuz sene [1]320, Hâriciye Nâzırı

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Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number 251 To the exalted Ministry of the Interior My kind and exalted Lord, As noted in the exalted ministerial document dated 1 June 1904, number 192, it was reported in a telegram to your exalted ministry signed by one Abdullah from Weltevreden located on Java, that thirty individuals wanted to adopt [Ottoman] citizenship, together with an explanation of the relevant provisions that need to be implemented for them to adopt citizenship of the Imperial Sultanate through the Consulate General in Batavia. According to the provisions of the third and fourth articles of the imperial statute on citizenship, the said thirty persons do not fulfil the criteria stipulated by the law. Given that they are presently located in Java, any move to give them exceptional treatment in accordance with the fourth article will lead to conflicts. However, if they are able to obtain permission to change their citizenship from their current sovereign government, then they will be required to apply officially to the Imperial Government for the granting of [Ottoman] citizenship. Therefore, the Consulate General is advised to explain the situation to the petitioners and to implement the required measures. To command belongs to him who commands all. 14 July 1904, Foreign Minister Source: BOA DH.MKT. 856/67

21

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry requesting medals for some prominent individuals for their contribution to the construction of a new mosque in Batavia, 1906

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded Fî 14 Haziran sene [1]322 târihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden vârid olan tahrîrâtın sûretidir. Yirmi altı milyonu mütecâviz ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾyi hâvî olan Cava cezîresinin makarr-ı vilâyeti olan Batavya şehrinde salât-ı Cuma‌ʾya mahsûs üç câmiʿ-i

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şerîf bulunup bunlardan ikisi ancak ikişer veyâ üçer yüz kişi istiʿâb edebilecek kadar küçük ve bin kişi istiʿâb edebilecek kadar büyücek olup Bahoçan denilen Arab mahallesindeki hemen dökülüp yıkılmak derecelerinde vîranlamış idi. Edilen ricâ ve teşvîk ve tergibâtı hüsn-ı kabûl ile berâber fıtratında mütecellî hayırhâhı ve hamiyet-i sâʾikası ile tebʿa-i şâhâneden Seyyid Abdullah el-Said Ra‌ʾis al-Hadramiyye tarafından taʿmîrine teşebbüs olunmağla evvelce bin lira tahmîn edilmiş olan masârıf-ı termîmesinin adem-i kifâyeti taʿmîrâta bedʾ olundukdan sonra anlaşılmış ve taʿmîr kabûl etmeyip kâmilen hedmi îcâb eylemeğe beş bin lira kadar mûmâileyh ve bin lira kadar Seyyid Münevver es-Sakkâf ve bakiyesi zîrde muharrerüʾl-esâmî birkaç nefer ashâb-ı hayrât tarafından teberruʿ olunarak evvelâ kâmilen hedm ve etrâfında iki bab hâne iştirâsı ile arsasına ilhâk ve bir de bu ana kadar mevcûd olmayan minâre ilâvesi ile kendi nezâreti ve çâker-i kemînelerinin tertîb ve tasvîbi tahtında ve üç bin kişiyi mütecâviz cemâʿat istiʿâb edebilecek bir sûretde müceddeden inşâ ve kâffe-i tertîbât ve telvînâtı dörtte biri nisbetinde zemîn döşeme taşı müstesnâ olarak itmâm olunup el-ân salât-ı Cuma îfâ kılınmakta ve edʿiyye-i hayriye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî ile tezyîn-i zebân hutebâ edilmekte bulunmuştur her iki kapısına tuğrâ-yı garrâ-i hümâyûn hasr olunarak vecîbe-i memlûkiyet güzârı îfâ ve böyle on bin millik bir mahalde nâm-ı kudsiyet-yâm-ı hümâyûnun şeref-i tezkîr ve tekrîrine vesîle-i hayriye teʾsîsi husûsundaki teşebbüsât-ı çâkerânem âsâr-ı teveccühât-ı celîle-i âsafâneleri ile bi-inâyetihî teʿâlâ kemâli muvaffakiyet ile miskiʾl-hitâm oldu mûmâileyh Seyyid Abdullah iʿâne-i Hicâziye için de yüz lirayı mütecâviz teberruʿâtta bulunmuş ise de hediyesinin iki kalemde takdîm kılınması ile nişân ile taltîf olunamamış ise de her emr-i hayırda vûkuʿ bulan daʿvet ve ihtârı hüsn-ı telakkî eyleyen ashâb-ı hayrâtda ve duâ-gu-vâye-i hazret-i veliyyüʾn-niʿmet-i bî-minnet-i aʿzamîden olmağla gerek böyle bir emr-i azîm-i hayrda vukûʿ bulan gayret ve takaddümüne mükâfât ve gerekse âtiyen cemʿiyet-i İslâmiyeʾnin muhtâc olduğu bu gibi umûr-ı hayriyede bulunacaklara tâziyâne-i teşvîk olmak üzre mûmâileyhin üçüncü ve Seyyid Münevver es-Sakkâf ile Şeyh Said Bağdileʾnin dördüncü ve mûmâileyh Seyyid Abdullahʾın büyük birâderi Seyyid Abdülkâdir es-Saidurrusulʾün beşinci ve Seyyid Muhammed Şehâb ile Seyyid Sehl bin Abdullahʾın iftihâr madalyaları ile tesrîr ve çırâğ[?] buyurulmaları husûsuna müsâʿade ve delâlet-i celîle-i âsafânelerini hasbeten lillâhi teʿâlâ istirhâm ve istidʿâya cesâret eylerim olbâbda. Aslına mutâbıkdır. Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number

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Copy of the communiqué received from the Consulate General in Batavia dated 27 June 1906 The city of Batavia is the capital of the island of Java, which is home to a Muslim population of more than twenty-six million. There are three mosques where Friday prayers can be performed. Two of them are so small so that they can only accommodate two or three hundred people. The one located in the Arab quarter called Pekojan is big enough to accommodate thousand people. [The latter mosque] had deteriorated to the extent that it was almost ruined. An imperial subject, Sayyid Abdullah al-Saʿid Ra‌ʾis al-Hadrami, attempted to repair it by accepting [my] request and encouragements as a result of the charitable zeal which is part of his nature. The expenses for repairs were estimated to be one thousand [Ottoman] lira, but after starting the repairs it was realized that this was not enough. It was impossible to repair it, and had to be demolished completely. Sayyid Abdullah al-Saʿid Ra‌ʾis the Hadrami donated about five thousand lira, around another thousand lira were given by Sayyid Munawwar al-Saqqaf, and the remaining amount by a number of other individuals whose names are written below. First of all, the [mosque] was demolished completely, and two houses around it were purchased and annexed to its plot. In accordance with my humble advice and approval, under the supervision of [Sayyid Abdullah] [the mosque] was rebuilt so as to accommodate more than three thousand people, together with the addition of a minaret, which was previously absent. [The mosque] has been completed entirely, together with its fittings and ornaments, except for a quarter of the stones for the floor. Now, Friday prayers are performed and the preachers ornament their tongues with favourable prayers to His Majesty the Caliph. The duty of submission has been carried out by placing the tughra of the Sultan on both of the doors. Thus, my humble endeavours to institute a fine means to preach and recite in the holy name of His Majesty in a place that is situated ten thousand miles away have ended with complete success thanks to the help of the Almighty, together with the exalted signs of favour of Your Excellency. Although Sayyid Abdullah has contributed more than a hundred lira to the collection for Hijaz, he could not be honoured with a medal because he made this contribution in two instalments. Nevertheless, considering the fact that [these] philanthropists who respond positively to appeals and calls for contributions, pray for His Majesty, our exalted and most generous benefactor, I dare to request and beg, for the sake of God, Your Excellency’s ministerial guidance to honour them as a reward for their endeavours and leadership in such a great philanthropic work, as well as an encouragement to those who will contribute to this kind of philanthropic works that the Islamic community will need in the future: to the said [Sayyid Abdullah], [a medal of the] third class; Sayyid Munawwar al-Saqqaf

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and Shaykh Said Baghdilah, fourth class; Sayyid Abd al-Qadir al-Said al-Rasul, the elder brother of the said Sayyid Abdullah, fifth class; Sayyid Muhammad Shahab and Sayyid Sahl bin Abdullah, medals of honour. In this matter [to command belongs to him who commands] A true copy of the original. Source: BOA İ.TAL.407/1324/Ş-135

22

A subject of the Porte residing in Palembang to the sultan requesting intervention against the Dutch authorities who prevent him from entering Palembang, 1907

Huzûr-ı Meʿâl-i Mevfûr-ı Cenâb-ı Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Hak sübhânehû ve teʿâlâ zât-ı sâmî-i fehâmet-penâhîlerine uzun ömür ve âfiyetlerle dâʾimâ hüsn-ı muvaffakiyet ihsân ve dâʾimâ zîr-i cenâh-ı müstelzemüʾl-felâh-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîde sâye-bân buyursun âmin. Peder-i çâkeri an-asıl Mekke-i Mükerreme ahâlîsinden olduğu gibi dâʿîleri dahî Dersaʿâdetʾde tevellüd eden tabiʿiyyet-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾyi hâʾiz leyl ü nehâr huzûr-ı fâʾizuʾn-nûr Beyt-i Muʿazzamʾda duʿâ-yı (?)-i hazret-i tâcdârî ve daʿvât-ı hayriyet-âyât-ı düstûr-ı ekremîleriyle ve meknedâr-ı[?] dâʿiyândan olup on beş seneden beru tezkire-i Osmâniye ve pasaportu hâmil olduğum ve sâye-i şâhânede müʾettimen ve muʿteberândan bulunduğum hâlde Singapurʾa ve Batavya tarîkiyle Hollanda Devleti idâresinde bulunan Falimban memleketine azîmet ve orada teʾehhül ederek ticârete mübâşeretle bir çok kimesnelerde matlûbâtım ve devren intikâl eden emvâlim ile berâber aldığım zevcemden çocuklarım mevcûd olmak ve Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde dahî akrabâ ve taʿallukâtım bulunmak hasebiyle on beş seneden beru mahall-i mezkûra azîmet ve ara sıra Mekke-i Mükerremeʾye avdet etmekde olduğum hâlde bundan üç sene mukaddem ber-muʿtâd Singapur ve Batavya tarîkiyle Flemeyan memleketine azîmetimde Hollanda Devleti Hükûmeti dâʿîlerini mahall-i mezkûra duhûle mümânaʿat ve tezkire-i Osmâniye ve pasaportum nazar-ı ehemmiyete alınmayarak bilâ-sebeb habs ve yüz elli Rubye dahî hilâf-ı kânûn cezâ-yı nakdî alındığı hükûmet-i müşârunileyhâdan verilen ve yedimde olan evrâk-ı resmiye mefâdıyla Batavya şehbenderi saʿâdetlü Mehmed Rasim Bey Efendiʾden istifsârıyla anlaşılacağı gibi taraf-ı müstecmiʿuʾl-mecd veʾş-şeref-i hazret-i pâdişâhîden bir emir götürülmedikçe duhûl-ı dâʿiyâneme müsâʿade edilmeyeceği cevâben bildirilmiş olmasına ve mârruʾl-arz ticâret ve muʿâmelât-ı meşrûʿa-i dâʿiyâneme karşı mahall-i mezkûra duhûl-ı dâʿiyânem

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mecbûrî bulunmasına mebnî derbâr-ı şevket-karâra yüz sürmek ve sâyei muvaffakiyet-vâye-i hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîde giriftârî bulunduğum mazlûmiyet ve mağdûriyetden vikâye buyurularak duhûlümde bir gûnâ mahzûr olmadığı ve müddeʿiyyât-ı vâkıʿam muvâfık-ı hakîkat bulunduğu hâlde nizâmî dâʾiresinde müsâʿade olunması esbâbının istikmâli ve devlet-i müşârunileyhâ sefâretiyle biʾl-muhâbere icrâ-yı îcâbıyla yed-i dâʿiyâneme bir emr-i resmî iʿtâsı husûsunun Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne havâle buyurulması bâbında ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 17 Mayıs sene [1]323 Çarşı-yı Kebîr civârında beşinci hâne To the exalted presence of the Grand Vizierate The request of your most humble servant is that: May God bestow long life, health and good successes to Your Highness, and keep us under the encompassing shadow of His Majesty the Caliph, amen. My humble father was originally from Honoured Mecca, and your present supplicant is a subject of the Sublime State born in the Abode of Felicity who pray day and night to heaven for the interests of His Majesty. For fifteen years, I have been travelling with an Ottoman identity card and passport – and thus as a respected man, thanks to Your Majesty – to Palembang, which is under the rule of the Dutch State, via Singapore and Batavia, and I married there and started to trade. As I have children from my wife as well as debts owed to me and sub-let properties [in Palembang], and relatives and family in Honoured Mecca, for fifteen years I have been going to that place and sometimes travelling to Honoured Mecca. Despite this, three years ago, while I was travelling to Palembang by way of Singapore and Batavia as usual, the Government of the Dutch State disregarded my Ottoman identity card and passport, prevented your servant from entering the said place, imprisoned me without any reason, and extorted, contrary to the regulations, a fine of hundred and fifty rupees. This can also be verified by asking for information from his Excellency Mehmed Rasim Efendi, the Consul General at Batavia, as well as from the official documents in my possession given to me up the [Ottoman] government. They have informed me that they will not allow me to enter unless I bring an order from His most magnificent and noble Majesty. I absolutely have to gain entry due to the above mentioned commercial arrangements and other affairs. Therefore, I pray to be relieved from the oppressions and unjust treatment to which I am subjected, by the exalted Foreign Ministry being ordered to make the usual arrangements for a permit, if my claims are found to be true and if there is no problem for me to enter [Palembang], and to provide me with an

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official order by carrying out the necessary communication with the embassy of the [Ottoman] State. In this matter, and in all others, to command belongs to him who commands all. 30 May 1907 Fifth house around the Grand Bazaar Source: BOA HR.SYS. 526/2–013

23

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry giving information about the legal status of Ottoman subjects compared to Europeans and the Japanese, 1909

Hâriciye Nezaret-i Celîlesiʾne Aded 21 14 Devletlü efendim hazretleri Flemenk müstemlekâtında mukîm Avrupalılar ile Japonyalılara nisbeten Asyalı tebʿamızın tâbiʿ bulundukları takayyudât hakkında bâ-tahrîrât maʿlûmât-ı mufassala iʿtâsı emrini hâvî 26 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1320 târih ve 257 numerolu telgrafnâme-i sâmîleri vâsıl-ı dest-i tekrîm oldu. Hemen nizâmât-ı mevcûde ile âsâr ve evrâk-ı lâzıme mutâlaʿa ve tedkîk edilerek tertîb ve tahrîr olunan yirmi dokuz sahifelik Fransızca bir kıtʿa lâyıha leffen takdîm kılındı. Suʾâl buyurulan takayyudât ile bunlara müteʿallik mevâdd-ı nizâmiye lâyıhada teşrîh ve meʾhazlar tasrîh edildi. İşbu ahkâm-ı nizâmiyeye tevfîkan Asya‌ʾlı ve Afrikalı tebʿa-i müslime-i Osmâniye ikâmet ve seyahat resm-i intikâl, tekâlîf-i şahsî, sanʿat ve îrâd vergisi, usûl-ı muhâkemât-ı cezâʾiyye ve cezâ ve polis kavânîn ve nizâmâtı nokta-i nazarından Avrupalı ve Japonyalı ecânibden daha ziyâde kuyûdât ve tekâlife tâbiʿdirler. Fiʾl-hakîka diğer Avrupa Devletleriʾnin dahî Asyalı ve Afrikalı tebʿasına aynı nizâmât tatbîk olunmakdadır. Fakat diğer devletlerin mezkûr tebʿası müstemlekât ahâlîsi olup esâsen kendi vatanlarında bile müsâvâta mâlik olmadıkları maʿlûmdur. Halbûki Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmâniyeʾnin Asya ve Afrika‌ʾdaki kıtʿâtı müstemlekât-ı şekl idâresine tâbiʿ olmayıp âdetâ merkez-i saltanat gibi mütesâviyen usûl-ı meşrûʿa-i meşveret ve meşrûtiyetden müstefiddir hülâsâ hukûk-ı dâhiliye ve hâriciye nokta-i nazarında Devlet-i Osmâniyeʾye müşâbih mevkiʿde yalnız Japonya Hükûmeti bulunmakda iken 1896 târihinde akd ettiği muʿâhede ile tebʿası için Avrupalı hukûkunu istihsâl etmişdir. Ticâret-i Bahriye ve şehbenderlerimiz hakkında Hollanda ile mevcûd ve münʿakid olan mevâdd-ı ahdiyeye nazaran Japonya‌ʾnın istihsâl ettiği hukûkun bize de verilmesi lâzım geleceği

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Figure 170

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Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry giving information about the legal status of Ottoman subjects in Dutch colonies compared to Europeans and the Japanese, 1909

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baʿzı muʿallimîn-i hukûk tarafından tasdîk olunmakdadır. Taleb buyurulan şu maʿlûmâtı ve ihticâca sâlih olacak mevâdd-ı nizâmiyeyi melfûf lâyıhada îzâh ve cemʿ eylemeğe alâ kadriʾt-tâʿa saʿy etmiş bulunduğum cihetle burada tekrâr tafsîlât iʿtâsında ihtirâz eyler ve görülecek noksânın ikmâli zımnında emr u işâr buyurulmasını istirhâm ederim ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 17 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene 1325 Batavya Başşehbenderi bende-i Mehmed Raşid To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 21 14 Your Highness, my exalted lord: I have received the exalted telegram, dated 9 December 1904 and numbered 257, containing the order to give written information about the regulations to which our Asian subjects are subjected in comparison to the Europeans and Japanese residing in Dutch colonies. A report in French, comprising twentynine pages that have been prepared by investigating the current regulations and the relevant works and documents, is presented in enclosure. In the report, the regulations on which information was requested, as well as the relevant regulatory statutes are explained, and the references are indicated. According to the principles of these regulations Ottoman Muslims from Asia and Africa are subject to more taxes and limitations with regard to residence and travel, inheritance dues, personal dues, income and commercial tax, criminal judgment procedures, and penal and police laws than European and Japanese foreigners. In fact, the Asian and African subjects of the other European States are also subject to the same regulations. However, it is known that these subjects of the other countries do not have equal rights even in their own countries since they are colonial people, whereas the provinces of the Sublime Ottoman State in Asia and Africa are not subject to colonial administration, but enjoy constitutional rule and consultation on legal issues as does the centre of the Sultanate [e.g. Istanbul]. In sum, only Japan is comparable to the Ottoman Empire from the point of view of domestic and foreign jurisprudence and [they] have obtained European rights for their subjects through the agreement of 1896. Some legal experts confirm that, regarding the articles of the existing agreements with Holland on naval trade and on our consulates, the rights that were obtained by the Japanese should also be given to us. I have done my best to explain this requested information and to collect the articles of the regulations that can be referred to in the enclosed report. Therefore, I refrain from

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giving here once more the details. I request to be commanded to completely rectify any deficiencies. To command belongs to him who commands all. 30 December 1909 Your servant, Mehmed Raşid, the Consul General at Batavia Source: BOA HR.SYS. 562/2–201

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Ottoman diplomatic initiatives to secure the rights of Ottoman citizens in the Dutch Indies 1910–14

24.1

Note on the Dutch authorities permitting Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid’s entrance to Dutch colonies on condition that he is treated as an Asian, 1910

Takdîm Hukûk Müşâvirliğiʾne Fî 3 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]325 Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecidʾin Dersaʿâdetʾde veyâ Rumeli vilâyâtından birinde tevellüd eylediği sâbit oluncaya kadar Flemenk müstemlekâtında Asya mütevellidlerine tahsîsen mevzûʿ olan usûl-ı muʿâmeleye tâbiʿ bulunmak üzre müstemlekât-ı mezbûreye avdetine Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin müsâʿadesi istihsâl edildiğinin şu kadar ki pasaportunda mahall-i velâdeti kayd olunmamak lâzım gelip yalnız kendisi muvakkatan Asyalı muʿâmelesine tâbiʿiyyeti kabûl eylediğini beyân edeceğinin maʿmâfih yine müşkilâta uğramaması için Batavya Başşehbenderliğiyle Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne işʿârât-ı lâzımede bulunulmak üzre vakt-i azîmeti andan bir mâh mukaddem vilâyet vâsıtasıyla nezâret-i celîlelerine bildirmesinin ve tezkire-i Osmâniyesiʾne gelince Avrupa kıtʿasında doğmuş olduğunu ve ebinâbirîn müstemlekât-ı mezkûrede Avrupalılara gösterilen muʿâmeleden müstefid olması lâzım geleceğinin isbâtı zımnında bu tezkireye istinâden Flemenk Hükûmeti nezdinde teşebbüsât icrâsı derdest ise de şâyed şu vesîka teʾmîn-i maksada kifâyet etmez ise mûmâileyhden vesâʾik-i sâʾire isteneceğinin kendisine tefhîmi zımnında vilâyet-i müşârunileyhâya 6 Ağustos sene [1]325 târih ve 160 numerolu tahrîrâtıyla 5 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]325 târihli telgrafnâmesine cevâben işʿârı maʿrûzdur. Fî 11 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene [1]325 Presented to the Legal Consultancy on 16 January 1910 [We] request to announce the following to the [governorate of] Rumelia, in response to its communiqué dated 19 August 1909 and numbered 160, and

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Note on the Dutch authorities permitting Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid’s entrance to Dutch colonies on condition that he is treated as an Asian, 1910

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its telegram dated 18 January 1910. Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid should be informed that the consent of the Dutch Government has been obtained for his entry to these colonies on the condition that in the Dutch colonies he will be subject to the treatment peculiar to those born in Asia until it is established that he was born either in the Abode of Felicity or in the European provinces. His place of birth will not be written in his passport and he will declare that he accepts to be treated as an Asian. Nevertheless, to avoid any difficulties [he should] inform the [Foreign] Ministry via the [governorate of his] province one month before his departure, so that the necessary warnings can be made to the Consulate General in Batavia and the Imperial Embassy at The Hague. As for his Ottoman identity card, although it is obvious that he can apply to the Dutch Government based on this card testifying that he was born on the European continent, and that he should enjoy the treatment applicable to the Europeans residing in these colonies, additional documents will be demanded if this card does not suffice for the purpose. 24 January 1910 Source: BOA HR.SYS. 562/2–220

Instructions to the Ottoman Embassy at The Hague to act effectively for the rights of Ottoman citizens in Dutch colonies, 1910 Târih-i Vürûdu Fî 22 Haziran sene [1]326 3038 Flemenk müstemlekâtında bulunan tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin tehvîn-i ahvâline dâʾir tedâbir ittihâzı için taʿyîn olunan üç hafta müddetin hitâmında tebʿamız hakkında en ziyâde nâil-i müsâʿade olan millet muʿâmelesi îfâ edilmesinin teʾmîni zımnında Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnce Flemenk Kabinesi nezdinde tekrîr-i mürâcaʿat edilmesi îcâb eder. Esâsen pek sâkin ve ticâretle meʾlûf olan ve hükûmet-i mahalliyeye dâʾimâ itâʿat ve riʿâyet eder bulunan tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾnin Asya ve Afrika-yı Osmânî vilâyâtı sekenesinden olup olmadıkları nazar-ı dikkate alınmaksızın cümlesi hakkında sû-i muʿâmelede bulunmak ve Abdurrahman hakkında vâkiʿ olduğu üzre tebʿid gibi tedâbir-i şedîde ittihâzıyla zâyiʿât-ı külliyeye uğratmak veyâ tebʿamızın ekserîsini seyâhatden menʿ etmek için baʿzı Hadramutluların ahvâli tehlikeli görünmesi keyfiyeti Flemenk kabînesine bir hak bahş edemeyeceğini sefâret-i seniyyenin bildirmesi iktizâ eder. Zâten ahvâli mûcib-i iştibâh olanları nezâret-i husûsiye altında bulundurmak sehl olduğundan Asya ve Afrika Vilâyât-ı Osmâniyesi sekenesinden bulunan tebʿamızın cümlesinin şübheli addedilmesi aslâ tecvîz olunamayacağı tarzında sâlifüʾz-zikr Flemenk kabînesine beyânât-ı müʾessirede bulunulması husûsunun Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne izbârı maʿrûzdur. 24.2

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Instructions to the Ottoman Embassy at The Hague to act effectively for the rights of Ottoman citizens in Dutch colonies, 1910

Fî 29 Haziran sene [1]326 47–3226 numero ve 3 Ağustos sene [1]910 târih ile Lahey Sefâretiʾne yazılmışdır. Date of arrival 5 July 1910 3038 The Imperial Embassy at The Hague is required to apply to the Dutch cabinet again to ensure that our citizens will be granted most favoured nation treatment on the expiry of the three weeks that were granted for the adoption of measures to improve the state of the Ottoman citizens in Dutch colonies. The Imperial Embassy should state [to the Dutch authorities] that the

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fact that the latter perceive some Hadramis to be dangerous does not give the Dutch Cabinet the right to mistreat Ottoman subjects – regardless of whether or not they are residents of Ottoman provinces in Asia and Africa – while they are peacefully engaged in trade and are obedient and respectful to the local government, nor to cause great losses by implementing harsh measures such as expelling them [from the colonies] as happened to Abdurrahman, nor to prevent most of our subjects from travelling. It can in no way be justified to treat subjects from the Ottoman provinces in Asia and Africa as suspects, since it would be easier to keep those who are suspicious under surveillance. It is requested to write to the Imperial Embassy at The Hague to make effective statements to the Dutch Cabinet [along these lines]. 12 July 1910 Sent to the Embassy at The Hague with the date 3 August 1910 and number 47–3226. Source: BOA HR.SYS.563/1–077

Ottoman ambassador at The Hague to the Foreign Minister reporting that it is impossible to convince the Dutch government to treat Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid as a European, 1914 Hâriciye Nâzırı Devletlü Fehâmetlü Said Halim Paşa Hazretleriʾne 3668 48 2 melfûf Hülâsâ: Abdurrahman Abdülmecid Efendi hakkında Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir 46068/30 numerolu ve 3 Mayıs sene [1]914 târihli tahrîrât-ı aliyye-i nezâretpenâhîlerine cevâbdır. Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde mukîm tüccârdan Abdurrahman Abdülmecid Efendiʾnin li-ecliʾt-ticâre Flemenk Devletiʾnin taht-ı idâresinde bulunan Hind Cezâyiriʾne azîmetinde Avrupalı muʿâmelesi görmesi mesʾelesi Laheyʾe vürûd-ı âcizânemden mukaddem sefâret-i seniyyenin meşgûl olduğu bir mesʾele-i kadîmedir. Mesʾele-i mebhûse hakkında 14 Haziran sene [1]910 târihinde bura hâriciye nezâretine verip bir sûretini nezâret-i celîleye de irsâl eylediğim notaya el-ân bir cevâb vârid olmamışdır (?) hâl Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin işi sürüncemede bırakmağa meyyâl olduğunu göstermekdedir. Menâfiʿine tevâfuk etmediği iʿtikâdınca bulunduğu her hâlde bu sûretle hareketi bir kâʿide ittihâz eden hükûmet-i müşârunileyhâ nezdinde vâkiʿ olacak teşebbüsâtın müntec-ı muvaffakıyet olması elde vâzıh ve katʿî maʿlûmât ve delâʾilin vücûduna vâbestedir. Halbûki Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnce taʿkib olunduğu meşhûd olan mesʾele-i mebhûsenin safahât-ı muhtelifesi sefâret-i seniyyece mechûldür: 24.3

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Ottoman ambassador at The Hague to the Foreign Minister reporting that it is impossible to convince the Dutch government to treat Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid as a European, 1914

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Başşehbender Reʾfet Bey tarafından Abdurrahman Efendiʾye gönderilen melfûf mektûbda münderic esʾile cevâblarının -ki Abdurrahman Efendiʾnin arz-ı hâlinde mevcûddur- şehbender-i mûmâileyhin sarh-ı[?] ıttılâʿına vâsıl olup olmadığı ve olduğu takdîrde Batavya Hükûmetince ne sûretle telakkî edildiği sefâret-i seniyyece maʿlûm olmak iktizâ eder. Ancak bu gibi noksânîi maʿlûmâtın izâlesinden sonra yeni bir teşebbüs icrâsı kâbil olacağından bu bâbda Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾyle hükûmet-i mahalliye arasında cereyân eden muhâberât sûretinin taraf-ı âcizîye irsâli için lâzım gelenlere evâmir-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîlerinin bî-dirîğ buyurulmasını istirhâm eyler ve baʿzı esbâbdan dolayı Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin Abdurrahman Efendiʾye müstemlekesinde Avrupa muʿâmelesi îfâ olunmasına muvâfakat etmeyeceğine kâniʿ bulunduğumu arza mücâseret eylerim. Her türlü uhûd ve mukâvelât hilâfında hareket eden hükûmet-i müşârunileyhâyı müşkil bir mevkiʿa ilkâ ederek ihtilâfı nokta-i nazarımıza muvâfık bir sûretde hal ettirebilmek için fikr-i âcizânemce bir çâre vardır ki o da mesʾeleyi Lahey hakem mahkemesine nakl etmekdir. Bu da ancak Abdurrahman Efendiʾnin muʿâmelât-ı maʿlûme yüzünden Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnden zarar ve ziyân talebinde bulunması ile kâbildir emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 12 Mayıs sene [1]914 Lahey Sefîri bende-i To His Excellency the Foreign Minister Said Halim Paşa 3668 48 2 attachments Summary: concerning Abdurrahman Abdülmecid Efendi The requests of your most humble servant is that; This is the response to the exalted ministerial communiqué dated 3 May 1914 and numbered 46068/30. The issue of the treatment of Abdurrahman Abdülmecid, a merchant residing in Honoured Mecca, as a European when he arrived as a merchant at the Indian Islands under Dutch rule, is an ongoing issue that has long occupied the Imperial Embassy from before my arrival at The Hague. No answer has been received to the memorandum (a copy of which I sent to the exalted [Ottoman Foreign] Ministry as well) that I submitted on this issue to the Foreign Ministry of this place on 14 June 1910. This demonstrates that the Dutch Government tends to procrastinate on the issue. The successful conclusion of the initiatives taken with the said government – which has adopted this manner of behaviour as a principle on every issue it considers not to conform with its interests – depends on the availability of unambiguous and definite

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information and evidence. Despite this, various aspects of the issue that are known to have been pursued by the Consulate General in Batavia are unknown to the Imperial Embassy [at The Hague]. The Embassy therefore requires to know whether Consul General Reʾfet Bey was informed about the answers to the questions included in the letter enclosed which he sent to Abdurrahman Efendi, [as these answers] are present in the petition of Abdurrahman Efendi. If he was informed, the Embassy needs to know how the Government of Batavia viewed it. I request that the exalted Ministry send orders to the relevant [authorities] to dispatch copies of the correspondence between the Consulate General Batavia and the local Government, because a new initiative will only be possible after such deficiencies in information are removed. I also dare to state that I believe that the Dutch Government, for some reason, will not consent to treat Abdurrahman Efendi as a European in its colonies. In my humble view, there is one solution to solve the issue in accordance with our point of view, while leaving the [Dutch] government – which acts contrary to agreement and treaty – in a difficult situation, and that is to transfer the issue to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague. This is only possible if Abdurrahman Efendi demands indemnification from the Dutch Government because of its actions. To command belongs to him who commands all. 12 May 1914 Your servant, the Ambassador at The Hague

Source: BOA HR.SYS. 563/1–600 Note: An extensive petition of Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid explaining his ethnicity and birth of place as well as the difficulties he experienced with the Dutch authorities is to be found in the same file as well. HR.SYS.563/1

Dutch authorities refuse to recognize that Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid Efendi was born in Istanbul despite his identity card and passports, 1914 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsiʾne Aded 324 Umûr-ı idâreye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Melfûf aded 8 Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde mukîm tüccârdan Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid Efendi hakkında 16 Receb sene 1332 târih ve 1794–48438 numerolarıyla şeref-vürûd eden emirnâme-i sâmî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri vâsıl-ı dest-i taʿzîm oldu. Mûmâileyh Abdurrahman Efendiʾnin Dersaʿâdetʾde tevellüd ettiği iddiʿâsıyla Avrupalı Hukûkuʾndan istifâde eylemesi için şehbenderhâne tarafına 24.4

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Dutch authorities refuse to recognize that Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid Efendi was born in Istanbul despite his identity card and passports, 1914

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hükûmet-i mahalliye nezdinde icrâ edilen teşebbüsât ile alınan tahrîrât-ı cevâbiye sûretleri bu kere leffen takdîm-i pîş-gâh-ı sâmî-i cenâb-ı nezâretpenâhîleri kılınmışdır. Mûmâileyh Abdurrahman Efendi hakkında evvel beâhir Batavya mutasarrıfı ile edilen mülâkâtdan istidlâl ve istihrâc edildiğine nazaran Cava Hükûmeti tarafına mansûb Batavya‌ʾda mukîm Arab reisinin vaktiyle hükûmet-i mahalliyeye iʿtâ eylediği maʿlûmât hüccet add olunarak Abdurrahman Efendiʾnin Mekke-i Mükerremeʾde tevellüd eylediğine kanâʿat-ı tâmme hâsıl ederek Abdurrahman Efendiʾnin vaktiyle istihsâl eylediği tezkirei Osmâniyesiyle pasaportunda mahall-i velâdetin Dersaʿâdet yazılmasına bir eser-i sehv nazarıyla bakılmakda ve şehbenderhânenin her türlü teşebbüsâtı maʿa‌ʾt-teʾessüf müsmir olamamakdadır. Abdurrahman Efendiʾnin Hicaz Vilâyet-i Celîlesiʾne iʿtâ eyleyip sûreti leffen irsâl buyrulan arz-ı hâlde ceddinin aslen Çerkes (Asyalı) olup Mısırʾa hicret eylediğine dâʾir müddeʿiyyâtı maksada hâdim olmayıp şehbenderhânenin mûmâileyhin tezkire-i Osmâniyesiyle iki kıtʿa atîk pasaportuna istinâden icrâ eylediği teşebbüsâtdan daha zayıf esbâb-ı muknıʿa idüği ilâveten arz olunur ol-bâbda ve her hâlde emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 5 Ramazan sene 1332 ve fî 27 Temmuz sene 1914 Batavya Başşehbenderi bende-i Reʾfet To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 324 General Directorate of Administrative Affairs Number of attachments 8 The request of your most humble servant is that: I have respectfully received the exalted Ministerial order, dated 10 June 1914 and numbered 1794–48438, concerning Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid Efendi, a merchant residing in Honoured Mecca. The initiatives that were taken by the Consulate with the local government to ensure that the said Abdurrahman Efendi enjoy European jurisprudence because he was born in the Abode of Felicity, and the copies of the written response [of the local government] are now presented in enclosure to the exalted Ministerial presence. It is inferred from the conversations about the said Abdurrahman Efendi with the Governor of Batavia that they were convinced that Abdurrahman Efendi was born in Honoured Mecca. This is based on information, considered to be official by the Dutch authorities, that the Chief of Arabs (appointed by the government of Java, and who resides in Batavia) gave previously to the local government. Therefore, they consider it as a mistake that his place of birth is recorded as Abode of Felicity on the Ottoman identity card and passport that Abdurrahman Efendi had previously obtained. Unfortunately, as a result, none

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of the initiatives of the Consulate can effectuate anything. I [would like to] add that his claims that his ancestors were originally Circassian (Asian), and that they migrated to Egypt, as detailed in the petition (a copy of which was sent [to me] in enclosure) that Abdurrahman Efendi gave to the Governorate of Hijaz, do not serve the purpose, and are less convincing compared to the initiatives which the consulate took based on his Ottoman identity card and two old passports. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 27 July 1914 Your servant Reʾfet, Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA HR.SYS.563/1–627

25

Ottoman ambassador in St Petersburg reporting the response of Russian Foreign Minister to Ottoman requests to intervene into the issue of the status of Asian Muslims in the Dutch Indies, 1911

Husûsî ve mahremdir Maʿrûz-ı âcizleridir Flemenkʾin Hindistan müstemlekâtında bulunan Asyalı ecânib-i İslâmiyeʾnin tâbiʿ tutuldukları muʿâmeleye dâʾir fî 19 Ağustos sene 1910 târihli ve 353, 26353 numerolu tahrîrât-ı cevâbiye-i âcizânem üzerine sefâret-i seniyyeye şeref-vârid olan fî 17 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene 1910 târihli ve 151, 4235 numerolu emirnâme-i âlî-i âsafâneleri münderecâtına dâʾir bura Hâriciye Nezâretiʾnden henüz bir cevâba derdest olunamadığından bu bâbda Mösyö Sazonof nezdinde be-tekrâr teşebbüsâtda bulundum. Müşârunileyh havâlî-i mezkûrede Rus tebʿası bulunmadığı baʿdeʾt-tahkîk istihbâr eylemiş olduğunu beyân eyledikden sonra memâlik-i ecnebiyyede bulunan dindaşlarının refâh halleri yolunda edilecek teşebbüsâtın Rusya Müslümanları üzerine hâsıl edeceği teʾsîre nakl-i kelâm ve müteheyyicâne bir tavr ile: “biz Müslüman tebʿamızın” menâfiʿine çalışdığımızı onlara defâʿatle isbât eyledik o kadar ki artık bu husûsda yeniden ibrâz-ı delâʾile ihtiyâcımız yokdur tebʿa-i İslâmiyemiz haklarındaki muʿâmelemizden memnûndurlar onlar Rusya‌ʾda her türlü serbestiden müstefiddirler Samara‌ʾya kadar gitmiş olan Hilmi Paşa bu ahvâli reʾyüʾl-ayn müşâhede etmişdir hattâ Petersburg Hâssa Alayı kumandânı dahî bir Müslümandır keşke Rusya Müslümanlarına edilen hüsn-ı muʿâmeleye başka memleketlerdeki Hıristiyanlar da nâil olaydı lâkin maʿa‌ʾt-teʾessüf memleketimizden bir takım cemʿiyetler Müslümanlarımızı ittihâd-ı İslâm fikriyle tahrîk ediyorlar … Fî 8 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene 1911 Petersburg Sefîri

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Ottoman ambassador in St Petersburg reporting the response of Russian Foreign Minister to Ottoman requests to intervene into the issue of the status of Asian Muslims in the Dutch Indies, 1911

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Ottoman ambassador in St Petersburg reporting the response of Russian Foreign Minister to Ottoman requests to intervene into the issue of the status of Asian Muslims in the Dutch Indies, 1911

Private and secret It is my humble submission [that]: I have not received any reply from the Foreign Ministry here concerning the content of your lofty ministerial order dated 17 October 1910, number 151/4235, which arrived at the imperial embassy in response to my humble communiqué dated 19 August 1910, number 353/26353, concerning the imprisoned Asian Muslim subjects in the colonies of the Dutch Indies. I have again brought up this subject with Monsieur Sazonov.9 The latter explained that he had investigated and learned that there were no Russian subjects in those quarters. Afterwards, concerning the initiatives to be taken for the well-being of the Russian Muslims and their many coreligionists located in foreign countries, he changed the topic of conversation and stated excitedly: We have several times demonstrated “to our Muslim subjects” that we labour for their interests, insomuch that we do not need to show any additional evidence to that end. Our Muslim subjects are happy about the way we treat them. They enjoy all kinds of liberties. Hilmi Paşa, who went as far as Samara, has seen this with his own eyes. Even the commander of the Royal Regiment in Petersburg is a Muslim. If only the Christians in other countries would enjoy the favourable 9  Sergey Sazonov, Russian Foreign Minister. In office from 1910 until 1916.

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treatment that the Muslims in Russia enjoy. Unfortunately some associations in our country provoke our Muslims with pan-Islamic notions … 8 February 1911 Ambassador in Petersburg Source: BOA HR.SYS.563/1–141, 142, 143

26

Board of consultation to the Foreign Ministry on their expectation that the Ottoman ambassador at The Hague take initiatives to ensure that Ottoman citizens enjoy the same rights as the Japanese in the Dutch Indies, 1911

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Umûr-ı Hâriciye İstişâre Odası Aded 27018 … maʿlûm-ı âlî-i nezâret-i penâhîleri olduğu üzre Flemenk Devleti Hindistan müstemlekâtında bulunan Asyalılar hakkında âhiren baʿzı ahkâm-ı cedîde neşr eylemesi hasebiyle Asyalı tebʿamızın Japonyalıların müstefid oldukları usûl ve muʿâmeleye nâʾiliyetleri emrindeki nokta-i nazarımızı muhâfazai kuyûd-ı ihtirâziye der-meyânı lâzım gelmiş ve müşârunileyh de nezdine meʾmûr bulunduğu devletin Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne evvelce irsâl eylediği tekârîrde zaten münderic bulunan kuyûd-ı mezkûreyi 15 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]326 târihli notasıyla tekrâr ve teʾyîd eylemiş idi uhdemize mütehattim vazîfe ahkâm-ı cedîdeden tebʿamızın istifâdelerini teʾmîn ile berâber kuyûd-ı ihrâziye-i mesrûre ile muhâfaza eylediğimiz maksadın kuvveden fiʿle îsâline yaʿni tâbiʿlerimizin Japonyalılar misillü muʿâmeleye mazhariyetleri esbâbının istihsâline sarf-ı makderet eylemek iken sefîr-i müşârunileyh 28 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene-i minhu târihiyle Lahey Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne ibʿâs eylediği bir notada ahkâm-ı cedîdenin alâkadar tebʿayı izʿâc etmeyecek sûretde tatbîki halinde bununla iktifâ edileceğini îmâ eder sûretde ibâre kullanarak … Fî 25 Nisan sene [1]327 ve fî 8 Mayıs sene [1]911 Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Consultation Office Number 27018

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Board of consultation to the Foreign Ministry on their expectation that the Ottoman ambassador at The Hague take initiatives to ensure that Ottoman citizens enjoy the same rights as the Japanese in the Dutch Indies, 1911

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Board of consultation to the Foreign Ministry on their expectation that the Ottoman ambassador at The Hague take initiatives to ensure that Ottoman citizens enjoy the same rights as the Japanese in the Dutch Indies, 1911

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… as your ministerial Excellency knows, the Dutch state lately issued some new regulations regarding the Asians in the Indian colonies. Therefore, it was necessary to restate our demands that we require our Asian subjects to enjoy the same treatment and procedures that the Japanese do. The [Ottoman ambassador at the Hague] had confirmed this demand (which was included in the earlier communiqués he had sent) to the Dutch Foreign Ministry in his note dated 28 December 1910. We are duty bound to ensure that our subjects profit from the new regulations, and to realize this aim by arranging favourable provisions, that is, to endeavour to procure for our subjects the same privileges afforded to the Japanese. Despite this, in a memorandum to the Foreign Ministry in The Hague dated 10 January 1911, the said ambassador used an expression that implied we would be content if the new regulations are implemented without harassing the subjects in question … On 8 May 1911 Source: BOA HR.SYS. 563/1–446, 447

27

Note to the Foreign Ministry about Chinese involvement in the issue of improving the state of the Asians in Dutch colonies, 1911

Lahey Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾnin 29 Mart sene 1911 târih ve 128/2241 numerolu tahrîrâtına yazılan derkenâr ile Londra Sefâretiʾne gönderilmek üzre takdîm kılınan tahrîrât-ı aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleri müsveddesinde Flemenk müstemlekâtındaki Asyalıların terfî-i halleri zımnında Hollanda Hükûmetiʾne karşı Çin Devletiʾnin teşebbüsât-ı müʾessirede bulunmasını sûret-i mahremânede teşvîk etmek lüzûmundan bahs edilmişidi aleʾl-husûs Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin Asyalılar hakkındaki usûl-ı kadîmeyi taʿdîlen neşr ettiği emirnâmelerde şâyân-ı ehemmiyet bir tagayyür-ı meşhûd olamamışdı. Elhâletü hâzihî hükûmet-i müşârunileyhânın müstemlâkat-ı Hindʾde Çin konsolosluklarının teʾsisine müsâʿade etmesiyle Çin Hükûmetiʾnin vazîfesi kesb-i suhûlet etmiş oluyor nitekim baʿdemâ Asyalılar hakkındaki usûl ve tedâbîri kendi meʾmûrları vâsıtasıyla doğrudan doğruya tedkîk ve taʿkîb eder ve indeʾl-iktizâ hükûmet-i seniyyenin Laheyʾde icrâsına karâr vermiş olduğu teşebbüsâtın aynını icrâ edebilir. Mülâhazât-ı ânife dâʾiresinde Londra Sefâret-i Seniyyesiʾne tahrîrât tastîri irâde-i aliyye-i nezâret-i penâhîlerine vâbestedir. Fî 16 Mayıs sene [1]327 ve fî 29 Mayıs sene 1911 Derkenar: 5 Temmuz sene 911 ve 189 numero ile Londra Sefâretiʾne yazılmışdır.

Ottoman Citizens in Southeast Asia

Figure 180

Note to the Foreign Ministry about Chinese involvement in the issue of improving the state of the Asians in Dutch colonies, 1911

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In the note written on the margin of the communiqué of the Imperial Embassy at The Hague dated 29 March 1911 and numbered 128/2241, and in the draft of the exalted ministerial communiqué that was presented to be sent to the Embassy in London, it was mentioned that the Chinese State should be secretly encouraged to take effective initiatives with the Dutch Government to improve the state of the Asians in Dutch colonies. No significant change was witnessed in the order that the Dutch Government issued adjusting the ancient practices with regard to Asians. In this situation, the task of the Chinese Government became easier as a result of the permission given by the [Dutch] Government to open Chinese consulates in the Dutch Indies. Indeed, from now on the Chinese will directly observe and pursue the treatment of Asians by means of their own officials, and when necessary they will pursue the initiatives that the Imperial Government has decided to take at The Hague. It is up to the will of the exalted Ministry to write to the Imperial Embassy in London in accordance with these reflections. 29 May 1911 Marginal note: Was written to The Imperial Embassy in London on 5 July 1911, number 189 Source: BOA HR.SYS. 563/1–441

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Report of the Ottoman consul in Batavia about the disturbances between the Arabs and the Chinese in Java, 1913

Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesi Cânib-i Sâmîsiʾne Aded 171 Umûr-ı Şehbenderî Şuʿbesi Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir Cava cezîresinin mahall-i muhtelifesinde Arablar ile Çinliler beyninde vukûʿa gelen mücâdeleye ve bunlar arasındaki tebʿa-i Osmâniyeʾden kimse olup olmadığının ve mücâdele-i mezkûre esbâbının biʾt-tahkîk arz ve işʿârına dâʾir şeref-vürûd iden 16 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene 1912 târih ve 3105–24730 numerolu emirnâme-i sâmî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîleri vâsıl-ı dest-i taʿzîm oldu. Arablar ile Çinliler arasındaki burûdetin mebdeʾi bundan üç sene evvel Takal kasabasında baʿzı eşyâ satın almak üzre bir Çinli mağazasına giden bir Arab hâtun Çinlilerin hilâf-ı edeb hareket ve sarf-ı endazlığına maʿrûz olmasından Arablar ol târihde Çinliler üzerine hücûm ile aralarında bir arbede vukuʿa gelmiş idi. Âhiren Cava‌ʾnın Sorabaya sancağına tâbiʿ Bankil kasabasından başlayan vukûʿât-ı müʾessife esbâbına gelince bir Arab çocuğu Velosipitiyle geçer iken kazârâ bir Çinliʾye çarpıp cüzʾice cerîhadâr olmasından Çinliler

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bu vukûʿât amden icrâ edildiği bahânesiyle Arablar üzerine hücûm ve hayli mudârebeden sonra tarafeynden birer mikdâr mecrûh olmuş idi. Arablar ekalliyetde olmak münâsebetiyle baʿdehû yerli ahâlîye (İslâmlara) mürâcaʿatla ahz-ı sâr etmek üzre musaffakât Çinlilerin mahallelerini basarak arbedeye başlarlar bu defʿa dahî tarafeynden birer mikdâr mecrûh ve İslâmlardan bir ve Çinlilerden sekiz kişi telef olmuş idi. İşbu vukûʿât Arablar ile Çinliler arasını hayli berîd eylediğinden aradan çok geçmeksizin ufak tefek bahâneler ile cezîrenin Şark cihetinde vâkıʿ Sorabaya‌ʾda ve Şimâl cihetinde Şeribon nâm şehirlerde vukûʿât-ı mümâsileye maʿa‌ʾt-teʾessüf meydân verildi. Çinliler tarafından sebebiyet verilen mudârebe ve mücâdelelerin her üçünde Arablardan ziyâde Çinliler mecrûh ve maktûl oldular. Hükûmetin tavassutu ile Arab ve Çin muʿteberânından mürekkeb heyʾetin delâlet ve gayreti üzerine mücâdelenin önü alınarak teʾlîf ve ıslâh-ı beyyine çalışılmışdır. Sâlifüʾl-arz mahall-i muhtelifede emniyet ve asâyişi ihlâle sebeb olanlardan ileri gelenler taht-ı tevkîfe alınarak muhtelif cezâlar ile mahkûm edilmişlerdir. Çin hükûmetinin tebdîl-i şekl ile iʿlân-ı Cumhûriyetiʾnden beri buradaki Çinliler dahî şımardıklarından yerli ahâlî ile Arablar üzerinde tahakküm ve tasaddur daʿvâlarında bulunarak kendilerine güyâ Avrupalı hukûkuna nâʾil olmuş bir millet-i mümtâze süsü vererek yerli ve Arablara nazar-ı hakâretle bakmakdadırlar. Vâkıʿa Çinliler el-yevm Cava‌ʾda da ticâret ve sanâyiʿi hemân yed-i inhisârlarına almaları ve mahallî bankalarında hayli sermâyeye mâlik olarak müʾessesât-ı mâliyede bir mühim mevkiʿ ahz eylemeleri hükûmetce nazar-ı dikkate alınmakda ve hattâ mahallî gazetelerinin âhiren neşriyâtına nazaran Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin Pekin Sefîri Mösyö Bilartes Van Belokland şehr-i Şubat zarfında meʾzûnen Laheyʾe gider iken Cava‌ʾya uğrayarak burada mukîm Çinlilerin hâl ve ihtiyâcâtını tahkîk ve teftîşe meʾmûr edilmişdir. Cava‌ ʾda mukîm Arabların tâbiʿiyyeti mesʾelesine gelince bunlar aslen Hadramut kıtʿasından hicretle burada tavattun ve tevellüd veyâhud ahz ve iʿtâ maksadıyla muvakkaten gelip mukîm Arablar olup içlerinde Osmanlı pasaportunu hâmil olanlar yalnız Mekke-i Mükerreme tarîkiyle bu tarafa gelenler olup onların adedi ise gâyet mahdûddur Arablar ile Çinliler arasındaki arbedede Osmanlı pasaportunu hâmil kimse yokdur bununla berâber Hadramut kıtʿasının mevkıʾıne ve ahâlîsinin İslâmiyetine nazaran bunların ezher cihet himâye ve siyânetleri hakkındaki nâzik vazîfeyi bir vakitde ihmâl eylememişimdir. Bundan akdem Arablar ile Çinliler beyninde Toban kasabasında vukûʿa gelen mücâdelede Arabların sıyânetleri için vülât dâʾiresi nezdinde vâkıʿ olan husûsu ve şifâhî iltimâsım semeresini geçen 3 Temmuz sene 1327 târih ve 76 numerolu arîzayla Lahey sefâret-i seniyyesine arz eylemiş idim. Atûfetlü Galib Beyefendi Hazretleriʾnin Cava‌ ʾda başşehbenderliği hengâmında mürâcaʿat eden Hadramut ahâlisine pasaport iʿtâsında tereddüd etmemiş iseler de muʾahharan meʾmûrîn-i mahalliye tarafından işbu

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pasaportlara maʿa‌ʾt-teʾessüf iltifât olunmayarak ve hatta pasaport sâhiblerinin yedlerinden Osmanlı pasaportları alınıp toplandığı ve Arablara yerli nazarıyla muʿâmele edildiği bundan akdem eslâf-ı âcizî tarafından nezâret-i celîle-i âsafânelerine bildirilmiş olsa gerekdir. Arabların Cava‌ʾdaki ber-vech-i maʿrûz mevkiʿlerine rağmen gerek asâletlü vâli hazretleri ve gerek diğer rüʾesâ-yı devâʾir ile olan münâsebât-ı hasenem cihetiyle Arabların âdetâ bir Osmanlı misillü himâye ve sıyânet olunmaları hakkındaki iltimâs ve teşebbüsâtım şimdiye değin semeresiz kalmayarak Cava‌ʾdan tard ve tebʿîde mahkûm olan Hadramutlu ve pasaportsuz Seyyid Muhammed bin Abd-i Rûsiyyüʾl-bahrın[?] temdîd-i ikâmetini ve muhâcirînin Cava‌ ʾya şerâʾit-i duhûlü hakkındaki taʿlîmâta tevfîkan Cava‌ʾya hurûçlarına müsâʿade olunmayan on altı ve yine pasaportsuz Hadramut Arablarının hurûcuna müsâʿade istihsâl eylediğimde 10 Eylül sene 1328 târih ve 108 numerolu arîzamla hâk-ı pây-ı sâmî-i cenâb-ı nezâret-penâhîlerine arz eylemiş idim. Cava‌ʾda mukîm Hadramut Arablarının kavânîn-i mahalliyeye ve akvâm-ı sâʾirenin hukûkuna tamâmıyla riʿâyete ve şâyet kendileri bir tecâvüze düçâr olurlar ise doğrudan doğruya meʾmûrîn-i adliye ve mahalliyeye mürâcaʿat ve bir tarafdan da şehbenderhâneye ihbâr-ı keyfiyet eylemeleri ve kendi aralarında maʿârif ve ticâret ve sanâyiʿin terakkîsi esbâbının teʾmîni içün her türlü mesâʿiden geri kalmamalarını gerek muʿteberânına ve gerek tesâdüf ettiğim her sınıf kesâna vesâyâ ve nesâyih-i lâzımede bulunduğum maʿrûzdur ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir Fî 7 Safer sene 1331 ve fî 14 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene 1913 Batavya Başşehbenderi Bende-i Reʾfet To the exalted Foreign Ministry Number 171 Department of Consular Affairs The request of your most humble servant is that, I have received the order of your exalted Ministerial Excellency, dated 16 November 1912, and numbered 3105–24730, requesting the investigation and the communication of information concerning the struggle that took place in several places of Java Island between the Arabs and the Chinese, whether there are any Ottoman subjects among them, and the causes of [the struggle]. The beginning of the antagonism between the Arabs and the Chinese dates back to three years ago when an Arab woman, who had gone to a Chinese shop in the township of Tegal to buy some goods, was subjected to ill-mannered actions by the Chinese. Then the Arabs attacked the Chinese which led to a riot between

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them. As for the [immediate] causes of the regretful incidents that started in the Bangkalan township of the province of Surabaya in Java, while an Arab child was passing by on his bicycle he accidentally hit a Chinese, resulting in a minor injury. The Chinese attacked the Arabs under the pretext that it was done deliberately. Some people on both sides were wounded during the ensuing fights which lasted for quite a while. As the Arabs were in the minority, they applied to the natives (those who are local Muslims), and raided the Chinese quarters to take revenge. During the ensuing riots, some people were wounded on both sides, and one Muslim and eight Chinese died. These incidents chilled the [relations] between the Arabs and the Chinese, and, unfortunately, similar incidents were allowed to occur on minor pretexts in the city of Surabaya in the East of the Island, and in the city of Cirebon in the north. It was mainly the Chinese rather that the Arabs who were wounded and killed during all three of these struggles and fights caused by the Chinese. Through the mediation of the government an effort has been made by a delegation consisting of prominent Arabs and Chinese to prevent further fighting, and to improve relations between the two parties. The main offenders who breached the peace at the above-mentioned places have been taken into custody and sentenced to various punishments. Since the Chinese government changed on the declaration of the Republic, the Chinese here have been spoiled. Consequently, they tried to gain the upper hand over the local natives and the Arabs, and, acting as if they are a privileged nation that has attained European rights, they regard the locals and the Arabs with contempt. It is true that the government is aware that the Chinese have currently monopolized trade and industry in Java, and that they also occupy an important position in financial institutions as holders of a considerable amount of capital. Besides, according to the local newspapers recently, [Frans] Beelaerts van Blokland, Dutch Ambassador to Peking, was instructed to visit Java on his way to The Hague around December, in order to inspect and investigate the state and the needs of the Chinese residing there. As for the issue of the nationality of the Arabs residing in Java, they are Arabs who are originally from Hadramawt region, who either immigrated, settled and were born here, or who came temporarily for trade. The ones who carry Ottoman passports are those who came here from Honoured Mecca. Their number is very small, and nobody involved in the riots carried Ottoman passports. Nonetheless, given the location of the region of Hadramawt, and the fact that its people are Muslims, I have never neglected the delicate duty of protecting them in all respects. In my communiqué dated 16 July 1911 and numbered 76, to the imperial embassy in The Hague, I communicated the fruits of

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my verbal solicitations to the department of provinces for the protection of Arabs during the unrest that took place in the township Tuban between the Arabs and the Chinese. My predecessors must have informed the Exalted Ministry that, during his consulship in Java, Galib Bey did not hesitate to issue passports to the people of Hadramawt who applied, and that later, unfortunately, finance officials disregarded these passports and even confiscated them by taking the [passports] from their hands, and treated the Arabs as if they were natives. Due to my good relations with His Excellency the Governor, as well as with the heads of other departments, until now my solicitations and initiatives concerning the protection of the Arabs as if they were Ottomans have not remained fruitless, despite the above explained status of the Arabs. With my communiqué dated 23 September 1912 and numbered 108, I had communicated to your exalted ministerial presence that I was able to obtain permission for the extension of the residence of Sayyid Muhammad bin Aydarus al-Bahr, a Hadrami without a passport, who was sentenced to be expelled from Java, as well as the admittance of sixteen other Hadrami Arabs without passports who were not allowed to enter Java in accordance with the instructions regarding the entrance of the immigrants. I would like to communicate that I give the required advice both to every [Hadrami] I see as well as to their leaders, that the Hadrami Arabs residing in Java should respect the local law and the rights of other ethnic groups, that if their rights are infringed, they should apply directly to the officials of the court and the local [government] officials and inform the consulate about the issue as well, and that they should not hold back from any means of improving trade and industry among themselves. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 14 January 1913 Your servant Reʾfet Consul General in Batavia Source: BOA HR.SYS. 564/5

29

Petition to the Foreign Ministry complaining about the disrespectful practices of the Dutch officials in Surabaya, 1914

Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne 26 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]332 târihi ve “Ser Osmanlı” imzâsıyla Cava‌ʾdan takdîm kılınan arîzanın tercümesidir. Bâb-ı Âlî Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı Siyâsiye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi

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Figure 181

Petition to the Foreign Ministry complaining about the disrespectful practices of the Dutch officials in Surabaya, 1914

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Tercüme Şuʿbesi Zât-ı sâmî-i fehâmetlerine bî-payân taʿzîmler, ihtirâmlar îsâr ve takdîm ederek Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin maʿâşir-i İslâm ez cümle anâsır-ı Arab hakkında revâ görmekde olduğu sû-i tasarrufdan ve icâbât-ı dîniye ve umûr-ı dünyeviyyeleri husûsundaki istibdâdlarından Osmanlı tebʿasının bu yerlerde maʿrûz kalmakda oldukları hakârât-ı mütevâliyeden bir nebze bahs etmek isterim. Fî 14 Kânûn-ı Sânî sene 1914 târihinde ebnâ-yı Ömerîʾden ve tebʿa-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾden olup Osmanlı pasaportlarını hâmilen Ciddeʾden Cava‌ʾda Sorabaya‌ʾya vâsıl olan Ömer Rahman, Mezid Abdullah el-Maʿmûrî, Salim bin Abdülhamidi ve Abdullah bin Şemil ile Devlet-i Osmâniyeʾnin Singapur şehbender vekâletinden muʿattî pasaportu hâmil Abdullah Rebâki ve pasaport ahzına istitâʿat-ı mâlîsi müsâʿid olmayan Ali el-Medir Reca nâm kimesneler Osmanlı pasaportunu hâmil olmalarından dolayı Flemenk meʾmûrîni taraflarından en şiddetli tahkîrâta maʿrûz kalmışlardır meʾmûrîn-i merkûme Osmanlı pasaportunun Flemenk Hükûmetince hâʾiz-i iʿtibâr olmadığını biʾl-beyân Cava adalarında mütenaʿim olabilmek için her hâlde Flemenk himâyesinin kabûl edilmesini tehdîdlerle musırrâne teklîf etmişlerdir tekâlif-i mesrûreye karşı müfter kalan bu zavallılar mahzâ vâlî-i umûmîye ve Devlet-i Osmâniye Şehbenderliği vekâletinde bulunan Almanya Konsolosuʾna ihbâr-ı keyfiyet etmek fikriyle Flemenk meʾmûrlarından berâ-yı müsâʿade taleb ederek makâmât-ı maʿrûzaya tahrîren mürâcaʿat etmişlerse de teşfî-i sadrî bir cevâb alamadıkları gibi müddet-i muʿayyene dahî mürûr eylediğinden Flemenk meʾmûrları tarafından -tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniye yine fırt-ı merbûtiyetlerinden başka bir kabahatleri olmayan- o bîçârelerin kolların zincirle bağlanarak habse ilkâ edilmişlerdir. Vakʿadan haberdâr olan diğer Arablar hükûmet-i mahalliyeye mürâcaʿat ve mahbûsların tahliyesi talebiyle berâber Osmanlı pasaportlarının hâʾiz-i iʿtibâr olmaması esbâbını istifsâr etmişlerse de yalnız mahbûsların kefâlete rabtıyla tahliye-i sebîllerine muvâfakat edilmiş ve bir müddet sonra tebʿa-i merkûme tekrâr derdest edilerek Singapurʾa müttehî-i azîmet olan bir vapura irkâb edilerek Cava arâzîsinden tard ve tebʿîd olunmuşdur. İşte tâbiʿiyyet-i Osmâniyeʾyi hâʾiz olan ümmet-i Arabiye haklarında Flemenk meʾmûrlarının revâ gördükleri şu mezâlimi, Osmanlı pasaportlarına atf-ı ehemmiyet edilmediğini ve nihâyet tebʿaya edilen zulm ve iʿtisâfın dolayısıyla metbûʿ-ı muʿazzama taʿalluk etmekde olduğunu heman arz ile ve bu bâbda nazar-ı dikkat-i fehîmânelerini isticlâb etmek istedik ise de “Surabaya”ʾda sansür gâyet şiddetli olduğundan buna muvaffak olamamakla berâber arîza-i mütekaddimeme imzâ koymağa bile cürʾet edemediğimi arz ve beyân eder ve Dersaʿâdetʾdeki Tanîn ve İkdâm Gazeteleriʾnde evvelce bu vakʿayı bildirdiğimizi ilâveten ityân eylerim ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir.

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This is the translation of the petition submitted to the exalted Foreign Ministry bearing the signature “Chief Ottoman,” dated 24 March 1914 Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Political Affairs Translation Department While presenting limitless reverence and respects to the person of your Excellency, I would like to relate the continuous insults to which Ottoman citizens are subjected, and the malpractices that the Dutch Government deem proper to inflict on the community of Muslims and especially on the Arab people, and their despotism with regard to their religious obligations and their worldly affairs. On 14 February 1914 individuals called Umar Rahman, Mazid Abdullah al-Maʿmuri, Salim bin Abdülhamidi and Abdullah bin Shamil, all descendants of the Caliph Umar and subjects of the Sublime State, who arrived in Surabaya in Java from Jeddah with Ottoman passports, and Abdullah Rabaki, who held a passport supplied by the consulate of the Sublime State in Singapore, and Ali al-Madir Raja‌ʾ, who lacks the financial means with which to obtain a passport, were subjected to the most severe insults by the Dutch officials because they were carrying Ottoman passports. These officials stated that the Dutch Government did not respect Ottoman passports, and insistently insinuated, with threats, that they should come under Dutch protection if they wanted to enjoy the benefits of the island of Java. Despite these insistent proposals, these pitiful people requested permission from the Dutch officials to apply in writing to the Governor-General and the German Consul (who was also the acting consul of the Ottoman State) and informed them about the situation, but did not receive an answer to solve their problems. Moreover, due to the expiration of the deadline, these helpless people, who did not commit any crime other than being in possession of Ottoman citizenship, were put into chains and sent to prison. The other Arabs who were informed about the incident applied to the local government requesting their release, and information about the reasons why the Ottoman passports were not respected. It was consented only to release the prisoners on bail. After a while, our subjects were arrested again, and expelled from Javanese territory by putting them on board a steamboat about to depart for Singapore. I would like to present and explain that we wanted [previously] to draw Your Excellency’s attention to these oppressions that the Dutch officials deem proper to inflict upon the Arab nation who possess Ottoman citizenship, that the Ottoman passports are not respected, and that the oppressions implemented upon subjects similarly apply to their great master. However, due to the severity of censorship in Surabaya we could not [inform Your Excellency]. I did not even dare to sign my previous petition. I

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would also like to state that we informed Tanîn and İkdâm newspapers in the Abode of Felicity [Istanbul] about this incident. In this matter, command belongs to him who commands all.

Source: BOA HR.SYS. 563/1–581 [N.B.: The original petition, dated 20 April 1914, of the mistreated Ottoman subjects giving extensive information about the procedures to which they were subjected, is to be found in the same file. HR.SYS.563/1]

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Petition to the sultan on the torments which the Dutch officials inflict on Arabs who travel with Ottoman passports to the Dutch Indies, 1914

Bâb-ı Âlî Nezâret-i Hâriciye Tercüme Müdüriyeti Numero 1 Atabe-i ulyâ-yı hazret-i pâdişâhîye fî 24 Mart sene 1914 târihi veʾl-HüseyniʾlYemânî el-Cedîdi imzâsıyla Serbaya‌ʾdan takdîm kılınan arîzanın tercümesidir. Zât-ı meʿâlî-simât-ı hazret-i pâdişâhîlerinin mansûr ve muzaffer olmaları temenniyâtıyla berâber rû-mâl hâk-i pây-ı şâhâneleri olur. Flemenk Hükûmet-i sağîresinin ebnâ-yı Arab haklarında ve dolayısıyla hakk-ı seniyyelerinde revâ gördüğü envâʿ-i taʿaddiyâtdan bir nebzesini arza mücâseret eylerim. Şöyle ki Ciddeʾden ticâret kasdıyla Cava‌ʾya gelen ve 9, 10, 11, 12 ve 16 numerolu Osmanlı pasaportlarını hâmil olan birkaç nefer tebʿa-i seniyyeleri daha iskeleye çıkar çıkmaz Flemenk meʾmûrları tarafından envâʿ-i taʿazzibâta maʿrûz kalmışlardır. Hollandalılar Osmanlı Pasaportuʾnun hâʾiz-i iʿtibâr olmadığını alenen söylemekle berâber tebʿa-i merkûmenin kollarına zincir takıp habse ilkâ etmişler ve nihâyet ilk vapurla Cava arâzîsi hâricine çıkarmışlardır. Hâdise-i mezkûreden müteʾessir olan Arablar, hâkim-i umûmî ve Devlet-i Aliyyeleri konsolos vekîline tahrîren mürâcaʿat etmişlerse de bir cevâb alamamışlardır. Aynı günde bâ-telgraf atabe-i şâhânelerine mürâcaʿat ve istiʿtâf-ı enzâr-ı mülûkânelerine bezl-i makderet edilmişse de sansürün şiddeti bu emniyemizi de akîm bırakmıştır. Binâberîn Devlet-i Aliyyeleri Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne ve Dersaʿâdet cerâʾidine bu bâbda maʿlûmât verdiğimizin arzıyla ser meʿâlî-i efser-i mülûkânelerini tasaddîʿ eder, buralardaki müslimîn haklarında bezl-i merhamet buyurulmasını ve konsolos gönderilmesini istirhâm eder ol-bâbda ve kâtıbe-i ahvâlde emr u fermân şevketlü pâdişâh-ı âlî-câh efendimiz hazretlerinindir. 13 Nisan sene 1330

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Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Directorate of translation Number 1 This is the translation of the petition submitted to the exalted threshold of the Sultan with the date 24 March 1914 and signed by al-Husayn al-Yamani alJadidi from Surabaya. I rub my face in the dust under the feet of Your Majesty while praying that Your Majesty will be victorious with the help [of God]. I dared to present only a fraction of the oppressions which the little Dutch Government deem suitable for the Arabians and thereby for Your Majesty. It is as follows: A few of the subjects of Your Majesty who travelled for trade from Jeddah to Java with the Ottoman passports numbered 9, 10, 11, 12 and 16 were subjected to various torments by the Dutch officials as soon as they landed on the dock. The Dutch openly said that Ottoman passports do not have any standing, imprisoned these subjects by chaining their arms and, in the end, expelled them from Javanese territory with the first steamboat. The Arabs, who were saddened due to this incident, petitioned the Governor General and the Vice consul of the Ottoman Empire, but did not receive any answer. Although every effort was used to apply on the same day by telegram to the threshold of Your Majesty to redress [the issue], the intensity of the censorship rendered our attempts futile. Therefore, I am troubling Your Majesty by stating that we have informed the Foreign Ministry of the Sublime State and the newspapers in the Abode of Felicity on the issue, and beg for compassion for the Muslims here and the appointment of a consul. On this issue and in any case to command belongs to our Majesty our exalted Lord. 26 April 1914 Source: BOA HR.TO. 545/90

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Resolution of the Ottoman cabinet to prevent Ottoman women from being deceived by Arabs who bring them to Java to sell them as slaves, 1920

Meclis-i Vükelâ Müzâkerâtına Mahsûs Zabıtnâme Sıra Numerosu: 246 Tarihi: 4 Şevvâl sene 1338, 21 Haziran 1336 Tebliğ olunduğu devâʾir: Meşîhat, Adliye, Dâhiliye, Hâriciye

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Târih-i tebliği: 22 Haziran sene [13]36 Hülâsa-i Meʾâli Cava‌ʾda mütevellid baʿzı Arabların baʿdeʾl-harb Dersaʿâdetʾe ve vilâyâta giderek harb sebebiyle dul ve yetim kalan nisvân ve etfâl-i Osmâniyeʾden iğfâl edebildiklerini Cava‌ʾya götürüp zâhiren nikâh ile fakat hakîkatde câriye ve esir olarak fürûht teşebbüsünde bulunduklarından bahisle tedâbir-i mâniʿa ittihâzı Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden işʿâr olunduğu Hâriciye Nezâretiʾnden bildirildiğine ve baʿd-ezin tâbiʿât-ı Osmâniyeʾden olan nisvân-ı İslâmiyeʾnin Cavalılarla izdivâc edebilmelerinin menʿi esbâbının istikmâline dâʾir şâyân-ı dikkat baʿzı ifâdâtı hâvî Dâhiliye Nezâretiʾnden vârid olan 14 Haziran sene 1336 târihli ve 812 numerolu tezkire ve melfûfu okundu. Karârı Sûret-i işʿâr muvâfık görüldüğünden devâʾir-i müteʿallikaya bu bâbda teblîğât îfâsı tezekkür kılındı. The Council of Ministers Record of special deliberations Number: 246 Date: 21 June 1920 To be reported to the following ministries: Office of the Shaykh al-Islam; Justice, Interior, Foreign Affairs. Date of announcement: 22 June 1920 Summary of the content After the war, some Arabs born in Java went to the Abode of Felicity and the provinces where they deceived a number of widowed and orphaned Ottoman women, as well as children, whom they brought to Java under the pretence of marriage, but in reality they were to be sold as slaves and captives. However, a warning of this impending danger was dispatched from the Consulate General in Batavia. This was in turn communicated by the Foreign Ministry, and subsequently, amongst other statements, the communiqué received from the Ministry of the Interior dated 14 June 1920, number 812, has been read, together with its enclosures, giving worthy advice of precautions to be taken so that Muslim women who are Ottoman subjects be prevented from marrying the Javanese. Decision As the suggestions made are deemed to be appropriate, it has been decided to send announcements on this matter to the related departments. Source: BOA MV. 219/82

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875

Documents pertaining to a woman in Istanbul who seeks to contact her husband in Batavia, 1925

Foreign Ministry to the Ottoman chargé d’affaires at The Hague requesting to contact Mrs Fatıma İsmet’s husband in Batavia Türkiye Cumhûriyeti Hâriciye Vekâleti İstanbul Murahhaslığı Fî 29 Temmuz sene 1341 Lahey Maslahatgüzarlığıʾna Fatıma İsmet Hanım tarafından verilip Hâriciye Vekâlet-i Celîlesiʾne 8 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]340 tarihinde takdîm edilmiş olan arz-ı hâlde mezbûre zevci Sefâizâde Hâfız Sâmi Efendiʾnin 1923 senesinde İstanbulʾdan Mekkeʾye gittiği ve oradan Cavalı hacılarla berâ-yı ticâret Cava‌ʾya azîmet eylediğini bir mektûbla bildirdiği ve bu mektûbdan sonra on dört ay hiçbir haber alamadığı ve fakat geçen sene İstanbulʾda bir tâcire göndermiş olduğu bir mektûbda Batavya‌ʾda Fabrikatör Abdulmuttalib nâmında birinin nezdinde bulunduğu anlaşılması üzerine gerek mûmâileyhe ve gerek mûmâileyhin vâsıtasıyla gönderdiği iki mektûba şimdiye kadar bir cevâb gelmediği ve zevcinin azîmeti dolayısıyla son derece düçâr-ı fakr u zarûret olduğu bildirilip el-yevm Batavya‌ʾda şerîfât yahud buyût-ı şerîfât ve mahdûmu nâm ticârethânede olduğu istihbâr olunan zevcinin ya kendisini iʿâşe (?) [Belgenin devamı okunamamaktadır] 32.1

Republic of Turkey Foreign Ministry, Istanbul Section 29 July 1925 To the Chargé d’Affaires at The Hague According to the petition dated 8 November 1924, submitted by Mrs Fatıma İsmet to the exalted Foreign Ministry, her husband, Sefâizâde Hâfız Sâmi Efendi went to Mecca from Istanbul in the year 1923. In a letter, he related that he went from there to Java together with Jawa pilgrims in order to trade. After this letter, no news was obtained for fourteen months, and only from a letter that he sent last year to a merchant in Istanbul, it was discovered that he was close to someone called Abdulmuttalib the Factory Manager in Batavia. Despite sending two letters, one directly to the aforementioned [Hâfız Sâmi] and one via [Abdulmuttalib], no reply has been received, and she has been in abject poverty since the departure of her husband. It is known that today he is with a company called Sharifat or House of Sharifat and Son, and she requests that her husband either provide her with support or (?) [the remainder of the document is unreadable] Source: BOA HR.İM. 151/29

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Ottoman embassy at The Hague informing the Foreign Ministry about his initiative to contact the husband of Fatıma İsmet Hanım Türkiye Cumhûriyeti Lahey Elçiliği 8909 Hâriciye Vekâlet-i Celîlesi İstanbul Murahhaslığıʾna 3 Ağustos 1341 târihli ve 11609/1 numerolu tahrîrât-ı âlîleri cevâbıdır. Batavya‌ʾda el-yevm şehbenderimiz bulunmadığı cihetle Fatıma İsmet Hanımʾın istidʿâsı muhteviyâtı Flemenk Hâriciye Nezâretiʾne bildirilerek lâzım gelen muʿâmelenin îfâsı nezâret-i müşârunileyhâdan iltimâs edilmişdi bu kere alınan cevâbda, keyfiyetin Cezâyir-i Hindiye meʾmûrînine iblâğı zımnında Flemenk Müstemlekât Nezâretiʾne işʿâr olunduğu der-meyân kılınmakdadır netîce bilâhare arz olunacakdır efendim. 5 Eylül 1341 Lahey Maslahatgüzârı Mehmed Esad 32.2

Republic of Turkey Embassy at The Hague 8909 To the Istanbul Section of Exalted Foreign Ministry This is the response to the exalted note dated 3 August 1925, number 11609/1 As we do not have a consul in Batavia at the moment, the content of the request of Fatima İsmet Hanım was referred to the Dutch Foreign Ministry, and the implementation of the required measures has been requested of the latter. According to the response we received recently, the issue has been referred to the Dutch Ministry of Colonies, in order to communicate the matter to the officials in the East Indies. My lord, the result will be presented at a later date. 5 September 1925 Mehmed Esad, Chargé d’affaires at The Hague Source: BOA HR.İM. 151/29

Chapter 10

The “white man’s burden” and the Islamic Movement in the Philippines: the Petition of Zamboanga Muslim Leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 Kawashima Midori 1 Introduction In 1912, a group of Muslim leaders from the Zamboanga district of the Moro Province in the Philippines drafted a petition to the ambassador of the Ottoman Empire in Washington D.C., under the leadership of the local Muslim intellectual, Haji Abdullah Nuño. This petition, signed by approximately fiftyeight Zamboanga Muslim leaders, requested that the Sultan’s representative be sent to assist them in religious matters (Figures 183a–192). It was delivered to Istanbul by the former governor of the Zamboanga district, John Park Finley, and presented to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Mehmed V in 1913.1 In the following year, in response to the request, the Ottoman Empire sent a Muslim scholar who was employed at the office of Shaykh al-Islam.2 A considerable number of books and articles have been published that deal with Muslims in the Philippines under United States colonial rule, which mainly discuss the U.S. colonial policy toward Muslims and their responses to such policies in various forms of resistance and collaboration.3 Conversely, there is a 1  The original petition and its Arabic translation are included in the papers on the visit of Major John P. Finley, 1913, at the Ottoman section of Turkish Presidential Archives in Istanbul, Turkey. The black and white photographic reproduction of the original and its English translation are included in the papers of John P. Finley at the Archives of the U.S. Army Military Historical Institute in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, USA. This author surveyed the reproduction and English translation at Carlisle Barracks in 2001. In 2011, Dr İsmail Hakki Kadi, Dr Annabel Gallop, and Dr Andrew Peacock kindly provided the author with the electronic images of the original petition and its Arabic translation. 2  Shaykh al-Islam (şeyhülislâm in Turkish) of the Ottoman Empire is the chief mufti or jurisconsult, and head of the state hierarchy of ‘ulama’, responsible for issuing fatwas or written legal opinions based on Islam (Gordon 1995: 54). 3  These works include Thomas 1971; Tan 1977; Gowing 1983; Abinales 2000; 2010; Pertiera and Ugarte 2002; Hawkins 2013.

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_012

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dearth of studies that focus on how religious leaders perceived the newly introduced colonial order and attempted to deal with the situation. During the past two decades however several pioneering works dealing with the subject have emerged, highlighting the importance of this hitherto neglected field of research. Documents written by religious leaders in Sulu in the early nineteenth century are presented and discussed in the works of Samuel Tan, and religious leaders and Islamic movements in the province of Lanao in central Mindanao during the U.S. colonial period are discussed by this author (Tan 1998: vol. 2, 722–723; 2002: 194–195; 2005: vol. 1, xxxvii–xxxix; vol. 2, 75–164). (Kawashima 2002; 2003; 2009; 2016). As regards to Nuño’s petition and Finley’s mission to the Ottoman Empire, these topics are dealt with in several works.4 However, Nuño’s own ideas and the language and logic he used in expressing them have not received adequate academic attention.5 Therefore, this chapter fills this lacuna by focusing on the petition’s text to elucidate Abdullah Nuño’s intellectual side. This chapter first examines the circumstances surrounding the petition; then investigates the form, language, and contents of the petition itself; next, discusses the characteristics of the Islamic movement that occurred at Zamboanga under U.S. colonial rule; and finally, determines the petition’s historical significance. The appendices include the transliteration of the original text of the petition (in the Tausug language) along with its English translation in order to make these materials available for further research. 2

Circumstances Surrounding the Petition

2.1 Setting Currently, the Muslim population in the Philippines is concentrated in the southern part of the country, namely the central and western parts of the island of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago, and the coastal area of the island of Palawan. The Muslims in the Philippines comprise as many as thirteen 4  These include Cojuangco 1993; 2005; Mendoza 1984, which describe the life of Nuño; Hawkins 2013, Gedacht 2015; 2018, which discuss Finley’s view of Moros and his policies towards them, while Clarence-Smith discusses Finley’s mission to Istanbul and its aftermath in detail Clarence-Smith 2015. Earlier works dealing with Finley’s mission include Thompson 1975: 226–242; Gowing 1983: 279–280; Mastura 1984: 96–97. Hedman and Sidel discuss Nuño’s collaboration with U.S. authorities and his descendants’ assumption of local offices as an example of the formation of local political clans in the southern Philippines’ Muslim-dominated areas (Sidel 1995: 159; Hedman and Sidel 2000: 166–169). 5  For a preliminary discussion on this topic, see Kawashima 2011a: 190–191.

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separate ethno-linguistic groups, and among them, the three major groups, Maranao, Maguindanao, and Tausug, thus constituting 77% of the Muslim population in the Philippines, followed by Sama (10%), Yakan (4%), Iranun (4%), and others.6 The Tausug (who formerly occupied the ruling class in the Sultanate of Sulu) and the Sama (who had contributed to the prosperity of the Sulu Sultanate by collecting maritime products and expanding transportation) predominated Sulu Archipelago, the island of Basilan, and the Zamboanga Peninsula. The coastal area of the western and central parts of the island of Mindanao and the Pulangi River basin are inhabited by the Maguindanao. Finally, the adjacent area to the north around Lake Lanao and Illana Bay is inhabited by the Maranao and Iranun. Islam was spread to these areas by Arab and Malay traders as well as missionaries who intermarried into local ruling families and established rule based on this religion. Cesar Majul estimates that Muslim traders settled in Sulu as early as the thirteenth century and that the Sultanate of Sulu was established on the island of Jolo around the mid-fifteenth century, which was followed by the establishment of the Sultanate of Maguindanao in the central part of Mindanao (Majul 1978: 63, 70–71). The Spaniards arrived in Manila on the island of Luzon in the early 1570s and subsequently conquered the greater part of the lowland areas in Luzon and Visayas. The Spaniards called the Philippine inhabitants who accepted Spanish authority and Catholicism “Indios,” but referred to the Muslims of Mindanao and Sulu (who defied the Spanish occupation) as “Moros,” a term that the Spaniards used for Muslims in the Maghreb region of northern Africa. In order to spread Catholicism and occupy certain areas, the Spaniards conducted military expeditions in Mindanao and Sulu to enforce their rule over the Moros. At that time, Muslim rulers in Mindanao and Sulu resisted the Spanish military advances, which resulted in the intermittent war called the “Moro Wars.” This overall situation created enmity and antagonism between the Indios and Moros. As a result, the Spaniards and Indios came to regard the Moros as barbarous pirates, slave traders, and enemies of Catholic Philippines (Majul 1985: 17–19). In the meantime, flourishing maritime trade in Mindanao and Sulu raised the Sultanate of Sulu into a thriving Southeast Asian trade centre in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (Warren 1985). In fact, Tausug headmen organized the Sama to conduct expeditions for slave hunting since slaves were in demand as gatherers of maritime products and oarsmen. In addition, the island of Balangingi, which is located east of the island of Jolo, became 6  2000 Census (National Statistic Office 2003: 60).

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a stronghold of slave raiding, and its inhabitants were referred to as the Balangingi Sama. In the mid-nineteenth century, however, Western powers increasingly encroached upon this area, thus disrupting the Southeast Asian people’s commercial maritime activities. Using steamboats and modern weapons, the Spaniards frequently attacked and secured bases for slave raiding in Sulu, which struck a serious blow to the economic basis of Muslim rulers and headmen in the region. In 1898, the Treaty of Paris was signed, which formally ended the Spanish-American War. In accordance with the treaty, sovereignty over the Philippines, including Mindanao and Sulu, was transferred from Spain to the U.S. At that time, the Americans regarded Muslims and other nonChristian inhabitants of the Philippines as “uncivilized” or “wild” people who were unprepared for civil rule (Gowing 1983: 40). On this basis, the U.S. Army exercised military rule over the greater part of Mindanao and Sulu during their first four years of the U.S. colonial rule in the Philippines. In 1903, the Moro Province was established as a civil-military government, which exercised jurisdiction throughout Mindanao and Sulu, with the exception of the Misamis and Surigao Provinces in the northern and eastern part of Mindanao, respectively. The American administrators of the Moro Province introduced a Western system of government and law in Mindanao and Sulu as well as a “civilization policy” that brought Muslims into direct contact with Western institutions and ideas.7 In 1913, the Moro Province was abolished and replaced by the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, a civil government headed by an American colonial official. It was during the final years of the Moro Province that Haji Abdullah Nuño prepared the petition to the Ottoman Empire. 3

Career of Haji Abdullah Nuño during the Nineteenth Century

The lifetime of Haji Abdullah Nuño spanned the eventful years from the midnineteenth century to the early twentieth century when Muslim societies in Mindanao and Sulu underwent significant change. Margarita delos Reyes Cojuangco, an expert on the culture and history of the Balangingi Sama, provides an account of the family history of Abdullah Nuño, which is based on archival research and interviews with his descendants. According to Cojuangco,

7  Gowing 1983: 139–140. For the administration of the Moro Province, see Gowing 1983; Abinales 2000; 2010; Thompson 1975; Hawkins 2013.

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the career of Abdullah Nuño during the nineteenth century can be summarized as follows (Cojuangco 1993: 121–133, 155–169; 2005: 299–312). Abdullah Nuño is said to be a son of Panglima Taupan, a well-known warrior and the chief of the Balangingi Sama who was active in the mid-nineteenth century. In 1848, the Spaniards attacked and destroyed the forts on the island of Balangingi. In 1858, the Spaniards attacked the island of Simisa, one of the adjacent islands, and captured its inhabitants including two of Taupan’s wives, one of whom had a young boy approximately ten years of age. Oral tradition and archival documents suggest a strong possibility that this boy was Antonio de la Cruz, who later changed his last name to Nuño.8 The captives, including the boy, were first brought to Zamboanga and then to Cavite on the island of Luzon, where the boy was baptized by Jesuits and given the name of Antonio de la Cruz. In 1866, Antonio de la Cruz (later Abdullah Nuño) was deported to Isabela in northern Luzon with other captives. In 1881, Antonio de la Cruz petitioned the Spanish Governor-General requesting that his banishment be lifted so that he could return to Zamboanga and render services since he knew how to speak and write Spanish. After securing permission from the Spanish authority, he returned to Zamboanga in 1881 or 1882.9 He first went to the island of Basilan, where the majority of the Balangigi Sama resided, and eventually relocated some of them to Taluksangay on the eastern coast approximately twenty kilometres from the heart of the Zamboanga municipality. It is said that Antonio de la Cruz returned to Islam, the religion of his birth, shortly after his arrival in Zamboanga. He also performed a pilgrimage to Mecca, and thereafter, he was known as Haji Abdullah Nuño.10 Under his leadership, Taluksangay gradually attracted

8  Cojuangco suggests the possibility that Nuño took the family name of the Spanish governor of Zamboanga, namely Severo Ventura Y. Nuño (term: 1877–1884) (Cojuangco 1993: 165). On the other hand, Mendoza states that Taupan’s son was adopted by a Spanish Captain named Ascaldis Nuño (Mendoza 1984: 236). 9  Another source states that Nuño went to Zamboanga in 1874 after spending two years in Basilan (Hersey to Carpenter, Feb. 8, 1914, Carpenter papers). 10  A Spanish officer estimated that annually, around 200–300 Muslims left Jolo, the main port of the island of Jolo, for haj in the late nineteenth century (Majul 1978: 194). Finley stated in 1912 that Nuño performed the haj two times (Finley, “List of Photographs and Other Records Pertaining to the Moros and Pagans of the Southern Islands of the Philippines”, p. 2, Finley Papers, Military Historical Institute). Nuño is also referred to as Abdulgani Nuño by Finley in 1912. Abdulgani may possibly be another “haji name” that Nuño received on his second pilgrimage.

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“a group of Arab, Malay and Moro Shaykhs and Hajis,” and thus developed into an important centre for Islamic propagation in the southern Philippines.11 4

Zamboanga District Governor Finley and Nuño

The Moro Province was divided into five districts – Sulu, Cotabato, Davao, Lanao, and Zamboanga. The first governor of the Moro Province, Leonard Wood, appointed Captain John P. Finley as the governor of the Zamboanga district.12 Finley was a meteorologist who had been serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and was well known for his pioneering study on tornados and weather forecasts before he was dispatched to the Philippines in 1899 (Galway 1985). In line with Kipling’s notion of the “White Man’s Burden,” Finley expressed his view that the U.S. government should provide the Moros and other nonChristians in the Philippines with paternal care as wards of the U.S. government. He states, “To colonize is to civilize races that need our protection and instruction.”13 Finley was also of the opinion, as were other regional colonial officials, the Republicans, and the military in the U.S., including Wood, that the U.S. government should continue its direct rule in Mindanao and Sulu.14 Patricio Abinales points out that Wood, along with other American officers in the Philippines, was influenced by the U.S. Progressive Movement in his administrative philosophy and skills. Hence, it is likely that such a reformist outlook was shared by Finley, who was handpicked for the post and whose performance was praised by Wood (Abinales 2005: 163–167).15 Finley’s zeal in working to establish a better society is expressed in the following statement:

11  Carpenter to Moore, June 1, 1918 (Quezon Papers). See also Cojuangco 2005: 301–302; Mastura 1984: 97–98. According to Samuel Tan, Abdullah Nuño supported the Filipino revolutionary General Vicente Alvarez, who led the revolution in Zamboanga (Tan 2002: 153). 12  He was promoted to the rank of major in 1907 and to lieutenant colonel in 1913. 13  Finley, “Remarks upon the Tribal Ward System, Oct. 1, 1907”, p. 18 (Finley Papers, University of Michigan), p. 24. For Finley’s view of Moros and his policies towards them, see Hawkins 2013: 86–94, Gedacht 2015: 457–461, Clarence-Smith 2015: 201–205. 14  “Remarks upon the Tribal Ward System”, p. 18; Finley, “A Review of the Moro Petition, Its Origin, Scope and Purpose, and How Its Object May Be Realized in Aid of the American System of Control”, 1912, p. 3 (Finley Papers, Military Historical Institute); (Finley 1913: 355–356). 15  For Wood’s appreciation of Finley’s performance, see Diary of Wood, Aug. 1–4, 1904 (Wood Papers); Wood to Pershing, Jan. 27, 1913 (Pershing Papers); (Thompson 1975: 227). Finley’s

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Colonial work is rough and hard, and results are necessarily slow, yet no work is more intensely interesting, because of its creative possibilities for good to the human kind.16 Imbued with such reformist spirit and enthusiasm, Finley embarked on various projects among the Moros and other non-Christians in the district into modern citizens, thus promoting public education and advocating against slave holding. Finley also established the Moro Exchange, a trade centre specially arranged for the Moros and other non-Christians for protecting them against exploitation by Christians and Chinese traders who were more experienced in business (Figure 193). Finley saw no conflict between imperialism and development. In fact, when he presented a report on his administration of the Moros and other nonChristians in the Zamboanga district to the U.S. Army College, he titled it, “The Subjugation of the Moros and Pagans of the Southern Philippines through the Agency of Their Moral and Industrial Development.”17 By justifying subjugation through development or “civilization,” this title eloquently presents Finley’s viewpoint as a reform-inspired U.S. Army officer with regard to the administration of the Moro Province. Impressed by Abdullah Nuño’s devotion to Islam and his intelligence, Finley appointed him as the Deputy Headman of a Tribal Ward, the smallest administrative unit in the Moro Province (Figure 194). Nuño actively supported Finley’s project by giving public speeches in which he condemned slave holding and advised parents to send their children to school. Finley noted that Nuño voluntarily addressed a large meeting of Moros and other non-Christians, advising them “to do everything in their power to meet the requirements of the government which was laboring so sincerely for their good.”18 Nuño often accompanied Finley on his inspection tours, sat down and talked with people, and even helped him settle disputes.19 Finley, in turn, highly regarded Nuño to the extent

work was also praised by an American journalist Atherton Brownell in two articles he wrote (Brownell 1905; 1910). 16  “Remarks upon the Tribal Ward System”, p. 23. 17  Finley, “The Subjugation of the Moros and Pagans of the Southern Philippines through the Agency of Their Moral and Industrial Development” (Finley Papers, Military Historical Institute). 18  “Remarks upon the Tribal Ward System”, p. 19. 19  Finley, “Memorandum of Inspection Tours”, vol. 6, Nov. 21–22, 26, 1911, Feb. 3, 1912 (Finley Papers, the University of Michigan); Thompson 1975: 230.

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in which he referred to him as “the most progressive Moro leader among his people” and the “Abraham Lincoln of Moro” (Figure 195).20 Nuño was regarded by Finley as being extremely loyal to the Americans. When Secretary of War Jacob M. Dickinson visited Zamboanga in 1910, Nuño even expressed a desire for continued U.S. rule at a public meeting (as a representative of the Moros) together with Datu Facundo Mandi, a Sama-Spanish mestizo and influential leader of Zamboanga (Forbes 1928: 44–45) (Gowing 1983: 251–252). Meanwhile, in 1909, John Pershing was appointed as the new governor of the Moro Province, replacing Tasker B. Bliss. Pershing’s discontent with Finley’s performance and certain disagreements led to an ongoing dispute between the two men. For example, Pershing requested that Finley resign from the district governor’s post in 1911. However, Finley challenged Pershing and refused to leave his post. Through the intervention of Leonard Wood, who had become the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Finley was eventually forced to leave and spend some time in the U.S.21 This provided an opportunity for the petition to the Ottoman Empire’s ambassador to Washington, D.C. to be entrusted to Finley. 5

Preparation and Submission of the Petition to the Ottoman Empire

According to Finley, the petition was prepared by a committee chaired by Nuño.22 With regard to the background of the petition, Finley states: Their request is not the result of a sudden impulse, but the product of twelve years of American rule, the last ten years of which has been systematic and in accordance with a deliberately conceived plan of development.23 To what extent was Finley involved in the process of making the petition? P.D. Rogers, the chief clerk and secretary of the Moro Province Governor Pershing states, in retrospect, that the petition was signed by several Moros at the suggestion of Finley (Rogers 1939: 19). Regarding this point, Pershing states:

20  “List of Photographs”, p. 2; (Finley 1915: 356). 21  “Brief re: Lieutenant Colonel John P. Finley” (Pershing Papers), (Thompson 1975: 226–232). 22  “List of Photographs”, p. 2. 23  “A Review of the Moro Petition”, p. 3.

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Hadji Nuño at one time expressed a desire to have the Province obtain a teacher of Mohammedanism for Taluksangay. This appears to have been the foundation upon which Finley built his plans to visit Constantinople.24 Mendoza states that Nuño had won the esteem of Finley and thus was able to persuade him to request that the Ottoman Empire bring in a Muslim missionary to Zamboanga (Mendoza 1984: 238), while Thompson states that the petition “was in effect a vehicle for bringing Finley back to the Moro Province” (Thompson 1975: 235). Based on the foregoing information, it can be surmised that the idea of bringing in a Muslim scholar from outside Zamboanga may have originally come from Nuño, but the request took a definite form according to Finley’s suggestion and intervention. The reason the petition was addressed to the Ottoman Empire’s ambassador may be attributed to a precedent in U.S.–Ottoman diplomatic relations, in which U.S. officials prevailed upon the Ottoman Sultan to exert influence on Muslims in the Philippines.25 At the end of March 1912, a public meeting of Moros was held at Taluksangay and those present resolved to pray for the safe journey and successful mission of Finley every Friday after the Maghrib prayer.26 The Muslim leaders formerly presented their petition to Finley on April 10, 1912, the day of his departure from Zamboanga (Figure 196).27 After arriving in the U.S., Finley primarily remained in Washington D.C. where he met Army Chief of Staff Wood, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, President William Taft, who had served as the first Governor-General of the Philippines, and other government officials in order to obtain the administration’s support for his plan. Finley also spoke at the Lake Mohonk Conference of Friends of the Indian and Other Dependent People, where he argued that the U.S. government should cooperate with the government of the Ottoman 24  Pershing, “A Report to accompany 3rd endorsement made in accordance with instructions contained in 1st endorsement, A.G.O., File No. 2080394-3”, Feb. 20, 1914, p. 2 (Pershing Papers). 25  In 1899, U.S. Ambassador to Istanbul, Oscar Straus, requested Abdülhamid II to instruct Muslims in the Philippines to come willingly under U.S. control, and subsequently two Sulu chiefs, who happened to be in Mecca, were informed accordingly. See Clarence-Smith 2015: 200–201, Karpat 2001: 235, Thompson 1975: 234, Gowing 1983: 30, and Finley 1915: 357, for this incident. 26  “Record of the Minutes of a Public Meeting of Moros Held at Taluksangay, District of Zamboanga, Moro Province, P.I., on Friday, March 29th, 1912” (Finley Papers, Military Historical Institute). 27  “List of Photographs”, p. 3.

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Empire to give “a more enlightened and progressive knowledge of the truths and virtues of modern Mohammedanism” to the Moros (Finley 1912: 127). In one of the documents that Finley prepared for President Taft, he includes a definite plan of recruiting a Muslim instructor from the Ottoman Empire to serve as an instructor in the Moro Province (employed by the governor of the Moro Province) for twelve to eighteen months. In this case, the instructor would teach the Moros and other non-Christians about the principles and administrative policies of the U.S. government, the provisions of the Qurʾan, and the American laws against viciousness. All of these points were of particular importance to Finley since he believed that a “good Mohammedan” is also a good citizen.28 After Finley succeeded in obtaining support from President Taft and the top echelons of the U.S. War Department, he was allowed to visit Istanbul and proceed to the Philippines to resume his post as the Zamboanga district governor. It was, however, decided that his mission to Istanbul should be conducted unofficially without passing through normal diplomatic channels via the U.S. State Department.29 In February 1913, Finley left the U.S. for Istanbul, and upon his arrival, Finley presented Stimson’s letter to William W. Rockhill, the U.S. Minister at Istanbul. The letter requested that Rockhill make an arrangement for Finley to meet a religious adviser to the Sultan so that he could explain the situation and convey the message from the Muslims of the Philippines.30 Since the U.S. State Department was kept uninformed of Finley’s mission, Rockhill was “somewhat embarrassed as to the proper method of procedure” for this matter.31 Finley, however, was able to meet the Shaykh al-Islam of the Ottoman Empire, who agreed to send the petition to the Sultan. Shaykh al-Islam of the Ottoman Empire also agreed to send one of the officials of his office, namely Sayyid Muhammad Efendi Wajih al-Kilani (hereafter referred to as Wajih alKilani), an Arab from Nablus in Palestine, in the capacity of Shaykh al-Islam of the Philippines.32 Wajih al-Kilani was a mathematician, and it was decided 28  “A Review of the Moro Petition”, pp. 6–9. 29  Stimson to Rockhill, Jan. 25, 1913 (BIA 25029). See also Thompson 1975: 235. 30  Stimson to Rockhill, Jan. 25, 1913 (BIA 25029). 31  McIntyre to Forbes, Mar. 17, 1913 (BIA 25029). 32  His name is written in several ways; in Arabic, Sayyid Muhammad Wajih b. Munib Zayd al-Kilani al-Nablsi (Clarence-Smith 2015: 203) and Wajih Efendi Zayd al-Kilani al-Nablusi (Arslan 1934: I, 359; Bashir 1964: 49–51); in Latin script, Es-sid Mouhamade Wedjih El-Kilani Zeid (Report of the Governor of the Dept. of Mindanao and Sulu, 1914: 391), Syed Mohammad Efandi Wajih al-Jilani (Utusan Melayu – Rumi version, Jan. 15, 1914), Kelanizade Essad Mehmed Vedjij Zied Sheik (New York Herald, Apr. 15, 1913). For details

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that he would visit the Philippines several months afterward when the pilgrims from the Philippines returned from Mecca (Thompson 1975: 236). Finley was eventually granted an audience with the Sultan, and in return, he received a message and gifts from the Sultan for the Muslims in the Philippines. Finley was also decorated with the Imperial Order of Mecidi III in recognition of his work among Muslims in the Philippines, before returning to Manila in July.33 Finley’s mission to Istanbul was given full coverage in several newspapers in the U.S.34 Meanwhile, in Zamboanga, Governor Pershing of the Moro Province worked on preventing Finley from returning as the Zamboanga district governor and even wrote to the U.S. War Department regarding this matter. The Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce also adopted a resolution against Finley’s return and sent it to the U.S. War Department. Under the newly inaugurated Democratic administration of President Woodrow Wilson, Francis B. Harrison arrived in Manila in October 1913 as the new Governor-General of the Philippines. In line with the administration’s policy of expanding self-rule and granting independence to the Philippines at an early stage, Harrison abolished the Moro Province and created the Department of Mindanao and Sulu as the civil government for administration in the south and appointed Frank Carpenter as its first governor. This administrative reorganization had effectively closed the door for Finley’s return as Zamboanga district governor. Subsequently, Finley was assigned to an infantry division stationed south of Manila. In the meantime, Finley was able to make a brief visit to Zamboanga at the end of July to deliver the gifts from the Ottoman Sultan to Nuño. At the end of October, Finley was allowed to make another brief visit to Zamboanga where he, accompanied by Pershing, delivered the message of the Ottoman Sultan (Thompson 1975: 239–240). In late January, 1914, Wajih al-Kilani arrived at the port of Zamboanga, via Singapore, with about one hundred pilgrims returning from Mecca, and was

of Wajih al-Kilani’s life and his mission to the Philippines, see (Clarence-Smith 2015: 203–212). 33  “Brief re Finley”; The Sun, June 15, 1913; Thompson 1975: 236. 34  Newspaper clippings on the subject found in BIA 25029 include the Washington Post, Feb. 15, 1913; the New York Herald, Feb. 18 and Apr. 15, 1913; and The Sun, Apr. 11 and June 15, 1913. Muhammad Redzuan Othman states that Finley’s mission was also covered by several newspapers in Egypt, based on the articles of the Malay magazine Neraca (Muhammad Redzuan 2005: 98–101) (Dr Yuki Shiozaki brought this Malay source to this author’s notice).

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greeted by Finley, an honour guard, Nuño, and some others.35 Finley then arranged a series of public meetings at Taluksangay and other villages in the Zamboanga district including Basilan, where Wajih al-Kilani spoke of the duties of “good citizens” (Thompson 1975: 242; Rogers 1939: 28–29). The Chief of Constabulary of the District of Mindanao reported to Carpenter that the religious excitement caused by the arrival of Wajih alKilani might strengthen the influence of the hajis and imams.36 Considering Wajih al-Kilani’s visit to be a serious menace to the Muslim areas in the south, Carpenter did not allow Wajih al-Kilani and Finley to travel outside of the Zamboanga district. In fact, Carpenter forced them to leave for Manila, where Governor-General Harrison had Wajih al-Kilani return to Istanbul.37 Wajih al-Kilani, however, attempted to return to the Philippines to resume his work with the Muslims there and left Istanbul for the U.S. in 1915 in order to appeal to the U.S. President in Washington D.C. However, Wajih al-Kilani fell ill and died in the U.S. in 1916.38 When the province of Zamboanga was inaugurated under the newly created Department of Mindanao and Sulu in September 1914, Nuño was appointed as the third member of the province and continued in office until January 1915.39 Meanwhile, the Filipino nationalists in Zamboanga were actively campaigning for Philippine independence. Conversely, the Muslim leaders who had been appointed as petty colonial officials desired U.S. colonial rule, and Nuño was a leading figure of this camp. When the Jones Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1916, providing a framework for an autonomous government in the Philippines in preparation for independence, Nuño presented a petition to Governor-General Harrison, requesting that Mindanao and Sulu be excluded from independence and continued to be placed under U.S. rule. Nuño was subsequently invited by Harrison to Manila, where he explained to Nuño that the freedom of religion would be guaranteed as before. Nuño promptly accepted this explanation and returned home.40 In 1918, just two years later, Nuño passed away at the age of about seventy.41 35  Hersey to Carpenter, Feb. 9, 1914 (Carpenter Papers); (Thompson 1975: 242). 36  Hersey to Carpenter, Feb. 8, 1914 (Carpenter Papers). 37  Report of the Governor of the Dept. of Mindanao and Sulu, 1914, pp. 391–393; Thompson 1975: 242; Rogers 1939; Gowing 1983: 29; Mastura 1984: 96. 38  Thompson 1975: 242; Carpenter to Moore, June 1, 1918 (Quezon Papers); Clarence-Smith 2015: 207–212. 39  Ms. Annual Report of Dept. of Mindanao and Sulu, 1914, p. 166. 40  Harrison to Nuño, Oct. 18, 1916; Carpenter to Hersey, Oct. 27, 1916; Hersey to Harrison, Nov. 7, 1916 (BIA 364–325). See also Gowing 1983: 309. 41  Carpenter to Moore, June 18, 1918 (Quezon Papers); The Sun, Feb. 2, 1919. See also Cojuangco 1993: 161.

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The foregoing shows that Abdullah Nuño was an important person for Finley to rely on during his colonial project. However, it would be misguided to assume that Nuño was a mere pawn who blindly followed Finley based on the description of Nuño found in the official government documents. Thus, it is important to focus on the documents that Nuño himself wrote in his own language in order to elucidate his own perceptions and ideas about his people, his religion, and the world. The following section examines the text of the petition and explores the ideas and aspirations of Nuño as a local Muslim intellectual. 6

Analysis of the Text of the Petition

6.1 Form of the Petition42 The manuscript of the petition consists of the Tausug text, signatures, the Arabic translation, and covers. The Tausug text is written in Jawi script, which is an Arabic-based script with some modifications.43 The cover on the side of the Arabic text (cover ‘a’) is decorated with a rectangular flag consisting of a green field with a yellow crescent moon and a fivepointed star. The flag is attached to a yellow stick by a red string. The flag and the stick are sewn onto the cover. The cover is also decorated with red and yellow ribbons tied into bows. The Arabic words of the Shahada are written above the flag, while a brief message in Tausug is written below the flag, indicating the titles and name of the addressee (Figure 182, and App. A-1 & B-1). The cover on the side of the Tausug text (cover ‘b’) is decorated with red, yellow, and green ribbons, and two 4 × 4 magic squares (See Figure 183b, and App. A-2). In regard to the latter, magic squares were frequently used for talismanic effect in the Malay world and written on manuscripts so that they could safely reach the addressee.44 42  The following description is based on photographs and digital images of the manuscript. 43  The Tausug Jawi writing system is similar to the Malay Jawi writing system. The Tausug consonants that do not exist in Arabic, but are used in Malay, namely cha, nga, and nya, are written in the same letters as in Malay Jawi, while the consonant ga is sometimes written in a different letter, namely the Arabic letter ghain. Tausug writings are usually fully vocalized by baris or vowel signs, while Malay writings are normally unvocalized. See (Cameron 1917). 44  For further details, see the Introduction to this volume. See also Porter 2011: 166–171; Gallop 2013: 169–170. Najeeb Saleeby, who conducted a survey of history, religion, and customs of Muslims in Mindanao and Sulu in the early twentieth century, reports the use of magic squares among them (Saleeby, “Moro Magic”, pp. 36–38, 1906, (Moro Papers no. 6) (microfilm), Otley Beyer Collection, National Library of the Philippines).

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The first page after the cover ‘b’ contains another brief Tausug message indicating the titles and names of the addressee and addresser (Figure 184, and App. A-3 & B-2). The Tausug text of the petition is written in the following three pages, and it consists of fifty two lines and a line of vertical text written in the margin of the second page of the Tausug text (Figures 185–187, and App. A-4 & B-3). The following two pages contain the signatures of approximately fifty-eight signatories (Figures 188–189, and App. A-5). The Arabic translation of the petition is found on the following three pages (Figures 190–192). 6.2 Language of the Petition Why did Nuño write the petition in Tausug, rather than in his own language of Sama? The reason can be attributed to the predominance of the Tausug language as a medium of communication in the area under the influence of the Sulu Sultanate, which included the Zamboanga peninsula.45 It was also the language that Sulu Sultans and dignitaries used in their diplomatic letters addressed to European and American officials mainly from the nineteenth to the early twentieth century.46 Furthermore, as Samuel Tan points out, since around the late nineteenth century the written Tausug language in the Jawi script came to be used more extensively by various types of leaders and common people in Sulu, to express their views and to transmit reports concerning their affairs in their dealings with colonial officials (Tan 2005: vol. 1, xxxii). Therefore, Nuño followed this practice. The Tausug original text was translated into English by William Girvan, an American who lived in Zamboanga and was appointed by Finley as an interpreter for the Tribal Ward No. 2 whose jurisdiction covered Taluksangay (App. C).47 The content of this official English translation agrees with that of the original Tausug text by and large, but there are some discrepancies between the two texts. The following section examines the original Tausug text and compares it with the official English translation by Girvan when necessary.

45  Samuel Tan and his team surveyed fourteen Islamic manuscripts that had been kept among three ethno-linguistic groups, namely Yakan, Sama, and Tausug, in Basilan, but all of the manuscripts were written in Tausug, thus suggesting the dominant Tausug influence in western Mindanao (Tan 2007: i). See also Gowing 1983: 5. 46  See Tan 2005; Majul 1978. On the other hand, Malay was used alongside English in the agreement between Sultan Azim ud-Din I of Sulu (reign 1735–48, 1764–74) and Alexander D. Dalrymple of the British India Company in 1761. See San-ō 2011: 19, 21; Gallop 2014. 47  Memorandum of Inspection Tour, Vol. 6, Nov. 22, 1911, and vol. 7, Feb. 1, 1912 (Finley Papers, the University of Michigan).

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In regard to the Arabic translation, when and by whom it was prepared has yet to be investigated. In addition, the contents of the Arabic text generally agree with the original text, but it appears to have been edited. For example, the word “Taluksangay,” which is mentioned two times in both Tausug and English texts is omitted in the Arabic text. 6.3 Relationship with the Ottoman Sultan and His Ambassador The petition begins with the phrase, Sambah sujud (App. A-4, line 1).48 Sembah, sometimes spelled sambah, in Malay means obeisance, homage, or respectful address.49 Sujud is the Tausug word originating from the Arabic word sujūd, which means to prostrate. Hence, the phrase most likely expresses homage to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and his ambassador. Honorific titles such as Maha Sarri50 Maulana are used for the Sultan, while titles such as Maha Sarri Tuan, Maha Muliya Sarri Paduka Tuan, and Duli Kahalifa Paduka Maha Sarri Maulana Tuan, are used for the ambassador (App. A-1, line 3; A-3, lines 3, 5; A-4, lines 6, 44–45, 47). Malay honorific titles were generally used in the Sulu court, as in other parts of the Malay world (Keifer 1981: 78–80). Paduka Maha Sarri/Sari51 Maulana is a title that was used by successive Sultans of Sulu. For example, the title is inscribed on the tomb of the first Sultan Sharif ul-Hashim and used by Sultans who reigned during the nineteenth century (Majul 1978: 14) (Tan 2005, Vol. 1).52 Nuño addressed the Ottoman Sultan and his ambassador with similar royal titles according to the Sulu epistolary protocol. When addressing the petitioners themselves, the term “your humble subjects (hamba-raayat niyu)” is used (App. A-4, line 19). This is followed by a phrase expressing their submission and fealty to the lord: “[we] bow down to the sole of [your] feet ( jumunjung tuud pa tapak siki).” As documented by Samuel Tan, this expression is not found in the 102 Tausug letters by Sulu Sultans and other members of the royalty, which were addressed to Spanish or American highranking officials during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Tan 2005: Vol. 1). On the other hand, Gallop reports a similar expression found in a 48  The Tausug text was read by Dr Abraham Sakili of the University of the Philippines and edited by this author. 49  See, for example, Marsden 1984: 181. 50  The orthographical sign sabtuʾ that makes the consonant double (tashdīd in Arabic) is placed above the letter r. 51  In most Sulu Sultans’ letters found in Tan 2005, vol. 1, the letter r is accompanied by the doubling sign, while some others are without the doubling sign, as in the letter of Sultan Azim ud-Din II to Manila offices (Majul 1978, photo). 52  See also Saleeby 1963: 125.

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Malay letter by Sultan Mansur Shah of Aceh addressed to the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid requesting the dispatch of warships to help them fight the Dutch in 1849; “[this letter is addressed to] beneath the soles of our lord’s feet.” Gallop explains that “Sultan Mansur Shah positioned Aceh as an Ottoman vassal of long standing, in the hope of persuading Sultan Abdülmecid” to assist them (Kadi et al.: 37). This is considered to be in the same vein that Nuño presented themselves – Muslims of the Moro Province – as the vassal of the Ottoman Sultan. This similarity in expressions suggests that Nuño, or someone among his associates, was familiar with royal Malay epistolary protocol.53 Furthermore, Nuño explicitly justifies their request as follows: There is need for you to look into and observe the actual conditions of life of your humble subjects in the Moro Province, because, from our viewpoint, what we have requested is not [an] excessive [one], as we are children of Islam (anak Islam).54 By pointing out the responsibility of the Ottoman Sultan to look after Muslims in the world, Nuño asserts their right to ask about what is due to them. 6.4 Relationship with American Officials Malay honorific titles are also used in referring to U.S. high-ranking officials. For example, the title Paduka Tuan is used for the Governor of the Moro Province John J. Pershing, while the U.S. Secretary of War is referred to as Paduka Tumanngung Bandahara. Tummangung, also spelled as Temenggung, is a Malay title given to a high-ranking official responsible for security and police and military affairs. Bandahara, also spelled as Bendahara, is another Malay title given to a Grand Vizier. Finley is referred to with the title Paduka Tuan Maas. Nuño explains in the petition that the people of Islam (bangsa Islam) in the Zamboanga district honoured Finley with this title when they assembled at Taluksangay in May 1911 (App. A-4, lines 34–37; B-3) (Figure 197). Tuan is a title generally used for a male with high social standing, which may be considered as an equivalent to “gentleman,” while Maas is a Tausug word that means “old” or “elder.” Hence, Tuan Maas may be translated as Elderly Gentleman.

53  Sultan Muʿizz ud-Din of Sulu (Datu Bangilan) (reign: 1748–1763) sent two letters to Istanbul via Jakarta, one requesting aid against Spain from the Ottoman Sultan and the other to be delivered to the Spanish king (Majul 1978: 223; Donoso 2015: 131–132). 54  Lines 16–18 of the Tausug text of the petition. See App. A-4 and B-3.

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Nuño held Finley in the highest regard due to his wisdom and knowledge, his significant efforts in the administration of the district, and his indiscriminate love and sympathy for the residents of the district. Furthermore, Nuño called Finley “more than our mother and father (App. A-4, line 31; B-3).” It is a widespread protocol in Tausug diplomatic letters to address or refer to someone as “father (ama)” or “elder (maas)” in recognition of their superior rank. The phrase “mother – father (ina – ama)” is also often found in Tausug letters in the context of highlighting the responsibility of a person in a superior position to love, protect, and help their dependents.55 By expressing their absolute confidence in Finley through such language, Nuño announced that they had designated him as their Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. It is to be noted that, in the official English translation, the meaning of the title Tuan Maas is explained in a rather inflated manner as Tuhan Illa hulhak (Teacher, Sultan and Father). Girvan, the American interpreter, probably acted according to Finley’s intention, or he may have been motivated to make an emphatic point of Finley’s high prestige to the U.S. government officials who would have read the English translation. 6.5 Nuño’s Perception of Islam The text of the petition, together with its related texts, sheds some light on the way that Islam was understood and practiced in Zamboanga. In the petition, Nuño states that their ancestors embraced the religion approximately three hundred years earlier, but that it is only in recent years that they began upholding “agama (religion) Islam Muhammadiyyah, Iman (faith), Islam (surrender), Tauhid (oneness of God), and Maʿrifat (knowledge of God, gnosis)” (App. A-4, lines 8–12; B-3). He then states that there is a mosque in Taluksangay where they devote themselves to studying the teachings of Islam day and night as well as praying five times a day (Figure 198).56 Agama Islam is a term widely used in Mindanao and Sulu as well as in other parts of the Malay world to refer to the religion of Islam. However, the meaning of the word Muhammadiyyah in this context is unclear. Nuño may have used the term to emphasize that they follow the teachings of Islam according to 55  See, for example, the letter of Sultan Jamal ul-Kiram II to Major General McArthur (Tan 2005: vol. 1, 247–250, Surat 84). 56  Finley states that the mosque was built at a cost of five thousand pesos and completed in 1909 after four years of construction work. Finley also states, “[It is] the only mosque in the Moro country,” but that is contrary to fact because there were mosques in Lanao, Cotabato, and Sulu at the time (“List of photographs,” p. 4). On the other hand, the plaque installed on the present Taluksangay mosque by the National Historical Institute states that the mosque was established in 1885 (Hedman and Sidel 2000: 179, Note 1).

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the Prophet Muhammad. It is also possible that Nuño added the word as the equivalent of the English word “Mohammedan,” which was generally used by Americans at the time, as in “Mohammedan religion” or “Mohammedan faith.” “Iman, Islam, Tauhid, Maʿrifat” is a phrase mentioned in a classic Malay text titled, Risālah masāʾil al-muhtadī li-ikhwān al-mubtadī (Treatise on questions of the path seeker for beginners; hereafter referred to as Masāʾil al-muhtadī) as four essential components of Islam. This work is commonly regarded as anonymous, but its author is suggested by Mehmet Özay as Shaykh Daud bin Ismail bin Mustafa Rumi, an Islamic scholar of Turkish ancestry who lived in Aceh sometime between the mid-sixteenth and mid-seventeenth centuries (Özay 2011: 32, 45).57 This text imparts elementary knowledge of Islam in a question-and-answer format, which has been widely used as the standard textbook for beginners in Islamic education in Aceh and elsewhere in the Malay world.58 According to the text: “Question”: If we are asked by someone, What is the name of that religion? (Mana yang dinamakan agama itu?) “Answer”: that the name of the religion is similar to the assemblage of four elements, namely iman, Islam, tauhid and maʿrifat (Bahwa yang dinamakan agama itu yaitu ibarat daripada menghimpunkan empat perkara yaitu Iman, Islam, Tauhid dan Maʿrifat).59 These four elements are also mentioned as the set of essential elements for the religion in two Tausug manuscripts found in Basilan: When the body and the soul became united in kawin [marriage], God provided them with the iman, Islam, tawhid, and maaripat as gifts …60 [“Divine light” called Nur Muhammad] consisted of Islam, iman, tauhid, and mahrifat…. Islam is our body, iman is our heart, tauhid is our soul, and mahrifat is our secret (rahasyah).61

57  This work is also found in a collection of Islamic manuscripts in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur in the Philippines. See the description of Bungkos 4 – Ms 3 in Fathurahman, Kawashima and Riwarung 2019. 58  See Bowen 1993: 43, Özay 2011: 45. Printed copies of this work were published in Indonesia and are still in circulation. See Kawashima et al. 2010: 136, cat. 0421. 59  Risālah masāʾil al-muhtadī li-ikhwān al-mubtadī, p. 5. 60  Tan and Hairulla 2007: 6, Book 1, No. 10. 61  Tan and Hairulla 2007: 27, Book 2, No. 6.

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Nuño had also previously mentioned these four elements in his letter published in The Sulu News, the Tausug-English bilingual local newspaper, edited by Charles Cameron, the Superintendent of Schools of Moro Province: We [of Taluksangay] have truthfully upheld/established our religion and its four pillars (rukun), [that are] Iman, Islam, Tauhid, and Maʿrifat, and are working on the pillars (rukun) of Islam [composed of] five elements, namely two testimonies of the Shahada, prayers five times [during a cycle of] night and day, to observe abstention (magpuasa) every year during the month of Ramadan for thirty days, to give zakat if one’s property reaches the minimum amount (nisab), and to perform pilgrimage to the house of Allah if one is capable of traveling, but, if not, to substitute it by praying at a mosque every Friday unless one is legally excused from it (udur).62 In this passage, Nuño cites “Iman, Islam, Tauhid, and Maʿrifat” as four pillars of the religion, before he mentions the five pillars that are universally acknowledged. The foregoing seems to indicate that Nuño’s knowledge of Islam was primarily based on classic Malay texts, which probably included Masāʾil al-muhtadī or Tausug texts based on such Malay source materials. Nuño is said to have secretly studied the Qurʾan in Basilan with his own people, the Sama-Balangingi, after returning from Luzon to Mindanao (Cojuangco 1993: 156–157). Hence, it is likely that he encountered such Malay and Tausug texts during this time period. It is also probable that he acquired the knowledge of Islam during his journey to and from Mecca (when he performed the haj) and also from Malay scholars who visited Taluksangay after he established the Muslim community there. The above-cited letter of Nuño also indicates that he was informed of certain rules for zakat (or alms-giving) and Friday prayers, and was familiar with terms of Islamic jurisprudence, namely nisab (Ar. niṣāb) and udur (Ar. ʿuḍr). 62   The Sulu News, No. 6, Nov. 30, 1911. Nuño’s letter in Tausug and its English translation are both published in The Sulu News. The text cited here is more or less a faithful translation of the following original Tausug text since the English translation in the newspaper contains some discrepancies: Amu i bunnal kami nagpatindug sing agama iban sing rukun nami upat amu na ing Iman, Islam, Tawhid, Maarifat. Iban maghinang sing rukun sing Islam lima parkala sumabbut. Duwa kalimatul-shahadat iban sambahayang lima wakto dum adlaw magpuwasa sakahaba tahun ha bulan Ramadan katluan adlaw iban dumihil zakat arta bang makaabut nisab niya iban numaik hajji pa baitullah bang kawasa ha dan ampa bang di kawasa gantian magsambahayang kahabahaba jumaat pa masjid bang way udur.

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The clause dealing with the substitution for pilgrimage may have been added due to the fact that some Muslims had fallen into poverty or servitude as a result of spending all of their fortunes in performing the haj, which was a condition that American officials regarded as problematic.63 6.6 Customs and Laws of Islam Compared to Those of the Americans The kernel of the petition is found in the following passage where Nuño states their request: [We request that] an emissary from His Highness [Sultan of the Ottoman Empire] be sent here in order to observe our speeches and actions in the Moro Province, to help us and the Governor of the Moro Province, and to teach us two things, [namely] how our customs and laws (adat shara‌ʾ) of Islam can be combined (magsugpat) with the American customs and laws (adat shara‌ʾ), and especially, how we could follow the words of God [and] uphold/establish (magpatindug) the religion of Muhammadiyyah (agama-til Muhammadiyyah) as stated in the Qurʾan and hadith of Prophet, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, so that we may not violate [the principles and laws of] the American government.64 Adat in Tausug means a set of customs, etiquettes, or courtesies, the same as the Malay word adat. Shara‌ʾ, also spelled as sara‌ʾ, is a Tausug word derived from the Arabic term sharīʿa (Islamic law), which refers to a collection of “rules prescribing justiciable external conduct” (Kiefer 1972: 88). Hence, the compound term adat shara‌ʾ refers to a set of rules and norms that governs the behaviour of members of society and ensures social order. When the Moro Province was inaugurated, the American administrators collected and investigated the customs and laws of the Moros and other non-Christians with the aim to use them as a basis of their control. However, they found many of their customs and laws offensive and undesirable from the standpoint of the American principles of justice and humanity. Among such customs and laws were those dealing with slave holding, the position of women, and blood money as a penalty for murdering a fellow Moro (Gowing 1983: 128–133). Based on these issues, Finley took the stand that the Moros were steeped in vicious practices such as slave holding, banditry, murder, drinking, and 63  Pershing had been annoyed with such phenomena, which led him to adopt a new policy that regulated pilgrimages in 1913. See Gowing 1983: 247–248. 64  Lines 19–24 of the Tausug text of the petition. See App. A-4 and B-3.

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consuming opium, since they did not have adequate knowledge of Islam. Finley reasoned that the Americans could put an end to their pernicious practices by inculcating progressive teachings of Islam in their minds and enhancing their morality.65 Finley attempted to disseminate this idea through public meetings with the Moros that he organized in various towns in the Zamboanga district. For example, the topics discussed at the meeting held at Ipil in February 1912 included, “better knowledge of Islamism” and “better regard for purer and faithful devotion to principles of Islam.” In addition, at the meeting held at Margosa Tubig in the same month, the subject of focus included a “better understanding of the laws of Islam and better compliance.” Nuño was present at both meetings and he gave his full support for such discussions.66 Nuño’s request expressed in the above-cited text conforms to what Finley had been advocating; that is, to reconcile the customs and laws of the Moros with those of the Americans by introducing progressive interpretations of Islam from the outside. The expression “… how we could follow the words of God [and] uphold the religion of the Muhammadiyya …” is rather loosely translated by the interpreter Girvan in the official English version as “how, in a proper manner, we can arrive at a better, truer and purer Mohammedan faith ….” This expression offers a well-defined explanation of Finley’s view for advancing the morality of the Moros through religious reform. 6.7 Bangsa Islam The phrase bangsa Islam or bangsa Islam Muhammadiyyah is used three times to refer to the petitioners themselves in the original Tausug text of the petition (App. A-4, lines 2, 7, 36). The Tausug word bangsa has several interrelated meanings such as lineage, ancestral tie, social rank, race, people, and nation – similar to the Malay term bangsa. The petition’s text also includes the phrase bangsa Amerikan referring to the American nation (App. A-4, line 14). In the Tausug texts published in Surat Sug: Letters of Sultanate of Sulu, in several examples, the term bangsa refers to nation, race, or people. For example, in the Tausug text of the agreement between Brig. Gen. John C. Bates and Sultan Jamal ul-Kiram II (Bates Agreement, 1899), “any foreign nation” and “United States” in the English text are translated in the Tausug as diin-diin bangsa and bangsa Amirikan, respectively (Tan 2005: 296–303, Surat 101). Other examples include katan bangsa ha Europa (all nations in Europe) and bangsa Sug (people/race/nation of Sulu) (Tan 2005: 74–75, 197–198). The expressions 65  “Review of the Moro Petition”, pp. 5–6. See also Finley 1915: 360–362. 66  “Memorandum of Inspection Trips”, vol. 7, Feb. 3 and 8, 1912.

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katan bangsa tau puti (all nations of white people) and bangsa Moros (Moro race or people) are also found in an article in a Tausug–English bilingual local newspaper (The Sulu News, Oct. 31, 1911, pp. 2–3). Some earlier usages of the phrase bangsa Islam are also found. For instance, in the early years of the twentieth century, Sultan Jamal ul-Kiram II wrote in a letter addressed to the American civil governor of Sulu, “I am the leader of the religion of the people/race/nation of Islam (agama sin bangsa Islam) in Sulu” (Tan 2005: 106, Surat 43). These examples indicate that the term bangsa had been used to express the concept of race, nation, and people in Sulu and its surrounding areas from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century. Because Nuño assumed the semblance of an independent actor in diplomatic relations by writing the petition and designating Finley as their ambassador, he probably chose the term bangsa Islam to demonstrate the composition of a distinct entity.67 The foregoing characteristics found in the petition shed some light on Nuño’s perceptions of religion, the world, and collective identity, which have hitherto been unexplored. 7

The Islamic Movement at Zamboanga

As discussed above, Nuño aspired to establish the religion of Islam among Muslims in the Moro Province in a way that could meet the needs of the new political and social conditions under U.S. colonial rule. Nuño hoped to introduce new knowledge on the teachings of Islam by establishing a link with a centre of Islamic learning outside of Mindanao and Sulu as well as obtaining support from American administrators. What motivated Nuño to do so? Nuño belonged to the Balangingi-Samal diaspora who had been displaced owing to the destruction of their villages by the Spaniards. Aside from his sojourn in Luzon for more than two decades, he traveled to Mecca two times to perform the haj. Hence, as a well-traveled person, he must have been highly informed of the contemporary world situation in which Western powers were increasingly encroaching on Muslim lands. It is therefore surmised that Nuño was keenly aware of the vulnerability of his people in the face of the military and economic superiority of Western countries. If this is true, then it is quite possible that Nuño wanted to establish a link with centres of Islamic learning throughout the world and to stand together with other Muslims in the 67  See also Kawashima 2011a: 190–191.

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Philippines by using the religion of Islam as their rallying point and asserting their collective identity as bangsa Islam. Furthermore, Nuño had already been exposed to the Western social and political milieu while he grew up and worked in Luzon under Spanish colonial rule. His long-term contact with Western modernity probably made him receptive to new ideas and institutions introduced by the American administration. Under such circumstances, Nuño probably willingly accepted U.S. colonial rule, which pledged not to interfere with their religion. It is considered that Nuño wanted to secure a space under American protection where they could establish and develop their community and govern themselves based on the teachings of Islam. Such teachings required in this project were probably not ones that had been observed before their dispersal from Balangingi, but the more universality-oriented ones that could meet their needs during such significant social and political transformation. Finally, I discuss the historical significance of the budding Islamic movement that unfolded at Zamboanga. As stated earlier, Harrison and Carpenter successfully expelled Wajih al-Kilani from the Philippines. When Abdullah Nuño died, two years after the death of Wajih al-Kilani, Carpenter remarked: … the great stronghold of Mohammedan religious fervor and propaganda in Mindanao-Sulu may be brought under effective Government control and never again become a source of opposition to the good purpose of Government.68 What American officials could not bring under their control was the transmission of memories and information regarding Wajih al-Kilani’s visit. The gifts from the Ottoman Sultan were kept and displayed at the Taluksangay Mosque to serve as a reminder of the link with a wider community of Muslims. Abdullah Nuño is said to have spent his final years traveling to the Lanao Province and the northern part of the Zamboanga Province to propagate Islam (Cojuangco 1993: 161). Hence, the information concerning Wajih al-Kilani’s visit must have been brought to other parts of Mindanao by Nuño. Furthermore, the wide publicity given to Finley’s mission and Wajih alKilani’s appointment as the Shaykh al-Islam of the Philippines made the public more aware of the existence of Muslims in the Philippines who were in need of Islamic education. Wajih al-Kilani had connections with leading Muslim

68  Carpenter to Moore, June 1, 1918, p. 3 (Quezon Papers).

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reformists in the Middle East.69 Among others, Shakib Arslan, a prominent writer and politician from Lebanon brought further fame to Wajih al-Kilani. In his commentary contained in a book entitled The Present of the Islamic World (Ḥāḍir al-ʿālam al-Islāmī),70 published in 1934, he gave the following account. When the Americans arrived at the Philippines, they intended to win to their side Muslims among the people in the Philippines (muslimīn min ahl al-fīlibīn). Hence, the former governor [of the Zamboanga district] of the Philippines visited Istanbul twenty years ago, and requested the government of the Ottoman [Empire] to consider the ignorance (aljahil wa al-ghabāwa) of the Philippine Muslims and to dispatch leaders (murshidūn) who would educate and enlighten them. As the Ottoman Empire was paying as much attention as possible to Muslim affairs at the time, the office of Shaykh al-Islam dispatched one of its officers (ma‌ʾmūr), a distinguished scholar, namely, the late Wajih Afandi al-Kilani al-Nablusi. He was given the position equivalent to Shaykh al-Islam in the Philippines. He went there, and the Muslims welcomed him with delight beyond words. He set out of his mission, and America supported it. However, he fell ill and had to return to Istanbul. When he returned, the Shaykh al-Islam of the Ottoman Empire stopped his salary and did not allow him to be involved in this matter any further. Because of this, he was obliged to revisit at his private expense. He deplored the condition of Islam in the Philippines very much and recalled that they earnestly wished their children to receive education. Finally, we received the news of his death due to illness. He passed away in the prime of his youth, dying a martyr for his enthusiasm and endeavour. (Arslān 1934: I, 358–359) Arslan further states that Wajih al-Kilani told him that the majority of the Muslims in the Philippines were in profound ignorance, the only thing they knew about Islam being that they were Muslims, and that there were very few among them who had visited Mecca. Arslan also expressed his hope that the mission started by Wajih al-Kilani would be completed in future (Arslan 1934: I, 359). 69  For Wajih al-Kilani’s association with Muhammad Rashid Rida, see Clarence-Smith (2015: 206). 70  The Present of the Islamic World is the Arabic translation of the New World of Islam by Lothrop Stoddard (published in London in 1922), which was expanded with voluminous commentary by Arslan.

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Arslan’s hope found an echo in a Muslim intellectual from the Philippines a few decades later. Ahmad Bashir, a Maranao Islamic scholar, who was studying in Mecca in the first half of the 1950s, read The Present of the Islamic World and Arslan’s account of Wajih al-Kilani’s mission in it. Using the book as one of his references, Bashir wrote a book in Arabic on the history of Islam in the Philippines, which was published in 1964. In the book, Bashir included an account of Wajih al-Kilani’s mission to the Philippines, closely copying Arslan’s account.71 Bashir considered this mission as a significant event that provided a precedent for Arab and Malay scholars to visit Mindanao and Sulu in subsequent decades. Al-Kilani’s visit was followed by several religious leaders and ulama from Arab and Islamic countries (…). As a result, the Islamic education movement (ḥarakat al-taʿlim al-Islāmī) in the Philippines grew and flourished, and finally, a number of Islamic organizations have been established in Mindanao and Sulu. (Bashir 1964:50) This remark reveals how Bashir viewed this incident and where he placed it in the historical context of Islam in the Philippines. Bashir regards Wajih alKilani’s visit as the starting point of the Islamic education movement in the Philippines in which Bashir himself played a leading role. By maintaining a good relationship with and enlisting the cooperation and assistance from the Philippine government (whose officials were largely non-Muslims), Bashir and his associates established links with centres of Islamic learning in the world and successfully solicited their assistance for improving Islamic education in the Philippines (Madale n.d.: 249; Kawashima 2011b). Viewed in this light, the Islamic movement at Taluksangay and the resulting visit of Wajih al-Kilani acted as stimuli for Philippine Muslim intellectuals in the coming generations.

71  Bashir added to Arslan’s text the dates of Wajih al-Kilani’s arrival at Zamboanga and his return to Istanbul as 1912 and 1916, respectively. However, these dates do not agree with the historical facts since Wajih al-Kilani arrived at Zamboanga in 1914 and returned to Istanbul in the same year (Bashir 1964: 49–50).

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8 Conclusion The foregoing discussion indicates that the Islamic movement at Zamboanga in the early twentieth century included its own distinct character since it was formed under the particular conditions surrounding Muslims when they were incorporated into the periphery of the colonial state, which was primarily composed of Catholics, under paternalistic, reform-minded, and enthusiastic American colonial administrators. Even though the Philippine Muslim intellectuals at the time may not have created sophisticated Islamic thoughts as their contemporary Middle Eastern Islamic reformists, they struggled to absorb Western knowledge and ideas while attempting to establish the religion of Islam and develop their identity as Muslims. The details of their activities and ideas need to be clarified by further research, and this chapter serves as a positive step in that direction. 9

Appendix A: Transliteration of the Original Tausug Text of the Petition of Zamboanga Muslim Leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912. Transliterated by Abraham Sakili and Kawashima Midori, Edited by Kawashima Midori

Legends: A-1. Cover ‘a’ Lā ilāha illā Allāh Muḥammad al-rasūl Allāhi72 [A rectangular flag with a crescent and a star in the centre] Alamat ini surat mangada pa hadarat Duli Khalifah Paduka Maha Sarri Maulana Tuan73 Ambasador Wākīl{Wakīl} Muṭlaq Daulat al-ʿAlīyat ha Wasinton, Yunaitid Istis adama Allāhu mulkahum alā dawāmi. A-2. Cover ‘b’ [Two magic squares74 and ribbon decorations]

72  The Arabic phrase of Shahada. al-rasūl should read rasūl without a definite article al. This point was brought to our attention by Oman Fathurahman of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) of Jakarta. (km) 73  “Paduka Maha Sarri Maulana” is a set of honorific titles of Hindu-Malay origin. It is added to a long line of titles of praises that are affixed to a name of a member of the high Sulu royalty, particularly the Sultan or his emissary. “Tuan” is a respectable but quite common title, which may be translated as “Gentleman” in English. (as) 74  For details of the magic squares, see Introduction. (km)

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Magic square at the lower left in Figure 183. A-3. The Addressee and the Addresser Ini surat mangayuʾ dumatung pa Maha Muliya Sarri Paduka Tuan Ambasador ha Wasinton Yunaytid Istit sing Amerika, wakil sing Maha Sarri Maulana al-Sultan al-Muʿazzam Daulat ʿul Aliyya, dayin ha manga hamba-raayat anak Islam ha Distrik Sambuwangan, Puru[-] binsiyu Moro, Puʾ-puʾ Pilipin A-4. The Tausug Text of the Petition Page 1 Sambah sujud iyagadan sing katan adabut ta‌ʾzimi iban sing hurmatul karim dayin ha manga hamba-raayat bangsa Islam Muhammadiyyah ha Distirik Sambuwangan, Purubinsiyu Moro

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Puʾ-puʾ Pilipin, na‌ʾ pagkamayan kiyugdan tawag ing Paduka Tuan Mijar Finli, Gubnul sing Distirik Sambuwangan pa Amerika dayin ha parinta sing Paduka Tumanggung Bandahara, sabab awn isun-isun nila dakula‌ʾ kugan tuud kami madayaw sukud namuʾ, sabab awn dan mapasampay ing surat ini humadap pa hadharat sing Maha Mulliya Sarri Paduka Tuan Ambasador Wakil Dawlatul Aliyya ha Wasinson, na‌ʾ ing manga hamba-raayat bangsa Islam di ha Distirik Sambuwangan iban sing katan ha lawm Purubinsiyu Moro, ing taud namuʾ labi hangtunga‌ʾ mliyyun katau, na ing lugay namuʾ nakasud ha agama Islam Muhammadiyyah dayin pa ha manga maas-maas yadtu lumabay ing lugay niya kulang-labi tung gatus katahun, malaingkan, iyampa ha adlaw ini dimatung garak dayin ha Allahu Taala pa lawum atay sing manga Islam Muhammadiyya mamugbug sing agama Islam Muhammadiyyah iman Islam tawhid ma‌ʾrifat iban yadi awun tumindug hambuumkasjid ha Taluksangay, iban isab yadi di dum-adlaw way dugaing hinang dayin ha mag-apas manuntut sing daakan Allah Subhanahu wa Taala, sumambahyang sing lima waktu dum-adlaw iban kasaksiyan sing manga tau dakula‌ʾ bangsa Amerikan, awla na tuud ing Paduka Tuan Birgadir-Jinral Pirsing Gubnur, Purubinsiyu Moro, iban isab bakas namayta‌ʾ kamuʾ, na‌ʾ [h]angkan napikir namuʾ jumunjung mangayuʾ ampun bang ta lappas75 way murqa‌ʾ sing Paduka, subay kamu umasubu iban lumiling [ha] hal-hiy[u]wal sing manga hamba-raayat mo diy ha Purbinsiyu Moro, karna Page 2 bang di katuʾ ing piyangayuʾ namuʾ bukun lumanduʾ, sabab karna‌ʾ ing kami ini anak Islam, hangkan ing hamba-raayat niyu jumunjung tuud pa tapak siki, mangayuʾ hambuuk daak dayin ha Hadaratul Ulya wal Mulya pakadiun niya di lumiling sing qaul-piil namuʾ ha laum sing Purubinsiyu Moro, tumabang kamuʾ iban sing gubi[r]nor sing 75  A better expression of “bang ta lappas” would be “bang mayan kita lappasan” (May we be spared from something bad happening). (as)

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Purubinsiyu Moro, huminduʾ sing kita duwa, bang biyaddiin ing adat-shara‌ʾ namuʾ Islam, supaya mag[-] sugpat iban sing adat-shara‌ʾ sing Amirikan, awla-awla na tuud, bang biyadiin ing kaagad namuʾ ha parman sing tuhan, magpatinduq{magpatindug} sing agama-til Muhammadiyyah biya sing nasabbut ha lawm Qurʾan iban hadith [sing] Nabi sallallahu alaihi wa sallam supaya diʾ maglanggal ha parinta sing Amirikan. Ini surat biya‌ʾ bakas pamung magpasampay madi pa hadahrat sing Paduka Maha Sarri Tuan Ambasador, ing Paduka Tuan Mijar Finli, gubnur [sing] Distirik Sambuwangan siya badan badan niya, ing magpasampay pa lawm lima mo, amuna yan ing Gubnur namuʾ, wa‌ʾ[i] kagantiʾ-gantian,76 labi na hangpuʾ katahun ing lugay niya wala‌ʾ ⟨Nasabbut ing gubirnor namuʾ Mijar Finli umungsud kaimo hambuuk surat ha sabab sing bichara ini⟩77 siya makahali, mauag{maluag} iban malaum ing pandapat niya iban sing pandikar niya iban sing ingat niya ha katan hal-ihwal{hal-hiyuwal} namuʾ iban ha adat-shara‌ʾ sing qaul-piil namuʾ sabab karna‌ʾ diʾ dumuhung lumiling kamuʾ gimba-pariyan ha lawm Distirik Sambuwangan, huminduʾ sing katan mangiʾ- marayaw iban karana‌ʾ Allahu Taala labi dayin ha ina‌ʾ-ama‌ʾ namuʾ ing kaagi niya mamalihala‌ʾ kamuʾ upama hukum saliʾ magtaw-tay anamkag[-] manghud-magulang sabab siya bayan-buddiman, halul-akkal tujulaksa na iban landuʾ ing kailo iban kasi-ulong niya ha katan tau, miskin-dayahan, asibiʾ- dakula‌ʾ, usog- babai maas bata‌ʾ way bi[d]da‌ʾ kaniya hangkan nakasud pa lawm atay namuʾ di ha Taluksangay sing adlaw Page 3 hangpuʾ tag walo, bulan May tahun 1911 amuna ing kapag-pun sing tau katan dayin ha kahula‌ʾ-hulaan di ha Taluksangay, bagulal{nagulal} anak apuʾ taga-bangsa way bangsa ing kami bangsa Islam di ha lawm Distirik Sambuwangan, giyulal namuʾ siya Tuan Maas tanda‌ʾ sing kug-baya‌ʾ namuʾ ikhlas gumuwa‌ʾ 76  It should read “wai kiyaganti’-gantian.” (as) 77  Vertical text on p. 2. (km)

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dayin ha atay putiy{putiʾ} hangkansa kiyaisunan78 namuʾ iban maupakkat sing katan hamba-raayat mo, nagwakil mutlaq kaniya‌ʾ{kaniya} gantiʾ sing badan namuʾ humadap mari pa hadharat sing Paduka Maha Mulliya Tuan Ambasador Wakil Daulatul Aliyya, na‌ʾ ing manga katan ha lawm atay kabayaan namuʾ dugaing wala79 masabbut ha lawm sing surat ini malayingkan iyan na ha lawm atay sing gubnur namuʾ, ing Paduka Tuan Maas, iban makajadi siya manayma‌ʾ unu bang unu ing anug-hara‌ʾ dayin ha Paduka Maha Sarri Tuan Ambasador pa manga hamba-raayat biya‌ʾ bangsa Islam di ha lawm Purubinsiyu Moro iban isab harap namuʾ tuud hangibu-ibu harap karna‌ʾ way nay kaingatan namuʾ dugaing ing mapatut timulong kamuʾ iban ha [a]gama namuʾ bang bukun Sarri Paduka Maha‌ʾ Mulliya ing Dawlatul Aliyya, sabab karna‌ʾ siya na ing gausb[a]wgbug sing agamati-l Muhammadiyyah dayin na mayan ha taas hangin sampay madi pa baba‌ʾ hangin, ampa ing kalanduʾ sing kasi iban sing lasa [sing] Maha Sarri Maulana Sultan al-Muazzam, [amu ing] hiysiyu ing makalihaw sing lubuq{lubug} iban ing makapasawa sing madum, iban ing makahusuy{makahusay} sing magumun{gumun} iban ing makaingat manampay80 sing angan-angan, malaingkan siya na ing makajadi manampurna‌ʾ sing kamiskinan lapal sing manga hamba-raayat niya, na‌ʾ muda-mudahan ing Allahu Taala iban shafaat sing Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam a ing kabasaran sing Daulatul Aliyya iban sing kamulliyaan niya kakkal salama-lama kakkal ing dunya Ya Allah (×3) Amin (×2) ya Rabbal Alamina na‌ʾ ing manga maas-maas awn tanda‌ʾ tangan ha baba‌ʾ surat ini, tammatul kalami wassalam A-5. Signatures Page 1, right column from top 1. Al-Hajj Abd Allah bin Datu Panglima Taupan81 78  The correct word is “kiyapag-isunan.” (as) 79  It should read “dugaing amu ing wala.” (as) 80  This should read “magpasampay.” (as) 81  This is the signature of Abdullah Nuño, which indicates that he is the son of Panglima Taupan. An impression of a small, oval-shaped seal is found beside the signature. See Figures 195, 196, and 197 (3). (km)

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2. Haj[x] Abdulgani [in the Latin script], Hajj Abdulgani82 3. Al-hajj Abdurrahman 4. Al-hajj Muhammad Arif 5. Imam Saliman 6. Imam Ibrahim 7. Imam Aniyya 8. Imam Abdullah 9. Bilal Aram 10. Hatib Salim 11. Hatib Ahmad 12. Imam Antasari83 13. Hatib Surain 14. Bilal Hasan 15. Santili Jikirani 16. Hatib Bayugi Page 1, left column from top 17. Datto Mandi [in the Latin script]84 18. Datu Kuwasa Shaykh (?) Ahmad85 19. Datu Sakaluran86 20. Panglima Saha 21. Panglima Tiblani 22. Panglima Buyuk 23. Maharaja Sangbud 24. Sattiya Luhino 25. Ulangkaya Bassu 26. Bintala Ummar 27. Kulais 28. Utu Ujan 29. Datu Tambuyung 82  Abdulgani is another name of Abdullah Nuño, and this is his second signature. An impression of a small, round seal is found beside the signature. The same two signatures are affixed on another Tausug document written by Abdullah Nuño, indicating that he was using these two names in signing documents (Record of the Minutes of a Public Meeting of Moros Held at Taluksangay, District of Zamboanga, Moro Province, P.I. on Friday, March 20th, 1912, Finley Papers, Military Historical Institute). (km) 83  See Figure 197 (7). 84  See Figures 196 and 197 (6). 85  This may possibly be signatures of two persons, namely Datu Kuwasa and Shaykh (?) Ahmad. 86  See Figure 197 (1).

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30. Bandaing 31. Imam Ujan Matuaraja 32. Shaykh Muhammad (?) 33. Maharaja Alim Page 2, right column from top 34. Muhammad Nur 35. (?) Uthman (?) 36. Bilal Asmail 37. Uthman 38. Bilal Tu[w]pan 39. Imam Mimu 40. Jabbi 41. Bilal Musa 42. Imam Nyawung 43. Hatib Abubakar 44. Imam Takhir 45. Hatib Kandung 46. Hatib Abdulkhalil 47. Timbaung Page 2, left column from top 48. Panglima Salani 49. Ibbang 50. Moro Amat [in the Latin script] 51. Palkasa Gubatun 52. Moro Hilario [in the Latin script] 53. Kapitan Taradju 54. Panglima Atay 55. Laksamana Akil 56. Panglima Dikidiki87 57. Maharaja [N?]awalri 58. Bantala Ajad 59. Datu Muhammad g-r-f-n88 Source: BOA İ.MBH. 12/1331-C-011 87  See Figure 196. 88  This may possibly be the signature of William Girvan, the American interpreter of the Tribal Ward 2. Some Americans who worked closely with Moros had Arabic-sounding names, as an industrial agent Frank Conroy was called Abdul Hamid (Carpenter to Hershey, Oct. 27, 1916, BIA 364–325; Carpenter to Moore, June 1, 1918, Quezon Papers).

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Appendix B: the English Translation Faithful to the Original Tausug Text of the Petition of Zamboanga Muslim Leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912. Translated by Abraham Sakili and Kawashima Midori. Edited by Kawashima Midori

B-1. Cover ‘a’ There is no god except Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger. This letter is addressed to His Excellency, the Honorable Ambassador and Emissary of the Supreme State [the Ottoman Empire] at Washington [D.C.] in the United States [of America]. May Allah let his authority last long. B-2. The Addressee and the Addresser This letter of request is addressed89 to His Excellency, the Honorable Ambassador at Washington [D.C.], United States of America, the representative of His Highness Sultan of the Supreme State [the Ottoman Empire], from [His] humble subjects, children of Islam, in the Zamboanga district, Moro Province, the Philippine Islands. B-3. The Tausug Text of the Petition Lines 1–3 [With] homage and prostration [before God], followed by all the utmost respects from the humble subjects, the nation/people of Islam Muhammadiyah, Zamboanga district, Moro Province, the Philippine Islands. Lines 3–7 Insofar as a call was made on His Excellency Major Finley, the governor of the district of Zamboanga, to [go to] America, from the office of the [U.S.] Secretary of War, as there was an important agreement between them. We are happy and fortunate because there is a channel to relay this letter to reach90 the person of His Excellency, the Honorable Ambassador, who is a representative of the Supreme State [the Ottoman Empire] in Washington [D.C.]. Lines 7–10 [As for] the humble subjects, the nation/people of Islam, here in the Zamboanga district and all [those] in the Moro Province, we number more than half a million persons. We have been embracing91 the religion of Islam Muhammadiyah since [our] forefathers in past times, and the length of the period is approximately three hundred years. 89  The original word “dumatung” means “to arrive” or “to reach.” (as) 90  The original expression “humadap pa hadharat” means “to face the benevolent presence.” (as) 91  The original word “nakasud” means “entered.” (as)

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Lines 10–16 Nonetheless, it is only today that a gift has come from the Benevolent Allah into the heart of [those who embrace] Islam Muhammadiyah to support the religion of Islam Muhammadiyah, [which is composed of] Iman, Islam, Tawhid, and Ma‌ʾrifat, and here stands a mosque in Taluksangay. Also, here every night and day, [we] have no other preoccupation than pursuing the learning of the commandment of the Benevolent and Supreme Allah, praying five times every [cycle of] night and day, as witnessed by great men of the American nation, especially the Honorable Brigadier-General Pershing, the Governor of the Moro Province, and [they have] also told us [so]. Lines 16–24 Therefore, we thought of requesting [him], begging [his] forgiveness without remorse from His Excellency. There is a need for you to look into and observe the actual conditions of life of your humble subjects in the Moro Province, because, from our viewpoint, what we have requested is not [an] excessive [request], as we are children of Islam. For this reason, your humble subjects plead with humility,92 requesting that an emissary from His Highness [the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire] be sent here to observe our speeches and actions in the Moro Province, to help us and the Governor of the Moro Province, and to teach us two things, [namely,] how our customs and laws of Islam can be combined with the American customs and laws, and especially how we could follow the words of God and uphold/establish the religion of Muhammadiyyah, as stated in the Qurʾan and hadith of the Prophet, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, so that we may not violate [the principles and laws of] the American government. Lines 25–27 This letter [represents] the uttered expressions [aimed at] reaching the person of His Excellency, the Honorable Ambassador [of the Ottoman Empire]. The Honorable Major Finley, the Governor of the Zamboanga district, himself presents [it] into your hands. ⟨It is mentioned that our governor Major Finley is delivering to you a letter concerning the matter of this discussion.⟩93 Lines 27–34 He is our governor, and [he] has never been replaced for more than ten years of his term [of office], [during which period] never has he rested. Broad and deep are his comprehension,94 mental ability, and knowledge of all of our conditions, and customs and laws [that govern], our speeches and actions. [It 92  The expression means “to bow down to the sole of one’s feet.” (as) 93  Vertical text on p. 2. (km) 94  The original word “pandapat” means “sense of judgment.” (as)

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is] because [he] never stops observing our [conditions] in rural and coastal [areas] in the Zamboanga district, giving advice [as to what is] bad and [what is] good. Because of [the blessings of] God, [he is] more than our mother and father. His approach in looking after us, for instance, on [matters concerning] government, is like [that of] parents [toward their] children, [or that of the relationship between] the young and the old.95 [It is] because he is a wise man, seventy thousand times knowledgeable, and extremely kind and [full of] love and sympathy to all the people, [whether] poor or rich, small or big, male or female, old or young. Lines 34–38 Never does [he] discriminate. Hence [he] has reached our hearts [and] here in Taluksangay, on the eighteenth day of the month of May, in the year 1911, all the people from different places assembled here in Taluksangay, [whether] descendants of ancestors with high social rank or those without it, [at which] we, the nation/people of Islam here in the District of Zamboanga [assembled], we called him96 “Tuan Maas,”97 a testimony of our pleasure and desire [that] wholeheartedly emanated from our pure heart. Lines 38–41 In this regard, we have agreed, by the consensus of all of your humble subjects, [to make him] a representative of ourselves to present himself in front of His Highness, His Excellency, the Honorable Ambassador, the Emissary of the Supreme State. With regard to all [the things] inside [our] hearts, we would like other [matters that are] not mentioned in this letter, henceforth, [to be kept] in the heart of our governor, the Honorable Tuan Maas. Lines 41–49 And he is qualified to receive whatever information from His Excellency the Honorable Ambassador to the humble subjects, the nation/people of Islam, here in the Moro Province, and furthermore, we really hope [this] with thousands of hopes, because we do not know of any other qualified [person] to help us and our religion except His Excellency, the Honorable [Ambassador] of the Supreme State. It is because he is the [very] supporter of the religion of Muhammadiyah from above-the-wind to below-the-wind, and the greatness of the love and sympathy of His Highness the Benevolent Sultan, the Venerable, [is such that] he could clear the murky [water], lighten up the darkness, and untangle the chaos, and knows how to deliver [to the proper authority our] aspirations.

95  It refers to the relationship among the siblings. (as) 96  It means “honoured him with a title.” (as) 97  It means “Elderly Gentleman.” (as)

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Lines 49–51 Henceforth, he is [the very person] who could articulate the poor language of his humble subjects. May [the blessings of] the Benevolent Allah and the intercession of Prophet Muhammad, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, be the guarantors of the Supreme State and the sanctity of his be forever and eternal in this world. Ya Allah, Ya Allah, Ya Allah, Amen, Amen. Line 52 Oh, God of the universe. The elders [have put] their signatures below on this letter. This [is] the end of the writing. With peace. Source: BOA İ.MBH. 12/1331-C-011 11

Appendix C: the Official English Translation of the Petition of Zamboanga Muslim Leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 by William Girvan98

C-1. Cover ‘a’ A TRANSLATION. Petition to His Excellency, The Ambassador, at Washington, United States of America. of His Most Supreme and Imperial Highness, The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Commander of All The Faithful. From His Humble Servants The Followers of The Prophet Muhamad [sic]. in The District of Zamboanga, Province Moro, Philippine Islands April 8th, 1912. C-2. The Official English Translation of the Petition p. 1 We, the followers of The Phrophet [sic] Muhamad, in the District of Zamboanga, Province of Moro, Philippine Islands, do with all due respect and humility desire to pay our Homage to His Excellency, the Ambassador of His Most Supreme and Imperial Highness, The Sultan of The Ottoman Empire, Commander of All The Faithful. And we your humble servants pray and beseech for the sympathy and solicitude of His Excellency, provided we have not found fault in His Eyes. We humbly and gladly take this opportunity afforded by the order of the Secretary of War, calling Governor Major J.P. Finley, Governor, District of Zamboanga, to Washington on important public business, to forward this our Petition for the benign consideration of His Excellency, The Ambassador, at 98  Transcribed as written in the original document including inconsistencies in spelling.

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Washington, of His Most Supreme and Imperial Highness, The Sultan of The Ottoman Empire, Commander of All The Faithful. We the followers of The Phrophet [sic] at Taluk-Sangai and in all the Province of Moro, at present number over half a million of souls, and we have been followers of the only and true faith of Islam for upwards three hundred years. But it is really only at this late day that the practice of our religion among the Moros has begun, by the “Will of Allah”, to assume a definite and true form. And it is here at Taluk-Sangai that the first Muslim Mosque has been erected, and it is here that we are striving and endeavoring to live a better and purer Mohammedan faith. This fact all the government officials of the Moro Province can testify to, especially the Governor, and they p. 2 have voluntarily so informed us. We therefore ask that a wider and deeper interest should be taken in us and our affairs, and we feel we are not asking more than is proper and due to us as Mohammedans. We therefore beg that a representative of His Most Supreme and Imperial Highness, The Sultan of The Ottoman Empire, Commander of All The Faithful, should be sent, to look into and examine the state of affairs here in the Moro Province, and assist us and the Government of the Moro Province with his advice, as to the management of the Moros, so that our laws and customs may be brought into line and agreement with the laws and customs of the American Government, and also to advise and assist us how, in a proper manner, we can arrive at a better, truer and purer Mohammedan faith in obedience to that laid down in the Kuran and Hadis by the Prophet Muhamad, without obstructing the laws of the State in any way. Our Governor J.P. Finley will submit his report on this subject which has our entire approval. This Petition, as previously stated, will be delivered into your hands by and in the person of His Honour the Governor, Major J.P. Finley, Governor of the District of Zamboanga, who has been our Governor for over ten years without break or rest. He has both a wide and extended experience and knowledge of us and our affairs, regarding our customs, laws and peculiar habits. Having acquired this knowledge by constantly mingling with us and from the conduct of his office as our Governor, until the present day, of getting down close to us, and in p. 3 fact being to us more than a father or an elder brother. He knows us thoroughly and has by his gracious demeanor, his unfailing sympathy, and his solicitude for the welfare of all ranks and classes, won our unfailing confidence and respect, and as a mark of the faith, trust, and esteem we hold in him, we did spontaneously and unanimously at a public meeting held here at Taluk-Sangai, on May 18th, 1911, at which were representatives from all the different towns

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and villages in the District of Zamboanga; We did, as [sic] an expression of our cordial good will and fellowship, and as an assurance of our warm attachment to him; We, with one accord, gave him the title and name of “Tuan Maas,” which in our language is equal to and practically the same as “Tuhan Illa hulhak” (Teacher, Sultan and father). Therefore we have, for the above stated reasons of our confidence, trust, and belief in him, also unanimously named him our “Uakil Mutalak”, or Plenipotentiary to take and deliver this our Petition to your Excellency, The Ambassador of His Most Supreme and Imperial Highness, The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Commander of All The Faithful. And he our Governor and “Tuan Maas” will act as our spokesman in anything that your Excellency may desire to enquire of him about us, and to bring back to us any message Your Excellency may have to send us, your humble servants. All our hopes are centered in you, because we know of no other person so near to us and moreover there is no other person that can help us to the accomplishment of our desires and wishes for a purer Mohammedan faith than His Most Supreme and Imperial Highness, The p. 4 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Commander of All The Faithful. Because He, The Sultan is the Power that rules and holds sway over all the Mohammedan races in the world, from North to South, and from East to West. Our Most Gracious Sultan, The Commander of All The Faithful, can see our hearts and appreciate the poverty of our words to convey our feelings. Now we pray, that the Almighty, Lord of Heaven and Earth and his Prophet Muhamad, “Peace be with Him”, that the Power and Magnitude of His Most Supreme and Imperial Highness, The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Commander of All The Faithful, may increase and expand. Ya Allah! Ya Allah! Ya Allah! Amen! Amen! Amen! Ya Rakil Alamin! Signed by Datu Hadji Abdulgani and sixty (60) other Moro Chiefs. This is a true and correct translation from the Sulu language, so help me God. (Sgd.) Wm. Girvan. Translator. Talugsangay [sic], Moro Province, Mindanao, P.I., Tribal Ward No. 2, District of Zamboanga, April 8th, 1912. Hcs

Source: John P. Finley Papers at the Archives of the U.S. Army Military Historical Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA.USA.

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Photos Related to the Petition of Zamboanga Muslim Leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912

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Cover ‘a’, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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Cover ‘b’, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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Addressee and addresser, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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Tausug text of the petition, p. 1, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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Tausug text of the petition, p. 2, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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Tausug text of the petition, p. 3, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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figure 188 Signatures, p. 1, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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figure 189 Signatures, p. 2, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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Arabic text of the petition, p. 1, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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figure 191

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Arabic text of the petition, p. 2, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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Arabic text of the petition, p. 3, the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912 BOA İ.MBH 12/1331/C-011

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figure 193

The Moro exchange at Zamboanga John P. Finley Papers at the Archives of the U.S. Army Military Historical Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA, USA

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The headquarters of Tribal Ward No. 2 (left) at Taluksangay, District of Zamboanga John P. Finley Papers at the Archives of the U.S. Army Military Historical Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA, USA

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Haji Abdullah Nuño and his family at Taluksangay. The handwriting on the photo reads: Datu Hadji Abdulgani, “The Abraham Lincoln of the Moros.” John P. Finley Papers at the Archives of the U.S. Army Military Historical Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA, USA

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figure 196

The formal presentation of the petition from the Zamboanga Muslim leaders to Major Finley (at the center) on 10 April 1912. In the middle is Haji Nuño. The man in white clothes on his left is Datu Mandi. The small figure in front of Finley is Panglima Diki-Diki, a hereditary chief of the island of North Ubian. John P. Finley Papers at the Archives of the U.S. Army Military Historical Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA, USA

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Convention of Moros at the Moro Exchange at Taluksangay on May 15 to 17, 1911. (1) Datu Sakaluran; (2) Datu Gogo; (3) Haji Abdullah Nuño; (4) Missionary Lund; (5) Governor Finley; (6) Datu Mandi; (7) Imam Antasari John P. Finley Papers at the Archives of the U.S. Army Military Historical Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA, USA

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The mosque at Taluksangay. May 1911 John P. Finley Papers at the Archives of the U.S. Army Military Historical Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA, USA

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The Ottoman Empire, United States and the Muslims of Moro Province In the previous chapter Kawashima Midori studies the Muslims of Moro Province and their letter the Sultan from the Moros’ and USA perspectives. The documents in this chapter shed light on the Ottoman reception of this initiative and the way they dealt with the issue. 1

Documents related to the petition of Zamboanga Muslim leaders to the Ottoman Empire in 1912

Arabic text of the letter of the Muslims in Moro to the Ottoman ambassador in Washington May God perpetuate the might of the Sublime State by the protection of our lord Muhammad, best of mankind, I mean by that our lord and our support, who occupies the place of the soul in our bodies, our lord the mighty, glorious, venerable, victorious representative of our lord the sultan in Washington, United States. From the poor, lowly, impoverished, needy, petitioning populace of the Muslims in the district of Zamboanga, Moro Province, Philippine Islands. May God perpetuate your might, when we heard Tuan Maʿash Governor Finley was heading towards you, we became very happy and it seemed good to us to send [back] with him this letter to you to be honoured by your generous excellency [receiving it], and we consulted with Tuan Maʿash Governor Finley for he is like our father and our mother and is an adviser to us. For he has been here with us a long time, more than 10 years, in our company and us with him; he is accustomed to respect our customs and characters. For this reason we have called him Tuan Maʿash, for he is always with us in all things with appropriate behaviour, and he knows all our circumstances and our business – perhaps he will inform you of that – and everything we are doing in these islands. When he concurred with our view and it seemed good to him, he ordered us to write this letter; he himself is to deliver it to you. We praised God for that and gave him absolute authority in every respect where our thoughts, intellects, ugly expressions, lack of politeness fell short, and in daring to raise this petition to your high Excellency; we hope you will forgive us. Secondly, it should be known to you [fol. 2.] that all the Islam here in District of Zamboanga, Moro Province its 1.1

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_013

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amount is half a million [i.e. the number of Muslims]. And since our fathers and forefathers converted to Islam up till now is 300 years. But in this time Islam has greatly weakened owing to our lack of cunning and because we have no helper or protector or strengthener or supporter, and no one to establish the sharia of Muhammad except the Sublime [Ottoman] State, for it is the light of Islam and the strength of Islam and the glory of Islam and the source of Islam; the faith of Islam is monotheism and knowledge. There is no one but you to whom we turn; we flee only to you, dead or alive. We beg from your great gifts and your abundant bounty, generosity and charity to inform your subjects – meaning people of goodness and virtue – that there should come to us here in District of Zamboanga, Moro Province someone senior to set right the sharia and to look after our affairs, so that there should be conformity between our law and the American law to guide us and them in the legal customs, so that there can be love and comfort between us to guide us in adopting American laws so that there can be friendship between us. For that reason our father, Tuan Maʿash Governor Major Finley, will give you a letter different from this one with respect to the aforesaid matters. We pray to God exalted that the sharia of Muhammad be set up here in the District of Zamboanga, Moro Province, for we have no one but God and you because we are Muslims and all Islam is under your protection. We have informed our father Tuan Maʿash Major Finley, governor of the district of Zamboanga, of our secret, and everything that is not mentioned in this letter is in his heart and no one else knows about it except for him and he will reveal it to no one but you on his arrival. Anything you generously want to give to our people, please give to him, for he is our agent, and will bring it to us in Taluksangay.1 We pray God and you for forgiveness for our lack of politeness with regard to the Sublime State and our daring to approach the Great Ottoman State in such a rough and ineloquent way; please excuse us. May God perpetuate your might, the victory of your state and make you a sword unsheathed against those who resist the true God, oh Lord of both worlds, Oh God. Thirteen times amen, amen, amen. Verified by the great men of district of Zamboanga, Moro Province, beneath this paper, one after the other [i.e. their signatures]. Source: BOA İ.MBH. 12/1331-C-011 Ottoman ambassador in Washington to the Foreign Ministry about Finley’s mission Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Kalem-i Mahsûs 1.2

1  A village near Zamboanga City, where Haji Abdullah Nuño established a mosque in the late 19th century, which served as the centre of Islamic reformism in the area.

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Ottoman ambassador in Washington to the Foreign Ministry about Finley’s mission

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Washington Sefîri Ziya Paşa Hazretleriʾnden vârid olan 26 Şubat sene [1]913 tarihli ve 43 numerolu tahrîrâtın sûretidir. Maʿlûm-ı âlî-i nezâret-penâhîleri olduğu üzere “Filipin” adalarında mütemekkin altı yüz bine karîb ahâlî-i İslâmiye cezâʾir-i mezkûrenin İspanya taht-ı idâresinde bulunduğu zamandan beri âdât-ı dîniye ve kavmiyyelerine riʿâyet edilmek şartıyla hükûmet-i mahalliye kavânîn ve nizâmâtı dâʾiresinde hareket etmeği vaʿd ve taʿahhüd etmişlerdir Amerika-İspanya muhârebesini müteʿâkib adaların müttehiden Amerika hâkimiyetine geçmesi üzerine Washington hükûmetince ahâlî-i mezkûrenin emniyet ve iʿtimâdını istihsâl için baʿzı teşebbüsâtda bulunmuş idi Amerika‌ʾnın sâbık Dersaʿâdet Sefîri Mister İstravs ile bu kere meʾmûren İstanbulʾa avdet etmiş olan Binbaşı John Finleyʾin tercümeleri melfûf beyânât-ı mühimmeleri mütalaʿasından işbu teşebbüsâta ne derece ehemmiyet atf olunduğu müstebân olur hakân-ı sâbık nezdinde icra edilip neticesinden pek mühim semerât iktisâf edilmiş olduğu esbak reisi cumhûru “Mc Kinley”in ifâdâtıyla tasdik edilen ânifüʾl-beyân teşebbüs gibi bu defʾa da halîfe-i zîşân efendimiz hazretlerinin ahâlî-i İslâmiye-i mezkûreye evâmir ve telkînât-ı şâhânesin teblîğden husûle gelecek fevâʾid-i azîmeyi derpîş ile ahâlî-i mezkûrenin iʿtimâdını kazanmış olan sâbık Filipin vâlisi mûmâileyh binbaşı Filipin adalarındaki İslâm ahâlî nâmına murahhas sıfatıyla Dersaʿâdetʾe gönderilmişdir gerçi Amerika müttehid ve Amerika hükûmeti mûmâileyhin böyle bir meʾmûriyet-i resmiyyesi olduğunu tasdikden iʿrâz ile fakat cezâʾir-i mezkûre ahâlîsi tarafından meʾmûr bulunduğunu der-meyân etmekde ise de hükûmet-i mezkûrenin adem-i iʿtirâfındaki maksad-ı siyâsî müstağniyüʾl-îzâh olduğuna nazaran mûmâileyhin böyle bir meʾmûriyetle Dersaʿâdetʾe muvâsalatı takdîrinde vesâyâ-yı mültemisenin iʿtâsına muvâfakat buyurulması makâm-ı hilâfet-i ulyâdan kudret ve azâmetini iʿlândan fazla cezâʾir-i mezkûreye ledeʾl-hâce kuvve-i askeriye iʿrâz ve mesârıf-ı kesîre icrâsı gibi fedâkarlıklar îfâsı ihtiyâcından hükûmet-i mezkûreyi vâreste kılması iʿtibârıyla Washington kabinesince mûcib-i memnûniyet olacağı âşikârdır ancak fikr-i kâhirânemize göre bu fırsattan biʾl-istifâde hükûmet-i seniyye cânibinden dahî fevâʾid-i mütekâbile-i dostâne taleb edilmesi ve aleʾl-husûs evvelce bâ-telgraf arz edildiği ve postayla dahî tafsîl ve işʿâr kılınacağı üzere İslâmiyeti tezyîf eden maʿhûd “taʿaddüd-ı zevcâta muʾtekid olanlar” aleyhindeki kânûnu ilgâ ve hiç olmazsa müteʿaddid zevcesi olmayanlar hakkında bir istisnâ teşkili ile kânûn-ı mezkûrun baʿzı takayyüdât ilâvesiyle taʿdîli için vaʿd ve taʿahhüd taleb eylemesi ve meselâ patent resmi ve yüzde dört gümrük resmi nizamının kabûl ettirilmesi ve avans[?] gibi muʿâmelâtın bura hükûmetince teshîline vaʿd alınması gibi fevâʾidin istihsâli husûsları mütebâdir-i hâtır ise de bunlar nezd-i âlî-i nezâret-penâhilerinde rehîn-i tasvîb olunduğu takdîrde icrâsı kararlaştırılan teşebbüsât netîcesinden taraf-ı âcizâneme maʿlûmât iʿtâsı manût-ı reʾy-i âlî-i nezâret-penâhîleridir ol-bâbda

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Sublime Porte Foreign Department Special Office This is a copy of the communication of exalted Ziya Paşa, Ambassador in Washington, dated 26 February 1913 and numbered 43. As your ministerial Excellency knows, since the time the Philippines came under Spanish administration, the approximately six hundred thousand Muslims residing there have promised and committed themselves to act in accordance with the rules and laws of the local government with the stipulation that their religious and ethnic customs be respected. Following the American-Spanish war, the islands passed over to American sovereignty. Consequently, the government in Washington took some initiatives to secure the confidence and trust of these people. The extent of the importance attached to these initiatives can be understood when the significant statements (translations of which are enclosed) of the former American Ambassador to the Abode of Felicity, Mr Straus [Oscar S. Straus, 1898–1899] and Major John Finley, who came to Istanbul on an official mission, are examined. This American initiative taken with regard to the former ruler produced considerable benefits, as is confirmed by the statements of former President McKinley [1897–1901]. Consequently, now taking into consideration the great benefits which will emanate from the announcement of the imperial suggestions and orders of our lord, His Majesty the renowned Caliph, Major Finley (the former governor of Philippines, who won its people’s confidence) has been sent to the Abode of Felicity as the representative of the Muslims of the Philippines. The government of America avoids recognising that [Finley] has such an official mission, and claims that the people of the said island chose him. The American government’s political reasons for this denial do not need any explanation. [Nevertheless], it is apparent that, if it is approved to grant the requested advice from the office of the Great Caliphate when Finley comes to the Abode of Felicity on such a mission, this will please the cabinet in Washington, as it will release the government of the United States from the need of making sacrifices by deploying troops to the Philippines if needed, and from incurring the concomitant expenses. It will be more useful for this than for declaring the might and greatness of the illustrious position of the Great Caliphate. However, in the view of the majority of us, the Imperial Government can seize the opportunity, and request reciprocal friendly benefits such as: requesting a commitment for the suspension of the law against “those who believe in polygamy,” which humiliates Islam, as has been communicated previously by means of telegram and will be explained in detail by means of mail, or at least the revision of this law by adding some restrictions excepting those who

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do not practice polygamy; obtaining regulations for patent duty and getting agreement that customs duty should be set at four percent; and facilitating of financial processes and transactions by the government of this place. Although obtaining promises for producing such benefits are suggested, it depends on the lofty opinion of Your Excellency to inform me about the measures it has been agreed to take if these meet Your Excellency’s approval. In this matter […] Source: BOA İ.MBH. 12/1331-C-011 (1)

John Finley to the Shaykh al-Islam about the issues which he wanted to include in the letter from the Grand Vizier to the people of Philippines Memâlik-i müttehide-i Amerika ordusu binbaşılarından ve Filipin adalarında vâkıʿ Zambovnika Vâlisi ve mevrûd ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin tuvân-ı mâʿişi ve vekîl-i mutlakı Con P. Finley ber-vech-i âtî mevâddın veyâ taraf-ı âlî-i meşîhat-penahîden tensîb buyurulacak ve menâfiʿ-i umûmiye-i İslâmiyeʾye hâdim bulunacak diğer cihetlerin ahâlî-i merkûmeye hitâben takdîr buyurulacak bir kıtʿa tahrîrât-ı mahsûsa-i sâmiyenin kendisine tevdîʿini işbu sıfat-ı vekâletle ricâ ve iltimâs eyler. Filipin adalarında mütemekkin ahâlî-i İslâmiye tarafından, İslâmiyetʾe ve zât-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye karşı olan merbûtiyet-i dîniyelerinin bir burhânı olmak üzere vekîl-i mutlakları mûmâileyh vâsıtasıyla gönderdikleri arîza hakkında beyân-ı memnûniyet ve mahzûziyet buyurulması. Vekîl-i mutlak mûmâileyh cânibinden, ahâlî-i merkûme muʿteberânının her sene muntazaman kemâl-i sadâkatle farîza-i haclarının îfâsı ve dîn-i İslâmʾın neşri hakkındaki saʿy ve gayretleri ihbâr kılınmış olmağla bu husûsunun mûcib-i takdîr olduğunun beyân buyurulması. Talukasangay şehrinde ibâdetlerinin icrâsıçün bir bâb câmiʿ-i şerîfin inşâsına muvaffak olduklarından dolayı ahâlî-i merkûmeyi tebrîk etmekle berâber bu bâbdaki saʿy ve gayretlerinin şâyân-ı takdîr olduğu ve gayretlerinin de teksîr ve tevsîʿinin matlûb bulunduğu husûsunun beyân buyurulması. Memâlik-i müttahide-i Amerika hükûmetinin bir dîn veyâ mezheb-i resmîsi olmamasıyla, dünyanın hiçbir tarafında Müslümanların dînî, şerîʿâtî, âdât-ı hasenesi ve âsâyişi aleyhinde bulunmaması ve diğer Amerika tebʿası misillü ahâlî-i merkûmenin dahî hürriyet-i tâmme-i diniyeye mazhar bulunmaları maʿlûmdur. Binâʾen aleyh hükûmet-i müşârunileyhâ cânibinden mezkûr adalarda tahsîl olunan vergi ve tekâlif-i resmiyenin dîn-i İslâm aleyhine sarf ve istiʿmâl edilemeyeceği ve iʿtikâdâtının icrâsından dolayı ahâlî-i merkûme hiçbir vakit tazyîk edilmeyeceği hakkında ahâlîyi teʾmîn buyurmak. Hakkında emniyet-i tâm ibrâz olunan vekîl-i mutlak mûmâileyhin ifâdesinden ahâlî-i merkûmeden baʿzılarının gerek baʿzı Hıristiyan efrâdını ve 1.3

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gerek baʿzı Amerika zâbitân ve meʾmûrîni mezkûr adalarda baʿzı Müslümân muʿallimlerin himâyesi tahtında “Horamantado” ve “Mağsabil” nâmlarıyla maʿrûf âdât-ı mekrûhası üzere katl ve itlâf etmekde oldukları anlaşılıyor. Bu gibi cerâʾime ictisâr edenler haklarında eğerçi icrâ-yı adâletle tedâbiri müʾessire ve şedîde ittihâzı Amerika hükûmeti içün pek kolay ise de dîn-i İslâmʾa mugâyir olan ve ahâlî-i merkûmenin teʿâlî ve terakkîsine pek büyük bir nâkısa îrâs eden ve bir takım bî-günâhların da mahv ve telefi mûcib olan şu muʿâmeleden katʿiyyen ferâgat edilmesi husûsunun İslâmiyetʾin menâfiʿ-i umûmiyesi noktasında kemâl-i ehemmiyetle tavsiye buyurulması. Mütekaddem arîzaya nazaran ahâlî-i merkûme her vechile hakîkî Müslümanlara lâyık bir tarzda imrâr-ı ömr etmeğe arzukeş olmağla berâber ahâlîden ekserîsinin ahkâm ve hakâyık-ı dîniyede câhil oldukları anlaşılıyor. Sahîh Müslüman olan, mensûb olduğu hükûmete sâdık olmalı ve Kurʾân-ı Kerîmʾin nehy ettiği kumar oynamak, müsekkerât istiʿmâl etmek, sirkat etmek, yalan söylemek, nehb u gâret ve fuhşiyât gibi seyyiʾât ve günahlardan ictinâb eylemeli deyu nesâyih-i mukteziyyenin iʿtâ buyurulması. Vekîl-i mutlak-ı mûmâileyh, ahâlî-i merkûmece intihâb olunan baʿzı imâm, hatib ve sâʾirenin cehâlet ve taʿassubundan ve bu sâyede bunların ahâlîye baʿzı nesâyih-i kabîhada bulunmakda olduklarından bahs eylemekdedir. Bu gibi zevâtın vazîfe-i dîniyeleri pek mühim olduğu cihetle fazl ve kemâl ashâbından intihâb olunmaları elzemdir. Cühelâ tarafından Kurʾân-ı Kerîmʾin yanlış tefsîri yüzünden hâsıl olacak mazarrat pek büyük olduğundan bunların intihâbları husûsunda son derece iʿtinâ etmeleri hakkında nesâyih-i lâzımenin iʿtâ buyurulması. Ahâlî-i merkûme her nevʿ cehâleti terkle neşr-i maʿârif, teksîr-i servet, tevsîʿ-i ticâret, ıslâh-ı zirâʿat husûslarında taraf-ı hükumetden bahş olunan fırsatlardan istifâde etmeli deyu nesâyih-i mukteziyyenin iʿtâ buyurulması. Ahâlî-i merkûme, taraf-ı hükûmetden vazʿ olunan usûl sâyesinde maʿnen ve mâddeten terakkî etmekle, berâ-yı hacc cânib-i Hicâzʾa gitmelerine daha ziyâde suhûlet ve kâbiliyet bulacağından, dünyanın aksâm-ı muhtelifesinde Müslümanların teʿâlî ve terakkîsi hakkında kesb-i ittlâʿ edeceklerinin tefhîm buyurulması. Âlim ve fâzıl bir Müslüman muʿalliminin irşâdâtına mazhar olmak ve anda ahkâm-ı dîniyeyi tahsîl etmek husûsunda ahâlî tarafından gösterilen arzu hakkında beyân-ı takdîrât ile bu bâbdaki arzularının infâzı içün evsâf-ı lâzıme-i memdûhayı hâʾiz, ve herkes hakkında icrâ-yı adâlet ve hürriyet-i tâmme-i dîniyeyi esâs üzerine müʾessesi bulunan Filipinʾdeki Amerika siyâsetine vâkıf ulemâdan bir zâtın iʿzâmı lüzûmu ehemmiyetle nazar-ı dikkate alınacağı husûsunun beyân buyurulması.

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Talokasangay Câmiʿ-i Şerîfi derûnuna vazʿ ve taʿlîki hakkında iktizâ eden âyât-ı kerîme ve levha-i mukaddiseden aded vekîl-i mutlak mûmâileyhe tevdîʿan irsâl kılındığının beyân buyurulması. Fî 27 Mart sene 1913 ve fi 14 Mart sene 1329 John P. Finley, a colonel of the army of the United States of America, governor of Zamboanga in Philippines, and the representative plenipotentiary of the Muslims [of Philippines], requests in his capacity as representative to be entrusted with a special Grand Vizierial letter addressed to these Muslims that will include the following items or other aspects that will be deemed fitting for serving the general interest of Islam by the Shaykh al-Islam: 1 – That it mentions the pleasure felt at the receipt of the petition of the Muslims residing in Philippines, which they sent through the means of their said plenipotentiary representative, as a testament to their religious affiliation to Islam and to the person of His Majesty the exalted Caliph. 2 – That it had been explained by the said plenipotentiary minister for the knowledge [of the Caliph] that the eminent individuals of these people endeavour with a complete and sincere devotion to carry out their obligation of Hajj and worked to spread the religion of Islam. 3 – Congratulating these people for being able to build a mosque for worship in the city of Taluksangay, and announcing that endeavours in this direction are worth of appreciation and that their multiplication is desired. 4 – It is known that as the United States of America does not have any official religion or school of worship, they have nowhere in the world opposed the religion, law, noble customs or public order of Muslims, and that they have been granted complete freedom of religion like all other American subjects. Therefore, it should be ensured that the taxes and the official dues collected by the [US] government in the Philippines cannot be expended and used against the religion of Islam, and that the Muslims there can never be put under pressure due to their practicing their faith. 5 – It is understood from the testimony of the representative plenipotentiary, in whom complete trust has been vested, that some of the Muslims, under the protection of Muslim teachers, used to kill and injure Christians as well as some American officials and civil servants in accordance with the disgusting customs of Juramentado2 and Mag-sabil.3 Although it is very easy 2  A practice whereby a Muslim attacked Christian soldiers in the knowledge that he would be subsequently killed. 3  Those who undertook Juramentado.

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for the American government to implement justice with effective, harsh measures against those who dare to commit such crimes, in the general interest of Islam, the abandonment this behaviour should be strenuously advocated, for it is contrary to the religion of Islam, constitutes an obstacle to the progress of these people, and leads to the death and destruction of innocents. 6 – It is understood from the preceding petition that although the people are willing to pass their lives in a manner suitable to real Muslims, most of them are ignorant about the stipulations and truth of religion. It should be advised that anyone who is a real Muslim should be obedient to the government to which they are affiliated, and should avoid sins and bad behaviour that are prohibited by noble Qurʾan such as gambling, drinking alcoholic beverages, stealing, telling lies, plundering and pillage, and adultery. 7 – The aforementioned representative plenipotentiary speaks about the ignorance and fanaticism of some imams, preachers, and others appointed by the local Muslims, and that, as a result of this, they give abhorrent advice to the people. As the religious duties of such people are very important, it is necessary that they be appointed from among the virtuous and competent individuals. As the harm arising from the incorrect interpretation of noble Qurʾan by ignorant individuals is very great, it is advised that they should be very careful with their appointment. 8 – It should be advised that the Philippine Muslims benefit from the variety of opportunities bestowed by the government with regard to abandoning ignorance, spreading education, increasing wealth, expanding trade and improving agriculture. 9 – [They] should be made to understand that, as the people will progress materially and spiritually thanks to the methods established by the government, they will be more easily able to go to the Hijaz for the Hajj, and be able to comprehend the improvement and progress of Muslims of various parts of the world. 10 – To express appreciation for the desire shown by the people for seeking to learn the provisions of religion from a learned and virtuous Muslim teacher, and for being the object of the honour of being enlightened by him, and to declare that to fulfil their desire in this direction it will come under serious consideration to deploy an individual from among the religious scholars who possess the required praised attributes and is knowledgeable about the American policy in Philippines, which is based on implementing justice and complete freedom of religion for everybody. 11 – To declare that the noble [Qurʾanic] verses and the holy inscriptions that need to be fixed inside the Mosque of Taluksangay, are conveyed by entrusting them to the plenipotentiary representative. 27 March 1913 Source: BOA HR.SYS. 70/36

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John Finley to the Shaykh al-Islam introducing the letter of the Muslims in Philippines to the caliph and other documents Huzûr-ı Sâmî-i Hazret-i Meşîhat-penahîye Maʿrûz-ı bende-i dîrîneleridir ki Geçen Perşembe günü müşerref olduğum mülâkâtda vekîl-i mutlakları bulunduğum Filipin adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesi hakkında baʿzı maʿrûzât-ı şifâhiyede bulunmuş idim. Bu defʿa ahâlî-i merkûme tarafından zât-ı hazret-i hilâfet-penâhîye refʿ ve takdîm kılınmak üzre vâsıta-i âcizî ile gönderilen arîza berâ-yı arz-ı zât-ı sâmî-i meşîhat-penâhîlerine tevdîʿ olunur. Bundan mâʿadâ ahâlî-i merkûmeye yazılacak tezkire-i cevâbiyeye esâs ittihâz buyurulmak üzre baʿzı mütâlaʿatı hâvî fî 27 Mart sene 1913 târihli bir kıtʿa muhtıra dahî merbûten takdîm kılınmağla îcâbının icrâ buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 29 Mart sene 1913 ve fî 16 Mart sene 1329 Filipin adalarında mevrûd ahâlî-i İslâmiyesi vekîl-i mutlakı Jon P. Finley 1.4

To the presence of His Highness the Shaykh al-Islam The request of your most humble servant is that: During the interview with which I was honoured last Thursday, I made some verbal requests regarding the Muslims of Philippines for whom I am the representative plenipotentiary. On this occasion I would like to present to Your Highness [Shaykh al-Islam] these people’s petition brought by my humble means to be submitted and presented to the person of His Majesty the Caliph. Aside from this, a memorandum, dated 27 March 1913, has been presented in the enclosure containing some information to constitute a basis for a letter that may be commanded to be written to these people. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. John P. Finley representative plenipotentiary of the Muslims of Philippines Source: BOA HR.SYS. 70/36

1.5 Shaykh al-Islam to the Sultan introducing Finley’s documents Bâb-ı Fetvâ Dâʾire-i Meşîhat Atûfetlü efendim hazretleri Filipin adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin makâm-ı akdes-i hilâfet-i uzmâyâ karşı olan merbûtiyet-i dîniyelerinin bir burhânı olmak üzere vekîl-i mutlakları John P. Finley vâsıtasıyla âtabe-i ulyâ-yı cenâb-ı pâdişâhîye takdîm edilmek üzre gönderdikleri arîza mûmâileyh tarafından tevdîʿ kılınan takrîr ve merbût-ı lâyiha ile matviyyen sû-yı vâlâlarına tisyâr kılınmış ve mezkûr arîza ve lâyiha mündericâtlarına göre îcâb-ı maslahatın icrâsı münâsib gibi mütâlaʿa olunmuş ise de emr u fermân diyânet unvân hazret-i hilâfet-penâhî her ne vechile

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şeref-sünûh buyrulursa infâz-ı hükm-ı celîline müsâraʿat olunacağı beyânıyla tezkire-i senâverî terkîm olundu efendim. Fî 22 Rebîʿülâhir sene 1331ve 17 Mart 1329, Şeyhülislâm. The Gate of Rulings The Office of the Shaykh al-Islam My kind and exalted Lord The petition sent by the Muslims of Philippines through their representative plenipotentiary, John P. Finley, to the illustrious threshold of the exalted Sultan as a testimony of their religious affiliation to the great Caliphate, has been presented to His Majesty together with the report that was attached to the petition, and the note given by Finley. Although fulfilling the requirements of the issue in accordance with the content of the petition and the report has been deemed appropriate, this note has been prepared with the understanding that it will be hastened to implement the illustrious command and order of His Majesty the exalted Caliph, whatever it entails. 31 March 1913, Shaykh al-Islam Source: BOA İ.MBH. 11/R-016

Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating Finley’s documents Mâbeyn-i hümâyûn-ı mülûkâne Başkitâbeti 18 Filipin adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin vekîli mutlakları John P. Finley vâsıtasıyla takdîm eyledikleri arîzanın mûmâileyhin lâyiha ve takrîriyle berâber arz ve takdîmine müteʿallik 22 Rebîulâhir sene [1]331 târihli tezkire-i aliyye-i meşîhat-penâhî ledeʾl-arz manzûr-ı âlî buyurularak mezkûr arîza ile lâyihanın mündericâtına nazaran îcâbı Bâb-ı âlîce teʾemmül olunmak üzere ber mantûk-ı emr u fermân-ı hümâyûn leffen savb-ı sâmî-i düstûrüʾl-aʿzâmîlerine irsâl kılınmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 22 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]331, 19 Mart sene [1]329. Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyâri 1.6

His Majesty’s Imperial Private Apartments Chief Secretariat 18 The note of the Shaykh al-Islam dated 31 March 1913, introducing the petition of the Muslims of Philippines, which they presented by the means of their representative plenipotentiary John P. Finley and the memorandum and the report of Finley, have been brought into the lofty presence. It is the will of the

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imperial command that these documents be sent in an enclosure to the Grand Vizierate for the Sublime Porte to reflect upon the requirements [of the issue] regarding the content of the petition and the memorandum. 31 March 1913, Chief Secretary to His Majesty Source: BOA İ.MBH. 11/R-016

Grand Vizierate to the Foreign Ministry requesting their view about Finley’s requests Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Muharrerât Kalemi 97 Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Filipin adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin, vekîl-i mutlakları Con P. Finley vesâtatıyla takdîm edilip makâm-ı âlî-i meşîhat-penâhîce ledeʾl-arz manzûr-ı âlî buyurularak mâbeyn-i hümâyûn bâşkitâbet-i aliyyesinden bâ-tezkire tesyîr buyurulan lâyiha ve takrîr leffen savb-ı âlîlerine gönderilmekle vekîl-i mûmâileyhin hüviyet ve sıfatı hakkında istihsâl olunacak maʿlûmâtın ve mürâcaʿat-ı vâkıʿaya dâʾir râsih olacak mütâlaʿât-ı aliyyelerinin işʿârı ve melfûfların iʿâdesi husûsuna himmet buyurulması siyâkında tezkire-i senâverî terkîm kılındı efendim. Fî 27 Rebîʿülâhir sene [1]331 ve fî 23 Mart sene [1]329 Sadr-ı aʿzâm nâmına müsteşar 1.7

Sublime Porte Grand Vizierate Department of Correspondence 97 To the exalted Foreign Ministry My kind and exalted lord, The petition of the Muslims of the Philippine Islands, which they presented through the mediation of their representative plenipotentiary, John P. Finley to the exalted office of the Shaykh al-Islam, and the note of the exalted Chief Secretariat of the Imperial Private Apartments, have been dispatched to his Highness [the Grand Vizier] after they were brought into the lofty presence. My lord, this note is drawn up with the intention of requesting your help regarding the return of the enclosures, and communicating the information that will be obtained about the identity and capacity of the said representative, and your deep reflections about the requests made.

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5 April 1913 Undersecretary in the name of the Grand Vizier Source: BOA HR.SYS. 70/36

Foreign Ministry to the Grand Vizierate communicating their view about Finley’s requests Bâb-ı Âlî Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı Siyâsiye Müdüriyet-i Umûmîsi Aded 31258/146 Huzûr-ı Sâmi-i Hazret-i Sadâret-Penâhîʾye Hülâsa: Filipin adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin vekîl-i mutlakları John P. Finley hakkında Maʿrûz-ı çâker-i kemîneleridir ki Filipin adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin vekîl-i mutlakları John P. Finley hakkındaki 23 Mart sene [1]329 târih ve 97 numerolu tezkire-i sâmiye-i hidîvv-i efhamîleri arîza-i cevâbiyyesidir. Washington sefâret-i seniyyesinin sûreti melfûfen takdîm kılınan tahrîrâtı mündericâtından dahî müstebân olacağı üzere mûmâileyh Binbaşı “John Finley” el-yevm Filipin adaları vâlisi olup fîʾl-hakîka cezâʾir-i mezkûre ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin vekîl-i mutlakı sıfatını hâʾizdir Amerika hükûmeti gerçi mûmâileyhin bu sıfat-ı vekâletini sûreti resmiyede tasdîk etmiyor gibi görünmekde ise de vezâʾif-i meʾmûresine bir ehemmiyet-i mahsûsa atf ettiği zannolunmakdadır John Finley tarafından makâm-ı sâmî-i cenâb-ı meşîhat-penâhîye takdîm kılınan muhtırada münderic metâlibin isʾâfına mukâbil sefâret-i seniyyenin işʿârı vechiyle Amerika hükûmetine nevʿa-mâ baʿzı taʿvizât istihsâli yolunda vâkiʿ olacak teşebbüsâtın ne dereceye kadar müsemmir olabileceği cây-ı teʾemmüldür sefâretin bu vâdîde der-meyân edebileceğimiz metâlibi Mösyö Finleyʾin bir meʾmûriyet-i resmiyesi olmadığını cevâb vermekle iktifâ ederek teşebbüsâtımızı akîm bırakması kaviyyen melhûz bulunmasına nazaran şimdiki halde tarafımızdan bir günâ teşebbüsât icrâ edilmeyip fakat ileride Amerika tarafına resmen mürâcaʿat vukûʿuna zemîn tehyiʾe edilmek üzre muhtıra-i mezkûrede münderic mevâddan dördüncü ve beşinci mâddelerin meskût bırakılarak yalnız umûr-ı dîniyeye taʿalluk eden mevâdd-ı sâʾirenin karîn-i isʿâf buyurulması muvâfık olacağı mutâlaʿasındayım ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. 14 Cumâdiyelevvel sene 1331 ve 8 Nisan sene 1329. Hâriciye Nâzırı Mehmed Said Hâşiye: Tezkire-i sâmiye-i cenâb-ı fehîmâneleri merbûtâtı iʿâdeten takdîm kılınmışdır. 1.8

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Foreign Ministry to the Grand Vizierate communicating their view about Finley’s requests

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Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Political Affairs Number 31258/146 To the presence of the exalted Grand Vizier Summary: concerning John P. Finley, the representative plenipotentiary of the Muslims of the Philippine Islands The request of your most humble servant is that: This is the reply to the Grand Vizierial note dated 5 April 1913 and numbered 97 about John P. Finley, the representative plenipotentiary of the Muslims of Philippines. As it will be understood from the content of the enclosed communiqué of the Imperial Embassy in Washington, Major John Finley is currently the governor of the Philippines, and truly is the representative plenipotentiary of the Muslims of the Philippines. Although the American government does not officially recognise his status as representative, it is reckoned that a special importance is attributed to his mission. The extent to which certain initiatives – i.e. obtaining some concessions from the American government in return for granting the requests included in the memorandum which John Finley presented to the exalted Shaykh al-Islam – will be successful requires extensive consideration. It is strongly believed that the [American] Embassy will leave our requests in that direction fruitless simply by replying that Monsieur Finley does not have any official mission. Therefore, I think that it would be appropriate not to make any attempts in that direction and to grant from among those included in this memorandum [and requested to be included in the letter from the Caliph to the Muslims of Philippines] the items related to religious issues, without the fourth and fifth articles, so as to prepare the ground for an official application to the American side. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 21 April 1913. Mehmed Said, Foreign Minister. PS: The appendices of the illustrious Grand Vizierial note are presented in return. Source: BOA İ.MBH. 12/1331-C-011 (3)

1.9 Cabinet to the Sultan communicating their resolution Bâb-ı Âlî Meclis-i Mahsûs 480 Mehmed Filipin adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesi tarafından makâm-ı akdes-i hilâfet-i uzmâya karşı olan merbûtiyet-i dîniyelerinin burhânı olmak üzere vekîl-i mutlakları John P. Finley vâsıtasıyla takdîm edilip makâm-ı meşîhattan ledeʾl-arz manzûr-ı

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Cabinet to the Sultan communicating their resolution about Finley’s requests

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âlî buyurularak Bâb-ı âlîʾye tevdîʿ kılınan arîza ve vekîl-i mûmâileyhin takrîri ve biʾl-muhâbere Hâriciye Nezâretiʾnden vârid olan tezkire ve melfûfâtı meyânei bendegânemizde mütâlaʿa olundu ahâlî-i mezkûrenin rivâyet olunan ahvâli gayr-ı marziyyesini ıslâh için kendilerine nesâyih ve telkînâtda bulunmak ve ulûm-ı dîniye taʿlîm etmek üzere fuzelâ-yı ulemâdan ve hüsn-ı seyyidet ashâbından üç dört zâtın makâm-ı meşîhatça biʾl-intihâb iʿzâmı ve nâm-ı âlî-i hilâfet-penâhî olarak ahâlî-i mezkûreye hitâben meşîhat-i müşârunileyhçe bir mektûb yazılarak vekîl-i mûmâileyhe tevdîʿan tisyârı ve orada inşâ olunan câmi-i şerîfe taʿlîk olunmak üzere Evkâf-ı Hümâyûn Nezâretince elvâh-ı mübâreke tedârik edilerek gönderilmesi münâsib mütâlaʿa kılınmış ve yazılacak mektûbun müsveddesi evrâk-ı müteferriʿa-i sâʾire ile maʿan arz ve takdîm olmuş olmağla rehîn-i tasvîb-i âlî-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî olduğu halde müsvedde-i mezkûrenin lisân-ı Arabîʾye tercüme ve taraf-ı meşîhattan imzâ olunarak vekîl-i mûmâileyhe tevdîʿ ve husûsât-ı sâʾire hakkında iktizâ-yı hâlin îfâ edileceği muhât-ı ilm-i âlî buyuruldukda katʿiyyüʾl-ahvâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emr efendimizindir. 7 Cemâdiyelâhir sene [1]331, 1 Mayıs sene [1]329 Adliye Nâzırı, Bahriye Nâzırı, Dâhiliye Nâzırı, Hâriciye Nâzırı, Şûrâ-yı Devlet Reisi, Şeyhülislâm, Sadr-ı aʿzâm ve Harbiye Nâzırı, Maʿârif Nâzırı, Posta ve Telgraf ve Telefon Nâzırı, Evkâf-ı Hümâyûn Nâzırı, Ticâret ve Zırâʿat Nâzırı ve Nâfiʿa Nâzırı Vekîli, Mâliye Nâzırı. Sublime Porte Special Council 480 Mehmed [Signature of the Sultan] The petition of the Muslims of Philippines, which they presented through the mediation of John P. Finley, their representative plenipotentiary, as a sign of their religious connection to the holy office of the Great Caliphate, has been returned to the Sublime Porte after it was brought into the sublime presence on being presented by the office of the Shaykh al-Islam. [This document], [Finley’s] memorandum, and the note obtained from the Foreign Ministry and its enclosures have been deliberated upon in our humble gathering. It has been deemed appropriate: to give advice to prevent the rumoured inappropriate behaviour of the Philippine Muslims; to send three or four individuals from among the virtuous religious scholars, who will be appointed by the office of the Shaykh al-Islam, to teach religious sciences; to send a letter that will be prepared by the office Shaykh al-Islam to these people in the exalted name of the Caliph and entrusted to the said representative; and to send holy inscriptions (which will be arranged by the Ministry of Imperial Pious Foundations) to be

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fixed to the noble mosque that has been built there. A draft of the intended letter and the other documents are presented in enclosure. If this meets the approval of His exalted Majesty, the Caliph, the requirements of the matter, along with other issues, will be fulfilled by handing over [the letter] to the said representative after a draft has been translated into Arabic and signed by the office of the Shaykh al-Islam. When this definitively attains his exalted knowledge, to command belongs to our lord who commands all. 14 May 1913 Minister of Justice [Signature], Minister of the Navy [Signature], Minister of the Interior [Signature], Foreign Minister [Signature], President of the Council of State [Signature], Shaykh al-Islam [Signature], Grand Vizier and the Minister of War [Signature], Minister of Education [Signature], Minister of Post, Telegram and Telephone [Signature], Minister of Imperial Pious Foundations [Signature], Minister of Trade and Agriculture and Deputy Minister of Public Works [Signature], Finance Minister [Signature] Source: BOA İ.MBH. 12/1331-C-011 (4)

Draft letter to be sent to the Muslims of Philippines and entrusted to Finley Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Meclis-i Vükelâ ve Maʿrûzât Kalemi Filipin Adalarında Sâkin Ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾye Filipin adalarında mütemekkin ahâlî-i İslâmiyeʾnin halîfe-i İslâm -dâme şevketehû ilâ yevmiʾl-kıyâm- efendimiz hazretlerine olan merbûtiyet-i dîniyelerinin burhânı olmak üzere memâlik-i müttehide-i Amerika ordusu binbaşılarından Filipin adalarında vâkiʿ Zamboanga Vâlisi John Finley vesâtatıyla takdîm ettikleri arîza-i atabe-i ulyâ-yı cenâb-ı pâdişâhîye iʿlâ olunarak manzûr-ı âlî ve ahâlî-i mezkûrenin şerîʿat-ı garrâ-yı Ahmediyeʾye mütemessik ve tarîk-i müstakîm-i zühd ve takvâya sâlik olduklarına ve ferâʾiz-i dîniyeyi hüsn-i îfâya mukaddim ve dîn-i mübînin neşrine hâdim bulunduklarına ve Taluksangay şehrinde mukîm ihvân-ı dîniyenin edâ-yı salât etmeleri için bir bâb câmi-i şerîf inşâsına muvaffak olduklarına dâʾir alınan haberler mûcib-i mahzûziyet-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî olmuşdur ancak cezâyir-i mezkûre ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnden baʿzılarının sevk-i cehâletle katl ve cerh gibi cinâyâta ve şurb-ı müsekkirât ve icrâ-yı fuhşiyyât misillü menhiyâta cürʾet etmekte oldukları istihbâr olunup ahâlî-i İslâmʾın ferâʾiz ve vâcibât-ı dîniye ve sünnet-i seniyyeyi îfâ ve menhiyâttan ittikâ etmeleri icâb edeceği cihetle cenâb-ı vâcibüʾl-vücûdun nusûs-ı Kurʾâniye ile sûret-i katʿiyyede nehy buyurduğu katl-i nüfûsdan ve kumar ve müsekkirât ve fuhşiyyâttan ve gasb ve 1.10

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Draft letter to be sent to the Muslims of Philippines and entrusted to Finley

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sirkat ve kizb gibi cerâʾim ve seyyiʾâttan ve sâʾir menhiyyâttan Filipin adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾnin de katʿiyyen ve dâʾimen mücânebet ve evâmir-i ilâhiyeyi îfâya müdâvemet ve tezhîb-i ahlâk ile iktisâb-ı fezâʾil ve meʾâlîye gayret etmelerini ve ulûm-ı şerʿiyyeyi taʿlîme ve vaʿz ve nasîhata meʾmûr olanların zühd ve takvâ ve fazl-ı kemâl ve hüsn-ı ahlâk ashâbından intihâbına pek ziyâde iʿtinâ edilmesini ve bu zevâtın evâmir ve nevâhî-i ilâhiyeyi ihvân-ı dîne hüsn-ı taʿlîm ederek şerʿan memnûʿ ve mezmûm olan efʿâlden ictinâb ve fezâʾil-i İslâmiyeʾyi bi-hakkın iktisâb için nesâyih-i dâʾimede bulunmaları halîfe-i müslimîn efendimiz hazretlerinden şeref telakkî ettiğim evâmir-i seniyyeye imtisâlen teblîğ ederim. Biʾl-cümle ahâlî-i İslâmʾın saʿâdet-i dünyeviye ve uhreviyyeye mazhariyetleri zât-ı hilâfet-simât efendimiz hazretlerinin nuhbe-i âmâl-i hümâyûnları olduğundan Filipin ahâlî-i İslâmiyesiʾne ulûm-ı dîniye taʿlîm ve vaʿz ve nasîhat etmek üzere ulemâ-yı fâzıladan birkaç zâtın ahâlî-i İslâmiye tarafından dermeyân olunup mahzûziyet-i seniyyeyi mûcib olan arzuya tevfîkan cezâyir-i mezkûreye iʿzâmlarını emr u fermân buyurmalarıyla zevât-ı münâsibenin karîben gönderilmesi mukarrerdir Taluksangay şehrinde inşâ olunan câmii şerîfe taʿlîk edilmek üzre taraf-ı eşref-i hilâfet-penâhîden ihdâ buyurulan elvâh-ı mübâreke mûmâileyh John Finleyʾe mevdûʿan irsâl olunmuşdur. Sublime Porte Grand Vizierate Council of Ministers and Grants To the Muslims residing in the Philippines The petition submitted by the Muslims residing in the Philippines as a testimony of their religious affiliation to our lord, His Majesty the Caliph of Islam – may his imperial majesty last until the day of resurrection – through John Finley, a major of the army of the United States of America and governor of Zamboanga in the Philippines, has been elevated to the lofty presence at the exalted threshold of the illustrious Sultan. The receipt of the following news has been a source of pleasure for the exalted Caliph: that these people are devoted to the bright law of Muhammad, and that they are sincere and genuine in their commitment to the true path; that they are practicing their religious duties and helping to spread Islam; and that they succeeded in building a noble mosque in the city Taluksangay for their brothers in religion to perform their daily prayers. However, it has been heard that some of the Muslims of these islands, through ignorance, dare to commit forbidden deeds that constitute serious crimes, such as murder and injuring people, drinking alcoholic beverages, and performing adultery. As it is required that Muslims perform religious obligations and [emulate] the exalted deeds of the Prophet, I deem it an

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honour to announce the following in accordance with the illustrious order of the exalted Caliph: that the Muslims residing in the Philippines abstain from crimes and malicious deeds such as killing people, gambling, alcoholic beverages, adultery, usurpation and theft, lying and other prohibitions, which are categorically prohibited by God with canonical rules in the Qurʾan; that they persist in carrying out the divine orders, ornament themselves with morals, acquire virtues and endeavour for great works; that those who are charged with teaching religious sciences and giving sermons and advice are very carefully appointed from among those who possess good morals and complete virtues with God-fearing behaviour and devotion; that these individuals teach the divine orders and prohibitions properly, and continuously prevent the actions which are prohibited and banned according to the law, so that Islamic virtues are acquired appropriately. As the worldly and otherworldly happiness of all Muslims is the outstanding sovereign desire of the person of our lord, His Majesty the Caliph, conforming to the desire expressed by the Muslims which delighted His Majesty, he has ordered that a few individuals from among the virtuous religious scholars should be sent to teach the Islamic sciences and to give sermons and advice to the Muslims of the Philippines. As a result, it has been decided to send the appropriate individuals soon. The holy inscriptions that were given as a gift by his exalted Majesty, the noble Caliph, to be fixed to the noble mosque that has been built in the city of Taluksangay, are dispatched and forwarded by entrusting them to John Finley. Source: BOA İ.MBH. 12/1331-C-011 (2) [NB: An identical text is also available at MV. 231/123]

Chief secretary of the sultan to the grand vizier communicating the sultan’s approval of the cabinet’s resolution Mâbeyn-i Hümâyûn-ı Mülûkâne Başkitâbeti 59 8 Cemâziyelâhir [1]331 târihli ve 28 numerolu tezkire-i husûsiyye-i sadâretpenâhîlerine cevâbdır Filipin adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesi tarafından vekîl-i mutlakları John P. Finley vesâtatıyla takdîm edilen arîza vekîl-i mûmâileyhîn takrîri ile Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnde bu bâbdaki tezkiresi üzerine tanzîm olunan mazbata melfûfâtıyla berâber ledeʾl-arz manzûr-ı âlî ve münderecâtı rehîn-i tasvîb-i hazret-i hilâfetpenâhî olarak bâlâsı imzâ-yı hümâyûn-ı mülûkâne ile biʾt-tevşîh leffen savb-ı sâmî-i sadâret-penâhilerine iʿâde kılınmış ve mahall-i mezkûrda inşâ olunan câmi-i şerîfe taʿlîk olunmak üzre taraf-ı eşref-i cenâb-ı pâdişâhîden ayrıca 1.11

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ihsân buyurulan elvâh-ı mübâreke dahî meʾmûr-ı mahsûsa tevdîʿan derdest irsâl bulunmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i menlehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 8 Cemâziyelâhir sene [1]331, 2 Mayıs sene [1]329 Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî Imperial Private Apartments of His Majesty Chief Secretariat 59 This is the response to the special note of the Grand Vizierate dated 15 May 1913 and numbered 28 The petition of the Muslims of Philippines, which they presented through the mediation of their representative plenipotentiary John P. Finley, the latter’s memorandum, the report that was prepared upon the relevant note of the exalted Foreign Ministry, and its enclosures have been brought to lofty presence

Figure 203

Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizier communicating the Sultan’s approval of the cabinet’s resolution

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and approved by His Majesty the Caliph. [The said documents] are returned to Your Grand Vizierial Highness with the upper part ornamented with the sovereign imperial signature. The holy inscriptions that are presented by the noble Sultan to be affixed at the noble mosque that has been built in that place have already been consigned and sent with a special official. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 15 May 1913. Chief Secretary of to His Majesty Source: BOA İ.MBH. 12/1331-C-011 (5)

Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizierate communicating the approval of Finley to the presence of the Sultan Mâbeyn-i Hümâyûn-ı Mülûkâne Başkitâbeti Aded 62 10 Cemâziyyelâhir sene [1]331 târihli ve 29 numerolu tezkire-i husûsiyei sadâret-penâhîlerine cevâbdır. Filipin adaları ahâlî-i İslâmiyesi vekîli John P. Finleyʾin önümüzdeki Pençşenbih günü baʿdeʾz-zühr saʿat dörtde şeref-i 1.12

Figure 204

Chief secretary of the Sultan to the Grand Vizierate communicating the approval of Finley to the presence of the Sultan

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mütevellihe nâʾiliyeti husûsuna müsâʿade-i seniyye-i cenâb-ı hilâfet-penâhî şâyan buyurulmuş olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emrindir. Fî 11 Cemâziyelâhir sene [1]331, 5 Mayıs sene [1]329 Serkâtib-i hazret-i şehriyârî Imperial Private Appartments of His Majesty Chief Secretariat Number 62 This is the response to the special note of the Grand Vizierate, dated 17 May 1913 and numbered 29. The illustrious Caliph has approved the request to allow John P. Finley (representative of the Muslims of Philippines) attain the honour of being received into the imperial sight of His Majesty on the next Thursday at four o’clock in the afternoon. In this matter to command belongs to him who commands all. 18 May 1913 Chief Secretary to His Majesty Source: BOA İ.MBH. 12/1331-C-14

1.13 Imperial resolution according Finley a Mecidi medal Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Sadâret Meclis-i Vükelâ ve Maʿrûzât Kalemi 589 İrâde-i Seniyye Amerika müstemlekâtından Filipin adaları cemâʿat-ı İslâmiyesi vekîli ve Zamboanga vâlisi kâimmakam Mister John Park Finleyʾe üçüncü rutbe mecîdi nişânı iʿtâ olunmuştur. Bu irâde-i seniyyemizin icrâsına Hâriciye Nezâreti meʾmûrdur. Fî 22 Cemâziyyelâhir sene [1]331, 16 Mayıs sene [1]329. Hâriciye Nâzırı Sadr-ı aʿzâm [imza] [imza] Sublime Porte Grand Vizierate Office of the Council of Ministers and Grants 589 Imperial Resolution Lieutenant-Colonel Mr John Park Finley, the representative of the Muslims of the Philippines (which is an American colony) and the governor of Zamboanga, has been accorded a Mecidi medal third class.

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The Foreign Ministry is charged with the implementation of our imperial resolution. 29 May 1913 Foreign minister Grand Vizier [Signature] [Signature] Source: BOA İ.TAL. 483/1331-C-14

2

Documents relating to the Ottoman Shaykh al-Islam to Philippines, 1915–1916

Commander of the fourth army to the Ministry of the Interior communicating the deployment of the Shaykh al-Islam on board of an American ship Bâb-ı Âlî Dâhiliye Nezâreti Şifre Kalemi Aded 175 Mahreci Karargah-ı Şam 4 Haziran sene [1]331 Târih-i keşîdesi 4 sene-i minhu kaleme vürûdu Evvelce kararlaştırdığımız vechile Filipin Şeyhülislâmı Vecihiʾyi Amerikan sefînesi ile Filipinʾe sevk ediyorum kendisine mesârif-i râhiye ve orada eline para geçinceye kadar idâre etmek üzere dört yüz lira da verdim bu sırada sarfiyâtımın kesretine binâʾen elimde para bulunması içün mezkûr dört yüz liranın tahsîsât-ı mestûreden irsâlini ricâ ederim Fî 4 Haziran sene [1]331 Dördüncü Ordu Kumandanı Cemal 2.1

Sublime Porte Ministry of the Interior Cipher Office Number 175 Origin: Damascus Headquarters Date of dispatch: 17 June 1915 Date of arrival: 17th of the same year In accordance with our previous agreement, I sent Wajih, Shaykh al-Islam of the Philippines, with an American ship to the Philippines. I have given to

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him four hundred liras as allowance to get by until he obtains money. I request the transmission of this four hundred liras from the discretionary fund to ensure that I have money in my hand, as my expenses are rather too much nowadays. 17 June 1915 Cemal, Commander of the Fourth Army Source: BOA DH.EUM.KLU. 9/12

Foreign Ministry to the Ministry of the Interior announcing the death of the Shaykh al-Islam in New York Bâb-ı Âlî Hâriciye Nezâreti Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdüriyet-i Umûmiyesi Umûr-ı İdâriye Kalemi Aded 89658–1018 Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Hülâsâ: Filipin Şeyhülislâmı Vecih Efendiʾnin vefât eylediğine dâʾir Devletlü efendim hazretleri 27 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]332 ve 823 numerolu tezkire-i aliyye-i devletleri cevâbıdır Filipin Şeyhülislâmı es-Seyyid Mehmed Vecihi Zeydülceylânî Efendiʾnin mübtelâ olduğu hastalıkdan rehâyâb olamayarak Virginia Eyâletiʾnin Richmond şehrinde 1916 senesi Mayısıʾnın dördüncü günü irtihâl-i dâr-ı bekâ eylediği Newyork Başşehbenderliğiʾnin 12 Temmuz [1]916 târihli ve 323/12 numerolu tahrîrâtıyla işʿâr kılınmış olmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir fî 5 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]332 Hâriciye Nâzırı nâmına Umûr-ı İdâriye Müdür-i Umûmîsi 2.2

Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry General Directorate of Administrative Affairs Administrative Affairs Department Number 89658–1018 To the exalted Ministry of the Interior Summary: Wajih Efendi, the Shaykh al-Islam of Philippines, has died My kind and exalted lord This is the answer to the exalted note dated 9 November 1916 and numbered 823

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Sayyid Muhammad Wajih Zayd al-Kilani Efendi, the Shaykh al-Islam of the Philippines, did not survive the illness he had caught, and passed away in the city of Richmond in the State of Virginia on the 4 May 1916. This has been announced by the [Ottoman] Consulate General in New York in its note dated 12 July 1916 and numbered 323/12. In this matter, to command belongs to him who commands all. 18 November 1916. In the name of the Foreign Minister General Director of Administrative Affairs Source: BOA DH.EUM.4.Şb. 8/20

Commander of the Fourth Army to the Ministry of the Interior requesting financial aid for the children of the deceased Shaykh al-Islam Bâb-ı Âlî Dâhiliye Nezâreti Şifre Kalemi Mahreci Kudüs 8 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]332 târih-i keşîdesi 9 sene-i minhu kaleme vürûdu Aksâ-yı şark-ı Müslüman âleminde cihâd-ı mukaddes teşebbüsâtında bulunmak içün gönderilmiş olan Filipin Şeyhülislâmı Şeyh Vecih Efendi 5 Mayıs sene [1]332 târihinde Amerika‌ʾda vefât eylediği anlaşılmışdır kıymetli ve fedâkar bir zât olan müşârunileyhin vâlide ve zevcesinden başka iki bâkir hemşîre ve üç bâkir kerîme ve küçük bir erkek çocuk terk etmişdir bu çocuklar yedi ilâ on sekiz yaşındadırlar ve el-yevm Kahireʾde ikâmet ediyorlar bir kânûn-ı mahsûs tanzîm edilerek hidemât-ı vataniye tertîbinden bin beş yüz guruş tahsîs edilmesine delâlet buyurulmasını zât-ı âlînizden biʾl-hâssa istirhâm eylerim. 7 Teşrîn-i Sânî sene [1]332 Dördüncü Ordu Kumandanı Ahmed Cemal Kalem-i mahsûs 9–8 2.3

Sublime Porte Ministry of the Interior Cipher Office Origin: Jerusalem Date of dispatch: 21 November 1916 Date of arrival: 22nd of the same It is understood that Shaykh Wajih Efendi, Shaykh al-Islam of the Philippines, who was sent to engage in holy jihad in the Muslim world of the Far East,

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died on 18 May 1916 in America. The said person, who was a valuable and selfsacrificing individual, has left behind two unmarried sisters, three unmarried daughters, and a little son, along with his mother and wife. These children are seven to eighteen years old and are currently living in Cairo. I beg your exalted personage for your guidance regarding the assignment of one thousand five hundred piasters from the fund of services to fatherland by means of arranging a special decree. 20 November 1916 Ahmed Cemal, Commander of the Fourth Army Personal secretary 9–8 Source: BOA DH.KMS. 42/13

Chapter 12

Ottoman Prisoners of War in Burma During World War I a unique venue of interaction between the Ottoman empire and Southeast Asia came into existence when Britain established detention camps in Thayetmyo and Sumerpur in Burma (Myanmar) for Ottoman prisoners of war. The Ottoman archives contain voluminous records about the communications between Ottoman and British authorities as well as between the captives and their families which were transmitted to warring parties through the mediation of neutral countries’ diplomatic representatives such as those of US, The Netherlands and Sweden. This correspondence concerned various issues such as the number of the captives, payment of their salaries, their rank promotions, investigations about their circumstances and information about the causes of their demise when the captives died in detention. In 1917, the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva published a report on British prison-camps in India and Burma where the Thayetmyo and Sumerpur detention camps were described. The only publication that has used the documents in the Ottoman archives for a relevant study is a book on Turkish prisoners of war during World War I (Taşkıran 2011). 1

American Embassy in Istanbul informs the Ottoman Foreign Ministry about the establishment of a detention camp in Thayetmyo for Ottoman prisoners, 1915

AMERICAN EMBASSY, CONSTANTINOPLE No. 243 April 5, 1915 Note Verbale. The Embassy of the United Stated of America has the honor to inform the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs that, according to a report sent to the Department of State by the American Consul at Rangoon, a camp for the detention of Ottoman prisoners of war has been established at the place Thayetmyo, Burma. The first contingent of the prisoners captured in the campaign along the Persian Gulf and the Euphrates River arrived at Rangoon on

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_014

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January 12th, 1915, and consisted of 74 officers, 919 Arabs and 377 Turks or 1370 in all. To the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sublime Porte. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2193/25

2

American Embassy in Istanbul informs the Ottoman Foreign Ministry about the state of Ottoman officers detained in Thayetmyo, 1916

AMERICAN EMBASSY, CONSTANTINOPLE No. 1222 February 21, 1916. Note Verbale. The American Embassy has the honor to inform the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the copy of its Note Verbale of December 26, 1915, No. 75661/304, relative to the situation of Hikmet bin Moustapha and Colonel Soubhi Bey, prisoners of war at Thayetmyo, Burma, was duly communicated to the British Government. In a note addressed by the British Foreign Office to the American Embassy at London on January 21, 1916, it has stated that in view of the information respecting the treatment of Colonel Soubhi Bey already communicated to the Ottoman Government through the American Embassy, the Foreign Office does not understand the reason for the further inquiries made by the Ottoman Government about this officer. The British Foreign Office added, however, that a further inquiry would be made of the competent British authorities. In a second note dated February 7, 1916, the Foreign Office states that it has been decided that Colonel Soubhi Bey is to receive six shillings and eightpence a day as from May 2, 1915, the date on which his allowance was reduced to four shillings and sixpence, the balance being made good. The note concludes by stating that Colonel Soubhi Bey is believed to be still in good health. To the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sublime Porte. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2196/1

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Documents related to a report on detention camp in Thayetmyo, 1916

American Embassy in Istanbul communicating the report with the Ottoman Foreign Ministry and announcing the death of Colonel Subhi Bey AMERICAN EMBASSY, CONSTANTINOPLE No. 1586 June 27, 1916. Note Verbale. 3 enclosures. In accordance with instructions received from the Department of State, the Embassy of the United States of America has the honor to transmit herewith to the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs a copy of a report from the American Consul at Rangoon dated March 29, 1916, together with a list of the Ottoman prisoners of war at Thayetmyo, which has been prepared under the direction of Colonel Soubhi Bey. In this connection, the American Embassy has the honor to also transmit herewith a copy of the British note of June 6, 1916, stating that Colonel Soubhi Bey, late Governor of Bassorah, died of apoplexy at Thayetmyo, Burma. To the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sublime Porte. 3.1

Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2197/35

3.2 Report on the detention camp in Thayetmyo INSPECTION OF PRISONERS OF WAR CAMP Consul SAMUEL C. REAT Rangoon, Burma, India, March 29, 1916. The Prisoners of War Camp at Thayetmyo, Burma, India is located on the Irrawaddy River 355 miles north of Rangoon. The site of the Detention Camp was formerly the barracks for British troops, with the addition of some temporary barracks. The buildings are substantially constructed, the sanitation and surroundings quite good. With a total number of 3664 Ottoman prisoners of war, including 167 certified as officers, there were no complaints lodged against the prison management except two of minor importance. The administration of the Detention Camp is one the whole very satisfactory and the treatment of the officers and private soldiers deserving of commendation. Of the two minor complaints one related to the question of clothing, such as shirts, shoes, and socks, long since requisitioned; the other concerned the

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daily ration, the request being for more vegetables; with the Arab prisoners the request was for the substitution of some vegetables for the Indian vegetable that was unsavory to them. Many of the Ottoman officers speak French, so that the writer conversed freely with them and found well pleased with their environments. In interviewing the private soldiers, including Arabs, Afghans, Armenians and Jews an interpreter was employed but no unfavorable comments were elicited during the entire investigation. It would seem that the lot of the civil prisoners, of which there are some worthy subjects, is not enviable. They receive no pay and have no means whatever to buy a few necessities. All the officers’ quarters were visited, each separate camp of the private soldiers and all the wards in the two hospitals. The buildings occupied by the officers were formerly British troops married quarters. The officers have small three roomed bungalow to themselves. The soldiers’ daily rations per man is as follows: Bread.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 lb Atta....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/2 lb Rice....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Ozs Gee........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Oz Onions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Ozs Fresh Vegetables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Ozs Tea......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/8 Ozs Coffee... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/4 Ozs Sugar..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Oz Salt........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/3 Oz Meat..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Ozs Pepper.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/8 Oz Cinnamen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/32 Oz Mustard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/32 Oz Cumin seed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/32 Oz Wood.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 lbs. Officers make their own arrangements about their rations. The work done by Prisoners of War consists of: a) Fatigue work and cooking for prisoners for which no pay is given, and b) Paid work consists of: Digging up the garden, cleaning away brushwood round the camp and anything else connected with the cleanliness of the camp precincts recommended by the medical officer. HOSPITALS. About 45 of the rank and file on the Sanitary Corps of the Ottoman Army are employed as ward attendants and draw pay at the laid down for the corresponding ranks in the British Army Medical Corps.

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There has been considerable delay obtaining this pay; but it has been sanctioned and may arrive at any moment. Meanwhile they draw advances every month. Non-commissioned Officers and privates at $ 1.14 and $ 0.65 respectively each, are employed in cleaning up round the barracks. GARDEN. About 6 acres of land have been brought under cultivation and one head gardener, two skilled gardeners and eight gardeners have been employed at $ 4.87, $ 3.89 and $ 2.60 each, respectively per month. The number of unskilled gardeners has just been reduced. The vegetables are sold to officers at low prices. A scheme is on hand for bringing under cultivation 40 acres of lowlying ground, pumping up water from the river and supplying the whole camp with vegetables, but it is in abeyance, pending results in water boring operations in the area it is proposed to cultivate. CARPENTERS SHOP. Two head carpenters on $ 6.49 and six skilled assistants on $ 4.87 per month are employed regularly and as many unskilled workmen as may be required at any time for the work in hand are employed at $ 0.08 per day. MASONS. One head mason at $ 4.87 per month, four skilled assistants at $ 0.12 per day are employed in the Camp. TAILOR SHOP. Sewing machines have been purchased and four tailors are at work. They receive ¾ of the amount charged for their work to the customers, the remaining ¼ goes towards repayment of machines, needles, etc. BOOTMAKER’S SHOP. Four bootmakers are at work on the same terms as the tailors. NATMAKERS. Six men are employed making nats, thatch and caning chairs. A Mineral water factory is run entirely by prisoners themselves and they employ a varying number of people to work it. They pay them from the proceeds of the factory. One prisoner sells coffee in a shop. One Hindustani speaking prisoner draws $ 4.87 per month for translating Camp Orders and doing various jobs. Two cooks get $ 1.62 each per month for cooking for the better class civilians. One English speaking Turk assists the police and draws $ 0.16 per day. A scheme for employing Turks instead of British soldiers as policemen under the British Prevost Sergeant has gone up and the men have been trained in the work, but section has not yet been given. The Public Works Department are employing eight prisoners in making reinforced concrete pillars to replace the posts which carry the barbed wire fence

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and they will be paid $ 0.08 per day. Prisoners are also employed, at the same rates, for gravel collection for a metalled road. Two or three prisoners are employed cutting and stamping discs for numbers to be given to the new prisoners and they also receive $ 0.08 per day. Several prisoners keep small stalls for the sale of cigarettes etc. PAY OF OFFICERS. Of and above the rank of Captain $ 1.42 per day. Below the rank of captain $ 0.97 per day. In addition Colonel Soubhi Bey receives a special allowance of 0.53 per day. Prisoners are not allowed outside the camp except for fatigue work and bathing in the river, when the state of the river permits. Care is taken in selecting prisoners for fatigues and bathing, so that all prisoners take their turn. A small party of prisoner officers is allowed out every evening under a guard for exercise. Some of the officers have taken up football, and two of them have played polo. All officers who desire to watch football matches are allowed to do so. Medical officers are on parole and are allowed to complete liberty during the hours of day-light, subject to signing their names in the guard book when leaving and entering the camp. Two officers, Colonel Soubhi Bey and Lieutenant Seifullah Bey are allowed to go out in the evening, accompanied by an aide-de-camp without a guard. The number of prisoners and officers with private means is negligible and none have any large sums, or receive regular sums from home. It has not been found necessary to limit the withdrawal of private money. The pay of Medical Officers at Royal Army Medical Corps rates was considerably delayed and consequently large arrears were drawn when the sanction was accorded. Several Medical officers have sums ranging from $ 324.43 to $ 648.86 in credit, and these officers have been given the opportunity of banking this money, at the customary rates of interest with the post office savings bank. They have not, however, taken advantage of this. UNOFFICIAL PERSONS OR ASSOCIATIONS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF RELIEF. The Mahomedan community of Rangoon have supplied the prisoners with cigarettes, shirts, cloth and soap, and enamelled mugs in large quantities. They have given a donation of $ 324.43 in aid of civilians of high standing interned here, and are considering a further assistance. They have given money for the erection of a wall round the Turkish Cemetery, two coffin covers have also been given. The Jewish community of Rangoon assist their co-religionists with gifts from time to time. The Armenian community have helped their brethren. MEDICAL OFFICERS. There are 14 Medical Officers in camp, one Lieutenant Colonel, ten captains and three Pharmacists, who are ranked as

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Lieutenants. Of these, the Lieutenant Colonel, six captains and three Pharmacists work in the hospitals regularly. The remainder have been offered repatriation by the Euphrates route. There are three civilian doctors in camp – two Red Crescent – who have also been offered repatriation, and refused for the same reasons as the medical officers. These doctors are allowed the same liberty as their confreres. The number of sick in the two hospitals is 95. There have been 116 deaths, 113 Mahomedans buried in the Turkish Cemetery, two Christians buried in the Christian Cemetery and one Jew buried in the Jewish Cemetery. Coffins of dead men are covered with the Turkish flag, and British and Indian guards pay the usual compliments to the funeral party. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2197/35

4

British Foreign Office rejecting Ottoman allegations regarding the health conditions in Thayetmyo detention camp and requesting inspection about the health conditions of Ottoman detentions camps of British prisoners, 1916

No. (?) 7271/1244/P. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the United States Chargé d’Affaires and has the honour to refer to Mr Laughlin’s Note of the 24th ultimo, transmitting a copy of a Note Verbale (No. (?)1. 85834) from the Sublime Porte, founded upon the report relative to the conditions prevailing in the prisoners of war Internment-camp at Thayetmyo, of which Mr Page was good enough to communicate a copy to Viscount Grey in His Excellency’s Note of the 9th June. His Majesty’s Government consider that the report in question contains nothing which justifies the inference drawn by the Ottoman Government that the health of the Turkish prisoners interned at the Camp is being neglected, or that they are insufficiently clad. At the date of the visit of the United States Consular officer, the sick in hospital – ninety-five in number – were being attended by no less than ten Turkish Military Medical Officers and forty-five rank and file of their Sanitary Staff, besides three civilian doctors, and no complaints were made by the Medical Staff to the effect that the health of the prisoners had in any way been neglected. There is also nothing to show that the prisoners are suffering in health for the want of proper clothing. The question of the supply of certain articles

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formed the subject of a complaint of minor importance, but in recording this the United States Consul stated that steps had already been taken to remedy the deficiency. The Government of India is being requested to furnish a medical report as to the causes and circumstances of the deaths which have occurred amongst the prisoners of war at Thayetmyo, and also to investigate the question as to whether compensation is due to the relatives of the late Haji Halil. Lord Grey will be much obliged if the foregoing can be brought to the knowledge of the United States Chargé d’Affaires at Constantinople, for the information of the Sublime Porte, and if Mr Hoffman Philip can be requested to be good enough, at the same time, to make a representation to the Ottoman Government with a view to the communication to His Majesty’s Government of a similar report as to the deaths which have taken place among the British prisoners of war captured by the Turkish forces in Mesopotamia. Lord Grey would point out that the matter now under discussion affords a stronger example of the unresponsible[?] attitude adopted by the Turkish Government, who, whilst taking full advantage of the facilities granted by His Majesty’s Government for the inspection by the United Stated officials of Camps in which Turkish prisoners are detained, have hitherto persistently refused to grant similar facilities in the case of British prisoners in their hands. Lord Grey will be grateful if Mr Philip will be good enough to renew his efforts in this connection, more especially in view of the disquieting intelligence recently received in regard to the harsh treatment to which many of the prisoners taken at Kut have been subjected by the Turkish authorities. FOREIGN OFFICE, September 20th, 1916. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2198/60

5

American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry about payment to Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo, 1916

AMERICAN EMBASSY, CONSTANTINOPLE October 7, 1916. No. 1842 Note Verbale. Enclosures: L.T.6.00 With reference to the Notice which the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed to it on May 20th last No. 82326, with which was enclosed the sum of

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L.T.6.00 for Ali Oglou Ismail and Bayram Oglou Mazhar, interned at Thayetmyo, Rangoon, the Embassy of the United States of America has the honor to state that it has now been informed by the American Embassy in London that the latter has learned from the American Consul at Rangoon that the prisoners in question were despatched to Bassorah for exchange, the first named on May 27, 1916, and the second on July 23, 1916. The consul has therefore reported that he is unable to make the payments. The six liras are accordingly herewith returned to the Imperial Ministry. To the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sublime Porte. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2190/4 6

American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry communicating British request for a report about the health conditions of Ottoman detention camps of British prisoners, 1916

No. 1860 Constantinople, October 12, 1916. Note Verbale. One Enclosure. With reference to the Note Verbale No. 85234/227 of August 3rd last from the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs relative to the conditions prevailing in the internment camp of prisoners of war at Thayetmyo, Burma, the Embassy of the United States of America has the honor to transmit herewith copy of a Note which has been addressed to the American Embassy in London by the British Foreign Office in answer to this communication. In this Note the Foreign Office replies to the statements made by the Imperial Government concerning the health of the prisoners in the camp and adds that the Government of India is being requested to furnish a medical report as to the causes and circumstances of the deaths which have occurred amongst the prisoners of war at Thayetmyo. In requesting that this be brought to the knowledge of the Sublime Porte, the Foreign Office asks that the Ottoman Government furnish a similar report with regard to the deaths which have taken place among the British prisoners of war captured by the Turkish forces in Mesopotamia. The Foreign Office also points out that in matters such as the one now under discussion, the Turkish Government has taken full advantage of the facilities

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accorded by his Majesty’s Government for the inspection by United States officials of camps in which Turkish prisoners are detained, but that it has persistently refused to grant similar facilities in the cases of British prisoners in Turkey. It therefore again reiterates the request of the British Government that American officials be allowed to inspect the internment camps of British prisoners of war in Turkish hands. To the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sublime Porte. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2198/60

7

American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry on the promotion of Ottoman prisoners in British detention camps, 1916

No. 1880 October 21, 1916. Note Verbale. With reference to the Note Verbale which the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed to it on September 24th last, No. 87589/289, relative to the promotion of prisoners of war, the Embassy of the United States of America has the honor to state that it has now received a telegraphic reply from the British Foreign office to this communication. The Foreign Office states that the Ottoman Government apparently misinterpreted its note, which was transmitted to the Imperial Ministry by this Embassy’s Note Verbale No. 1622 of July 12th last, which laid down the principles which the British Government has consistently adopted of the recognition of promotion of prisoners of all hostile nationalities. It was therein expressly stated that all the prisoners whose promotion the Ottoman Government desires to have recognized have come within the principles laid down in that note and have been recognized by the British Government, with the exception of three who cannot be traced as being prisoners in British hands at all. The British Government is therefore unable to see the necessity for the assurance which is now demanded by the Ottoman Government. To the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sublime Porte. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2235/1

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British Foreign Office to American embassy on the list of Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo and Sumerpur and their ranks, 1916

(COPY) No. 219846/16. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the United States Ambassador and has the honor to refer to Mr Page’s note of the 26th November 1915 relative to the request on the part of the Ottoman Government for a list of Ottoman prisoners of war in British hands whose ranks are not known to His Majesty’s Government. In compliance with this request Viscount Grey has the honor to transmit the accompanying lists of Ottoman prisoners of war interned at Thayet-Myo and Sumerpur who claim to be officers or whose ranks as officers are doubtful. As regards the rank entered against Zeki Husni, Viscount Grey would explain that this officer was registered on arrival as a Second-Lieutenant or “Mulazim Sani” but that the late Colonel Subhi Bey pointed out that in the Turkish Army his rank would be that of a “MulazimVekili” a rank which would apparently correspond to that of a Third-Lieutenant in the British Army, did such exist. FOREIGN OFFICE, November 7, 1916. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2235/1

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American Embassy in Istanbul to Ottoman Foreign Ministry delivering the messages of Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo, 1916

AMERICAN EMBASSY, CONSTANTINOPLE December 5, 1916. No. 2028 Note Verbale. The Embassy of the United States of America has the honor to state that it has been requested by its Consul at Rangoon to deliver the following messages: 1. To the family of Dr Feridoun Dalian, Fener Baghtché: “bien portant Thayetmyo, Djavid”; 2. To Mohamed Bey, Chemsi Pasha No. 60, Scutari: “Irfan me donna vingt livres ici payez le absolument a son fils Moumtazé, Rue Azizié 127, Halim”. The Imperial Ministry is requested to communicate these messages to the persons concerned. To the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sublime Porte. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2250/81

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British Foreign Office to the Dutch embassy providing information about Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo upon the request of Ottoman government, 1917

No. 103731/1244/P. Memorandum for communication to the Netherland Minister (British Section) at Constantinople His Majesty’s Government have the honour to transmit to the Netherland Minister at Constantinople, the accompanying completed forms in respect of three thousand nine hundred and fourteen living and one hundred and sixty deceased Ottoman prisoners of war, for the favour of communication to the Turkish Government. All the prisoners of war in question are, or were, interned at Thayetmyo, Burma. They would request that it may be explained to the Ottoman Government that a certain number of the entries on the forms probably relate to the same individual, as the Commandant at Thayetmyo has had an entry made for each “internment” in his camp, and in some cases prisoners of war have returned to that camp after having been temporarily transferred elsewhere. FOREIGN OFFICE. S. W. 1. 30th May, 1917. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2261/16

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Documents related to the circumstances in the Thayetmyo detention camp, 1917

11.1

Government of India to British foreign office presenting a report on the circumstances of Thayetmyo detention camp

Copy. Prisoners of War. Case No. 44952 (A.G. 7) No. 10819. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, ARMY DEPARTMENT, SIMLA, the 23rd July, 1917. Sir, In continuation of Army Department letter No. 7275, dated the 18th May, 1917, I am directed to forward a copy of a report from Captain Baxter on the

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subject of the allegations made relative to the treatment of Ottoman prisoners of war in the Camp at Thayetmyo in Burma. A copy of a report from the General Officer Commanding, Indian Expeditionary Force “D”, as regards the alleged treatment accorded to the prisoners in question after their capture in Mesopotamia till the time of their departure for India en route to the Prisoners of War Camp at Thayetmyo, is also enclosed. It will be seen from these reports that the statements published in the article in the “Hilal” of the 20th November, 1916, are either false or grossly exaggerated. I am, etc., (Sd). A.H. Bingley. Major-General Secretary to the Government of India To The Secretary, Military Department, India Office, London. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2203/58

Commandant of the Thayetmyo detention camp to the Indian government reporting the circumstances in the camp SUBLIME PORTE MINISTÉRE DES AFFAIRES ETRANGÉRES Copy of a letter from The Commandant Prisoner of war camp, Thayetmyo, to the adjutant general in India. Army headquarters, No. 294/4 dated the 5th July, 1917. In continuation of my No. 294/3 dated 16th April, 1917 and in compliance with yours No. 44952/1 (A.G.T.G.) dated 1st March, 1917. I have the honour to forward the report called for from Captain Baxter, 91st Punjabis, late adjutant of the camp under my command, on the allegation contained in an article which appeared in the Turkish paper, Hilal, in regard to the treatment of Ottoman prisoners of war sent from Mesopotamia to India. 2. I have no remarks to pass on the report which is correct in all details, beyond the fact that I was not aware that there had been a great demand for photographs of General Townshend after the Turkish officers interned have heard the fall of Kut-el-Amara. Copy of a report dated “in the field” 28th May, 1917, by Captain John Baxter 91st Punjabis on the allegations contained in an article which appeared in the Turkish paper “Hilal” in regard to the treatment of Ottoman prisoners of war sent from Mesopotamia to India. Reference Commandant, prisoners of war camp, Thayetmyo, No. 8 and M. 294/2, dated 17 March, 1917, the allegation contained in the extract from the Turkish paper Hilal are entirely groundless. 11.2

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I was adjutant of the Prisoners of war camp Thayetmyo from December, 1915 to September, 1916 and during that period the Ottoman Prisoners of war were treated with every kindness in keeping with discipline. The writer of the article cites an incident when he says “They took us out of the wood cottage and left us for four consecutive hours under the burning sun.” The prisoners of war were never paraded as a body, except for the daily roll-call or an issue of clothing, and these parades in the summer months always took place either in the very early morning or the cool of the evening. I can well remember that on several occasions the prisoners of war kept on roll-call parade for long periods, but this hardship was brought on their own shoulders by the rascality of a few who absented themselves without permission. The offenders, when found, were in every case summarily punished by the commandant. As regards the issue of postcards, paper and envelopes, the Adjutant General in India is fully aware of the restrictions which were at one time placed on Prisoners of war correspondence and except for the period mentioned, the rules regarding Prisoners of war correspondence were never departed from Lieutenant Kadri, the Turkish adjutant, who assisted me in the camp, if asked, will bear me out in the matter. As regards the choosing of Prisoners of war for exchange. This was invariably done at roll-call hour by the medical officer in the presence of the Assistant Commandant and myself and as it was a purely medical matter and I was there simply to make notes of the names of the men chosen by medical officer. I am unable to say anything about it. Finally, I refute entirely the allegation that the fall of Kut-el-Amara had any bearing whatsoever on our treatment of the Ottoman Prisoners of war, who were always treated with the very greatest consideration. The fall of Kut-el-Amara if anything improved the relations then existed between ourselves and them. This is evinced by the fact when the Turkish officers heard of their success. I was deluged with innumerable requests from them to provide them with photographs of General Townshend, whom they looked upon as one of the most wonderful heroes in the history of war. The author or authors of the extracts has departed far from the truth, merely to please the anti-English element in his own country. His views, I am certain, are not the views of the Turkish officers who were in the camp when I was there. I have also conversed with several officers captured in the recent operations, and they also have spoken very well of the treatment they have heard their prisoners have received at our hands. Copy of a memorandum from the general officer commanding Indian expeditionary forces “D” to the chief of the General Staff. No. A. 1789/381 dated Baghdad, the 16th June, 1917

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Reference your No. 44952/3 (A.G. 7) dated 14th May 1917. 1. It is difficult to reply to statements made in such general terms, but I have consulted two officers who were in a position to know something of the conditions under which the prisoners taken at Shaiba were evacuated. 2. Two British regiments were present at the battle, the Dorsets and Norfolks, and it was noticed that the Turks preferred to surrender to them rather than to Indian soldiers with whose method of warfare they were at the time unacquainted. No Australians were present. 3. The Turkish prisoners came in batches, the first being a party of 80 who came over under a white flag. As they were exhausted for want of food and water, they were provided with sustenance. In the evening of the same day, another batch was taken over, watered from a well and subsequently fed. During the next night another party was brought in. They were watered at once and fed next morning. The total taken between 11th and 14th April was 18 officers and 724 others. 4. They were evacuated to Basrah, by boat across the flooded desert, as soon as the wounded had been cleared and were all on board two transports in the river by 18th April. 5. On this occasion, as on all others, wounded prisoners received the same accommodation and treatment as our own wounded, the unwounded the same rations and accommodation as our own troops. It is the rule to find them when captured hungry, thirsty, ill clad and verminous, all of which are remedied at the first opportunity. 6. In many cases the men who we have selected for return to their own army in exchange for our own prisoners have begged not to be sent. 7. The article appears to be written with the intention of preventing Turkish soldiers deserting and to forestall any complaints made regarding the treatment of our prisoners by their own troops. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2203/58

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British Government requesting information about the ranks of Ottoman prisoners in Thayetmyo, 1917

Copy No. 197184/1244/P. Memorandum for Communication to the Ottoman Government. His Majesty’s Government desire to state that the under-mentioned Turkish prisoners-of-war interned at Thayetmyo claim in each case to be Second Lieutenants in the Turkish Army.

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Ali Haidar, son of Haidar 2/4th 40th Regiment. Ali Polat, son of Ali 11/3rd 142nd Regiment. Izzet, son of Haidar 2nd Company, 50th War Battalion, 14th Division. Simana, son of Shalem 3/1st 10th Regiment. Sabri, son of Emin 11/3rd 142nd Regiment. They request that they may be informed whether these claims are recognized by the Ottoman Government, and, if so, that the correct rank of each officer may be stated. FOREIGN OFFICE, 17th October, 1917. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2203/60

13

Documents related to the death of an Ottoman prisoner in Thayetmyo, 1918

British Foreign Office to the Swedish Embassy communicating the note verbale related to the death of Rasim Ali in Thayetmyo No. 36249/1244/P) The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Swedish Minister, and has the honour to refer to the Ottoman note verbale No. 550/3 of the 16th January, a copy of which accompanied Count Wrangel’s note No. 19 T. of the 22nd February, relative to the death of the Turkish prisoner of war, Rassim Ali. In reply they have the honour to transmit, for the favour of communication to the Turkish Government, the accompanying copy of a report from the Commandant of the prisoners of war camp at Thayetmyo on the circumstances attending the death of the prisoner in question. Foreign Office, February 25 1918. 13.1

Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2205/15

13.2

Swedish Embassy in London to the Swedish Embassy in Istanbul communicating the report on the death of Rasim Ali in Thayetmyo

COPIE. No. 41/T. SWEDISH LEGATION IN LONDON TURKISH DIVISION. The Swedish Legation in London has the honor to request the Swedish Legation in Constantinople kindly to forward to the Ottoman Government the enclosed note (2 copies) from the British Foreign Office of February 28th last concerning the death of the Turkish prisoner of war Rassim Ali.

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London, March 1st, 1918.

Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2205/15

13.3 Report on the Death of Rasim Ali in Thayetmyo EXTRACT. Report. On the morning of the 4th March 1917, No. 1650 Corporal Rasim, son of Ali, Ottoman Prisoner of War, left his barrack before the other prisoners who lived in the same barrack were awake. At about 7 to 7.30 am Corporal Rasim’s shoes were found near a coffee stall complained of the theft of a stool. Sergeant Halim and others went to search for Corporal Rasim and the Sergeant found him suspended to a beam by a rope in a small empty room in No. 7 barrack. It is clear from the fact that the body was found in a kneeling position that it was a case of deliberate suicide, since he could have saved himself when dropping by putting out his feet had he wished to do so. I examined three men who knew the deceased well and none of them could suggest any reason for the man taking his life. They described deceased as a quiet, respectable, educated man, cheerful and popular. I have had the papers found in deceased’s kit and from them it would appear that he was poetical and devoted to his country, but not morose. The only remark which he is reported to have made which would tend to show any depression was after the recent medical inspection, when the names of incapacitated prisoners were taken down. He told some of his friends that he had tried four times to get his name put on the list and he wondered when he would get away. No one noticed any particular state of depression about his and no excitement. That his death was premeditated at least the day before his death would appear from a note in a small note-book found on deceased. The note is dated the 3rd March and states “I have given Rs.100/- to Lieutenant Hadi Rs.50/- of this belongs to Lieutenant Hadi and I wish the other Rs.50/- to be given to Ibrahim”. Deceased was in a bank before the war. The deceased evidently committed suicide during temporary insanity. (signed) A. Sandeman, Major for Commandant Prisoners of War Camp Thayetmyo 5.3.17. Inquiry into the circumstances under which Prisoner of War No. 1650 Corporal Rasim, son of Ali, met his death. No. 1957 Sergt. Halim, son of Khalil, states – Corporal Rasim used to sleep near me in the 5th Bn. Bungalow. Yesterday morning when I woke up Corporal Rasim had gone out. I woke up at the call for prayer (about 5.30 am) I went to the coffee shop near No. 7 bungalow and the coffee shop owner told me that someone has stolen his stool. I

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saw a pair of shoes lying outside the coffee shop and I recognized them as deceased’s. Several of us went to look for the stool and for Corporal Rasim I went upstairs in No. 7 bungalow alone and opened the door of one of the rooms. I found Rasim hanging from a beam by a rope, apparently dead. I went up to see and found he was dead. I shouted for my friends to come up. In a short time the Sergeant Major and some officers came. I did not see the body searched, or cut down. The police were posted at the doors and we were all turned out. The deceased was a very popular man and we had no idea of his taking his life. He put in for exchange several times to the doctors but was refused each time. He was always friendly with the others and was not depressed at all. For the last two years he has been a great friend of mine and I have never noticed any acute depression. He often told me he had been refused repatriation, but he did not appear to be more depressed about it than others. He was a single man and I never knew of his receiving any bad news from home or get into any trouble here. I am surprised at his taking his life. He was better educated than most men and I can ascribe no reason whatever to his suicide. Read – correct. (Signed) A. Sandeman, Major. 5.3.17. 2nd. No. 1649 Pte. Mustafa son of Hussan states: – I went to the Coffee Shop near No. 7 bungalow yesterday morning early and the coffee shop owner told me he had lost a stool. We saw Corporal Rasim’s shoes lying near the shop and we all went to look for Rasim and the stool. Soon we heard Sergeant Halim calling us from upstairs and we went up and found Corporal Rasim suspended from a beam. I went up to the body and found he was dead. We called up everyone and Sergt. Dursun (the Turkish provost Sergt) came in and we showed him what had happened. I have known Corpl. Rasim for some years – we lived together in civil life in Constantinople before the war. I was captured with him Shaiba and I have been quartered in the same barrack with him here. He was the most popular man in the battalion, educated, respectable and of a quiet disposition. About 4 or 5 days prior to his death he told me he had 4 or 5 times tried to get exchanged but he was not excited about it and did not seem to feel his failure to work an exchange more than the others do. God knows why he took his life and I can think of no reason for it at all. Deceased was a bachelor and he said he had only a father alive. I do not think he got any home letters, nor did he expect any. Read – correct. (Signed) A. Sandeman, Major.

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3rd. No. 1706 Sergt. Dursun s/o Mehmed. (Camp Assist. Provost Sergt.) states: – Yesterday morning I was at a Coffee Shop when a man came and told me a Corporal had hanged himself. I went with the man to a room in No. 7 barrack and I found Corporal Rasim suspended to a beam with a rope round his neck. I sent off to report to the doctors and the office and I asked Sergt. Halim if Rasim had slept in the same room as him the night before. He said yes he had and so did the others. They said Rasim had got up before they woke. One of the sailors told me he had seen Rasim wandering about near No. 7 barrack very early. I knew Corpl. Rasim first when we joined the same battalion at Constantinople, after the outbreak of war. We were captured together and I have seen a great deal of him in camp. He was a quiet man, never worried anyone. After the last medical examination about 7 or 8 days ago he told me his name had been taken 4 or 5 times by the doctors and asked me when he would be sent home. I said “I don’t know, God knows”. He did not seem very troubled or excited about it. I never heard of his quarrelling with anyone in the camp and he always had plenty of money. Deceased was always happy and talked away to his friends and I can see no reason for his taking his life. Read – correct. (Signed) A. Sandeman, Major. 4th. Assistant Surgeon Lieutenant W.L. Brookes I.S.M.D. states: – About 8 am on the 4th March 1917, I was sent for to see a man who was reported to have hanged himself in the P.W. Camp. I came over at once and in a small room in No. 7 barrack found No. 1650 Corporal Rasim son of Ali suspended by the neck from a beam, in a semi-erect position, knees bent, feet on the ground – more or less in a kneeling position. There was a shawl hung round the beam to which a rope was attached; this rope was firmly knotted round the man’s neck. I had him cut down immediately and disengaged the rope round the neck. I found life absolutely extinct, death presumably having occurred about 4 or 5 hours previously – my reason for thinking so being cadaveric lividity and rigidity about the extremities and face, saneous fluid from the nose, probably due to rupture of the vessels of lungs in efforts at respiration. The neck was not broken and death was due to strangulation. Sub Conductor Sydney and Sergeant Harris were present and immediately after my examination took possession of all property found on the deceased. When I arrived, there were several people in the passage but the room had been kept clear. In my opinion the deceased committed suicide, had he wished to him could have saved himself by standing up. Read – correct.

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(Signed) A. Sandeman, Major. 5th. Sergeant Harris – 1/4th Border Regiment Provost Sergeant P.W. Camp states: – On the morning of the 4th at 7.35 I was on duty at the 3 Camp gate when Sergeant Yusuf came and told me that a prisoner of war had hanged himself. Immediately went to No. 7 bungalow and in the east end bunk and I found Corporal Rasim hanging from a beam. There was a cummerbund round the beam, a rope attached to it and knotted round the neck of deceased. He was in a kneeling position, the knees on the ground. On examing the body, I found it perfectly cold. I ran straight to the ration stand and informed Sub Conductor Sydney who was issuing rations. He came along with me and in his presence I searched for the man’s number on the body. I found the disc Gen.No.1650. On Sub Conductor Sydney’s instructions I took his bicycle and informed the Adjutant. From there I went to Lieutenant Brookes’ quarters. On coming back to camp with Lieutenant Brookes, the body was cut down by Sub Conductor Sydney and his clothes were searched. The following articles were found. 1 disc Gen No. 1650 1 large pocket knife 1 small pocket knife 1 cigarette holder 2 pieces of pencil 1 small 3 corner file about 3′ long 1 rosary 2 small linen bags containing rupees 5, two anna piece one, one anna piece one, piece two. 1 small flat key on chain 3 boxes of elephant brand matches 1 piece of soap 1 small green pocket book. I sent a police sergeant for the kit of deceased and he brought one wooden box and some bedding. The box was unlocked and in the presence of the Company Officer of the deceased – Captain Halim Djavid – I opened the box. I found several articles of clothing, two photographs, a box of cigarettes and some papers. I locked up the whole of deceased kit, retaining the key in my possession. Read – correct. (Signed) A. Sandeman, Major. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2205/15

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British Foreign Office to the Swedish Embassy requesting information from the Ottoman authorities about the rank of a certain Ottoman prisoner in Thayetmyo, 1918

No. 66205/1244/P. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Swedish Minister, and has the honour to state that according to a telegram received from the Government of India, 4309 No. 8932 Ali, son of Hussain, captured at Baghdad 12th March, 1917, and now Turkish prisoner of war at Thayetmyo, states he was promoted 2nd Lieutenant six months prior to capture and belongs to 3rd Battalion, 41st Regiment Turkish Army. He has been treated and paid accordingly as he arrived from Mesopotamia with certificate to the effect that he was commissioned officer. As doubts, however, have been raised locally as to validity of his claim to be an officer, His Majesty’s Government would be glad if enquiries might kindly be made to the Turkish Government with a view to the settlement of the claim. FOREIGN OFFICE., S. W. 1, 18th April 1918. Source: BOA HR.SYS. 2205/72

Chapter 13

Economic Ties In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, economic links between Southeast Asia and the Ottoman Empire were of great importance, with Southeast Asia supplying the Ottomans with pepper, other spices and ceramics, and the Ottomans exporting coffee, weapons, carpets and textiles. Indeed Southeast Asia seems to have been a land of economic opportunity for some Ottoman subjects in this period (Peacock 2015). Yet by the nineteenth century, economic relations seem to play a much less important part in the story. However, this may simply reflect the official character of the documents from the Ottoman section of Turkish Presidential Archives, which largely relate affairs that concerned the Ottoman government. Dutch merchants in Izmir, as well as Armenian networks, played a major role in exporting Anatolian opium to Indonesia in the nineteenth century, and indeed until as late as 1940 (Schmidt 1998), but this is not reflected in the Ottoman documents. 1

Documents related to the expenses incurred by Dutch authorities for the victims in an Ottoman ship which had an accident near Cirebon, 1866

Dutch embassy to the Ottoman Foreign Ministry requesting the reimbursement of the expenses incurred by Dutch authorities for the victims in an Ottoman ship which had an accident near Cirebon Makâm-ı Nezâret-i Celîle-i Hâriciye fî Temmuz sene 1866 târihiyle müverrahan Flemenk Sefâreti tarafından iʿtâ olunan takrîrin tercümesidir Sefâʾin-i Osmâniyeʾden Abdurrahman isminde bir kıtʿa sefîne geçen bin sekiz yüz altmış beş senesi Kânûn-ı Sânîsi evâʾilinde Cava cezîresi sevâhilinden Şeribon nâm mahalde kazâ-zede olarak tâʾifesinden kurtulmuş olan kırk dört kişi mahall-i mezkûrda Devlet-i Aliyye şehbenderi bulmadığı cihetle Flemenk Hükûmeti tarafından infâk ve havâyic-i sâʾirleri iʿtâ olunarak İngiltereʾye tâbiʿ Hind memâlikinden Singapurʾa iʿzâm olunmuş olduğundan keyfiyetin taraf-ı âlî-i âsafânelerine tebliğine devlet-i matbûʿam tarafından meʾmûr olmuşumdur Devlet-i müşârunileyhâ Hind Şarkı hükûmet-i mahalliyesi tarafından bu bâbda sarf olunan meblağın teʾdiyesi nezd-i saltanat-ı seniyyede muvâfık-ı tasannuʿat ve hakkâniyet add olunacağı ümîdiyle ber-vech-i âtî mikdârının 1.1

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004409996_015

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savb-ı vâlâ-yı nezâret-penâhîlerine beyânını muhlislerine emr eylemişdir bu bâbda devlet-i matbûʿam tarafına cevâb yazılmak üzre iktizâsının icrâsı ricâsında bulunduğumun beyânı tecdîd-i teʾmînât-ı ihtiram-kârîye vesîle ittihâz kılınmışdır. This is the translation of the note submitted to the exalted Foreign Ministry by the Dutch Embassy dated July 1866 At the beginning of February last year, 1865, the Ottoman ship Abdurrahman had an accident in the region of Cirebon on the coast of the island of Java. Of the crew, forty-four people were saved. There not being a consul of the Sublime State resident in the said region, the expenses and other necessaries of sending [the survivors] to the British-Indian dependency of Singapore fell to the Dutch government. It is commanded by my government that I report this matter to your Vizierial Highness, in the hope that the Imperial Sultanate might pay in full the equivalent and exact amount expended in this matter by the government of the aforementioned state in the East Indies. I am commanded to give this friendly explanation to your high exalted ministry [so that] a reply be written to my government in fulfilment of this request. I take this opportunity to renew the bonds of my sincerest respect. Source: BOA İ.HR. 221/12853

1.2

List of expenses incurred by Dutch authorities for the wrecked Ottoman seamen

Filorin 287, 62 ½ 013, 50 997, 20 012, 50

Şiribonʾda süknâ ve meʾkûlât masârıfı Buitenzorğʾdan[?] Batavya‌ʾya kadar harc-ı râh Batavya‌ʾda meʾkûlât için ve oradan Singapurʾa kadar harc-ı râh Singapurʾda masârıf-ı cüzʾiye

1310, 82 ½ Flemenk florini meskûkât-ı Osmâniyeʾye nisbetle dokuz buçuk guruş olduğundan on iki bin dört yüz elli iki guruş otuz pâre demek olur. Florins 287, 62 ½ 013, 50 997, 20

Accommodation and food expenses in Cirebon Travel expenses from Buitenzorg to Batavia For food in Batavia and travel expenses from there to Singapore

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012, 50

Petty expenses in Singapore

1310, 82 ½ The conversion rate of Dutch florins to Ottoman currency being 9½ piasters, this gives [the converted amount of] 12,452 piasters and 30 paras. Source: BOA İ.HR. 221/12853

2

Note to the sultan from his aide communicating that he has purchased 35 different types of birds from China, Java and Sumatra, 1876

Yıldız Saray-ı Hümâyûnu Ahmed Paşa Kullarından Şifre Sâye-i saltanatlarında ber mûceb-i irâde-i seniyye Hindistanʾa seyâhat olunduğu nüfûz-ı hilâfet-i kübrânın umûmen teʾsîri görülmekde ber mûceb-i irâde-i seniyye kuşlar Çin, Cava, Sumatra‌ʾdan celble otuz beş nevʿ kuş alındığı bu hafta Bombayʾdan hareket olunacak navl ve adam için para kalmadığı daha ne sipâriş fermân buyurulur ise intizâr olunduğu arz olunması maʿrûzdur. Fî 24 Nisan sene [12]92 Yâverân-ı Hazret-i Şehriyârî Ahmed Râtıb Ahmed Râtıb Paşa‌ʾya avdet içün ne kadar para lâzımdır arzı emr u fermân buyurulmuşdur. Fî 26 Nisan sene [12]92 Kurenâ-yı hazret-i şehriyârî Bekir (?) Yıldız Imperial Palace Cipher from His Majesty’s servant, Ahmed Paşa It is submitted for imperial consideration that I have travelled to India, in accordance with His Majesty’s command, [and] the overall impact of the influence of the great Caliphate can be observed. In accordance with His Majesty’s command, 35 species of bird have been purchased from China, Java and Sumatra. This week, I will depart from Bombay but no money is left over for transportation and the retinue. I await whatever order might be issued in this matter. 6 May 1876 Ahmed Râtıb, aide to His Majesty It is the order and command to send whatever money is required to Ahmed Râtıb Paşa for his return. 8 May 1876. Bekir (?), companion of His Majesty Source: BOA Y.PRK.SRN. 3/37

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Note to the sultan informing him about a consignment of plant seeds that was ordered for the gardens of the palace, 1883

Saray-ı muʿallâ-yı cenâb-ı pâdişâhîleri bahçe ve su yerlerinde bulundurulmak üzre Azaryan Efendi kulları tarafında Cava‌ʾda kâʾin Patavya nâm Nebâtât Bahçesi mahsûlâtından sipâriş olunan tohumlar mahallinden yola çıkarılmış olduğunun beyânıyla mikdâr ve envâʿına dâʾir iʿtâ eylediği Fransızca pusulanın hülâsaten tercümesiyle berâber manzûr-ı mekârim nüşûr-ı hazret-i şehriyârîleri buyurulmak üzre arz ve takdîmine ictisâr olunmağın ol-bâbda ve kâtıbe-i ahvâlde emr u fermân hazret-i veliyyüʾl-emr veʾl-ihsân efendimizindir. Fî 19 Saferüʾl-hayr sene [1]301 ve fî 8 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [12]99 A list has been submitted by Azaryan Efendi indicating the number and variety of seeds that were ordered by him for the grounds and water gardens of Your Majesty’s illustrious palace from the collections of the Botanical Garden of Batavia on Java, and it explains that the seeds are already en route from that place. It is humbly submitted to present the French document together with its summary translation for the examination of Your Imperial Majesty. In this issue and all other matters to command belongs to our Lord the commander and benefactor of all. 20 December 1883 Source: BOA Y.PRK.MYD. 3/20

4

List of seeds sent from the botanic garden in Batavia

Cava‌ʾda kâʾin Patavya nâm nebâtât bahçesinden gönderilen tohumlardır. 20 12

Nevʿ Palmiye tohumu Meyve Ağacı tohumu

4 6 27

Kerestesi aʿlâ ağaç tohumu Ufak çiçek ağaç tohumu Aʿlâ yapraklı ve Çiçek Ağacı tohumu

69

Cemʿan altmış dokuz nevʿ tohum

bir numerodan yirmi numeroya kadar yirmi bir numerodan otuz iki numeroya kadar dört cins altı cins yirmi yedi cins

These are the seeds that were sent from the botanical garden in Batavia located on Java

Economic Ties

20 12 4 6 27 69

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Seeds of a species of palm tree from number one to twenty Fruit tree seeds from number twenty-one to thirty-two Seeds of good quality timber four varieties trees Seeds of small blossoming six varieties trees Seeds of blossoming trees with good quality leaves twenty seven varieties In total, 69 varieties of seeds

N.B.: The numbers in the last column refer to the numbers in the enclosed list where the names of the plants are indicated in Latin. Source: BOA Y.PRK.MYD. 3/20

5

Ottoman cabinet resolution regarding Spanish plans to buy a place around the southern entrance to the Red Sea to establish a coal depot for the ships to Philippines, 1887

Meclis-i Vükelâ Müzâkerâtına Mahsûs Zabıt Varakasıdır Hulâsa-i Meʾâlî Filipin adalarına giden vapurları içün bir kömür deposu teʾsîs olunmak üzere İspanya Devleti tarafından Somali sâhilinde bir küçük körfez mübâyaʿa olunduğuna dâʾir Ajan Hevas telgraflarında görülen havâdisle yine devleti mezkûre cânibinden Hudeyde ile Maha arasında vâkıʿ Sokor nâmındaki cezîrenin kezâlik mübâyaʿası mutasavver idüğini mütezammın olan istihbârât üzerine İspanya Hâriciye Nâzırı ve Müsteşarı ile cereyân iden mukâlemâtı havî Madrid ve bu mâdde hakkında İtalya Meclis-i Mebʿûsânıʾnda vukûʿ bulan ifâdâtı şâmil olarak Roma Sefâret-i Seniyyelerinden alınan muharrerât-ı telgrâfinin gönderildiğine ve ol-bâbda baʿzı ifâdâta dâʾir Hâriciye Nezâretiʾnin altı kıtʿa tezkiresi melfûflarıyla kırâʾat edildi Karârı Meʾâlinden müstebân olduğu vechile sâlifüʾz-zikr mahallerin iştirâsı bir tasavvurdan ibâret olmağla berâber bunlar memâlik-i Devlet-i Aliyye dâhilinde bulunduğu hâlde tecâvüz edilmeyeceği İspanya Hâriciye Nâzırı tarafından mükerreren vaʿd ve teʾmîn edilmiş ve bu ifâde sened ittihâz kılınmış ise de nâzır-ı müşârunileyh cânibinden süferâ-yı sâʾireden baʿzılarına bu mâddeye dâʾir vukûʿ bulan ifâdât teʾmînât ve mevâʾid-i mezkûrenin aksini göstermekde olduğundan bahisle âtiyen olmuş bitmiş bir vakʿa karşısında bulunmamak

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üzre şimdiden oraların muhâfazası esbâbının istihsâli mâddesinin nazar-ı dikkate alınması lüzûmu Madrid Sefâretiʾnden işʿâr ve tekrâr ve Roma Sefâretiʾnin telgraflarında ise İspanya‌ʾnın şu tasavvuru İtalya Meclis-i Mebʿûsânıʾnca telâşı mûcib olmuş ise de zikr olunan mahaller İtalya‌ʾnın taht-ı işgâlinde bulunan arâzi hâricinde bulunduğuna dâʾir Mösyö Doprenis tarafından vukûʿ bulan ifâdât üzerine sükûnet hâsıl olduğu izbâr edilmekle cereyân iden müzâkerâtın netîcesinde sevâhil-i Bahr-i Ahmerʾin bir zamandan beru kesb etdiği ehemmiyet cihetiyle oraların hüsn-ı muhâfazası vesâʾiline ihtimâmın lüzûmu derkâr ve bu da o havâlîde hemişe sefâyin-i şâhâne dolaştırılması ve iktizâ eden yerlere lüzûmu kadar asker ve meʾmûr ikâmesi misillü tedâbirin ittihâz ve icrâsına manût idüği âşikâr olmasına ve bahriye nâzırı paşanın ifâdâtından anlaşıldığı vechile el-yevm Bahr-i Ahmerʾde birkaç sefîne-i harbiye mevcûd bulunduğuna binâʾen zikr olunan mahallerden Somali sâhilindeki körfeze dâʾir olan tasavvurât hakkında îcâb-ı keyfiyet baʿdehû kararlaşdırılmak üzere evvel emirde ehemmiyet-i zâhiriye ve maʿneviyesi cihetiyle sâlifüʾl-beyân Sokor Cezîresiʾnin ber-vech-i muharrer Bahr-ı Ahmerʾde mevcûd idüği beyân edilen sefâyinden birinin irsâliyle nezâret altında bulundurulması ve bu bâbda daha ne gibi tedâbîre teşebbüs iktizâ eder ise ânın Yemen Vâlisiʾyle biʾl-muhâbere îcâbının icrâsı içün Bahr-ı Ahmer Komordorluğuʾna heman teblîğât-ı lâzıme îfâ edilmesi husûsunun Bahriye Nezâretiʾne işʿârı ve Yemen Vilâyetiʾne maʿlûmât verilmesinin dahî Dâhiliye Nezâretiʾne havâlesi müttahiden tezekkür kılındı Fi 16 N sene [1]304 ve fî 1 Mayıs sene [1]303 These are the minutes of the discussion of the Cabinet of Ministers Summary of the content News has arrived in telegrams of the Hevas news agency of the establishment of a coal depot by the State of Spain at a small gulf on the Somali coast for steamboats coming from the Philippine Islands. Moreover, it is thought that the [Spanish] state seeks to purchase the island called Zuqar located between al-Hudaydah and Mocha in the same region. Intelligence of the content of conversations between the Foreign Minister of Spain and his deputy, and the speeches made in the Parliament of Italy on this matter have been taken from telegrams sent from the Imperial Embassy in Rome, and some statements on the matter from the [Ottoman] Foreign Ministry have been read in six documents with enclosures. Resolution As can be seen from the explanation, the purchase of the aforementioned region is only an idea under consideration, and if those places are found to be under the dominion of the Sublime State, the Spanish Foreign Minister

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has repeatedly promised and assured [us] that they will not be interfered with. However, although this declaration from the aforementioned Minister has been taken as a guarantee, it is found that the statements made by the Minister to various other ambassadors on this issue indicate the opposite of such a promise and assurance. For now, it is necessary to consider taking steps to provide protection to those places in order to avoid facing a future fait accompli. It is learned in the telegrams of both the embassy in Madrid and that in Rome that Spain’s intentions caused a flurry at the Italian parliament, but tranquillity returned after Monsieur Doprenis stated that these places were outside the lands under Italian colonial control. At the end of the deliberations that took place [at the Ottoman Cabinet] it was resolved that, due to the increasing importance that the Red Sea coast has gained lately, it is necessary to consider how those places are protected, and this evidently requires taking precautions such as instituting continual patrols of imperial ships in that region, and deploying the necessary number of soldiers and officials to the requisite places. Moreover, according to the head of the Ministry of the Navy, there are at this time a few warships present in Red Sea. Therefore, let it be known that the decision regarding the situation of the gulf on the Somali coast is to be left until a later stage. First of all, given its apparent and significant importance, the island of Zuqar is to be kept under surveillance by sending there one of the ships that are apparently already in the Red Sea. Additionally whatever might improve this matter at present should be communicated with the Governor of Yemen to be forwarded to the Red Sea Command [and] the necessary special papers drawn up immediately to inform the Ministry of the Navy and the Province of Yemen. Moreover, this latter issue should be assigned to the Ministry of the Interior. 8 June 1887 Source: BOA MV. 20/71

6

Consul General in Batavia to the Foreign Ministry about three Ottoman Greek subjects who ended up in Batavia after they were deceived by a captain, 1907

Bâb-ı Âlî Dâʾire-i Hâriciye Mektûbî Kalemi Aded 3 Şubat sene [1]322 târihiyle Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾnden mevrûd tahrîrât sûretidir

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Andon v. Simon Mis Adası sinni 20 Vangel v. Manol Midilli sinni 31 Efancelo v. Riyamandi Meftisa[?] sinni 30 Leffen huzûr-ı sâmî-i âsafânelerine takdîm kılınan mürûr tezkireleri ile berâ-yı ticâret ve ayrı ayrı Mısırʾa azîmet eylemiş olan bâlâda künyeleri muharrer üç nefer tebʿa-i şâhânenin Mısırʾdaki ikâmetleri esnâsında sünger saydına mahsûs Yunanlı bir gemi kapudânı tarafından iğfâl edilerek Mısırʾdan muntazam pasaport ahz ve istihsâl ile Singapurʾa kadar mezkûr gemi ile seyahat ve oralarda ve Siyâm sularında altı yedi ay kadar yüzsürü ve sedef ve bir mikdar değersiz inci sayd eyledikden sonra güyâ büyük inci sayd eylemek üzre Avusturulya‌ʾya azîmet kasdı ile Batavya‌ʾya gelmiş ve merkûmûnun hissesine isâbet eyleyen yüzsürü[?] ve sâʾire gemide bulunduğu bir sırada bunları bir vesîle ile Batavya‌ʾya göndererek fekk-i lenger ile savuşmuş ve son bir insâniyet olmak üzre polisce sorulmak muʿtâd olduğu beyânı ile pasaportlarını yedlerine vermişdir (mezkûr pasaportlar dahî leffen takdîm kılınmışdır) Muvâsalet-i karîbe-i âcizânemin şuyûʿu ve kendilerinin Rumluğu ve İslâmlığı fark olunmayarak “Türk” tanınmış olduklarına mebnî ahâlî-i mahalliye-i İslâmiye ashâb-ı kudret tarafından iʿâşe ve iskân edilmiş ve muvâsalet-i çâkerânemden henüz bir saʿat geçmeden taraf-ı kemterâneme yollanmışlardır. Memâlik-i şâhânedeki hanların en âdisinden elli kat aşağı bulunan Çinli otellerinde masârif-i iskâniyenin yevmî beş guruş yaʿni elli sentten ibâret olmasına ve arîza-i çâkerâneme cevâb vürûduna değin lâ-ekal güzerân eyleyecek olan üç ay zarfında on üç lira kadar bir meblağ sarfı lâzım geleceğine mebnî sâye-i şâhânede vâsiʿce olan şehbenderhânede hizmetçiler dâʾiresinde bir oda ve burada bunların yiyebileceği en aşağı ekmek fiyatının kilosunun üç guruşa olmasına mebnî her birine yevmî yirmi beş sent yaʿni yüz para ekmek parası verilip itʿâm ve mümkün olduğu kadar iksâlarına da hasebüʾl-insâniye veʾl-İslâmiye ve rızâ-yı âlî zımnında sarf-ı makderet olunmakdadır târih-i muvâsalet-i çâkerânemden bu güne değin güzerân eyleyen on beş gün zarfında her şeyʾe tercîhan bunlara bir iş bulmağa saʿy ve her tarafa baş vurulmuş ise de Vangel ile Andonʾun lisân-ı mahallî şöyle dursun hattâ bir kelime Türkçe bilmemeleri ve refîkleri Efanceloʾnun da fırt-ı yeʾs ile tecennün ederek gâh hâkân-ı Çin ile amuca çoçukları olduğundan bahisle vakit vakit Çinʾe gitmek üzre firâr eylemesi ve gâhî gâhî de yumurta kadar inci çıkarmak üzre su gördüğü yerde kendisini atarak birkaç defʿadır ölümden kurtarılmış olması ve umûm Hindistan ile Cezâyir-i Hindiyeʾde amele yevmiyesinin elli veyâ altmış paradan ibâret olması cihetle ol-bâbdaki mesâʿi-i âcizânem bî-semer kalmışdır cidden felâketzede olan merkûmûnun ya mutlakâ açlıkdan ölmek üzre tard-ı tâliʿ-i nâ-sazlarına terk edilmesi veyâhud sadaka-i ser meʿâlî efser-i hazret-i pâdişâhî olarak memleketlerine kadar iʿâdesi lâzım gelip birincisini

Economic Ties

987

emr ve taʿlîmâtsız ikincisini dahî karşılıksız icrâda ma‌ʾzûr bulunduğum cihetle merâhim-i celîle-i âsafânelerinden meʾmûl ve muntazır olduğu vechile memleketlerine iʿâdeleri fermân buyurulduğu takdîrde güverteye esfâr-ı baʿîde için yolcu kabûlü memnûʿ olduğu cihetle üçüncü sınıfda azîmetleri lâ-ekal yüz iki liraya muhtâc olduğundan evvel be evvel Rüsûmât Emânet-i Celîlesiʾnce muʿâmele-i lâzımesinin icrâsı ile taʿlîmât ile berâber havâlenâmesinin gönderilmesi husûsunun âʾid olanlara emr u fermân buyurulması istirhâmına müsâraʿat kılınır ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Aslına mutâbıkdır. Sublime Porte Foreign Ministry Secretarial Office Number Copy of the communiqué received from the Consulate General in Batavia dated 16 February 1907 Antonis son of Simon, Kastellorizo Island 20 years old Vangelis son of Manolis, Lesbos Island 31 years old Efangelo son of Raimondos Meftisa[?] 30 years old Three imperial subjects whose identities are described above set out separately to Egypt to trade, and the passage certificates are presented in the enclosure to Your Ministerial Highness. During their stay in Egypt, they were tricked by the captain of a Greek sponge-diving ship. They obtained regular passports from Egypt and travelled with their goods on the aforementioned ship to Singapore. Once over there in Siamese waters, for six or seven months they caught black coral, mother-of-pearl, and some worthless pearls. Afterwards, they came to Batavia with the intention of going to Australia, supposedly to catch big pearls there. They had received a share of the black coral onboard the ship, and when they were sent into Batavia on a certain pretext, [the captain] weighed anchor and departed. As a last benevolent act he returned their passports to them with an explanation to the police (the said passports are also enclosed). As the news about the imminence of my arrival had spread, on recognising them as “Turkish” without noting whether they were Christian or Muslim, the decent individuals of the local Muslim community provided them with accommodation and provisions. Just an hour after my arrival, they were sent to your humble servant. Considering that the daily accommodation costs of the Chinese hotels, which are fifty times worse than the worst caravanserai in the imperial domains, totals five piasters – that is, fifty cents – an amount of thirteen lira will be expended in the (at least) three months that

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will pass until the reply to my humble petition arrives. Therefore, under His Majesty’s great protection they have been given a room in the servants’ apartments of the consulate, and given daily provisions of 25 cents that is 100 paras in bread money as the lowest price per kilo of bread here is three piasters. They will be strengthened, through the exalted will [of God] by humanity and Islam. During the fifteen days that have passed from my humble arrival up until today I have primarily been busy in finding a job for them, and have applied everywhere. However, Vangelis and Antonis do not speak a single word of Turkish let alone the local language, and their companion Efangelo went mad from despair. He sometimes escapes with the intention of going to China, claiming that he is a cousin of its ruler. He has been rescued a couple of times from death as he threw himself into the water to catch pearls as big as egg. Furthermore, the daily wage of a workman in India and the islands of the East Indies consists of fifty or sixty paras and my efforts in this matter have been fruitless. Consequently the aforementioned [subjects], who are real victims of a disaster, require either to be left to their destiny – which will certainly lead to their starvation – or to be returned home by means of the personal charity of His Majesty. I cannot undertake the first without an order or directive, nor the second without compensation. I await the expected command to be sent from Your Ministerial Highness to send them home. Their subsequent journey in third class will require at least 102 lira, as it is prohibited for passengers to travel on deck on long journeys. First of all, I hasten to beg you to issue the order to initiate the relevant procedures by the exalted Customs Administration, and the remittance of the money order to the necessary [officials]. Finally, in this matter to command belongs unto him who commands all. Congruent with the original

[N.B.: On 20 April 1907, the Grand Vizier submitted the note of the Consul General to the Sultan who, on the next day, approved providing the expenses.] Source: BOA İ.HR. 405/1325/Ra-02

7

Ministry of Public Works to the Foreign Ministry about the request of Ottoman consul in Batavia for Ottoman textile products that would be marketable in Batavia, 1908

18 Kânûn-ı Evvel sene [1]324 târihli ve 17 numerolu tahrîrât ve Nâfiʿa Nezâreti tezkiresi sûretidir Nümûneleri gönderilen üç nevʿ bez ile memâlik-i Osmâniyeʾde istihzâr olunan mensûcâtın Batavya‌ʾda revâc bulacağından bahisle bu gibi yerli kumaşların

Economic Ties

989

İstanbul Pazarı Şirket-i Osmâniyesi hesabına Osmanlı destgâhlarında ne gibi şerâʾit ile kaç guruşa nesc ve iʿmâl edilebileceğinin tahkîki hakkında mahall-i mezkûr başşehbenderliğinin işʿârına atfen vârid olan 3 Eylül sene [1]323 târihli ve 59 ve 61 numerolu iki kıtʿa tezkire-i aliyye-i âsafâneleri üzerine sebk eden tebliğe cevâben Dersaʿâdet Ticâret ve Zirâʿat ve Sanâyiʿ Odası riyâsetinden mevrûd tezkirede bu bâbda Beyrut ve Kastamonu Ticâret Odalarıyla biʾl-muhâbere mezkûr nümûnelerin şerâʾit-i tedârik ve iştirâsı hakkında tafsîlâtı hâvî alınan muharrerât sûretleriyle nümûnelerin gönderildiği görülmüş ve ancak mezkûr şirketin muʾahharan taʿtîl-i muʿâmelât ettiği haber verilmiş olduğu cihetle keyfiyetin savb-ı âlî-i âsafânelerinden lüzûm-ı istifsârı ledeʾl-havâle ticâret idâresinden ifâde kılınmış olmağla iktizâsının îfâ ve inbâsı himem-i aliyye-i nezâret-penâhîleri şâyân buyurulmak bâbında This is the copy of the communiqué of the Ministry of Public Works dated 31 December 1908 and numbered 17 The Ottoman consulate general [in Batavia sent] a communication stating that the three different kinds of cloths of which specimens were sent and Ottoman textile goods would be marketable in Batavia. [The consulate] requested an investigation into the prices and provisions of producing textiles like those of the natives in Ottoman workplaces. Two ministerial notes were issued on this subject dated 16 September 1907 and numbered 59 and 61, and in the note sent on, a response was provided from the presidency of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture and Industry on this matter. From the details taken from their correspondence with the Chambers of Commerce of Beirut and Kastamonu, it seems that they sent, together with the samples, copies of the documents containing the rules of procurement and purchase of the latter. However, information provided was that the said company had later ceased trading, and so when the matter was addressed to the Trade Administration, they pointed to the need of asking your high ministerial personage about the requirements of the situation. The requirements in this matter are to be commanded through the provision of your exalted ministerial assistance. Source: BOA HR.H. 253/8

8

Ministry of Commerce to the Ministry of the Interior on preventing the mixing of Manila fibre with that of Kastamonu hemp while producing rope, 1911

Ticâret ve Nâfiʿa Nezâreti Ticâret-i İdâre-i Umûmiyesi

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Aded 24 Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Hülâsâ: Kastamonuʾda iʿmâl edilen urgan hakkında ittihâzı lâzım gelen tedâbire dâʾir Devletlü efendim hazretleri Kastamonuʾnun yegâne ticâret ve ihrâcâtından olan ve gerek memâlik-i Osmâniyeʾde Avrupa piyasasında kıymet ve ehemmiyet-i fevka‌ʾl-âdeyi hâʾiz bulunan urganın tüccârdan ve Rum milletinden biri tarafından ot ile mahlût olarak iʿmâline teşebbüs olunduğundan ve bunun mehâzirinden bahisle bu bâbda tedâbir-i mâniʿa ittihâzı lüzûmuna dâʾir Kastamonu vilâyeti tahrîrâtının leffiyle istifsâr-ı mutâlaʿayı mütezammın muhâberât-ı umûmiye dâʾiresi üçüncü şuʿbesinden yazılan 12 Temmuz sene [1]327 târihli ve kırk iki bin beş yüz on altı umûmî ve yüz otuz dokuz husûsî numerolu tezkire-i aliyyeleri üzerine alâkadâr olan Kastamonu Ticaret ve Sanâyiʿ Odası riyâsetinden sebk eden istifsâra cevâben Amerika‌ʾnın Manilya adasından celb edilen bir nevʿ ot ile mahlûten iʿmâl kılınan urganların biʾt-tabʿ hîleli ve mahlût olduğundan asl Kastamonu kendiriyle maʿmûl urgan masnûʿâtının kesr-i rağbetini mûcib olacağı ve âtiyen mazarratı görüleceği ve işbu mazarratın menʿi için mârrüʾz-zikr otun Kastamonu kendiriyle karıştırılmayarak sâdece iʿmâl ettirilmesi esbâbının istikmâli teʾmîn-i maksada kâfî bulunduğu işʿâr kılınmış ve vilâyetin mürsel tahrîrâtı leffen iʿâde edilmiş olmağla vilâyet-i müşârunileyhâya ol vechile teblîğ-i keyfiyet buyurulması mütevakkıf-ı himem-i aliyye-i cenâb-ı nezâretpenâhîleridir ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 5 Ramazan sene [1]329 ve fî 16 Ağustos sene [1]327, Ticâret ve Nâfiʾa Nâzırı Ministry of Trade and Public Works General Directorate of Trade Number 24 To the exalted Ministry of the Interior: Summary: About the precautions that are required for rope produced in Kastamonu My kind and exalted lord; The sole commerce and export of Kastamonu consists of rope that is traded to a level of great importance in the Ottoman realms and the European markets and merchants from the Greek community are engaged in its production with a different variety of grass. The necessity of rectifying this matter and the potential harm of this development, are presented in the note of the Kastamonu provincial government dated 25 July 1911, bearing the general number 42516

Economic Ties

991

and particular number 139, written by the third section of the Department of General Communications requesting an inquiry into this issue. The board of the Kastamonu Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kastamonu sent a reply explaining that rope produced by mixing in a variety of grass imported from American island of Manila is naturally defective and impure, that this will have the effect of reducing demand for the rope products produced from Kastamonu hemp, and that the damage will be seen in the future. Moreover, in order to prevent these harms [they claimed that] it was sufficient to arrange the means to prevent the said [Manilan] grass from being mixed with Kastamonu hemp to ensure the purity of production. It is to the endeavours of Your Ministerial Highness to order a summary of this state of affairs to be sent to the said provincial governorate. In this matter, to command belongs unto him who commands all. 30 August 1911 Minister of Trade and Public Works Source: BOA DH.İD. 108/-1/20

9

Note of the Ministry of the Interior introducing the communiqué of Consul General in Batavia about quinine production and prices there, 1912

Dâhiliye Nezâreti Muhâberât-ı Umûmiye Dâʾiresi Meclis-i Tıbbiye-i Mülkiye ve Sıhhiye-i Umûmiye Riyâset-i Behiyyesiʾne Hülâsâ: Kinin hakkında Batavya Şehbenderliğiʾnden alınan tahrîrâtın gönderildiğine dâʾir. 12 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]327 târihli ve 1068 numerolu tezkireye cevâbdır. Memleketimizin birçok aksâmında hüküm-fermâ olup efrâd-ı ahâlîyi marîz ve ırk-ı Osmânîʾyi zebûn bir hâle getiren sıhhiyât-ı maraz-ı encihaya[?] karşı hükûmet Kinin nâmıyla kine iʿmâl ve ahâlîye tevziʿ edilmek üzre kininin Cava‌ʾdaki fiyatı ve ora fabrikaları tarafından ne mikdâr kine irsâli taʿahhüd edilebileceği ve bu fabrikalarla kontrato akd edilmek istenildiği takdîrde ne gibi şerâiti hâvî olması lâzım geleceği hakkında Batavya Başşehbenderliğiʾne sebk iden tebliğe cevâben bu bâbda îzâhat-ı matlûbeyi hâvî mezkûr şehbenderlikden gönderilip Hâriciye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾnden bâ-tezkire-i cevâbiye tevdîʿ edilen tahrîrât ve merbûtâtı leffen irsâl kılınmışdır efendim. 13 Şubat sene [1]327 Department of General Communication of the Ministry of the Interior To the Committee of Civil Medicine and the wonderful Presidency of Public Health

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Summary: The communiqué received from the Consulate General in Batavia about quinine prices has been sent. This is the response to note the dated 25 October 1911, number 1068. The government is seeking to distribute the drug called quinine for the treatment of the sickness that prevails in a number of parts of our land [i.e. malaria], infecting a great number of people and weakening the Ottoman people. The government sought to discover the price of quinine in Java, and the rate of production of the factories there, to ascertain what can be expected, and what stipulations might be required in contracts issued to the factories there. Therefore, a note had been sent to the Consulate General in Batavia. My lord, the response from the consulate, containing the requested explanations, is sent from the exalted Foreign Ministry and forwarded to Your Excellency together with its attachments. 26 February 1912 Source: BOA DH.İD. 55/43

10

A Dutch Police Officer from the Dutch Indies requesting his acceptance in Ottoman service, 1914

Harbiye Nezâreti Tahrîrât Dâʾiresi Tahrîrât Kalemi 110 Dâhiliye Nezâret-i Celîlesiʾne Devletlü efendim hazretleri Elsine-i müteʿaddideye âşinâ olduğundan ve hidemât-ı inzibâtiyede ihtisâsından bahisle hizmet-i Devlet-i Aliyyeʾye kabûl olunması ricâsını mütezammın Flemenk Hükûmetiʾnin Hindistanʾdaki müstemlekâtında polis müfettişi Kilinger imzâsıyla gönderilen Almanca mektûbun aynen ve leffen taraf-ı âlî-i dâverîlerine tisyâr kılınmağla ol-bâbda emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 29 Cemâziyelevvel sene [1]332 ve fî 12 Nisan sene [1]330 Harbiye Nâzırı Erkân-ı Harbiye Umûmî Reisi nâmına Müsteşar muʿavini Ministry of War Correspondence Department Correspondence Office

Economic Ties

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110 To the exalted Ministry of the Interior Your Highness, my illustrious lord, The original of the letter in German, sent with the signature of Kilinger [?], a police inspector of the Dutch government in the India colonies, relating his familiarity with various languages and his expertise in security services, and requesting his acceptance for the service of the Sublime State, is presented in enclosure to your Ministerial Excellency. In this matter, to command belongs unto him who commands all. 25 April 1914 Minister of War In the name of the Chief of the General Staff Assistant Minister Source: BOA DH.EUM.MEM. 47/23

11

Dutch Embassy’s invitation to the fair of the Dutch Indies, 1923

Hâriciye Vekâlet-i Celîlesiʾne Melfûf 1 Sene-i hâliye Temmuzuʾnun yirmi sekizinde küşâd etdirilerek on iki Ağustosʾa kadar devâm edecek olan Flemenk Hindistan müstemlekesi dördüncü senelik panayırına alâkadârânın iştirâke daʿvet olunması ricâ olunmasını ve bu bâbda maʿlûmâtı hâvî Flemenk Sefâretiʾnden vârid olan 18 Mayıs sene [1]923 târih ve 1414 numerolu takrîr-i şifâhînin sûreti melfûfâtıyla birlikde leffen takdîm kılındı efendim. Fî 26 Mayıs sene 1923 To the Exalted Foreign Ministry Enclosure 1 The request for invitation has been issued for interested parties concerning the fourth annual fair of the colonies of the Dutch Indies, which will open on 28 July in the current year and continue until 12 August. Information on this matter has come from the Dutch embassy, and the copy of the official note dated 18 May 1923, numbered 1414, is enclosed to be presented to you, my lord. 26 May 1923 Source: BOA HR.İM. 73/62

994 12

Chapter 13

Petition of Hacı Ibrahim to the governorate of Gerede requesting the restitution of his losses caused by his expulsion from Rangoon by English policemen, 1923

Gerede Kâimmakâmlığı Cânib-i Âlîsiʾne İzzetlü efendim hazretleri Âcizleri üç yüz otuz senesinde Hindçiniʾnde kasaba-i Rangoonʾda, Fraser Street’de otelcilikle meşgûl bulunuyordum o sene Nisan ayı zarfında olacak âcizlerini ani olarak İngiliz polisleri oradan çıkarıp Bombayʾa sevk etti mezkûr kasabada taht-ı îcârımda olan oteli ile Sepe[?] nâm mahalde çayhânemi müşterekim olan İranlı İbrahim nâmında bir kimseye terk ederek çıkmağa mecbûr oldum oradan çıktığım târihden bu güne kadar dokuz sene beş ay zarfında mezkûr otel ve çayhâneden hâsıl olan ticâretten ve otel ile çayhânede olan üç yüz elli İngiliz lirası kıymetinde olan eşya bedelinin merkum İbrahimʾden veyâhud müsebbiblerinden ve müfevvelüʾl[?]-pesendîde şerbetçi dükkanında kalan eşyâlarımın kıymeti olan yirmi İngiliz lirasının lâzım gelenlerden ve mezkûr Rangoan kasabasında karakol ittisâlinde mağaza sâhibi tüccârdan Yusuf Avâdʾda emâneten tevdi etmiş olduğum yirmi üç aded mücevher taşlı yüzük ile yetmiş beş aded [Siyâm] taş, yüz elli aded [yakut] ve on altı [Lüʾlüe] üç yüz dirhem lâciverdi taş, bin altı yüz ruplenin aynen ve sekiz çuval şeker bedeli olan yirmi dört İngiliz lirasının mûmâileyh Yusuf Avadʾdan istirdâdı Adenʾden (?) vapuruyla Mısırʾa gelir iken vapurda İngiliz kapudânıyla İngiliz kumandânı isimlerini der hâtır edemiyorum bunlar dört çift yakut ve inciden maʿmûl küpemi zabt ettiler bunların ya aynen veyâhud bedeli olan yüz yetmiş beş İngiliz lirasının dahî mütecâsirlerden tahsîli ve bi-gayrı hak beni ticâretden menʿ ve bunca zararlara düçâr ve beş buçuk sene Mısırʾda esîr olarak (?) 1132 numeroda Seyyid Ali Hacı İbrahim diye tevkîf edildiğimden müsebbiblerimin cezâlandırılması husûsunun lâzım gelen makâma inhâ ve işʿâr buyurulması bâbında emr u fermân hazret-i men lehüʾl-emrindir. Fî 9 Teşrîn-i Evvel sene [1]339 To His Excellency the district governor of Gerede: Your High Excellency: In the year 1914/1915, I was involved in a hotel business in Fraser Street in the township of Rangoon (Yangon) in Indochina. It must have been around the month April of the same year when the British police expelled and sent me to Bombay. I was forced to leave the hotel, together with the teahouse situated in the neighbourhood called Sepe[?] to someone called Iranian Ibrahim, who was my partner. In the nine years and five months that have passed from when I left that place until today I have lost out on 350 British pounds-worth of goods

Economic Ties

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at the hotel and the teahouse, as well as the amount resulting from the trade of this hotel and the teahouse owed to me by Ibrahim or by those who caused this. Moreover, I am owed 20 British pounds, being the value of my goods that were left at the sherbet shop. Additionally, I deposited the following items in trust with the merchant Yusuf Avad, who owns a shop near the police station: 23 bejewelled rings; 75 Siamese stones; 150 rubies; 16 pearls; three hundred dirhams of lapis lazuli; 1600 roubles; and 24 British pounds, being the value of the eight sacks of sugar that I entrusted to him. While I was travelling from Aden to Egypt on a steamboat, the British captain and commander, whose names I do not remember, seized the four pairs of ruby and pearl earrings I was carrying for themselves, and I require from the perpetrators in kind or in value, that being 175 British pounds. [I also request] that the required authorities punish those who unfairly prevented me from trading, and subjected me to so many losses by imprisoning me for five and a half years in Egypt in number (?) 1132, saying that they had arrested Sayyid Ali Hajji Ibrahim. In this matter, to command belongs unto him who commands all. 9 October 1923 Source: BOA HR.İM. 85/44

Bibliography

Archival Sources

Ottoman Section of Turkish Presidential Archives in Istanbul Bab-ı Asafi Sadaret Mektubi Kalemi Cevdet Tasnifi Dahiliye Nezareti Hatt-ı Hümayun Hariciye Nezareti İrade Tasnifi Maarif Nezâreti Mektubi Kalemi Meclis-i Vükela Mazbataları Şura-yı Devlet Evrakı Yıldız Evrakı Zabtiye Nezareti Evrakı Topkapı Palace Museum in Istanbul Archives of the U.S. Army Military Historical Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA, USA. John P. Finley Papers. Library of Congress (Manuscript Division), Washington, D.C., USA. Frank Carpenter Papers. John Pershing Papers. Leonard Wood Papers. Library of the University of Michigan (Special Collections), Ann Arbor, MI, USA. John P. Finley Papers. National Archives, Washington, D.C., USA. BIA: The Papers of the Bureau of Insular Affairs. National Library of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines. Manuel Quezon Papers. Moro Papers, Otley Beyer Collection. British Library Or. 15749, Chakrabongse Archive of Royal Letters.

998

Bibliography

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Index Aangzoo (military officer) 194 Abd al-Karim (Al-Hajj) 168 Abd Allah bin Datu Panglima Taupan (Al-Hajj, from Zamboanga) 906 Abd al-Qadir al-Said al-Rasul (Sayyid) 840 Abd al-Qadir bin Ahmad al-Bahr (Sayyid) 827 Abd al-Qadir bin Ali al-Shawi (Shaykh) 790 Abd al-Qadir bin Husayn al-ʿAydarus (Sayyid) 817 Abd al-Rahman b. Hisham (Sultan of Morocco r. 1822–1859) 4n9 Abd al-Rahman bin Abu Bakr Jafri (Sayyid) 827 Abdas Shaykh bin Mubarak al-Tahimi 542 Abdul Ghani bin Syaikh Muhammad Zain (from Banten) 12, 665 Abdul Hamid (Sharif, Sultan of Pontianak r. 1855–1872) 12n32 Abdul Rahman Istanbul bin Muhammad Saman al-Jawi al-Kalantani (scholar from Kelantan) 12 Abdul Rahman bin Malim Air Alang (al-Haj) 671 Abdul Rauf bin Hasan al-Asyi 198, 670 Abdul Salam bin Jamaluddin al-Asyi 670 Abdulkarim (Pangiran Temenggung Perdana Menteri al-Hajj, first vizier of the government of Bandar Aman) 163, 168 Abdulkhalil (Hatib, from Zamboanga) 908 Abdullah (Imam, from Zamboanga) 907 Abdullah bin al-Haj Sirah (from Aceh) 671 Abdullah bin Muhammad Zabidi (Shaykh) 665 Abdullah bin Teuku Perang Asyi 672 Abdullah al-Attas Efendi (Sayyid, Hadrami from Java) 708–9 Abdullah al-Saʿid Raʾis al-Hadrami (Sayyid) 839 Abdullah bin Amr al-Junaid (Sayyid) 422, 426 Abdullah bin Shamil (Ottoman citizen in Java) 871 Abdullah Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbul) 717

Abdullah Nuño (Haji, Antonio de la Cruz, local Muslim intellectual in Zamboanga) 881, 877–78, 880–85, 887–899, 906–907, 914, 927–28, 931 Abdullah Paşa (Sharif, Emir of Mecca) 149, 151 Abdullah Rabaki (Ottoman citizen in Java) 871 Abdullah Yusuf Paşa 165, 167 Abdulmuttalib (Factory Manager in Batavia) 875 Abdulwahhab (detainee in Yozgat) 763 Abdurrahim bin Mahmud (detainee in Adana) 768 Abdurrahman (al-hajj, from Zambonga) 907 Abdurrahman bin Abdullah (One of the chief of the Arabs in Bogor) 716 Abdurrahman bin Ebubekir Cefrî (Es-Seyyid) 826 Abdurrahman (Director of Galatasaray Imperial School) 745 Abdurrahman (Hacı, Ottoman citizen on Celebes) 654–55 Abdurrahman (Ottoman ship) 980 Abdurrahman (Raja of Surakarta) 326 Abdurrahman (Sidi) 771 Abdurrahman bin Abdülmecid (merchant residing in Mecca) 845–855 Abdurrahman al-Zahir see Habib Abdurrahman al-Zahir Abdurrahman Gayfan 542 Abdurrahman Han (Minister from Johor) 413 Abdülaziz (Ottoman Sultan r. 1861–1876)  195, 276, 502 Abdülaziz Baghdadi Efendi (Sayyid, Ottoman citizen and Consul General in Batavia) 778–789 Abdülfettah Efendi (son of Abdülaziz Baghdadi, Ottoman citizen in Batavia) 778–788 Abdülhamid II (Ottoman Sultan r. 1876– 1909) 8, 29, 242–43, 258, 264, 287, 291, 294–302, 305, 308, 313, 319, 322–24, 327,

1014 Abdülhamid II (cont.) 363, 383, 386–78, 392, 394, 571, 714, 805, 835, 885 fn25 Abdulhamid Mas Agus (Al-Hajj, resident of Palembang) 604 Abdülmecid (Ottoman Sultan r. 1839– 1861) 4, 6, 8, 13, 15–16, 82–84, 88, 90–92, 95, 100, 101–106, 143–145, 155, 171, 292–295, 303, 307, 311, 313, 324, 664–65, 810–11, 892 Abid bin Mubarak (Arab resident of Batavia) 827 Abinales, Patricio 882 Abu Bakar (Sultan of Johor r. 1862– 1895) 328, 363–67 Abu Bakar bin Muhammad al-Asyi 670 Abu Bakr (Caliph) 44, 805, 816 Abu Bakr al-Habashi 266 Abu Said (Shahbandar of Tembusai in Singapore) 249 Abu Tuwayraq see Badr bin Abdullah Abubakar (Hatib, from Zamboanga)  908 Abubakar Sungkar 717, 723–24 Aceh Aceh campaign 484 Aceh region 490, 506–507 Aceh war 223–26, 493, 498, 517 Acehnese chronicle 322 Acehnese cloth 89 Acehnese envoy 9–10, 14, 91, 97–8, 111–12, 115–19, 125, 140–41, 205–06, 212–13, 217–19, 231 Acehnese epics 2 Acehnese government 223, 229–30, 238–40, 502–03 Acehnese people 99–100, 197, 506, 667, 669 Adana 701, 762–68, 798 Aden 46, 48–9, 58–9, 67, 188, 384, 463, 559, 761, 995 Aden (governor of) 59, 761 Aegean Islands 736 Afghanistan 573, 634, 961 Afghans 961 agila wood 89, 95 Ahmad (Hatib from Zamboanga) 907

Index Ahmad bin Abdurrahman al-Zahir (Sayyid) 242–43 Ahmad Bashir (Maranao Muslim scholar) 901 Ahmad bin Ali Yamaki (Sayyid) 801 Ahmad bin Isa al-Muhâjirîn (Sayyid) 805, 816 Ahmad bin Uthman al-Khalida alNaqshbandi al-Sambawi 147 Ahmad Efendi (Sayyid, envoy of Riau) 151 Ahmad Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbul) 149 Ahmad Kanda Kerinci 671 Ahmad Khatib bin Abdul Ghaffar Sambas 665 Ahmad Khatib Efendi (Shaykh, Shafiʿi imam in Mecca) 604 Ahmad Said Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbul) 717 Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah (Sultan of Kedah r. 1803–1843) 75–78 Ahmed (Shaykh from Jawa) 147 Ahmed Adnan Paşa (son of Sharif Abdulmuttalib Efendi, Emir of Mecca) 580 Ahmed Ali Paşa 358 Ahmed Ataullah Efendi (Consul General in Singapore) 445–48, 450 Ahmed bin Salim Ba-wazir (a resident of Buitenzorg) 613 Ahmed Cevdet Paşa 363, 688, 695 Ahmed Daud Efendi (Medenî Molla) 458–59 Ahmed Efendi (son of Abdülaziz Baghdadi, Ottoman citizen in Batavia) 786–88 Ahmed Muhtar Paşa (Gazi) 708 Ahmed Paşa 359, 361–62, 981 Ahmed Ratıb (Governor of Hijaz) 443 Ahmed Rıfkı (Consul General in Batavia) 490, 492, 494, 803 Air Naik (on Sumatra) 173 Akantopolides (Doctor at Kamaran quarantine) 689, 691 al-Akwân family 739 Alauddin Ibrahim Mansur Shah (Sultan of Aceh r. 1838–1870) 6, 8, 15, 81–87, 90–139, 168–170, 179–84, 205, 207, 214, 222, 229, 238, 288, 295, 305, 307, 313, 892

Index Alauddin Jauhar al-Alam Shah (Sultan of Aceh r. 1795–1824) 275 Alauddin Mahmud Shah (Sultan of Aceh r. 1870–1874) 9, 19, 195, 205, 214, 230, 264, 282–83, 306, 312 Alauddin Muhammad Daud Shah (Sultan of Aceh r. 1874–1903) 6, 8, 19, 275, 277, 287, 289–90, 294–306, 312, 314–15 Alauddin Riayat Shah (Sultan of Aceh r. 1597–1615) 23 Alauddin Riayat Shah al-Kahhar (Sultan of Aceh r. 1537–1571) 27–29, 33, 38, 52–56, 63, 66 Alawi sayyids 834, 78, 721, 774, 834 Aleppo 543–45, 798 Alexander II (Russian Emperor r. 1855–1881) 385 Alexander III (Russian Emperor r. 1881–1894) 385 Alexandria (in Egypt) 53, 55, 57, 63, 67, 74, 188–89, 464 Algeria 798 Ali (Caliph) 44 Ali (Hajji, Raja Ali’s brother) 143 Ali bin Lankutah 669 Ali al-Mergaz (Shaykh Sayyid) 283 Ali bin Abdullah bin Tubigh al-ʿAmiri al-Hamdani (Shaykh) 291, 294 Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Sahl Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbul) 740–43 Ali bin Emir Jaʿfar (Raja, Yang Dipertuan Muda of Riau) 7, 142–45, 149, 151, 152, 153 Ali bin Hasan bin Umar al-Habashi Jamal al-Layl al-Alawi (Sharif) 153, 155, 264–66, 268–270, 278–80, 282–83, 285–86, 399, 580 Ali bin Sayyid Alawi al-Jafri Efendi (Sayyid) 158, 155 Ali bin Sharif Ismail (from Aceh) 278, 282–83 Ali bin Shihab (Sayyid) 817 Ali bin Umar al-Junaid Ba Alawi 168–70 Ali Daniş Bey (Ottoman Diplomat) 439 Ali Efendi bin Sahl (Javanese student in Istanbul) 737–38 Ali Galib Beg (Ottoman consul in Batavia) 472, 706, 811

1015 Ali Haidar (son of Haidar, Ottoman prisoner-of-war in Thayetmyo) 973 Ali Hajji Ibrahim (Sayyid) 995 Ali Masʿud (chief of Honoured Mecca Club) 629 Ali Muhsin al-Shibli (Shaykh) 646 Ali Oglou Ismail (Ottoman prisoner-of-war in Thayetmyo) 966 Ali Polat (son of Ali, Ottoman prisoner-ofwar in Thayetmyo) 973 Alim (Maharaja) 908 Allehanda (Swedish newspapers) 564 Ally Ghaza (Hadjee, Ottoman citizen in Burma) 194 Alrato Aʿisha (Sayyida al-Sharifa) 266 Amarapura (Historical Capital of Burma) 187 ambergris (commodity) 46, 76, 171, 174 Ambon 526 Ament (Landlord on Java) 653 America 421, 443, 460, 516, 531, 559, 650, 900, 909, 912, 934, 936–37, 957, 958, 960, 966–68 American American customs and laws 896, 910 American Embassy 468, 958–60, 966–68 American subjects 570, 937 American warship 529 American-Spanish war 934 Amr bin Said bin Talib 827 al-Amudi (in Hadramawt) 810 amulet 24–26, 92 Amumatam bin Pam (from Aceh) 670 Anatolia 617, 835 Andalusia 816, 832 Anglo-Burmese War 186, 189 Aniyya (Imam from Zamboanga) 907 Ankara (in Anatolia) 762–63, 797–98 Annamese 348 Antasari (Imam from Zamboanga) 907, 928 Antonio de la Cruz see Abdullah Nuño Antuvan Peyanki[?] (Chief deputy of Prince Chakrabongse) 400 al-Aqsa mosque 16, 143 Arab Arab clothes 278, 527, 556 Arab community 614, 718, 723–24

1016 Arab (cont.) Arab compatriots 659 Arab horse 402, 404 Arab lute (gambus) 628 Arab Mosque 485 Arab preachers 600 Arabia 667, 676, 792, 817 Arabian Peninsula 228, 482, 815, 832, 834 Arabic language 130, 511, 817 Arabs 15, 44, 76, 102, 295, 315, 324–25, 370, 375–76, 446, 481–82, 485, 516, 518, 541–42, 592, 634, 654, 658–60, 696, 707, 714–16, 769, 771, 773–74, 776–77, 786–87, 791–792, 800–01, 810–13, 817–18, 820–21, 824–25, 834, 854, 864, 866–68, 872–74, 959, 961 Arafat 573 Ârâm Efendi (Ottoman diplomat) 439 Arif Bey (private chamberlain) 268 Armenian 5, 631n21, 961, 963, 979 Arnavud Hasan Ağa (First chief warder) 691 Asahan (on Sumatra) 12, 12n31, 169, 173–74 Ashfaq Efendi (Hadrami Sayyid, a prominent rich Arab) 636 ashrāf (the Prophet’s descendants) 171, 174 Asım Bey (Ottoman diplomat) 452 Asian rulers 4, 31, 75, 328, 368, 769 Asians 3, 9, 10, 15, 31–2, 471, 700, 862–64 Asîr issue 211 Aşiret Mektebi (The School for Tribes) 701 Atâî Efendi (Qadi of Medina) 750 Atay (Panglima, from Zamboanga) 908 Athens 358–59, 361–63 atlas (silk fabric) 23 al-Attas family 810, 817 Augustin, Basilio 529 Austria 22, 68, 330–32, 384, 464, 591, 595, 634, 648, 698 Austrian Consul 591, 595 autocracy 385 Ava (Historical Capital of Burma) 187 Awn al-Rafiq (Emir of Mecca) 443, 678 Aydın (city in Anatolia) 797 al-Aydarus family 812, 817 Ayn al-Zubayda 679 Ayn Bamaʿbad (in Yemen) 805 Aynan (in Yemen) 816

Index Azaryan Efendi 982 Aziz Efendi (Lieutenant) 409 Ba Junaid (Shaykh, Leader of the Arab community Bogor) 718, 723–24 Bab el-Mandeb 125, 675, 676 Babakır (Indian merchant) 276 Bade Wun (Minister of Metalworks of Burma) 186 Badr bin Abdullah (Abu Tuwayraq, Emir of Hadramawt) 805, 810 Baghdad 24, 89n13, 125, 482 Baghlan 294 Baginda Omar (Sultan of Terengganu r. 1839–1876) 429 bags (commodity) 977 Bahoban Mosque 626 bajalushka (siege cannons) 49 Balangingi-Samal diaspora 880–81 Balhaf (in Yemen) 805, 816 Bali 88, 90 Balkan Wars 646–47 Baltic Sea Company 339 Bandung 826 Bangkok 248, 348, 384–85, 496, 615, 616, 632 Bangkok Islamic Committee, The 632 Bangta Muda Tuanku Hasyim (Acehnese minister) 288 Bani Hajar 816 Bani Hamdan 816 Bani Kinda 816 Bani Quraysh Makhzam bin Habul Makhzami 482 Bani Tamim 816 Banjarmasin (on Borneo) 537–38 Banta bin Selamat (from Aceh) 669 Bantala Ajad (from Zamboanga) 908 Barat 207 al-Barat (on Sumatra) 173 Baring, Evelyn (Lord Cromer) 804 Basilan 879, 881, 888, 890n45, 894–95 Basra 125, 876, 798, 805, 816, 972 Batavia 167, 292, 294, 306, 317, 425, 430, 433, 449, 456, 464, 466, 469, 484–85, 488, 512, 557, 562, 571, 588–89, 602, 604, 607, 638, 641, 643, 648, 706, 713, 716–17, 720–21, 723, 735, 769, 771, 774, 780, 786–87, 789, 791, 800–01, 804–12, 820,

Index 821, 826, 833, 839, 841, 843, 852, 854, 875–76, 980, 982, 985, 987, 989 Batavia Handelsblad (newspaper) 556 Batavian Hadramis 369 Bates, John C. (General) 897 Batu al-Besar Kerinci (Mualim) 671 Batu Bara (in north Sumatra) 12 Batu Licin 791 Batua Kerinci (Mualim) 671 Baxter (Captain) 969–70 Bay of Bengal 128, 348 Bayan bin Mansyan 670 Baydawi, Qadi 621–23 Bayram Oglou Mazhar (Ottoman prisoner of war in Thayetmyo) 966 Bayugi (Hatib from Zamboanga) 907 beeswax (commodity) 275 Beirut 721, 798, 822, 989 bejewelled rings (commodity) 995 Bekir Sami Efendi 623 Belgium 385, 419 Benghazi 798 Bengkalis 248, 252 Bengkulu 99, 105, 129, 429 benzoin, fine (commodity) 169 see also white benzoin Van Den Berg, L.W.C. (Dutch Scholar) 526 Berlin 328–32, 336, 460, 533–34, 593, 595–96, 633 Betel 169, 349 Van Den Biesen, Jacob W. (Dutch Catholic Politician) 526 Biʾr Ali (Abar Ali, port of Hadramawt) 805, 816 Bilal Aram (from Zamboanga) 907 Bilal Asmail 908 Bilal Hasan 907 Bilal Musa 908 Bilal Tu[w]pan 908 Bintala Ummar 907 Bismarck Archipelago 534 Bitlis (in Anatolia) 798 Blanco, Ramón (Field Marshal) 530 Bliss, Tasker B. (Governor of the Moro Province) 884 Van Blokland, Frans Beelaerts 867 Bodrum (in Anatolia) 70 Boeroe (island) 526

1017 Bogor 554n12, 614n14, 714–16, 718, 723–24 Bombay 89n13, 433, 439, 441, 476, 486, 773, 803–04, 822, 981, 994 Bonaparte, Louis-Napoleon (President of the French Republic from 1848 to 1852) 91, 832 Borneo 12, 88, 90, 100, 102, 105, 128, 264, 312, 317, 320, 443, 482, 486–88, 516, 518, 537–38, 791, 816 Bosnian 5 Botanical Garden of Batavia 982 Boworadet (Siamese Prince, Minister of Defence 1928–1931) 414–17 Braginsky, Vladimir 470n1, 322n118, 470n1 Brahmanists 482 brass (commodity) 49 Brindisi 188 Bristol, Mark Lambert (Admiral) 468 Britain 162, 186, 188, 195, 276, 320, 363, 385, 429, 463, 472, 484, 490, 493, 516, 567, 634, 636, 695, 758, 804, 833, 958 British British colonial rule 189 British colony 248, 418, 429, 506, 571 British consul 248, 319–20, 438, 562 British Consulate General 464, 638, 644 British government 147, 321, 438, 461–62, 557, 567, 624, 803, 810, 959, 967, 972 British governors 247 British Library 189n48, 383n11 British officials 462, 465–66, 557, 804 British paper factories 562 British police 994 British political agent 189n48 British power 186 British Residency 320 British ships 466 British state 114, 147, 246, 508, 624, 761 British territory 466 British towns and cities 188 British troops 960–61 Brooke dynasty 320 Brooke, Charles (Rajah of Sarawak) 320, 324–25 Brunei 6, 8–9, 11, 18, 319–22, 324n120, 325 Buddha 349 Buddhism 349 Bugis 88, 90, 100, 142

1018 Buitenzorg 554, 613, 980 Bulgarian government 570 al-Buni, Ahmad (13th-century Egyptian Scholar) 26 Burma 29, 185–89, 194, 349, 384, 496, 630, 958–60, 966, 969–70 Bursa (in Anatolia) 798 Burum (in Yemen) 805, 816 Buru see Boeroe Buyuk (Panglima, from Zamboanga) 907 Byzantines 4 Byzantium 2 Cairo 67, 74, 188–89, 277, 367, 700, 957 Calais 188 Calcutta 186, 187n37, 634, 637, 804 Calicut 48, 67, 584 Calicut (qadi of) 27 Caliphate 15, 43, 66, 102, 124, 132, 162, 167, 200, 222, 229, 239, 268, 282, 294, 313, 372, 375, 425, 434, 446, 459, 463, 506, 557, 559, 576, 582, 587, 588–89, 619, 622, 634, 636, 644, 659–60, 714, 716, 719, 723, 736, 744, 746, 771, 805, 816–17, 834, 836, 934, 939–40, 944, 946, 981 Cambodia 348 camphor (commodity) 47, 89 Çanakkale (in Anatolia) 639 cannon 47, 49, 67, 88, 99, 123, 129, 162, 171, 229, 247, 255, 275, 291, 294, 306, 312, 476, 505 Cape Town 446, 448 Carnelian mines 130 Caroline Islands 534 Carpenter, Frank 887 carpets (commodity) 979 Casale, Giancarlo 27, 29, 33–4 Çatalca 798 Catalonia 795 Catholic party (Netherlands) 526 Caucasian 464 Cavalrymen 476 Cavite (on Luzon island) 529, 881 Celebes 518, 655, 706, 822 Cemal Paşa 955, 957 Cemil Paşa (Ambassador in Paris) 424–25 Central Asia 588 Central Europe 516

Index Central Powers 632 Ceram (island) 526 Cevad Paşa (Grand Vizier) 344, 708, 710 Cevher Abdullah Ağa 691 Ceylon 47–8, 67, 188, 559 Chakrabongse Bhuvanadh (Siamese Prince) 382–83, 386, 390, 392, 394–96, 400–05 Chang Siam (in Thailand) 348 Charles II (King of England r. 1660–1685) 29 China 10, 123, 348–49, 463, 493, 559, 573, 589, 620, 981, 988 Chinese profiteers 552–53 Chingiz Han 47 Chirapravati Voradej (Siamese Prince) 341, 386 Cholera 527, 661, 675–77, 687 Christian Christian Europe 589 Christian government 527–28, 658, 835 Christian sovereigns 5 Christianisation 527 Chulalongkorn (King of Siam r. 1868– 1910) 29, 328, 352n5, 381–87, 397–98 cinchona (commodity) 484, 547–48 cinnamon (commodity) 47, 130 Circassian 363, 855 Cirebon (on Java) 867, 482, 867, 979–80 Civan Ilyas (Ottoman subject) 796 cloth (commodity) 22–3, 89, 92, 95, 97, 278, 349, 527, 536, 552, 556, 739, 792, 796–97, 833, 928, 960, 963–64, 971, 977, 989 cloves (commodity) 47, 130 Cobb, Francis 29, 30 coconut (commodity) 169 coconut trees (commodity) 46 coffee (commodity) 130, 275, 484, 547–48, 961–62, 974–76, 979 coffee beans (commodity) 169 Cojuangco, Margarita delos Reyes 880, 881n8 Colombia 650 Colombo 384 Constantine Phaulkon 349 Constantinople see Istanbul

Index Copper (commodity) 56, 58–9, 67, 99–100, 130 Cotabato (district of Moro Province) 882, 893n56 Cremer, Jacob Theodoor (Dutch Minister of Colonies) 527 Crete 588, 798 Crimea 334n1, 385–86 Crimean War 386 crystal (commodity) 349 Cuba 530, 793–98 Cuban volunteers 530 cumin seed (commodity) 961 Currie, Philip (British ambassador in Istanbul) 804 Dagestani Ahmed Efendi 317 Dahob 791 Dahomey (Kingdom of) 497 Damrong Rajanubhap (Siamese Prince, king’s half-brother 1862–1943) 328, 335–39, 341–43, 351–55, 357, 359–63, 370, 377, 381–83, 385, 386n19, 387 Danish East India Company 11 Dardanelles 648–49, 798 Darfur (sultanate of) 15, 24 Dâruşşafaka (Orphans’ School) 700 Datto Mandi 907 Daud bin al-Haj Sirah (from Aceh) 970 Daud (Syaikh, from Lung Tujuh) 200 Daud bin Ismail bin Mustafa Rumi (Shaykh Scholar) 894 Daud Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbul) 716 Dawud bin Tanun (from Aceh) 670 Davao 882 Daver Efendi (Adjutant Major) 409 Deir ez-Zor 798 Deli 493, 600 Denmark 385 Derviş Paşa 283 Desnitskaya, Yekaterina (Siamese Prince Chakrabonse’s wife) 386 Detention Camp 958, 960, 964, 966–67, 969–70 Devawongse Varoprakarn (Siamese Prince, Minister of Foreign and Internal Affairs) 351–52

1019 Deykerhoff, Christoffel (Dutch General) 503 Dhofar 720, 961, 805 diamond (commodity) 88, 130 Dickinson, Jacob M. (U.S. Secretary of War) 884 Dikarun bin Janjah (from Aceh) 669 Diki-Diki (Panglima, hereditary chief of the island of North Ubian) 928 Diyarbekir (in Anatolia) 798 Doprenis 985 Dorsets (British regiment) 972 Dutch Dutch aggression 502, 575 Dutch Cabinet 848–49 Dutch Christians 106, 258 Dutch colonial rule 90, 147, 153, 537, 777, 851 Dutch colonies 242, 246, 315, 318, 370, 419, 456, 462, 470–73, 476, 481–82, 486, 500, 506, 516, 541–42, 546, 548, 554n12, 557, 558n13, 562, 564, 566, 569–70, 574, 588, 612, 631, 758, 772, 774, 777, 781, 785, 786, 788–90, 810–11, 813, 824, 827, 834, 844–48, 862–64 Dutch consulate 101, 276, 559, 667–68, 672–73, 694, 698, 759, 764, 787, 801 Dutch Embassy 155–56, 168, 223–26, 228, 318–19, 368, 425, 539–40, 542, 607, 666, 682, 764, 766, 785, 787, 867, 969, 979–80, 993 Dutch Government 163, 165, 167, 174, 179–80, 184, 222, 229–31, 234–36, 238–40, 247, 249, 255, 258, 287, 294, 315, 369, 375–76, 419, 421, 424–25, 429, 433–34, 454, 456, 462, 466, 471, 483–86, 490, 493, 502–03, 506–08, 512, 516, 519, 528, 536, 538, 541, 559, 570, 576, 603–05, 608, 611, 624, 631, 706, 761, 772–73, 777, 781, 786–89, 810–11, 817, 821–22, 824–27, 832–35, 841, 847, 850–52, 862, 864, 871, 873, 980, 993 Dutch infidels 308 Dutch invasion 295, 306n100 Dutch King 306, 484, 567 Dutch language 471 Dutch mail ships 464 Dutch National Assembly 631

1020 Dutch (cont.) Dutch Navy 484, 566 Dutch occupation 287 Dutch officials 287, 466, 538, 868–69, 871–73 Dutch oppression 249n63, 252–53, 256–63, 318, 623, 835 Dutch parliament 523, 566, 570, 605, 725 Dutch Post 464 Dutch Protestant 512, 601 Dutch scholars 511 Dutch settlers 517 Dutch soldiers 535, 500, 503, 508, 535 Dutchmen 484 East India Company 11, 29, 429n8, 429n10 East India Trade Company 832, 484 Eastern Ocean 128, 168–69 Eastern Telegram Company 562 Edirne (in Anatolia) 797–98 Egypt 2, 48–9, 53–4, 57, 59–61, 63, 67, 71, 73–4, 78, 99, 133, 189, 564, 708–09, 712, 804, 855, 887, 987, 995 Egypt (governor of) 49, 54, 63, 71, 73, 78 Egyptian Janissaries 67, 464 Eid al-Fitr 619, 626, 629, 641 elevatio 10–15, 17, 31, 143, 155, 171, 174, 205, 250, 665 Elizabethan England 21 Emin Bey (Ottoman Consul General in Batavia) 444, 607 Emin Efendi (Lieutenant) 409 Encik Ismail (aide of Encik Mustafa) 413–14 Encik Mustafa (Minister of the Sultan of Johor) 413–14 English 4, 6, 18, 27, 29–31, 33, 92–3, 129–30, 155n25, 186–89, 243–44, 288n81, 321, 328, 382–83, 386–87, 423, 429n10, 482, 494–96, 556, 561–62, 616, 623, 632, 634, 636, 760–61, 877–78, 890–91, 893–95, 897–98, 902n73, 909, 912, 962, 971, 994 Entente States 660 Equator 77, 128, 168–69, 552 Ertuğrul Fırkateyni (Ottoman frigate) 14, 243–44, 248–50, 252–53, 256, 258–64, 275, 372, 488, 578–84, 588 Erzurum (in Anatolia) 798

Index Ethiopia 3, 19, 662 Ethiopian documents 14 Euphrates River 958 Europe 186, 188, 194, 288, 328, 332, 349, 363, 384, 390, 411–12, 419, 441, 475, 482–84, 493, 516–17, 558, 589, 786, 788, 832, 835, 897 European European civilisation 589 European Markets 990 European powers 4, 30, 82, 469 European States 114, 139, 158 Europeans 5, 10, 242, 349, 375, 382, 418, 456, 471, 481–82, 484–85, 492, 509, 516, 528, 541, 552–53, 556, 636, 657, 660, 769–80, 786–87, 810–11, 817, 824, 826, 835, 842–44, 847 Eutong Meliki 653 Facundo Mandi (Datu Sama-Spanish mestizo and influential leader of Zamboanga) 884 Faik Paşa 408 Fakih Kerinci 670 Fakih Tunku Kerinci 671 Far East 321, 446, 471, 483, 496, 588 Fatah Kerinci (Mualim) 671 Fatıma İsmet 875–76 Fatima (daughter of the Prophet) 266, 275, 701 Fazlullah Paşa (Sayyid) 77 Feindel, C. (German Consul General in Singapore) 460 Fekete, Ludwing 20–21 Fener Baghtché [i.e. Fenerbahçe] 968 Ferman 3 Fethi Bey (Ottomn Diplomat) 439 Feyzullah Bey (Director of the translation office of the Ministry of War) 417 Finley, John P. (governor of Zamboanga in Philippines) 877, 878n4, 881n10, 882–90, 892–93, 896–97, 899, 909–10, 912–14, 926–53 Firearms 268, 349 Fîrûz Ağa neighbourhood (in Tophane) 278, 282 Fishing 46, 307

Index florin (Dutch curency) 435–36, 512, 557, 560–61, 566–67, 643–44, 646, 648–49, 826, 980–81 France 22, 91–2, 186–87, 195, 349, 385, 387, 463, 493, 496–97, 516, 632, 634, 642 Franco-Siamese War 384 Frankish lands 68 Franks 46, 68, 356 Fraser Street 994 French 4, 6, 20, 84, 89, 91, 92–3, 95, 100, 106, 108, 129–30, 164, 171, 174, 180, 248, 288, 349, 384–85, 418, 419n1, 440, 471, 496–97, 511, 526, 559, 564, 612–13, 615, 636, 644, 654, 673, 700n1, 704–6, 721, 739–41, 744–46, 761, 772n1, 776n2, 780, 822, 844, 961, 982 French Indochina 384 fruit tree seeds (commodity) 983 fruit trees (commodity) 275 Fuad Paşa 419 furs (commodity) 349 Galata 278–79 Galatasaray Imperial School 700n1, 710, 733, 737–39, 741–43, 746, 748–49 Galib Bey (Ottoman Consul General in Batavia) 432–34, 436, 439–41, 585, 801, 868 Gallipoli peninsula 639 Galvani, Antonio (Paper producer in Pordenone) 92 Gary, Henry (East India Company servant) 29 Gascoyne-Cecil, Robert (Lord Salisbury)  437–38 gee (commodity) 961 General Staff Academy (in St Petersburg) 386 Geneva 464, 958 George (Prince of Greece and Denmark) 359 German German Cabinet 593, 596 German Capitalists 493 German Consul 413, 459–60, 633, 643, 871 German engineers and technicians 385 German Red Cross 642–44

1021 Ghalib al-Kathiri (Emir of Hadramawt) 774 Ghazi 16, 76, 195, 242, 258, 291, 294, 296, 303–04, 323, 639–40, 714, 798, 805, 811 Gilan 22 Girvan, William 890, 893, 897, 908, 912, 914 glass (commodity) 349 Gogo (Datu) 928 Gold 5, 12, 22, 48, 66, 73, 88, 92, 130, 275, 560 gold dust (commodity) 130 Gonder (in Ethiopia) 14 Governor-General (of Dutch Indies) 7, 14, 318–19, 811 De Graaf (the director of foreign affairs) 554 Greek 5, 76, 79n1, 349, 985, 987 Greek community 990 Greek Orthodox School 543 Grey, Edward (British Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1892–1895) 496 Gujarat 47, 50 Gulf of Siam 348 Gum (commodity) 23, 130 Gundam Shah (Sultan of Muko-Muko r. 1728–1752) 428–29 Habashi family 812 Habib Abdurrahman al-Zahir (Sayyid, Hadrami, minister and envoy of Aceh) 8, 9, 14, 17, 19, 195, 198, 202, 204–08, 211–219, 222, 229, 233, 240, 243, 276, 502, 610 al-Haddad family 812, 817 al-Hadi al-Ghalib (Imam of Sanaa) 4n9 Hadi bin Iwad (Arab in Batavia) 827 Hadi bin Salih bin Talib (Arab in Batavia) 827 Hadith (traditions of the prophet) 896, 910 Hadramawt 317, 512, 712, 760, 769, 773–74, 792, 805, 810, 815–18, 834, 867–68 Hadrami Hadrami authorship 258 Hadrami envoys 2, 14 Hadrami immigration 769 Hadramis 258, 369, 370, 373–76, 769, 771–73, 769, 793, 798, 800–02, 805–09, 811–12, 816, 813, 824, 826, 828, 849, 868 Hafız Osman Calligraphy 617

1022 al-Hajarayn (in Yemen) 816 Haji Abdul Rahman bin Malim Air Alang 671 hajj (pilgrimage) 2, 211, 268, 426, 518, 526–27, 572–73, 577, 661, 759, 937–38 Hajjis 258, 418, 527, 661, 697–98 Halil Bey (Ottoman Foreign Minister) 564, 566, 648, 650 Halim Djavid (Captain) 977 Halkalı Zirâʿat Mektebi (Halkalı Agriculture School) 700, 731, 737–38 Hamid Efendi (Sayyid) 445, 447 Hamzah Kerinci (Sayyid) 670 Hanafi school 44n4, 129 Hannema, Sjoerd (Dutch Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs) 461 Harida (in Yemen) 810 Harput 798 Harrison, Francis B. (Governor General of Philippines) 887–89, 899 Harun al-Rashid 698 Harun bin Abdul Rahman Asyi 669 al-Hasa 834 Hasan bin Ahmad (from Aceh) 670 Hasan bin Ibrahim (Jawa resident of Mecca) 679 Hasan bin Muhammad Salih Asyi 669 Hasan Hüsnü Paşa (Minister of the Navy) 258, 579, 584 Hasan Tahsin Binbaşı (Ottoman emissary to Burma) 186, 194 Hashemite clan 171 Hashim (Shaykh, uncle of Mahmud Daud Shah) 283 Hashim Abdullah Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbul) 711 Hashim Jalilul Alam Akamuddin (Seri Paduka Bawah Duli Yang Dipertuan Sultan of Brunei, r. 1885–1906) 319, 322–24 Hasyim (Teuku, Regent of Aceh) 19, 287–89, 295 havayi (siege cannons) 49 al-Hawr 805, 816 Hawrah (in Yemen) 810 Hegira 622 Helfferich, Karl Theodor (German Finance Minister) 643

Index Hendrik (Prince, husband of the Queen Wilhemina) 651 Herbert, Patricia 185 Herring (merchant in Sumatra) 590–91, 593–97 Hewett, Godfrey (British consul in Brunei) 319–21 Hidayatullah Shah (Sutan of Muko-Muko r. 1816–1832) 429n9 Hijaz Hijaz (governor of) 442–43, 678–80, 697–98, 750 Hijrayn (in Yemen) 810 Hikayat Aceh 321, 322n116 Hikayat Iskandar Zulkarnain 5 Hikayat Johor 363 Hikmet bin Moustapha (Ottoman prisoner of war at Thayetmyo) 959 Hilal (Turkish newspaper) 970 Hindu 306, 835 Hindustani 637, 962 Hira (the cave) 664 hisalbend (commodity) 47 Hızırzâde Aziz Efendi (Sayyid from Baghdad) 430–31, 434 Holland 99, 102, 276, 419, 516–17, 567, 695, 758, 811, 834–35, 844 Holy Shrines 16, 44, 76, 93, 99, 105–06, 143, 662, 805 horses 49, 51, 55–6, 58–9, 62, 67, 476 House of Chakri 382, 384n14, 393–94 House of Osman 522, 599, 628 House of the Prophet 205, 242 Hudaydah 684–85, 687–88, 761, 984 Hukm (tribe) 184–85 Hungarian 5, 564, 643 Hungary 384 Husain (al-Hajj, Second vizier of Taha Saifuddin) 163 Husain bin Alah (from Aceh) 669 Husain bin Ali (notable of Aceh) 670 Husain bin Umar (from Aceh) 670 Husayn (Sayyid) 151 al-Husayn al-Yamani al-Jadidi (from Surabaya) 873 Husayn bin Muhsin al-Attas (Sayyid) 817 Husayn Efendi (Sayyid, envoy of Riau) 149 hussars 386, 476 Hüsameddin Efendi bin Şerif 821–22

Index Hüseyin (Acehnese envoy to Istanbul) 72 Hüseyin Paşa (Governor of Hijaz) 180 Hyderabad 804 Hymans, Martin (consul of the Grand Duchy of Baden in Semarang) 424, 425 Hyogo (Japanese port) 584 Ibbang (from Zamboanga) 908 Ibrahim (Imam from Zamboanga) 907 Ibrahim (Sayyid, secretary of the Islamic school in Bangkok) 615–16 Ibrahim Al Masyhur Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar Al-Khalil Ibrahim Shah (Sultan of Johor r. 1895–1959) 411–14, 449n17–50 Ibrahim al-Khulusi bin Wuddin 665 Ibrahim Kerinci (Mualim) 671 Idi (on the northeast coast of Aceh) 276 al-Idris (tomb of, saint in Jakarta) 602 Idris bin Abdul Rauf (from Aceh) 671 Idrus Alawi Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbull) 711 Ilkhanid chancery 3 Illana Bay 879 Imam al-Shafiʿi 97 Imam Muda (Seri, Acehnese minister) 202, 204–05, 207 Imperial Dockyard 162, 688 Imperial Ship 246 Imperial Treasury 125, 133, 139, 341, 402–404 India Indian Buddhist 312 Indian cotton (commodity) 46 Indian Islands 239, 315, 318, 375–76, 47–72, 481–486, 488, 505–06, 511, 517, 520, 548, 558, 566, 588–89, 592, 600, 627, 706, 736, 763, 785, 816–17, 832, 851 Indian Muslims 582, 611, 647 Indian Ocean 1, 27, 168, 184, 188, 287, 426, 483, 516, 582, 677, 683–85, 687 Indies 45, 51, 474, 484, 536, 582, 599, 821 Indios 879 Indo-China 620 Indochina Bank 632 Indonesia 12n31, 26n62, 240, 248, 295, 512, 523, 539, 545, 563, 580, 590, 665, 805, 812, 813, 818, 828, 894, 979 Ioannia 798 Iranun 879

1023 Iraq 16, 44, 143, 667, 834 Irrawaddy River 960 Isabela (in northern Luzon) 881 Ish (island) 286 Iskandar Muda (Sultan of Aceh r. 1607– 1636) 23, 29n71, 295, 303, 306, 321–22 Iskandar Zulkarnain 5, 322 Islamic Islamic chanceries 3 Islamic courts 756 Islamic Endowments 158 Islamic languages 187 Islamic law 91, 173, 896 Islamic policy 659 Islamic reformists 902 Islamic revivalist ideas 370 Islamic schools 541, 658 Islamic unity 149, 573 Islamic world 14, 20, 22, 24, 247, 519, 588, 599, 647, 714, 817, 836, 900–01 Islamic zeal 155, 659 Ismaʿil bin Abdallah al-Khalidi (Shaykh) 106, 665 Ismail Bey (Commissioner for Serbia) 439 Ismail Efendi (Shaykh) 7, 135, 147 Ismail Kerinsyi 671 Istanbul 1, 3–4, 6, 9, 11–5, 18, 20, 29–31, 33, 61, 69n27, 71, 75–6, 81, 88, 91, 95, 97, 100–01, 105–10, 114, 119, 143, 147, 153, 156, 162, 165, 167–68, 184, 187, 189, 194–95, 211–12, 223–26, 228, 238, 243, 248–49, 252, 255, 264, 275, 277, 282, 287–88, 295, 305–08, 318–21, 324, 328–29, 333–35, 337–39, 363, 367–71, 377, 381–83, 386, 403, 405, 414–16, 418, 427, 434, 463–64, 466–68, 490, 573, 584, 592, 607, 613, 649, 666, 700, 703, 706–08, 710–12, 714–17, 720–21, 723, 725, 727, 735–36, 741, 769, 785–86, 820, 844, 852, 853, 872, 875–78n4, 885–88, 892n53, 900–01n71, 934, 958–60, 965–69, 973, 975–76, 989 Italian Italian paper 92 Italian parliament 985 Italy 186, 188, 330–32, 384, 464, 984 Ivan IV (Russian Tsar r. 1547–1584)  30–01

1024 Iwad bin Umar al-Qatifi al-Himyari (governor of Hijrayn) 810 Izmit (in Anatolia) 798 Izzet (son of Haidar, Turkish prisoner-of-war in Thayetmyo) 973 İbrahim Bey (Director of the Ottoman Foreign Ministry Translation Office) 408 İbrahim Celil Bey (vice-undersecretary of Ottoman General Directorate of Political affairs) 764, 767 İçel (in Anatolia) 765, 768 İkdâm (newspaper) 872 infantry battalions 476 invocatio 10–11, 20, 28–29 İsa Meslul Ağa (Warder) 689, 691 Jabal Asad (mountain) 816 Jabal Qamar (mountain) 816 Jabbi 908 Jacobs Hymans Company 425 Jafar bin Amr bin Said 827 Jahangir (Mughal emperor) 17 Jakat (Consul General in Batavia) 559 Jamal al-Din (Shaykh) 704, 707 Jamal al-Layl al-Alawi 265–66 Jamal ul-Kiram II (Sultan of Sulu 1894– 1936) 893n55, 897–98 Jamaluddin bin Baik 670 Jambi 1–2, 6–9, 11, 13, 22, 24, 153–57, 161n26–65, 167 James I (King of England r. 1603–1625) 17, 23, 29n71 Japan 14, 167, 243, 248, 275, 493, 582, 584, 589, 844 Japanese people 589 Jasbi family 812 Jauhar Zillul-Shah 275 Java 88, 90–91, 100, 102, 105, 115, 128, 142, 147, 149, 184, 246–47, 255, 313, 384n16, 424–25, 427, 430, 433–34, 453–55, 482–84, 491, 516, 518, 522, 526–27, 537, 542n9, 547, 548, 551–553, 555, 558–62, 564, 567, 573–74, 579–80, 588, 612–14, 616, 618, 635, 637, 653, 700n1–04, 706–08, 712, 714, 716, 717–18, 721, 723–732, 734–44, 746–49, 760–764, 766, 768–69, 791–92, 800–02, 804, 810–11, 816–17, 819–20, 822, 832–35, 837, 839,

Index 854, 864, 866–68, 871, 873–75, 980, 981–82, 992 Java coffee 484 Java, muslims of 255, 258–64, 614–615, 618, 624, 627, 646–47, 716, 722, 726–27, 736, 765 Java, people of 77, 258, 456, 482, 484–85, 518, 527, 552, 556, 558, 592, 623, 646, 651, 675, 800, 821, 874 Java, pilgrims from 666, 675, 682, 694, 696, 698, 759 Javanese language 469, 472 Javanese epics 2, 258 Javanese Rajas 615 Java-bode (newspaper) 555, 612, 654 Jawa 80–81, 90, 107, 109 Jawa Muslims 242 Jawa pilgrims 661–63, 677, 680, 683, 692, 694, 875 Jeddah 48–50, 58, 67, 108, 113–14, 180, 240, 268, 276–77, 471n2, 511–12, 666–68, 672–74, 678–79, 681–82, 685, 687, 694–97, 699, 758–59, 764, 801–03, 871, 873 Jeddah (governor of) 59, 74, 107–09, 114–16, 662, 681 Jepara region 491 Jerusalem 798, 956 Jesuits 881 Jews 835, 961 jihad 99, 101, 106, 558, 634, 638, 956 jizya (poll tax) 810 Johor 2, 16, 247, 328, 363–67, 411–14, 449–50, 636 Johor medals 414 Jolo (island) 443, 879, 881n10 Journal Du Rotterdam 607 Jouslain, M. (French consul in Batavia) 440, 706–07 al-Junaid family 817 Juramentado 937 Juwana 491 Kaaba 167, 662, 664, 694 al-Kaf family 817 Kafir (i.e infidel) 319 Kamil Bey see Mehmed Kamil Bey Kamran (island) 661, 685

Index Kandung (Hatib from Zamboanga) 908 Kapitan Taradju 908 Karabıyık Reis 70 Karalis (Doctor at Kamaran quarantine) 689 Karamanlıoğlu Abdurrahman (Vizier in Gujarat) 50 Karbala 834 Kareans 383, 387 Karenni 387n23 Karens (Karen communities in Eastern Siam) 387 Kari Kerinci 671 Kashgar 219 Kastamonu (in Anatolia) 798, 989–91 Kastellorizo Island 987 Kasyi Kerinci (Khatib) 671 Kathiri family 812 Kedah 1–2, 6–9, 11, 13–16, 19, 22–24, 75, 77–79, 384n15 Kedah (Sultan of) 7n18, 75–77, 79–81, 370 Kelantan 12, 384n15 Kengtung 387n23 kepala surat (i.e letter heading) 9, 92, 249 Kerinci (Imam) 671 Kerinci (Khatib) 671 Keumala 283, 287n75–89 Key islands 526 Khalifa 2, 811 Khanate of the Crimea 10 Khedival Company 685 Khidir (Prophet) 5 Khilafa 173, 176 khutba 27–28, 195, 600, 640 King Abud 5 Kinwun Min-gyi U Gaung (Chief Minister 1822–1908) 186, 187n38–189 KiSwahili 24 Kitab Subh al-aʿasha fi sinaʿat al-insha 3 kitab terasul (guides to letter-writing) 8, 18, 22 Klang 247 Koca Nişancı Bey 66 Kohaydan, Henri (First scribe) 691 Kolodziejczyk, Daniel 31 Konstantinos Mousouros Bey (Ottoman diplomat) 426

1025 Konya (city in Anatolia) 798 Kos 70 Kosovo 798 Kostaki Karaca Paşa (Ottoman Foreign Minister) 419, 421, 776–77 Kota Keumala (in Aceh) 287, 289–91, 294–95 Kozan (in Adana) 765, 768 Kulais 907 Kurd Kethüda 70 Kurdoğlu Hızır (Admiral and governor in Alexandria in Egypt) 52–56, 68 kuruş (i.e piaster, Ottoman currency) 552, 617, 667 Kut 965 Kutaraja (Banda Aceh) 486 Kut-el-Amara 970–71 Kuwasa Shaykh (?) Ahmad (Datu) 907 Kuyper, Abraham (Leader of Dutch Protestant party) 526 Kütükoğlu, Mübahat 22 Lake Lanao 879 Lake Mohonk Conference 885 Laksamana Akil 908 Lambourn, Elizabeth 27–28, 33–34 Lanao (in Moro Province) 878–79, 882, 893n56, 899 Lancers 476 Lands below the Winds 45, 47, 49 Langgars 526 Lankutah bin Lamburuh (from Aceh)  669 Lanna kingdom 387n22 Lao Chiang (the region of Chiang Mai/ Northern Thailand) 387 Lao Kao (the Lao in Northeastern Thailand/ Isan) 387 Laos 348, 383, 387 lapis lazuli (commodity) 995 Latin 5–6n15, 31, 886n32, 907–08, 983 Layla Hamale Sultan (daughter of Sultan Gundam Shah) 428 Leipzig 593 Leo XIII (Pope) 534 Lesbos Island 987 Limbang 319–20, 325 Lincoln, Abraham 884, 927

1026 lingua franca 5, 31 lira (Ottoman currency) 269, 403–04, 484, 617, 688, 692, 699, 714, 739, 839, 955, 966, 987–88 Livadiya (in Crimea) 334–36, 385 London Straits Convention 386 Lord Beaconsfield 496 Lord Clarendon see Villiers, George William Frederick Lord Cromer see Baring, Evelyn Lord Lansdowne see Petty-Fitzmaurice, Henry Lord Salisbury see Gascoyne-Cecil, Robert Louis Phillipe I (King of France r. 1830–48) 84n6 Louis XIV (King of France r. 1643–1715) 349 Luang Sunthorn Kosa (Official at the Department of Legal Advice at the Siamese Foreign Ministry) 341 Luang Wichit Worasart (Minister of Siamese Prince Shira) 341, 354 Lund (Missionary) 928 Lutfi (Ottoman envoy to Aceh) 27, 30, 34, 47–51, 55, 57, 67 Luzon (in Philippines) 529, 879, 881, 895, 898–99 Lütfullah Antaki (teacher at the Greek Orthodox School in Scandrona) 543 Maʿlumat (newspaper) 539, 541–42, 615 Maʿmûretü’l-azîz (Elazığ in Anatolia) 617–18 Maʿruf al-Karkhi (Sufi shaykh) 24–25, 94, 106 Madras 804 Madrid 474–75, 528–31, 534, 794–96, 798, 985 Madura 312, 816 Maghreb 816, 879 mag-sabil 937 Maguindanao 879 Maha Chakrakri (Order) 384, 386, 390 Al Maha (On the Arabian peninsula) 184 Maha Min Hla Kyaw Htin 186 Maharaja 105, 198, 202, 204, 219 Maharaja Diraja (Ruler of Minangkabau) 97

Index Mahmud bin Abdulkadir 768 Mahmud Gawan (Mughal author of Manazir al-Inshaʾ) 4 Mahmud II (Ottoman Sultan r. 1808–1839) 4n9, 13, 88, 90, 106, 155, 664 Mahmud Malfar Shah (Sultan of Muko-Muko) 428 Mahmud Muhtar Paşa (Ottoman Ambassador in Berlin) 460 Majallah Ahkam Johor 363 al-Majdaha (in Yemen) 805, 816 Majul, Cesar 879 Makassar 105, 706, 822 Mahkota Alam see Iskandar Muda Malacca 67n26, 128, 246–47, 348–49, 372–73, 375, 377, 482, 493, 506 Malacca Straits 506 Malay Malay archipelago 5, 20 Malay books 623 Malay epics 2 Malay kingdoms 1, 4, 320, 369, 384 Malay language 249, 469, 490, 623 Malay norms 322 Malay peninsula 75, 80n2, 142, 328 Malay rulers 4, 319 Malay world 1–2, 9, 12, 23, 31, 80n2, 425n4, 889, 891, 893–94 Malaya 165, 384n15, 425 Malayan women 518 Malays 142, 383, 387, 518 Maldives 46 Malezyan Efendi (doctor at the Hudaydah quarantine) 685, 687 Maluku 312, 492, 833 Mamluk chancery 3, 21 Mandalay (Historical Capital of Burma) 187–89n48 Mandi (Datu, from Zamboanga) 884, 907, 928 mangrove (commodity) 169 Manila 320, 456–57, 571, 650, 879, 887–88, 891n51, 989, 991 Manila Bay 320 Mansur (descendant of Badr Abu Tuwayraq al-Kathiri) 810 Mansur (Emir of Hadramawt) 774

Index De Manterola, Vincente (Spanish Admiral) 795 Marʿi bin Muhammad bin Talib 827 Maranao 879, 901 Marawiʿa 264, 282, 894n57 Margosa Tubig (in Zamboanga) 897 Maria Theresa dollars 100, 105 Mariana 534 Marsden, William 7 Marshall Islands 534 Martini (rifle) 276 Masʿa (in Mecca) 573 Mashaleha (tribe) 184–85 Mataram Empire 482 Mawlana Ḥakim Yusufi 4 Mawlid (Poem describing the birth of the prophet) 628 Mazid Abdullah al-Maʿmuri (Descendant of the Caliph Umar) 871 McArthur, M.S.H. (British consul in Brunei) 320–21 McKinley, William (US President 1897–1901) 934 Mecca 2, 4n9, 9, 12, 14–15, 17, 44, 46–47, 61–62, 67, 88, 92, 100, 106, 114–17, 124, 147, 149, 151, 167, 171, 179, 181, 183–85, 195, 197, 204, 211, 216–17, 268, 274–75, 288, 291, 294, 317, 369, 427, 429, 443, 486, 502, 511, 512, 526–27, 536, 556, 573, 576, 601n9, 604, 623, 629, 661, 664, 676, 678–80, 682, 695–99, 701–04, 750, 758–61, 787, 798, 800–02, 841, 851, 854, 867, 875, 882, 885n25, 887, 895, 898, 900–01 see also Two Holy Shrines and Two Sanctuaries Mecelle 363 Mecidi medal 151–52, 313, 399, 436–37, 474, 490, 578, 592–93, 595, 596, 597, 616, 628, 737, 747, 887, 953 Meclis-i Vâlâ 120–21, 123–24, 126–27, 130–31, 132, 139, 141 Medina 2, 15, 44, 80, 88, 92, 117–18, 268, 274–75, 311n107, 325, 443, 459, 573, 661, 694, 696, 699, 701, 750, 759, 761, 763–66, 768 see also Two Holy Shrines and Two Sanctuaries Mehmed Ebusirem Ağa (Warder) 691

1027 Mehmed Esad (Chargé d’affaires at The Hague) 876 Mehmed Kamil Bey (Ottoman Consul General in Batavia) 451–53, 519, 613, 735 Mehmed Kemal Ağa (Warder) 691 Mehmed Rasim Efendi (Ottoman Consul General in Batavia) 841 Mehmed Raşid (Ottoman Consul General in Batavia) 845 Mehmed Said (Ottoman Foreign Minister) 944 Mehmed Şemdin Efendi (Lieutenant) 409 Mehmed Tahir (Sayyid, publisher and chief editor of the newspapers al-Maʿlumat and Servet) 613 Mehmed Tevfik (Es-Sayyid, Director of Consular Affairs) 736 Mehmed V (Ottoman Sultan r. 1909–1918)  877 Meier (Austrian Consul in Batavia) 591 Meiji Emperor 243 Mekong 349, 384 Mekteb-i Hukûk-ı Şahane (Imperial School of Law) 700n1, 749 Mekteb-i Mülkiye-i Şahane (Imperial Civil Service School) 700 Mekteb-i Sultani (Imperial School) 700, 738, 745 Ménage, Victor 4n8, 10–11, 13 Mendenyazah (Burmese asst. secretary) 194 Mesopotamia 965–66, 970, 978 Messageries Maritimes Company 615, 719, 723–24 Meşhed Ahmed 674 Meulaboh 173, 176 Meyiz Bey (Ottoman Consul General in Barcelona) 452 Middle East 1, 661, 900 Midori, Kawashima 877, 902, 909, 930 Mihraja (Shaykh) 283 Mimu (Imam from Zamboanga) 908 Min Htin Yaza 187 Mina 573 Minangkaba 8, 88, 90, 97, 99, 105 Minangkabau (ruler of) 88, 100 Mindanao 25, 878–80, 882, 886n32–90, 893, 895, 898–99, 901, 914

1028 Mindon (King of Burma 1853–1878) 29, 185–89 Misamis 880 missionaries 552–54, 589, 658–59, 879 Mocha 46, 180, 984 modernisation 384–86, 700n1 Mojokerto (on Java) 542 Moluccas Islands 7, 482, 832 Monastir 798 Mongkut (Rama IV, King of Siam r. 1851– 1868) 387n23, 414n24 Moniteur Oriental (newspaper) 607 Monotheist 78, 99, 168, 170, 233, 242, 246, 602, 817 Monthon system 384 Moro Amat (from Zamboanga) 908 Moro Hilario (from Zamboanga) 908 Morocco 4, 15, 23, 573 Moros 878n4–79, 881n10–86, 896–98, 906n82, 908n88, 913, 927–28, 930 Moro Wars 879 Moscow 386 Moskides (Doctor at Kamaran quarantine) 691 Mosque of Abraham (in Mecca) 573 Mosul 798 Mount Lebanon 796, 798 Mozambique 24 Muʿtazilis 659 Mughal chancery 3 Mughal India 4n6 Mughal tughras 92 Mughals 4, 187 Muhamad bin Awn (Sharif) 171, 174 Muhammad (Datu, from Zamboanga) 908 Muhammad (Prophet) 44, 46, 50, 76, 87, 93, 95, 102, 106, 153, 171, 205, 240, 266, 274, 311n107, 324, 454, 482, 517, 588, 592, 599–00, 628n19, 658, 664, 701, 714, 762, 771, 805, 812, 818, 832, 894, 896, 910, 912–14, 949 Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Zabidi 665 Muhammad bin Hajat (from Aceh) 670 Muhammad bin Husain (from Aceh) 670 Muhammad bin Muhammad Amin (from Aceh) 669 Muhammad bin Said (from Aceh) 670 Muhammad Abdullah Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbul) 711

Index Muhammad Abid bin Sulaiman 671 Muhammad al-Fiqhiyya 266 Muhammad Ali (Haji, from Cut Badar)  200 Muhammad Ali bin Abdullah al-Syaikh al-Sha(?) 665 Muhammad Ali Paşa (governor of Egypt) 78 Muhammad al-Saqqaf (Sayyid, doctor and nephew of Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor) 364 Muhammad Amin bin Muhammad Said (from Aceh) 200, 670 Muhammad Arif (Al-hajj) 907 Muhammad Arsyad (Syaikh, a Bugis from Wajo) 665 Muhammad Asadullah 266 Muhammad Azhari bin al-hajj Abdullah 704 Muhammad b. Hindu Shah Nakhchiwani (Jalayirid writer) 21 Muhammad bin Abdullah Efendi 712 Muhammad bin Ahmad Ba Junaid (Shaykh, Hadrami) 168, 171, 174, 179 Muhammad bin Aydarus al-Bahr (Sayyid) 868 Muhammad bin Hasan Babhir (Shaykh) 811 Muhammad bin Saqqaf Efendi (Sayyid) 802 Muhammad bin Sultan Yusuf (Sharif, Sultan of Pontianak) 317 Muhammad Fakhruddin (Sultan of Johor r. 1821–41) 153 Muhammad Ghauth (Hajji, son of Abdul Rahim, Acehnese envoy to Istanbul) 9, 14, 19, 90–94, 101, 106, 118–20, 126, 128, 222, 229, 295, 303, 307, 469 Muhammad Hasib Paşa (Sayyid, Governor of Hijaz) 14, 97, 97–98, 107–09, 113, 115–17, 661–63, 665, 774 Muhammad Ibrahim (Minister of Johor) 414 Muhammad Id bin Saʾid (From Palembang) 665 Muhammad Nur (From Zamboanga) 908 Muhammad Rashid Rida 900n69 Muhammad Said Efendi (Local dignitary in Naban) 621 Muhammad Salih bin Abdul Rahim (one of the ulema of Aceh) 198, 670

Index Muhammad Salih bin Muhammad Murid al-Rawi al-Samman 664–65 Muhammad Salih Asyi 669–70 Muhammad Saman bin Ali (from Aceh) 12n32, 670 Muhammad Shah (from Asahan) 12, 93, 95 Muhammad Shahab (Sayyid) 840 Muhammad Sinjan (shaykh in Rabita) 283 Muhammad Tahir bin Syaikh Abdul Karim 672 Muhammad Wajih Zayd al-Kilani Efendi (Sayyid, the Shaykh al-Islam of the Philippines) 886, 900, 954–55 Muhammad Yunus bin Abdul Rahman al-Khalidi 12 Muhammad Zainal Abidin (Sultan of Tembusai r. 1887–1916) 14, 243, 248, 250–52, 255, 258, 368–69 Muhammadan religion 76, 102, 197, 230, 268, 294, 320, 486, 714, 885–86, 913 Muharrem Alikaki (Ottoman citizen in Philedelphia) 650 Muhsin Ali Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbul) 711 Muhsin Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbul) 734 Muhyiddin Bey (Doctor Captain at Kamaran quarantine) 691 mujahids 602 al-Mukalla (in Yemen) 180, 184–85, 805, 810, 816 Munawwar al-Saqqaf (Sayyid) 839 Murad III (Ottoman Sultan r. 1574–1591)  30–31 Musa bin Nyak Putih (from Aceh) 672 Muscat (Imam of) 7, 14, 24 Muslim Muslim children 446, 616, 713, 726, 736, 834 Muslim clothes 536 Muslim communities 589, 601 Muslim fishermen 294 Muslim soldiers 554, 632, 634, 636 Muslim sovereigns 23, 249, 255, 307 Muslim women 519, 874 Muslims in Southeast Asia 2, 571 Muslims of Zamboanga 25 Mustafa bin Hussan 975

1029 Mustafa bin Hamza Reis 71 Mustafa Çavuş (messenger accompanying Acehnese embassy to home) 52–53, 55, 57, 62–63, 68, 72, 74 Mustafa Paşa (Governor of Yemen) 124–25, 138–39 Mustafa Salim (Deputy of the Governor, and Provincial Treasurer of Hijaz) 217 Mustafa Şükrü (Member of the Committee of Religious Examinations) 620–21 mustard (commodity) 961 mutawalli (governor) 170 münşeats (compilations of official documents) 3 mütemayiz (rank in Ottoman civil officialdom) 434 Naban 620 Nabi Sulaiman 322 Nagasaki (Japanese port) 584 Najd 834 Najran 805, 815 Nasır Bey (Descendant of Sharif Abdulmuttalib Paşa) 804 Nasir al-Din Shah (of Persia) 328 naskh (script) 7 Natal 99, 105 Necib Hacı Efendi (Ottoman Consul in Manila) 456–57 Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij Bank 649 Nei-myo Min Htin Thurein (Burmese envoy) 187 Neratja (newspaper) 569 Netherlands 156, 158, 162, 195, 385, 418, 424, 429n10, 558, 567, 582, 706, 776, 958 New York 650, 955 New-Guinea 516, 518, 534 Ngabehi Kerinci 671 Nganda Kerinci (Mualim) 671 Nganta Kerinci (Khatib) 671 Nias 159–61 Nicholas Aleksandrovich 385–86n20 Nicholas II (Emperor of Russia r. 1894–1917) 385–86 Nieuwe Courant (newspaper) 654 Nieuwe Rotterdamse Courant (newspaper) 611 Nisab 895

1030 Noradounghian Efendi (Ottoman Armenian statesman) 631 Norfolks (British regiment) 972 Nyak Kam (Haji, from Teluk Nga in Aceh) 198 Nyawung (Imam from Zamboanga) 908 Obolensky, Ivan Mikhailovic (Russian Prince) 334 oil (commodity) 169, 569–70 Olçanski (Doctor at Kamaran quarantine) 691 Omar al-Attas (Javanese student in Istanbul) 711, 733–35, 745–46, 748–49 onion (commodity) 961 Orientals 541, 769 Orthodox Christian church 385 Osman Alawi (Sayyid, Mufti of Java) 626, 628 Osman b. el-Mükerrem es-Seyyid Mehmed Zeyn er-Rodosî [Zain al-Qudsi?] el-Medenî (Es-Seyyid) 80 Osman bin Abdullah el-Attas (Javanese student in Istanbul) 711 Osman Emin Paşa (Commander of the Ertuğrul Frigate) 250, 252, 264 Osman Nuri Paşa (Governor of Hijaz) 511, 678–79 Osman Zeki Bey 575 Osmani (Medal) 400–01, 414–15 Ottoman Ottoman alphabet books 615, 617 Ottoman Army 527, 641, 961 Ottoman attitude 700 Ottoman Bank 396, 403–04 Ottoman banner 101, 229, 582 Ottoman chancery 4, 10, 15, 23, 31–2, 78–9 Ottoman citizenship 418, 730, 751, 753, 756, 758, 769, 777, 785–87, 818, 836–37, 871 Ottoman consul(ates) 264, 295, 316, 333, 370, 418–20, 440, 462, 465, 468, 532, 566, 578, 637, 650, 956, 989 Ottoman craftsmen and merchants 446 Ottoman dignitaries 377, 405, 415–16 Ottoman diplomatics 1, 3–4, 20, 31 Ottoman dynasty 15–6, 143, 170, 200, 661 Ottoman epistles 7, 29, 31, 91–2, 295, 322

Index Ottoman flag 114, 155, 195, 228, 256, 317, 582, 588, 653, 674 Ottoman Government 2, 22, 24, 75–77, 119, 130, 132, 139, 153, 167–68, 229, 264, 287, 418–19, 434, 463–64, 469, 474, 557, 559, 583, 666–68, 769, 773, 797, 821, 841, 959, 964–69, 972–73, 979 Ottoman identity card 730, 787, 841, 847, 854–55 Ottoman law 363 Ottoman medals 167, 232 Ottoman military schools 266 Ottoman Nationality Law 776 Ottoman navy 67, 72, 161, 246, 582, 684, 687 Ottoman parliament 502 Ottoman Press 575, 617–18, 621–22 Ottoman printing houses 571, 621–22 Ottoman prisoners of war 958, 960–61, 963, 965, 967–71, 973, 975, 977 Ottoman School (in Cape Town) 446 Ottoman seals 17 Ottoman seamen 980 Ottoman subjects 418, 434, 446, 456, 459–60, 557, 643, 769, 772, 776, 778, 781, 793–96, 798, 811, 827, 835, 842–43, 849, 866, 872, 874, 979 Ottoman suzerainty 19, 153, 170, 184, 195–96, 199 Ottoman warriors 294 Ottoman women 873–74 Ottoman-Greek war 598–99 Özay, Mehmet 894 Pacific Ocean 534 Padang 99, 105, 129, 771 Paden Woon (Burmese Secretary) 194 Padishah of Portugal 46 Padishah of Rum 46 Pagans 129, 881n10, 883n17 Pagar Ruyung (capital of Minangkabau) 97, 105 Page Corps 386 Pahang 247 Pahud, Charles Ferdinand 527–28 Pakhangyi Myosa Min-gyi Min Thado Min-gyi Maha Min Hla Sithu (Burmese minister) 186 Palau 534

Index Palawan (island) 878 Palazzo Quirinal 381 Palembang (in Southeast Sumatra) 22, 86, 90, 99, 105, 129, 291, 320–21, 526, 603–04, 665, 840–41 Palkasa Gubatun (From Zamboanga) 908 palm tree 983 Panas (Doctor at Kamaran quarantine) 690 pan-Islamism 418, 571, 607, 859 para (ottoman currency) 552, 617, 981, 988 Pariaman (port) 99, 105, 173 Paris 89, 188, 377, 396, 424–25 Paris conference (1916) 564 Paris Treaty (1898) 880 Pasai 5n12 Pasisir Barat Shah (Sultan of Muko-Muko 1752–1798) 428 pearls (commodity) 701, 987–88, 995 Pedir 283 Pekojan (Arab quarter in Batavia) 839 Pelenk-i Derya (Ottoman torpedo gunboat) 162 Penang 7n18, 75–6, 384n16, 493, 634, 674 pencil (commodity) 92, 288, 977 pepper (commodity) 47, 89, 95, 97, 130, 168, 275, 349, 961 Perak 2, 636 Pershing, John (governor of the Moro Province) 884 Persian Persian epistles 7 Persian Gulf 187, 958 Persian monarch 328 Persian script 187 Persians 15, 44, 102 Pertev Efendi (Governor of Massawa) 184–85 Peterhof Palace 385 Petty-Fitzmaurice, Henry (Lord Lansdowne) 624, 888, 981 Pezenî Bey (Consul General at Syros) 452 Philadelphia 650 Philippines 25, 443, 474–75, 528–31, 534, 793, 796–98, 821–22, 877–83, 885–91, 894, 899–01, 933–40, 944, 946–48, 951, 953–56, 983 Phra Suriyanuwat (Siamese Charge d’affaires in Berlin) 341, 354

1031 Phraya Thewet Wongwiwat (Director of the Siamese Royal stables) 341, 354, 399 Piaster 133, 158–59, 404, 430, 433–34, 436, 442, 447, 449, 453, 552, 561, 617–18, 648, 651, 678, 687–88, 736–37, 642–43, 957, 981, 987–88 pilgrims 45, 48–9, 92–3, 99, 124, 139, 173, 275–76, 485, 518, 526–27, 533, 556, 573, 661–64, 666–68, 672–85, 687–88, 692, 694–96, 700, 759–60, 789, 800–01, 875, 887 Piraeus 359, 362 Po Cut Haji bin Abdul Rahim 202 Poland 22, 31–2 Polem Cut Banta (Panglima, head of the XXII mukim) 20 Poles 4, 92 Pontianak 12, 105, 816 Port Said 464, 771 Porter, Venetia 26 Portugal 22, 53, 55, 385 Portuguese 4–5, 24n59, 33, 38, 48–9, 52, 54, 321, 476, 482–83, 516, 832 Poseidon (Lloyd Company’s steamboat) 803 pounds (British currency) 560, 803, 994–95 precious gems (commodity) 47 Prince of Wales 429 Prompong (Siamese Prince) 341, 354 Prostestant Church 518 Pulangi River 879 Pulau Pinang 78 Punjab 634 Qadi 27, 255, 258, 288 Qaitbay (Mamluk Sultan r. 1468–1496) 21 Qajars 4 al-Qalqashandī (15th century Egyptian scholar) 3 Qasim bin Abd al-Rahman bin Hussein al-Qadri Jamal al-Layl al-Alawi (Sharif, Sultan of Pontianak) 266 Qurʾan 45, 153, 282, 541, 552, 571, 574, 590–93, 595–97, 612–18, 621–22, 630–31, 664, 672, 805n5, 817, 886, 895–96, 910, 938, 950 Quraysh 660 Qushashiyya district (in Mecca) 573 al-Qatn (in Yemen) 810, 816

1032 rafida 659 Raja Ali see Ali bin Emir Jaʿfar Raja Keumala 283 Raja Rum 2, 88, 321 Rakhine (Arakanese) 187 Rakhine State 187 Rangoon 188, 349n3, 458–59, 637, 958, 960, 963, 966, 968, 994 Rasim Ali (Ottoman prisoner-of-war in Thayetmyo) 973–74 Rasulid (Ruler of Yemen) 27 Raşid Paşa (Minister of Foreign Affairs)  238 Rattanakosinsok 382 Reʾfet Bey (Ottoman consul in Batavia)  457–58, 466–68, 557, 645–46, 648, 653, 852 real (Spanish currency) 443 Reat, Samuel C. (US Consul in Ragoon) 960 Red Crescent Society 632, 624–48, 650, 964 Red Sea 89n13, 189, 264, 275, 278, 282n74, 286–87, 463, 661, 676, 983, 985 Reispas 786, 810 Rhodes 61, 70, 74 Riau 1, 6–9, 11, 13–15, 19, 23–4, 142–43, 145, 147–53, 247, 248n59, 249, 306 rice (commodity) 130, 168, 275, 349, 485, 517, 522, 561, 961 De Richelieu, Andreas Du Plessis (Siamese minister of Navy) 341 Ridwani oath 706 Rıfkı Bey (Ottoman Consulin Batavia) 441, 582–83 Rifle 99, 255, 276 rigging drills (commodity) 255 riqʿa script 7 De Rivera, Fernando Primo (Field Marshal, Governor of Philippines) 531 Riyu Kerinci 671 Rıza Efendi (First Lieutenant) 417 Rıza Paşa (Ottoman Minister of War) 417 Rockhill, William W. (U.S. Minister in Istanbul) 886 Rogers, P. D. (Secretary of the Moro Province) 884–85 Rokan Kiri River 252 Roman Empire 2 Romanian government 457

Index Rooseboom, W. (Governor-General of the Dutch Indies 1899–1904) 319 rope (commodity) 46n8, 47, 307, 974–77, 989–91 Ropt, Ernest (second scribe at Kamaran quarintine) 691 rosary (commodity) 977 Rotterdam 421, 666 Rum 2, 5, 46, 88–90, 97, 187, 291 Rum (sultan of) see Raja Rum Rumelia 835, 845 Rûmî 311, 509, 625, 894 Rupiah 810–11 Ruqayya Hanum (Circassian slave-girl) 363 Russia 30, 328, 330–32, 339, 383–86, 390, 396, 463, 564, 859 Russian czar 22 Russian Muslims 858 Russian subjects 858 Russian Transport Company 408 Russian war ships 386n20 Russians 4, 564 Russian-Siamese Declaration of Jurisdiction, Trade and Navigation 385 Sabda 288 Sabit Ahmed Ağa (Warder) 691 Sabri (son of Emin, Ottoman prisoner-of-war in Thayetmyo) 973 Saddan Elephant (formal titles of the Burmese monarch) 186 Sadık Beliğ Efendi (Ottoman Consul General in Batavia) 443–44, 450–51 Sadık Bey (Adjutant Major) 409 Safa 512 Safavids 4 Safiyya Hatun (Sayyida Sharif, daughter of Sharif Sayyid Abdurrahman bin Husayn bin Ahmad al-Alawi (Sultan of Pontianak) 266 Sagasta, Práxedes Mateo (Spanish Prime Minister) 529–30 Saha (Panglima, from Zamboanga) 907 Sahl (Son of Sayyid Fazıl Paşa) 836 Sahl bin Abdullah (Sayyid) 840 Saiʾun (town) 816 Said al-Sharʿi 827 Said Baghdilah (Shaykh) 840

Index Said bin Hamid Abid (Shaykh) 826–27 Said Efendi 118, 621, 717, 740 Said Halim Paşa (Ottoman Foreign Minister) 460–61, 465, 557, 646, 851 Said Paşa (Grand Vizier) 287 Saint George 414 Saint Michael 414 Sakaluran (Datu from Zamboanga) 907, 928 Sakili, Abraham 891n48, 902, 909 Salani (Panglima, from Zamboanga) 908 Salim (Hatib from Zamboanga) 907 Salim (Shafiʿi Sayyid, in Yemen) 161 Salim bin Abdülhamid (descendant of the Caliph Umar) 871 Salim bin Ahmad al-Sarwa 791 Saliman (Imam from Zamboanga) 907 Salman Efendi (Javanese student in Istanbul) 717 Salonica 798 salt (commodity) 961 Salween (mountain) 349 Sama 879–81, 884, 890, 895, 898 Samadi (ship name) 47 Sambas (port) 105 Sâmi Efendi (Sefâizâde Hâfız) 623, 875 Samos 798 Samuri (Ruler of Calicut) 48 Sanaa 805 Imam of Sanaa 4n9 Sandeman, A. (Officer at Thayetmyo detention Camp) 974–77 Sangbud (Maharaja) 907 Sanitary Corps 961 Santiago 530 Santili Jikirani 907 al-Saqqaf (Sayyid) 615, 839 al-Saqqaf family 669, 812, 817 Sarawak 320, 816 Sarekat Islam 548, 551, 553–55, 567–69 Sattiya Luhino 907 Sayhun 805 Sayhut (port in Yemen) 816 sayyids 78, 242n58, 317, 512, 533, 600, 659, 721, 771, 774, 792, 805, 810, 812, 816–18, 834–35 Sazonov, Sergey (Russian Foreign Minister 1910–16) 858n9 Schaepman, H.J.A.M. (Chatolic priest and politician 1844–1903) 607

1033 Schmidt, Jan 700 School of Military Science 268 Scouts 476 Sea of China 348 Seeds (commodity) 982–83 Seifullah Bey (Lieutenant) 963 Sekar Kerinci (Mualim) 671 Selim I (Ottoman Sultan r. 1512–1520) 99, 102, 222, 229, 274–77 Selim II Khan (Ottoman Sultan r. 1566–1574) 99, 102, 105, 119, 123, 129 Semarang 423–25, 492, 739, 810, 817 Semaun bin Zaid (from Aceh) 669 Serâser (commodity) 22 Serbia 439 Serbian 5 Server Ağa (Warder) 692 Servet (newspaper) 612–13 Setia Ulama (Seri, Acehnese Commander) 214 Setkya Yin-byan (royal vessel) 188 Sevastopol 333–34, 337, 403–04 Shafiʿi imam 604 Shafiʿi school (of Islam) 46, 517, 604 Shahada 12, 889, 895, 902n72 Shahbandar 14, 249, 255, 258 Shaiba 972, 975 Shakib Arslan 900 Shams al-Maʿarif 26 Shanghai 584 Shaqr (in Yemen) 816 sharīʿa (Islamic law) 76, 143, 197, 518, 706, 780, 812, 931 Sharif of Mecca 4n9, 14–5, 61–2, 171–72, 174–75, 195, 443n14 Sharifat (company) 875 shayka (siege cannons) 49 Shaykh al-Azhar 701–04 Shaykh al-Islam 113–14, 344–45, 620–23, 695, 756, 874, 877, 886, 899, 900, 935, 937–41, 944, 946–47, 954–56 Shaykh Jamal al-Din al-Qadiri (Sayyid) 707 Shaykh of Jawa (Shaykh) 147, 680 al-Shihab family 817 Shibam (in Yemen) 810, 816 al-Shihr (in Yemen) 180, 184–85, 805, 810, 816 Siam 75, 147, 246–48, 256, 328, 346–50, 369, 382, 384–87, 496–97, 543–46, 616

1034 Siamese Siamese delegation 339–40, 399, 400 Siamese royal family 328 Siamese stones 995 Siamese waters 987 Sidoarjo (On Java) 542, 820 Silk 22–3, 47, 92, 644 silk cloth 95, 97 Silsilah raja-raja Berunai (Genealogical account of the rulers of Brunei) 322 Silver 22, 48 Simana (son of Shalem, prisoner-of-war in Thayetmyo) 973 Sinan Paşa (governor of Yemen) 99–100, 102, 105, 123, 129, 229 Singapore 14, 165, 167, 246–49, 255, 258, 265–66, 275, 319–22, 324, 372, 384, 411–14, 418, 422–43, 426–27, 429, 431, 437–38, 445–53, 453, 459–60, 462, 465, 468, 488, 490, 506, 508–10, 557, 562, 580, 615, 619–20, 628–29, 632, 634–38, 667, 674, 720, 801–02, 804, 810, 841, 871, 887, 980–81, 987 Sivas (in Anatolia) 798 Snouck Hurgronje, C. 288, 294, 308, 510–11, 519, 535–36, 601, 604n11, 700 soap (commodity) 963, 977 Sokullu Mehmed Pasha 27 Solo 517 Somali 984 Somali Arabs 518 Soubhi Bey (prisoner of war at Thayetmyo) 959–60, 963 Southeast Asia 1–2, 6–7, 11, 15–6, 19, 23–7, 30, 75, 168, 243–44, 319–20, 328, 384, 418, 469, 571, 661, 769, 958, 979 Southeast Asian envoys 3, 8 Southeast Asian Muslims 243, 256–57, 571, 642 Spain 22, 385, 443, 475, 530–31, 533–34, 793, 880, 892n53, 985 Spaniards 879–881, 898 Spanish Spanish armies 475 Spanish colonies 483, 794–95, 798 Spanish Government 530, 534, 793–94, 796, 798 Spanish troops 474–75 Spanish-American War 880 spinning (yarn) 46

Index St. Petersburg 386, 390, 403, 408, 411, 439, 855, 857–58 Stanley, Edward Henry (British Foreign Minister) 422 Stemfoort, J.W. 503 Stimson, Henry L. (US Secretary of War) 885–86 Stockholm 440, 563, 578, 788 Straus, Oscar S. 885, 934 De Sturler, Jacques Edouard (b.1855) 470 Sudan 5, 14 Suez (port of) 53, 67 Suez Canal 188, 384 sugar (commodity) 130, 168, 349, 484, 561, 961, 995 sugarcane (commodity) 484 Sukabumi 569 Sulaiman bin Jal (?) (of Aceh) 670 Sulaiman Sharif Alauddin (Sultan of Patani, r. 1890–1899) 369, 370, 372–73 Sulawesi 516, 538 Süleyman I (Ottoman Sultan r. 1512–1566) 99, 195 Süleyman Paşa Khan 575 Sulu 442–43, 878–80, 882, 885n25–94, 897–99, 901–01, 914 Sumerpur (in Burma) 958, 968 Sunda Islands 102, 516, 582, 584 Sundanese 472, 518 Sunnah 518 Surabaya 425, 553, 646, 810, 817, 833, 867–69, 871, 873 Surain (Hatib from Zamboanga) 907 Surat 29, 288 Surigao 880 Suriyanuwat, Phraya 341, 354, 399 Süreyya Paşa (Chief secretary of the Ottoman Sultan) 331, 337, 474, 578, 580, 598 Suwayri 816 Sweden 11n29, 13, 385, 958 Swedish collections 23 Swedish Embassy 973, 978 Swedish milk 561 Swedish Minister 973, 978 Swettenham, Frank (Consul General in Singapore) 321 Switzerland 384 Sword 16, 44, 49, 76, 102, 129, 143, 171, 207, 229, 255, 276–77, 307, 313, 812, 818 Syria 762–63, 798

Index Syrian Tripoli 543, 545 Szigetvar 68 Şahin-i Derya (Ottoman cruiser) 162 Şakir Paşa 408 Şems Efendi (legal consultant) 434 Taft, William (US President 1909–1913) 885–86 Taha (Prophet Muhammad) 102 Taha bin Harun (from Aceh) 670 Taha bin Ahmad al-Haddad (Sayyid) 817 Taha Saifuddin (Sultan of Jambi r. 1855– 1903) 153–155, 159–61, 163, 167 Tahir Efendi (First secretary at Kamaran quaratine) 691 Tahsin Paşa (Chief secretary of the Ottoman Sultan) 166 Taj al-Alam Saifyyat al-Din (Sultanah of Aceh 1641–1675) 29 Takhir (Imam from Zamboanga) 908 Takil Alemshah (Sultan of Muko-Muko) 428 Taksin (Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Maharat 1734–1782) 349 Talʾat (Chargé d’affaires of the Imperial Embassy at The Hague) 462, 466, 557 Taliʾa (imperial steamboat) 358 Taluksangay 881, 885, 888, 890–92, 895, 901, 907n82, 910–11, 913, 926–29, 931, 937, 949–50 Taluksangay Mosque 893, 899, 938 Tambuyung (Datu from Zamboanga) 907 Tamiang 168, 173 Tamim 805 Tan, Samuel 878, 882n11, 890–91 Tanîn (newspaper) 872 tarakata (royal decree) 288 Tarhan, Abdulhak Hamid (Ottoman Ambassador to The Hague) 502 Tarim (town) 810, 816 tariqa 706 Tartar 23 Tauhid 893–95 Taupan (Panglima, Chief of the Balangingi Sama) 881, 906 Tausug 879, 889–97, 902, 907, 909, 918–20 Tausug language 25, 878, 890, 896–98 tea (commodity) 484, 547–48, 961 Tebing-Tinggi 526

1035 Telegram 529, 246, 283, 330–34, 336–38, 351–52, 359–61, 364, 366–67, 381, 397–98, 450, 464, 476, 496, 500, 529–30, 545, 562, 567, 578–79, 619, 629–30, 632, 639–40, 646, 674, 685, 688, 696–97, 718, 720, 768, 901, 837, 844, 847, 873, 934, 947, 978, 984–85 Tembusai 6, 248, 250, 252, 255, 258 Tembusai (sultan of) 9, 248n59, 252, 368 Tenakaluk bin Balik (from Aceh) 669 Tenasserim 387n23 Terengganu 429 Terumon (town) 174 Teuku Abas bin Teuku Haji Ahmad Lam Badar 198 Teuku Djohan see Teuku Umar Teuku Imam Lam Kerak 198 Teuku Imam Silang 202 Teuku Jerung Lam Pajang khadam raja Aceh 198 Teuku Muhammad Arifi 427–29 Teuku Muhammad Napit[?] Bubun 200 Teuku Nyak Abdullah Lam Siul (Treasurer of Aceh) 198 Teuku Nyak Muhammad Leung Bata (the keeper of the youths of Aceh) 198 Teuku Pasaraya bin Seri Imam Muda (Commander of the Twenty Six) 204 Teuku Umar (Toekoe Djohan) 500, 502–03, 505, 507, 520–22 Tevfik (Ottoman Ambassador in Berlin) 330 Textiles 792, 979, 989 Thai aristocracy 386 Thai language 382–83, 387 Thai royal family 386 Thailand 129n21, 382, 384n14, 387, 571, 620n16; see also Siam Thayetmyo (in Burma) 958–60, 964–66, 968–74, 978 The Hague 239, 419, 421, 430, 433–34, 455–56, 460, 462–64, 466, 498–500, 502–03, 505, 508, 512, 519, 523, 525, 540, 552, 556–57, 567, 569–70, 578, 580–582, 584, 603, 605, 607, 631, 639–41, 649, 651, 654, 725–26, 776, 785–86, 788–90, 801, 820–21, 828, 847–52, 860–62, 864, 867, 875–76 Thibaw (King of Burma r. 1878–1885) 189 thuluth (script) 14–15

1036 Tibang (Palingma, Acehnese minister) 295, 306 Tiblani (Panglima, from Zamboanga) 907 Tiku Pariaman 173 Timbaung 908 Timur 207, 276n73 Tjondet Batoe Ounfar 653 Torno, Nicolo (Venetian Doge) 21 Townshend, Charles Vere Ferrers 970–71 Trabzon (city in Anatolia) 798 Tranquebar (in south India) 11 Tripoli (in Libya) 543, 545, 647, 798 Tripolitania 631 Tuah bin Jim (from Aceh) 670 Tughra 11, 14, 17, 32, 92 Tuhfat al-Nafis 143 Tuneshki (Shaykh) 277, 283 Turhan Paşa 408 Turkey 30, 189, 194, 468, 877n1, 967 Turkish Turkish documents 468 Turkish flag 188, 194, 964 Turkish government 194, 468, 965–66, 969, 973, 978 Turkish soldiers 312, 972 Turkish subject 194 Turkish text 33, 349n4, 482n4 Turkistan 425 Turks 15, 102, 306, 317, 611, 634, 659, 660, 959, 962, 972 Two Holy Shrines 16, 44, 76, 93, 99, 105–06, 143, 662, 805 Two Sanctuaries 117 U.S. Army 883–84, 914, 926–29 U.S. Army Signal Corps 882 U.S. colonial policy 877–78, 880, 888, 898–99 Ubayd Allah bin Ziyad bin al-Labid al-Ansari 816 Udur 895 Ujan Matuaraja (Imam from Zamboanga) 908 Ulangkaya Bassu (From Zamboanga) 907 al-Haj Umar bin Auf (from Aceh) 198 Umar al-Faruq 816 Umar bin Abdullah bin Faluqa al-Tamimi 454

Index Umar Rahman (descendant of the Caliph Umar) 871 Umma 242, 714 United States 195, 460, 877, 897, 909, 912, 930, 934, 936–37, 949, 960, 964–68 al-Uqbal family 817 Uthman 908 Uthman (Caliph) 44 Uthman (Sayyid, Hadrami, advisor to the Dutch Government) 519, 604n11 Uthman bin Bakit (from Aceh) 671 Utu Ujan 907 Üsküdar (Scutari) 798, 968 Van (in Anatolia) 798 Van Tseghem (Captain) 89n14, 100n19 Vangelis (son of Manolis) 987–88 Vayka (secretary at the Siamese Embassy in Paris) 354 vegetables 961–62 Venetian doge 21n47, 22 Venetians 4 Vetter, J.A. 503, 505 Victoria (Queen of Britain r. 1819–1901)  188n45, 429 Vienna 33, 363–66, 386n20 Villiers, George William Frederick (Lord Clarendon) 429 Visayas 879 Viscount Grey 964, 968 Vomen (Doctor, Quarantine Inspector) 685, 687, 690 Wadi al-Ahqaf 815 Wan Ali bin Abdul Rahman (?) (Chief of the fort of Aceh) 198 waqfa 573 Washington D.C. 25, 650, 877, 884–85, 887–88, 909, 912, 930–34, 944 weapons 45, 48–9, 56, 207, 307n106, 634, 880, 979 Weltevreden 837 Western colonialism 244, 320, 880, 898 Western civilisation 242, 880, 899, 902 wheat (commodity) 130 white benzoin (commodity) 89 white bezoin incense (commodity) 95 white camphor (commodity) 95, 97

Index White Elephant (Medal) 408–409, 417 white elephant 189, 349 white pepper (commodity) 89, 95, 97 Wilhelmsland 534 Wilson, Woodrow (U.S. President from 1913 to 1921) 887 wood (commodity) 349, 961 Wood, Leonard (U.S. Army Chief of Staff) 882, 884–85 World War I 418, 571, 642, 958 Yakan (community in Moro) 879, 890 Yakub (Haji, from Tanoh Abee, commander of the navy of Aceh) 198 Yakub bin Masud (al-Haj) 198 Yakub bin Abdullah (detainee in Anatolia)  768 Yanbuʿ al-Bahr 268, 696 Yang Dipertuan 12, 142–43, 296, 322, 324 Yav Hüsnü Ağa (Second chief warder at Kamaran Quarantine) 691 Yemen 4, 16, 27, 44, 48–49, 58–59, 64, 71–74, 125, 133, 139, 141–43, 161, 180, 184–85, 211, 264, 282, 678, 684–88, 761–62, 774, 791, 798, 805, 815 Yemen (Governor of) 67, 123–25, 129, 133–36, 138–39, 141, 162, 678, 774, 985 Yıldız Library 631 Yogyakarta 517 Yozgat (in Anatolia) 762–63 Yule, Henry (British envoy to the court of Ava) 187 Yumurtalık (in Anatolia) 768 Yun nation 186 Yunnan (Chinese realm of) 348

1037 Yusuf bin Muhammad Arif al-Asyi 198, 671 Yusuf bin qadhi al-Asyi (?) 669 Yusuf Avad (Merchant in Rangoon) 995 Yusuf Hüsnü (Proxy of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Shawi) 791 Yusuf Lam Kuyut (Teuku Syaik) 198 Zabid (in Yemen) 761 Zainal Abidin (Prince, in Muko-Muko) 429 Zainal Abidin see Muhammad Zainal Abidin zakat (i.e. alms-giving) 895 Zamboanga (in Mindanao) 25, 877–953 Zamorin see Samuri Zamzam 171 Zanzibar 810, 816 Zayn bin Husayn al-Mahghribi (Sayyid) 147–48 Zayn bin Sayyid Hussayin Muhzıri 148 Zeki Husni (Ottoman prisoner of war in Thayetmyo) 968 Zeki Hüseyin (Director of education in Aleppo) 543–44 Zeynelabidin Efendi (Resident of Mecca) 208 Zihni Efendi 631 Van De Zijp, Brantsen (Dutch Politician) 726 Zinovyev, Ivan Alekseyevich 396 Ziya Paşa (Ottoman Ambassador in Washington) 934 Zulkarneyn (Minister of war of Sulu) 443 Zuqar (island) 984–85 Zühdü (Ottoman Minister of Education) 732