Post by Sublime Porte on Oct 2, 2016 18:56:09 GMT
The Sword of Osman had been taken early in the morning from the treasure house of the Seraglio (or Topkapi) Palace and borne to the Eyüp Mosque by the Sharif of Konya, the Grand Master of the Mevlevi Order of Dancing Dervishes and a renowned Sufi. The Holy One of Konya is reputedly a direct descendent of Jellal-Eddin, the founder of the order in the thirteenth century, whose family have performed the girding ceremony since long before Istanbul or even Edirne were in Ottoman hands.
The Sultan, Ahmet III, arrives at the waterside tomb and mosque complex by boat, amidst much pomp, despite it being only a short distance from the Seraglio. The imperial party is received by the Sheikh-ul-Islam, clad in cream-coloured silk robes and wearing a green turban. He is accompanied by a gathering of the ulema wearing white and green turbans and clad, some in white, some in black, and some in purple gowns. The prominent members of the imperial council, both civil and military, are present, and Rami Mehmed Efendi takes pride of place beside his Sultan. It is restricted who may enter the Mosque after the Sultan, so European onlookers are forced to wait outside the Mosque, reserved for Muslims on this occasion, and beg for reports afterwards if they want to glean the secrets from within.
The service begins with the usual prayers, then a special chant is uttered by the imams for the sword girding. The Sharif of Konya then takes the case containing the Sword of Osman, and breaks the seal. He removes the sowrd and kisses it, then handing it to the Sheikh-ul-Islam, who, in turn, presses his lips against the weapon and offers it to the Sultan, Ahmet. The Sultan kisses the sword and returns it to the Sheikh-ul-Islam, who, in turn, hands it back to the Holy One of Konya, who then finally girds the weapon on his sovereign as a symbol that the spiritual power of the Church had been committed, together with the temporal rule of Ahmet. The Sultan then prays in silence, and the ceremony is concluded with the singing of a chant.
Emerging from the Mosque, Ahmet draws the scimitar of his ancestor from its sheath and, standing in the square, raises the weapon on high, taking possession of the Turkish Empire. The action is followed by an outburst of shouting by the massed populace, watching from beyond the lines of troops, together with a fanfare of trumpets, the sounding of the Mehter Janissary band, and the firing of muskets.
From the square outside the Mosque, founded in the tomb complex of one of the companions of Mohammad, who had died during the first Muslim siege of Constantinople, the Sultan departs. Attended by the Grand Vezir, Sheikh-ul-Islam, the members of the Divan, the chiefs of the army, and the two higher grades of the ulema, Ahmet III processes to much cheering towards the mosque of the conqueror, Mehmet. There he prays alone with Rami Mehmed for fifteen minutes. He then resumes his six-mile procession through Stamboul back to the Sublime Porte, where, at the Topkapi Palace, Ahmet III completes his busy day by enacting an archaic ritual. In the gardens of the Seraglio, Ahmet completes the coronation by ploughing a furrow into the ground. Through the carrying out of this ancient test, Ahmet shows himself to be sound of body and mind, and fit to bear the physical burdens of the empire.
The Sultan, Ahmet III, arrives at the waterside tomb and mosque complex by boat, amidst much pomp, despite it being only a short distance from the Seraglio. The imperial party is received by the Sheikh-ul-Islam, clad in cream-coloured silk robes and wearing a green turban. He is accompanied by a gathering of the ulema wearing white and green turbans and clad, some in white, some in black, and some in purple gowns. The prominent members of the imperial council, both civil and military, are present, and Rami Mehmed Efendi takes pride of place beside his Sultan. It is restricted who may enter the Mosque after the Sultan, so European onlookers are forced to wait outside the Mosque, reserved for Muslims on this occasion, and beg for reports afterwards if they want to glean the secrets from within.
The service begins with the usual prayers, then a special chant is uttered by the imams for the sword girding. The Sharif of Konya then takes the case containing the Sword of Osman, and breaks the seal. He removes the sowrd and kisses it, then handing it to the Sheikh-ul-Islam, who, in turn, presses his lips against the weapon and offers it to the Sultan, Ahmet. The Sultan kisses the sword and returns it to the Sheikh-ul-Islam, who, in turn, hands it back to the Holy One of Konya, who then finally girds the weapon on his sovereign as a symbol that the spiritual power of the Church had been committed, together with the temporal rule of Ahmet. The Sultan then prays in silence, and the ceremony is concluded with the singing of a chant.
Emerging from the Mosque, Ahmet draws the scimitar of his ancestor from its sheath and, standing in the square, raises the weapon on high, taking possession of the Turkish Empire. The action is followed by an outburst of shouting by the massed populace, watching from beyond the lines of troops, together with a fanfare of trumpets, the sounding of the Mehter Janissary band, and the firing of muskets.
From the square outside the Mosque, founded in the tomb complex of one of the companions of Mohammad, who had died during the first Muslim siege of Constantinople, the Sultan departs. Attended by the Grand Vezir, Sheikh-ul-Islam, the members of the Divan, the chiefs of the army, and the two higher grades of the ulema, Ahmet III processes to much cheering towards the mosque of the conqueror, Mehmet. There he prays alone with Rami Mehmed for fifteen minutes. He then resumes his six-mile procession through Stamboul back to the Sublime Porte, where, at the Topkapi Palace, Ahmet III completes his busy day by enacting an archaic ritual. In the gardens of the Seraglio, Ahmet completes the coronation by ploughing a furrow into the ground. Through the carrying out of this ancient test, Ahmet shows himself to be sound of body and mind, and fit to bear the physical burdens of the empire.
