Works of art to dazzle the beholder: Ottoman Palace Treasury

[See http://www.mfa.gov.tr/grupf/topkapi/page12.htm for more.]

x0x Works of art to dazzle the beholder: Ottoman Palace Treasury

By Emine Bilirgen and Suheyla Murat

The Ottoman Imperial Treasury was legendary in the past and today its
remarkable collections of thousands of rare and beautiful objects
continue to dazzle visitors to Topkapi Palace. The Treasury is housed
in four rooms in the third court of Topkapi Palace, which was built by
Sultan Mehmed II (1451-1481). The earliest records concerning the
Treasury are inventory lists of three to five pages dating from the
reigns of Mehmed II and Bayezid II (1481-1512). Treasury registers
kept in later periods provide further, if limited, information about
the contents of the Treasury. The organisation of the Inner Palace
consisted of various corps of staff, the treasurers being one of the
most important. During the reign of Mehmed II the number of treasurers
appears to have been small, rising to 60 during the reign of Ahmed I
(1603-1617), and to 157 during the reign of Ahmed III (1703-1730).

Opening the Imperial Treasury was an affair of strict ceremony. The
Steward of the Treasury would bring the keys and then check the seal
as ordained by Selim I (1512-1520) following his campaigns against
Iran and Egypt

in 1514 and 1517 respectively, before unlocking the doors. This
formality was followed in accordance with the wishes of Selim I until
Topkapi Palace became a museum in 1924. Today the Treasury is both
opened and closed by a group of authorised staff. The building which
housed the precious objects and bullion belonging to the Ottoman
sultans is today used to exhibit only jewelled and gold objects, but
originally the contents of the Palace Treasury were far broader in
scope, including precious manuscripts and albums, fabrics, royal
clothing, embroideries, silver ware, porcelain, calligraphic tools,
seals, weapons, clocks and documents. When the palace became a museum
these were transferred to the appropriate sections. The Treasury grew
over the centuries with the addition of spoils of war and gifts from
foreign rulers and Ottoman statesmen. On such occasions as religious
feast days, the enthronement of a new sultan, and celebrations of
royal circumcisions or weddings, the coutry'si most eminent craftsmen
would present the sultan with their finest masterpieces.

In addition many objects were purchased, the most celebrated being the
86 carat Kasikci Diamond, which was discovered on a rubbish dump in
the Egrikapi district of Istanbul during the reign of Mehmed IV
(1648-1687). The chief imperial jeweller purchased the diamond and it
was placed in the Treasury. Every year the Ottoman sultans sent gifts
of money and precious objects to Mecca and Medina, and these objects
were returned to Topkapi Palace for safekeeping during the First World
War by Governor of the Hejaz Fahreddin Pasa. Today they form an
important group in the Treasury collections. Another group of objects
consists of those brought to the Treasury from the palaces of
Dolmabahce and Yildiz following the proclamation of the Turkish
Republic in 1923. The contents of the Treasury were always stored in
chests and cupboards until the reign of Sultan Abdulmecid (1839-1861),
when for the first time some of these precious objects were placed on
display. Although the majority of items date from the 16th-19th
centuries, there are also pieces of Byzantine, Mamluk and Seljuk
origin,

such as the gold reliquaries containing the occiput, arm and hand of
John the Baptist, a 14th century Mamluk glass lamp, a 13th century
Seljuk steel mirror bearing the figure of a horseman, and a 15th
century sandalwood chest belonging to Ulugh Bey, the grandson of
Timur. Royal thrones are exhibited in each of the four Treasury rooms.

The 16th century ebony throne is in the classical Ottoman throne form
and inlaid with ivory and mother of pearl in designs of split leaf
scrolls and cintemani (three-spot) motifs. It is thought to have been
used by Murad IV (1623-1640) during the Baghdad campaign. The gold
throne was that used by the Ottoman sultans until the collapse of the
empire. It is made of wood covered entirely with gold plate and
mounted with 954 large chrysolites in lobed gold mounts. The throne
was presented to Murad III (1574-1595) by Governor of Egypt Ibrahim
Pasa. The throne of Ahmed I (1603-1617) is a masterpiece of mother of
pearl and tortoiseshell inlay on walnut, and is set with precious
gems. This baldachin style throne is inscribed with the name of Sultan
Ahmed I inside the canopy.

The fourth throne was the gift of Nadir Shah of Iran to Mahmud I
(1730-1754). Made in India, the throne is gold plated with enamelled
decoration studded with thousands of pearls, rubies and emeralds.

Jewelled pendants were hung as symbols of royalty from throne canopies
and the domes, ceilings and doorways of the rooms used by the sultan.

Among those in the collection are emerald pendants made for Ahmed I,
Mustafa III (1757-1774), Abdulhamid I (1774-1789) and Abdulmecid
(1839-1861), and enamelled silver pendants mounted with diamonds
belonging to Selim III (17 89-1807) and Mahmud II (1808-1839).

Inscriptions and tugra (imperial monograms) on these pendants tell us
to which sultan they belonged. The most important items of jewellery
worn by the Ottoman sultans and princes were turban ornaments made of
gold studded with emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls. Plumes made
of heron, peacock and bird of paradise feathers were attached to these
ornaments. The collection of jewelled weapons in the Treasury consists
of swords, daggers, maces, bows and arrows,

quivers, archers' guards and rings, wall guns, powder cases, pistols,
suits of armour, helmets and shields. The collection includes the
jewelled suit of armour of Mustafa III, the yatagan sword of Suleyman
the Magnificent (1520-1566), and the dagger with a rock crystal handle
belonging to Selim I. Throughout the history of the empire gifts were
presented by foreign countries to the Ottoman sultans and princes.

Those of the later period include two figurines made of enamelled
baroque pearls and set with diamonds, turquoises and rubies, which
were gifts of the Indian Muslims to the future Abdulaziz, a gold bowl
that was a gift to Abdulhamid II (1876-1909) from France, and a
Fabergé kovsh or ceremonial drinking vessel sent by Czar Nicholas II.

Objects carved from rock crystal and dating from the 16th and 17th
centuries form another notable group in the Treasury.

Made by Ottoman craftsmen, they are mostly decorated with gold and
precious gems, and include water flasks, writing boxes, rosewater
sprinklers, jugs, ewers and pendants. There are also three 15th
century French jugs made of rock crystal. Diverse jade objects of
outstanding beauty carved by Ottoman, Indian, Iranian, Chinese and
Russian craftsmen between the 16th and 19th centuries include jugs,
cups, plates, boxes, bowls, vases and mirrors. There are also 16th
century agate chess sets in blue and red and other exquisite objects
carved from agate dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, including
boxes, cups, bowls and prayer beads. Jewelled book bindings made from
gold and jade are among the most spectacular pieces in the Treasury.

Dating mainly from the 16th century, these are richly encrusted with
emeralds, rubies, diamonds, turquoises and other precious stones. Most
notable of all these bindings is that belonging to the divan or
collected poems of Murad III and dated 1587.

Since it is impossible to exhibit all the thousands of objects
belonging to the Ottoman Palace Treasury, only those of greatest
historic interest and those which best represent the characteristics
of their time are selected. The rare and priceless objects in which
the Ottoman sultans of past centuries delighted today make a
breathtaking display for visitors to TopkapI Palace.

* Emine Bilirgen and Suheyla Murat are keepers of the Treasury

TRH wrote:

[See http://www.mfa.gov.tr/grupf/topkapi/page12.htm for more.]

x0x Works of art to dazzle the beholder: Ottoman Palace Treasury

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