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Philanthropy in the Form of a Hair Strand: Sacred Relics in Nineteenth-Century Ottoman Lands
(Koç University Research Center For Anatolian Civilizations (ANAMED), 2020) Uğurlu, A. Hilal
From the last quarter of the eighteenth century, the caliphal status and the legitimacy of the Ottoman sultans were constantly and increasingly challenged. One of the most effective and powerful tools that they utilized in order to strengthen their diminishing image in the eyes of their subjects was the re-appropriation of sacred places, either by extensive restorations or by demolishing and rebuilding them. While this was not an emergent practice, during the tumultuous moments of the long nineteenth century, these incidents proliferated. Additionally, a sacred network associated with the benevolence and religiosity of the sultans was created by the increasing mobility of the sacred relics of Prophet Mohammad. For instance, hair strands of the Prophet (lihye-i şerif) were sent to different corners of the Ottoman geography by the court. These sacred relics were kept generally in newly built mosques or custom built and repurposed edifices that protected and made its visitation possible. Similarly, in the Capital, visiting these relics became popularized. So much that Abdülmecid I (r.1839-61) ordered the construction of a new imperial mosque (Hırka-i Şerif Camii) at Fatih. Although called a mosque, it was designed specifically for the visitation of the Holy Mantle, as a ziyara. This article investigates the proliferation and circulation of the sacred relics in the nineteenth-century Ottoman lands. It argues that these acts not only aimed to address the religious needs of the subjects but were also expected to infuse the sacredness of these relics to the imperial image.
Courts & Kalfas: Patronage Relationships in Selim III’s Reign
(Koç University Research Center For Anatolian Civilizations (ANAMED), 2024) Türker, Deniz; Uğurlu, A. Hilal
The patronage networks of the members of Sultan Selim III’s extended court, specifically his mother, sisters, cousins, and their respective mothers, expand what is already written about the “Greek” artists, architects, and craftsmen who serviced the imperial family. This paper delves into the role of Greek kalfas, akin to modern architects, who served Selim III and his female relatives. It specifically examines figures such as Komyanoz, Foti, Todori, and Yani Kalfas, exploring their professional lives, which typically began in the imperial arsenal as shipbuilders. These individuals worked under—or alongside—French shipbuilders/architects, who were invited to the Capital by the court in the eighteenth century. Another important but overlooked aspect of their lives is the deep professional (and possibly familial) connections these men had with Aegean islands. The cultural interactions with Italian and French influences might shed light on the decorative tastes they adopted, practiced, and disseminated, particularly in palatial interiors. Additionally, this investigation might help us uncover the business networks of these kalfas, for example, their relations with 'woodcarvers from Chios.'Mapping the multiple and often simultaneous imperial building projects which these kalfas oversaw and examining the privileges they received from their patrons upon the successful and timely completion of these projects demonstrates the significance of these actors for the imperial family. Furthermore, these privileges—whether granted or sought—highlight not only the intense competition among these kalfas but also their deep awareness of each other's professional lives, underscoring the stakes of their interactions. The paper also offers close readings of the lengthy correspondence between Esma Sultan, Abdülhamid I’s daughter, her kethüda (personal accountant/asset manager) Ömer Ağa and her remarkably involved mother Sineperver, on the prolonged building process of her new waterfront mansion in Eyüb. These texts not only reveal insights about Komyanoz Kalfa, a Greek-Ottoman architect from Phanar tasked with the mansion's design and construction, but also about the operational methods of these builders and the decorum of engagement with different members of Esma’s own court. Additionally, the correspondence highlights Sineperver's pivotal role in supporting her daughter by overseeing the project and reveals the architect-client relationship. The paper ends with a rumination on the anonymous Greek artist who accompanied the English architect Charles Robert Cockerell (d. 1863) and allowed the foreigner to sketch domestic architectural features of spaces (instead of the usual grand imperial sites) that were contemporaneous with Esma’s now non-extant Eyüb mansion.

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