Sultan Selim Mosque
I’ll be leaving Adrianople soon, but I have to tell you a bit about what I experienced here first.
I went to the market in my Turkish clothing. There were so many janissaries, but they don’t dare to be rude. They made way for me and were really respectful. The market was about a half mile long and very neat. It has 365 shops which sell all kinds of goods and are sold in the same way as the New Exchange in London. Some people just like to walk around the market, others just hang out and drink coffee.
I noticed that most of the rich tradesmen were Jews, who actually have a lot of power in Turkey. They’re essentially in charge of all of the trade in the Empire. Every bassa has a Jew who does all his business for him. These men are the physicians, the stewards, and the interpreters. I think you can tell that they’ve made themselves so necessary that the court protects them no matter what. Many of them are really rich but avoid showing that off in public…although their houses are super luxurious.
Then I visited the encampment of the soldiers. The Sultan has already gone to his tents. The tents seem more like palaces! They take up so much room and are split into various apartments. They’re all green and the bassa’s tents are adorned with three horse tails, indicating their rank [1]. The ladies here ride their coaches to see the camps just like our ladies did in Hyde Park [2]. It’s clear that the soldiers are not happy though; most people are not fond of the war, especially the tradesmen.
Anyway, I went to see the Mosque of Sultan Selim the 1st. I was dressed in Turkish clothing and was easily admitted. Although the doorkeeper showed me around so I assumed he knew I wasn’t from around here. The gates to the mosque are made of colorful, marble pillars and the roof is divided into separate domes with gilt balls on the top. I don’t really know much about architecture so I won’t pretend I can speak of proportions! But it seemed to me like the noblest building I ever saw. To be honest, it’s better that it’s not divided into pews or its pillars decorated by cheap images like the Roman Catholic churches, which look like toy shops! In one of the corners is a little gallery set aside for the Grand Signor. The outside of the mosque is adorned with four, vast towers from where Imams call people to pray.
I visited other mosques too but none of which were as magnificent as this one. It is beyond any church in Germany or England.
Anyway, I haven’t told you anything about my husband’s affairs and who he sees here because it’s always the same, so I won’t bore you with redundancy. But when the Sultan gives audience, his 11 year old son, the young prince, always sits near him. He is adorable but will most likely not succeed the Sultan because he has two older brothers. Everyone’s hope lies in the eldest son. This reign has been so bloody an awful, that I think everyone is happy to see it end. Anyway, I’ll be writing again soon once I’m in Constantinople!
I went to the market in my Turkish clothing. There were so many janissaries, but they don’t dare to be rude. They made way for me and were really respectful. The market was about a half mile long and very neat. It has 365 shops which sell all kinds of goods and are sold in the same way as the New Exchange in London. Some people just like to walk around the market, others just hang out and drink coffee.
I noticed that most of the rich tradesmen were Jews, who actually have a lot of power in Turkey. They’re essentially in charge of all of the trade in the Empire. Every bassa has a Jew who does all his business for him. These men are the physicians, the stewards, and the interpreters. I think you can tell that they’ve made themselves so necessary that the court protects them no matter what. Many of them are really rich but avoid showing that off in public…although their houses are super luxurious.
Then I visited the encampment of the soldiers. The Sultan has already gone to his tents. The tents seem more like palaces! They take up so much room and are split into various apartments. They’re all green and the bassa’s tents are adorned with three horse tails, indicating their rank [1]. The ladies here ride their coaches to see the camps just like our ladies did in Hyde Park [2]. It’s clear that the soldiers are not happy though; most people are not fond of the war, especially the tradesmen.
Anyway, I went to see the Mosque of Sultan Selim the 1st. I was dressed in Turkish clothing and was easily admitted. Although the doorkeeper showed me around so I assumed he knew I wasn’t from around here. The gates to the mosque are made of colorful, marble pillars and the roof is divided into separate domes with gilt balls on the top. I don’t really know much about architecture so I won’t pretend I can speak of proportions! But it seemed to me like the noblest building I ever saw. To be honest, it’s better that it’s not divided into pews or its pillars decorated by cheap images like the Roman Catholic churches, which look like toy shops! In one of the corners is a little gallery set aside for the Grand Signor. The outside of the mosque is adorned with four, vast towers from where Imams call people to pray.
I visited other mosques too but none of which were as magnificent as this one. It is beyond any church in Germany or England.
Anyway, I haven’t told you anything about my husband’s affairs and who he sees here because it’s always the same, so I won’t bore you with redundancy. But when the Sultan gives audience, his 11 year old son, the young prince, always sits near him. He is adorable but will most likely not succeed the Sultan because he has two older brothers. Everyone’s hope lies in the eldest son. This reign has been so bloody an awful, that I think everyone is happy to see it end. Anyway, I’ll be writing again soon once I’m in Constantinople!
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