Musavver Muhit 1909 Ottoman Mag 31 March Incident Sultan Mehmed V Reşad Parliament Iran Nobel Prizes
Musavver Muhit – “The Imperial Ceremony at the Ministry of War, the Ottoman Peace Initiative and the Balloon Osman” – Issue No. 29 – June 3, 1909 (21 May 1325) – Ottoman Turkish Edition
Description:
Musavver Muhit was a weekly illustrated Ottoman periodical that began publication on November 5, 1908, shortly after the proclamation of the Second Constitutional Era. Published until August 1909, with a total of 39 issues, the magazine covered political, literary, philosophical, and social subjects. Closely associated with the Committee of Union and Progress, it reflected the political, sociological, literary, and cultural atmosphere of the period. Its pages featured biographies of prominent military and political figures, current affairs gathered from the Ottoman and European press, and articles on literature and contemporary society.
The cover of this twenty-ninth issue features a photograph captioned “His Excellency Lütfi Bey, the Sultan's Chief Chamberlain, and Halit Ziya Bey, Chief Secretary, at the military ceremony in the courtyard of the Ministry of War, during the reading of the Imperial Decree.” The issue also includes important photographs documenting the early reign of Sultan Mehmed V Reşad. These include his visit to soldiers wounded during the 31 March Incident at Şişli Hospital, another visit to Şişli Etfal Hospital, and the ceremony in the Chamber of Deputies where the Imperial Decree was read and parliamentarians welcomed the Sultan upon his arrival. Two further photographs record the public reading of the Imperial Decree in the courtyard of the Ministry of War. Other notable figures include Mahmud Şevket Pasha, Commander of the Army of Action and Inspector-General of the First, Second, and Third Ottoman Armies, photographed on the occasion of the new Sultan's sword-girding ceremony, and Sahib Molla Efendi, the newly appointed Sheikh-ul-Islam. The magazine also features photographs of wounded soldiers from the Army of Action receiving treatment at Şişli Hospital.
An article titled “Peace, Peace” criticises the excessive military expenditure of Europe's great powers and advocates international peace in the spirit of the Hague Peace Conferences. It includes a photograph of the Peace Palace then under construction in The Hague, a building financed by the American philanthropist Mr. Carnegie for the establishment of an international commission and court of arbitration. Another historically interesting photograph documents members of the Committee of Union and Progress meeting with an Iranian delegation of religious scholars in Najaf, illustrating the constitutionalist connections between Ottoman and Iranian reformist circles.
The issue also features coverage of an early aviation event in Istanbul: the preparations and flight of the large balloon named “Osman,” organised by French aviator Monsieur Barbotri at the Taksim Barracks parade ground. Presented as one of the first official flight demonstrations in the skies over Istanbul, the photographs show the balloon being prepared and airborne. Finally, a cultural and scientific feature titled “Nobel Prizes” introduces internationally renowned scientists and advocates of peace to Ottoman readers, with portraits of Fredrik Bajer, Gabriel Lippmann, Pontus Arnoldson, and Rudolf Eucken.
Key Features:
• Publication: Musavver Muhit, weekly illustrated Ottoman periodical
• Issue: No. 29, June 3, 1909 (21 May 1325)
• Language: Ottoman Turkish
• Publication Period: 1908–1909, with a total of 39 issues
• Cover Photograph: Lütfi Bey, the Sultan's Chief Chamberlain, and Halit Ziya Bey, Chief Secretary, at a military ceremony in the courtyard of the Ministry of War during the reading of the Imperial Decree
• Sultan Mehmed V Reşad: Photographs of the Sultan visiting wounded soldiers following the 31 March Incident and visiting Şişli Etfal Hospital
• Imperial Accession Ceremony: Photographs of the reading of the Imperial Decree in the Chamber of Deputies and the Ministry of War courtyard
• Mahmud Şevket Pasha: Photograph of the Commander of the Army of Action on the occasion of the Sultan's sword-girding ceremony
• Sahib Molla Efendi: Portrait of the newly appointed Sheikh-ul-Islam
• Army of Action: Photographs of wounded soldiers receiving treatment at Şişli Hospital
• “Peace, Peace”: Article criticising European military expenditure and advocating international peace
• Hague Peace Palace: Photograph of the building under construction, financed by American philanthropist Mr. Carnegie for international arbitration institutions
• Najaf: Photograph of Committee of Union and Progress members meeting with an Iranian delegation of religious scholars
• Early Aviation in Istanbul: Photographs of the preparations and flight of the balloon “Osman,” organised by French aviator Monsieur Barbotri at the Taksim Barracks parade ground
• Nobel Prizes: Scientific and cultural feature introducing Fredrik Bajer, Gabriel Lippmann, Pontus Arnoldson, and Rudolf Eucken