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OTTOMAN ORDERS AND DECORATIONS AT THE OTTOMAN BANK MUSEUM
Diamond- set insignia of the Order of Glory.... decorations of the High Order of Privilege... Copper war pins... the Order of Charity, created specifically for women... the Medal for Education awarded to top-ranking students... Starting from September 28, the Ottoman Bank Museum is hosting Pride and Privilege - An Exhibition of Ottoman Orders and Decorations which will focus on one of the most interesting and colorful aspects of Ottoman history. The exhibition, curated by Prof. Edhem Eldem, from the Department of History at Boğaziçi University, and designed by Bülent Erkmen, presents the 120 year-long adventure of the tradition of orders and decorations in the Ottoman Empire. At times intimately part of ideological and military symbolism and, even, directly used as political instruments during the reign of Abdülhamid II, the decorations selected will be displayed with reference to the larger social context of the times, considering both the bestowers and recipients of these symbols of pride and privilege. Showcasing over 1,000 objects and documents, from diamond-set insignia to copper war pins, diplomas to photographs, and including as well postcards and knick-knacks, the exhibition will remain on view through December 26, 2004. Prof. Edhem Eldem recounts the tradition of Ottoman orders and decorations... It is undeniable that the major inspiration for the process of transformation undertaken by the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century came from the West. In this westernization process, the practice of honoring individuals by bestowing on them orders and medals occupies a particularly fascinating place. The saga of Ottoman orders and decorations starts with the awarding of a very special çelenk (aigrette or 'plume of triumph') to English admiral Lord Nelson following his victory against Napoleon Bonaparte in Ottoman Egypt. The practice, at first largely considered an "English invention", gradually gained impetus in the1830s in conjunction with the rise in diplomatic relations with Europe and the attempts at reform within the Empire. After the 1840s, the close link between decoration and rank disappeared and the first real decorations as we know them today were created. The Crimean War signaled the opening of a new phase in the process and the Ottoman State began to use medals for distinctly political and diplomatic purposes, exactly as was being done in all major European countries. Abdülmecid's Mecîdî (1852) and Abdülaziz's Osmânî (1861) orders illustrate the passage to a "modern" format. The process reached a climax in the Hamidian period. While previous decorations remained in use, certain new medals were issued for the first time: the Şevkat (Charity) Order created specially for women, the Medal for Education awarded to top-ranking students, and the İmtiyaz (Privilege) and Liyakat (Merit) medals presented for loyalty, bravery and services rendered to the State. Abdülhamid II's deliberate and manipulative use of medals and orders as ideological and political instruments sometimes led to an arbitrary, unmerited and almost ludicrous bestowal of honors. Opponents to his regime even began to imply, in their prose or verse, that decorations no longer held any real value. With the1908 Young Turk Revolution and the ensuing ambiance of war, orders and decorations became the instruments of political affiliation, patriotism, nationalism, and political and military propaganda, thus reaching a much wider public. A large number of unofficial medals, pins and commemorative badges flooded the market spreading war propaganda and reflecting the new ideological and political discourse. The fact that the Republic would later adopt a tradition almost entirely free of orders and medals can probably be considered a reaction to some of the excesses witnessed in Ottoman times.
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