Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-12-08
THE sULTAN,s ANNUAL WEDDING.
How He Selects a New Wife Every
Year on the Prophets Birthnight.

How He Selects a New Wife Every
Year on the Prophets Birthnight.
Constantinople Letter to the Philadelphia
It does not appear to be generally
known that the Sultan is obliged to
marry many women against his will,
vet such is the case, and at least
once in each year, whether his Maj
esty be young or old, sick or well,
does the law of the country oblige
| him to marry. This law has not
| always been in force, but was intro>
duced by the Sheik el-Islam, or head
of the Church, about $50 years ago
to force Sultan Selim, who, wishing
to abolish polygamy and keep one
wife only, to maintain and uphold
the ancient and authorized customs.
The ceremony of the Caliph's MARI
riage is so important an event that a
description of it will be interesting.
The Prophets birthday, or rather,
birthmght, as the Moslems call it,
is festival commencing at sunset of
the 18th day of Ramazan, and end,
ing at sunrise of the following morn
ing, thus making it a purely night
holiday. 1t is, after the holiday of
the Courban Bairam, which took
place only few days ago, and at
which Gen. Wallace, United States
Minister to Turkey, assisted, the
greatest of Mohammedlan festivities.
Besides being religious holiday, it
is national one also, as on this very
night Constantinople was taken by
the Turks, after seige which lasted
many years, during which not few
thousand of the faithful were sent to
Ell Wady, or Paradise The original
custom was that girls of all ranks
and conditions of society should
take their chances on the birth-night
of the Prophet, but now SO much
influence, both political and financial,
is brought to bear on the officials
selecting the maidens that few, if
any, of the poorer classes are ever
permitted to enter the lists. These
officials accept brides and presents
from parents and guardians,
and make decent fortunes
every year at the time of select
ton. Toward the close of the reign
of Sultan Abdul Medjid, that mon
arch one night refused to select
wife from among those who were
presented to him, and breaking
through the ring selected poor
girl who was standing in the crowd
selling flowers, to the astonishment
of all the Pashas and Boys present.
For several years after this the
officials conscientiously did their du-
ty, selecting the protest girls, irres
spective of the positions or influence
of their parents; now, however,
bribery and corruption will open the
door to rich girl, to the desriment
of a poor one, who may ever be SO
much more beautiful than the favor
ed one. The number. of maidens al
lowed to compete is 101, and when
the selection is complete, invitations,
or rather imperial commands, are
for them to attend, with in
as to dress. The dress
consists of large white linen sheet
thr wn over the shoulders in Roman
and sandals to the feet. All
the maidens have to dress alike,
leaving their hair hanging and no
gems or ornaments of any descrip-
ton are permitted.
On the night of the ceremony the
Sultan proceeds on horseback to the
ouleimanich Mosque, on the Stam>
boul side of the Golden Horn, &C
companied by all the high palace Of
ticials,,. Ministers of State and Pashas,
all in gala uniform, and surrounded |
by his aides de-camps in their pic
turesque costumes, representing the
various nationalities over which his
reigns supreme. The streets
through which he passes are lined
with soldiers, who, to make the scene
more effective and to illuminate their
masters passage, have Chinese lans
terms stuck on their bayonets, and
military bands play the Sultan's
March at short distances along the
route. Arriving at the Suleimanich
Mosque, his majesty is conducted to
the holy carpet, whereupon he al
ways stands during the service, and
where he hears the regulation sermon,
or rather advice, preached by the
Sheik ell Islam, in which he is enjoined
to be a good and true Mussulman,
and to take warning by the mishap
which befel his ancestor Selma, in
that very mosque, because he took
one wife only unto himself His
Majesty stays in the building for
about half an hour, after which he
proceeds to the square facing the
mosque, where great preparations
are made for his rece ption. On
large temporary elevation are all the
dignitaries of the State, the clergy
of the Imams, Mollahs, and Hawagas
occupying the places of honor. In
the center is pavilion of scarlet
velvet embroidered in gold, with the
'Tourah" or Sultan's monogram,
which is always the official emblem
of Turkey, hanging in each corner.
1t is covered at the top, and supported
by four silver columns, thus leaving
the sides open. In the pavilion are
the Sheikel-Islam and the heir to