The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-30
THE SULTAN'S INVESTITURE
GIRDING or HANMED v.
WITH THE SWORD OF OTHMAN.
The Ceremony Picturesque but Less
Magnificent Than In the Case Of Other
Sultans-Synboiicai Taking OF Con.
stnntinople Agaiu-HerOes In Khaki.

H. A~''
x%tantinpple A~sain-Her0es In Khaki.
CoNsrASrINorLE. May l0.-The Caliph
OF All the Faithful is not crowned in the
manner Of other rulers OF nations. In
stead he is girded with the ancient sword
Of Gilman the founder of his dynasty.
This ceremonial investiture in the case OF
Mohammed took place to-day at the holy
Mosque Of Eyub, which lies OF the waters
edge where the Golden Horn bends to-
ward tine Sweet Waters OF Europe.
The mosque. a ma gnifcent example OF
Oriental architecture. is built OF white
marble and decorated with Persian tiles
1t. is esteemed the hottest Mussulman
temple in Europe. When a Moslem wishes
to make an u~nbreakable vow he under
takes a pilgrimage TO the Mosque OF
'Eyub and sacrifices a lamb there. To
this day this sacred spot remains untrod-
den by non-Moslem feet, although the
story goes that on one occasion a VEN
turesome European succeeded in hiding
himself over night in the building and thus
witnessed n ceremony upon which none
but the faithful may look.
For centuries before Mohammed III.
finally conquered C~onstantinople the
Cnmiad Callphs had attacked tho city in
vain. IN one Of the sieges. that OF 88s.
Eyub-or. as the Bible lspells it, job
Ansari died under the walls.
He was a man held in great reverence.
as a former. companion and standard
bearer of the Prophet. He had prophe-
sled that be should fall and that one day
a Mussulman conqueror would discover
his tomb. The exact spot was revealed
In q dream. 40 the legend says, to an Imam
in the suite of Mohammed H.. the Con-
queror. So there rose first an ornate
tomb, then a mosque. then n medresseh.
or college.
The Arabic inscription encircling the
dome Of the mosque signifies: I'm the
year Of the Hejira. S83 IA. d. 1857 Sultan
Mohammed II. built this mosque. May
II resemble Paradise! 1t has been made
the house Of God. whose followers are
to be revered." Inside is the holy mans
shrine, within n screen hung with costly
shawls. At the head ia a turban, at the
foot stand two silver candlesticks and
a jewelled stool on which the sword has
been preserved ever since the Imam seer
solemnly girded it IN Mohammed III.
This then was the spot that was to
witness the solemnity Of to-day. For
centuries the taklidi saif (girding with
the swordl has been a ceremony at which
the officiant. by exclusive privilege. has
been the appointee OF the chief Of the
Mevlevi, or dancing dervishes, a descend
ant Of Djellal-e ed Din RUM. one of the
greatest OF Oriental mystics. who founded
the order in the days Of the Seljuk Sui
tarss.
The chief OF the Mevlevi bears the
Tartar title of Tchelebi 0ord) OF Konia
in Anatolia, where tho tekke or monastery
is situated. the famous blue mosque
This hereditary head OF the Mevlevi
Is a person OF considerable importance.
All who are familiar with the inner life
Of Turkey are aware of the extraordinary
influence Of tine order through all he po-
litical vicissitudes of the country.
The Tchelebi rarely oficiates at this
function. Indeed he so commonly dele
gates his duty to a brother of his order.
he himself travelling only as far az
Scutari. that the notion arose that il he
were to cross the Bospor,is his rank would
excel that of the Sultan himself.
hHC1tIt uedIt HINES tllt RlTtttllR Oh the
sword for the fortieth day following the
proclamation Of the new Sultan. a period
for the sending of the couriers
to Konia and the Tchelebi's journey TO
the capital; but time moves more quickly
now in Turkey. and not only was the
interval reduced to a fortnight but Abdul
Hahn. for that is the great mans name.
was induced to perform the ceremony in
person. which departure from recognized
precedent has not failed to strengthen the
position Of the new ruler in the eyes of his
orthodox subjects.
d Brilliant weather favored to-dav's
pageant. Fully 200. 900 persons belonging
70 all Osmanli classes crowded the narrow
t~ortuous streets Of Stambul from Evub
to Seraglio Point, a distance of six miles.
Mingled with the mass of Stambulis-
Armenians and Greeks-were men
from the outlying provinces Of the
empire and Of its wilder Observation-Disclosures.
ewarthy Arab or a coal black African.
Rough stands had been erected at short
Intervals, the cemeteries along the route
being especially used for the accommoda-
tion Of sightseers. among whom were
of Nloslem women, whose
colored charchafs with the fezzes, uni
forms and red flags Of the soldicry made
- 'Tii ~ WY N'i'' ~
feemed to he a women's festival. for
women were in the majority.
Z They filed the streets. the verandas
and the terraces. Those who crowded
the window stills had raised their ydshmdts.
their pallid faces, with large
pensive eyes blackened with kohl. and the
ample folds of the feredje framing their
checks gave them a curious resemblance
to nuns
! Children from the public schools, Mo-
ha%mmedans, Jews and Christians. each
with a little fez on head and flag in hand.
were dra wn up in line in the streets, and
while waiting sang patriotic hymns in
chorus. Regiments OF infantry and squad
rons of cavalry with bands ined the
route, from which patrols Of Rumelian
gendarmes ruthlessly drove away the
small bands Of Kurds in yellow turbans
and wide brooches, who had come up from
the dark quarters Of the port.
Near Saint Sophia and on the square
of the Seraskierat rose triumphal arches
hung with bunting, but the finest orna-
ment Of the roads was the crowd, massed
and clustered everywhere. forming a
varicolored embroidery to the
buildings.
1t was at 1880 that Mohammed V.
in a blue and gold Generals uniform with
the Grand Gordon OF the Order of the
left the Dolma Ba gtsh Palace
to the sound Of the Constitutional Hymn"
and the boom Of twenty-one guns. He
on. the state barge Seyudlu,
bers Of his household. As The Seyudlu
and the barge. escorted by three steamers
optnraJ thu Gnldap Horn amid tho chaara