page_title: Surname-i Hümayun
section_title: Processions
hierarchical_section_title: Surname-i Hümayun / Processions
caption_attribution_description: English: The Surname-I Hümayun (Imperial Festival Book) were albums that commemorated celebrations in the Ottoman Empire in pictorial and textual detail. As depicted here, during the various festivals, the Ottoman Sultan would throw gold coins into the crowd as a sign of the great wealth of the imperial household.
context_page_description: The Surname-i Hümayun, were albums that commemorated celebrations in the Ottoman Empire in pictorial and textual detail. Such celebrations included mainly imperial weddings and circumcision festivals. These albums were commissioned by the Ottoman Imperial family, usually by the Sultan presiding at the time. The Surname recounts the festivities in order of when the events took place, which includes in detail processions, grand entrance of the Sultan, feasts, entertainers, musicians, dancers, gift giving, firework displays, circumcision and wedding ceremonies. Although many of the Surnames were made to celebrate circumcisions of Ottoman Princes, the first Surname was commissioned in 1524 for a wedding ceremony.
context_section_description: There were many festivals and rituals that took place in the Ottoman Empire but only the most elaborate were documented in a Surname-I Hümayun. These are the festivals that are known to be documented in detail.
  1524 The earliest known festival for which a Surname existed was created for the marriage of Princess Hatice, the sister of Süleyman I, to Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha. It was commissioned by Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent in order to have records of the event.
  1530 Süleyman the Magnificent commissioned this festival in 1530 and it lasted three weeks. He decided to have a festival at this time, because even though his armies had failed to take Vienna, they had not been defeated and had to withdraw so the festival was used as a political strategy.
  1582 This Surname-I Hümayun was commissioned for a circumcision festival, as well it was to commemorate Sultan Murad III’s son Prince Mehmed. This festival lasted fifty-two days and was probably one of the most elaborate and grandiose festival the Ottomans had ever held, and it was well documented. The organization of this Surname was done chronologically, each day documented in order with what occurred. The book was created by an author named ‘Intizami’ which is a pen-name, and the illustrations were done mainly by court artists including Nakkaş Osman.
  1720 The Surname-I Hümayun of 1720 was commissioned by Sultan Ahmed III for the circumcision of his four sons, this festival lasted fifteen days. It was documented by Vehbi, who provided the text for the book. The illustrations were made by Levni and his assistants. This was the last festival documented in a Surname and it was also the last of its kind in terms of grandeur. Vehbi also points out in the Surname that he was chosen to create this festival book by winning a competition.
caption: During the various festivals, the Ottoman Sultan would throw gold coins into the crowd as a sign of the great wealth of the imperial household.
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