Diplomatie

New English Paperback. Pbo. Roy. 8vo. (24 x 17 cm). In English. 95 p., color and b/w ills. Belgium in the Ottoman capital: From early steps to 'la Belle Epoque'. The centenary of 'Le Palais de Belgique', 1900-2000. This book has been published to mark the centenary of Le Palais de Belgique Legation in Constantinople, now known as Istanbul. It begins with an account of the first diplomatic and commercial contacts between Belgium and the Ottoman Empire, which were initiated within a year after the new Belgian State achieved independence in 1830. It then goes on to describe in detail the experience of the various Belgian diplomats, businessmen, industrialists and travellers who came to Constantinople in the remaining years of the nineteenth century, during which time they played distinctive roles in the social life of the city as well as contributing significantly to the modernisation of the old Ottoman capital. The latter part of the book describes the acquisition and renovation of the building that came to be known as Le Palais de Belgique. This monograph is a valuable and unique addition to the bibliography of Istanbul studies, particularly concerning the participation of Belgians in the life of the city during the latter years of the Ottoman Empire.