Dynastie

New English Paperback. Pbo. Oblong 4to. (27 x 28 cm). In English and Turkish. 219 p., ills. The Ottoman Empire, which, for centuries, had successfully ruled nations and communities of diverse ethnic origins and religious denominations under the same administrative system, was entering an irrevocable process of disintegration at the turn of the 20th century. Struggling to take precautionary steps against the pressures of the "New Nation States" that originated from the Balkans, which were openly supported by Russia, England, Austria and Greece, Sultan Abdulhamid II announced -out of despair and the fait accomplihe faced- the proclamation of the Second Constitution on 24 July 1908 to protect his throne, for he justifiably believed this to be the only solution to prevent, or at least delay the complete disintegration of the Empire. Sultan Abdulhamid II, who by then was nearing the 32nd year of his reign, was convinced that this was the sole measure to be taken to keep under control the power "Young Turk" movement, which increasingly evolved into a stronger force under the auspices of the "Committee of Union and Progress", had over the large masses. It was, on the other hand, impossible for the restoration of the 1876 Constitution and the implementation of a Constitutional regime based on a newly established parliament by way of elections, to provide viable solutions to the grander problems of the Empire. The upheaval instigated by the Islamic faction waging war against the Committee of Union and Progress and the counter- revolution attempt, which has come to be known as the "31 March Incident", ended when the Third Army stationed in Salonica arrived in Istanbul and seized control of the govemment. The deposition of Sultan Abdulhamid II on 27 April 1909 and the subsequent enthronement of the 65-year-old Sultan Mehmed Resad V meant, evidently, that the government of the Empire was now in the hands of the leaders of the Committee of Union and Progress. In the ensuing years, the rigours of the Balkan War and World War I compelled the Committee members, who adopted "Liberty - Justice - Fraternity and Equality" ideals as their slogan, to relinquish their pluralistic and democratic stance and pursue a nationalistic discourse, which, in turn, accelerated the run towards the inevitable end. The purpose of the catalogue and the exhibition we designed in commemoration of "The 400th Anniversary of the Restoration ofthe Constitution" is to draw attention to a tumultuous period that had significant repercussions on the Republic years. It is rather intriguing how, from books and posters to memorabilia, and even quotidian objects, masses of diverse religions and races expressed their yearning for and expectations from a more democratic regime. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Sinan Kuneralp, Prof. Edhem Eldem, Dr. Sacit Kutlu, David Barchard, Paul Bessemer and Sukru Ilicak, who all contributed to the exhibition catalogue with their valuable articles; to Mehmet Akgul, Atom Damali, Oktar Kubat, Ugur Yegin, Ugur Goktasli, Orlando Kalumeno, Roni Margulies and Ekrem Gocay, who made it possible for the works in their private archives and collections to be published in the catalogue and displayed in the exhibition; to Sadberk Hamin Museum Director Hulya Bilgi and her team; and to project coordinator Bahattin Oztuncay, with whom we collaborated on the selection of items included in the exhibition and the catalogue.