Exile

 Elif Mat




ISTANBUL 1876



 

Sultan Abdul-Aziz woke up in Dolmabahce Palace as usual Crown Prince Mourad was in his own quarters with his family. All of a sudden they heard cannonballs.  Sultan Aziz said:  “Oh! No. This is not good!  It’s a coup. They are going to kill me.”

Prince Mourad didn’t know what to do.

A letter came to the palace from the prime minister’s office informing the Sultan that he was overthrown.

Although it was a fine morning there was panic within the palace. What will happen to Aziz and his family?



Mourad was also unsure. If they dethrone his uncle then it will be his turn to ascend the throne His nerves were weak and he was not ready for the job. Not ready at all.

When men came from the Ministry it was understood that Aziz was being taken to the Topkapi Palace with his family. They had to take a boat from the marvelous shores of the Bosporus.

Mourad was instructed to get ready for his coronation. Politely of course.  Politely but firmly.

Now he was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire He would rule in these turbulent times. Although the Empire didn’t have its past might, his power would still spread over three continents From Balkan countries to Iraq, Syria, to Egypt to Libya.



His uncle was a joyous man who liked sports, music and traveling. They had even gone on a European trip together all the way to England. But when Mourad proved very popular among the foreign dignitaries he was sent back.

The Ottoman family was always suspicious of one another. In fact, many people were suspicious of Mourad because he was a member of the Masonic lodge. That was a first in the family.

A few days later he received a letter from his uncle Sultan Aziz saying that Topkapi Palace was cold, old in need of repairs and there wasn’t enough staff to serve. They were not comfortable there. He wanted to come to the nearby Ciragan Palace. Mourad immediately said “yes” and gave orders accordingly.

However, a few days after Aziz had arrived the Ciragan Palace tragedy struck. They all woke up to a commotion.

Aziz went to the bathroom after asking his mother for a pair of scissors to trim his beard when he didn’t get out, his people went in to check and he was found with his two wrists cut.  He lost so much blood that the doctors couldn’t save him.



Beirut   1932

 

Selma was so graceful in her green gown that her mother gave her for her first ball. Her mother Hatice Sultan was Sultan Mourad’s daughter.

Selma was 18 years old and for the first time was allowed to go out at night.  The seamstress had fitted the dress very well and it really complimented her complexion.

Istanbul was a fading memory for her. Since their exile in 1924, they were praying every night to return back to their country but now she was realizing that there was no hope. The new regime didn’t want any member of the Ottoman family in the country.

What did that mean for her personally?  Was Beirut going to be her home forever?  Her days were busy when they first arrived. Her mother had enrolled her in a French school. The nuns were strict with the school work. Now that high school days were over she was not quite sure what to do with herself.

Each Wednesday afternoon she went to the harbor and waited for a ship coming from Istanbul. Just to see the people coming from her beloved city. She wished to talk to the people and get some news from her country but she never did.

She didn’t let anyone know about this weekly ritual she didn’t even mention this to her brother Hayri who was older than her. A quiet boy, different from spontaneous Selma.

She was thinking about her father a lot these days. Her father didn’t come with them to the exile. He had chosen to divorce Hatice Sultan and stay in the country. He left without even saying goodbye.

In the Ottoman days, no man would be allowed to divorce a Sultana.  Only the Sultana could divorce her husband if she wished so. Times were changed.

There was no Ottoman Rule anymore. There was the new republic. And the Ottoman spouses were given the right to stay if they chose to do so. And her father had simply chosen to stay. He betrayed the family. He had betrayed his little girl Selma.

They were all alone in the exile. They were short on money and Hatice Sultan had to sell her jewelry from time to time to support the family and their loyal servants.

Her father had left them. That was unbearable for Selma. She would never get over this. Her mom would never mention Hayri Bey. In fact, no one in the home ever mentions him anymore.

It was a hurt she had to bury in her heart. She never mentioned his father to her friends as well.

That night at the ball it seemed every man was looking to her trying to catch her eye, trying to gather up the courage to ask her to dance.

Will she ever be able to trust a man after losing trust in her own father? She didn’t think so….

 

Kenize Mourad with her mother Selma Sultan

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