Gold in Topkapi Palace Istanbul
Gold in Topkapi Palace Istanbul
Gold held a great symbolic value in the lives of the sultans during the Ottoman period. One can see the treasuries made of gold belonging to the Ottoman Sultans preserved in the Topkapi Palace. Gold was the first mineral discovered by man and gained immense importance to become a hot passion among people since times immemorial.
While looking at the ancient history of the Turkish people makes it quite clear that from Central Asia, the passion for gold continued to the Seljuks, Mamluks and the Ottomans till the present times. In the Topkapi Palace Museum, one can find golden chandeliers, cup holders, rosewater flacons, candle scissors, water pipes, dessert sets and candlesticks.
Apart from the above named articles, the museum also has items such as fans, snuff boxes, pill boxes and seal pouches which were commonly used either on ceremonies like weddings, coronations etc. or on day to day basis. Also on display is the jewelry belonging to the Ottoman period. Some of the jewelry is studded with diamonds, pearls, emeralds and jade.
By going through the Chronicles of the House of Osman by Asikpasazade (a source of the history of Ottoman dynasty), it becomes quite clear that the Ottomans used gold as gifts on important ceremonial occasions in their lives. According to a report from the Chronicle, ten trays of gold and silver were presented as gift at Murad I’s son’s circumcision.
During the 15th century, a number of gold and silver mines were captured after the conquest of the Balkans. Hence, there was a mass production of jewelry in Istanbul, Diyarbakir, Erzurum, Trabzon and Prizren. Further, the production of jewelry increased manifold after Sultan Mehmed (1451-1481) conquered Istanbul. According to Jacopo de Promontario, a chief merchant of Sultan Mehmed, there were a large number of candlesticks, pitchers, basins and bowls made of gold and silver.
Several items of luxury were in great use in the reign of Bayezid II and their use increased manifold after Selim’s I trips to Egypt and Iran. Some of the gold artifacts gifted to Shah Tahmasp of Persia by Suleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566) include carafe, tray and belts of gold.
Among the other gold items belonging to the 16th century include a jade cup and a gold tray presented by Mustafa II to the Voyvoda of Poznan in 1699 on the occasion of signing of the Treaty of Carlowitz.
The fact that there was a vast wealth of jewelry during the Ottoman Empire also makes it quite clear about enormous resources of the sultans during the period. Moreover, the sultans gave whole-hearted support to encourage the artists dealing in such work. There were a number of learned and skilled artists dealing in hammering gold and weaving embroidered cloth using gold.
During the later periods, we can find Indian and Mughal inspiration in the Ottoman jewelry pieces. The vast Ottoman Treasuries were the result of the gifts and the taxes collected from the provinces. Meanwhile, during the economic straits, a large number of gold objects were melted to make coins. However, the highly valued gold pieces of ancestral value were largely spared.
The Ottoman Treasury was protected by the Superintendent of the Treasury with a seal of Sultan Selim I till 1924 when the Topkapi Palace was converted to be used as a museum at the behest of Ataturk.
