مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - A Letter from the Ottoman Sultan Selim III to the French King Louis XVI

Abstract :

The Ottoman State established relationships with foreign states from its foundation and these relationships were conducted through extraordinary ambassadors in some very necessary situations. It was so natural that the Ottoman state had some other news sources and means to learn what happened abroad and to have communications with the external World. However it should be understood that there wasn’t a diplomatic network of today’s type until the end of 18th century. Beginning from 1789 the Ottoman state changed with the development in terms of its relations with other states. One direction of this development was to give up isolationism and become involved in the confederacy system and the other direction appeared as setting up European centered permanent embassies. In this new politics, the main actor was Sultan Selim III with his desire was to solve several problems of the Ottoman state since his accession to the throne and also in setting up an institutional improvement with France regarded as a very old friend. Since his accession, Selim III. had corresponded with King Louis XVI. It is understood that after he became Sultan he kept in touch with the king corresponding with him. In this context, although each letter was different from the others in terms of the subjects of correspondance, this correspondance provides important indications concerning Sultan Selim III.’s search for diplomacy. This study is based upon the fictionalised “Letter from Sultan Selim to King Louis XVI.” which we came across in the Nationale Bibliothèque.