I 1904 holdt prinsesse Hairie et foredrag i Wien, Østrig. Først skulle manuskriptet dog godkendes af politiet, og hun blev befalet at stryge mange afsnit. The Call bragte imidlertid 19. juni 1904 de censurerede afsnit:
A TURKISH WEDDING.
When the day of the wedding has been fixed an authorized person and two witnesses of the suitor go to the residence of the maiden's parents, where an attorney and two witnesses of the other party await them, and in the presence of the invited guests and relatives the ceremony takes place.
The chosen one is placed in a room in which besides herself there are generally only her mother, sisters and near relatives. The door is left ajar. The man who acts as the attorney of the maiden then asks her In a loud voice from the next room whether he is authorized by her to contract the marriage. It often happens that the girl, gives no answer. Three times her representative repeats his question and it the martyr remains obdurately silent, her mother or some other relative, by punching her, cuffing her and dragging her by the hair, try to force her to answer. If she still resists, one of the women often Imitates her voice and answers for her "Yes." After this doubtful "yes" the marriage contract is finally settled. The husband does not consider himself the companion, friend or protector of his wife. He has the right— if so it pleases him, to put her out of doors the morning after the wedding.
It is not seldom that a girl of 14 years is sacrificed to a man of 70 years. For this she has one compensation! She is held up as a splendld example to other women. Goaded on to despair, some women try to intimidate their husbands by every means within their reach, particularly when they are more clever than the men. When the late Mavroyoni Pasha, former body-physician to Abdul Hamid, wished to leave his wife she acquainted the Sultan with the fact that his physician and confidant possessed notes, to which he daily added observations "mad" concerning his Majesty's sickness. There was a searching of the house by the magistrates, the papers were seized, and the physician himself, after thirty years of faithful service, fell Into disgrace.
The wife of another of the Sultan's physician, Emin Pasha, who was suspected by his wife of Infidelity, notified the Sultan that her husband was involved in a conspiracy, against the life of the Padishah. Emin Pasha was sent into exile and to this very day his whereabouts is unknown.
THE SULTAN'S ONE WIFE.
According to law slavery no longer exists In Turkey, but in reality it flourishes there, as much as it ever did, without any authority daring to interpose. And that Is not so surprising if one considers that the Sultan's palaces are settlements of slaves. The Sultan's wives are all slaves — all with the exception of one legitimate wife — a wife who originally had also been a slave, but whom, however, he had to many. This young girl, by name Safi-Naz, was, like her two sisters, a slave of my father, Mahmoud Pasha Ben-Ayad.
My father presented the late Sultan, Abdul-Aziz, with Safi-Naz and one of her sisters, Tildiz. These human gifts were handed over with romp and luxury, according to the wealth of their donor. Safi-Xaz and Tildiz were dressed in silk and brocade, their brows encircled by a diadem, the stones of which shone and sparkled in every color of the rainbow. Their ears, fingers and girdles were literally studded with diamonds. Their beaming beauty harmonized well with the dazzling splendor of the gems. I think I may boldly assert that nowhere, except in the Orient, could such splendor be imagined.
The two young maidens were handed over in most ceremonious style by one of my father's eunuchs under guidance of Guirdi Ahmed Agha, at the time a clerk at the notarial office in Stambul. Abdul- Aziz was so deeply affected by the eight of the two beautiful slaves that he directly inquired in what manner he might return the compliment. He gave each servant 5O0 Turkish pounds, about $2200, and begged my father to accept a tabatiere of enormous value as a token of his deep gratitude. The girls were shown to one of the most elegant suite of rooms In the scrall, and surrounded by a staff of female attendants. The Sultan confided them to the special care of hi a mother, the Vallde-Sultana, and on the spur of the moment declared his love to the older girl, Safi-Kas, saying ha would make her his wife.
SLAVE WHO REBELLED.
With a frankness, I might say a bravery, which caused the other ladies of the Imperial harem to stare at her, Safi-Naz rejected the honor offered her by his Majesty. I am not sure of the feelings which the sovereign harbored, but he does not seem to have looked upon the situation In a very tragio way, as he shortly after made Yildiz his wife and later elected her for the position of a Haznadarrrouta, that Is Treasurer of the Imperial Harem, on whom the duty of supervision of the entire staff of courtiers and domestics devolves.
Had Abdul-Aziz examined the case a little closer be might have discovered a romance which was being enacted behind his back. His nephew, the present Sultan, Abdul-Hamid, listening and watching everywhere, as was his custom, had discovered Safi-Naz and fallen in love with her. He poured out his heart to the Vallde-Sultana, described his sufferings and swore he could not endure life without the "divine" Safi-Naz. The Vallde-Sultana, who was fond of her nephew, promised to help him and one day she told the Sultan, Abdul-Aziz, that Safl-Naz was dangerously ill. From time to time she reported to him about the condition of the slave, whom he had almost forgotten, and finally she announced her death. It is possible the Padishah believed all this. At any rate he took no steps to examine the case. and Abdul-Hamid married the charming slave.
This was not to be arranged otherwise. To possess her without marriage, Abdul-Hamid would have had to buy her from his uncle, and to make such a proposal to his Majesty would have been an unheard of proceeding. It goes without saying that this ! marriage remained a secret until Abdul-Hamid had ascended the throne.
DANGEROUS LETTER.
Chemseddin Bey, at present Embassador of the Sublime Porte in Teheran, a descendant of one of the most aristocratic families of the Caucasus, was at one time the Sultan's secretary. He enjoyed general esteem and was distinguished for his aristocratic, Independent and noble character. He had "a" sister who was strikingly beautiful, and was staying at the imperial harem as a guest. Abdul-Hamid found her to his taste and made advances to her. The proud Tsherkess maiden, however, thrust him back very energetically and made complaints to her brother.
Chemseddin swallowed his anger for the moment and asked some courtiers in high position to plead with Abdul-Hamid. They, however, did not venture to mix in the affair. At last he besought the famous Ghazi-Osman Pasha, the hero of Plevna, to advise him what to do. The latter told him simply to write to his Majesty and promised. In bis character of court-marshal, to hand in his missive to the Sultan.
Hemseddin Immediately sat down and wrote a letter to the Sultan which in regard to distinctness left nothing to be wished for. The purport of the letter was as follows :
"I take the liberty of reminding your Majesty that my sister is a free-born woman, and that In this character she will not be treated as a slave. If your Majesty thinks her worthy of looking upon, there is, in accordance with the laws of the Almighty but one way open and that is that, if my sister consents, your Majesty should marry her.
"These lines I address to your Majesty as the Calif, whose sacred duty it is to respect the commandments of our religion, to protect the weak and guard the virtue of our wives, daughters and sisters from low designs."
That struck home. Abdul-Hamid, wild with fury, had Chemseddin Bey arrested, but he had to send the young girl home. Immediately after, she was married to protect her from further persecution on the part of the Sultan. Her brother was kept a prisoner two years and badly treated, but finally Abdul-Hamid— to get him out of the country — gave him a foreign post.
MAKES THEM GROW BEARDS.
One day the Sultan was moat attentive - to a young Tsherkess girl. His passionate courting seemed to make no impression upon her and he wanted to know the reason of her coolness. "I do not like bearded men," was the curt reply. The Sultan bit his lip, but said nothing. - A short while after this the Tsherkees maiden married a beardless secretary of the Privy Office. On the morning after their wedding an order was issued, to the effect that all secretaries of that office must let their beards grow. The young wife was highly amused at this peculiar wedding present. from her rejected lover and on the next opportunity she said to the monarch with her sweetest smile: "Thanks, your Majesty, for your kind intention. Your Majesty, has reconciled me completely to the beards of our men. I think his beard is exceedingly - becoming to my husband" This anecdote is personally known to me to be true.
To speak of rights. In a place where the man's will holds a woman's fate in his grasp seems nonsensical, indeed, and yet Turkish women venture to hope for a change.
When I succeeded in eluding the watchfulness of the spies, surrounding me by the Sultan's order, hurrying, with my children to Kurope, where my husband was staying. I resolved to give the civilized Western countries an insight into the domestic conditions of Turkish people and awaken their sympathies for our Just endeavors — perhaps even to gain her moral help. The Turkish woman at last is pining for a wider. horizon. We should like to introduce, as much of it as harmonizes with our views, all that can add to real progress and Improvement. Our desire goes no further. For we, too, in the land of the East possess much that is good and with that we do not wish to part.
(The Call 19. juni 1904. Uddrag).
I december 1904 opholdt Ali Nouri sig på Hotel Bristol, hvor han fortalte til Social-Demokraten (20. december 1904) at den kgl. danske Geværfabrik leverede kontrabande til Rusland, altså et brud på neutralitetspolitikken. Leverancen foregik gennem "Dansk Rekylriffel-Syndikat", grundlagt af krigsminister Madsen. Den fik hovedparten af sine geværer lavet på statens geværfabrik. Minister Alberti havde ikke gjort noget ved sagen. Senere samme dag benægtede Ali Nouri dog alt hvad han havde sagt til Social-Demokratens reporter og forsvandt dernæst skyndsomt ud af landet. Avisen mente at Ali Nouri var blevet presset eller betalt for at tilbagekalde alt hvad han havde sagt, og undersøgte selv sagen. Den fik bekræftet hvad Ali Nouri først havde sagt, senere benægtet. Regeringsvenlige aviser dementerede Social-Demokratens historie med henvisning til udtalelser fra - krigsminister Madsen.
Sagen er nærmere behandlet på denne blogs indslag om rekylgeværaffæren 1904.
Herefter skiftede sympatien i de regeringsvenlige blade fuldstændig. Flere af dem indledte en tilsværtning af Ali Nouri, bl.a. at han skulle have solgt falske ordner på værtshuse i København.
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