Sefaretname: an account of the 1755 Ottoman embassy to Poland-Lithuania

Polish historians have been publishing the accounts of Polish-Lithuanian ambassadors to the Ottoman Empire since the 19th century. These sources have been indispensable to the study of Polish-Ottoman historical relations for generations, particularly as few historians have had access to both Polish and Ottoman sources. In contrast, very few studies of Ottoman diplomatic embassies to Poland-Lithuania have been analyzed. As the Polish and Turkish academies become closer, an integration of sources from both historical milieus will no doubt lead to an even more nuanced understanding of the historical relations of these close neighbors. The current study is an attempt to move in this direction.

During the 18th century in the Ottoman Empire it was standard protocol to inform neighbouring states of the succession of a new sultan to the Ottoman throne and assure them of the good intentions of the new ruler. When Mahmud I (r.1730-1754) died in 1754, Osman III (r.1754-1757) became the new Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. After the succession of Osman III, several envoys were sent to Russia, Poland-Lithuania and Austria to officially inform these states of his succession.

Polish report of the mission

Former Ottoman governor Ziştovili Hacı Ali Ağa (d. 1760) was sent to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for this purpose. Following initial preparations, he set off with his legacy by way of the Ottoman vassal state of Moldavia and the fortress of Khotyn in January, 1755. He arrived in Polish territories in February and issued a letter to Crown Grand Hetman Jan Klemens Branicki announcing the arrival of the Ottoman envoy to Polish territories. In the town of Żwaniec, Hacı Ali Ağa was met by local governors. Rich banquets were given in honour of the Ottoman envoy during his progress through Polish-Lithuanian cities. The Ottoman mission consisted of almost 50 people, among whom were the secretary of the legacy (who was a poet), a seer, a cook, a postman, servants, guards etc. Their route took them through Dubno, Lublin, Radzyń, Bielsk, Białystok, Warsaw, Leszno and finally arrived in Wschowa where an audience was held for the Ottoman envoy by the King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania and Elector of Saxony August III (r. 1734-1763).

As King August III was not in Warsaw at the time, Hacı Ali Ağa was forced to travel even farther, to Wschowa. As the Elector of Saxony, the King spent a great deal of time in Dresden, the capitol of Saxony. Significantly, the Ottoman envoy Hacı Ali Ağa was invited to Białystok which was located far to the east and was not on the way to Warsaw. It is likely that royal officials sent him on this unnecessary detour in order to gain time until King August III returned to Poland. Grand Hetman Branicki invited Hacı Ali Ağa to Białystok in April 1755, after which the Ottoman envoy spent some time being entertained by the city. There he met with Izabella Branicka, the wife of the Hetman and other noble Polish ladies. It is clear that Polish-Lithuanian society was very interested in the Ottoman mission; news of the envoy’s arrival, and the receptions given in his honour were published in detail in local newspapers.

After a series of similar receptions in several Polish cities as well as in the capital in Warsaw, Hacı Ali Ağa came to Wschowa, which was located in the western part of Poland, not far away from the Brandenburg border. He had an official audience in the presence of August III in May. An elaborate ceremonial entrance was held during his visit with the King, which was attended by a large crowd of curious onlookers that did not want to miss the opportunity to see the Ottoman envoy. Hacı Ali Ağa delivered the royal letter of the Ottoman Sultan to the King of Poland-Lithuania and issued words of friendship and good relations between two neighbouring states. There were also gift exchanges at the end of the audience, which were a great disappointment for the Ottoman Envoy:

When the gifts of the King were brought, we looked upon them in wonder.

In two baskets there were five to ten pieces of Viennese-style items:

A few plates, five to ten bowls and two Austrian-style watches

These are the gifts of the King…

After accepting a letter from August III to the Ottoman Sultan Osman III, Hacı Ali Ağa left from Wschowa and arrived in Istanbul in July, 1755. Despite the unimpressive gifts given by the King, Crown Grand Hetman Branicki spent a great deal of money to host the Ottoman legacy. According to his accounts, gifts and other expenses cost Branicki some 57,502 florins. As a rule, the Ottoman government covered the daily expenses of extraordinary envoys from foreign courts that came to Istanbul. In the same way the daily expenditures of Ottoman envoys were paid by host countries until the end of the XVIIIth century. As such, the cost of Hacı Ali Ağa’s trip were an enormous expense. Following the mission of Hacı Ali Ağa, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth sent Count Mniszech to the Porte to officially congratulate the new Sultan on his succession to the throne in 1755.

The Sefaretname

Thanks to his sefaretname (ambassadorial account) and Polish sources, we know a great deal about the mission of Hacı Ali Ağa. The sefaretname of Hacı Ali Ağa differs from other Ottoman ambassadorial accounts in that it was written in the form of a poem, probably by the ambassador’s secretary. The document, which is both long and detailed, provides information about all of the cities, no matter how small, that the legacy visited. All events and locations are described as they were seen through Ottoman eyes. For this reason, it is a significant source that allows us to explore an Ottoman perspective of Poland-Lithuania in the 18th century.

Ottoman Perceptions of Poland-Lithuania in the Sefaretname

It is clear that, for the author of the sefaretname, Polish-Lithuanian society, culture, and religious life were quite alien. Political and administrative structures, urban governments, officials, and women were all described in some detail. The author criticized both the Polish-Lithuanian administrative system to the habit of the locals to drink too much alcohol:

Some of these people are drunk, some of them have a foolish-temperament

The Crown Grand Hetman’s relationship with his wife were of interest to the author:

The Hetman is very fit and takes every kind of pleasure (from life)

Although he is old, his wife is very young

He has a good time and she gives him power

In generaly, the sefaretname portays women as being very active Polish-Lithuanian society, however it is clear that Hacı Ali Ağa did not find this activity, or the women themselves to be very attractive:

(These women) are without grace or pleasant demeanour;

they are not attractive.

(Here) all women look alike,

as if they were a picture on the wall.

To look like such infidels and to dream of pleasure,

for a human, is not possible

if they don’t wear hoop-dresses [çenberli fistan],

which all women here wear.

Women are famous here for these ignoble dresses.

Jewish people also figure into the account of Hacı Ali Ağa, and are noted whenever they were encountered in his journey. In the sefaretname the Christian communities of Poland-Lithuania are described as infidels (kâfirler). Hacı Ali Ağa expresses his hope that Polish territories join the world of Islam

The sefaretname of the Hacı Ali Ağa is a detailed, lengthy Ottoman diplomatic account of an embassy to Poland-Lithuania. It provides a rare Ottoman perspective on Poland-Lithuania in the mid-18th century. The future study of this and similar accounts will help to flesh out our understanding of Polish-Ottoman relations and the ways that these societies perceived of one another.

Posted by: Dr. Hacer Topaktaş. See academia.edu

Bibliography

1. Şeref, Abdurrahman. 1328/1912, “Manzum Bir Sefâretnâme”, Tarih-i Osmanî Encümeni Mecmuası (TOEM), V. III, nr. 13, pp. 777-795.
2. Kucharska, Barbara. “Polska XVIII wieku w oczach tureckiego dyplomaty Hacı Ali Agi”, Przegląd Orientalistyczny, nr. 1 (41), 1962, pp. 31-46.
3. Topaktaş, Hacer. Lehistan’da Bir Osmanlı Sefiri Hacı Ali Ağa (1755), forthcoming.

The reception of the last Polish-Lithuanian mission to the Porte, 1790