[Bilimsel Haber] To attend in Istanbul: The Prince and The Pasha

[Onur Inal]

Lecture: The Prince and The Pasha

Diplomatic and Personal letters between Halil Pasha and Prince Maurits of
Netherlands,

by Mehmet Tütüncü,

December 15, 2010, 18:00 hour

Netherlands Institute in turkey

Nuru Ziya sokak 5, Beyoglu istanbul

www.nit-istanbul.org


nit at nit-istanbul.org
Tel: +90 (212) 293 92 83
Fax: +90 (212) 251 38 46


Abstract
In 2012 Netherlands and Turkey will celebrate the establishment of first
(diplomatic) relationship. This remarkable friendly relationship is lasting
now for 400 years.  Netherlands as a part of Habsburg Spanish Empire
declared independence in 1585 and was in search for allies in its war of
independence (the so called eighty-years-war) that lasted until 1648 (Peace
of Westphalia). Ottoman Turkey was also involved in a centuries-long war
against Spain in the Mediterranean. This common enemy was the driving
motive for the Staten generaal (Dutch parliament) and Stadthouder Prince
Maurits to send an ambassador in the person of Cornelis Haga to the
Ottoman High Porte to obtain support against Spain and free trade and
commerce in the Ottoman countries.  The strong man of Ottoman Empire
Halil Pasha, who was the Grand Admiral and Grand Vizier in these days,
promoted this Turkish-Dutch friendship. He was personally involved in
many "Dutch
affairs" and wrote many letters to Prince Maurits (Konte Maverisyu as Halil
Pasha addressed him) to solve and give tactics on how to obtain privileges
from the High Porte. The focus in this lecture will be how the
Ottoman-Dutch relationship was established and how it developed during
the days of Khalil Pasha and Prince Maurits, in the light of personal
correspondence of Khalil Pasha with Prince Maurits preserved in the
National Archives in The Hague (Netherlands).