Old Italian and German Royal Etiquette

 “The King only speaks Italian and French, so the conversation is generally in those two languages. French, of course, is supposed to be a universal language.”  – Photo of Quirinal Palace in Italy taken by Wolfgang Moroder.

The dinners at the Quirinal Palace in Italy are far more simple as to etiquette than that of England. The same formality is observed in the entrance of the King and Queen, but the conversation is more general and the Queen does not wear her gloves. She converses in English fluently. The King only speaks Italian and French, so the conversation is generally in those two languages. French, of course, is supposed to be a universal language. 

The dinners of Germany are not long, but they are formal and tedious, and the cooking does not commend itself to all tastes. The perfection of a dinner is found in London, generally at the house of Ambassadors, who combine the Excellencies of all nations with the follies of none. After asking the consent of the ladies present, the Italian and Turkish embassies allow the smoking of cigarettes between the salad and dessert. This fashion prevails in France and Russia, ladies smoking quite freely as men. – Harpers Bazaar, 1887

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19th C. Turkish Royal Court Debuts

Depiction of a 16th C. Turkish bride being taken to her wedding.

A COURT RECEPTION IN TURKEY

In Europe, social life is diversified by Court receptions, the opera, the theatre, balls, dinner-parties, garden-parties, rides and drives, walks, shopping, church-going, and foreign travel. All these have their counterpart more or less true or grotesque in Turkey. Take first Court receptions. These, it is true, are rare, but they are very magnificent when they do occur. The grandest was that held in 1863 at the fete of the circumcision of Youssouff Izzeddia Effendi. As this was a public occasion, answering to our Court drawing-rooms, the wives and daughters of all the great Pashas were obliged to present their congratulations in person to his Majesty; and, the strictest rule of all Turkish etiquette being for the time superseded by another even more stringent — no woman, whatever her rank, dare veil her face in the presence of the Commander of the Faithful.

I leave it to the imagination of those ladies who have undergone the ordeal of preparing a train and a curtsey for our own Court, what anxious cares were bestowed on ugly green and garnet-colored satin gowns, puffed pantaloons to match, on huge wadded paletots worn over the dress, and on French satin shoes. But, above all, the head-dress was the most difficult to arrange, many of the ladies having short-cropped hair. Everything depends on the set of the hótose or coiffure of colored silk gauze, and on the blaze of the jewels affixed to it; crescents of diamonds, aigrettes of diamonds, sapphires and rubies, pearls almost the size of strawberries, pear shaped diamond ear-rings as large as hazel nuts, or coronets resembling old-fashioned Imperial Crowns. Moreover, the head-dress must be most firmly attached, for, as with us, a Court débutante has to exercise herself in the most graceful manner of bending low before Royalty; there a lady has to practice how she may best advance demurely with a long square train passed between the feet, drop suddenly on her knees, dip her forehead three times to the ground, kiss the hem of the august personage's keurk, or furred robe, if that happens to be worn at the time— and after all this, retreat with good grace, and with out losing her jeweled cap at the feet of her Imperial Sovereign. 

Some of the younger married ladies were courageous enough to adopt the European corsage combined with Turkish train and trousers; but the most authoritative of all were three young khanuns who appeared in white Court dresses made in faultless Parisian style, trimmed with wreaths of white roses gemmed with dew, and very simple coiffures to match. These youthful Princesses looked altogether lovely, and when they advanced up the crowded presentation-chamber, they excited murmurs of admiration; they also saluted the Sultan by a deep courtesy only, he standing; but on passing to where the Validé Sultan was seated near her son, they made to her the customary acknowledgments. His Majesty was evidently much charmed by the grace and dignity of the sisters, and showed them marked attention by insisting that they should be seated— a sign of condescension and respect not extended to any other lady present. The Validé humored her son's whim, saying to the oldest of the young Princesses, while patting her on the shoulder, and motioning her to be seated on the low cushions beside her, “Come, my child, come! Be welcome. Sit beside me.”— Cornhill Magazine, 1876

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19th C. Turkish Etiquette

In the past, what was known as Constantinople, is modern day Istanbul. It was the capital of the Ottoman Empire until 1923. 

Etiquette at Constantinople

Court etiquette, degenerating into ease even in Spain, seems still to hold its own at Constantinople. The Paris Journal thinks that the following anecdote of the celebrated pianist Leopold Mayer throws some light upon the hot water into which M. de Vogue, the French Embassador to the Porte, lately fell, it is not easy, according to Mayer, to perform in the Seraglio. You must arrive by 8 o'clock in the morning to perform at 3:00. You must be in full dress. You wait seven hours in a very beautiful gallery, where sitting is forbidden. From time to time you are told what his Highness is doing. " His Highness is just risen." You must prostrate yourself accordingly. "His Highness is going to take the bath." You prostrate yourself again. "His Highness is dressing." Once more you prostrate yourself. ''His Highness is taking coffee," and you prostrate yourself at each of these details of information, and each time more respectfully than before.

At last they bring the piano, but they have removed the legs, in order not to injure the mosaic work of the floor The grand piano is supported on five Turks! The poor fellows are on their knees, bent down and crushed by the enormous weight! But by objecting to play on a piano a cinq Turcs they only think you mean that the instrument is not level. They take a cushion aud place it under the knees of the smallest Turk. They do not suspect that a sentiment of humanity forbids your playing. You are obliged to explain this delicacy of civilization, and the process is long.

At last they place the piano on its real legs, and the Sultan appears. After all sorts of salamaleks, they order you to play. You ask for a chair. There is no chair. It is forbidden to sit in the presence of his Highness. Now a pianist without a chair is in even a more awkward position than an embassador who must not sit down. One must do at Rome what Rome does, and M. de Vogue has been merely taught that the same proverb is true of other places than Rome. But it is clear that a man who cannot stand a great deal — in many senses — is not fitted to be a representative of any kind at Constantinople. -1872

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Turkish Etiquette History Tidbit

Even pupils in the highest forms, “do not know how to greet people, shake hands, take off their hats, what kind of dinner table etiquette they must observe, or how to behave when paying calls.” 

According to a recent report from Istanbul, etiquette is now to be a compulsory subject in all Turkish schools. It appears that even pupils in the highest forms there “do not know how to greet people, shake hands, take off their hats, what kind of dinner table etiquette they must observe, or how to behave when paying calls.” 

Without suggesting that pupils of a similar standing in Western schools, who have the advantage of a long tradition behind them, are altogether young Turks in this respect, one cannot help feeling that they might benefit from an advanced course in etiquette. –Christian Science Monitor, 1939

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Etiquette of Turkish Solon

Etiquette of Turkish Solon was"Quite Amusing" 

All Arose When a Member Entered the Chamber

The etiquette of the members of the Turkish chamber almost vies with the politeness of the young Chinese to his prospective father in-law, so amusingly told by Goldsmith.

At the commencement of the new era, either by accident or design, a custom arose that when any member of the house entered all those who were present rose from their seats and made their salaam to the newcomer. Even if a member was addressing the house, a breach in the speech was considered preferable to a breach of courtesy, consequently the orator paused, and the civilities complied with, proceedings resumed.             

The amenities proved themselves a nuisance, Grand Vizier, Ahmed Mukhtar Pasha, took the matter in hand, with the result that the house agreed that these courtesies should only be observed before the house was in session.

To put matters bluntly, these amenities proved themselves a nuisance. Mukhtar Pasha took the matter in hand, with the result that the house agreed that these courtesies should only be observed before the house was in session.

As the members drop in now, all in their seats rise and exchange compliments with the late comer, but as soon as business begins the belated one, metaphorically, like Longfellow's Arab, "folds his tent and silently steals" away into his seat. – From The San Francisco Call, 1911

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