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Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

.. that the cousin of the French Valide Sultan, the mother of Sultan Mahood II, was Napoleon's Empress Josephine ...

Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

... that the same Sultan Mahmood II once, when unhappy with an admiral who had ordered one of his men to be lashed 500 times, forced the admiral to eat 100 cakes ...

When, after eating 75, the admiral pleaded for mercy, the Sultan replied "how is it that you can expect your men to 'eat' 500 lashes from a whip, when you can't even eat 100 cakes" ...

tararu · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 494

Something that l was pondering the other day was that by the time the Ottoman dynasty collapsed, their mustn't have been much let's say Turkish blood running in there veins. None of the mothers of the sultans was actually Turkish. It was illegal to have Turkish slaves, so most of the ladies in the harem were from eastern block countries.

By the way, I have read that the supposed royal French connection was just propaganda to strengthen French Ottoman ties.

Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

According to the book 'The Wilder Shores of Love' ... which details the life of Aimee Dubucq de Rivery, the Valide Sultan, through her Martinique upbringing, convent education, and her capture by pirates that lead to her being gifted to the Sultan's Harem ... Josephine was a childhood playmate cousin from her Martinique days ... there was no question of their not being related ...

In fact, when Sultan Mahmood II came to power, Aimee Dubucq de Rivery was in a poisition to freely correspond with Josephine ... letters which, one assumes, still exist today ..

tararu · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 494

I will have a glance at my book when l get home just to check my information. Could be some other royal French connection with the Ottomans that l am rattling on about.

Golightly · Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:17 pm Post subject:

Did you know floppy haired buffoon and tory MP for Henley, Boris Johnson, is the Great-grandson of Ali Kemal, the last interior minister of the Imperial government?
Well, now you do.
source

FGT · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 762 Location: Turkey

I've recently re-read "Wilder Shores of Love" and agree that it appears that there was a French connection at that time, I've never seen it said elsewhere though. I'd like to read other sources. Any ideas?

Years ago I read an equally digestable book about the Turkish sultans by Noel Barber: "Lords of the Golden Horn". I'd love to find this book again, has anyone ever come across it?

Baba Alex · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 2411

Golightly · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 12:37 pm Post subject:

tararu · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 494

Constantinople-city of the world's desire.

I can't find my copy. Must be packed up in a box somewhere.

Also, anything by Bernard Lewis is great.

Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

Did you know ...

.. that a defeated Gladiator was expected to die 'like a man' by kneeling before his vanquisher for a sword to be rammed down his throat and through his heart ...

billybuzz · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 219 Location: turkey

So what happens to a defeated teacher ?
Do we just ram our board markers down our throats ?
Or just suck up somemore of the same old bs ?

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

The key to teaching in the Gulf is to bend down on your knees in submission before you've sustained any serious injuries ...

Then, just as your would be vanquisher draws back his sword for the fatal strike, you take advantage of his exposed posture and grab him by his 'testicolus' causing him to further expose himself ... now taking your sword and swearing to avenge the years of battering suffered by your dignity and self-respect, you ram it firmly up his derriere ...

Secure in victory, you march off with the spoils of battle ...

Unfortunately, it is at this point that several would be free-men have met their end ... on walking past the lions pit, a wildness cultivated in their souls from years of combat stirs within them, and before they know it they have leapt into the pit and are at the lions with their bare teeth ...

.. They bite well but the numbers are against them ..

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397