This paper examines the history of two objects from the art collections of the Habsburg Court in Vienna that were looted during the Great Turkish War. The first object is an Ottoman silk flag that was looted during the Great Turkish War and is now on display in the Museum of Military History in Vienna. The second object is the seal of Sultan Mustafa II, which was looted in the Battle of Zenta in 1697 and is today also in the collection of the Museum of Military History in Vienna. The two objects are worth investigating because both appear in the contemporary media and were owned or appropriated by influential political figures of the time. The research question of the thesis is therefore: What political meanings were attributed to Ottoman objects in the Habsburg treasury that were appropriated due to the Great Turkish War? It will be shown how the Court of Leopold I used art and loot for propaganda purposes, especially to demonstrate its religious and political legitimacy and superiority.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2 The Great Turkish War from the Habsburgs’ Perspective
3 The Schatzkammer at the Imperial Court of Leopold I.
4. The Ottoman Silk flag in the Heeresgeschichtliche Museum, formerly part of the Imperial Secular treasury
5. The Seal of the Grand Vizier, looted in the Battle of Zenta 1697
6. Conclusion
7. Literature
8. List of images
9. Images
Objectives & Core Themes
This research paper examines how appropriated Ottoman objects, specifically a silk flag and the seal of Grand Vizier Mustafa II, were utilized within the Habsburg Schatzkammer to serve as tools of political propaganda and to legitimize dynastic power during the aftermath of the Great Turkish War.
- The role of object history in understanding political dynamics and provenance.
- Habsburg propaganda strategies and the construction of the "Turkish threat" (Türkengefahr).
- Symbolic reappropriation: How captured enemy loot was transformed into symbols of Imperial victory.
- The function of the Schatzkammer as a public-facing museum for state representation.
- Analysis of specific Ottoman relics and their exhibition context in the 17th century.
Excerpt from the Book
5. The Seal of the Grand Vizier, looted in the Battle of Zenta 1697
The second object this paper intends to examine is a seal looted in the Battle of Zenta in 1697 [Image 2]. The seal is 26mm high and 19 mm wide and is attached to a ring about 30 mm high. The seal is made of brass. The seal ring is tied to a cloth bag made of red velvet, which most likely served to store the seal. The seal is inset with calligraphed Arabic letters that form the Tughra, the personal emblem of Sultan Mustafa II. Numerous floral ornaments surround the Tughra. The Tughra consists of the names of the sultan and his father, the year of his coronation and the attribution "always victorious", typical for Ottoman sultans at the time. It can be assumed that Sultan Mustafa II gave the seal to his Grand Vizier Elmas Mehmed Pasa before the beginning of the campaign in 1697.
In the political and bureaucratic system of the Ottoman Empire, the Tughra was a central symbol of power. It was added to all official documents, such as deeds, decrees and diplomas and was affixed to coins, buildings and ceremonial objects. The Tughra could only be used by the Sultan`s court and its use was limited to a select number of high-ranking public officials. Because of that, the Tughra became a key symbol of Ottoman power and rule. The seal was carried by the Great Vizir of the Ottoman Army, the direct deputy of the Sultan and the commander in chief of the Ottoman army in wartime. The Sultan would usually not go into battle himself but send a representative to lead the troops. The job of the Great Vizir was to act in the name of the Sultan, and as a symbol of his administrative and military powers, he was given the sultan's seal. The handover of the Sultan's seal to the Grand Vizier made him the Sultan's direct representative on the battlefield.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction establishes the historical context of the Great Turkish War and outlines the research objective: investigating the political meanings attributed to Ottoman objects in the Habsburg treasury.
2 The Great Turkish War from the Habsburgs’ Perspective: This chapter provides a historical overview of the military conflict, emphasizing the Siege of Vienna and the eventual dominance of the Habsburg Empire in Central Europe.
3 The Schatzkammer at the Imperial Court of Leopold I.: This section details the development of Habsburg collection cabinets and their evolving function as instruments of political propaganda rather than mere scientific collections.
4. The Ottoman Silk flag in the Heeresgeschichtliche Museum, formerly part of the Imperial Secular treasury: This chapter analyzes the provenance and symbolic use of an Ottoman silk flag as a medium for representing military victory and divine right to rule.
5. The Seal of the Grand Vizier, looted in the Battle of Zenta 1697: This chapter explores the capture and subsequent instrumentalization of the Sultan's seal, illustrating how its meaning was transformed from an Ottoman symbol of power to a Habsburg trophy.
6. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes how reappropriated objects served to glorify the Habsburg dynasty and discusses broader questions regarding the history and ethics of museum collections.
Keywords
Great Turkish War, Habsburg Empire, Ottoman Empire, Schatzkammer, Imperial Propaganda, Object History, Siege of Vienna, Battle of Zenta, Sultan Mustafa II, Prince Eugen of Savoy, Cultural Appropriation, Provenance, Political Legitimacy, Museum Studies, Military Tokens.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research?
The work focuses on the political use of looted Ottoman objects within the Habsburg Imperial treasury during the late 17th century.
Which specific objects are analyzed in the study?
The study examines an Ottoman silk flag now in the Heeresgeschichtliche Museum and the personal seal of Sultan Mustafa II, lost during the Battle of Zenta.
What is the main research question?
The paper asks what political meanings were attributed to Ottoman objects in the Habsburg Schatzkammer that were appropriated during the Great Turkish War.
Why were collection cabinets important for the Habsburgs?
These collections acted as propaganda tools, designed to impress visitors and justify the ruler’s power, military budget, and divine legitimacy.
What methodology is employed?
The author uses historical analysis of object provenance, contemporary guidebooks, and visual sources to interpret the political function of the artifacts.
What characterizes the propaganda use of these items?
The objects underwent a transformation of meaning: they were converted from symbols of Ottoman pride into symbols of their defeat and Habsburg supremacy.
How does the author connect the seal to Prince Eugen of Savoy?
Prince Eugen personally presented the seal to the Emperor in a letter, using the rare item to demonstrate his own military merit and loyalty to the crown.
What does the "Tughra" represent on the seal?
The Tughra is the personal emblem of the Ottoman Sultan, serving as a central mark of administrative and political authority in the Ottoman Empire.
- Quote paper
- Florian Kommer (Author), 2023, Looted Ottoman objects in the Vienna Schatzkammer and their use in the political propaganda of Leopold I., Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1405323
