Islamic Feasts as a Tool of Ottoman Public Diplomacy During the Hamidian Era, 1876–1909

This article investigates the role of Islamic feasts as a performative, versatile diplomatic tool, particularly in shaping Ottoman interactions with European powers and the United States, during the era of Sultan Abdülhamid II (r. 1876–1909), by situating religious gatherings at the nexus of religious-cultural ritual, imperial legitimacy, and diplomatic culture. Processions, public prayer, palace ceremonies, personalized meetings and luncheons, and provincial celebrations not only functioned as displays of imperial power and the emergent Ottomanist identity in a time when the empire was losing territories and the monarchical legitimation was constantly challenged, but also as calculated performances aimed at foreign diplomats, travelers, and businessmen from Western powers. Feasts facilitated interpersonal diplomacy between the Sultan and foreigners as well as high-level bureaucrats and Western representatives. While highlighting the strategic benefits of such ceremonial diplomacy for the Hamidian regime and the symbolic construction of imperial identity abroad, the study discusses its limitations, particularly the disconnect between the intended ritual spectacle in the imperial capital and reception outside the palace and in provinces.