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Tughra

The Tughra or cypher of the Sultan was at the head of all documents, coins and embroideries, and wherever as Sultan's emblem it will add value and interest. This Tughra, with the appearance of which was familiar from seeing it on Turkish coins and postage stamps or on pieces of embroidery or inlaid mother-of-pearl work, contains, ornamentally written as a sort of monogram, the names of the reigning Sultan and his father, together with the title Khan and the epithet al-muzaffar-daima, or "the ever victorious."

The grand signer's signature called tughra is affixed by the nishandji effendi, not at the bottom, but at the beginning, over the first line of the mandate. If the Sultan intended a more than ordinary confirmation, he writes with his own hand over the tughra, " according to the underwritten be it done." Such a khatt'y sherif was held in great veneration by the Turks, who religiousiy kissed it when they touched it, aud wiped off the dust on their checks.

In De Guignes' " History of the Huns" (iv. 34) it is stated that Tamerlane had his palm painted red "after the manner of the Tatars," and so "put his hand" as a seal to the commissions he gave to the governors of his provinces. Mr. William Simpson, in the Journal of the Society of Arts, has shown that the Sultan's griffe or tughra was originally a similar sign-manual.

Murad succeeded his father, Orchan, at the age of forty. Osman and Orchan between them created the Ottoman dynasty and State, but Murad must be credited with having founded the Empire in the sense of imposing Ottoman rule on subject races. He soon proved himself to be eminently qualified to rule by his untiring activity and vigour, his genius for war, and his wise and sane statesmanship. He was illterate. He could not even sign his name. The Tughra is said to have originated in this way : In 1362 Sultan Murad I entered into a treaty with the Ragusans, but when the document was brought for his signature, he, being unable to write, wetted his open hand with ink and pressed it on the paper. The first, second, and third fingers were together, but the thumb and fourth finger were apart. Within the mark thus formed the scribes wrote the names of Murad and his father, the title Khan, and the "victor ever." The Tughra is the result of this ; the three long upright lines represent Murad's three middle fingers, the rounded lines at the left side are his bent thumb, and the straight ones at the right his little finger. This early specimen of smudgeography was large enough, owing to his taking about tens in gloves, to afford room for additions, and indeed would look better with some of the spaces filled up ; and so the Ottoman scribes wrote within them the name of Murad, his title, and the phrase that bore testimony to his victorious career. There are two stories as to the writing in the centre: one, that it was filled in by the scribes; but by far the most popular is that it suddenly appeared by miraculous means.

There is another account of the origin of the "Tughra ": A Greek monk from the Monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai, predicted to Mohammed - who was a driver of camels - that he would be elevated to great power, and in return the monk asked Mohammed if the prediction should be realized, to pledge to the monk free exercise of the Christian religion and certain privileges to the monastery of St. Catherine. When Mohammed attained power and successfully marched through Arabia and Syria, he arrived at Mount Sinai, where he met his former predicting friend, who reminded Mohammed of his previous promises. The promise was granted by an official act, which was dictated and written by one of his followers, Ali Amboudelip, and as Mohammed was unable to write, was obliged to sign this official agreement by wetting his hand with ink and pressing it on the parchment. This agreement was taken from the monastery by Selim I in A.D. 1517, who demanded its delivery and instead he gave a substitute signed by himself.

The "Tughra" dates from the latter part of the 14th century. The smaller characters in the "Tughra" change, of course, on the accession of every fresh sovereign, but the leading form of the device always remains the same, namely, rounded lines to the left denoting the thumb, lines to the right denoting where the little finger made, impression, and three upright ones indicating the other fingers. Tughra writing intends to be beautiful, not whimsical and obscure.

In the reign of Ahmad III, which began in AH 1115 [AD 1703], a type of gold coin was introduced; this had no religious formula, but the Tughra or monogram of the sultan on the obv., and was of the orthodox weight of 53 grains. This new Tughra coin received the name of fundukly.

The Sultan, or Grand Signor, whose chief temporal title was Padishah, or Great King, possessed the entire legislative power. The Sultan promulgated his decrees in Firmans, or simple commands, and Hattisherifs, or Imperial rescripts; the collection of which forms the canons to be observed by the different branches of administration. The officer who relieved the Sultan of his cares was the Grand Vizier, literally "bearer of a burden," some of which ministers became almost the virtual Sovereigns of the Empire. He alone was in possession of the Sultan's seal, conferred upon him as the symbol of his office on the day that he entered on it, which, fastened by a golden chain in a small box of the same metal, he carried constantly in his bosom. The seal, which was also of gold, had engraved upon it the Tughra (name or character) of the reigning Sultan. The use of the seal was limited to two purposes: it was employed to secure the communications made by the Grand Vizier to the Sultan, and to seal up anew, after every sitting of the Divan, the chambers containing the treasure and the archives. This last duty was performed by the Chicm* Baehi, a kind of Imperial marshal, to whom the seal was intrusted for that purpose only. State papers were not sealed, but signed with a Tughra resembling that on the seal by a secretary, called Nishandshi Bashi. The palace of the Grand Vizier became the Sublime Porte and proper seat of the Ottoman government, from his having the right to hold Divans there.