Mehmed V Ends European Tour in Macedonia

June 25, 1911:

The Ottoman Sultan Mehmed V essentially concludes his tour of European areas of the Ottoman Empire, in the historical regions of Thrace and Macedonia. These areas include, amongst others, modern day Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Northern Greece. His tour concluded were it had begun, in Salonica, now Thessaloniki in Greece.

The tour was orchestrated by the top officials of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), the ruling party of the Ottoman Parliament, to essentially rally those groups in the area loyal to the Empire, in a show of solidarity. Increasing unrest in the region, because of perceived Ottoman oppression, had led to uprisings, most notably nationalistic Albanians. This led to the postponement of  the Sultan's visit, which was planned earlier in the year.

The Sultan himself was considered but a figurehead, guided by the "Young Turk" founders of the CUP, like Enver Pasha. This was one of the few times he left Istanbul. The principal purpose was  to be the embodiment of the lineage of the Sultans of the Empire. However his visits on the tour to temples which held relics of past Sultans, were designed to revive flagging loyalty, as well as a show of unity to partisans. In Kosovo, the centerpiece of the visit, was a grand selamlik, or prayer service. Perhaps 100,000 or more loyalists, made their way to Kosovo, for this occasion. The Sultan visited a small mosque in Kosovo, holding a relic of the Sultan Murad (Amaruth), who has conquered the Serbians and expanded the Ottoman Empire into the Balkans, in the late 14th century.  These wholly symbolic and premeditated intimidating events, drew the ire of many observers, such as the American consul George Horton. The Battle of Kosovo is particularly important to Serbian history, tradition, and national identity, further intensifying the insensitivity of the visit to the affected peoples not loyal to the Empire.

The positive effects of the visit were short lived, as in the coming months Organized revolts against the Ottoman Empire and the policies of the C.U.P. ,would result in  regional wars, that would diminish Ottoman influence, and provide the spark for World War One. In just a few weeks: Italy and the Ottoman Empire would clash.

Further links: Sultan Mehmet V's visit to Kosovo in June 1911

A surprisingly opinionated insight of one at the salemlik: Blight of Asia