The Burden of Silence: Sabbatai Sevi and the Evolution of the Ottoman-Turkish Dönmes

339 Pages·2017·10.99 MB·English

by  Cengiz Şişman

The Burden of Silence

The Burden of Silence
Sabbatai Sevi and the Evolution
of the Ottoman-Turkish Dönmes
cengiz sisman
1
1
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© Cengiz Sisman 2015
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sisman, Cengiz.
The burden of silence: Sabbatai Sevi and the evolution of the Ottoman-Turkish dönmes /
Cengiz Sisman.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978–0–19–024405–7 (hardback : alk. paper)
1. Sabbathaians—History. 2. Shabbethai Tzevi, 1626–1676. 3. Crypto-Jews—Turkey—History.
4. Jews—Turkey—History—Ottoman Empire, 1288–1918. 5. Messiah—Judaism—History.
I. Title. II. Title: Sabbatai Sevi and the evolution of the Ottoman-Turkish dönmes.
BM199.S3S57 2015
296.8’2—dc23
2014047147
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
To Özlem

CONTENTS
List of Tables and Illustrations x
Acknowledgments xiii
List of Abbreviations xvi
Notes on Transliteration xvii
Introduction 1
CHAPTER 1 Remapping a Messianic Movement in the Early
Modern World 13
The “Messiah” of an Ottoman City 16
The Early Modern Ottoman Crisis, Ottoman Jewry,
and the Sabbatean Movement 19
Ottoman Sultans, European Monarchs, and Sabbatai
Sevi 25
Grand Viziers, the Ottoman Puritans, and Sabbatai
Sevi 30
Natural Calamities, Environmental Crises
and the Sabbatean Movement 34
Sabbatai Sevi and Nathan of Gaza: The Beginnings
of a Messianic Movement 38
CHAPTER 2 The Rise and Fall of the Sabbatean Movement in the
Eurasian World 44
Sultan’s Gaze: Ottoman Perception of the Sabbatean
Movement 45
Izmir: The Messiah Appeared 47
Istanbul: The Messiah Imprisoned 55
Dardanelles: The Messiah Exiled 57
London: Dissemination and Magnitude of the Movement
in the Eurasian World 61
Edirne: The Messiah Convicted 69
Spain and Portuguese: The Marrano Impact on the
Movement 72
Sultan’s Palace: “Become a Muslim or Prepare to Die!” 75
CHAPTER 3 From a Global Movement to an Ottoman Sect:
The Birth of a Crypto-Messianic Community 83
A New Muslim in the Ottoman World 84
Living and Schooling at the “Pharaoh’s Palace” 87
Self-Perception of the Messiah and the Mystery
of the Godhead 92
The Early Messianic Community 99
The Exiled Messiah 105
The Dead Messiah? 109
CHAPTER 4 Authority, Authenticity, and Leadership: Failed
Prophecy and the Emergence of Post-Messianic Sects
in the Ottoman Empire and Eastern Europe 116
The Birth of a Post-Messianic Community: Yakubis 120
Jewish Sabbateans among the Dönmes 123
A Growing Community: Individual Conversions versus
Mass Conversions 132
A New Authority: Karakaş 136
A New Authenticity: Kapancıs 141
CHAPTER 5 Politics of Crypto- and Hybrid Identities among
the Jews, Christians and Muslims 145
Naming Hybrid Jewish and Ottoman Communities 148
European Connections: The Karakaş and the Polish
Crypto-Jewish Frankists 150
Dönmes among the Jews, Christians, and Muslims 156
viii | Contents
Christian Missionaries “Discover” the Dönmes 161
Ottoman Officials “Discover” the Dönmes 164
CHAPTER 6 Dönme Kabbala: Beliefs and Practices in Parallel
Space and Time 170
The Eighteen Commandments as a Kabbalistic
Constitution 171
The Credo and Abolition of Ceremonial Law 177
Language and Liturgy 178
Religious Calendar and Festivals 181
Crypto-Self-Government and Its Institutions 192
CHAPTER 7 The Experience of Modernity: The Emergence
of Orthodox, Reformist, and Liberal Dönmes 214
Modern Schools and the Rise of a New Generation 216
Salonica and Internationalization of the Dönmes 228
Alternative Brotherhoods: Dönmes as Sufis and
Freemasons 237
From Salonica to Empire: Dönmes as Revolutionary Young
Turks 243
Between Tradition and Modernity 251
Farewell to the Salonican “Golden Age” 254
CHAPTER 8 From Empire to Nation-State: Resettlement in
Modern Turkey 262
The Dönme Alteneuland: Turkey 263
Dönmes as the Founding Elite of the Modern Turkey
and Mustafa Kemal [Atatürk] 266
New “Ideal” Citizens and Crypto-Identities 269
Repositioning in a nation-state: Mustafa Kemal’s “bomb
of Enlightenment” and the Karakaş Rüştü Affair 271
Silencing the Dönmes: Beginning of an End? 282
Conclusion: Passion for the Waiting 285
Bibliography 291
Index 309
Contents | ix
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