262 | Ruler Visibility, Modernity, and Ethnonationalism
Mahmud II’s son Abdülmecid (r. 1839–1861) stayed the course politically
so that the earlier policies could strike root. In 1846, he embarked on a tour of
Rumelia (the European province) in the steps of his father’s 1837 tour. Whereas
Mahmud II’s tour seems to have caught locals largely by surprise, with many dis-
believing that the sultan would appear in person and still more not knowing how
to react, Abdülmecid’s tour shows evidence of local planning, coordination, and
preparation. At every step, poetic recitations and songs of praise and prayer, both
in Ottoman and local dialects, welcomed the sultan. In some locations, rehears-
als before his arrival lasted for several days. Schoolchildren of all creeds, most
clad in white uniforms, with flowers and green branches in their hands, took
center stage. At every stop, cannon salvos were fired during the day, and elaborate
illuminations took place at night.
The sultan had doctors vaccinate all children against smallpox before send-
ing each off with a small gift of money. Even people with rare diseases were sum-
moned so his doctors could cure them. Needless to say, the sublime visit caused
quite a stir among the locals. That they were unaware of the sultan’s appearance
produced, at least in one instance, a comic episode. In Gabrova, where the twelve-
year-old Todor Burmov of the Bulgar community was in the welcoming party
of students, the children commenced their singing at a cue that the sultan was
passing, only to abruptly stop after being told it was not him. In the end, Burmov
sang without knowing who within the group of passing dignitaries the sultan
actually was. Apparently, the farewell ceremony the following day did not help
resolve the matter either.
The most detailed account relates the sultan’s visit to Rusçuk. According
to Nayden Gerov, the greeting ceremonies proceeded on a communal basis.
The Jews stood closest to the town walls, next to them the Armenians, then
the Bulgars, and finally, the Muslims stood the farthest from town, therefore
being the first to see and welcome the sultan.The front of each non-Muslim
group consisted of schoolchildren, with candles and willow twigs, and priests
in liturgical attire. Behind them stood other townsmen, some holding placards
with words of praise for the sultan. The Muslim schoolchildren were also in
white, except that some of them held green flags with white writing on them. A
dervish presided over the Muslim group, holding a large green flag with text in
gold. Apparently, there was also a spatial separation by gender, with women re-
maining behind the town walls and men forming two lines stretching along the
road outside. As the sultan approached, each group of youngsters in turn sang
for him, everyone else bowing profusely. It seems that Abdülmecid was dressed
in a slightly more luxurious fashion than during state ceremonies in Istanbul:
his military coat was sewn with gold, and there were diamonds around his neck,
hearkening back to olden times. If so, this was probably an attempt to meet
provincial expectations, which were much less in tune with the fast-changing