TRAVEL NOTES OF THE FRENCH PRINCE OF JOINVILLE, ON ISTANBUL, ANATOLIA, SYRIA AND EGYPT

This paper aims to critically examine the travel notes of François Ferdinand Philippe (1818-1900) who is known as the Prince of Joinville, and the son of the French King Louis Philippe (1830-1848), during his visits to Levant cities in 1836 and 1839. The main purpose of this trip of the Prince of Joinville, who grew up as an experienced naval officer, is to support Mehmet Ali Pasha. The Prince, witnessed the significant events of Mehmet Ali Pasha’s revolt on his travels. The prince, when he was in İstanbul and Egypt, had the opportunity to directly meet with high-ranking state officials, military figures, and diplomats such as Mahmud II, Sultan Abdulmejid II, Admiral in Chief Fevzi Pasha, British Ambassador Lord Ponsoby, Russian Ambassador Boutinief, and German Marshal Moltke acquiring information about the diplomacy of the period. He is one of the first witnesses that Fevzi Pasha will surrender the Ottoman Navy to Mehmet Ali Pasha. During this revolt, a significant number of people from Anatolia, from both Alevi Bektashi and Sunni groups, sects and communities, joined the side of Mehmet Ali Pasha. The Prince of Joinville, also, had the opportunity to visit Levant cities like İzmir, İstanbul, Alexandria, and to observe these cities socio-cultural. Prince of Joinville even attracted attention with his strategic intervention in the Fire of Pera in 1839 saving a significant portion of Pera from burning. Prince Joinville depicted many significant events, notably the Fire of Pera, that were the subject of his travels in his artwork making it possible to see the panorama of the era both literarily and visually. Even though the memoirs and drawings of Prince Joinville are influenced by the Orientalist perspective, much like many other travelers’ works of the time, Joinville’s travelogue which contains notes and visuals from his Levant journeys is significant for evaluating and understanding the era.
Key Words: Prince of Joinville, Levant, Travelogue, İstanbul, İzmir, Alexandria, Beirut