Ottoman Diplomats
Letters from the Imperial Legation in Brussels (1849–1914)
Synopsis
1 annexe. Cabinet du Ministre - Discours du Trône
Abdulhak Hamid Bey reports about the opening of the Belgian parliament and the speech of King Albert on this occasion. It was the first King’s speech at the start of a new parliamentary year in Belgium since 1893. Last time, King Leopold II had to face socialist demonstrations on his way to and from the parliament, and decided not to show up on these occasions anymore. Albert I wanted to break with this tradition. The slogans shouted by socialists were not addressed to the King, but attacked the government. The attitude of the socialist MPs was found regrettable in most circles. Abdulhak Hamid Bey describes their discourteous behaviour. Both liberals and socialists accused the King of being silent about compulsory education and the electoral laws. The press of the opposition blamed the King for not having rendered his own ideas, but only the empty intentions of the Catholic government. (The enclosed text of the King’s speech is not photographed.)
Facsimiles
| Series | HR.SYS-222-49 |
|---|---|
| Place | Brussels |
| Date | 12-11-1910 |
| Author | Abdulhak Hamid Bey |
| Recipient | Rifaat Pacha |
Names
How to cite
If you use this website for your own research, we kindly ask you to mention the following reference in your publications:
Consulted online at Ottoman Diplomats: Letters From the Imperial Legation in Brussels (1849–1914) (2014 Edition), Centre for Political History (PoHis), University of Antwerp, <http://dighum.uantwerpen.be/ottomandiplomats/>.
