The intent of this thesis is to narrate the Salonika Incident of May 1876
and analyze this highly politicized micro case within the framework of the 19th
century Ottoman history. In the scope of this work, the event itself and its
aftermath will be covered in detail.
The Salonika Incident was a Muslim public outrage caused by the
kidnapping of a Bulgarian girl by Christians based on the reason that she wanted
to embrace Islam, and the following public displays resulted in the murder of
French and German consuls by a Muslim mob at May 6, 1876. The war of pen
and ink between the Sublime Porte and the Great Powers that held the first
accountable for the double crime was the consequence of this incident.
Through a detailed and meticulous account of this neglected and falsely
told episode of history, this thesis aims casting light on a virgin issue, therefore to
contribute to the literature on the Ottoman Balkan History and inter-communal
relations.
