Murder in Salonika, 1876 : a tale of apostasy turned into an international crisis

Abstract

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.