A copy of the letter of credence that Gaspar Testa, from the Testa family, who played an important role in the diplomatic relations between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of the Netherlands for 5 centuries, presented to the sultan when he became chargé d’affaires in the Ottoman Empire, was presented to the members of the Testa family at a ceremony held in Amsterdam.
A ceremony was held at Yunus Emre Institute in Amsterdam to deliver a copy of the letter of credence that Gaspar Testa, one of the most important representatives of the Testa family, the heir of 5 centuries of Ottoman-Dutch diplomatic relations, presented to the sultan when he started his duty as chargé d’affaires in the Ottoman Empire, to the representatives of his family.
The ceremony was attended by Turkey’s Ambassador to the Hague, Selçuk Ünal, and Head of the Presidential State Archives, Assoc. Dr. Muhammet Ahmet Tokdemir, Turkey’s Consul General in Amsterdam Mahmut Burak Ersoy, members of the Testa family and many guests attended.
The family’s diplomatic adventure dates back to the 13th century
In his speech at the ceremony, Ambassador Ünal stated that the story of the Testa family began with the Dutch merchant Pasquale Testa, who settled in Istanbul Galata in 1261.
Ünal said, “Over time, family members rose to important positions in the administration of the colony. After the conquest of Istanbul, the family’s diplomatic abilities were appreciated by the Ottomans, and over time they served as mediators and translators with other European powers.” he said.
Describing the appointment process of Gaspar Testa, Ünal said, “In 1815, the Dutch Royal Minister informed Grand Vizier Hurşit Ahmet Pasha in a letter that Gaspar Testa was appointed as the representative until the new ambassador from the United States took office. The Dutch, in that critical period, “He wanted the embassy to remain active in the interim period so that his states would be recognized and represented by a friendly empire.” he said.
Ünal stated that the family’s contributions to Turkish-Dutch relations continued in later periods and said, “The first president of the Dutch-Turkish Association, which was established in 1934, was Baron Testa. Our Embassy in The Hague has always been in close contact with the Testa family. We never forget our friends.” he said.
The historical letter of credence was presented to the family’s representatives
Head of the Presidential State Archives Assoc. Dr. Muhammet Ahmet Tokdemir presented the second original copy of the letter of credence regarding Testa’s appointment as the Netherlands’ representative in Istanbul in 1815 to the family representatives.
Tokdemir emphasized that the third copy of the document will be gifted to the Dutch Archives within the scope of the memorandum of understanding to be signed tomorrow.
Noting that an inquiry was made about the documents in the archives in Turkey about Testa in the 1970s, Tokdemir expressed his satisfaction that the document requested at that time was presented to the family today.
Family members who received the document said that they had the items used to preserve the letter of trust, but they did not have the letter, and stated that a very important piece in the family collection was completed.
At the ceremony, members of the Testa family also presented Tokdemir with the book “From the Bosphorus to the South Sea”.
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