44-592: Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin and 11th Earl of Kincardine , FSA Scot ( / ˈ ɛ l ɡ ɪ n / EL -ghin ; 20 July 1766 – 14 November 1841), often known as Lord Elgin , was a Scottish nobleman, diplomat, and collector, known primarily for the controversial procurement of marble sculptures (known as the Elgin Marbles ) from the Parthenon and other structures on the Acropolis of Athens . A member of
88-626: A caryatid and a column from the Erechtheion, sculptured slabs from the Athenian temple of Nike Apteros , and various antiquities from Attica and other districts of Hellas. Part of the Elgin collection was prepared for embarkation for Britain in 1803, and considerable difficulties were encountered at every stage of its transit. Elgin's vessel, the Mentor , was wrecked near Cerigo with its cargo of marbles, and it
132-530: A bequest to the Society to fund a lecture series, the Rhind Lectures are still hosted by the Society; an online recording of these prestigious lectures has been made available to the public since 2009. The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is a charitable organisation whose purpose is set out in its Royal Charter from 1783: …a Society to investigate both antiquities and natural and civil history in general, with
176-525: A fire and others lost at sea. The remaining papers were misplaced when Elgin arranged for them to be sent back to England. The matter was settled in late 1816 with the return of some of the items to Tweddell's family. In 1820, Elgin was again elected to the House of Lords, but his requests for a peerage were unsuccessful. He eventually moved to France to escape his creditors and died in Paris on 4 November 1841. His widow,
220-475: A lecturer to them; this lecture is called the Buchan Lecture. In addition, the Society hosts the prestigious Rhind Lectures , a series of six lectures, often presented by a single lecturer over a weekend. These allow the lecturer to present their topic in much greater detail and depth than otherwise possible, and are often published. The Rhind lectures began in 1874 after the death of Alexander Rhind who left
264-535: A prisoner of war and was released on parole on condition that he not leave France. In November, Elgin was imprisoned in the fortress of Lourdes and the French offered to release him in exchange for a French general in detention in England. The British refused, and Elgin was again released on parole. In October 1805, the French gave Lady Elgin, who was pregnant, permission to return to England on compassionate grounds. Elgin himself
308-548: A regiment of Fencible Infantry and was appointed its colonel, with the permanent rank of lieutenant colonel in the Army. He was promoted to colonel in the Army in 1802, to major general in 1809 and to lieutenant general in 1814. Elgin was elected as a Scottish representative peer in 1790. In 1799, he was appointed to the Privy Council (PC). He attended parliament whenever his other duties allowed until he lost his seat in 1807. He held
352-502: A valid extension of religious law as a result of the ruler's right to exercise legal judgement on behalf of the community." When issued by the sultan in the Ottoman Empire, firmans' importance was often displayed by the layout of the document; the more blank space at the top of the document, the more important the firman was. In this firman, Sultan Murad I recognises a decree created by his father Sultan Orhan (c. 1324–1360). He gives
396-547: A wide range of experience through the Fellowship , and provides a voice for Scotland's heritage independent of the opinions of Government, University, or Agency. The Society is consulted by a wide range of organisations from central government to academic funding bodies such as the Arts & Humanities Research Council . The Society makes written responses to numerous consultations, some jointly with Archaeology Scotland (formerly CSA) and
440-480: Is the modern Persian form of the word and descends from Middle Persian (Pahlavi) framān , ultimately from Old Persian framānā ( fra = "fore"). The difference between the modern Persian and Old Persian forms stems from "dropping the ending ā and insertion of a vowel owing to the initial double consonant". This feature (i.e. fra- ) was still used in the Middle Persian form. The Turkish form of
484-490: The Built Environment Forum Scotland , an umbrella body for NGOs in the built and historic environment sectors. Members of the Society have, since 1823, been known as Fellows of the Society. There are now thousands of Fellows spread across the globe, including Honorary Fellows elected for their outstanding scholarship. Fellowship recognises a person's support and contributions to the purpose and mission of
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#1732869975382528-580: The Ottoman Empire in December 1798. On 11 March 1799, shortly before setting off for Constantinople , Elgin married Mary , daughter and heiress of William Hamilton Nisbet , of Dirleton. Elgin arrived at Constantinople on 6 November 1799. As ambassador to the Sublime Porte he showed considerable skill and energy in fulfilling a difficult mission, the extension of British influence during the conflict between
572-509: The Royal Institution building on The Mound . Members of the Society collected artefacts of interest to Scottish history and culture from its foundation, and soon the Society developed a sizeable collection. In November 1851 the signing of a Deed of Conveyance with the Board of Manufactures on behalf of Parliament made the Society collections National Property. In 1891 the antiquaries moved into
616-652: The Turkish government archives from the imperial era . There is debate over the legal status of the document. The actual procurement of ancient marbles from Athens formed no part of Elgin's first plan. The decision to remove marbles attached to structures was made on the spot by Philip Hunt , Elgin's chaplain and one of his representatives in Athens. Elgin's agents removed about half of the Parthenon frieze , fifteen metopes , and seventeen pedimental sculpture fragments, in addition to
660-1202: The Anniversary Meeting (AGM) on St Andrew's Day , 30 November, and in Spring, usually in April. Fundamental to being a candidate for election to the Fellowship is an interest or involvement in Scotland's past. Candidates are advised of the outcome of the election shortly after the ballot. A major part of the Society's programme is support for research into Scotland's past, and there are various grants and awards to assist different kinds of work, from survey and excavation to finds analysis and archival research. The Society also encourages best practice and continued research into Scotland's past through various prizes and awards. The Society hosts monthly lectures, usually between October and May, and generally held in Edinburgh, although some are jointly hosted with other Societies elsewhere in Scotland. The Society can also fund other local Societies to invite
704-620: The British Museum, where they went on display in 1817. Britain's ownership of the Elgin Marbles is disputed by Greece. Discussions between UK and Greek officials about the future of the marbles are ongoing. After leaving Constantinople, the Elgins decided to return to Britain via Italy and France. When, on 18 May 1803, war again broke out between Britain and France, they were in Lyon. Elgin was declared
748-505: The Continent where he completed his studies at Paris . Elgin entered the army as an ensign in the Scots Guards in 1785. He transferred to 65th Foot in 1789, as captain of a company, by purchase. In 1793, he was appointed to the staff as a major of foot by brevet, holding the rank on the Continent only. In 1795, he transferred to 12th Regiment of Foot as a major. Later in 1795, he raised
792-558: The Dowager Countess of Elgin, died in Paris 1 April 1860. Lord Elgin married twice. On 11 March 1799, he married Mary Nisbet (1778–1855), the only child of William Hamilton Nisbet , of Dirleton. They had a son and three daughters: After her marriage to Elgin ended in divorce, Mary married Ferguson. Elgin, on 21 September 1810, married Elizabeth Oswald (1790–1860), the youngest daughter of James Townsend Oswald of Dunnikier. They had four sons and three daughters: Fellow of
836-535: The Elgin collections, and as late as 1812, eighty fresh cases of antiquities arrived in England. Elgin's procurement of the marbles was supported by some, including Goethe, and censured by others in Britain as vandalism, most famously Lord Byron , who wrote the following lines Dull is the eye that will not weep to see Thy walls defaced, thy mouldering shrines removed By British hands, which it had best behoved To guard those relics ne'er to be restored. Curst be
880-465: The English courts and was awarded £10,000 in damages. In March 1808, he brought a successful divorce action in Edinburgh against his wife on grounds of adultery. The marriage was formally dissolved by a private act of parliament. The court cases were widely reported and caused considerable public scandal. In 1807, Elgin lost his seat in the House of Lords, and the resumption of a military or diplomatic career
924-737: The Muslims do not destroy the monastery for God-fearing men live there. To this day there is a protected zone around the monastery administered by the Egyptian government, and there are very good relations between the 20 or so monks, mainly from Greece, and the local community there. Firmans were issued in some Islamic empires and kingdoms in India such as the Mughal Empire and the Nizam of Hyderabad . Notable were Emperor Aurangzeb 's various firmans. The term "firman"
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#1732869975382968-548: The Ottoman Empire and France. The Treaty of Amiens was signed by Britain and France in March 1802. His embassy at an end, Elgin departed Constantinople on 16 January 1803. Following discussions with the diplomat and archaeologist Sir William Hamilton , Elgin decided he would engage, at his own expense, a team of artists and architects to produce plaster casts and detailed drawings of ancient Greek buildings, sculptures and artefacts. In this way he hoped to make his embassy, "beneficial to
1012-787: The Scottish Group of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists . The Society worked closely with the Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland (HEACS was abolished by the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 as part of the Scottish Government's policy to simplify the landscape of public bodies), and gave evidence to their working groups on heritage protection legislation and properties in care. The Society has also been actively involved in
1056-480: The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body of Scotland , with its headquarters in the National Museum of Scotland , Chambers Street, Edinburgh . The Society's aim is to promote the cultural heritage of Scotland. The usual style of post-nominal letters for fellows is FSAScot . The Society is the oldest antiquarian society in Scotland, and
1100-426: The Society, and Fellows are permitted to use the post-nominals FSAScot (NB Not FSA (Scot) or similar). The Society has an international membership of around 2800 Fellows and a maximum of 25 Honorary Fellows. Admission to the Society is by election , and candidates must be supported by existing Fellows. The names of those seeking admission are then circulated to the whole Fellowship. Elections are held biannually at
1144-532: The Society: Firman A firman ( Persian : فرمان , romanized : farmān ; Turkish : ferman ), at the constitutional level, was a royal mandate or decree issued by a sovereign in an Islamic state . During various periods such firmans were collected and applied as traditional bodies of law. The English word firman comes from the Persian farmān meaning "decree" or "order". Farmān
1188-566: The ancient Temple of the Idols [the Parthenon ], and to mould the ornamental sculpture and visible figures thereon in plaster and gypsum," but also "to take away any pieces of stone with old inscriptions or figures thereon". The document exists in an Italian translation made by the British Embassy in Constantinople and now held by the British Museum, but no official copy of it has yet been found in
1232-449: The formerly royal house of Bruce , Elgin was born at the family seat, Broomhall House , near Dunfermline, Fife . He was the second son of Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin and his wife Martha Whyte , governess to Princess Charlotte of Wales . He succeeded his older brother William Robert Bruce, the 6th Earl, in 1771 when he was only five. He was educated at Harrow and Westminster . After several years at St Andrews , he proceeded to
1276-479: The government, but withdrew when he was offered only £30,000. During 1815 Elgin became embroiled in the Tweddell remains affair , a controversy over the possessions of John Tweddell , a classical scholar who had died in 1799 in Athens. Elgin was accused of having appropriated some of Tweddell's papers after his death, during his term as British ambassador in Constantinople. Some of Tweddell's papers had been destroyed in
1320-710: The hour when from their isle they roved, And once again thy hapless bosom gored, And snatch'd thy shrinking gods to northern climes abhorred! Elgin defended his actions in a pamphlet Memorandum on the Subject of the Earl of Elgin's Pursuits in Greece , published in 1810. On the recommendation of a British parliamentary select committee, the marbles were purchased by the British government in 1816 for £35,000, considerably below their cost to Elgin (estimated at £75,000), and transferred in trust to
1364-477: The intention that the talents of mankind should be cultivated and that the study of natural and useful sciences should be promoted. The first Law of the Society focuses this further: The purpose of the Society shall be the study of the Antiquities and History of Scotland, more especially by means of Archaeological Research. The Society today is concerned with every aspect of the human past in Scotland. It draws on
Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin - Misplaced Pages Continue
1408-618: The monks all they owned during his father's reign, ordering that no one can oppress them or claim their land. Following the defeat of Uzun Hasan , Mehmed the Conqueror took over Şebinkarahisar and consolidated his rule over the area. From Şebinkarahisar he sent a series of letters announcing his victory, including an unusual missive in the Uyghur language addressed to the Turkomans of Anatolia . The decree ( yarlık ) had 201 lines and
1452-514: The office of Lord Lieutenant of Fife . In 1791, he was sent as a temporary envoy-extraordinary to Austria , while Sir Robert Keith was ill. He was then sent as envoy-extraordinary in Brussels from 1792 until the conquest of the Austrian Netherlands by France . After spending time in Britain, he was sent as envoy-extraordinary to Prussia in 1795. Elgin was appointed as ambassador to
1496-586: The progress of the Fine Arts in Great Britain." Elgin procured the services of a Neapolitan painter, Lusieri , and of several skilful draughtsmen and modellers. These artists were dispatched to Athens in the summer of 1800, and were principally employed in making drawings of the ancient monuments. Elgin stated that about the middle of the summer of 1801, he had received a firman from the Sublime Porte which allowed his agents not only to "fix scaffolding round
1540-565: The purpose-built Scottish National Portrait Gallery and National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland , located on Queen Street. The National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland Act 1954 transferred the powers and duties relating to the Museum, previously vested in the Society of Antiquaries and the National Galleries, to a new Board. The Society is now an independent not-for-profit charity registered in Scotland ( SC010440 ). Alexander Rhind left
1584-424: The residue of his estate to endow a lectureship in the Society and there have now been over 130 lectures and many have become the published textbook for a generation. The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has three main publishing outputs: There is also a regular Society Newsletter ( ISSN 0960-703X ), and the Society publishes book reviews on their website . The following have served as presidents of
1628-534: The second-oldest in Britain after the Society of Antiquaries of London . Founded by David Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan on 18 December 1780, John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute , the former prime minister , was elected the first President. It was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1783, in the same year as the Royal Society of Edinburgh , and in their early years both societies shared accommodation on George Street and in
1672-570: The value assessed. They also make illegal demands for additional food supplies. One of the most important firmans governing relations between Muslims and Christians is a document kept at the Saint Catherine's Monastery on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. This monastery is Greek Orthodox and constitutes the autonomous Sinai Orthodox Church. The firman bears the hand print of Muhammad , and requests
1716-684: The word farmān is fermān , whereas the Arabized plural form of the word is farāmīn . In the Ottoman Empire, the Sultan derived his authority from his role as upholder of the Shar'ia, but the Shar'ia did not cover all aspects of Ottoman social and political life. Therefore, in order to regulate relations and status, duties, and the dress of aristocracy and subjects, the Sultan created firmans. Firmans were gathered in codes called " kanun ". The kanun were "a form of secular and administrative law considered to be
1760-488: Was finally allowed to leave France in June 1806 following a direct appeal to Napoleon by British Prime Minister Lord Grenville . As a condition of his release, Elgin agreed to return to France whenever the French government demanded. Soon after returning to Britain, Elgin discovered that his wife was having an affair with Robert Ferguson , one of his oldest friends. In December 1807, Elgin successfully sued Ferguson for seduction in
1804-413: Was not till after the labours of three years, and the expenditure of a large sum of money, that the marbles were successfully recovered by the divers. On Elgin's departure from the Ottoman Empire in 1803, he withdrew all his artists from Athens with the exception of Lusieri , who remained to direct the excavations, which were still carried on, though on a much reduced scale. Additions continued to be made to
Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin - Misplaced Pages Continue
1848-471: Was ruled out by the terms of his parole in France, which Elgin felt honour bound to observe while Napoleon was in power. Elgin was deeply in debt due to the costs associated with his embassy, his procurement of the Elgin marbles, and his court actions. He virtually retired from public life. In September 1810, Elgin married Elizabeth Oswald of Dunnikier. That year, he offered his collection of antiquities for sale to
1892-568: Was used by the archeologist / novelist Elizabeth Peters for official permission from the Egyptian Department of Antiquities to carry on an excavation. A similar authority was cited by Austen Henry Layard for excavations at Nimrud which he mistakenly believed was Nineveh . In the Old Yishuv Court Museum is held a firman for the 1890 opening of the printing business of Eliezer Menahem Goldberg, Jerusalem resident. The firman
1936-453: Was written by Şeyhzade Abdurrezak Bahşı on 30 August 1473: Completed when Karahisar was reached on the date of eight hundred and seventy eight, 5th day of the month Rebiülahir, the year of the Snake. In this firman, the monks of Mount Athos report that the administrative officials charged with the collection of taxes come at a later date than they are supposed to and demand more money than
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