Oral Avci, Mail and Might
Title in the original language: Posta ve Kudret: Osmanlı Kudüs’ünde Üstünlük Mücadelesi 1872 – 1917
Title translated into English: Mail and Might: The Struggle for Supremacy in Ottoman Jerusalem 1872 -1917
Number of volumes: 1
TPublisher: Milano, Italy, Post Horn
Copyright of: 2025 Oral Avci
Year of publication: 2025
ISBN Code: 97912985868-0-2
Number of pages: 472
Price:
Main language: English & Turkish
Short Description: Mail & Might offers a comprehensive and original study of Ottoman Jerusalem through the analytical lens of postal history. The book examines how postal services functioned not merely as communication tools but as strategic instruments within the broader geopolitical rivalry between the Ottoman Empire and foreign powers operating in the Levant under capitulatory privileges. Focusing on the period between 1872 and 1917, the work explores the institutional development of the Ottoman postal system alongside the activities of foreign post offices—particularly those of the Austrian, German, Russian, French, and Italian administrations—and their role in shaping economic, political, and diplomatic influence in Jerusalem. The study demonstrates how postal networks became an integral component of imperial strategy, reflecting broader power dynamics and competition for influence in the region. The publication is supported by extensive original research and is enriched by rare and significant philatelic material from the Oral Avcı Collection, including covers, postmarks, and postal documents, many of which are unpublished or little known. By combining historical analysis with material evidence, the book provides new insights into the role of communication systems in imperial governance and international relations. This work contributes to the advancement of postal history as an academic discipline by offering a structured, evidence-based interpretation of Ottoman Jerusalem, positioning postal services at the center of historical inquiry and highlighting their importance in understanding the complexities of late Ottoman imperial and foreign relations.
Where to order: info@osmanlipostatarihi.org.com