Page "Church of the Holy Sepulchre" Paragraph 24

The Franciscan friars renovated it further in 1555, as it had been neglected despite increased numbers of pilgrims.

The Franciscans rebuilt the Aedicule, extending the structure to create an ante-chamber.

After the renovation of 1555, control of the church oscillated between the Franciscans and the Orthodox, depending on which community could obtain a favorable firman from the Sublime Porte at a particular time, often through outright bribery, and violent clashes were not uncommon.

There was no agreement about this question, although it was talked about it at the negotiations to the Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699.

In 1767, weary of the squabbling, the Porte issued a firman that divided the church among the claimants.