A STATESMAN AGAINST THE NATIONAL STRUGGLE: MEHMET ZIVER AND HIS POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

Abstract

Mehmet Ziver Bey, who was the minister of education in different regions of the Ottoman Empire, served as the Governor of Üsküdar and Bursa Governor during the Armistice Period. Ziver Bey, a fanatical supporter of the Liberty and Entente Party, drew attention as a complete opponent of the National Struggle during his tenure. The incompetence of not having a property background and his cooperation with the Entente States caused Ziver Bey to take part in many negative cases. Ziver Bey was seen as the main responsible for the disorder prevailing in Üsküdar and its environs during the Üsküdar Governorate. Ziver Bey’s weakness against the Greek gangs that dominate the region and his distrust of the Gendarmerie on the grounds that he was a sympathizer of the Kuva-yı Millîye led to many undesirable cases in his area of responsibility. Ziver Bey continued his activities against the National Struggle during the Governorship of Bursa and played an active role in the elimination of Kuva-yı Millîye supporters in cooperation with the Greek Occupation Command in Bursa. He also organized the meeting of the loyalty to the Sultanate meeting in Bursa, while he also pioneered the declaration against the Kuva-yı Millîye prepared by the Bursa ulema and gentry. Ziver, who aroused indignation in the Turkish public with his activities against the National Struggle, was not registered because the quota was full, even though he was wanted to be included in the 150 personae non gratae.

The purpose of this study is to reveal the role of Üsküdar Governor and Bursa Governor Ziver Bey in the National Struggle. In this context, the activities of Ziver Bey, an educator, in the civil service were discussed first. Subsequently, Mehmet Ziver Bey’s activities during the Armistice Period, especially the Üsküdar Mutasarriflik and the Bursa Governorship, were evaluated based on Ottoman archival documents. In the last part of the article, the discussions held in the Turkish Grand National Assembly about 150 personae non gratae and the allegations put forward about Ziver Bey are explained.