A DİVAN-I MUHASEBAT MÜMEYYİZİ AMONG THE MALTESE EXILES: MACİT BEY

Abstract

The Armenians, known as the loyal nation within the Ottoman State, used the rights that the Tanzimat Fermanı and the Reform Edict brought to the minorities, and in 1863, urged the Sultan of the period to approve the Armenian Nation Regulation. However, the event that made the Armenians happier was the Ottoman Empire's loss of the Ottoman-Russian War of 1877-1878. After this war, first the Treaty of San Stefano and then the Treaty of Berlin, brought the Ottoman Empire an obligation to make reforms in Eastern Anatolia, where Armenians were densely populated. When the Ottoman Empire did not make these reforms, the Armenians started many rebellions. When World War I started, the Ottoman Empire had to fight on many fronts. One of these fronts was the Caucasian Front. When the Ottoman Empire was defeated on this front, the Armenians revolted in Eastern Anatolia and started massacres. Thereupon, the Ottoman State enacted the Armenian Relocation Law on May 27, 1915. One of those who took part in the implementation of the Armenian Relocation Law was Divan-ı Muhasebat Mümeyyizi Macit Bey. Macit Bey also took part in the safe deportation of Erzincan Armenians to Urfa, Syria and the Mosul Region. On December 11, 1918, Macit Bey was arrested due to the Erzincan Armenian Deportation and was put in the Bekirağa Division. As the security in Istanbul was compromised due to the occupation of Izmir, 78 people in Bekirağa Squadron were exiled to the Island of Malta. Among these people was Mr. Macit. Although Macit Bey wanted to be tried by the British on the Island of Malta, no result came out. On September 6, 1921, 15 people, including Macit Bey, escaped from the Island of Malta and went to Italy. Among them, Macit Bey went to Germany before Italy and then to Anatolia and came to Ankara. The Ankara Government also gave a salary to Macit Bey, who was a supporter of the National Struggle. These 15 people who fled from Malta were supporters of the National Struggle. For this reason, after coming to Anatolia, they took charge in different institutions of the Ankara Government.