Mehmet Esat Bülkat
Encyclopedia
Mehmed Esad Pasha known as Mehmet Esat Bülkat after 1934
, was an Ottoman
general active during the First Balkan War
, where he led the Yanya Corps
, and in World War I
, where he was the senior Ottoman commander in the Dardanelles Campaign.
family in Yanya (now Ioannina
) on October, 18 1862, the son of Mehmed Emin Efendi, who had served as mayor of the city. His brother, Mehmed Vehib (1877–1940), also became a distinguished general.
Esad attended the Ottoman Military Academy, graduating in 1884. After a period of service in a regiment, he was selected for the Ottoman Military College
in 1887, graduating as a General Staff officer in 1890. His excellent performance led to his immediate dispatch to attend the Prussian War Academy in Berlin, from where he graduated in May 1894. After a stint at the General Staff, he was promoted to Lt Colonel and given a teaching position at the War Academy. By the time the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 broke out, he had been promoted to Colonel, and he commanded a regiment during the war. In 1899, he was placed as head of training at the War Academy. In 1901 he was promoted to Mirliva
(Brigadier) and to Ferik (Major General) in 1906. From 1907 he served as Chief of Staff of the Third Army
at Thessaloniki
.
In 1911, he commanded the 5th Regular (Redif) Division at Gallipoli
for a short period before returning to Yanya to command the 23rd Regular Division. It was at this post that the outbreak of the First Balkan War
found him. Esat was immediately detached from divisional command and place din charge of the provisional Yanya Corps
, tasked with defending the well-fortified city and the wider region of Epirus
. Esad succeeded in defending Yanya for several months against the Greek Army, but was finally forced to capitulate after the Battle of Bizani
on 4–6 March 1913.
Esat remained in Greek captivity as a prisoner of war until 2 December 1913. His defence of Yanya however had earned him the status of a popular hero, as well as the honorific title of "Pasha
". Almost immediately upon his return, on 10 December, he was appointed commander of the III Corps
at Gallipoli, which he would lead into battle during the Gallipoli Campaign. The III Corps quickly established itself as one of the most combat-worthy formations in the Ottoman army, as most of its units and soldiers had recent fighting experience from the Balkan Wars
. It is indicative that when the Ottoman Army mobilized upon its entry in World War I
, Esad's corps was the only to do so within the prescribed timeframe.
Although most accounts of the Battle of Gallipoli tend to focus on the role of Fifth Army's commander, German general Liman von Sanders, and on Mehmed Esad's subordinate, Mustapha Kemal Pasha (better known as Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey
), it was Mehmed Esad who prepared the Ottoman defences during the battle, and who actively commanded the Ottoman army in the Gallipoli peninsula during the battle. In October 1915, Esad was appointed as CO of First Army
, succeeding Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz
, who was dispatched to the Mesopotamian front
. In late 1917, Esad visited Germany and toured the German fronts. In February 1918 he was placed in command of the Fifth Army, and in June, of the Third Army
on the Caucasus front
. After the Armistice of Mudros
, and until his retirement on 22 November 1919, he served as Inspector-General of the mostly demobilized Second Army
.
In 1920, Esad Pasha served as Navy Minister in the short-lived cabinet of Hulusi Salih Pasha
. In 1934, he adopted
the surname "Bülkat". He died in Istanbul in 1952.
A selection of his memories was published in 1975 under the title Esat Paşa'nın Çanakkale Anıları (Esat Pasha's Çanakkale Memoirs).
Surname Law (Turkey)
The Surname Law of the Republic of Turkey was adopted on June 21, 1934. The law required all citizens of Turkey to adopt the use of surnames. Turkey's Christian and Jewish citizens were already using surnames, but Muslims generally did not use Western-style surnames...
, was an Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
general active during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
, where he led the Yanya Corps
Yanya Corps
The Yanya Corps or Independent Yanya Corps of the Ottoman Empire was one of the major formations under the command of the Ottoman Western Army. It was formed in Yanya area during the First Balkan War. Its commander was Esat Pasha. It fought the battles of Gribovo and Pente Pigadia against the...
, and in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, where he was the senior Ottoman commander in the Dardanelles Campaign.
Life
Mehmed Esad was born into an AlbanianAlbanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
family in Yanya (now Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
) on October, 18 1862, the son of Mehmed Emin Efendi, who had served as mayor of the city. His brother, Mehmed Vehib (1877–1940), also became a distinguished general.
Esad attended the Ottoman Military Academy, graduating in 1884. After a period of service in a regiment, he was selected for the Ottoman Military College
Ottoman Military College
The Ottoman Military College or Ottoman Military Staff College or Ottoman War Academy, was a two year military staff college of the Ottoman Empire. It was located in Constantinople...
in 1887, graduating as a General Staff officer in 1890. His excellent performance led to his immediate dispatch to attend the Prussian War Academy in Berlin, from where he graduated in May 1894. After a stint at the General Staff, he was promoted to Lt Colonel and given a teaching position at the War Academy. By the time the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 broke out, he had been promoted to Colonel, and he commanded a regiment during the war. In 1899, he was placed as head of training at the War Academy. In 1901 he was promoted to Mirliva
Mirliva
Mirliva or Mîr-i livâ was a military rank of the Ottoman Army. It corresponds to a Brigadier General or Major General . Mirliva is a compound word composed of Mir and Liva...
(Brigadier) and to Ferik (Major General) in 1906. From 1907 he served as Chief of Staff of the Third Army
Third Army (Ottoman Empire)
The Ottoman Third Army was originally established in the Balkans and later defended the northern and eastern parts of the Ottoman Empire. Its initial headquarters was at Salonica. With the onset of World War I, it moved to Erzurum Fortress. The headquarters was moved to Susehir after the Battle...
at Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
.
In 1911, he commanded the 5th Regular (Redif) Division at Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
for a short period before returning to Yanya to command the 23rd Regular Division. It was at this post that the outbreak of the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
found him. Esat was immediately detached from divisional command and place din charge of the provisional Yanya Corps
Yanya Corps
The Yanya Corps or Independent Yanya Corps of the Ottoman Empire was one of the major formations under the command of the Ottoman Western Army. It was formed in Yanya area during the First Balkan War. Its commander was Esat Pasha. It fought the battles of Gribovo and Pente Pigadia against the...
, tasked with defending the well-fortified city and the wider region of Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
. Esad succeeded in defending Yanya for several months against the Greek Army, but was finally forced to capitulate after the Battle of Bizani
Battle of Bizani
The Battle of Bizani took place in Epirus on March 4–6, 1913. The battle was fought between the Greek and the Ottoman forces during the last stages of the First Balkan War, and revolved around the forts of Bizani, which covered the approaches to Ioannina, the largest city in the region.At the...
on 4–6 March 1913.
Esat remained in Greek captivity as a prisoner of war until 2 December 1913. His defence of Yanya however had earned him the status of a popular hero, as well as the honorific title of "Pasha
Pasha
Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in...
". Almost immediately upon his return, on 10 December, he was appointed commander of the III Corps
III Corps (Ottoman Empire)
The III Corps of the Ottoman Empire was one of the corps of the Ottoman Army. It was formed in the early 20th century during Ottoman military reforms.- Order of Battle, 1911 :...
at Gallipoli, which he would lead into battle during the Gallipoli Campaign. The III Corps quickly established itself as one of the most combat-worthy formations in the Ottoman army, as most of its units and soldiers had recent fighting experience from the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
. It is indicative that when the Ottoman Army mobilized upon its entry in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Esad's corps was the only to do so within the prescribed timeframe.
Although most accounts of the Battle of Gallipoli tend to focus on the role of Fifth Army's commander, German general Liman von Sanders, and on Mehmed Esad's subordinate, Mustapha Kemal Pasha (better known as Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
), it was Mehmed Esad who prepared the Ottoman defences during the battle, and who actively commanded the Ottoman army in the Gallipoli peninsula during the battle. In October 1915, Esad was appointed as CO of First Army
First Army (Ottoman Empire)
The First Army or First Guards Army of the Ottoman Empire was one of the field armies of the Ottoman Army. It was formed in the middle 19th century during Ottoman military reforms....
, succeeding Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz
Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz
Wilhelm Leopold Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz also known as Goltz Pasha, was a Prussian Field Marshal and military writer.-Military career:...
, who was dispatched to the Mesopotamian front
Mesopotamian Campaign
The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
. In late 1917, Esad visited Germany and toured the German fronts. In February 1918 he was placed in command of the Fifth Army, and in June, of the Third Army
Third Army (Ottoman Empire)
The Ottoman Third Army was originally established in the Balkans and later defended the northern and eastern parts of the Ottoman Empire. Its initial headquarters was at Salonica. With the onset of World War I, it moved to Erzurum Fortress. The headquarters was moved to Susehir after the Battle...
on the Caucasus front
Caucasus Campaign
The Caucasus Campaign comprised armed conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire, later including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Central Caspian Dictatorship and the UK as part of the Middle Eastern theatre or alternatively named as part of the Caucasus Campaign during World War I...
. After the Armistice of Mudros
Armistice of Mudros
The Armistice of Moudros , concluded on 30 October 1918, ended the hostilities in the Middle Eastern theatre between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies of World War I...
, and until his retirement on 22 November 1919, he served as Inspector-General of the mostly demobilized Second Army
Second Army (Ottoman Empire)
The Second Army of the Ottoman Empire was one of the field armies of the Ottoman Army. It was formed in the late 19th century during Ottoman military reforms.- Order of Battle, 1877:In 1877, it was stationed in what is now Bulgaria...
.
In 1920, Esad Pasha served as Navy Minister in the short-lived cabinet of Hulusi Salih Pasha
Hulusi Salih Pasha
Salih Hulusi Pasha also known as Salih Hulusi Kezrak, was one of the last grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire, under the reign of the last Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI Vahdeddin, between 8 March 1920 and 2 April 1920...
. In 1934, he adopted
Surname Law (Turkey)
The Surname Law of the Republic of Turkey was adopted on June 21, 1934. The law required all citizens of Turkey to adopt the use of surnames. Turkey's Christian and Jewish citizens were already using surnames, but Muslims generally did not use Western-style surnames...
the surname "Bülkat". He died in Istanbul in 1952.
A selection of his memories was published in 1975 under the title Esat Paşa'nın Çanakkale Anıları (Esat Pasha's Çanakkale Memoirs).