Mehmet Niyazi
Encyclopedia
Mehmet Niyazi Cemali was an Ottoman
-born Romania
n and Crimean Tatar
poet, journalist, schoolteacher, academic, and activist for ethnic Tatar causes. Present for part of his life in the Russian Empire
and Crimea
-proper, he wrote most of his works in Crimean Tatar language
and Ottoman Turkish
. Niyazi is credited with having played a major part in keeping alive the connection between the Crimean Tatar diaspora
and their land of origin, and is best-known for his works lyrical depicting Crimea (The Green Island and The Green Homeland).
family of Crimean refugees
in the village of Aşçılar
, Northern Dobruja
, he was the second son of Ismail and Azize, two literate peasants and Ottoman subjects. Niyazi's birth coincided with the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, which ended in the region's annexation by the Kingdom of Romania
. He familiarized himself with Tatar literature and folklore during his childhood, and was taught Ottoman Turkish by his father, before completing his primary education in Aşçılar. It was probably during his teenage years that he first began authoring his series of literary pieces, which, overall, were noted for their reliance on elements of the Ottoman vocabulary.
In 1889, the family left Romania for the Ottoman capital of Istanbul
, where Mehmet was enrolled in normal school. In subsequent years, he became influenced by the creations of Namık Kemal
and Abdullah Hamit, as well as achieving fluency in French
, Arabic
and Persian
. In 1898 and 1899, he attempted to settle in Russian-ruled Crimea and start a career as a schoolteacher, but was expelled by the government on both occasions.
After his father's death in 1904, Niyazi returned to Romania and joined the Tatar community in Constanţa
. He married Sefika Abdulakim (also known as Sapiye); she was the sister of Kiazim Abdulakim (a Romanian Army officer and World War I
hero) and of the politician Selim Abdulakim. The couple had four daughters and two sons (two of their children died in their teens).
Niyazi was appointed a teacher at the local Tatar school in 1906, lecturing in Ottoman History, Ottoman Language, Poetry
and Prose
, Persian Literature
, and Kalam
. He served as the institution's headmaster between 1910 and 1914, settling with his family in Medgidia
after 1916, when he was appointed headmaster of the Islamic Seminary in that town. In 1909, he began editing the journal Dobruca, which was printed in Istanbul by the Kader publishing house. Other short-lived publications he started during the period include Tesvik, Mektep ve Aile, and, with Cevdet Kemal, Isik.
In early 1918, when the Qurultay proclaimed a Crimean Republic in the wake of the October Revolution
and upon the close of World War I, Niyazi left for Simferopol
(Aqmescit), where he joined Tatar activists in their campaign, edited the Hak Ses newspaper, and for a while was employed by the Crimean Ministry of Education. When the Bolshevik
Red Army
troops entered Crimea (see Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
), he took refuge in Romania. From that moment on, Mehmet Niyazi concentrated on literary activities, entering the most prolific phase of his career. He published his works in the Arabic alphabet
version of Crimean Tatar. As a community leader, he was an influence on a new wave of Crimean refugees who sought inspiration in the Second Polish Republic
's Prometheist
policies.
Suffering from tuberculosis
, he died as a result of the disease, having his last years clouded by the death of his wife Sefika. He was buried in Medgidia, with a ceremony that attracted a large crowd of his admirers. His large-scale grave (mezar) was argued to have been the first modern one to bear the tamgha
present on the Crimean Khanate
's flag (see Flag of Crimea
). The location endured as a rallying point for the Tatar community.
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...
-born Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n and Crimean Tatar
Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars or Crimeans are a Turkic ethnic group that originally resided in Crimea. They speak the Crimean Tatar language...
poet, journalist, schoolteacher, academic, and activist for ethnic Tatar causes. Present for part of his life in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
-proper, he wrote most of his works in Crimean Tatar language
Crimean Tatar language
The Crimean Tatar language is the language of the Crimean Tatars. It is a Turkic language spoken in Crimea, Central Asia , and the Crimean Tatar diasporas in Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria...
and Ottoman Turkish
Ottoman Turkish language
The Ottoman Turkish language or Ottoman language is the variety of the Turkish language that was used for administrative and literary purposes in the Ottoman Empire. It borrows extensively from Arabic and Persian, and was written in a variant of the Perso-Arabic script...
. Niyazi is credited with having played a major part in keeping alive the connection between the Crimean Tatar diaspora
Crimean Tatar diaspora
The Crimean Tatar diaspora dates back to the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 1783, after which Crimean Tatars were forced to emigrate in a series of waves spanning the period from 1783 to 1917...
and their land of origin, and is best-known for his works lyrical depicting Crimea (The Green Island and The Green Homeland).
Biography
Born into a MuslimIslam in Romania
Islam in Romania is followed by only 0.3 percent of population, but has 700 years of tradition in Northern Dobruja, a region on the Black Sea coast which was part of the Ottoman Empire for almost five centuries . In present-day Romania, most adherents to Islam belong to the Tatar and Turkish ethnic...
family of Crimean refugees
Crimean Tatars in Romania
The roots of the Crimean Tatar diaspora community in Romania began with the Cuman migration in the 10th century. Even before the Cumans arrived other Turkic people like the Huns and the Bulgars settled in this region. A distinct Tatar ethnic identity first emerged following the Golden Horde's...
in the village of Aşçılar
Pecineaga
Pecineaga is a commune in Constanţa County, Romania. The commune includes two villages, Pecineaga and Vânători...
, Northern Dobruja
Northern Dobruja
Northern Dobruja is the part of Dobruja within the borders of Romania. It lies between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, bordered in south by Bulgarian Southern Dobruja.-Geography:...
, he was the second son of Ismail and Azize, two literate peasants and Ottoman subjects. Niyazi's birth coincided with the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, which ended in the region's annexation by the Kingdom of Romania
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
. He familiarized himself with Tatar literature and folklore during his childhood, and was taught Ottoman Turkish by his father, before completing his primary education in Aşçılar. It was probably during his teenage years that he first began authoring his series of literary pieces, which, overall, were noted for their reliance on elements of the Ottoman vocabulary.
In 1889, the family left Romania for the Ottoman capital of Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, where Mehmet was enrolled in normal school. In subsequent years, he became influenced by the creations of Namık Kemal
Namık Kemal
Namık Kemal, born as Mehmed Kemal was a Turkish nationalist poet, translator, journalist, and social reformer.-Biography:...
and Abdullah Hamit, as well as achieving fluency in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
and Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
. In 1898 and 1899, he attempted to settle in Russian-ruled Crimea and start a career as a schoolteacher, but was expelled by the government on both occasions.
After his father's death in 1904, Niyazi returned to Romania and joined the Tatar community in Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
. He married Sefika Abdulakim (also known as Sapiye); she was the sister of Kiazim Abdulakim (a Romanian Army officer and 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...
hero) and of the politician Selim Abdulakim. The couple had four daughters and two sons (two of their children died in their teens).
Niyazi was appointed a teacher at the local Tatar school in 1906, lecturing in Ottoman History, Ottoman Language, Poetry
Ottoman poetry
The poetry of the Ottoman Empire, or Ottoman Divan poetry, is fairly little known outside of modern Turkey, which forms the heartland of what was once the Ottoman Empire...
and Prose
Prose of the Ottoman Empire
Roughly speaking, the prose of the Ottoman Empire can be divided along the lines of two broad periods: early Ottoman prose, written prior to the 19th century CE and exclusively nonfictional in nature; and later Ottoman prose, which extended from the mid-19th century Tanzimat period of reform to the...
, Persian Literature
Persian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
, and Kalam
Kalam
ʿIlm al-Kalām is the Islamic philosophical discipline of seeking theological principles through dialectic. Kalām in Islamic practice relates to the discipline of seeking theological knowledge through debate and argument. A scholar of kalām is referred to as a mutakallim...
. He served as the institution's headmaster between 1910 and 1914, settling with his family in Medgidia
Medgidia
-History:Archaeological findings show that Dobruja was inhabited since the Neolithic period. Starting with 46 BC the region was administered by the Roman Empire. A castrum was built in the Carasu Valley, becoming the cradle of the settlement....
after 1916, when he was appointed headmaster of the Islamic Seminary in that town. In 1909, he began editing the journal Dobruca, which was printed in Istanbul by the Kader publishing house. Other short-lived publications he started during the period include Tesvik, Mektep ve Aile, and, with Cevdet Kemal, Isik.
In early 1918, when the Qurultay proclaimed a Crimean Republic in the wake of the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
and upon the close of World War I, Niyazi left for Simferopol
Simferopol
-Russian Empire and Civil War:The city was renamed Simferopol in 1784 after the annexation of the Crimean Khanate to the Russian Empire by Catherine II of Russia. The name Simferopol is derived from the Greek, Συμφερόπολις , translated as "the city of usefulness." In 1802, Simferopol became the...
(Aqmescit), where he joined Tatar activists in their campaign, edited the Hak Ses newspaper, and for a while was employed by the Crimean Ministry of Education. When the Bolshevik
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic , commonly referred to as Soviet Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or simply Russia, was the largest, most populous and economically developed republic in the former Soviet Union....
Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
troops entered Crimea (see Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created on October 18, 1921 as Crimean Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic of RSFSR in place of Taurida Governorate and within the Crimean Peninsula,...
), he took refuge in Romania. From that moment on, Mehmet Niyazi concentrated on literary activities, entering the most prolific phase of his career. He published his works in the Arabic alphabet
Arabic alphabet
The Arabic alphabet or Arabic abjad is the Arabic script as it is codified for writing the Arabic language. It is written from right to left, in a cursive style, and includes 28 letters. Because letters usually stand for consonants, it is classified as an abjad.-Consonants:The Arabic alphabet has...
version of Crimean Tatar. As a community leader, he was an influence on a new wave of Crimean refugees who sought inspiration in the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
's Prometheist
Prometheism
Prometheism or Prometheanism was a political project initiated by Poland's Józef Piłsudski. Its aim was to weaken the Russian Empire and its successor states, including the Soviet Union, by supporting nationalist independence movements among the major non-Russian peoples that lived within the...
policies.
Suffering from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, he died as a result of the disease, having his last years clouded by the death of his wife Sefika. He was buried in Medgidia, with a ceremony that attracted a large crowd of his admirers. His large-scale grave (mezar) was argued to have been the first modern one to bear the tamgha
Tamgha
A tamga or tamgha "stamp, seal" is an abstract seal or stamp used by Eastern Eurasian nomadic peoples and by cultures influenced by them. The tamga was normally the emblem of a particular tribe, clan or family. They were common among the Scythians, Sarmatians, Alans, all Turkic peoples , and Mongols...
present on the Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate, or Khanate of Crimea , was a state ruled by Crimean Tatars from 1441 to 1783. Its native name was . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
's flag (see Flag of Crimea
Flag of Crimea
The flag of Crimea is the official flag of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine. It has been in use since 1992 and was officially adopted on April 21, 1999....
). The location endured as a rallying point for the Tatar community.