Çerkes Ethem
Encyclopedia
Çerkes Ethem was a Turkish
militia leader of Circassian origin who initially gained fame for fighting against the Allied powers invading Anatolia
in the aftermath of the World War I
and afterwards during the Turkish War of Independence
.
His family, of the Adyghe
clan, was originally from Shapsugia region of Caucasus
who migrated
to Turkey
in the 1860s. He was born in Emre village of Bandirma
. He is the son of Pşevu Ali Bey. He ran from home when he was 14 years old to join Bakırköy
Cavalry Junior Officer School. He fought against Bulgarians in the Balkan War where he was wounded. He joined Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa
organized by Eşref Kuşçubaşı and participated in operations in Afghanistan
and Iraq
during World War I
. He was again wounded and retired to his village. For a while he took up banditry in the mountains. He then founded Kuvva-yı Seyyare which was the only organized military force in Anatolia during 1919-1920, period between Armistice of Mudros
and Treaty of Sèvres
. He coordinated his military operations with Ali Fuat Paşa
in Ankara
and harassed the invading Greek armies with his fast cavalry. He was instrumental in putting down various rebellions against the authority of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
Eventually he turned against the new central government in Ankara, refusing to join his forces with the regular army established under the command of İsmet Paşa. Newly reconstituted Turkish Army had to put down his rebellion while also fighting the Greeks at First Battle of İnönü
. His alleged subsequent surrender to and cooperation (Disputed between the Turks until now) with the Greek army resulted in his citizenship getting revoked on the grounds of treason and his being announced a persona non grata
by the TBMM, among many others
. From Greece, he went to Jordan with about 400 of his followers and settled there.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
militia leader of Circassian origin who initially gained fame for fighting against the Allied powers invading Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
in the aftermath of the 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...
and afterwards during the Turkish War of Independence
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
.
His family, of the Adyghe
Adyghe
The Adyghe or Adygs , also often known as Circassians or Cherkess, are in origin a North Caucasian ethnic groupwho were displaced in the course of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus in the 19th century, especially after the Russian–Circassian War of 1862.Adyghe people mostly speak Adyghe and most...
clan, was originally from Shapsugia region of Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
who migrated
Muhajir (Caucasus)
Circassians, the indigenous peoples of the Northwest Caucasus were cleansed from their homeland at the end of the Caucasian War by victorious Russia, which by its manner of suppression of the Caucasus directed at the Crimean Tartars and Circassians can be credited with "inventing the strategy of...
to 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...
in the 1860s. He was born in Emre village of Bandirma
Bandirma
Bandırma is a city in northwestern Turkey with 113,385 inhabitants on the Sea of Marmara. Also, Bandırma is a district of Balıkesir....
. He is the son of Pşevu Ali Bey. He ran from home when he was 14 years old to join Bakırköy
Bakirköy
This article is about a neighbourhood in IstanbulBakırköy is a neighborhood, municipality and district on the European side of İstanbul, Turkey. The quarter is densely populated, has a residential character and is inhabited by a middle class population...
Cavalry Junior Officer School. He fought against Bulgarians in the Balkan War where he was wounded. He joined Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa
Teşkîlât-ı Mahsûsa
The Special Organization was an Ottoman imperial government special forces unit under the War Department allegedly progenitor of the National Security Service , which was used to suppress Arab separatism and Western imperialism under Ottoman Empire. The main aim of the Special Organization was to...
organized by Eşref Kuşçubaşı and participated in operations in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
during 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...
. He was again wounded and retired to his village. For a while he took up banditry in the mountains. He then founded Kuvva-yı Seyyare which was the only organized military force in Anatolia during 1919-1920, period between 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 Treaty of Sèvres
Treaty of Sèvres
The Treaty of Sèvres was the peace treaty between the Ottoman Empire and Allies at the end of World War I. The Treaty of Versailles was signed with Germany before this treaty to annul the German concessions including the economic rights and enterprises. Also, France, Great Britain and Italy...
. He coordinated his military operations with Ali Fuat Paşa
Ali Fuat Cebesoy
Ali Fuat Cebesoy was a Turkish officer, politician and statesman.-Early life:Ali Fuat was born in September 1882 to father Ismail Fazil Pasha and mother Zekiye Hanım...
in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
and harassed the invading Greek armies with his fast cavalry. He was instrumental in putting down various rebellions against the authority of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
Eventually he turned against the new central government in Ankara, refusing to join his forces with the regular army established under the command of İsmet Paşa. Newly reconstituted Turkish Army had to put down his rebellion while also fighting the Greeks at First Battle of İnönü
First Battle of Inönü
The First Battle of İnönü took place between 9 and 11 January 1921 near İnönü in present-day Eskişehir Province, Turkey during the Greco-Turkish War , part of Turkish War of Independence...
. His alleged subsequent surrender to and cooperation (Disputed between the Turks until now) with the Greek army resulted in his citizenship getting revoked on the grounds of treason and his being announced a persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
by the TBMM, among many others
150 personae non gratae of Turkey
After the Turkish War of Independence , the newly established Republic of Turkey presented a list of 600 names to the Conference of Lausanne, which were to be declared personae non gratae. Later, a list comprising only 150 of these, put into effect by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on April...
. From Greece, he went to Jordan with about 400 of his followers and settled there.