Kurd Ahmet Izzet Pasha

Kurd Ahmet Izzet Pasha (1871,Constaninople -1920), an Ottoman Kurd, governor and minister, was the son of Husein Pasha[1], half brother of Said Pasha Kurd and uncle of Şerif Pasha and Kurd Fuad Pasha.

Kurd Ahmet Izzet Pasha
Kurd Ahmed Izzet Pasha and Chrysostomos of Smyrna under the Greek flag

He attended the Üsküdar Rüştiye Mektebi and later the Lisan Mektebi (Foreign Language School).[2]

An outspoken opponent of Turkish nationalism,[3] and a supporter of his nephew's Şerif Pasha's Ottoman Entente Liberale party.[3] He wielded some influence over the Kurdish population of Constantinople[4], served as Vali of Van from 1912 to 1913,[4] became Vali of Aidin Vilayet on 14 March 1919,[5] and was appointed Minister of Evkaf (Pious Foundations)[6] and interim minister of the Interior on 29 January 1919.[7]

He had to take refuge in the British embassy after supporting the Greek community of Izmir.[5] He ordered his Ottoman troops to not resist allied and greek troops under the instruction of his nephew Şerif Pasha, and shouted 'Zito Venizelos! long live'.[8] But he had warned the British government that the involvement of Greek troops in the allied landing would backfire and cause more trouble than good. He was called a British collaborator by the Kemalists and given the nickname Kambur (Hunchback) by them.[9] The report of the Inter-Allied Commission of Inquiry of 1919 found that he treated all inhabitants impartially regardless of race and had resorted peace to the region.[10]

Somerset Gough-Calthorpe hosted Kurd Ahmet Izzet Pasha onboard the HMS Iron Duke (1912) in preparation for the allied operation in Izmir.

He died of a heart attack on January 5, 1920 and was buried on the 6th in the Emir Sultan cemetery in Izmir, his funeral was attended by members of the local community, senior military figures and civil servants.

Posts held

  • Translation Bureau (Tercüme Odası) at Bab-ı Ali (Bāb-i ʿAlī, the Sublime Porte)[11]
  • Chief of the Foreign Minister’s Cabinet (Hariciye Nezareti Kalemi Müdürü)[11]
  • Governor of Van[11]
  • Minister of Pious Foundations[11]
  • Minister of interior (interim)[11]
  • Twice deputy Minister of the interior in two different cabinets of Ahmet Tevfik Pasha
  • Governor of Izmir[11]

References
  1. Berber, Engin (1999). Yeni onbinlerin gölgesinde bir sancak: İzmir : 30 Ekim 1918-15 Mayıs 1919. Türkiye Ekonomik ve Toplumsal Tarih Vakfı. p. 241. ISBN 9753330952.
  2. Erdeha, Kâmil (1975). Milli Mücadelede vilâyetler ve valiler. Remzi Kitabevi. p. 388.
  3. Küçük, Hülya (2002). The Role of the Bektās̲h̲īs in Turkey's National Struggle. BRILL. p. 82. ISBN 9004124438.
  4. Henning, Barbara (2018). Narratives of the History of the Ottoman-Kurdish Bedirhani Family in Imperial and Post-Imperial Contexts: Continuities and Changes. University of Bamberg Press. p. 258. ISBN 3863095510.
  5. Stanford Jay, Shaw (2000). From Empire to Republic: The Turkish War of National Liberation, 1918-1923 : a Documentary Study, Volume 3, Part 1. Turkish Historical Society. p. 511. ISBN 9751612284.
  6. Priestland, Jane (2004). Islam: 1918-1919, Volume 3 of Islam: Political Impact, 1908-1972 : British Documentary Sources. Archive Editions. p. 288. ISBN 1840970707.
  7. "Review of Armenian Studies, Volume 5, Issues 13-16". ASAM Institute for Armenian Research: 145.
  8. Çalislar, Ipek (2013). Madam Atatürk: The First Lady of Modern Turkey. Saqi. p. 89. ISBN 0863568475.
  9. Coşkun, Alev (2020). Ataturk's planning of the Turkish revolution: The unknown 6 months in Istanbul. Ataturk Research Center CT. p. 42.
  10. Erhan, Çağrı (1999). Greek Occupation of Izmir and Adjoining Territories: Report of the Inter-Allied Commission of Inquiry (May-September 1919). SAM. p. 55.
  11. Öztoprak, İzzet (2016-03-02). "Ahmed İzzet Bey". Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE.
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