From Ottoman Officer to Minister of Defence of the Modern Syrian State: Yusuf Azma, His Life and Political Activities

Mustafa Aslan

Makale detayları

From Ottoman Officer to Minister of Defence of the Modern Syrian State: Yusuf Azma, His Life and Political Activities

Yazarlar:

Mustafa Aslan

Yayıncı:

Gaziantep University

Ana Başlıklar:

Yakınçağ Ortadoğu Tarihi | Yakınçağ Osmanlı Tarihi

Dergi:

Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1276-1295

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

10/2023

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001301856

pISSN:

1303-0094

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Yusuf Azma was a Damascus soldier and politician of Turkish origin who played an important role in the Arab struggle for independence in the early 20th century. Although he is an important figure in the history of Syria as well as the Middle East, there has not been a comprehensive and systematic study on his life and activities. In this context, this study chronologically examines the life story and political activities of Yusuf Azma from his birth to his death. In this context, the study focuses on Azmas life and his military career in the Ottoman Empire, his return to Damascus as the Syrian Minister of Defence, his resistance against the French mandate and his cooperation with Turkey in his struggle against the French. While analysing Azmas activities on these issues, an evaluation was made from a historical perspective by making use of both Ottoman and Republican archival sources and local and foreign literature. The findings of the study show that Azma did not take part in the Arab revolts against the Ottoman Empire as portrayed in the Western and Arab literature, on the contrary, he continued his service as an Ottoman officer until the actual collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The fact that he was in contact with the commanders of the Southern Front of the Anatolian National Struggle in his activities in Damascus can be said that he did not break away from his Unionist past despite the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, it is also seen that he delayed the establishment of the French mandate system in Syria by ensuring the rejection of the French mandate system, which was initially accepted by Faisal and some Syrian political figures, with the roles he played in Syrian politics. As a result, Azma gained the support of the people with his military and political achievements and resisted the French occupation. In addition, he contributed to the struggle against the French on the Southern Front of Anatolia with these activities in Syria. Considering the problems still experienced in the Syrian region, the life and political activities of Yusuf Azma, the subject of this study, are very important for the region and shed light on the present day.

 Yusuf Azma was a Damascus soldier and politician of Turkish origin who played an important role in the Arab struggle for independence in the early 20th century. Although he is an important figure in the history of Syria as well as the Middle East, there has not been a comprehensive and systematic study on his life and activities. In this context, this study chronologically examines the life story and political activities of Yusuf Azma from his birth to his death. In this context, the study focuses on Azmas life and his military career in the Ottoman Empire, his return to Damascus as the Syrian Minister of Defence, his resistance against the French mandate and his cooperation with Turkey in his struggle against the French. While analysing Azmas activities on these issues, an evaluation was made from a historical perspective by making use of both Ottoman and Republican archival sources and local and foreign literature. The findings of the study show that Azma did not take part in the Arab revolts against the Ottoman Empire as portrayed in the Western and Arab literature, on the contrary, he continued his service as an Ottoman officer until the actual collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The fact that he was in contact with the commanders of the Southern Front of the Anatolian National Struggle in his activities in Damascus can be said that he did not break away from his Unionist past despite the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, it is also seen that he delayed the establishment of the French mandate system in Syria by ensuring the rejection of the French mandate system, which was initially accepted by Faisal and some Syrian political figures, with the roles he played in Syrian politics. As a result, Azma gained the support of the people with his military and political achievements and resisted the French occupation. In addition, he contributed to the struggle against the French on the Southern Front of Anatolia with these activities in Syria. Considering the problems still experienced in the Syrian region, the life and political activities of Yusuf Azma, the subject of this study, are very important for the region and shed light on the present day.

 Yusuf Azma was a Damascus soldier and politician of Turkish origin who played an important role in the Arab struggle for independence in the early 20th century. Although he is an important figure in the history of Syria as well as the Middle East, there has not been a comprehensive and systematic study on his life and activities. In this context, this study chronologically examines the life story and political activities of Yusuf Azma from his birth to his death. In this context, the study focuses on Azmas life and his military career in the Ottoman Empire, his return to Damascus as the Syrian Minister of Defence, his resistance against the French mandate and his cooperation with Turkey in his struggle against the French. While analysing Azmas activities on these issues, an evaluation was made from a historical perspective by making use of both Ottoman and Republican archival sources and local and foreign literature. The findings of the study show that Azma did not take part in the Arab revolts against the Ottoman Empire as portrayed in the Western and Arab literature, on the contrary, he continued his service as an Ottoman officer until the actual collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The fact that he was in contact with the commanders of the Southern Front of the Anatolian National Struggle in his activities in Damascus can be said that he did not break away from his Unionist past despite the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, it is also seen that he delayed the establishment of the French mandate system in Syria by ensuring the rejection of the French mandate system, which was initially accepted by Faisal and some Syrian political figures, with the roles he played in Syrian politics. As a result, Azma gained the support of the people with his military and political achievements and resisted the French occupation. In addition, he contributed to the struggle against the French on the Southern Front of Anatolia with these activities in Syria. Considering the problems still experienced in the Syrian region, the life and political activities of Yusuf Azma, the subject of this study, are very important for the region and shed light on the present day.

 Yusuf Azma, XX. yüzyılın başlarında Arap bağımsızlık mücadelesinde önemli bir rol oynamış Türk kökenli Şamlı bir asker ve siyasetçidir. Suriye tarihinin yanı sıra Ortadoğu tarihinin de önemli bir figürü olmasına rağmen onun hayatı ve faaliyetleri hakkında kapsamlı ve sistematik bir çalışma yapılmamıştır. Bu bağlamda bu çalışma Yusuf Azmanın doğumundan ölümüne kadar geçen süreçteki yaşam öyküsünü ve siyasi faaliyetlerini kronolojik bir şekilde incelemektedir. Bu kapsamda çalışma, Azmanın hayatı ve Osmanlıdaki askerlik kariyeri, Şama dönüşüyle Suriye Savunma Bakanlığı görevi, Fransız mandasına karşı direnişini ve Fransızlara karşı mücadelesinde Türkiye ile yaptığı iş birliğine odaklanmaktadır. Azmanın faaliyetleri bu konular üzerinden irdelenirken hem Osmanlı ve Cumhuriyet Arşivinden hem de yerli ve yabancı literatürden faydalanılarak tarihsel bir perspektiften değerlendirme yapılmıştır. Araştırmanın bulgularında Azmanın özellikle Batı ve Arap literatüründe gösterildiği gibi Osmanlıya karşı çıkarılan Arap isyanlarında yer almadığı aksine Osmanlı İmparatorluğunun fiilen yıkılışına kadar bir Osmanlı subayı olarak hizmetine devam ettiği görülmektedir. Şamdaki faaliyetlerinde de Anadolu Millî Mücadelesinin Güney Cephesi komutanlarıyla irtibatlı olması, Osmanlının yıkılmış olmasına rağmen İttihatçı geçmişinden kopmadığı söylenebilir. Bunun yanında başlangıçta Faysal ve bazı Suriyeli siyasi figürler tarafından kabullenilen Fransız manda sistemine Suriye siyasetinde oynadığı rollerle reddedilmesini sağlayarak, Fransızların Suriyede manda sistemini kurmasını geciktirdiği de görülmektedir. Sonuç olarak Azma hem askerî hem de siyasi alanda gösterdiği başarılarla halkın desteğini kazanmış, Fransız işgaline karşı direnmiştir. Ayrıca Suriyede yürüttüğü bu faaliyetlerle Anadolunun Güney Cephesinde Fransızlara karşı verilen mücadeleye katkıda bulunmuştur. Halen Suriye bölgesinde yaşanan problemler düşünüldüğünde, bu çalışmanın konusu olan Yusuf Azmanın hayatı ve siyasi faaliyetleri bölge için oldukça önemli olup günümüze de ışık tutmaktadır.

Makale detayları

From Ottoman Officer to Minister of Defence of the Modern Syrian State: Yusuf Azma, His Life and Political Activities

Yazarlar:

Mustafa Aslan

Yayıncı:

Gaziantep University

Ana Başlıklar:

Yakınçağ Ortadoğu Tarihi | Yakınçağ Osmanlı Tarihi

Dergi:

Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1276-1295

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

10/2023

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001301856

pISSN:

1303-0094

Yusuf Azma

Battle of Meyselun

Anatolian Southern Front

Faisal I

French mandate in Syria.Yusuf Azma

Meyselun Savaşı

Anadolu Güney Cephesi

I. Faysal

Suriye’de Fransız mandası.

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Mustafa Aslan

Yayıncı: Gaziantep University

Ana Başlıklar: Yakınçağ Ortadoğu Tarihi | Yakınçağ Osmanlı Tarihi

Dergi: Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1276-1295

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 10/2023

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001301856

pISSN: 1303-0094

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Mustafa Aslan

Yayıncı:

Gaziantep University

Ana Başlıklar:

Yakınçağ Ortadoğu Tarihi | Yakınçağ Osmanlı Tarihi

Dergi:

Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1276-1295

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

10/2023

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001301856

pISSN:

1303-0094