Ottoman Sultanate: Difference between revisions

The period between 1890-1901 saw two large political movements vying for power in the Grand Congress. The Hatayists (named after the province of Hatay) advocated for the secularization of the state and social equality. The Orkhonists, on the other hand, promoted the Turkification of the state. Both groups were nationalist by definition but had different means for achieving national ambitions.

In 1910, the new sultan, Bejazid IV, rose to power after the death of his power. Bejazid, while claiming to have a centrist stance like his predecessor, was heavily sympathetic to the Orkhonists. Soon enough, a political alliance between the Orkhonists and Bejazid IV formed, making them more popular among the public. The Orkhonists were able to capture the majority in the Grand Congress. The Orkhonist party, led by Hamza Kojundschu, enacted multiple laws to realize their ambitions. Among them is the ''Turkish Settlement and Nationality Law'', which aimed to create an Ottoman national identity by using Islam as a unifying force, and by resettling Turkish-speaking families to far-flung regions where they only make a minority, and vice-versa. The use of the common Turkish language was also promoted, instead of Ottoman Turkish, which had a lot of Arabic and Persian influences. Through these steps, Kojundschu hoped to meld all the groups in the empire into one people: the Ottoman nationality. Throughout the early 19th century, areas around Jazira, Macedonia, and coastal Levantine cities would shift towards a more Turkish identity.