Martin Strohmeier

Fakhri (Fahrettin) Paşa and the end of Ottoman rule in Medina (1916-1919)

The siege of Medina (1916-1919) is one of the more significant events in the Near Eastern theatre in World War I. Fakhri Pasa (Fahrettin Turkkan, 1868-1948), the legendary figure of the siege, resisted several demands of the Sharif of Mecca, Husayn ibn ʿAli, and the British to surrender and even ignored orders from Istanbul to hand over the city but was eventually forced to surrender. The events in Medina have not gone unnoticed by historiography, although a full appreciation has still to be given. Eye witness reports by officers of the Ottoman garrison in Medina have constituted the basis for the narrative of the siege of Medina. British documents have added to our knowledge. Other sources used are the partially unpublished papers of Fakhri Pasa and German material.

Economy and society in the Aegean province of the Ottoman empire, 1840-1912

This article attempts to shed light on administration, demography, economy and society in the Aegean province ( Cezair-i Bahr-i Sefid Vilayeti ) of the Ottoman empire from approximately 1840 to 1912. The 1840s marked the beginning of the implementation of Tanzimat reforms in this province. The period under discussion ends with the termination of Ottoman rule over the Islands province in the aftermath of the First Balkan War. I argue that Ottoman rule was generally on the defensive in the islands off the coast of Asia Minor. While certain measures which were aimed at drawing the islands more closely to the centre and imposing a more effective control, had only a limited impact, other Tanzimat reforms led to an economic upturn of not inconsiderable parts of the Greek population. This, however, did not result in a closer identification with the Ottoman state. The article utilizes Ottoman archival and narrative sources, provincial year books ( salnames ), British consular documents as well as travelogues.

Omeriye: A Mosque in Nicosia

The article deals with the Omeriye Mosque which was erected as a church in the 14th century and transformed into a mosque by the Ottomans in the 16th century. It was used exclusively by Turkish-Cypriot Muslims until the mid-1950s. Since the 1980s it has become a multinational place of worship. The mosque, located in the southern (“Greek”) part of divided Nicosia, is today a meeting place for hundreds of Muslims mainly from Syria, Egypt, Pakistan and Bangladesh; they include migrant workers, students, and asylum-seekers. After a short historical introduction, the article examines the spatial characteristics of the mosque, the ethnic and social composition of the mosque-goers, particulars of worship and teachings as well as the running of the mosque.