Yıldız assassination
The Yıldız assassination ( Turkish Yıldız Suikastı , Armenian Եըլտըզի մահափորձ Yeyltyzi mahap'vordz ) on July 21, 1905 was a failed attack on Abdülhamid II by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("ARF") in the Hamidiye Mosque of the Ottoman capital, Istanbul . A total of 26 people died and 58 were injured.
background
The aim of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation since it was founded in 1890 was to “liberate” Russian and Ottoman domains and thus proclaim a Marxist- socialist nation-state of Armenia. Nationalist ambitions of different ethnic groups in the multiethnic Ottoman Empire were not uncommon at the time, however: In addition to Armenian nationalism, the Young Turkish movement or the Greek Megali Idea can be cited as examples of ethnic-nationalist movements. The influence of the French Revolution in the Ottoman Empire led to the strengthening of the nationalist ambitions of the ethno-religious Millet minorities towards Milliyetçilik movements (literally “Milletism” in the sense of “Nationalism”), whereupon the Sultanate (unsuccessful) responded with the proclamation of the Tanzimat era. The emergence of nationalism after the French Revolution had a devastatingly destabilizing effect on the millet system of the economically and militarily troubled Ottoman Empire of the 19th century, which granted ethno-religious minorities extensive, semi-autonomous self-government and is one of the causes of indicated the fall of the Ottoman Empire. In a broader sense, the Yıldız assassination can thus be seen as part of the national liberation struggle of the Armenian Millet minority and is interpreted as such by the Turkish side, among others.
In a narrower sense, Abdülhamid's anti-Armenian policies such as the Hamid massacres were the motive behind the attempted assassination. The Armenian Resistance in the Ottoman Empire was planned by the National Liberation Movement, including the First Sason Resistance of 1894, the First Resistance of Zeytun in 1895 and the Defense of Van in June 1896. The hostage-taking in the Ottoman Bank on August 26, 1896 by members the ARF should draw attention to the situation of the Armenians; it was carried out by Papken Siyuni and Armen Karo , who occupied the branch, which hired mostly European staff from the UK and France .
planning
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation planned the assassination attempt on the Sultan to get revenge. Taschnak members , led by party founder Christapor Mikaelian , secretly began to manufacture explosives and planned the operation in Sofia . During the planning, the explosives were made in an improvised bomb factory in the village of Sablyar, near the Bulgarian town of Kyustendil . Christapor Mikaelian and his friend Vramshabouh Kendirian died in an accidental explosion. Although the main planners of the operation lost their lives, it continued as planned.
Since Abdülhamid prayed in the Yıldız Mosque every Friday and always left it at the same time, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation planned to hide time bombs in a fleet of cars outside the mosque, which would then explode when Abdülhamid left the mosque. It was decided that Zareh, a fedai and participant in the occupation of the Ottoman Bank , should drive the car.
action
On July 21, 1905, Zareh drove the car in front of the mosque. He set the timer to 42 seconds. Abdülhamid did not appear because he had gotten into a conversation with Sheikhul Islam . The bomb exploded without harming the sultan. The exploding bomb killed numerous people, including Zareh. The Sultan arrived a few minutes later than planned.
26 members of the sultan's succession died and 58 were wounded.
Aftermath
Further assassination plans became known during the subsequent investigations.
literature
- Houssine Alloul, Edhem Eldem , Henk de Smaele (eds.): To Kill A Sultan: A Transnational History of the Attempt on Abdülhamid II (1905) . London 2017, ISBN 978-1-137-48931-9 .
- Edward Alexander: A Crime of Vengeance . To the Armenian Struggle for Justice . Free Press, New York 1991, ISBN 0-02-900475-6 , pp. 97 .
- Richard G. Hovannisian: The Armenian Question in the Ottoman Empire . In: East European Quarterly . tape 6 , no. 1 , 1972, ISSN 0012-8449 , pp. 15 .
- Salâhi R. Sonyel: The Ottoman Armenians: Victims of Great Power Diplomacy . London 1987, p. 261 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Göçek, Fatma Müge: Rise of the Bourgeoisie, Demise of Empire . Oxford University Press, Oxford 1996, ISBN 978-0-19-509925-6 , pp. 134-137 .