Osmanlı'dan Cumhuriyet'e Bir Siyaset ve Fikir Adamı: Mehmed Seyyid Bey (1873-1925)

Abstract

Seyyid Bey was born in Izmir in 1873. After receiving a religious education, he entered the School of Law in Istanbul and graduated in 1904. He began teaching at Darülfünun in 1906. He entered the political arena with the Constitutional Revolution of 1908 and became a member of parliament representing Izmir. He also consistently served as a member of parliament for Izmir in 1912 and 1914. A prominent figure in the Committee of Union and Progress, Seyyid Bey became the vice-president of the Committee in 1910. Continuing his rise within the Committee, Seyyid Bey was promoted to the head of the Society in 1911. In 1916, he was appointed to the Senate. Seyyid Bey was one of the founding members of the Renewal Party (Teceddüd Fırkası), the successor to the Committee of Union and Progress, which emerged in 1918 following the First World War. From this point on, his political career declined. After the March 16th occupation, at the suggestion of Damad Ferid Pasha, he was among those exiled to Malta as one of the figures considered dangerous by the British, and lived in exile until his return to Istanbul in November 1921. After returning to Istanbul, he continued his professorship at Darülfünun as a passionate supporter of the National Struggle. He served as Kemal Pasha's legal advisor before the Republic. In 1923, he was appointed chairman of the commission established by the Ministry of Justice to revise the Mecelle (Ottoman civil code). In the same year, he became a member of parliament for Izmir and the Minister of Justice. He continued in the aforementioned ministerial role until March 5, 1924. He was subsequently appointed Dean of the Faculty of Theology. He taught at this faculty until his death on March 8, 1925. In this study, Seyyid Bey's entire life (1873-1925) is examined using historical methodology. The first section (1873-1900) covers the context of the Ottoman Empire leading up to Seyyid Bey's birth and his life up to his education at Darülfünun. The second section (1900-1908) deals with the period from Seyyid Bey's time as a Darülfünun student to his development as a member of the Committee of Union and Progress. The third section (1908-1920) examines Seyyid Bey's tenure as a professor at Darülfünun and his time in the Ottoman Parliaments. The fourth section (1920-1921) analyzed Seyyid Bey's exile to Malta and his experiences during the National Struggle. The fifth section (1921-1925) recounted his life up until his death.