History 

A JOURNEY INTO THE HISTORY OF ERZURUM
 

The proximity of Erzurum to the important centers of civilization in addition to its natural conditions and geographical location made it one of the oldest settlement centers of Anatolia. Some excavated stone artifacts take back the history of the settlement in this area as early as the Paleolithic age. The Macedonian King Alexander conquered the region in the 4th century B.C which was dominated by the Hurris, Hayasas, Urartians, Assirians, Cimmerians, Iskıts, Meds and Persians in turn after 3000 B.C.This region was reined by the Seleucids after the death of Alexander.Later on by the Roman Empire was the scene of the bloody wars between the Romans and Parthes.With the division of the Roman Empire into two parts in 395,Erzurum which was included in part of the Byzantine Empire changed hands between the Byzantines and the Sassanides a number of times. The invansion of the region by the Hun State which was established on the north of the Blacksea between the years 295-398 was the first entry of Turks into the region.In this period there was a city by the name Karin in the location of Erzurum and another city by the name Erzen on the west of the Erzurum Plateau in this period.Anatolius who was the general of the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius 2(408-450) who himself had taken the Erzurum region back from the Huns,had a castle built in the most strategic location of the region where Karin was located against the attacks that could come from Iran and changed the name of the city to Theodosiopolis.

Erzurum changed hands between the Byzantine Empire and the Muslim Arabs consisting of the Ummayads and the Abbasids until the year 949.The Muslims named Theodopolis as “Kalikala” which meant “Carpet City” Erzurum the population of which reached 200 thousand in the 7th century was one of the largest cities of the world at the time.The Seljuk Turks who entered the Byzantine territory in order to conquer Eastern Anatolia captured Erzen which was located on the west of the plain in 1048. The people who ran from Erzen which had been ruined after the attacks,found rescue in Kalikala and changed its name to Erzen. The original Erzen which that was ruined after the attacks,was later named as Kara Erzen and in time as Karaz. And the new Erzen was later referred to as Roman Erzen which in turn became Erzurum, the modern name of the city.
The city went under the domination of the Muslims again when it was reconquered by Ebul Kasım who was one of the generals of the Seljuk Sultan Alpaslan when he defeated the Byzantines after the victory of Malazgirt in 1071.The Saltukids settled around Erzurum and became the first Turkish principality to be founded in Anatolia.

Erzurum which was the capital of the Saltukids until the year 1202 became affiliated to the Anatolian Seljuks as of this date. This region which was captured by the Mongolians in 1242 was under the domination of the Ilhanlıs until 1335.When the Ilhanlıs collapsed,The Turkish Eretna principality began controlling Erzurum and ıts surroundings. Towards the end of the 14th century the Karakoyunlu State and later Tamerlane captured Erzurum and its surroundings. The city which was captured in the mid 15th century by the Akkoyunlu State and by Shah Ismail who was the founder of the Safevid Dynasty expanded significantly in this period. Selim the Grim conquered Erzurum in 1514. But when Erzurum was recaptured by the Safevids, Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent added Erzurum to the lands of the Ottoman Empire once again for good. Thereafter Erzurum reached modern times as Turkish homeland.

Erzurum which was the homeland of the Turks for centuries became the target of the Russian army in 1829,1878 and finally in the First World War(1916).The Russians entered Erzurum after the defeat of Sarıkamış(16th of February 1916). But the Turkish army was able to take the city back by defeating the Armenians whıo were armed by the Russians who themselves had to retreat after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March 1918).
Mustafa Kemal Atatütk who came to Erzurum on the 3rd of July,1919 and 56 delegates coming from various provinces of Anatolia assembled the Erzurum Congress on the 23rd of July,1919 thereby taking the most serious step forward of the National Struggle.When the Turkish Republic was founded on the 23rd of April,1923 at the end of the National Struggle,Erzurum took its place among the most important cities of this new republic.

CONGRESS OF ERZURUM

The Congress of Erzurum has taken place within the dates when Mondros Truce which put brutal occurences of the World War 1 to termination, started to be applied (October 30,1918). The Ottoman Empire had to sign the Article 24 of the agreement which implied that in case of disorders in five regions the countries of the Entente could have occupied those regions. In The english variant of the truce document these regions (Erzurum, Van, Bitlis, Elazığ, Diyarbakır and Sivas) were represented as “ Armenian regions”.This condition brought the longlasting Armenian threat to agenda.

There was an Association of Rights Protection of Eastern Countries organized in İstanbul (December,1918).Further on the branch of this association was opened in Erzurum (March,1919). The works of the Association of Rights Protection in Erzurum which developed the scope of activities due to relationships with neighboring countries were greatly supported by the arrival of Kazim Karabekir Paşa, the Commander of Corps No:15 to Erzurum on May 3,1919. On the other side the Government of Istanbul being aware of his works in Havza and Amasya called M. Kemal Pasha to Istanbul. By accepting the invitation to the Congress M.Kemal Pasha has started an important part of historical way for “ National Sovereignity”from Erzurum. On July 3,1919 Mustafa Kemal Pasha arrived to Erzurum being greatly welcomed by its people, and on July 9 he resigned from the army and started up the mission of “Atatürk”.

The Congress has finished its work within 14 days since July 23 to August 7,1919 due to cooperation of Associations of Rights Protection of Erzurum and Trabzon.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was selected as the chairman of the Congress within the elections which took place on the first day of the Congress.In his opening speech Mustafa Kemal drew attention to the problems of fights for national independence in different parts of the world and emphasized that will power of the nation would start in Anatolia and that it needed support of the nation.

The resolutions of the Congress of Erzurum can be summarized as follows:
• The home country is entire within its national boundaries and it can not be parted;
• In case of disintegration of the Ottoman Empire due to occupation or interventions the nation will protect its country as a whole body;
• If the Government of Istanbul does not have enough forces for protection of the country’s independence the interjacent government will be formed.This government will be selected by the government of the national congress;ıf the Congress is not hold,it will be selected by the Executive Committee;
• The basis is to endue people with the will to fight and project the Nation;
• The Christian minorities will not receive any political and social advantages which can violate our balance;
• Mandate and protection are unacceptable;
• The National Assembly will work to provide holding of the meeting and execution of the governmental works under control of the assembly.

It is necessary to analyze the resolutions taken at the Congress,the aims which were set within it and the strategy which was put forward. The tasks accepted at the Congress are the national tasks which were set forward of the fight of the Turkish Nation.The words ”legal nation” which were the political ground of the National Struggle movement were had first been mentioned at this congress.

The Congress was an opening and starting historicall point of the National fight for independence in the view of the represented ideas and principles and provided authorities. In accordance with Mustafa Kemal:”The Congress will be accepted by the History as a most singular and great event”.