The Role of the Notables in the Ottoman Campaign Organization: The French Occupation of Egypt and the Karaosmanoğlu Family

The Role of the Notables in the Ottoman Campaign Organization: The French Occupation of Egypt and the Karaosmanoğlu Family

Hüseyin Yılmaz

Abstract

After France’s occupation of Egypt, the Sublime Porte would both declare war on France and sign an alliance treaty with Russia and England. Significant responsibilities fell to the local notables/ayans, in organizing this campaign. One of these notables, the Karaosmanoğlu fa mily, had gained significant power in Western Anatolia. By the early 19th century, the Karaos manoğlu family, which had emerged in Manisa, was in charge of İzmir and Aydın, as well as Manisa, making them influential in Western Anatolia. Through this, they acquired significant socio-economic and socio-political power. The Sublime Porte, which declared war on France, would benefit from the Karaosmanoğlu family on the organization of the campaign. Initially, the family was responsible for ensuring the security of İzmir Port and the Aegean Region’s co astlines and also for seizing French goods in İzmir. Subsequently, the Karaosmanoğlu family would organize the provision of necessary soldiers, animals, and grains for the army. In fact, during the later stages of the campaign, prominent members of the family, Hüseyin and Ömer Ağas, would personally join the campaign and go to Egypt. From 1798 to 1802, the family provided thousands of cavalry and infantry soldiers to the Ottoman army. These soldiers were equipped and sent to İzmir Port and then dispatched to the front lines. Additionally, the family organized the supply of biscuits and the flour required for them for the Ottoman and Russian armies. They would also be responsible for providing supplies to the royal fleet that arrived at the Anatolian coasts. In both these tasks and in ensuring the security of İzmir and its port, the Karaosmanoğlu family would maintain close contact with the British Consul in İzmir, Francis Peter Werry. Considering these duties, it is evident that the Karaosmanoğlu family played an active role in organizing the campaign during the Egyptian War.

Keywords: Mısır Seferi, Karaosmanoğulları, Sefer Organizasyonu, Ayan, Batı Anadolu

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Journal of Gazi Academic View is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY NC)

ISSN: 1307-9778 E-ISSN: 1309-5137

 

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