Abstract
The Ottoman State and Ismail Gaspirinski in the Light of New Documents
The Ottoman State, considering the nationalistic movement as a threat tried to protect its subjects united under the principle of Ottomanism. The principle referred to as Ottomanism came to life during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II. Although the notions of homeland, nation, and the interest in the Turkish history and culture made their appearance in the second half of the XIXth Century, the idea of Turkish nationalism, in fact, was born during the IInd Constitutional Period. Ismail Gaspirinski devoted his whole life to Turkishness. He was the voice of the Turks in Russia through Tercüman newspaper, and was the focal point of interest followed by the Ottoman peoples and intelligentsia. Nevertheless, the approach the Ottoman State took towards Ismail Gaspirinski, owing to the pursued policy of Ottomanism, was rather distant; moreover, distribution of his newspaper within the Ottoman State was once utterly banned. The ban was removed owing to his efforts, and he was conferred a Mecidi Decoration; however, his relation with the Ottoman State never reached to the level of support he had expected. The results of the studies conducted at the archives reveal, for the first time ever, that he asked for permission for lifting the ban on Tercüman, that he was cautioned on the news pertaining to the Armenians, that he was pursued closely upon his return from Alexandria in 1907, and that the reports were filed on his deeds and on the people he talked with are brought to daylight for the exploitation of the readers.
Keywords
Ottoman State, Ismail Gaspirinski, Tercüman, Abdulhamid II,