HISTORY

Fethiye was a horbour at the lycian-Karian frontier, named as telmessos in the antique period. The Telmessos  antique city is a unique sample as a residential center along the mediterranean shoreline throughout the history. Based on philological facts, the suffix-ss indicates that it dates back to the third century B.C. , although this is not supported by any documentation as yet.

“ In the early years of the Trojan War , the Lycian god Apollon falls in love with the daughter of Antenor, who was the host of Odysseus and Menelaus. In order to capture the heart of this different and bashful girl, he assumes the apperance of a small, lovable dog. When the girl is attracted to him, he reveals his true identity and they make love. Eventually a son is born to them whom they call Telmessos. A city is esteblished in his name along the Lycian border and Apollon appoints his son as the prophet of the city.”

The name of the city was Telebehi in the Lycian language on the coins minted during the 5th Century B:C: Based on the above legend narrated by Suidas, one of the authors of  the antique period, it can be surmised that the city has a past going as far back as the trojan war. Herodot mentions telmessos as a center of prophecy famed in asia minor and beyond during his siege of halicarneassus, alexander the great had a dream which was interpreted by aristander, the prophed of telmessos, by virtue of which he was saved from the betrayel of one of his comrades, and he kept the prophet by side throughout his campaigns.

Strabon esteblishes the location of telmessos as follows: “ I mean the Lycian mountain past Daidala next to which there ,s the lycian town of telmessos and the port of telmessos.” Nearly all the researches indicate the location of the antique city as being at the center of the presedent-day Fethiye This is further proven by the presence of the name  Telmessos on many inscriptions found in the areas of modern settlement.

Telmessos was an indipendent city for a long time, not tied in the Lycia, but  its politics were no different from other Lycian cities. Telmessos exhibited the same heroical free spirit of Lycia and like all Lycians, it resisted coloniazation through many centuries and retained its own traditions.

In 545 B.C. the Persians, dominating Lydia under the command of harpagos, moved nto lycia over caria, seizing caunus and telmessos. During the years 535 and 33 b.c. , while the persians dominated the area for certain periods telmessos together with the  rest of lycian cities was ruled by the first satrap. It’s fate was no different from lycia on the whole. In 446 B:C: prior to the Euremedon War. Telmessos was individually included in the list of Lycians  who departed  from Persians and joined the Attic- Delos Naval Union, paying tax in certain years. Telmessos was ruled by the persians once again in 390 b.c. During this period city was governed by a lycian dynast, artumpara, acting on behalf of the persians. When the lycian prince pericles, who was the ruler during the years 380-362, defeated artumpara, the city became part of the lycian league. However, the leauge was not constituted properly during this period. In 362 b.c. the lycians joined the satraps uprising against the persians, but this was put down by mausoos of halicarnassos, who sided with the persians, and the region was divided into two as the western and eastern lycia, the former coming under the carian rule, including telmessos. This state of affairs lasted until the conquests of alexander seized halicarnassus telmessos, as well as rest of lycians, welcomed him into the city with no resistance. According to one legend this was archived by virtue of a trick.

“Alexander’s naval force, during his Anotolian campaign, comes to the harbour of telmessos. The commander, nearchus, obtains the permession of the governor of the city, antipatriades, for the musicians and the prisoners of war yo enter the city. The captives, carrying the musical instruments, are actually armed warriors. During the festivities at night they arrange a surprise attack, seizing the acropolis.”

In 443 a.d. , based on the wishes of emperor claudius. The roman senate declared lycia as a roman province where by telmessos fel totally unde the rule of the romans. The city became part of the calchedon council in 451 a.d. but lost its promience especially during the arabian invasions in the seventh century. In tge second eight century a.d. anastasius the second changed the name of the city to anastasiopolis but ths was not  very effective. In the subsequent century, it was named makri, which some researchers claim meaning far-off lands while others believe that this was inspired by a bishop called makrianes.

The malazgirt war in1071 opened up the whole anotolian plateau to the selchukians, and the Turkish clans figure in makri in late eleventh century. In the beginning this was not a continuous siege. At first the turkish colonialists, as dervishes following the scriptures of the islamic philosophy and seeking to eliminate the byzantian culture of the dark middle ages, and later theselchukian turcoman tribes and the turks, seeking settlement of the high plateaus and fertile plans of  Makri, were successful in their campaigns. In 1204 there was a sort of a frontier between the byzanthians and the turks. This extended as far as makri with the city included under the bycantian rule. During this period the turkish teribes settled on the mountains and the plains located away from the center, assimilating with the local peoplei absorbing their ecomonical traditions and equating their own life-style with theirs.

The mongolitan campaign during the second half of the 13th century caused the great selchukian state to be divided into beylics, and the arrival in the west of new turcoman tribes strengthened these beylics, resulting in  thedominance of the region. During this period Megri ( as Makri was more conveniently pronounces in the turkish language ) was seized by mentese beylic.  Mentese bey and became part of the mentese beylic. Mentese bey had a medtesseh ( a thelogical school) built in megri and died here in 1282, leaving his sons a vast emirate. the byzanthians were not happy with the turkish domination in the region and sent general alexi to seize the land . the general conqured megri and its environs but later revolted against the byzanthians, joining forces with the turks. However, alexis was killed in the uprising. The menteseogullari defended the region against the rhodion chevaliers and prevneted the conquest of the land.

Meanwhile, the ottoman beylic, by virtue of a well-formed state established in and around iznik, appended more land and in 1390 the mentese beylic became part of the ottoman empire under the thunderbolt beyazit. However, ahmet gazi of the mentese beylic defended becin and megri against the ottomans. He had a medresseh built in megri which was later destroyed by the venitians. After the death  of Ahmet ghazi in 1391, the mentesogullari were deprived of all their property and sided with timur against the ottomans, as a result of which they were granted all the lands origanally belonging to the mentese emirate. However, during the ensuing struggle for power among the sons of thunerbolt beyazit, because  they supported Isa bey, mehmet celebi devastated the whole region. Persuant to mehmet celebi and dring the rule of murat the second, in 1424 the teke beylic and in 1426 the mentese beylic were conquered. Consecuively, the region was domianted by the papal forces, the veniants anand the rhodian chevaliers. In 1473 the venitians seized megri and settled ,n the fortress built here, as well as on the chevalier Island overlooking the hrbour. After the conquest of rhodes by suleiman the magnificent, the region was able to survive in peace.

The land is highly fertile. The greeks, arriving here for trade, built the city of levissi (the presedent-day kaya village) in the region located away from the maria-generating swamps. Megri became the harbour for this city. Famous traveller charles texier records the population of megri as about a thousand in 1850. Late in the 19th century, the name mentese was demolished and the region became part of the area ruled by the pasha of mugla. Megri became a subdivision in 1864 and a municipality was esteblished in 1874 with Hadji Nikola of rhodes becoming the first mayor. Around the 1900s it was populated by the turks arriving here from crete and thrace. In 1914 the council of the municipality changed the name of megri to fethiye in hanour of fethi bey, the first turkish air force pilot who cashed and died.

Fallowing the first world war, when the lands of the defeated ottoman empire were under discussion, venizelos wanted this area to begiven over to greece due to the greek majority of the population. The italians took over antlaya and its environs, granted to them by the london pact, and accopuied fethiye on 11 may 1919 . During their short occupation, the italians endeavoured to establish friendly relations with the local people and departed from fethiye on 21 june 1920. Throughout the war of independance, the area was not subject to great mishaps, but the most tragic event was the migration of the greek population of fethiye and levissi to greece on the basis of the excvhange aggreement signd in 1923.

Mstafa kemal atatürk stpped at fethiye by the steamship ege on 22 februrary 193. The city devoloped speedily after the proclamation of the turkish republic., becoming the most prminent center in the area. The earthquake on 24 april 1957 destroyed  nearly 90% of the houses in the city center but thanks to the intiative of governor nezih okus and other administrators, only 19 lives were lost. Today, the antique theater and the old fethiye houses around paspatur and in the southern part  of the carsi street with their unique stracture, greet us as relics aof the melencholy past of the city.

The fethiye region is also known as beskaa (five subdivisions) though the origin ogf his name is not clear. Most probably, during the rule of the mentese beylic, there was a central qadi ( administarator) with asistants in five regions anf thus Fethiye was known as beskaza by the local people. This name was so popular that it is mentioned in folk songs and folk dances (1).

(1) we are grateful to Mr.Huseyin Kokturk for this information. For further informatio, the following resources may be freferred: Lycian History ( Oktay Aksit), Lycia in the hellenistic and roman periof ( Oktay Aksit), history ( Heredot), geography ( strabon ) caria ( G.E. Bean ) The Aegean and the greek history ( A. Mufit Mausel), Anatolian resources on the apollan cult ( ziya Taslıklıoglu) Lycian turkey ( G.E Bean), Milas (Askidil and turban akarca ) asia minare ( C. Texier ), The lycians vol. 1 ( T:R: Bryce ),  the mentese beylic ( paul witte).

2. The Man kept alive by the name of our town fethiye bey ( 1891 – 1913)

He became a naval officer after graduatins from the naval school at haybeliada (1907). He was sent to the bristol airplane factory in england to be trained for aviation and to become a pilot (1911). He was promoted to the  rank of captain his return and was one of the turkish pilots.

The french aviator dacourt planned to fly to cairo by way of istanbul in 1913 which project  was not realized when his plane crashed at the taurus mountains; theeupon by Turkish pilots. Fethi bey and his vo-pilot Sadik Bey took off with the bleriat type plane called muavenet- milliye while pilot nuri bey and his co-pilot were flying the plane named prince celalalettin (februrarry 1913). Nuri bey and his co pilot had to return due to unfavourable weather conditions. However , fethi bey and sadik bey flew as far as damascus. On their way from damascus their plane crashed near taberiye for some obscoure reason. A fourtycoloumn monument was erected at the Fatih Park in Istanbul in their honour.

3. Fethiye during the war of independence

“KAYA NATIONAL DELEGATION COMITTE” against MAVMI MIRA

The first municipality in fethiye was established in 1874. The economically dominant greeks immediately became administrators. The “mayors” of fethiye were, in chronogical order, Haci Nikola Lövizidi Kromadi Manol, Haci Yanni Lövizidi and Murday Muda.

By virtue of the “orroman land legislation” in 1858i, the property ownership  was eventually turned over tothe public . This law was beneficial over to the public. This law was was beneficial wo wealthy greeks with commercial caiptal who took over 75% of the properties at the kaya village. They became more greek schools were esteblished. Both at kaya and in Fethiye , the four  schools for turkish and greek students started poisoning the minds of the youngsters at the invisible hands of the megalo idea. Haci yanni , Haci nikola lövizidi and krumadi konstanti headed these schools as the “ Board of trustees” tied in with the archpriest of the fethiye church.

It was later ascertained that the Mavri- Mira-Etniki Eterya movement, blessed by and under the partonage of the archpriest, had taken root at the kaya village. This was a perilious state of affairs for mugla which had to be terminated in its preliminary stages.

The fethiye committee of the nationalist forces became active tothis end. Captain Cavit Aker, the commander of  the fethiye gendarme , took measures. The national delegation committee at kaya , headed by suleyman harmandar , was successful in a short time. The mavri mira committee at kaya could not instigate action pursuant to secret propoganda phase the greek faction in fethiye was this defeated in the early days, prior to future defeats.

THE STOCK OF ARMS AT MUGLA TO BE DISPOSED OF

In March of 1919, the British inspectors at Aydin asked the commander of 57th Division at aydin, colonel sefik beg. “to have all the mechanism valves of the breech plugs of the cabeş erhard  cannons sent to is Istanbul” . These arms  were more than eight thousand and were to play  a prominent role in the  “ probable” Turkish resistance, stored at the depots of  Mugla, Ula, Milas, Marmaris and FETHIYE. This was not only a request but also an essential part of the mondros treaty.

It was indeed a critical situation. Istanbul wanted no opposition against the allies. Upon  the insistance an pressure of headquarters of the 17th Army Corps, only the eight Cebel Erharg cannons at Denizli and the machine guns at Aydin were turned over to the allies The arms at the depots of mugla were hidde ; delivery was postponed, and they were subsequently turned over to local comittees.

FETHIYE’S REPLY TO ITALY SEEKING COLLABORATION: “ REJECTION”

On 4 april 1919 and an Italian torpedo arrived at Fethiye. Just at that time the “Principal of the Greek school” and the “Rhodian Cemal” had a fight at the pier. The Commodore of the Italian vessel claimed that “ the public order was violated” by this incident and had a team of 20 infantrymen and a machine gun land at Fethiye. The Acting Governor of thecity ( Hasan Efendi, the Kaya) immediately aproched the Italian Commodore, pointing out that a personal strife like this could not be interpreted as violation of public order  and asking the landed force to be first but then had to give way upon the insistance of the Acting Governor.

Meanwhile, an Italian soldier, Teado, approached doctor Pursah Halit Beg and made a secret proposal that “if he acts  as an agent for the italians, he would be paid a very god salary.” Which Halit Beg defiantly refused.

Mr. Birici made a similar suggestion to the Mayor of Fethiye with no avail. This, the Italians could not acquire anycollaborates at Fethiye.

FETHIYE UNDER ITALIAN OCCUPATION

Italians instigated the occupation of Fethiye on 11 may 1919 by 50 armed soldiers landed from the Ligorya warship anchored at the port. The Turkish flag at the cutoms house on the shoreline was replaced by the flag of the invaders. Furthermore, three thousand Italian soldiers were kept in abeyance on the Island of leros  as spare forces. At that time there was no army in Fethiye. All the arms at Fethiye. All the arms were seized in Line with the terms of the Treaty and there were no government forces. The acting governor, Hasesn Fehmi, approched the Italian commander and claimed that thioccupation was against the terms of the treaty and asks him to with draw his government and that he would not withdraw hisforces and Memorial of lives Lost in Combats furthermore, he would start bombing the town in the face of slightest attact and show of disrespect.

To top it all, an ifantry force of 200 soldiers were landed on 12 may 1919 from the artiyeri torpedo , anchoring at the port. This the occupation was completed.

These ancidents were cabled to Istanbul through the Governorship of mugla but no reply was received.

ALAMAN AGA OF BOGALAR IN ACTION

On 16 May 1919 “The Mentese Comittee of the National Defense” was esteblished. At the beginning it had 21 members. The Committee decided to compile all local partisans under a single rule on 19 May 1919 Accordingly, all the prominent swashbuckling village blades of Mugla became the first armed militia forces, laying the foundation of future organizations. The first resistance group of 21 members and 18 swashbuckling village blades were named “the mugla sacrificial detachmenté. Prior to the formation of a national army, these swashbuckling guerillas participated in the flights with the enemy. Alaman Aga of bogalar ruled the whole of the Fethiye plains and the shoreline. In those days, all the local guerilllas and reserve lietenants were unde the command of Yoruk Ali Efe, whom they chose as the commande of ther militia forces.

Whili the national defense forces were formed in Fethiye, alaman aga performed laudary feats. In a short while he disposed of the detrimental committeee called tarikati selasiye, headed by telegraph operator Nasit. He fought against the guerillas supporting the Sultan, arriving from Tefenni; the militia of Koca Mistik and Kaz Ahmet, coming down from the Seki plains with the intent of usurpation, and the greek Etnik-i eterya Committeee at Kaya.

NATIONALIST FORCE COMMITTEEE ESTABLISHED AT FETHIYE

AT THE CONGRESS HELD AT Mugla on Friday, 6 June 1919 the second committee of Nationalist force was elected. The first task of the committee was the development and enforcement of the Southwestern Aegean Nationalist force which was defenseless and without an army.

In towns and subdistricts Committees of Nationalist Forces were established.

Thanks to Alaman Aga and the committeee of nationalist force, there were no negatory movements against the nationlaist force.

The committee went through four long and diffucult years. Headed by four different presidents namely osman bey of cesme (maro). Kamil Sikman, Salih zeki pein and hilmi dogerli. The members were hoca Suleyman Efendi, Mehmet Ali Efendi, retired Chief of police Arif Beg, and head of the Kaya Committee, suleyman Harmandar.

THE RESPONSE OF SERGERANT HUSEYIN OF OVACIK TO THE GREEK DOCTOR

The Fethiye Nationalist Force had an unexpected guest three months from its establishment. Greece attempted to act as the protector of more than 10 thousand Greeks living at Kaya and central Fethiye. On 7 August 1919 a Greek vessel entered the port of Fethiye citizens to this request was a huge “BOOO!”.  Just then a greek doctor apperead on the deck and started making indecent gestures with his hands. He was also furnished with an appropriate response. He was felled by a bullet fired by Sergeant Huseyin of Ovacik (Huseyin Tunc)

THE FETHIYE COMMITTEE OF NATIONALIST FORCE IN ACTION

The mighty union Lieutenant Cavit Aker of Gendarme, the governor hasan bey (administrator of the esen District) and the Mayor osman bey(maro) Resulted in the required for the resistance were acquired. With these weapons, the rebellious swashbuckles were also brought to heel