HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Ahmet Ağaoğlu, also known as Ahmet Bey Ağaoğlu (; or Ahmet Akif Agaoglu (December 1869,
Shusha Shusha (, ) or Shushi () is a city in Azerbaijan, in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Situated at an altitude of 1,400–1,800 metres (4,600–5,900 ft) in the Karabakh mountains, the city was a mountain resort in the Soviet Union, Soviet ...
– May 19, 1939,
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
) was a public and political figure of
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
and Turkey, thinker, publicist, educator, writer, Turkologist, and the founder of liberal Kemalism. After studying in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, he returned and opened the first library and reading room in
Shusha Shusha (, ) or Shushi () is a city in Azerbaijan, in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Situated at an altitude of 1,400–1,800 metres (4,600–5,900 ft) in the Karabakh mountains, the city was a mountain resort in the Soviet Union, Soviet ...
in 1896. In 1897, he moved to
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
at the invitation of H. Z. Taghiyev and wrote articles for the ''Kaspi'' newspaper. He also worked with A. Huseynzade as an editor for the ''Hayat'' newspaper and served as chief editor for ''Irshad'', ''Taraqqi'', ''Progres'', ''Tercüman-ı Hakikat'', ''Hakimiyet-i Milliye'', and ''Akın'' newspapers.' In 1905, he secretly founded the Muslim Difai Party to fight against the
Tsarist Tsarist autocracy (), also called Tsarism, was an autocracy, a form of absolute monarchy in the Grand Duchy of Moscow and its successor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire. In it, the Tsar possessed in principle authority and ...
government and Dashnaks. After being persecuted by the Tsarist government, Ahmet Bey lived secretly in his friends' homes for months. To avoid arrest, he relocated to
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
at the end of 1908. As a prominent figure in the Turkish Hearths national movement, Ağaoğlu was elected president of a congress held by the movement. Later, he joined the Young Turks' ''
Committee of Union and Progress The Ottoman Committee of Union and Progress (CUP, also translated as the Society of Union and Progress; , French language, French: ''Union et Progrès'') was a revolutionary group, secret society, and political party, active between 1889 and 1926 ...
''. Alongside serving as the director of a library in Suleymaniye and an active contributor to the '' Türk Yurdu'' journal, he taught Turkic-Mongol history and Russian language at Istanbul University. In 1918, he served as the political advisor to the commander of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, which came to assist the
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (), also known as the Azerbaijan People's Republic (; ), was the first secular democracy, democratic republic in the Turkic peoples, Turkic and Muslim worlds. *Tadeusz Swietochowski. ''Russia and Azerbaijan: ...
. On December 26, 1918, he was elected as a member of the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic from the Zangezur district as a neutral representative. However, he later declined the membership. Agaoglu was also part of the delegation sent by the Republic to participate in the Paris Peace Conference. Upon reaching Istanbul, he was arrested along with other leaders of the ''Committee of Union and Progress'' by the British and exiled to the island of Malta. After returning from exile, he led the Press Information Office in
Ankara Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...
, served as the chief editor of the ''Hakimiyet-i Milliye'' newspaper, and, after being elected to the second and third terms of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, became
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Mustafa Kemal Atatürk ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish field marshal and revolutionary statesman who was the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, serving as its first President of Turkey, president from 1923 until Death an ...
's political advisor on foreign affairs. On May 7, 2019, by Decision No. 211 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ahmet Ağaoğlu was included in the list of authors whose works are declared state property in Azerbaijan.


Life


Early life

Ahmet Ağaoğlu was born in 1869 in the city of
Shusha Shusha (, ) or Shushi () is a city in Azerbaijan, in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Situated at an altitude of 1,400–1,800 metres (4,600–5,900 ft) in the Karabakh mountains, the city was a mountain resort in the Soviet Union, Soviet ...
,
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
. His father, Mirza Hasan Bey, was from the Kurdlar clan of
Karabakh Karabakh ( ; ) is a geographic region in southwestern Azerbaijan and eastern Armenia, extending from the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus down to the lowlands between the rivers Kura and Aras. It is divided into three regions: Highland Kara ...
. This tribe had migrated from Erzurum, which was predominantly inhabited by ethnic Azerbaijani Turks in the 18th century, to
Ganja ''Ganja'' (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for cannabis flower, specifically marijuana or hashish. Its usage in English dates to before 1689. Etymology ''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi (, IPA: �aːɲd͡ʒa� ...
, and later settled in Karabakh. His father, Mirza Hasan Bey, was a wealthy cotton farmer. The title ''mirza'' granted to his father indicates that the family belonged to the intellectual class. His grandfather, Mirza Ibrahim, was one of the most renowned scholars of Shusha. He was a calligrapher and wrote poetry in the Turkish language. Additionally, his uncles were proficient in Turkish, as well as Persian,
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
, and Russian. His mother, Taza Hanim, was the daughter of Rafi Bey from the Sarijali clan of Shusha and the sister of Zeynalabdin Bey Rafibeyov. Raymond Kévorkian notes that Ağaoğlu was descended from a family of '' dönme''s, Turkish-speaking Jews who had earlier converted to Islam.


Education


Secondary education

Ahmet Ağaoğlu noted in his memoirs that his mother and uncle played a significant role in his education. His uncle, Mirza Mahammad, wanted Ahmet to become a mujtahid and hired teachers to teach him
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
and
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
from the age of six. Initially, Agaoglu studied at a neighborhood school, but at his mother's initiative, he also secretly took Russian lessons. Despite being religious, his mother disliked clerics and mullahs. Agaoglu wrote that her views redirected his education from Najaf and Karbala to
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...
and
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. In 1881, when a six-grade secondary school was opened in
Shusha Shusha (, ) or Shushi () is a city in Azerbaijan, in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Situated at an altitude of 1,400–1,800 metres (4,600–5,900 ft) in the Karabakh mountains, the city was a mountain resort in the Soviet Union, Soviet ...
, the
Karabakh Karabakh ( ; ) is a geographic region in southwestern Azerbaijan and eastern Armenia, extending from the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus down to the lowlands between the rivers Kura and Aras. It is divided into three regions: Highland Kara ...
governor gathered the local Muslim community at Khurshidbanu Natavan's house, urging them to enroll their children in the school. Ahmet's father promised the governor that he would send him to the Shusha Real School. Two of his teachers at this school—history teacher Shineyovski and mathematics teacher Palekarp—had a significant influence on him. Both were opponents of the Tsarist regime and promoted revolutionary ideas within the school. It was here that Agaoglu first encountered Western ideologies. In his memoirs, Ahmet Ağaoğlu wrote that the school was located in the Armenian neighborhood of the city, and among the 45 students, only five were
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
. The Armenian students were very hostile toward this minority, constantly harassing the Muslim pupils. Four of the Muslim students could not endure this environment and left the school, but Ahmet persevered and successfully completed his studies. He described these events in his memoirs as follows: After completing the sixth grade of secondary school, Ahmet Ağaoğlu attended the seventh and final grades at Gymnasium No. 1 in Tiflis. According to his own writings, he was the only Turk at the
Tiflis Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...
gymnasium. During his studies in
Tiflis Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...
, he participated in secret meetings of the Narodnik Society at the insistence of his friends. These meetings left a profound impression on his thinking. After successfully graduating from the gymnasium in Tiflis, Agaoglu returned to Shusha with a distinction diploma and a prize of three hundred rubles. He spent the entire summer in the highlands with his uncle and then traveled to St. Petersburg to continue his education.


Higher education


Petersburg period

In August 1887, Agaoglu went to
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...
to pursue higher education and rented a room in the home of a Christian family. The family was very surprised to learn that Agaoglu was Turkish, as until then, only
Armenians Armenians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia.Robert Hewsen, Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiq ...
and members of other Christian ethnicities had come to St. Petersburg for higher education. The family knew of no Turks pursuing education there, and Agaoglu understood their astonishment, given that Armenians and other Christians had pursued education before Turks. The Caucasian youth Agaoglu met in
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...
took him to the dormitory of the Caucasian Students' Union, where he discovered that there were four other Turks. Among them was Alimardan Topchubashov, who would later represent Azerbaijan in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, and Ali Bey Huseynzade, the grandson of a former Caucasian Sheikh ul-Islam. The other two Turkish students were studying civil engineering. Agaoglu successfully passed all his exams at the Technological Institute. However, during his final exam in algebra, he solved the problem outside the standard program. The professor, assuming Agaoglu was
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
, refused to accept his answer despite its correctness. This incident deeply disappointed Agaoglu and fostered a strong sense of hatred toward Russians. He described those days in his memoirs as follows:


Paris period

On January 8, 1888, Ahmet Ağaoğlu arrived in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. During his train journey, a woman he met suggested that he stay at Hotel de Peterbourg, a place frequented by visitors from Russia. With no acquaintances in Paris and not knowing French, he headed to the hotel. However, it quickly became clear that the hotel expenses were high. An employee of the hotel introduced him to two Georgian students studying in Paris through mutual friends. The Georgian students helped him find a room to rent. After settling in a room rented from an elderly woman, he began learning French. However, after a while, he ran out of money and fell into debt. Later, with money sent from home, he paid off his debts and moved into a boarding house on Rue de Glacier. Here, he met two Iranians and three Egyptians. Following their advice, he started attending lectures at the College de France and the École des Hautes Études Pratiques. At the College de
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, French philosopher and historian Ernest Renan delivered weekly lectures, while at the École des Hautes Études Pratiques, James Darmesteter gave lectures on ''The History of Eastern Peoples''. Both figures played a significant role in shaping Ahmet Ağaoğlu's intellectual development. In the 1888–1889 academic year, he began studying law at the Sorbonne. However, his interests were not limited to law alone. He developed a fascination with the history of Eastern civilizations and religions and enrolled in the School of Oriental Languages. There, he took lessons from experts in Eastern languages, such as Charles Schefer and Barber de Meynard. Later, upon the advice of James Darmesteter, he joined the intellectual club organized by Juliette Adam, founder and editor of ''La Nouvelle Revue''. This exclusive club gathered intellectuals in France who engaged in discussions on politics, science, history, and philosophy. Between 1891 and 1893, Ahmet Ağaoğlu published a series of articles titled ''Persian Society'' in ''La Nouvelle Revue''. In 1892, he gave a lecture at the International Congress of Orientalists in London on ''Beliefs in Mazdakism in Shia Islam''. The text of the lecture was later published in several Western languages at the expense of
Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
.


Activity

Ahmet Ağaoğlu published his articles on social and political topics in French press outlets such as ''Journal de Débat'', ''Revü Been'', and ''Nouvye Revyü''. The articles he wrote in France were sent to newspapers like ''Kavkaz'' and ''Sharki Rus''. After completing his education in France in 1894, Ahmet Ağaoğlu returned to Tiflis, where he taught French at a local gymnasium for two years. He continued his collaboration with ''Kavkaz'' newspaper during this time. In 1896, he returned to Shusha. There, he began teaching French at the Shusha Real School and opened the first library and reading room in the city. For this reason, the people of Shusha started calling him "Firəng Əhməd" (French Ahmet). However, after he left Shusha, the reading room and library ceased their activities. Ahmet Ağaoğlu believed in the importance of newspaper publishing to spread his ideas. However, after the ''Kashkul'' newspaper was closed in 1891, the Caucasus Censorship Committee imposed a ban on printing newspapers in Azerbaijani. At the same time, 19 newspapers in Armenian and Georgian were operating within the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
. At the end of the 19th century, when Mohammad Shahtakhtinski tried to get permission to publish a newspaper in Azerbaijani, the head of the Russian Empire’s Printing Department, Solovyov, told him, "I definitely cannot allow a newspaper to be printed in Azerbaijani. What need does your people have for a newspaper? Your intellectuals should read in Russian, and the simple Azerbaijanis should just let their sheep graze." In 1896, Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev purchased the newspaper ''Kaspi'' and handed it over to the Azerbaijani intellectuals. The newspaper became a platform for the national intelligentsia, with articles written by prominent figures like Ali Mardan bey Topchubashov, Ali bey Huseynzadeh, Hasan bey Zardabi, and Firidun bey Kocherli. In 1897, at the invitation of Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, Ahmet Ağaoğlu moved to Baku to work for ''Kaspi''. After settling in Baku, his articles mostly addressed the issues of the Muslim society, focusing on women's problems. He believed that the path to national liberation lay through the cultural and educational advancement of society. He was one of the first intellectuals to call for equal rights for women in Azerbaijan, promoting the idea that women's freedom was a key factor in the struggle for liberation. His contributions to ''Kaspi'' led to the newspaper becoming more popular, with its circulation reaching up to 10,000 copies at certain times, a significant achievement for a daily newspaper. In his series of articles, ''Women in the Islamic World'' and ''
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, Akhund and Hatif al-Ghayb'', he criticized the religious establishment, particularly the imams and clerics, arguing that they had caused harm to Islam. The articles were not well-received by religious leaders, and as a result, a fatwa was issued for his death. According to his son, Samet Ağaoğlu, he was confined to his home for six months, with police protection provided for his safety. It was only through Taghiyev's intervention that he was saved from this dangerous situation. Ahmet Ağaoğlu considered the backwardness of women and the power of the clerics as the two main enemies and incurable wounds of the Muslim world. In his work ''Женщина по исламу и в исламе'' (Woman in the
Islamic World The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...
), he stated that: In 1905, Ahmet Ağaoğlu was elected as a member of the Baku City Duma and served there until 1909. During this period, he contributed to the resolution of many of the city's problems. He was a member of the education commission and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Baku Commercial School. After the
Russian Tsar Tsar (; also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar''; ; ; sr-Cyrl-Latn, цар, car) is a title historically used by Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word '' caesar'', which was intended to mean ''emperor'' in the Euro ...
's decree on February 18, 1905, to improve the living conditions of the population and strengthen state-building, Azerbaijani intellectuals gathered on March 15, 1905, at Haji Zeynalabdin Tağıyev's house to discuss their proposals. They formed a delegation to convey the demands and proposals of Azerbaijani Turks to St. Petersburg. The delegation included Ahmet Ağaoğlu, Alimardan bey Topchubashov, and Ali bey Huseynzade. Upon arriving in St. Petersburg, Ağaoğlu published an article titled ''The Truths about the Baku Events'' in the ''
Sankt-Peterburgskie Vedomosti The ''Vedomosti'' () is Russia's oldest newspaper. It was established by Peter the Great's ukase dated 16 December 1702. The first issue appeared on 2 January 1703. Petrine Vedomosti Following along the lines of the 17th-century handwritten ...
'' newspaper. On April 16, 1905, Ahmet Ağaoğlu, Ali bey Hüseynzade, and Alimardan bey Topchubashov sent a letter to the Governor-General of the Caucasus requesting the publication of the Azerbaijani-language newspaper ''Hayat''. On April 22, they received a positive response to their request. On June 7, 1905, with the support of Haji Zeynalabdin Tağıyev, the first issue of the ''Hayat'' newspaper was published. After leaving ''Hayat'', Ahmet Ağaoğlu founded the daily newspaper ''İrşad'' with the financial support of Isa bey Aşurbeyov. He led the newspaper from 1905 to 1908, and its circulation soon reached 3,000 copies. According to Tadeusz Svetokhovski, the newspaper addressed societal issues in a more radical manner compared to other newspapers published at the time. This is why the newspaper was banned by Sultan Abdulhamid II in the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
. In 1905, after Illarion Vorontsov-Dashkov was appointed as the Viceroy of the Transcaucasus, he began supporting the
Armenians Armenians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia.Robert Hewsen, Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiq ...
. With the backing of the governor, the Armenians proposed the relocation of the villages around
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
, which were located in the industrial region, under the pretext of ensuring the safety of the oil fields after a large fire broke out in the Baku oil fields in August 1905. The matter was even discussed by the Council of Ministers of the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
. To protect the interests of the local population, Ahmet Ağaoğlu and Alimardan bey Topchubashov traveled to St. Petersburg. As a result of their efforts, after 35 days of discussions, the relocation of the villages' populations was prevented. In February 1906, a peace conference was held in Tiflis, initiated by the Governor-General of the Caucasus, Vorontsov-Dashkov, in order to put an end to the Armenian-Muslim massacres. During the conference, Muslim representatives, including Ahmet Ağaoğlu, Alimardan bey Topchubashov, Adil khan Ziyadkhanov, and others, alleged that the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (, abbr. ARF (ՀՅԴ) or ARF-D), also known as Dashnaktsutyun (Armenians, Armenian: Դաշնակցություն, Literal translation, lit. "Federation"), is an Armenian nationalism, Armenian nationalist a ...
(Dashnaktsutyun) had been the initial organizer and executor of the massacres and terrorism committed in
South Caucasus The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and West Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Armenia, ...
. They further alleged that the official government circles had turned a blind eye to the actions of this organization. In his final speech, Ahmet Ağaoğlu said the following... In August 1906, Ahmet Ağaoğlu came to Shusha and gathered Azerbaijani intellectuals to discuss the situation in the region. With his suggestion, the Difai Party was founded. Officially, the party was called the 'Caucasian General Muslim Defense Committee.' The party’s branches or commissions were established in almost all cities and districts of Azerbaijan and South Caucasus, even in
Vladikavkaz Vladikavkaz, formerly known as Ordzhonikidze () or Dzaudzhikau (), is the capital city of North Ossetia–Alania, Russia. It is located in the southeast of the republic at the foothills of the Caucasus, situated on the Terek (river), Terek River. ...
. He personally participated in the creation of the party’s district branches. For this purpose, he toured all of Karabakh and urged 'all Muslims to unite tightly around the party.' The organizers of the party also carried out propaganda among the Azerbaijani population in
Dagestan Dagestan ( ; ; ), officially the Republic of Dagestan, is a republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, along the Caspian Sea. It is located north of the Greater Caucasus, and is a part of the North Caucasian Fede ...
. Due to his activities, Ahmet Ağaoğlu was persecuted and had to go into hiding for a while. He describes those days in his memoirs as follows: Ağaoğlu was in turn accused by Armenians of having played a direct role in inciting Muslims to carry out massacres against Armenians in the 1905 disturbances.


Ottoman Empire

After months of living secretly in the homes of his friends, due to persecution and the threat of arrest, in the middle of 1909, he had to move to Istanbul. In Istanbul, he worked as an inspector in the field of education and later became the director of the Süleymaniye Library. During his time as an inspector, he visited all of Istanbul's private, public primary, and secondary schools, and based on his observations, he prepared a report on the current situation and proposed reforms. He believed that solving the problems in education played a crucial role in the country's future. In October 1909, he began teaching Turkish- Mongolian history and Russian at the
Istanbul University Istanbul University, also known as University of Istanbul (), is a Public university, public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after Fall of Constantinople, the conquest of Constantinop ...
. During this period, Ahmet Ağaoğlu's Turkism ideology became the central focus of his activities. His university role wasn't limited to teaching; he was also actively involved in organizing and improving education. In 1911, he was elected the head of the reform commission for the Faculty of Philology and later became the dean of the faculty. After getting his affairs in order, he wrote a letter to his family, stating that he was considering staying in Turkey. His wife, Sitare Hanim, agreed to come to Turkey as well. In 1910, he moved his family to Istanbul. After moving to Istanbul, Ahmet Ağaoğlu continued his journalistic activities and from 1909 onwards, he published a series of articles on topics such as ''Letters from Turkey'' and ''The National Question in Turkey'' in the ''Kaspi'' newspaper. In addition, he wrote articles for newspapers and journals in Istanbul such as ''Sırat-ı Müstakim'', ''Sebilürreşad'', ''Hikmet'' and ''Ateş. He also collaborated with newspapers such as ''Suruş'', published in Persian for the Iranian population, and ''Le Jeune Turc'', published in French. In 1912, after the death of Ahmet Mithat, the founder of the ''Tercüman-ı Hakikat'' newspaper, he briefly took over the leadership of this weekly publication. In the same year, he was arrested twice for his articles but was soon released. Ahmet Ağaoğlu initially became a member of the Turkish Society, founded by Yusuf Akçura. Later, in 1911, he became one of the six founders of the Türk Ocağı society. The aim of the society was to open a boarding school for Turkish children and to increase the intellectual level among Turks by publishing a newspaper. In September 1911, the society began publishing a journal called '' Türk Yurdu''.He started writing articles for the journal. As a result of the journal's propaganda, Turkism ideas began to spread within the society. In 1911, 190 students from the Military Medical School addressed a letter to Akçura requesting the creation of a new organization. Later, with the participation of student representatives from the school and intellectuals like Akçura and Ağaoğlu, the Turk Ocakı organization was founded. He was among the founding members of the organization. ''Türk Yurdu'' and Türk Ocağı organizations began to gain recognition throughout Turkey. While the Türk Ocakı organization had 3,000 members in 1914, by 1920, their number had exceeded 30,000. Both organizations played a significant role in the Turkish War of Independence. Due to his political activities, Ahmet Ağaoğlu became a member of the Central Committee of the 'Union and Progress' party, consisting of 12 people, in 1912. In 1914, he was elected as a deputy to the Ottoman Parliament from the Afyonkarahisar region. Although Ahmet Ağaoğlu held high positions in the Ottoman state, he never forgot his homeland. In 1915, he actively participated in the establishment and activities of the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Turkish-Tatar Muslims in Russia, based in Istanbul. In the same year, he represented Azerbaijan at the conference held in Lausanne, where the national minorities of Russia were discussed. During World War I, he was one of the signatories of the petition addressed to
U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
President
Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...
for the protection of the rights of Muslims in
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
.


In the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic

On May 28, 1918, Azerbaijan declared the Declaration of Independence. To save the people from physical annihilation, the newly established government requested military support from the Ottoman state based on Article IV of the Batumi Treaty signed between the
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (), also known as the Azerbaijan People's Republic (; ), was the first secular democracy, democratic republic in the Turkic peoples, Turkic and Muslim worlds. *Tadeusz Swietochowski. ''Russia and Azerbaijan: ...
and the Ottoman Empire on June 4, 1918. Following this, the Caucasian Islamic Army was formed under the command of Nuru Pasha. Ağaoğlu was sent to Azerbaijan along with the Caucasian Islamic Army as Nuru Pasha's political advisor. After the army reached Ganja, disagreements arose between Nuru Pasha and the existing Azerbaijani government, leading to the June crisis. A debate emerged between those supporting the establishment of a national government and the annexationists who advocated for Azerbaijan's unification with the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
. Ağaoğlu, as an annexationist, supported Azerbaijan's unification with the Ottoman state. He viewed the representation of Azerbaijani and Anatolian Turks, who were geographically, culturally, linguistically, and ethnically so close, as separate states as a form of division. Despite such tense circumstances, during his time in
Ganja ''Ganja'' (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for cannabis flower, specifically marijuana or hashish. Its usage in English dates to before 1689. Etymology ''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi (, IPA: �aːɲd͡ʒa� ...
, Ahmet Ağaoğlu founded a newspaper called ''Türk Sözü''. However, the newspaper only published two issues due to the army's movement to liberate
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
. On December 26, 1918, Ağaoğlu was elected as a member of the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic from the Zangezur district as a neutral representative. Thus, he became both a representative of Qarahi̇sar-i Sahi̇b in the Ottoman Empire's Meclis-i Mebusan and a representative of Zangezur in the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. At the fifth session of the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, held on December 26, 1918, Ahmet Ağaoğlu emphasized the importance of introducing independence to internal forces before seeking recognition from foreign states. Therefore, he called for the establishment of a government capable of eliminating both internal and external enemies. Additionally, he demanded that everyone of eligible age, regardless of social class, should serve in the military. Highlighting the absence of delegations sent abroad to seek international recognition for the country, he stressed the urgency of this matter, stating: On December 28, 1918, the composition of the delegation formed by the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic to participate in the Paris Peace Conference was approved. Ağaoğlu was included in the delegation headed by Alimardan Bey Topchubashov. On January 9, 1919, Ağaoğlu and other members of the delegation departed from
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
to
Tiflis Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...
by a special train. At the train station, the delegation was seen off by members of parliament and socio-political representatives led by Fatali Khan Khoyski. During the event, speeches were delivered by Mahammad Amin Rasulzade and Ahmad Bey Pepinov, while Ağaoğlu spoke on behalf of the delegation. The delegation arrived in Tiflis on January 11, 1919, and reached Batumi on January 14, 1919. In Batumi, Ağaoğlu observed injustices against the Muslim population, the disarmament of Turkish troops, and the general situation, which he later described in his book ''Memories of Armistice and Exile''. He noted that the British established an administrative body consisting of representatives from different nationalities to govern the city. Despite Muslims constituting 80% of the population, the body included only two Muslims, alongside two Greeks and two Armenians. This was a clear instance of British discrimination against Batumi's Muslim population. At the January 19, 1919, session of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic Parliament, the Credential Commission confirmed the validity of Ahmet Ağaoğlu's documents and intended to put his full membership to a vote. However, by that time, Ağaoğlu had already renounced his membership. The delegation departed from
Batumi Batumi (; ka, ბათუმი ), historically Batum or Batoum, is the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), second-largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia and the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, located on the coast ...
and arrived in
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
on January 21, 1919. Upon reaching the Bosphorus, the ship carrying delegations from
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, and
Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
was not allowed to disembark for eight hours. Later, the delegation was transported ashore in small boats and taken in open-top trucks to the British Embassy in the Beyoğlu district. After being made to wait there for several hours, they were finally admitted late at night for document verification. However, they were instructed to return to the embassy the following day. On January 22, the Azerbaijani delegation held a meeting at Topchubashov's residence, where they addressed organizational matters and assigned roles to its members. Upon Ağaoğlu's arrival in
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
, Armenian newspapers such as ''La Renaissance'' and ''Le Stamboul'', published in French, launched attacks against him. They accused him of
Pan-Turkism Pan-Turkism () or Turkism () is a political movement that emerged during the 1880s among Turkic intellectuals who lived in the Russian region of Kazan (Tatarstan), Caucasus Viceroyalty (1801–1917), South Caucasus (modern-day Azerbaijan) and th ...
,
Pan-Islamism Pan-Islamism () is a political movement which advocates the unity of Muslims under one Islamic country or state – often a caliphate – or an international organization with Islamic principles. Historically, after Ottomanism, which aimed at ...
, and complicity in the deaths of Armenians. Moreover, during the propaganda campaign conducted by Armenians in Europe and America against Azerbaijan, it was either argued that a state called Azerbaijan did not exist or that Azerbaijan was aligned with defeated Turkey, which had fought against the Entente powers. These efforts sought to spread biased information about Azerbaijan and its leaders. Ağaoğlu did not remain silent in the face of these accusations. He published a strong rebuttal article in the French-language newspaper ''Kurie de Turki'' in
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
, countering all allegations. However, by that time, it was already too late. Ağaoğlu had been placed on a list of individuals to be arrested as a supporter of the
Committee of Union and Progress The Ottoman Committee of Union and Progress (CUP, also translated as the Society of Union and Progress; , French language, French: ''Union et Progrès'') was a revolutionary group, secret society, and political party, active between 1889 and 1926 ...
. He was portrayed as a leader of the Committee, a fiery advocate for its members in the Turkish Parliament and press, and an active opponent of the Allied Powers. All the actions and alleged wrongdoings of the Committee of Union and Progress, particularly those of the Talat-Enver cabinet, were attributed to Ağaoğlu. Subsequently, the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
and French representatives occupying Istanbul announced that... Later, Topchubashov states in a letter to the Azerbaijani government that:


Malta exile

At the end of February, Ahmet Ağaoğlu contracted the
Spanish flu The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus. The earliest docum ...
, which delayed his arrest. For two weeks, he lay gravely ill with a fever of 40°C. During this time, İttihadists such as Ziya Gökalp and Huseyin Cahit were arrested. By mid-March, although his condition had improved, he was still bedridden. A few days later, two policemen arrived at his home, claiming they had information about a possible burglary and were there to protect the family. In reality, their purpose was to prevent Ağaoğlu from fully recovering and fleeing, and to arrest him. The next day, the officers arrested him. Despite a doctor’s assessment that his imprisonment would be life-threatening and unsuitable for his condition, he was taken to the Eminonu Police Station. On March 19, 1919, he was transferred to Bekirağa devision, a military prison where the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
held highly dangerous political prisoners. Shortly after their arrests, the Ottoman Minister of Education, Ali Kamal, eager to appease the British, ordered the dismissal of Ağaoğlu and Ziya Gökalp from their positions as lecturers at Istanbul University. This left Ağaoğlu’s wife, Sitare Hanim, and their five children—the eldest only 17 years old—deprived of their sole stable income. While the Azerbaijani delegation was in
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, it provided financial assistance of 150 Turkish lira to Ağaoğlu’s family, who were living in hardship. Additionally, during his imprisonment, friends such as Haydar Rifat bey and Ali bey Huseynzade offered constant moral support to his family. Samet Ağaoğlu recalls a conversation between his mother and father as follows: Fifteen days after this event, on May 28, the British exiled Ahmed Bey along with other prominent Turkish figures to the island of Malta. Admiral Culthrop divided the 67 prisoners in the main group into three categories. The group consisting of 12 former government members, politicians, and public figures was classified as first-class. Ahmed Agaoglu and Ziya Gökalp were also part of this group, which included former grand viziers, ministers, and members of parliament, considered dangerous. They were all accused of involvement in the so-called Armenian genocide or its promotion. The armored ship carrying the prisoners docked at the small island of Lemnos in the Aegean Sea on May 29. For reasons known only to the British, 12 prisoners, including Ahmed Bey, were disembarked there. They were placed in a detention camp where no prior preparations had been made for receiving prisoners. Those detained there were more commonly referred to by their numbers than their names. In all documents, Ahmed Agaoglu was recorded as prisoner number 2764. They were kept in an open area surrounded on all sides by barbed wire and guard towers. As there were no residential structures, they slept in large metal barrels. The members of the "first-class" group were only transferred to Malta after four months, in September 1919. During his exile, Agaoglu wrote articles criticizing the Ottoman government. In one of these writings, he stated: Aghaoghlu, even in Malta, fearlessly, openly, and systematically confronted British officials with irrefutable arguments, not hesitating to criticize them. He repeatedly expressed his sharp objections to the British authorities' arbitrariness in written form. Asserting his right to freedom, he repeatedly sent letters to British officials with this demand. In one of these letters, he wrote: Ahmet Ağaoğlu’s right eye had been problematic since his youth, and due to not receiving proper treatment for a long time, he gradually lost his vision. While in exile, severe pain began in this eye. After some time, he started to notice that his left eye was also weakening. The doctor called in for treatment determined that the healthy eye was at risk and needed to be removed immediately, and for the operation, he requested fifty pounds sterling. This was an enormous sum for a prisoner who had no support. he turned to his colleague, Hüseyin Cahid Yalçın, who was considered one of the wealthier members of their group. After being exiled, Hüseyin Cahid had used his financial means to come to an agreement with the British, bringing his family to join him. He was also leading a relatively comfortable life in a villa, not much different from his former lifestyle in Istanbul, engaging in literary work and translating from Italian and English. Due to his different way of living, he did not seem to feel any remorse in front of his fellow prisoners. He even occasionally used the expression "He who pays the piper calls the tune!" Ahmet Ağaoğlu, finding himself in a desperate situation, approached Hüseyin Cahid, believing that as a colleague and an intellectual, his request would be met with sensitivity. As a former lawyer, he did not forget the conditions of the debt: "As soon as I get out of here, I will repay you at the first opportunity. If I die, my children will do so. If we both do not return, my children will pay your children the money." He tried to assure his colleague that he would not be at a loss. However, Hüseyin Cahid replied firmly without changing his demeanor, "No, Ahmet bey! In captivity, no one asks for or gives loans." Years later, in 1933, Hüseyin Cahid asked him for financial support to publish the ''Fikir Hareketleri'' journal. He who was also in financial need, sold the carpets from his home to provide financial aid to his former friend. Ahmet Ağaoğlu was saved from a dire situation by Mehmet Esat Işık, an eye doctor with whom he had spent his youth in Paris, and one of the founders of the National Committee who opposed the Mudros Armistice, also exiled to
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
. Mehmet Esat had agreed to perform surgery if necessary medicines and medical tools were available. The British had obtained a paper from both the doctor and the patient, stating that they would not be responsible for the outcome of the operation. Mehmet Esat, who had established the first European-standard eye clinic in Istanbul, demonstrated true professionalism under difficult circumstances, saving him from the threat of blindness. On April 6, the British High Commissioner in Istanbul, Sir H. Rumboldt, brought up the proposal to exchange 22 British war prisoners with the first group of 40 Maltese exiles. Six days later, official London agreed to the proposal. On April 13, instructions regarding the decision were sent to the Governor of Malta. The plan was to bring the 37-member group (three had already been released and left the island individually) to an Italian port and free them there. Cami Bey, the representative of the Ankara government in Rome, also became involved in the discussions. Negotiations were initiated with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding where the exiles would be received. The British were reluctant to fulfill their obligation to return the Turkish prisoners, whom they had forcibly brought to Malta and held for nearly two years, back to Istanbul. Instead, they committed only to bringing them to the Italian shores. Many of those released had no resources to return to their homeland. They were able to leave the island only on April 30. The British warships Hibiscus and Chryssanthemum brought them to the port of Taranto on May 1. With the help of Cami Bey, the Ankara government’s representative in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
, Ahmet Ağaoğlu returned to Istanbul on May 28, 1921. At his home in Istanbul, he found a letter from Nariman Narimanov, the first chairman of the Soviet Azerbaijan People's Commissars. Narimanov invited him to Baku to take an important position in the council government he headed. In his response letter, written on June 5, 1921, he stated the following: During his exile, Ahmet Ağaoğlu further improved his English, a language he had started learning 25 years earlier in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. At the same time, he was engaged in creative work. Due to strict censorship, he was cut off from journalistic activities. However, in return, he turned to philosophical research, and based on a comparative study of world religions and cultures, he completed his work ''Three Cultures'' during his exile. This work, which he later published in parts in the ''Türk Yurdu'' magazine after returning to Turkey, was significantly influenced by the environment in Malta.


Activities in Turkey

In
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, in order to promote the fight against the enemy, propaganda groups called ''Irshad'' were sent to various parts of Anatolia. Ahmet Ağaoğlu was offered to lead one of these groups, and he accepted the proposal. His group was to travel along the Çankırı-Kastamonu-İnebolu road, spreading propaganda among the population, and then continue on the
Trabzon Trabzon, historically known as Trebizond, is a city on the Black Sea coast of northeastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. The city was founded in 756 BC as "Trapezous" by colonists from Miletus. It was added into the Achaemenid E ...
-
Gümüşhane Gümüşhane () is a city in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. It is the seat of Gümüşhane Province and Gümüşhane District.Bayburt Bayburt () is a city in northeast Turkey lying on the Çoruh River. It is the seat of Bayburt Province and Bayburt District.Kars Kars ( or ; ; ) is a city in northeast Turkey. It is the seat of Kars Province and Kars District.� ...
, he was appointed as the head of the Press and Information Directorate (Matbuat ve İstihbarat Umum Müdirliği) in Ankara. He was entrusted with leading almost all of the information policy of the Kemalist movement. In December 1921, he returned to Ankara and began leading the
Anadolu Agency Anadolu Agency (, ; abbreviated AA) is a state-run news agency headquartered in Ankara, Turkey. History The Anadolu Agency was founded in 1920 during the Turkish War of Independence by the order of Mustafa Kemal Pasha. As the Empire's capital � ...
. Additionally, he served as the editor of the newspaper ''Hakimiyet-i Milliye''. He wrote regularly for the newspaper, and later compiled these articles into a book titled ''İhtilal mi, inkilap mı'' (Is It a Revolution or a Reformation). On July 22, 1923, he was elected as a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) from Kars with 158 votes. He began his parliamentary work on August 11, 1923. During his time in the TBMM, he was a member of several important parliamentary commissions, including those on International Relations and Constitutional Reforms. As a member of the Constitutional Commission, he played a significant role in the preparation and adoption of the new Turkish constitution in 1924. On August 2, 1927, he was elected as a member of the TBMM for a second time from Kars. On December 29, 1922, Ahmet Ağaoğlu, along with his colleagues, succeeded in restoring the activities of the Turkish Hearths (Türk Ocaqları) society, of which he was one of the founders. Starting from March 1923, the society's publication, the ''Türk Yurdu'' journal, resumed its operations. In 1924, during the first post-war congress of the Turkish Hearths, he was elected as a member of the organization's Central Committee. In 1925, he began teaching at the Ankara Higher Law School, which he had helped establish. It is said that after the ceremonial opening of the school, where speeches were delivered by Atatürk and Mahmud Asad Bozkurt, who was the Minister of Justice at the time, he was entrusted with giving the first lecture. On February 13, 1926, members of the
Turkish Grand National Assembly The Grand National Assembly of Turkey ( ), usually referred to simply as the GNAT or TBMM, also referred to as , in Turkish, is the unicameral Turkish legislature. It is the sole body given the legislative prerogatives by the Turkish Consti ...
(TBMM) debated the issue of whether it was appropriate for Ahmet Ağaoğlu and Yusuf Kamal to receive salaries both as parliamentarians and as teachers. In response to the criticisms, Yusuf Kamal, along with him, declared that they were willing to teach future lawyers without any financial interest. His lectures from the 1925–1926 and 1926–1927 academic years were compiled and published in book form in
Arabic script The Arabic script is the writing system used for Arabic (Arabic alphabet) and several other languages of Asia and Africa. It is the second-most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world (after the Latin script), the second-most widel ...
. However, with the country’s switch to the Latin alphabet in 1928, the accessibility of these works to a larger audience was restricted. In 2012, these lectures were republished in the
Latin alphabet The Latin alphabet, also known as the Roman alphabet, is the collection of letters originally used by the Ancient Rome, ancient Romans to write the Latin language. Largely unaltered except several letters splitting—i.e. from , and from � ...
. He continued to teach at the Ankara Higher Law School until 1930. Alongside his activities in Turkey, Ahmet Ağaoğlu also helped his fellow countrymen. He provided financial support for the publication of the journal '' Yeni Kafkasya'', which was printed by Mahammad Amin Rasulzade in
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
. This is confirmed by a coded letter he wrote on March 14, 1924, in which he mentioned sending 350 lira to Rasulzade for the journal's publication. Furthermore, when Mahammad Amin Rasulzade met with him in Istanbul, he asked for his help in finding work for Jeyhun Hajibeyli, who was considering moving from Paris to Istanbul. Based on a letter he wrote on March 17, 1925, he successfully arranged for a monthly allowance of 75 lira for political émigrés, including Mahammad Amin Rasulzade, Khosrov bey Sultanov, and Abdulali bey Amircanov, through the Central Committee of the Turkish Hearths organization. Additionally, on his initiative, 130 branches of the Turkish Hearths across the country subscribed to ''Yeni Kafkasya'', which helped rescue these Azerbaijani political émigrés from financial ruin. Due to these activities, he came under surveillance by Turkish intelligence agencies. In a report by military intelligence, there were concerns about the possibility that the 12,000 lira allocated by Atatürk for his trip to Izmir might be used to support émigrés of the Müsavat Party residing in the country. As a result, he tried to conceal his connections with Azerbaijani political émigrés and preferred to engage in covert correspondence. As the new regime in Turkey strengthened, authoritarianism grew in the country's political, social, economic, and cultural spheres. However, he was unwilling to reconcile with this situation. In 1926, he sent a sharply critical report to Atatürk regarding the ruling Republican People's Party (Cumhuriyet Halk Fırkası). In this letter, he pointed to the decline in the party's reputation and the abuse of power by government officials, attributing these issues to the one-party rule in the country. He emphasized the necessity of transitioning to a multi-party system for the future development of democratic processes in the nation. Additionally, he opposed the practice of parliamentarians from the ruling party simultaneously holding leadership positions in various state-run companies. He wrote this report after being offered a position on the board of directors of the State Sugar Company. This marked another instance of his resistance to the concentration of power within the ruling elite, which he felt hindered both political accountability and economic development. Atatürk, the founding leader of modern Turkey, aimed to organize and manage the country's open and covert opposition forces. He proposed to Fethi Okyar, Turkey's ambassador to
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, to lead a newly created opposition party. This party, known as the Serbest Fırka (Free Party), was established with Atatürk's direct involvement. Ahmet Ağaoğlu, at Atatürk’s request, joined the party alongside Atatürk’s sister, Makbule Hanım. In August 1930, He authored and published the party's program and drafted its charter. The Free Party sought to provide a controlled platform for opposition and alternative ideas within the political system. However, the party faced challenges and ceased its activities after just 100 days, officially dissolving on November 17, 1930. After its dissolution, most members, including the party's leader Fethi Okyar, returned to the ruling Republican People's Party (Cumhuriyet Halk Fırkası). Fethi Okyar was later appointed as Turkey's ambassador to the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
in 1931. He was an exception. Prior to the party's dissolution, he had a personal meeting with Atatürk, during which he pledged that if the party were to disband, he would no longer engage in politics. Instead, he committed to focusing exclusively on educational and pedagogical endeavors. True to his word, he refrained from re-entering the political arena after the Free Party’s closure. Ahmet Ağaoğlu’s alignment with the opposition was not forgiven by the government, leading to constant surveillance by authorities. In their home in Keçiören, plainclothes police officers were stationed outside the house 24 hours a day. They meticulously recorded the names of visitors and the license plates of their vehicles. According to Surayya Ağaoğlu's memoirs, during one cold winter day, he invited one of the policemen stationed outside into the house so he wouldn’t suffer from the cold. From that moment on, the surveillance was conducted from inside the house. When the family later moved to Istanbul, his wife, Sitare Hanim, even suggested to the Minister of the Interior that the same policeman be sent to Istanbul to continue his duty, humorously highlighting the absurdity of the situation. Ahmet Ağaoğlu decided to move from
Ankara Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...
to
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
in 1932. After selling their house in Keçiören, he commissioned architect Sedat Çetintaş to build a new home in Istanbul. The house included a library and a circular room, a feature Ahmet Ağaoğlu specifically requested. Every Monday evening, he hosted intellectual gatherings in this circular room, engaging in discussions on social and cultural topics. After withdrawing from active politics, he dedicated himself to scholarly and historical research. He was the first to propose the idea that the
Etruscans The Etruscan civilization ( ) was an ancient civilization created by the Etruscans, a people who inhabited Etruria in List of ancient peoples of Italy, ancient Italy, with a common language and culture, and formed a federation of city-states. Af ...
had Turkic roots, theorizing that they originated from the East and arrived in the Apennine Peninsula via
Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
. In 1933, he founded the newspaper ''Akın'' to promote liberal values in Turkish society. These values clashed with the country’s prevailing one-party system, leading to government-backed press and state structures frequently targeting both him and his newspaper. The ongoing polemics occasionally led to lawsuits. In one of the court hearings, after receiving permission from the judge to speak, he delivered a remarkable statement. The newspaper wins this trial. However, since the newspaper opposed the state’s official propaganda, exposed the abuses of power, instances of bribery among the upper echelons of authority, and monopolies in various sectors of the economy, it was clear that it could not operate for long. Atatürk invites Ahmet Bey Ağaoğlu to a meal at the
Dolmabahçe Palace Dolmabahçe Palace ( ) is a 19th-century imperial palace located in Istanbul, Turkey, along the European shore of the Bosporus, which served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1887 and from 1909 to 1922. Histor ...
. Later, he expresses his dissatisfaction with the critical articles published in the Akın newspaper. He then states that it is not possible for him to simultaneously be a professor at the state university and an editor at the newspaper, requesting him to cease the newspaper's publication. Ağaoğlu firmly responds that he will never voluntarily halt the publication of the newspaper. Atatürk, angered by this response, reminds him not to forget that he is a dependent. In reply, Ağaoğlu says to him: After this incident, the ''Axın'' newspaper was shut down by the government in September 1933. In its final issue, published on September 24, the government-affiliated newspaper ''Hakimiyet-i Milliye'' was harshly criticized. Additionally, Ahmed Bey was stripped of his professorship under the guise of university reforms and was sent into retirement. For someone who was always active, this was a tragedy. In a letter to his friend Fethi Okyar regarding these events, he wrote:


Death and Burial

In the last days of his life, when Ahmet Ağaoğlu was bedridden, he said the following to his children who gathered around him and his crying daughter, Tezer, before passing away: Ahmet Ağaoğlu died on May 19, 1939, in Istanbul due to liver inflammation and heart failure. His funeral was brought from his house in Nişantaşı to the Teşvikiye Mosque. After the funeral prayer, he was buried next to his wife in the Feriköy cemetery. The farewell ceremony was attended by the governor, mayors, Lütfü Kırdar, Bolu MP Recep Peker, many MPs, representatives from the province, party and municipality, students and professors from universities, press workers, teachers and students from girls' schools, friends, and students he mentored. At his grave, Dr. Fethi Edib, Ismail Habib, and writer Peyami Safa delivered speeches, praising his contributions to science, Turkism, and the education of the younger generation. Wreaths were placed on his grave from various universities,
Anadolu Agency Anadolu Agency (, ; abbreviated AA) is a state-run news agency headquartered in Ankara, Turkey. History The Anadolu Agency was founded in 1920 during the Turkish War of Independence by the order of Mustafa Kemal Pasha. As the Empire's capital � ...
, Galatasaray Sports Club, the press office,
Ankara University Ankara University () is a public university, public research university in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. It was the first higher education institution founded in Turkey after the History of the Republic of Turkey, formation of the Turkish republ ...
's law faculty, and his friends. From May 19 to 22, 1939, all Turkish newspapers published reports, memories, and various details about the life of Ahmet Ağaoglu.


Family

After returning to
Shusha Shusha (, ) or Shushi () is a city in Azerbaijan, in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Situated at an altitude of 1,400–1,800 metres (4,600–5,900 ft) in the Karabakh mountains, the city was a mountain resort in the Soviet Union, Soviet ...
, Ahmet Ağaoğlu becomes a guest of Farrukh Bey Vezirov, with whom he studied in Petersburg. There, he meets Farrukh Bey's cousin, Sitare Hanim, a member of the famous Vazirov family, and falls in love with her. It is said that he goes against the customs of the time and proposes to her himself. This, however, displeases Sitare Hanim's mother, who refuses to give her daughter to him. Ahmet Bey and Sitare Hanim are able to marry only in 1902, after her mother's death. Their first child, Sürayya Ağaoglu, is born in Shusha in 1903. In 1909, the family moves to Istanbul to escape political persecution, and their hard times begin. After their baby son, Bashir, dies, and in 1918, when he arrives in
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
as an advisor to Nuru Pasha, their newly built house in Istanbul is burned down. After returning from
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
, he is arrested and exiled to
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
. Sitare Hanim remains alone with the large family in a foreign land. Despite the difficulties, Sitare Hanim does not let himy feel the hardships in the letters she sends him. To raise the children, she sells everything in the house, but does not inform him about the hardships. Sitare Hanim dies in 1933 at the age of 52. Ahmet Bey and Sitare Hanim had seven children. Vezir and Bashir died at a young age, while the remaining five children— Süreyya, Tezer (Tezekhanim), Abdurrahman, Samet, and Gultekin—received higher education and played significant roles in Turkey's social and political life. Süreyya Ağaoglu was born in 1903 in Shusha. She was the first female student at the Faculty of Law at
Istanbul University Istanbul University, also known as University of Istanbul (), is a Public university, public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after Fall of Constantinople, the conquest of Constantinop ...
. After completing her education, she became the first female lawyer and legal expert in the
East East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact that ea ...
and the Turkish world. Süreyya Ağaoğlu actively participated in Turkey's political life and was one of the founders of the New Turkey Party, leading its Istanbul organization. She pioneered many firsts in Turkey's social and public life: she was a founder of the Turkish Women Lawyers Association, University Women’s Association, Free Thought Dissemination Association, Soroptimist Istanbul Club, Turkish-American Universities Association, and Children’s Friends Association, and led many of these associations. She represented
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
at international events multiple times. She was a member of the International Lawyers Association (1952) and later became the second secretary of the Federation of Women Lawyers. In 1960, she was elected as the representative of the Women Lawyers Association at the UN Geneva Organization. Ahmet Ağaoğlu's second daughter, Tezer Taşkıran, was born in 1907 in
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
. Although her real name was Tezekhanim, after moving to Turkey, she officially became known as Tezer. After completing her university education, Tezer worked as a philosophy teacher at both boys' and girls' high schools in
Ankara Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...
. She became the first female teacher to teach at a boys' school. Later, she served as the principal of both the Ankara Girls' High School and Istanbul Girls' Teacher Training School. In 1944, she was elected as a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly from
Kastamonu Kastamonu, formerly Kastamone/Castamone () and Kastamon/Castamon (), is a city in northern Turkey. It is the seat of Kastamonu Province and Kastamonu District.
, and in 1946 and 1950, she was elected from
Kars Kars ( or ; ; ) is a city in northeast Turkey. It is the seat of Kars Province and Kars District.� ...
. She is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books. Ahmet Ağaoğlu's eldest son, Abdurrahman Agaoglu, received higher engineering education in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and is recognized as one of the pioneers of modern electrical networks in
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
. Samet Ağaoğlu, the youngest son of Ahmet Ağaoğlu, was born in
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
in 1909. After completing his law degree in Ankara, he worked for a while in
Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...
. Upon returning to Turkey, he served as a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly from 1950 to 1960. After the Democratic Party's victory, he held significant positions in Prime Minister Adnan Menderes's government, including Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Labor, and Minister of Industry. Following the May 27, 1960 coup, Samet Ağaoğlu, like Menderes and other government members, was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, he was released in 1964 after receiving a general amnesty. In 1967, he visited his ancestral homeland,
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
. Upon his return, he wrote a book titled ''Soviet Russian Empire'', based on his observations. He also authored several other books, including ''Strasbourg Memories'', ''Freedom'', ''Teacher Qafur'', ''The Big Family'', ''The Man in the Cell'', ''The Death of the Donkey'', ''Familiar Tracks'', and ''My Friend Menderes''. His youngest child, Gultekin Agaoglu, became one of Turkey's renowned pediatricians.


Hereditary

* In the cities of
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
,
Shusha Shusha (, ) or Shushi () is a city in Azerbaijan, in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Situated at an altitude of 1,400–1,800 metres (4,600–5,900 ft) in the Karabakh mountains, the city was a mountain resort in the Soviet Union, Soviet ...
, Khojaly, Sheki, Ismailly, and Khankendi, one of the central streets is named after Ahmet Ağaoğlu. * Parks named after Ahmet Ağaoğlu have been established in Baku city. * The President of the
Republic of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russi ...
,
Ilham Aliyev Ilham Heydar Oghlu Aliyev (born 24 December 1961) is an Azerbaijani politician who has been the fourth president of Azerbaijan since 2003. He is also the leader of the New Azerbaijan Party since 2005. The son and second child of former Aze ...
, signed a decree to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Ahmet Ağaoğlu. * In 2018, many neglected graves of Azerbaijanis, including that of Ahmet Ağaoğlu, were restored in the Feriköy Cemetery. At the entrance of the cemetery, a monument was erected in memory of the founders of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on the 100th anniversary of its establishment. The monument features the official flags of Azerbaijan and Turkey and the phrase '' One nation, two states'', along with the names of the founders of the Republic, including Ahmet Ağaoğlu.


Liberal Kemalism

Liberal Kemalism is the combination of Kemalism, the founding ideology of the
Republic of Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, and
liberalism Liberalism is a Political philosophy, political and moral philosophy based on the Individual rights, rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality, the right to private property, and equality before the law. ...
, which is based on freedom. Liberal Kemalism emerged as a result of the liberal interpretation of Kemalist thought by Ahmet Ağaoğlu in the early years of the republic in Turkey. Ağaoğlu, on the one hand, defined himself as a
Reformist Reformism is a political tendency advocating the reform of an existing system or institution – often a political or religious establishment – as opposed to its abolition and replacement via revolution. Within the socialist movement, ref ...
and Kemalist, on the other hand he tried to develop an idea of Liberal Kemalism.


Views

Ağaoğlu considered cultural and educational progress to be the major part for national liberation and viewed the emancipation of women as part of the struggle. Ağaoğlu was the first member of the Azeri national intelligentsia to raise his voice for the equal rights for women. In his book ''Woman in the Islamic World'', published in 1901, he claimed that "without women liberated, there can be no national progress".


Publications

* ''Женщина по исламу и в исламе'' (Woman in the
Islamic World The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...
; 1901, Tiflis) * ''İslam, axund və hatifülqeyb'' (
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, Akhund and Hatif al-Ghayb; 1902, Baku) * ''Türk Teşkilat-ı Esasiyesi Şerhi'' (Commentary on the Turkish Constitution of 1924; 1925, Ankara) * ''Hukuk-ı Esasiye Ders Notları'' (Lecture Notes of the Principles of Law; 1926-1927, Ankara) * ''Üç Medeniyet'' (Three Civilizations; 1927, İstanbul) * ''İngiltere ve Hindistan'' (England and India; 1929, İstanbul) * ''Serbest İnsanlar Ülkesinde'' (In the Land of Free People; 1930, İstanbul) * ''Hukuk Tarihi'' (
History of Law History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...
; 1931-1932, İstanbul) * ''Etrüsk medeniyeti ve bunların Roma medeniyeti üzerine tesiri'' (
Etruscan Civilization The Etruscan civilization ( ) was an ancient civilization created by the Etruscans, a people who inhabited Etruria in List of ancient peoples of Italy, ancient Italy, with a common language and culture, and formed a federation of city-states. Af ...
and Their Influence on
Roman Civilization The history of Rome includes the history of the Rome, city of Rome as well as the Ancient Rome, civilisation of ancient Rome. Roman history has been influential on the modern world, especially in the history of the Catholic Church, and Roman la ...
; 1932, Ankara) * ''Devlet ve Fert'' (State and Person; 1933, İstanbul) * ''1550 ile 1900 arasında İran'' (Iran between 1550 and 1900; 1934, Ankara) * ''Ben Neyim'' (What's Me; 1939, İstanbul) * ''İran ve İnkılabı'' (Iran and Its Revolution; 1941, Ankara) * ''Gönülsüz Olmaz'' (Can't Be Unwillingly; 1941, Ankara) * ''İhtilal mi, İnkılap mı'' (Is It a Revolution or a Reformation; 1942, Ankara) * ''Serbest Fırka Hatıraları'' (Memories of the Free epublicanParty; 1949, İstanbul)


Literature

* Tadeusz Swietotochwksi: ''Russian Azerbaijan, 1905-1920. The Shaping of National Identity in a Muslim Community'', New York 1985. * François Georgeon: "Les débuts d'un intellectuel azerbaidjanais: Ahmed Ağaoğlu en France (1888-1894)", in ''Passé turco-tatar, présent soviétique: études offertes à Alexandre Bennigsen'', Paris 1986. * Audrey L. Altstadt: ''The Azerbaijani Turks. Power and Identity under Russian Rule'', Stanford 1992. * Adeeb Khalid: '' The Politics of Muslim Cultural Reform: Jadidism in Central Asia'', Berkeley 1998. * Charles Kurzman: ''Modernist Islam, 1840-1940. A Sourcebook'', New York 2002. * A. Holly Shissler: '' Between Two Empires: Ahmet Ağaoğlu and the New Turkey'', London 2002. * Ufuk Özcan. Ahmet Ağaoğlu ve Rol Değişikliği: Yüzyıl Dönümünde Batıcı Bir Aydın, İstanbul, 2010 * Ali Kalirad: ''Az jāmʻe-ye Īrānī tā mīhan-e Turkī: zendegīnāme-ye fekrī va siyāsī-ye Aḥmad Āqāyef (1869-1939)'' n Persian Tehran 2013. * Ali Kalirad: "From Iranism to Pan-Turkism: A Less-known Page of Ahmet Ağaoğlu’s Biography", ''Iran and the Caucasus'', Volume 22, Issue 1 (2018), pp. 80–95.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agaoglu, Ahmet 1869 births 1939 deaths Azerbaijan Democratic Republic politicians Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the Ottoman Empire Azerbaijani journalists Azerbaijani Shia Muslims Burials at Feriköy Cemetery Deputies of Kars Liberal Republican Party (Turkey) politicians 20th-century Turkish politicians Malta exiles Pan-Turkists People from Elizavetpol Governorate Politicians from Shusha Saint Petersburg State University alumni Turkish male journalists Turkish nationalists Turkish people of Azerbaijani descent University of Paris alumni Shusha Realni School alumni Ağaoğlu family Expatriates from the Russian Empire in France