Aidin Vilayet

ولايت ايدين
Vilâyet-i Aidin'
Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire

1864–1922
Aidin Vilayet in 1900
Capital Smyrna[1] (Izmir)
History
 - Established 1864
 - Disestablished 1922
Population
 - Muslim, 1914[2] 1,249,067 
 - Greek, 1914[2] 299,097 
 - Armenian, 1914[2] 20,287 
 - Jewish, 1914[2] 35,041 
Today part of  Turkey

The Vilayet of Aidin[3] or Aydin, (Ottoman Turkish: ولايت ايدين, Vilâyet-i Aidin),[4] also known as Vilayet of Smyrna or Izmir after its administrative centre, was a vilayet of the Ottoman Empire in the south-west of Asia Minor including the ancient Lydia, Ionia, Carla and western Lycia.[1] It was described by the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica as the "richest and most productive province of Asiatic Turkey".[1]

At the beginning of the 20th century it reportedly had an area of 17,370 square miles (45,000 km2), while the preliminary results of the first Ottoman census of 1885 (published in 1908) gave the population as 1,390,783.[5] The stated accuracy of the population figures ranges from "approximate" to "merely conjectural" depending on the region from which they were gathered.[5]

Administrative divisions

Before 1914, the vilayet was subdivided into:[6]

  1. The Sanjak of Smyrna, subdivided into the kazas of Smyrna (seat of the Vali), Nif, Kara Burun, Kush Adasy, Cheshme, Odemish, Vurla, Focha, Bayndyr, Menemen, Bergama, Sivri Hissar, and Tire.
  2. The Sanjak of Sarukhan, subdivided into the kazas of Manisa, Alashehir, Kula, Ak Hissar, Salykhly, Gordiz, Demirji, Eshme, Kyrkaghach, Soma, and Kassaba.
  3. The Sanjak of Aidin, subdivided into the kazas of Aidin, Nazly, Bozdoghan, Sokia, and China.
  4. The Sanjak of Menteshe, subdivided into the kazas of Mughla, Milas, Makri, Budrum, Koijigez, and Mermeris.
  5. The Sanjak of Denizli, subdivided into the kazas of Denizli, Davas, Glial, Buladan, Serai Koi, and Kara Aghach.

References

  1. ^ a b c  Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). "Smyrna". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Smyrna. 
  2. ^ a b c d "1914 Census Statistics". Turkish General Staff. pp. 605–606. http://www.tsk.tr/8_TARIHTEN_KESITLER/8_1_Ermeni_Sorunu/konular/ermeni_faaliyetleri_pdf/Arsiv_Belgeleriyle_Ermeni_Faaliyetleri_Cilt_1.pdf. Retrieved 29 January 2011. 
  3. ^ Geographical Dictionary of the World at Google Books
  4. ^ Salname-yi Vilâyet-i Aidin ("Yearbook of the Vilayet of Aidin"), Aydın vilâyet matbaası, Aydın, 1313 [1895]. in the website of Hathi Trust Digital Library.
  5. ^ a b Asia by A. H. Keane, page 459
  6. ^ A handbook of Asia Minor Published 1919 by Naval staff, Intelligence dept. in London. Page 215

External links