Bitlis uprising (1914)

"Bitlis uprising" redirects here. For the uprising in 1907, see Bitlis uprising (1907).

Bitlis uprising
Bitlis Bitlis uprising (1914) (Turkey)
Date Early March – 4 April 1914 Location Bitlis, Ottoman Empire Result Ottoman victory Uprising suppressed
Belligerents
Kurdish rebels Supported by:  Russian Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Mullah Selim[1] Sayyid Ali[1] Sheikh Şahabeddin[1] Abd al-Salam Barzani	Unknown
Strength
"Thousands"[2]	Garrison at Bitlis: Unknown, but less than the Kurds[2] Reinforcements: Unknown

The Bitlis uprising was a Kurdish uprising in the Ottoman Empire in early 1914.[2] It was supported by the Russian Empire.[2] It was fought concurrently with an unrelated Kurdish uprising in Barzan in the Mosul Vilayet, which was also supported by Russia.[2] Later Kurdish nationalist historiography portrayed the uprising as part of a Kurdish nationalist struggle, but its actual causes laid in opposition to conscription and taxation.[2] The uprising began in early March, with a skirmish between Kurdish fighters and Ottoman gendarmes, where the latter was forced to retreat.[2] The Kurds subsequently laid siege to the city of Bitlis, and captured the city on 2 April.[2] Ottoman forces were then dispatched from Muş and Van and suppressed the uprising.[2] After the defeat of the uprising on 4 April, one of the rebel leaders, Molla Selim, successfully sought asylum in Russia.[2]

References

1. Demirtaş, Mehmet (2018). "1914 Tarihli Bitlis İsyanının Osmanlı Arşiv Belgelerindeki Yansımaları-Cezalar, Mükâfatlar". dergipark.org.tr. p. 433. The leaders of the insurrection were Mullah Selim, Sayyid Ali and Sheikh Şahabeddin who were the religious scholars of Hizan Province.
2. Henning, Barbara (2018-04-03). Narratives of the History of the Ottoman-Kurdish Bedirhani Family in Imperial and Post-Imperial Contexts: Continuities and Changes. University of Bamberg Press. pp. 322–327. ISBN 9783863095512.

External links

• Demirtaş, Mehmet (2018). "1914 Tarihli Bitlis İsyanının Osmanlı Arşiv Belgelerindeki Yansımaları-Cezalar, Mükâfatlar". dergipark.org.tr.