Mizan (Turkish: Balance) was an Ottoman newspaper which existed in the period 1886–1909 with some interruptions. The paper was published in different cities, including Istanbul, Cairo, Paris and Geneva. It was one of the official media outlets of the Committee of Union and Progress.[1]
| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Founder(s) | Mizancı Murat |
| Founded | 1886 |
| Language | Ottoman Turkish |
| Ceased publication | 14 April 1909 |
| Headquarters | Istanbul |
| Country | Ottoman Empire |
History and profile
editMizan was launched by Mehmed Murat in Istanbul in 1886 as a weekly newspaper.[2][3] Due to the popularity of the paper he became known as Mizancı Murat[1] who was one of the leaders of Young Turks.[4][5]
The first issue of Mizan appeared on 21 August 1886, and the paper was based in Istanbul until 11 December 1890.[6] In fact, it was banned by the Ottoman government due to its critical approach towards the government officials.[7] After six-year hiatus Mizan was restarted in Cairo on 21 January 1896.[6] The Ottoman Sultan asked Khedive Abbas Hilmi to arrest Mizancı Murat and to close down Mizan.[8] Although the demands of the Sultan were rejected,[8] the paper could stay in Egypt only until 8 July 1896.[6] In Cairo Mizan was published by the Committee of Union and Progress weekly on Thursdays.[9] The license of the paper was held by Mehmed Murat Enveri, and the managers were Abdullah Ilmi and Dr. Lutfi.[9]
The paper was restarted in Paris and published there between 14 December 1896 and 3 May 1897.[6] Next it appeared in Geneva between 10 May and 19 July 1897.[6] It was relaunched on 30 July 1908 in Istanbul, but it ceased publication with the last issue dated 14 April 1909.[6] The reason for its closure was the arrest of Mizancı Murat who was sent to exile due to his alleged role in the coup against the Committee of Union and Progress in 1909.[10]
Mizan adopted a critical approach towards the Ottoman Sultan and grand viziers which led to Mizancı Murat's exile in different countries and to the publication of the paper in different cities.[1] While being published in Cairo, the paper was financed by Khedive Abbas Hilmi, and had higher circulation levels both in Istanbul and Yemen.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c Aziz Tuncer (1997). The Roots of Turkish Liberalism (MA thesis). Bilkent University. pp. 43–44, 53. hdl:11693/17021.
- ^ Ozan Arslan; Çınar Özen (2005). "The Rebirth of the Ottoman Committee of Union and Progress in Macedonia Through the Italian Freemasonry". Oriente Moderno. 85 (1): 96. doi:10.1163/22138617-08501005.
- ^ "Mizancı Murad". Islam Encyclopedia (in Turkish).
- ^ a b L. Hirszowicz (October 1972). "The Sultan and the Khedive, 1892-1908". Middle Eastern Studies. 8 (3): 299–301. doi:10.1080/00263207208700212.
- ^ S.T. Wasti (2002). "Feylesof Riza". Middle Eastern Studies. 38 (2): 97. doi:10.1080/714004449. S2CID 220377389.
- ^ a b c d e f "Mîzan". Islam Encyclopedia (in Turkish).
- ^ Şerif Arif Mardin (Spring 1962). "Libertarian Movements in the Ottoman Empire 1878-1895". The Middle East Journal. 16 (2): 172. JSTOR 4323469.
- ^ a b Kristin Shawn Tassin (2014). Egyptian nationalism, 1882-1919: Elite competition, transnational networks, empire, and independence (PhD thesis). University of Texas at Austin. p. 64. hdl:2152/28411.
- ^ a b Mustafa Mercan (2003). Jön Türklerin Mısır'Daki Faaliyetleri ve Kanuni Esasi (1896-1899) (MA thesis) (in Turkish). Marmara University. p. 10. ISBN 9798505594698. ProQuest 2553314232.
- ^ Erik Jan Zürcher (1984). The Unionist Factor: The Rôle [sic] of the Committee of Union and Progress in the Turkish National Movement, 1905-1926. Leiden: E.J. Brill. p. 15. ISBN 978-90-04-07262-6.