National Defence coup d'état

National Defence coup d'état. The National Defence coup d'état was a pivotal event on 16 March 1920 in which the Allied occupation authorities and a pro-Sultanate Ottoman government forcibly dissolved the Ottoman Parliament. This action, carried out by the Kuva-yi Inzibatiye and supported by British troops, aimed to crush the burgeoning Turkish National Movement based in Ankara. The coup directly precipitated the formal Occupation of Constantinople and accelerated the establishment of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

Background

Following the Armistice of Mudros that ended the Ottoman Empire's role in World War I, the Allied powers began the Occupation of Constantinople. The Turkish National Movement, led by Mustafa Kemal Pasha, gained significant political momentum, culminating in the election of the Ottoman Parliament in late 1919, which was dominated by nationalist deputies known as the Felahi Vatan. This parliament convened in Constantinople and adopted the National Pact, a defiant declaration of Turkish sovereignty that rejected Allied partition plans like the Treaty of Sèvres. The increasing defiance of the parliament, seen as a direct challenge to both the Allied occupation and the authority of Sultan Mehmed VI's government under Damat Ferid Pasha, created a crisis. Allied High Commissioners, particularly General Sir George Milne of Britain, viewed the parliament as a hostile entity requiring suppression to enforce the terms of the Armistice of Mudros.

The coup

In the early hours of 16 March 1920, British military forces, acting in concert with the Ottoman government and the Kuva-yi Inzibatiye (the pro-Sultanate "Caliphate Army"), moved to occupy key government buildings in Constantinople. British troops surrounded the Ottoman Parliament building, forcibly entered the chamber, and arrested numerous nationalist deputies, including prominent leaders like Rauf Orbay and Kara Vasıf. Simultaneous operations targeted nationalist offices and media outlets. The Ottoman Parliament was officially dissolved by the Sultan's decree, effectively ending constitutional governance in the occupied capital. This military operation marked the definitive end of any pretense of Ottoman sovereignty in Constantinople and was justified by the Allies as a necessary security measure against alleged sedition.

Aftermath

The immediate aftermath of the coup was the formal and full Occupation of Constantinople by the Allies, who took direct administrative control of the city. The arrest and exile of nationalist deputies, many of whom were deported to Malta, galvanized the Turkish National Movement. In response, Mustafa Kemal Pasha convened the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara on 23 April 1920, creating a rival government that claimed legitimate authority. This event severed the political connection between Ankara and Constantinople, transforming the Turkish War of Independence into a direct conflict between the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and the Allied-backed Ottoman government. The coup also led to the establishment of irregular nationalist militias and the eventual formation of a regular army to fight against both the Allies and the Kuva-yi Inzibatiye in conflicts like the Battle of Geyve.

Legacy

The National Defence coup d'état is historically regarded as the final catalyst that made the Turkish War of Independence inevitable and unified nationalist resistance under the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. It discredited the Ottoman government in Constantinople as a puppet regime, transferring political and moral legitimacy entirely to the government in Ankara. The event is a cornerstone narrative in the founding of the Republic of Turkey, illustrating the rupture with the imperial past and the defiance of foreign occupation. It is commemorated in Turkey as a moment of national betrayal by the Sultan's government and a testament to the resilience of the Turkish National Movement, directly paving the way for the victories in the Greco-Turkish War and the subsequent abolition of the Sultanate and Caliphate.

Category:Coups d'état Category:Turkish War of Independence Category:1920 in the Ottoman Empire Category:March 1920 events