The Challenges of “the Armenian Question” to the Ottoman Polity: The Case of Northwestern Anatolia in 1895

Abstract

This article focuses on the making of public policies during ‘the Armenian events’ of 1895-1897 in Pazarköy (contemporary Orhangazi district of Bursa) in Northwestern Anatolia, where a substantial Armenian population used to live. It analyzes the crisis management performance of the Ottoman state in the context of relations of power inherited from processes of state centralization in the Tanzimat era. The case of Northwestern Anatolia demonstrates that a significant component of the repressive policies during the 1895-1897 crisis was uneasiness and apprehension of the central government stemming from the dominance of the Sunni Muslims in the political system.