Enver Pasha

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

İsmâil Enver was born in Constantinople (Istanbul) on 23 November 1881. His father Ahmed was either a Gagauz bridge-keeper in Monastir (Bitola) or an Albanian small town public prosecutor; his mother Ayşe Dilara was a Tatar. He graduated from the Ottoman Military Academy in 1902, where his classmate was Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk), and the two quickly developed a rivalry. While stationed in Ottoman Macedonia between 1903 and 1908, Enver fought no less than 54 engagements, mostly against Bulgarian bands, developing a reputation as an expert counter-insurgent. He became the twelfth member of the nascent Ottoman Freedom Society, which later merged with the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP). During the 1908 Young Turk Revolution, Enver led a band composed of volunteers and deserters, sending an ultimatum on 11 July 1908 demanding Abdul Hamid II free arrested CUP members. On 23 July he proclaimed an age of liberty in front of the government mansion of Köprülü. After the 1913 Ottoman coup d'état brought the CUP directly to power, Enver became War Minister. He led a disastrous attack on Russian forces in the Battle of Sarikamish, after which he blamed Armenians for his defeat. Following World War I, the Ottoman Military Tribunal convicted him and sentenced him to death in absentia for bringing the empire into the war and organizing massacres against Greeks and Armenians. He attempted to return during the Turkish War of Independence, but Mustafa Kemal refused to allow him to join the Turkish National Movement. He then led the Basmachi Revolt against the Bolsheviks in Bukhara, where he was killed on 4 August 1922.

Reader's Guide

Enver Pasha's significance lies in his role as one of the Three Pashas who dominated the Ottoman Empire during World War I and orchestrated the Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian genocides. As War Minister and de facto Commander-in-Chief, he was instrumental in the Ottoman entry into the war and the alliance with Germany. His military leadership was marked by the catastrophic Battle of Sarikamish, which he blamed on Armenians. After the Ottoman defeat, he was convicted in absentia by the Ottoman Military Tribunal for war crimes and sentenced to death. He fled the empire and later attempted to return during the Turkish War of Independence, but Mustafa Kemal refused him. Enver then pursued pan-Turkic ideals by leading the Basmachi Revolt against the Bolsheviks in Bukhara, where he was killed in 1922. In the Republic of Turkey, he became a controversial figure due to his rivalry with Kemal, but his image was rehabilitated in the 1990s by Turkish President Süleyman Demirel, who praised his contributions to Turkish nationalism. His remains were repatriated and reburied in Turkey in 1996.

Did You Know?

• Enver fought no less than 54 engagements in Ottoman Macedonia, mostly against Bulgarian bands, earning a reputation as an expert counter-insurgent.
• He was the twelfth member of the nascent Ottoman Freedom Society, which later merged with the Committee of Union and Progress.
• During the 1908 Young Turk Revolution, Enver sent an ultimatum on 11 July 1908 demanding Abdul Hamid II free arrested CUP members within 48 hours.
• Enver's classmate at the Ottoman Military Academy was Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk), and the two quickly developed a rivalry.
• The Ottoman Military Tribunal convicted Enver and sentenced him to death in absentia for bringing the empire into World War I and organizing massacres against Greeks and Armenians.