Abstract
OBSERVATIONS ON THE SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MIGRATION MOVEMENTS AFTER THE CRIMEAN WAR
It is well known that migration movements, propelled by the Russian expansion following the Treaty of Kaynarca led to changing conditions in the Ottoman social structure. Russia forced Crimean and Caucasus Turks to migrate especially after the Crimean War (1853-1856) the defeat of which Russia connected with people’s collaboration with the Ottomans. Thereafter, hundreds of thousands of refugees who were forced to flee their country migrated to take refuge in the Ottoman soils. The state officials, initially lacking resettlement and relocation policies, took necessary measures through the Ministry of Trade in rural areas and by Şehremaneti and Zaptiye Müşirliği in İstanbul. By 1856 systematic attempts resulted in the first regulation of refuge. Resettlements took place under the light of this regulation. Then a commission of refuge was established. Following the coordination ensured among institutions, uninhabited and fertile lands were detected for relocation. With the 1860s the migration increased. Migration related problems from all aspects became more and more visible. In this respect, taking into particular consideration of the Crimean war the study will focus on socio-psychological aspects of war-related migration and evaluate its effects on the society and state in terms of morality.
Keywords
Migration, Crimean War, the Ottoman State.