Hamdi Çami
Encyclopedia
Miralay Hamdi Bey, Hamdi Baba, also known as "Kambur (humpback) Hamdi" (1861–1927) and Hamdi Bey was an Ottoman
officer and politician of Albanian origin. Hamdi Bey was a colonel of the Ottoman army and later a deputy of the Ottoman parliament.
, modern northwestern Greece
(Chameria
). After studying at the local madrasah
he joined the ranks of the Ottoman military forces. In the Greco-Turkish War of 1897
he commanded troops in the Preveza
area, for which he became Kaymakam
(Lieutenant Colonel
) of the Ottoman Army. In 1903 he rose to the rank of Miralay
(Colonel
), as the commander of the gendarmerie of the vilayet of Scutari, while later he commanded the gendarmerie regiment of Trabzon.
On April 26, 1909 he was elected deputy of the sanjak of Preveza. As a deputy along with nine other notable Albanian deputies of the Ottoman parliament
he supported the use of the Latin script in the standardization of the Albanian alphabet
.
He became the honoraly president of M.M. (Mim-Mim) Group on July 21, 1921 during the Turkish War of Independence
. He was interned for allegedly taking part in the Izmir Conspiracy against Mustafa Kemal
, but was released on August 26, 1926 because no evidence connecting him to the incident was found.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
officer and politician of Albanian origin. Hamdi Bey was a colonel of the Ottoman army and later a deputy of the Ottoman parliament.
Life
Hamdi Bey was born to Haji Mahmud Efendi in 1861 in MargaritiMargariti
Margariti is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Igoumenitsa, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,032 .-History:...
, modern northwestern Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
(Chameria
Chameria
Chameria is a term used today mostly by Albanians for parts of the coastal region of Epirus in southern Albania and northwestern Greece It was also used by Greeks till the mid of 20th century and is frequently found in Greek literature. Today it is obsolete in Greek, surviving mainly in Greek folk...
). After studying at the local madrasah
Madrasah
Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
he joined the ranks of the Ottoman military forces. In the Greco-Turkish War of 1897
Greco-Turkish War (1897)
The Greco-Turkish War of 1897, also called the Thirty Days' War and known as the Black '97 in Greece, was a war fought between the Kingdom of Greece and Ottoman Empire. Its immediate cause was the question over the status of the Ottoman province of Crete, whose Greek majority long desired union...
he commanded troops in the Preveza
Preveza
Preveza is a town in the region of Epirus, northwestern Greece, located at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of the regional unit of Preveza, which is part of the region of Epirus. An immersed tunnel, completed in 2002 which runs between Preveza and Actium, connects the town...
area, for which he became Kaymakam
Kaymakam
Qaim Maqam or Qaimaqam or Kaymakam is the title used for the governor of a provincial district in the Republic of Turkey, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and in Lebanon; additionally, it was a title used for roughly the same official position in the Ottoman...
(Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
) of the Ottoman Army. In 1903 he rose to the rank of Miralay
Miralay
Miralay or Mîr-i alay was a military rank of the Ottoman Army and Navy. It corresponds to a Colonel . Miralay is a compound word composed of Mir and Alay...
(Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
), as the commander of the gendarmerie of the vilayet of Scutari, while later he commanded the gendarmerie regiment of Trabzon.
On April 26, 1909 he was elected deputy of the sanjak of Preveza. As a deputy along with nine other notable Albanian deputies of the Ottoman parliament
Chamber of Deputies of the Ottoman Empire
The Chamber of Deputies of the Ottoman Empire was the lower house of the Parliament of the Ottoman Empire.-First Constitutional Era:In the First Constitutional Era, which only lasted for two years, the initial selection of deputies was made by administrative councils in the provinces .After the...
he supported the use of the Latin script in the standardization of the Albanian alphabet
Albanian alphabet
The modern Albanian alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet, and consists of 36 letters:Note: The vowels are shown in bold. to the pronunciation of the letters.-History:...
.
He became the honoraly president of M.M. (Mim-Mim) Group on July 21, 1921 during the Turkish War of Independence
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
. He was interned for allegedly taking part in the Izmir Conspiracy against Mustafa Kemal
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
, but was released on August 26, 1926 because no evidence connecting him to the incident was found.