British-American Protestant Missionaries and Ottoman Politics in Suveydiye (1846-1923)

Abstract

An example of missionary activities in the Ottoman Empire was experienced in Suveydiye, which is known today as Samandag. The mission center established here since the middle of the 19th century by the English doctor William Holt Yates and his wife is considered to be the first example of Protestant missionary work in Suveydiye. This center came under the control of American missionaries in the last quarter of the same century. The Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America endeavored to advance the work in Suveydiye, trying to improve its relations with the Christian and, more importantly, the Nusayri people of the region. The historical building, known as the English Protestant School, which still exists today, bears the traces of these activities in relation to both successive missionary sections. The aforementioned building and the other building, which could not reach today, created a space for the missionary activities here. In this study, besides the details related to the work of the mentioned Protestant missionaries, the political attitude of the Ottoman administration especially in terms of the Nusayri people and the reflections of the policy they carried out will be emphasized. In this way, it is thought that in relation to the above-mentioned historical building, it will contribute to the history of the region.

The information and visual materials in the other texts coming from the same channel with the missionary records, which provide rich and detailed data, as well as the memoirs, which are evaluated in detailed examinations about our work, have been important. In addition, Ottoman official records, provincial annals and partially used press archive have a complementary importance. In addition to the aforementioned sources, the interviews conducted in the field and of course the referenced research works also enabled the study to reach its conclusion by taking on a concrete structure.