Said Molla and his activities during the National Struggle period

This study examines the life of Said Molla, who lived between 1880-1930, focusing on his activities to destroy the national awakening in Anatolia during the national struggle. Said Molla was born in Istanbul to a family of bureaucrats and ulema members during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II. After completing his education in private schools, he graduated from the Medresetü'l Kudat, which trained judges. Said Molla, who was a member of the ilmiye class, began his civil service career during the reign of Abdulhamid II and continued during the Union and Progress period, the armistice period and the national struggle period. During the Grand Viziership of Damat Ferit Pasha, he reached the highest position in his civil service career and served as Undersecretary of Justice. In addition to coming to the forefront with his hostility towards the Union and Progress, he also acted hostilely against the national struggle, which he described as a continuation of this. At this point, in order to stop the Anatolian movement, he collaborated with the British and initiated the establishment of harmful societies. In addition, with the material and moral support he received from the British, he played a role in starting rebellions in Anatolia in order to destroy the National Forces. Said Molla, who argued that the salvation of the state was only under British protection, made efforts to ensure British support at every period. Although he fled abroad immediately after the successful conclusion of the national struggle, he continued to carry out activities against the Anatolian movement and the Ankara Government in the different countries he visited. Said Molla, who could not return to Turkey because he was included in the list of 150 during his time abroad, died in Athens in 1930. In our study, we tried to reveal how important Said Molla was in the activities carried out to stop the national struggle, considering both his relationship with the palace and the members of the British Secret Intelligence Service and the British High Commissioners. While doing this, we tried to shed light on the period by making use of the Prime Ministry Ottoman Archives, the Presidential Archives, the ATASE Archives, the TİTE Archives, the British Archives, newspapers and the memoirs of those who witnessed the period. Key Words : Said Molla, British Muhipler Association, Freedom and Entente Party, Robert Frew, Rebellions.