Public order incidents in Bandırma and its surroundings according to Ottoman (1914-1922)

Public order is the most important topic for the Ottoman Empire to ensure peace, tranquility much like other empires. The Ottoman Empire, which was weakened day by day, especially under the negative effect of wars, endeavoured to repair the institutions that had lost its discipline, to establish safety and security and to prevent its authority from being fell into disfavor. Public perception in periods of state dominance; State has sole authority with its' all institutions, furthermore, it has attributes that non-consensual for dispensing justice and ensuring public order. Accordingly, destructive effects of defeated in wars, the ongoing withdrawal maneuver of border lines and the consistent backward displacement action also affected the mentality of the cities situated in the war's periphery. Unfortunately, a lot of illegitimate authorities has been founded in place of diminished authority. Bandırma province in Balıkesir has taken crucial role because of its important location and ongoing population growth in years. By this way, the province has become truly cosmopolitan athmosphere. Cosmopolitan cultural mix has relinquished the skill of coexistence during the war years, giving way to regional power struggles that have distanced it from a peaceful milieu. In our study, it is seen how these ethnic-based regional power struggles in and around Bandırma threatened the public order of the region through bandits and gangs, how such incidents increased with the occupation forces, and how the state's lost central authority condemned the people to the gang leaders and bandits. In addition to all these, it is understood that the types of crimes evolved from the first years of the war to the end of the war and became heavier in terms of quality, ordinary crimes were reflected less in the documents, and deserters were also a problem in Bandırma and its region. Our study aims to shed light on the public order in Bandırma and its surroundings between 1914 and 1922 and to contribute to the recent history of the region.