Sanjak of Kütahya in the Second Constitutional era

Following a nearly thirty-year hiatus, the re-establishment of the Second Constitutional Monarchy on July 23, 1908, paved the way for a new era in Turkish history. Turkish modernization, which had been ongoing for two centuries, gained new momentum during the Second Constitutional Era. The years 1908-1918, considered the most turbulent period in Ottoman history, simultaneously prepared the ground for the end of the Ottoman Empire while also laying the foundations for the newly established republic. The reforms implemented during this period were not limited to political life but permeated all aspects of economic, legal, and social life, deeply affecting the country's overall structure. However, a full understanding of the Second Constitutional Monarchy undoubtedly requires an examination of its local-level impacts. From this perspective, the effects of the Second Constitutional Era on the Kütahya Sanjak are examined in terms of its administrative, political, social, and economic dimensions. Firstly, the administrative structure of the Kütahya Sanjak and the changes and transformations that occurred from the establishment of the Ottoman Empire to the 20th century are analyzed within a chronological framework. Additionally, the biographies and governance styles of the mutasarrıfs and kaymakams serving in the Kütahya Sanjak during the Second Constitutional Era have been thoroughly investigated to analyze the impact of these administrators on society. In this way, an attempt has been made to determine whether administrative problems inherited from the past persisted during this period and to identify the local-level reflections of the new regime. The effects of the declaration of the Second Constitutional Monarchy on the Kütahya Sanjak have been examined in the light of archival documents, revealing the intensified efforts of the local elite to become the dominant force during this process. Moreover, the elections held in 1908, 1912, and 1914 have been analyzed based on archival documents and the press of the time. Furthermore, the reactions and responses of the people of the Kütahya Sanjak to the external developments of the period have been examined. In the final section, the population, education, health, and economic structure of the Kütahya Sanjak are examined.