Occupation of Lazistan Sanjak

The Occupation of Lazistan Sanjak refers to the period during and after World War I when the Lazistan Sanjak, an administrative region of the Ottoman Empire located on the southeastern coast of the Black Sea, was occupied by foreign powers, primarily Russia and later the Allied Powers.

Lazistan Sanjak was a significant administrative division of the Ottoman Empire, inhabited largely by the Laz people, an ethnic group with their own distinct language and culture. The region held strategic importance due to its coastal location and proximity to the Caucasus.

During World War I, the Russian Empire launched an offensive in the Caucasus, advancing into Ottoman territory. In 1916, Russian forces, under the command of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich and Nikolai Yudenich, occupied the Lazistan Sanjak, including key areas such as Rize and Artvin. The occupation was supported by local groups such as the Pontic Greeks and the Armenian Legion, who aligned with the Russians and the Allies against the Ottoman Empire. During this period, Lazistan was incorporated into the newly established Pontic (Trebizond) Province of Russian-occupied Western Armenia. The Russian occupation disrupted the local administration and caused significant hardships for the Laz people as the region became a battleground between the Ottoman and Russian armies.^[2]

Following the Russian Revolution in 1917, Russian forces withdrew from Lazistan, but the region did not return to Ottoman control. After the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I, the Allied Powers occupied various parts of the empire under the terms of the Armistice of Mudros in 1918, including Lazistan. The occupation was led by Allied commanders such as Lionel Dunsterville (UK), Albert Defrance (France), and Carlo Sforza (Italy). The Allies aimed to enforce the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire as outlined in the Treaty of Sèvres, with continued support from local Armenian and Greek populations.^[3]

The Treaty of Sèvres, signed in 1920, proposed the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire, with parts of Lazistan being allocated to different powers. However, the Turkish War of Independence (1919–1923), led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, opposed these terms. The conflict resulted in the nullification of the Treaty of Sèvres and the eventual establishment of the Republic of Turkey.^[4]

The occupation ended following the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, which established the modern borders of Turkey, including the Lazistan region. Lazistan Sanjak was abolished as an administrative entity and was incorporated into the newly formed provinces of Rize and Artvin. The occupation left lasting impacts on the region, particularly in terms of demographic changes and population displacement.^[5]

The occupation of Lazistan Sanjak is a significant yet often overlooked episode in the history of the region. It highlights the broader struggles faced by various ethnic groups within the collapsing Ottoman Empire during and after World War I. Today, the legacy of this period is remembered through local history and cultural preservation efforts among the Laz people.^[6]