Conquering Rhodes

After Suleiman the Magnificent conquered Rhodes in 1522, the islands remained under Ottoman rule for almost 390 years and Turks mainly inhibited on the islands of Rhodes and Kos of the Dodecenese islands.

According to the census in 1912 conducted immediately after the Italian occupation, the island had a population of 61.866 and 28.344 of the population were living in the city of Rhodes. Of this population, 17.246 were Orthodox Greeks, 6.490 were Turks, 4.290 were Jews and 318 were Italian Catholics. Currently there is almost 2.500 Turkish population on the island of Rhodes.

Rhodes Island has an area of 1404 square kilometers. Kumburnu that is the northeast point of the island is 18 km. distant from the point of Prinari that is the closest point of Anatolian coast on the opposite side. The distance between the usual passage way Marmaris and Rhodes port is 45 km. that is 25 nautical miles.

The island of Kos came under the Ottoman rule on the same day as with the islands of Kalimnos and Leros immediately after the occupation of Rhodes in 1522. The Island is 37 km in length. 112 km in circumference and covers an area of 290 square kilometers.

During the Ottoman era, there were 11.000 Turks living on the island. However, at the end of 19th century and especially in 1922 the population balance of the island was destroyed in consequence of the Greek people who fled from the Anatolian lands and the Turks became the minority. At the moment approximately 2.000 Turks live on the island.

Although our kinsmen living on Rhodes and Kos live in a EU member country, they are subject to the various precautions of pressure and assimilation of the Greek Administration.

The right of studying in the mother tongue, which is guaranteed with various international agreements and one of the basic rights, is not granted to the Greek citizens of Turkish origin living on Rhodes and Kos, like the Macedonian, Albanian and Wallachian minorities living in the country by Greece.

Although it has not been allowed to have Turkish language courses in Rhodes and Kos in the Turkish minority schools that were closed down in 1972, the fact there are 9 "International Language Schools" in Rhodes, 7 in Kos of different languages for the foreigners who are married to Greek citizens is an important indication of the Greece's attitude towards the minorities in the country.

Another problem is that the children of Turkish origin are not provided with separate religion courses and that all the children of Turkish origin have to attend the Orthodox religion courses because the school officials do not take responsibility for the children who do not participate in the courses in which the Orthodox religion is taught during the time they are out of the class. It has been learnt that some kinship students have to cross themselves with other Christian children during the religious ceremony held everyday in schools. Yet, it is underlined in the UNESCO Convention against Educational Discrimination that "to establish separate educational system or educational institutions for reasons of language or religion is a right on condition that students' parents require this."

On the other hand, great efforts are made to strengthen the culture of tolerance and mutual solidarity and to eliminate the elements encouraging hostility in the course books especially in the last ten years through the work conducted within the framework of UNESCO and European Council. While this is the attitude of the contemporary world, it is not possible to be able to accept the attitude of the teachers who try to force the students of Turkish origin to study parts against Turks in the history courses.

Another part of the cultural identity of our kinsmen living in Rhodes and Kos comprise the Ottoman-Turkish works remained in the islands. The historical works are not only the heritage of the Turks living on the islands but also all the humanity.

Sultan Mustafa Camii (18.Centruy)

During the Ottoman sovereignty, 16 mosques, 15 small mosques, 14 tombs of saints, 8 fountains for ablutions in the courtyard of a mosque, 13 fountains, 4 graveyards, 1 library, 4 schools 1 clock tower, 1 public soup kitchen, 3 Turkish baths and various military works were left on Rhodes. Also during this era, walls of the castles were repaired continuously. If the walls are in good condition as of today this is due to the sensitivity of the Turks on this point.

After the conquest of Rhodes, the Ottoman State started to repair the places that were destroyed on the island and 4 sanjakbeyi (formerly governor of a province) were appointed for the repair of the Rhodes Castle, 500 soldiers of fort for its protection and 500 janissaries as guardsmen.

Today it is observed that the Ottoman Turkish baths on the islands have been transformed to discos and bars, the mosques have transformed into wedding halls, the minarets of 26 mosques out of 27 were destroyed. The Ottoman works that are repaired are never introduced as Turkish/Ottoman; their names are changed.

Cezayirli Hasan Paşa Camii (18.Century)

Except the Ibrahim Pasha Mosque on Rhodes, other mosques are completely or partially destroyed and they are closed to worship. On the second day of Ramadan in 2002 the policemen came to the Murat Reis Mosque at the time of performing teravihnamazi (special evening prayers) and made checks. No attempts have been made for the mosque up to now which was closed down under the pretext that it would be repaired the other day. On the other hand, the names of 4 mosques donated to the Rhodes Arcbishopric have been changed, all of the 15 small mosques were granted to the Rhodes Arcbishopric by the Government Department in control of estates in mortmain and all of them were changed into Christian temples. At the moment, partial restoration work is carried out in Ibrahim Pasha and Suleimaniyah mosques in Rhodes.

Of the 14 tombs of saints only eight of them survived and of these the only one in good condition is Murat Reis Tomb. The others have been left to destruction. Most of the 8 fountains for ablutions in the courtyard of a mosque and 13 fountains are in ruins; only 4 of them have running water.

The Suleimaniyah Madresah that is the only one in service was closed down in 1972 and the so-called modification-repair work that started in 1990's continue.

Out of the 3 large Turkish baths that were constructed in the Ottoman era, 2 baths do not exist. They were destroyed and the parks and shops were constructed in place of them. Public soup kitchen has been sold. The clock tower which is a private trust has been left to ruin.

Yeni Kapı Mosque (16.Century)

During the Ottoman era many mosques, tombs of saints, fountains, Turkish baths were constructed. Gazi Hasan Pasha Mosque that is called Guild Mosque was constructed in 18 th century. Defterdar Haci Ibrahim Pasha mosque is in quite good condition and it is open to worship. Atik Mosque is currently used as the photo studio although it is closed to worship. Boruk Mosque that was constructed in the period of Sultan Hamit and that is also known as Rifat Efendi Mosque among the public is also one of our mosques which are closed to worship. Another mosque called the Old mosque or Tapulu Mosque had fallen into ruin during the Italian occupation and its minaret which stood for a while was destroyed because it caused potential danger.

The Turkish baths are among the leading buildings which embodies the Ottoman mark on the island in the Ottoman era. Arnavutoglu Turkish Bath that is one of them is currently used by the Greeks as salt depot. Another one, Ahtubutelli Turkish Bath is run as bar in recent years.

The fountains that are one of the characteristic initiatives of the Ottomans decorate the island of Kos. A large number of fountains were put into service by the benevolent citizens and pashas along the road from Çatalca to the port, and yet almost all of them became out of service because they were not protected by the Italians and later Greeks.

Hamza Bey Mosque

On the other hand, the Government Departments in control of estates in mortmain in Rhodes and Kos which operate in subordination to General Secretariat of Southern Aegean Region on Greece/ Siros Island and the mission of which is to support our kinsmen in Rhodes and Kos, to protect the clerics in the region and to protect the historical Ottoman works, try to do material and moral harm to our kinsmen as much as possible and restrict their conditions for worship, do not protect the Ottoman works and grant those works and many shops belonging to this trust to the local administrations in Rhodes under the name of donation. The small number of old Ottoman works in the possession of the Government Department in control of estates in mortmain are continued to be destroyed.