Çerkes Ethem

Who was Çerkes Ethem?

Çerkes Ethem was a Turkish militia leader of Circassian origin who initially gained fame for fighting against the Allied powers invading Anatolia in the aftermath of World War I and afterwards during the Turkish War of Independence.

His family, of the Adyghe people, was originally from Shapsugia region of Caucasus who migrated to Turkey in the 1860s. He was born in Emre village of Bandirma. He is the son of Pşevu Ali Bey. He ran from home when he was 14 years old to join Bakırköy Cavalry Junior Officer School. He fought against Bulgarians in the Balkan War where he was wounded. He joined Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa organized by Eşref Kuşçubaşı and participated in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq during World War I. He was again wounded and retired to his village. For a while he took up banditry in the mountains. He then founded Kuvva-yı Seyyare which was the only organized military force in Anatolia during 1919-1920, period between Armistice of Mudros and Treaty of Sèvres. He coordinated his military operations with Ali Fuat Paşa in Ankara and harassed the invading Greek armies with his fast cavalry. He was instrumental in putting down various rebellions against the authority of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.