Today in History – 22 April

Army of Action on the way to İstanbul

The Second Constitutional Monarchy was proclaimed and the Parliament was reopened in 1908 with the pressures of the Party of Union and Progress. However, as the movement received no support from the public, political instability emerged after the proclamation of the Constitutional Monarchy. Those against the new regime initiated a rebellion in İstanbul on April 13, 1909 (March 31st, according to Rumi calendar). Strongly opposing reform and progress, the rebellion soon spread; the Parliament was raided and some of the proponents of the Constitutional Monarchy were killed.

When the incidents were heard in Salonika, the center of the Party of Union and Progress, an “Army of Action” comprised of volunteers from the Third Army were dispatched to İstanbul to quell the rebellion. Mahmut Şevket Pasha was the commander of the Action Army and lieutenant commander was its chief of staff. Mustafa Kemal had come up with the name “Hareket Ordusu” (Army of Action). Staff Captain İsmet Bey was one of the members of the unit.

Reaching İstanbul on the night of April 23rd, the Army of Action soon suppressed the riots; offenders were prosecuted and sentenced. Abdülhamid II, who allegedly played a part in the riots, was dethroned and Mehmed Reşad V ascended the throne as the new sultan.