FETHIYE UNDER THE OTTOMAN RULE

The region came under the Ottoman rule for the first time in late fourteenth century when Yıldırım Beyazıt was the sultan. Pursuant to the Ankara Battle and the conquent events, in 1424, it was definitely under the Ottoman sovereignty as a province.

When Murad the Second was in KiJtahya in 1443, the income from this region was granted to him. The uprising in 1451 was supressed by Mehmed the Second who turned this region over to Admiral Yunus Pasha.

During the Ottoman-Venitian wars in 1463-1479,  the provinces of Rhodes and Mentese were involvedd and in 1473 Makri was invaded and destroyed by the navy of allied Christian forces. In 1478-79, Prince Cem, son of Mehmed the Second, who was the governor of Patara along the Lycian coastline for negotiations with he Rhodian knights.

In subsequent years Makri continued to be significant as a small town. "Evlya Celebi" has words of praise for Makri of the seventeenth century. After Makri he arrived at the Bay of Kerc. He talks of "citizens gathering under lofty plane trees once a week for trade, drinking wine, eating rare-cooked kebabs and having a high time". From this point he arrives at the mighty river (Esen River) and Seki plains, but the tribal people there are hesitant to speak up due to their fear of bandits. As our wanderer points out, during the seventeenth century, due to inequitable stale of affairs, the bandits are notorious in the region. One of themYusuf Pasha, the major domo of Zor Mehmed Pasha, organizes a rebellion with the aid of his looters, which is short-lived. Another personality worth noting during the 18th century is the Algerian Bald Hasan Paşsa from Yaka(kale)village of Marki(1710-1790) who had joined the naval forces as a youngster. He was called  "Algerian" because he was sent to Algeria as a governor.

A namesake of Algerian Gazi Hasan Pasha, the "Algerian Bald Hasan Pasha" ordered the construction of the aquaducts at Yaka Village, the Kemer Bridge and the Pahsa Caravanserai on the road to the Dams. He was a so responsible for the ayina of the foundations of the Od Mosque at Fethiye. Because he was at Alqeria as o Governor at the same time as Algerian GaziHasan Pasha of Caucassian origin, the historians confuse the two.

In 1811 the region was part of Aydyn and during the population census in 83 1, was recorded as ci province of Aydin  After 1840, the center of administration was continuously altered and Makri was ruled by the Pasha of Mugla, In 1864, with the reorganization of provinces, Makri became a subdivision. In 1874 first municipality was established and Hacy Agha from Rhodes became the first mayor. All the mayors in Makri, since that date until 1944, attempted to dry up the swamps within the town of Fethiye and concentrated on afforestrotion. The earthquake in 1897 resulted in great damage to the buildings in the city.

Throughout this century, many foregin wanderers visited Makri due to its historical value. Many French and British researches undertook studies in the area. Among them, archaeologist Ch. Fellows, famous for his travels in Italy, Greece and the Middle East, came here in 1838, was mostimpressed with the monumental tombs, and discovered the antique city of Xanthos.

Shortly thereafter, he came back in 1840, accompanied by G.Scharf, to carry some monuments to the British Museum in London and established the location of thirteen antique cities. In 1 842, he obtained permission to take 78 cases of Lycian sculptures and architectural pieces by ship toEngland and carted some very famous works of art from the 6th and 5th century B.C. to the British Museum in London.

In the eity, visited by many more wanderers, the grand Austrian research was instigated in 1881-1882, by a team headed by Benndorf.

The nineteenth century represents an archaeological paradise for foreigners coming to this region. "Carting works of art" which was almost a habitual event during this period was true also for every visitor to this region, the fate of which was similar at the end of this century.

In 1913 the plane of the French pilot Doncourt crashed while attempting to fly over the Taurus Mountains. At that time Italy was mast interested in Anatolia. Prior to the World War I, Italians had obtained privileges on two railways in Southwestern Anatolia (Fethiye-Muğla, Fethiye-Antalya-Kizilyaka) but the war prevented their benefiting from these privileges.

During this period, the Greeks and Turks in the Makri region lived together without any problems. The economic status of the Greek majority at Makri was 'very strong and therefore they held most of the admi nistrative positions. The Greeks lived in their own houses at the center had a few monosteries as well as a church. Most of the people of Greek origin had moved to Kaya with civil servants staying at the center.

At that time, the Greeks living at Kaya hod 3500 houses with a population of 12.000-13.000 while the Turks had 1 50 houses with a population of about 1000. While Turks only spoke Turkish, the Greeks knew both Turkish and Greek.

The Turks owned 35% of the land at Kaya and were generally farmers and tobacco-growers. The Greeks, on the other hand, produced vast amounts of raki, wine and other goods, exporting these from the Dönyücek port of Kaya. The Greeks were in the habit of washing the hand-woven baggy trousers in sea-water for reinforcing.

As in Mugla and other towns of Mugla, the Greeks worked as shoemakers, masons, lime burners, tailors carpenters, weavers and sellers of dry goods, while the Moslem Turks stayed away from such arts and crafts due to their fear of committing a sinful crime. The Turks grew figs, grapes, and legumes such as peas, chick-peas and lentils in their gardens. The Turkish customs officers, watchmen and gendarmes appointed, by the central administration were representatives of the government at Kaya. The minority of Greeks at Ovacik and at Kaya were responsible for the trade at Makri. Prior to the Independence War, the Turks and Greeks were perfect neighbours. As regards the works of art during the Ottoman period, Hadji Yvaz had two schools built at the Seki Plain and Uzumlu. Upon the decree of the Sultan, Cafer Bali had a new school constructed at the site of the old Gazi Ahmed Bey School. Many mosques and religious buildings were demolished by the earthquakes.

Within the city, the aquoducts at Koprubosy and over the Esen River at Kemer were constructed during the rule of Algerian Bald Hasan Pasha in 1789.The Urluca Bridge at Kynyk on the plateau was constructed by the Seljukians while the old bridge over Ören River was built by the Romans, and other bridges were erected by the public while the bridge at Atlıdere (with only two legs presently standing) was the work of the Lycians.Other briges are from more recent times.