Very Good Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928) Original bdg. Demy 8vo. (22 x 14 cm). In Ottoman script. 74 p., one folded page. Özege 1623. First and Only Edition. Ex-library stamps of Balikesir Halkevi [i.e. Balikesir Public House]. Yüzbasi [i.e. Captain] Harputlu Saraczâde Ishak Hakki Bey was an officer who participated in the War of Independence (1919-1922) on the Balikesir front. He prepared a guide that explained the city in detail during the period he was in and around Balikesir in the 1920s. Balikesir is a city in Turkey and is the capital city of Balikesir Province. It was the capital of Karasi between 1341-1922. Close to modern Balikesir was the Roman town of Hadrianutherae, founded, as its name commemorates, by the emperor Hadrian. Hadrian came to the region in A.D. 124, as a result of a successful bear hunting he had established a city called his name here. It is estimated that the city consisted of the castle, the homestead, the stud, and a few homes. It is thought that the small town was where the current stadium is present. Members of the Roman and Pre-Byzantine dynasty had used this castle as a vacation area and for hunting. During the Byzantine period, the small town which had become increasingly neglected was known as Palaeokastron meaning Old Castle. Also, when the Turkmens came from Middle Asia to Mysia, they called it Balukiser because of the remains of the castle, as Hisar is the Turkish word for castle. In 1345, Balikesir city was annexed by the Ottomans. In 1898 an earthquake destroyed much of the city. The number of buildings that were not destroyed in the 1898 earthquake was only 51.[7] In 1914, Turkish students marched through the streets of the city singing a song of hatred against the Greeks. In April 1916, the Christian refugees of the villages in the vicinity of Balikesser underwent persecution from the Turks. They were refused bread on payment. The women were told that they should become Muslim so as not to die of hunger. At the beginning of June, many young Greeks were forced by the authorities to convert to Islam at Government headquarters. On 30 June 1920, Balikesir city was conquered by the invading Greeks but on 6 September 1922, the Turkish army took back the city. During the Turkish War of Independence, Balikesir was the main center of the militias in Western Anatolia against the Greeks. Balikesir's former name was Karasi because Balikesir city was founded by Karasi Beg in the 13th century as using the remains of the small town. 1297 is considered as the date of establishment of the city which was one of the few to be founded by the Turks in Anatolia. The Karasids was a Turkic principality in Mysia. Since the 13th century, Balikesir city has been the administrative center of the Mysia region. This guide to this city and it's around includes six chapters titled introduction, geographic structure, social structure, economic structure, education, municipality, and foundations. This is the earliest Turkish guide to Balikesir includes interesting and comprehensive information in detail about the topography, geography, and demography of the region. Hegira: 1341 = Roumî 1339 = Gregorian 1920. Özege 1623.; Not in OCLC. First Edition. Very scarce.
