Abstract:

The Allies shared the lands of the Ottoman State with the Mondros Armistice, which was signed on 30 October 1918 after World War I. No doubt; all of these were made with secret agreements signed during the war. In the first stage of the occupation, Adana, Maras, Antep and Urfa were occupied by the British. These occupied places were changed hands and left to France in accordance with the Syria Agreement signed on 15 September 1919. The common fate which started in the region with the French occupation continued until the last phase of the fight. In particular, the Armenians' alliance with the occupying forces and their attacks on the spiritual values of the people increased the fighting spirit and spirituality of the people in these cities. The Turkish people, who did not accept life under captivity at any time in history, revealed this will in Maras in the period of National Struggle. Together men and women fought and removed occupying forces from their city. Turkish women played a significant role in the national struggle in many aspects. They carried weapons, ammunition, food etc. and treated the woundeds as well as fighted against the enemy on the front. Among the heroines entrenched in the collective Turkish memory were Senem Ayse, the wife of Bitlis treasurer, Huru Ana who demonstrated extraordinary valor against occupying forces in the national struggle of Maras. One of the main objective of this study is to uncover some anonymous female heroes. In this study it has been determined that although Mrs. Mezruka Selcen (Selcanoglu) has been known as the wife of Bitlis treasurer for years, actually she is the wife of Mr. Hakkı, who was worked as Kayseri treasurer as well as Bitlis treasurer. There are, of course, countless female heroes who are not known in the Marash National Struggle. Turkish women already have a reputation for their heroism in history. Ataturk's word as follows: "No woman of any nation in the world can't say that I worked more than Anatolian women and served in victory and independience of my nation as much as Anatolian women." emphasizes heroism of Turkish women demonsrating his confidence about them.

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