Sultan II. Mahmud Dönemı̇nde Kıbrıs Ortodoks “Rum” Başpı̇skoposunun Sı̇yası̇ ve Sosyal Faalı̇yetlerı̇

Özet

The archbishopric of Cyprus, which had been liberated from the tyranny of the Latins during the reign of Sultan Selim II, was subjected to a new organization and divided into four bishops in 1572. These bishops were identified as Nicosia, Paphos, Limassol and Magosa. Thus, relations with the Istanbul Fener Greek Patriarchate, which had been cut in the Latin period, could be reestablished. The economic crisis that started in the 1600s wanted to mitigate the effects of the economic conditions that were heavily influenced by the Ottoman state in Cyprus and to stop migrations starting from the island. The state, which wanted to remove the interventions from the outside of the island, had to declare the Protector of the Archbishop of Cyprus. This rise, which began in the Archbishop of Cyprus, soon led to the bishops having political authority to connect with Istanbul without needing any intermediaries. This political ascent broadened the bishop's influence. The Archbishop of Cyprus, which had four bishopric regions until the beginning of the 19th century, continued to expand by adding two more bishops' regions.  In turn, the Archbishop's authorities were once again enlarged by Sultan Mahmud II, and they were given the title of reaya vekili. As the Archbishop of Cyprus assisted in fulfilling this task, they had made a separate delegation of three members, Girinye, Baf and Tuzla (Larnaka) metropolids, to make it a commodity.

 In this text, it will be given information about the political and social activities of these three archbishops, who were delegated as safeguard protectors, carried out in Sublime Porte during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II.