Abstract

After the First Constitutional Monarchy and the abolition of the Constitution, the formations against II. Abdulhamid had started to restructure especially in big cities. Edirne was an important city for the Unionists due to its proximity to the capital, its location in the Balkans and being the center of the Second Army. One of the goals of the Committee of Union and Progress, which has opened many branches in the country and abroad since 1889, is in Edirne, a military center. It was to create a group that would support activities to be undertaken against Abdulhamid. The importance of the army’s weapon power in an action to be launched against II. Abdulhamid was known. The Society considered it difficult to achieve success against the central authority without the full support of a military force close to Istanbul. In this direction, names that came to the fore with their organizational activities were sent to Edirne in order to find supporters in the city. On the one hand, military power was provided by contacting the officers in Edirne, on the other hand, important names with strong connections in the city were brought to the society and supporters were gathered.