Freemasonry came early to Turkey, at that time the heartland of a huge Ottoman Empire embracing most of North Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans. While details are lacking, there is a tradition that the first lodge was founded for non-Muslim merchants near the Arab Mosque in the Thursday Market Place, Galata, Istanbul. In 1738, a London newspaper mentioned lodges meeting in Smyrna (modern Izmir) and Aleppo but the first hard evidence we have comes in 1748 when the Ottoman Sultan, Mahmut I, forbade all masonic activities - indicating that some existed to ban.
    The British Ambassador warned the Officers of the Lodge in advance of this impending action and, in the event, no one was arrested although the furniture of the Lodge was destroyed. This Lodge survived clandestinely and continued working until the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789.
    The Craft attracted notable modernizers: Sait Pasha, the Turkish Ambassador to France, later the Grand Vizier (Prime Minister), as well as his son, Sait Celebi, and a family friend, the Hungarian convert to Islam, Ibrahim Muteferrika, who established the first printing press in the Empire in 1727, were pioneering Muslim Freemasons in Istanbul.
    Unfortunately, in 1826 Sultan Mahmut II (1808-1839), who reformed the Ottoman army in the European style, officially closed all masonic lodges. However, following the Crimean War - which ended in 1856 - with the general influx of Western culture into Turkey, extensive masonic activity emerged in Istanbul and Izmir. The French Grand Orient warranted eleven lodges, one in Ottoman Egypt. United Grand Lodge of England warranted fourteen, eight of these in Izmir. The Grand Lodge of Scotland warranted six; that of Ireland warranted one lodge. Another seventeen were warranted by Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium. The reformer, Koca Mustafa Resit Pasha (1800-1858), six times Grand Vizier, attended a masonic Lodge near to the Bereketzade Mosque, Galata, Istanbul. At the time its Master was the British Ambassador to Turkey, Lord Reading.
    Sultan Murat V (1876) visited to England in 1870 when he was Crown Prince and was introduced to Edward, Prince of Wales - later Grand Master of England - who lectured him about the virtues of Freemasonry. Bearing in mind these recommendations and in close cooperation with the Master of the Proodos Lodge in Istanbul, operating under the Grand Orient of France, Prince Murat was iniated in 1872. Later he was to become an 18th Degree Rose Croix Freemason.
    Realising that many Kings in Europe were also the Grand Masters of their respective Countries, Sultan Abdulhamit II (1876-1909), whose three younger brothers were all Freemasons, decided to preside over all Freemasonry within the Ottoman Empire. He believed that by joining he might be able to better control not only restless non-moslem minorities but also it might improve his relations with the West. But he was never initiated; it is believed that certain Freemasons opposed him. In 1878, through the influence of masonic circles, an unsuccessful revolt against his rule erupted in an attempt to reinstate his younger brother the former Sultan Murat V.

The Grand Lodge of Turkey

The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for Turkey, first established in Istanbul in 1861, was reconstituted on 3 March 1909. Subsequently, this particular Supreme Council decided to establish a Grand Lodge of Turkey. It did not occur to them that no Symbolic Lodges could ever be established by a Supreme Council.
    The Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Turkey was signed at the Noradukyan Plaza, Galata, Istanbul, on 13 July 1909; Prince Aziz Hasan Pasha was representing the Supreme Council of Turkey. Mehmet Talat Sait Pasha, then Minister of Interior, later the Grand Vizier, was elected unanimously to be the Grand Master. Sultan Mehmet Reshat V and many other prominent Turkish Politicians and Statesmen were members of this new Grand Lodge. Despite many wars - Tripoli, Benghazi, the Balkans, the First World War and the War of Independence, between 1909 until 1923, the Grand Lodge of Turkey remained active and influential within the society.
    Between 1909 and 1918 most of Turkey’s ruling party were Freemasons; Mehmet Talat Sait Pasha, for instance, continued as both Grand Vizier as well as Grand Master of Turkey. The highest ranking generals in the Turkish army were also Freemasons.
    The activities of the Grand Lodge of Turkey reached a climax during the Presidency of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1923-1938). Ataturk, a reformer, soldier, advocate of women’s rights, and the founder of the Turkish republic, was initiated in 1907 into Lodge Veritas - warranted by the French Grand Orient - in Salonica. When he landed at Samsun on 19 May 1919 to begin the struggle of independence, six out of his seven highranking military staff officers were Freemasons. During his time of rule there were always some members of his Cabinet who were Freemasons, indeed, from 1923 to 1938 some sixty Members of Parliament were members of the Craft.
    The Child Care Centres were established and financed throughout the country by a large group of prominent members of the Grand Lodge, representing a wide spectrum of professions including politicians, diplomats, professors, businessmen, and lawyers. In addition, a Social Assistance Foundation was established in December 18, 1931 by the Grand Lodge, for the purpose of financing the social and medical needs of Brothers and their families throughout the country.
    Unfortunately, intensive pressures arising mostly from the oppressive regimes of Stalin, Hitler, and Mussolini, forced Ataturk to recommend that the Grand Master of Turkey declare a cessation of activities on October 9, 1935.
    But after the Second World War, since the decision to cease masonic activities was taken only by the governing body of the Grand Lodge of Turkey, and there was no particular Law or Decree requiring it to do so, masonic activities resumed 5 February 1948 with the headquarters in Istanbul.
    Regional branches were soon opened: Izmir, December 1948, and Ankara, January 1949. The Grand Lodge of Ancient and Accepted Freemasons of Turkey entered into a new era of growth and expansion but all the degrees, from the 1st until the 33rd remained under the Jurisdiction of the Supreme Council for Turkey.
    Then, 26 June, 1955, the Supreme Council for Turkey, issued a declaration that the administration of the first three Symbolic Degrees would be undertaken solely and independently by the Grand Lodge of Turkey. This declaration put a stop to all disputes and accusations of irregularity. In 1965 the Grand Master of Scotland, Lord Bruce formally consecrated the Grand Lodge of Turkey; United Grand Lodge of England recognized it in 1970.

Masonic Life in Turkey Today

The Grand Lodge of Turkey to-day operates in three regional Valleys. Namely, Istanbul, the Central Valley, 102 Lodges and 6,970 members; Ankara Valley, 52 Lodges and 3,570 members; and Izmir Valley, 33 Lodges and 1,970 members: there are a total of 187 Lodges and 12,510 active members, working in thirteen regional Provinces and towns throughout Turkey, including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Eskiflehir, Antalya, Adana, Bodrum, Marmaris, Karsikaya, Fethiye, Çeflme, and Kusadasi. The masonic membership in Turkey increased from 4,390 in 1980 to 9,230 in 1995. The average yearly growth rate within the last eight years is four percent. Such a steady increase in masonic membership is unique and the highest in the World.
    The reasons for a steady increase in the membership of Freemasonry in Turkey, may be attributed to a rich set of activities featured in masonic life. Attendance is strictly required and an oral examination is arranged to test whether the teachings of the Degree are understood. A one or two page essay about the teachings of the Degree is required from every member in order to be promoted and a minimum of one year’s full attendance is required within each Degree. The Craft ritual is that of Scotland slightly modified for Turkish use and, as in England, Turkish Freemasons are required to believe in the Supreme Being and the eternity of the soul.
    There are not, as yet, Royal Arch Chapters but discussions are being held; Orders beyond the Craft, such as Mark Masonry, do not yet exist.
    A wide variety of social activities are held: evening receptions for families on the occasions of lodge anniversaries, excursions with families inside and out of the City, visits to sick Brethren at hospital or at home, generous aid for any person in need of assistance, annual or biannual dinners combined with educational speeches, celebration of new or existing marriages by masonic ceremony, gatherings of Brethren and families with a common university or professional background, celebration of birthdays and wedding anniversaries within lodges, masonic appearances in public during the National Days and National occasions.
    Freemasonry in Turkey focuses upon the professional sector of Turkish society: a special effort and detailed screening process exists to select the ‘rough ashlar’ which aims at collecting together an ‘elite’ class. Entrance fees and annual dues are set at relatively high levels, affordable only by candidates without any severe financial shortcomings, meaning that, in practice usually candidates emerge from the upper echelon of Society such as rulers, diplomats, politicians, religious leaders, educators, doctors, writers, lawyers and poets. Military officers on active service, however, are forbidden to become Freemasons until they retire - and there are many former officers, generals and admirals who subsequently join the Craft.
    Any English Freemason who visits Istanbul or any other city with a lodge will certainly find someone speaking English and by presenting a masonic certificate or being proved a Freemason, can attend lodge meetings. In addition, there are a small number of English speaking lodges working in Istanbul.

Dr. Semih Tezcan is a Past Master of Sebat Lodge, No. 150, Grand Lodge of Turkey.

All photographs supplied by Semih Tezcan.