Emine Semiye'nin Ablası Fatma Aliye'ye Mektupları

Fatma Aliye and Emine Semiye, the daughters of the famous historian, jurist, and statesman Ahmet Cevdet Pasha, were the two important figures of the Ottoman times women’s movement. They were influential with their works, ideas, activities and life styles. Four letters that Emine Semiye wrote to her elder sister Fatma Aliye at different times now survive. These letters give us first hand information not only about the personal histories of the sisters but also about the history of the Ottoman women. Among the given information in the letters are the attacks against women in Istanbul just after the Declaration of the Second Constitutional Monarchy; the Jeun Turc attempts to prevent these attacks; Emine Semiye’s intention to establish a secret organization under the name “Hukuk-i Nisvan” (Women’s Rights) ; and again Emine Semiye’s impressions about Paris.