Haydar Bey

Ali Haydar Bey was born in Batum in 1852 and belonged to the Bejanidze family of the Batum dynasty. His father Abdülhamid Bey was martyred at the Battle of Şekvetil during the Crimean War and was remembered in family memory as the “Famous Martyr” and the “Great Martyr.” The phrase “şehîd-i şehîr Hamid Bey” on the gravestone refers to this Abdülhamid Bey.

Between 1867 and 1877 Ali Haydar Bey served in the Batum Correspondence Office and Council Office. During the Ottoman-Russian War of 1877-1878, he was on the Batum front and handled the correspondence of Hasan Tahsin Paşa, commander of the Imperial Army of Batum, and Çürüksulu Ali Paşa, commander of the auxiliary forces of Batum.

After Batum and its surroundings were ceded to Russia following the war, Ali Haydar Bey migrated to Istanbul. With the permission of Sultan Abdülhamid II, he took part in the settlement of Georgian migrants from Batum in the province of Hüdavendigâr. Together with his brothers Hasan Rıza Paşa and Murat Hamdi Bey, he led the settlement of incoming migrants around İnegöl and Gemlik, and took part in the foundation of Haydariye Village in Gemlik, which was named after him.

In 1882 Ali Haydar Bey entered service in the Ministry of Public Works. This ministry dealt with public works such as roads, bridges, construction and infrastructure.

Ali Haydar Bey died on the last day of Dhu al-Hijja 1328, corresponding to 1 January 1911, and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.