Edwin Pears
Encyclopedia
Sir Edwin Pears was a British
barrister, publicist, and historian. He lived in Constantinople
for about forty years and he is known for his 1911 book Turkey and its People.
, England
. He was educated privately and at the University of London
where he took first-class honours in Roman law and jurisprudence.
Pears was called to the Bar at Middle Temple
in 1870. He was also private secretary to Frederick Temple
, then Bishop of Exeter
, and later Archbishop of Canterbury
. Pears was also secretary to various associations connected with social work in London
.
in 1873. He practised in the consular courts and becoming president of the European bar there. He rose to become one of the leaders of the British colony in Constantinople.
Pears travelled much through Turkish dominions, and studied Turkish history from both the Turkish and foreign perspectives.
In this way, Pears acquired an intimate knowledge of Turkey
. In 1876, as correspondent of The Daily News, he sent letters home describing Ottoman atrocities and the April Uprising
in Bulgaria
which aroused popular demonstrations in England led by William Ewart Gladstone
. At the time, the reports of these atrocities were generally disbelieved and Pears' letters placed all the incontrovertible facts before the English people.
In 1885, Pears wrote The Fall of Constantinople, a Story of the Fourth Crusade. This book is regarded as essential reading for the study of the Ottoman constitutional revolution of 1908.
In 1909, Pears was knighted
, returning to London to receive the honour in person on July 22, 1909.
In 1911, Pears wrote the book Turkey and its People. It is regarded as his most distinguished book. In that book, he displayed his expert knowledge of Byzantine Constantinople. The book contains original material on the nationalities of the Ottoman empire
. The book was an attempt to interpret Turkey to the western people.
from an accident on his journey home from Constantinople.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
barrister, publicist, and historian. He lived in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
for about forty years and he is known for his 1911 book Turkey and its People.
Early life
Pears was born on March 18, 1835 in YorkYork
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was educated privately and at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
where he took first-class honours in Roman law and jurisprudence.
Pears was called to the Bar at Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1870. He was also private secretary to Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple was an English academic, teacher, churchman and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1896 until his death.-Early life:...
, then Bishop of Exeter
Bishop of Exeter
The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....
, and later Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
. Pears was also secretary to various associations connected with social work in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Constantinople
Pears settled in ConstantinopleConstantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
in 1873. He practised in the consular courts and becoming president of the European bar there. He rose to become one of the leaders of the British colony in Constantinople.
Pears travelled much through Turkish dominions, and studied Turkish history from both the Turkish and foreign perspectives.
In this way, Pears acquired an intimate knowledge of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. In 1876, as correspondent of The Daily News, he sent letters home describing Ottoman atrocities and the April Uprising
April Uprising
The April Uprising was an insurrection organised by the Bulgarians in the Ottoman Empire from April to May 1876, which indirectly resulted in the re-establishment of Bulgaria as an autonomous nation in 1878...
in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
which aroused popular demonstrations in England led by William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
. At the time, the reports of these atrocities were generally disbelieved and Pears' letters placed all the incontrovertible facts before the English people.
In 1885, Pears wrote The Fall of Constantinople, a Story of the Fourth Crusade. This book is regarded as essential reading for the study of the Ottoman constitutional revolution of 1908.
In 1909, Pears was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
, returning to London to receive the honour in person on July 22, 1909.
In 1911, Pears wrote the book Turkey and its People. It is regarded as his most distinguished book. In that book, he displayed his expert knowledge of Byzantine Constantinople. The book contains original material on the nationalities of the Ottoman empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. The book was an attempt to interpret Turkey to the western people.
Death
Pears died on November 27, 1919 in MaltaMalta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
from an accident on his journey home from Constantinople.
See also
- Eugene SchuylerEugene SchuylerEugene Schuyler was a nineteenth-century American scholar, writer, explorer and diplomat. Schuyler was of the first three Americans to earn a Ph.D. from an American university; and the first American translator of Ivan Turgenev and Lev Tolstoi...
- Edwin Pears. Turkey and its People. New York, George H. Doran Comp., 1912. In: http://www.archive.org/stream/turkeyitspeople00pearrich/turkeyitspeople00pearrich_djvu.txt