Çete Ayşe: Militia Ayşe

Anatolian lands have witnessed countless journeys, hardships, and struggles throughout history. They have seen times when even freedom ceased to exist. But there was one thing these lands never lacked: Heroes. For those—Alis, Ayşes, shepherds, and farmers—who knew no other life, this holy land, this earthly paradise, was worth dying for. Some were elderly sages, while others were young brides. The heroic groups that fought against the Greek invasion that began in 1918 were called “Çete.” One of these heroes was Çete Ayşe. She made history as the first woman in the Kuvâ-yi Milliye to wear the Efe attire and to receive the title of Efe. The book “Çete Ayşe” was written to showcase what a woman, a mother, could do for her homeland and to pass this epic story on to future generations. Hundreds of documents were used in its creation. The two-volume work presents the story through the direct testimony of eyewitnesses.