US lawyer, descendant of Ottoman officer, becomes Turkish citizen

Glen Frederic Matheson, whose great-grandfather served as officer in Ottoman army, adopts name Murat after receiving Turkish citizenship

Glen Frederic Matheson, an Armenian-American lawyer whose great-grandfather served as an officer and chief architect in the Ottoman Empire, has obtained Turkish citizenship, adopting the name "Murat." His application was supported by deputy Ali Sahin, a member of Türkiye's Justice and Development (AK) party and the Chairman of the Latin America and Caribbean Parliament's Turkish Delegation. In an interview with Anadolu, Sahin shared the details of Matheson’s path to Turkish citizenship. He explained that Matheson’s great-grandfather, Mihran Mesropyan, was an Ottoman Army officer and the chief architect of the imperial palace. Mesropyan, who fought in the Gallipoli Campaign and was later captured in Syria, was awarded a state honor for his service. Tens of thousands of soldiers died in one of the world's most ferocious battles 106 years ago in the Gallipoli Campaign in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. After moving to the US, Mesropyan became a prominent architect, designing notable buildings in Washington, D.C. Sahin revealed that he met Matheson through a mutual academic friend and learned of Matheson’s desire to claim Turkish citizenship, motivated by his great-grandfather’s Ottoman legacy and his connection to Anatolia and the Turkish people. The citizenship process, which began about a year and a half ago with support from Türkiye’s interior and foreign ministries, completed last month. “When Glen received his Turkish citizenship, he said, ‘Today is the happiest day of my life.’ Hearing him describe it as the happiest day of his life made us happy as well,” said Sahin. Matheson, now Murat Frederic, reflects a growing trend of people with Ottoman or Anatolian roots seeking connections with Türkiye. Sahin also noted the large migration from the Ottoman Empire to Latin America and the Caribbean, with around 20 million people of Anatolian origin settling in these regions. "They are often called 'Los Turcos' or 'El Turco,' and many continue to identify with their Anatolian roots," he said. He underlined Türkiye’s ongoing efforts to reconnect with them through various cultural and diplomatic initiatives.