Armenian-American lawyer with Ottoman heritage becomes Turkish citizen

Glen Frederic Matheson, an Armenian-American lawyer whose great-grandfather served as an officer and chief palace architect during the Ottoman era, has officially become a Turkish citizen, taking the name “Murat.”

Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Gaziantep MP Ali Sahin, who supported Matheson throughout the citizenship process, detailed the attorney’s unique family history in an interview with the Anadolu Agency.

“Matheson’s great-grandfather, Mihran Mesropyan, served as an officer in the Ottoman army and as chief architect in the palace,” Sahin explained. Mesropyan was a veteran of the Gallipoli Campaign who was later captured in Syria and received a state medal for his service to the empire.

After emigrating to the United States, Mesropyan established a new life as an architect, designing several landmark buildings in Washington, D.C.

Sahin met Matheson through an academic colleague who specializes in U.S. affairs. “Living in the U.S. as a renowned lawyer, Matheson felt a sense of belonging to Anatolia and the Turkish people because his great-grandfather served as an Ottoman officer, and years later he took steps to obtain Turkish citizenship,” Sahin said.

When Matheson approached him for assistance, Sahin initiated the application process with Türkiye’s Interior and Foreign Ministries about 18 months ago. The lawyer received his citizenship a month ago.

“When Glen received his citizenship, he said, ‘Today is the happiest day of my life.’ His description of obtaining Turkish citizenship as the happiest day of his life made us happy too,” Sahin added.

Armenian-American lawyer reflects Türkiye’s growing global reputation

Now known as Murat Frederic, Matheson’s citizenship reflects Türkiye’s growing global reputation, according to Sahin, who emphasized that many people emigrated from Ottoman territories and Anatolian cities to Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Nearly 20 million people whose ancestors and grandparents lived in Anatolian lands went to those regions,” Sahin noted.

“In these regions, there is a community belonging to Anatolia called ‘El Turco’ or ‘Los Turcos.’ These include Christian Arabs, Armenians, Greeks, as well as Muslims. People who still feel connected to Anatolia continue to carry this identity because they traveled with Ottoman passports.”

As head of the Turkish Delegation to the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO), Sahin has witnessed firsthand how descendants of Ottoman emigrants express longing for their Anatolian heritage during his visits to Latin American countries.

Sahin detailed Türkiye’s efforts to reconnect with these communities through “soft power” initiatives by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Organizations such as TIKA, Yunus Emre Institute, Maarif Foundation, and Diyanet Foundation are conducting programs aimed at rebuilding relationships with Anatolian communities abroad and restoring Ottoman heritage sites.

“The work being done to bring these communities back to their ancestral lands, rebuild those severed connections, and restart cultural exchanges is very important,” Sahin stated. “I anticipate that in the coming period, these efforts will bear fruit, and we will see people who consider themselves a part of Anatolia returning to these lands.”

Sahin also highlighted Ankara University’s dedicated department for Latin American and Caribbean studies, suggesting that Türkiye should approach these regions and their people with a historical and imperial perspective.