The Summary Defter of the Sandžak of Aladža Hisar (Kruševac) of 1516. as a Historical Source

Abstract

In the article with the above title the author discusses the contents of a summary census defter from the Sandžak of Aladža Hisar in Serbia from 1516. This is the earliest complete defter preserved for this Sandžak. It contains the following items: a) the property of the Sultan (hasha-i padişah), b) the property of the Sandžak-beg (hasha-i mirliva-i Alaca Hisar), e) Ziamets and the Spahis timars (timarha-i sipahiyan), d) the timars of the garrison of the fortress of Koznik (timarha-i mustahfizan-i kala-i Koznik), e) the timars of the garrison of the fortress of Resava (timarha-i mustahfizan-i kala-i Resava), f) džebeli of the vojnuks (voynugan-i cebeluyan), g) a list of the vojnuk reserves (zevaid-i voynugan) for the Sandžak of Aladža Hisar. In the article are given the basic data about the property of the Sultan and the Sandžak-beg, while the census data about the ziamets and timars, which take up the bulk of the defter, are given in summary form.

ln evaluating this defter as a historical source, the author stresses the material from the defter about feudal property, by which are included aU settlements and all househo1ds in this sandžak. This is extremely important for the study of the expansion, size and structure of these properties, the position of the raya and other categories of population on them, the structure and economic power of the feudal class and also the military-feudal organization of the sandžak as a whole.