The Entourage of Bosnian Sanjakbey Ferhad-Bey Sokolović

Abstract

In muhimme defter No. 25 in Prime Ministry Ottoman Archives (Başbakanlık Osmanlı Arşivi) in Istanbul, there is a verified list of “kuls” of Ferhad-bey Sokolović, Bosnian sanjakbey, completely copied into defter sometime between May and July 1574. The first part of this paper tries to identify identity of 265 people whose names were listed. The second part of the paper is a translation of the list from Ottoman to Bosnian. Because of its content and information, this paper could be added to numerous already existing studies written on a theme of Ottoman serhat in Bosnia, offering several new information on sipahis, timar holders and garrison soldiers of some Bosnian and Klis sanjak fortresses, that is the representatives of different military kinds. Also, the assumption that these men belonged to a personal entourage of Ferhad-bey Sokolović, who is of a Bosnian origin, and is one of the most important Ottoman statesmen, military leaders and diplomats of his time, offers an insight into a part of our far history.