Manuscript Ahval-i Bosna by Muhamed Eminisević

Early 19th Century

Abstract

Muhamed Emin Isević was born into a eminent family of Sarajevo intellec- tuals, from which for ahnost two centuries derived the most outstanding in- tellectuals who preformed various Services and held different office as public servants, primarily that of gadiš. Muhamed Emin was born in the second half of the eighteen century and was educated, similarly to the members of his family, to become a qadi. Living and working in Bosnia, he grew acquainted whit those who attempted to uproot lawlessness and abuses of regional and local authorities and to protect the Christian and Müslim poor in Bosnia. Maturing in such a špirit, Muhamed Emin became very praiseworthy figure and on one occasion, Suleiman-pasha Skopljak, responding to an inquiry sent by the Porte, indicated that he was one of the most prominent citizens of Sarajevo. Suleiman-pasha also added that ali the old prominent men had gone.

This is a period in which the idea of the autonomy and confrontation with the Porte was starting to gradually emerge. As one of the advocates of this ideš, Muhamed Emin was accused and banished from Bosnia but soon after he managed to return and started, with stili greater intensity, to attack those responsible for the various malignancies in the society. He obviously found support in Sarajevo, particularly in the class of urban merchants and crafits- men, whose role in social and politics life of Sarajevo had begun to increase. A new social stratum to have a decisive role in Bosnia’s social and politics life was starting to emerge. It was a mixture of certain feudal elemnts, such as the captains, low-ranking Müslim priests and minör spahis on the on hand, and the urban classes on the other. In such a situation, Isević’s activity was considered as dangerous for the State and the Sultan and for the regional authorities as well so he sentenced and banished again. This time he was banished to the isle of Lemnos in the Greek archipelago in 1809. Muhamed Emin vvrote there this small tractate pertaining to the Bosnian problems and sent it directly to the Sultan as some şort of a petition for pardon.

The content of the tractate is such that is quite extraordinary that it ever reached the Sultan, and Muhmed Emin received abolition and even a promo- tion in the service. He was conferred the title of the professor of Edirne and sheyh of the Sarajevo Army Command.

None amongst the Muslims had never spoken out with such an openness and fortitude and with so much aupporting evidences about the regional and local authorities. His reports can be substantiated by the different data from various archives and historical records. He divided this essay into nine chap- ters and in each one he describes one of the elements of the regional or local government and judicial system. The essay is divided into the following chapters:

On qadis

On muftis

On muderises

On pashas

 On liva alaybeys

On cizyedars

 On mutevelis

 On captains

On janissaries.

He criticized qadis and muftis most violently, considering these institutions as central to the stable conditions in the country, accusing them of focusing only on bribing and of abandoning justice completely. They even enticed others to accept bribe and do wrong doing. They had complexly corupted their offices and turned the institution of judicial system in to the barging.

The muftis did not seek to protect justice by their decision and prevent qadis to seli their rulings to those who offer more. The muderises did not seek to perform their basic task, that of educating their students in the scholastical špirit and the špirit of enlightening the people.

The liva alaybeys fought their position solely by the means of bribery and not by their capability. Thus they provoked discontent of the spahis and the

people, for both former and the latter had to compensate for the bribes they gave to the governor of the province for their Services. In addition to that, other alaybeys kept fîlling these posts, contrary to the established practice under which alaybey were not to be removed from the office, until proven guilty. This practice had an influence on the readiness and capabilities of the armed forces, which was very important for the State.

Quite violent is his eriticisin on the cizya collectors for their wrongdoing was outrageous because they collected cizya arbitrarily. They would use force and in addition to that, they collected the cizya from children and those who cannot provide for themselves. The consequence of that was that raya were dissatisfied and fled from Bosnia.

The mutevelis of the vakufs were negligent and caused the waqf propeıty to dissipate and did ali sorts of mischief in which regional authorities helped them greatly.

The captains neglected their fundamental duty of defending the country and guarding the towns. They indulged in a luxurious living and were interesting only in money. Ali executive and military authorities were in their hands but they themselves, because of their conduct, were weak defenders of their country.

The janissary order was in veritable chaos brought about by the chieftains of the order. They mostly sought the positions which enabled them to have influence on the political life in the country, where as the common citizens were most frequentiy denied their rights, particularly regarding their salaries.

The above-mentioned facts brought the country on the verge of the chaos. The most responsible individuals for such a situation were the governor and his lieutenants who were ruthless in acquiring riches and at the same time careless in performing their duties. They looked at Bosnia as a foreign country, justifying their attitude by saying that they were there only temporarily.

Isević’s essay clearly connects the diffıcult conditions of the country with the position of the Müslim and Christian poor; the author, therefore, calls for social justice. He considers the raya obedient and loyal and claim that had there not been many abuses, they would have remained loyal. Therefore, both Christians and Müslim fled either to neighboring countries or to Rumelia, in search for better livelihood.

This tractate represents a very signifıcant source for the studying of the early 19th century history of Bosnia, even though it includes certain level of exaggeration.