Timârs in the Bosnian Sanjak Based on the 1468/9 Dated Tahrir Defter

Abstract

The summary defter MC.076 held at Atatürk Library (listed in the Muallim Cevdet Manuscript Catalogue) is the oldest surviving tahrîr defter drawn up after the establishment of the Bosnian Sanjak. It includes invaluable information on the timâr system and transfer of the new conquered region over to Ottoman rule, making it priceless for historians working in this field. The content of the defter may be evaluated under two categories: I) The original records of the defter arranged between 1468 and 1469; II) The marginal notes that were added to the defter on various dates between 1469 and 1477, following its completion and approval. The original entries, covering the years between 1468 and 1469, show the distribution of ‘khâss’, ‘zeâmet’ and ‘timâr’ to the members of the military class in exchange for their service. The marginal notes added later on show the modifications made to the amount of timâr allocated to the persons in question, such as its cancellation, transfer or increase. In addition to providing the names of the timâr holders, the defter also contains addition information about them. This study will focus on the timâr entries in the 1468/9 dated summary (mücmel) defter in order to evaluate the timâr system and its distribution in the Bosnian Sanjak.