Authors

Anđelko Vlašić¹;  ¹ Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia

Discussion

The paper outlines the main features of Ottoman administration in the territory of present-day Croatia, which was under Ottoman rule during the 17th century (until 1691). It aims to present new research findings based on Ottoman administrative sources, such as the Mühimme Defterleri ("Registers of Important Affairs", i.e., correspondence between the central authorities and provincial governors), as well as narrative sources, most notably Evliya Çelebi's Seyahatname ("Book of Travels"), which describe the Ottoman frontier provinces in this area. This region - still not fully explored in scholarship - was shaped by economic and cultural influences from both the Central European Ottoman provinces (in present-day Hungary) and the Southeastern European provinces (in present-day Bosnia and Serbia). It was characterized by a strong military presence, reflected in a fully developed system of forts, garrisoned by larger numbers of soldiers than at any previous point during Ottoman rule. Another key feature was the constant cross-border raiding activity, carried out by both Ottoman frontier troops and their enemies, the troops of the neighbouring Habsburg Monarchy and the Republic of Venice. Provincial governors and frontier commanders, stationed far from the imperial capital, exercised extended powers and generally held their posts for longer periods; their military role was especially prominent, as they were responsible for defending volatile border provinces. The paper will highlight the specific features of Ottoman administration in Croatia that distinguish it from the administration of other, non-frontier provinces of the empire.