Abstract:

ɨere Js a dearth of documentatJon regardJng admJnJstratJve practJces of Ottoman prJnces Jn provJnces where they were sent as governors untJl the end of the sJxteenth century so that they could gaJn practJcal experJence. PrevJously, I had located Jn PrJme MJnJstry’s ArchJves Jn Istanbul certaJn regJsters (defter) produced Jn prJncely courts and made some remarks about theJr format and characterJstJcs. BelongJng to a prJncely court as well, the regJster under scrutJny here consJsts of petJtJons regardJng appoJntments, promotJons and other ënancJal dealJngs as well as answers to those petJtJons. It covers PrJnce SelJm’s (future SelJm II) ërst years as governor of ManJsa (1544-1546). After the manner they were presented to the sultan (kaz‘yye), I named such regJsters as kazayâ defterJ. Issues Jncluded Jn thJs regJster demonstrate us problems that an Ottoman prJnce had to deal wJth durJng hJs governorshJp and gJve us an Jdea about how prJncely bureaucracy functJoned.

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