Abstract:

Bihke (Bihaç) was conquered by Dervish Hasan Pasha in 1592. It is the last conquered territory of the Bosnian province. Bihke is an important sanjak center that forms the Bosnian province and is located along the border. The Bihke Fortress, located on the banks of the Una River, was built especially in the XVIII century. It has been the most important border fortress of Bosnia since the 19th century. Bihke Fortress, as in other fortresses of Bosnia, was managed by castellans, who were called Kaptan and had military units of various classes in their entourage. Bihke Fortress has been partially or largely destroyed over time due to sieges, rebellions and natural disasters. For this reason, it has been repaired and maintained in some periods. In these repairs, some parts of the fortress were repaired, while some parts were completely rebuilt. The basic materials used in repairs are stone, sand, wood, nails and iron. An exploration log was kept before each repair. The measurements of the places to be repaired or rebuilt and the estimated cost are recorded in these books. The repair works of the fortress were carried out under the supervision of a construction official appointed from the center. The troops, weapons and ammunition in the fortress were also checked over time, and the deficiencies were corrected. The last repair of the fortress was carried out in 1877 in the form of zinc coating the roofs of the two armories and mosques inside the fortress. Accordingly, Bihke Fortress continued to be an important garrison center from its conquest until its abandonment to Austria. In this article, the situation of Bihke, the most important fortress of the Bosnian frontier between 1780-1878, the quality of its weapons and ammunition, and the activities for its repair were investigated. Our most important source in our research has been the Ottoman Archives. In addition, research type works were also used.

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