Abstract:

Eşrefoğulları Beylic is a Turkish beylic founded in the early 14th century, in Beyşehir and its surrounding regions. Beyşehir was founded and developed during Eşrefoğulları era and became an important center later on. The city, which developed architecturally and culturally around the social complex founded by Eşrefoğlu Süleyman Bey, advanced socio-economically by drawing the surplus of its hinterland as a commercial center of attraction. This development of Beyşehir city center went on during the Ottoman era as well. Beyşehir had a status of Sanjak center during the Ottoman era, which it preserved until 1842. Due to its potential Beyşehir manifested demographic development since the days of Eşrefoğulları. However, after it lost its status as a Beylic center and especially as a sanjak center population growth lost its momentum. It can be asserted that administrative, social and commercial issues played big roles in stopping of population growth. Such issues caused substantial population movements around Beyşehir and its surrounding regions. Those movements mainly composed of temporary and voluntary domestic migration movements which gained permanence later on, most of which were caused by economic factors. It has been seen that a substantial level of domestic migration took place from Beyşehir and its surrounding areas to big cities especially after mid-19th century. Futhermore, serious health issues caused by Beyşehir Lake during 19th and 20th centuries are considered to have led to important population movements. The current study deals with demographic development of Beyşehir since the days of Eşrefoğulları from social and economic angles.

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