Abstract:

In the Ottoman Empire, all kinds of lawsuits of the people were handled by the qadi courts called the “sharia courts”. However, those who were not satisfied with the decisions of these local courts had the right to apply to the Divanıhümayun, which was the highest administrative and judicial organ. Besides, it was possible to go directly to the Divanıhümayun without applying to any local court. While the cases that are reflected the Divanıhümayun were initially included in the “mühimme books”, then later they were recorded in the ledgers called the “şikâyet books” and since 1742 in a separate ledgers series called the “ahkâm books”. The ahkâm books are important in terms of the studies of city history, especially in regions where there are noregisters of the qadi courts, called the “sharia registers”. In regions where registers of the sharia courts, these are important because they reflect the point of view of the state head office. In this study, Kuruçay District which was affiliated with the Erzurum Province in the relevant period public security issues occurred in the mid-18th century by examing according to the Erzurum Ahkâm Books numbered 1 and 3, the approach of the state head office to the complaints reflected from region and solution proposals presented in the provisions written from the Divanıhümayun was tried to be put forward. In addition, the causes of the problems were also examined.