Demographic structure in Havza according to Muslim Population Notebooks Number 2209-2210-2211

The most important reason why the Ottoman Empire was a long-lasting and great empire was its political, social, economic and military policies. The Ottoman Empire, which was a centralised state, recorded the population under the name of "Memleket Tahriri" and implemented the timar system in order to determine the number of taxpayers and the number of soldiers. By the 17th century, the timar system could not be implemented due to internal rebellions and economic problems, and it lost its importance in time and was replaced by iltiz. The avariz tax, which was collected in extraordinary situations, became a permanent tax and the people liable for the avariz tax were registered and the census was carried out in this way. This practice continued throughout the 18th century. By the 19th century, the Janissary Corps was abolished by Mahmud II in 1826, and a new army was established in its place with the name Asakir-i Mansure-i Muhammediyye. The first modern census was started between 1828 and 1829 to recruit soldiers for this newly established army, but it was interrupted by the Ottoman-Russian war that took place at the same time. This census was resumed in 1830 and was completed in 1831. It was accepted as the first modern census of the Ottoman Empire. The census was recorded and thus "Population Notebooks" were formed. These notebooks provide important social, economic and military information for the 19th century of the Ottoman Empire. The names, occupations, ages, military services and physical conditions of the people were recorded in the population notebooks. In addition, the administrative structure of the census area and the names of the settlements were recorded. These records are considered as important data for historians. There are 14 notebooks in the population registers catalog in the Presidency Ottoman archives related to the Havza district. In our thesis study, the transcription of the population notebooks numbered 2209 (H.1256/M.1840), 2210 (H.1259/M.1843) and 2211 (H.1259/M.1843) has been made. In addition, by analyzing these information the tables on age, occupation, nickname, physical characteristics, etc. have been created and evaluations have been made. Information about the social and population structure of the Havza district, which is located in the Amasya sanjak of the Sivas province, has been given. Keywords: Havza, Muslim, Military, Cencus, Popilation Registers