The Karahisar-i Sahib District's administrative, social and economic structure (1806 - 1812)

With its climate, landforms and natural sources, Afyonkarahisar is one of the central places hosting many civilizations for thousands of years after the periods of Hittites, Phrygia, Lydia, Persia, Macedonia and Byzantine respectively. The City came under the Turkish domination after the Battle of Malazgirt. Karahisar-ı Sahib City also maintained its importance during the Ottoman period in terms of socio-economic and socio-cultural perspectives as before. After the Treaty of Karlowitz signed in 1699, the stagnation period was over for the Ottoman Empire and its regression period began. Important sources of income of the state including the war spoils and merchant taxes were hindered by the defeats of war and the newly discovered trade routes respectively. In contrast, the State chose monetary correction, increasing taxes and collecting taxes more often. As the subject of thesis, most of the records placed in the Karahisar-ı Sahib registration numbered 558 and 560, especially the ones sent from the centre that were related to the taxes were seen as a clear manifestation of the mentioned regression. Through the taxes, the public was also burdened with debt of the long war between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. Deteriorating financial structure and heavy taxes led to riots. Although the reform movements were undertaken against this undeniable regression during the periods of Selim III and Mahmut II reforms could not reach to the expected results. Moreover, the situation was further aggravated for the state due to the riot participation of the military and administrative staff whose interest were undermined. In terms of including information about the administrative, social and economic structure of Karahisar-ı Sahib between 1806-1812 as well as the reform movements occured in the Ottoman Empire during the same period and reflections of the Ottoman-Russian War at the regional level, the examined records numbered 558 and 560 complete the missing part regarding the history of the city.