The Baghdad Citadel under Ottoman administration (1700-1800)

This study examines the military, administrative, and logistical structure of the Baghdad Fortress, one of the Ottoman Empire's strategic strongholds on its eastern frontier, during the eighteenth century. The primary aim of the research is to present a comprehensive analysis of the fortress's physical fortifications, administrative and military organization, supply and ammunition provisions, as well as its role in the Ottoman-Safavid conflict. In this context, the socio-economic structure of the city of Baghdad and its surrounding environment is also evaluated. The study makes extensive use of primary sources, particularly the salary (mevacib), ordnance, inventory, and repair registers preserved in the Ottoman Archives of the Prime Ministry. These sources are further supported by chronicles, travel accounts, and modern scholarship. The data presented in the tables, graphs, and appendices provide a detailed analysis of the strength and pay of military corps, provisions, and records of ammunition. The findings reveal that janissaries, armorers (cebecis), artillerymen, gönüllüyan, and other units operated within a well-structured military organization at the Baghdad Fortress; that provisions for the garrison were supplied along the Diyarbakır-Birecik-Rıdvaniye route; and that artillery pieces such as cannons, mortars, and şâhî guns were regularly procured. Moreover, the fortress's defensive function proved decisive during Nadir Shah's sieges in 1733 and 1743, highlighting its crucial role in the Ottoman–Safavid rivalry. In conclusion, during the eighteenth century, the Baghdad Fortress functioned not merely as a military base but also as an administrative and logistical hub embodying Ottoman authority in its eastern policy. In this respect, the study fills a significant gap in the literature on Ottoman military history and frontier studies, offering original contributions to the understanding of Ottoman-Iranian (Safavid) relations.