Panorama of a Rural City: An investigation on the Province of Edirne in the XVIIIth Century (1746-1747)

This thesis investigates Edirne, which was the second capital of the Ottoman State and was a great rural city, under three different categories as opposed to the classic pattern of urban history studies between 1746 and 1747. The first chapter of the thesis have tried to analyze in relation with the population density and distribution of the city based on the records of avârızhouses. First of all, overview and road system of the city was discussed and the city was reviewed on the basis of districts. Second chapter, house owners and houses in Edirne were reviewed. The typology of the houses in Edirne was revealed. The prices of the houses for sale and the factors that determine these prices were given. Subsequently, the similarities and differences between the lives of Muslims and non-Muslims and askerî and reaya were classified. Third deals with daily life of local people in the city. In this context, court of the Edirne, neighbourhoods, city bazaars, markets and business places have determined all a part of the daily life using Shariah court records. Afterwards, the elements such as buying and selling, settlement (sulh) and sales in the daily life of people living in Edirne as well as the incidents that adversely affect the social order such as injuries, deaths, thefts and unrest were tackled with the title of life in the public space. Finally, family structure, divorce, alimony, slavery, conversions and items used in daily life were examined.