Sanjak of Mardin in the first half of the 19th century (1789-1840)

Mardin presents a castle-city characteristic for which various states have struggled vehemently to occupy it through the history because of its strategical location. In this study of monography titled Sanjak of Mardin in the First Half of the 19th Century, Mardin's governmental, physical, financial, social and demographic structures are tried to be detected from various aspects. In the studies of Ottoman city history, court records have great significance. The court records are first hand resources to enlighten Ottoman city history. Thus, the court records constitute the main part of our study. Mardin was a sanjak related to Bağdat State in the period that is examined in this study. It was governed by voivodes and motesellims who were employed by state governors. Mardin is an Ottoman city that makes a strong impression with its foundational works such as mosques, masjids, madrasahs, taverns, bathhouses, and Turkish hospitals etc. In the city, Muslims and non-Muslims live together. Among non-Muslims, there are, being in the first place, Assyrians, Armenians, Jews, Chaldeans, and Nestorians. From this aspect, Mardin City of Ottoman period shows the characteristics of a sample city sustaining high level tolerance. In the financial structure, Mardin has fertile lands on which many agricultural products are grown. Especially, the well-known plum that is grown in Mardin and known as iccas was sent to İstanbul palace cellar every year. Key Words: Mardin, Sanjak, Court Records, Ottoman City History.