Banditry movements in Hisn-i Mansur and its surroundings in the 17th and 18th centuries

The 17 th and 18 th centuries were a period when the Ottoman Empire faced internal and external threats. Banditry emerged during these periods when state control was weak. Bandits engaged in various illegal activities and caused great harm to the state and society. This situation led to the weakening of the state's authority and the increase of security problems. Harmful banditry movements that disrupted social peace also emerged as an important issue in Hısn-ı Mansur and its surroundings; for this reason, the conditions under which these harmful activities emerged, who carried them out and in what way, what their aims were, and what measures were taken to prevent these banditry movements will be examined in detail. In this way, the groups that threatened the security and public order of the state will be revealed, and this will help us understand the negative effects of banditry movements on society and social-economic life. This study allows us to understand the effects of banditry movements on the public and the public's reactions to these movements. In this context, the cooperation of the central government and local governments plays an important role in the fight against banditry. Indeed, local administrators undertake an important task in conveying the public's complaints to the center. In this way, the state can effectively intervene in security problems. The penal policies implemented allow us to learn how the state tried to provide justice, how criminals were punished, how punishments played a deterrent role in society, and how social order was generally maintained. In addition, this study reveals why efforts to prevent banditry movements in Hısn-ı Mansur and its surroundings were inadequate.