Bolu in the first half of the 18th century

Bolu, which is extremely rich in natural resources, is located on important military, commercial and religious routes. Bolu has been an important center in every period of its history due to its strategic location. This study aims to present the administrative, economic and social structure of Bolu in the first half of the 18th century. The lack of studies on the history of Bolu during the period in question has been the main factor in determining the subject of the research. In the study, archival sources, especially şer'iyye registers (court records) and hurufat (typeface) records, salnames (yearbooks), travelogues, research and critical works were utilized. The study, which consists of three chapters, excluding the introduction and conclusion, identifies the members of the umerâ (commanders) and ulemâ (scholars) who served in Bolu in the first half of the 18th century and includes their administrative practices. The position of Bolu Voivodeship Muqata'ah within the mālikāna system was identified and the taxes collected from the inhabitants of the district were examined. The function of Bolu menzil in the Ottoman transportation network was emphasized. The commercial and agricultural activities carried out in Bolu and their potential were demonstrated. The control mechanisms of economic life were explained. The demographic structure of Bolu, the daily life of the people, communities and non-Muslim individuals were discussed. In the light of Bolu court records, practices such as marriage, divorce, guardianship and alimony were explained; crimes committed in Bolu are classified according to their nature and crime rates were determined. Foundations and foundation institutions in Bolu were analyzed. In addition, a holistic evaluation was made by briefly mentioning the conditions of the issues we have discussed regarding the history of Bolu before and after the time period.