Population Politics of the Byzantine State in Anatolia (7th-10th centuries)

This thesis examines the population policies of the Byzantine Empire, such as settlement, relocation and displacement, in the Anatolian geography between the 7th and 10th centuries. Anatolia has undergone a serious change and transformation since the 7th century and it has emerged as the most important land piece of the state. First, The political situation of the state in the 7th century and its effects on the Anatolian population are emphasized. Byzantine was under serious threat from both the eastern and western borders during this period. Particularly the expeditions of the Sassanids to Anatolia and the ongoing campaigns of the Islamic armies immediately brought them to the brink of destruction of the state. Byzantine, losing important rich provinces in the east, was wrapped up in Anatolia with a final move and did not allow the removal of Anatolia. During this re-emergence struggle, which the state has embarked on in Anatolia, a very intensive population policy has been followed and the human power that it needs has been transferred and settled to Anatolia without discrimination of race, language, religion and geography. In the following centuries, Byzantium strengthened its presence in Anatolia and this time it has moved to a significant number of people from Anatolia to relocate in order to protect inner peace and to secure the western borders. Thanks to the population policies observed, the state which strengthened the situation in Anatolia wanted to consolidate its dominance in other regions with the support it received from Anatolia and continued these politics by following a full equilibrium policy until the Xth century.