Kütahya during the Tanzimat era

Kutahya is one of the major cities in western Anatolia from the time of Phrygians. The city of Kutahya entered the Turkish domination with the Seljuks and it became a prosperous Turk-Islam city during the time of Germiyans. It became the capital city of Germiyans towards the last quarter of the XIII. century and started to develop more rapidly. Germiyans built mosques, madrasas, soup kitchens, inns and baths and the city took on a new identity. After appointment of Prince Bayazid as a governor, Kutahya became a Prince Sanjak during the Ottoman era. The city administravely reached to the highest point by being the center of Anatolian Beylerbeyligi. This situation continued from 1451 to the occupation by Egypt in 1833. With the administrative changes in the Tanzimat Era, it became a sanjak of Hüdavendigar Vilayet. Kutahya was the center of a wide geographical area of a province but after it became a sanjak, its boundries also was narrowed. Administrative downsizing continued during the Tanzimat Era. While there were 16 towns and 8 townships in Kutahya in 1845s, there were only 4 towns and 12 townships in 1870s.Kutahya whose population increased together with its administrative position, also developed economically and had social and cultural wealth. While it is famous for tile, at the same time it has rich culture with its traditions and special wearings.Kutahya was also a city where refugees escaped from their counrty for saving their life were settled. The settlement of the Kossuth and his friends who raised against Austria and after being unsuccessful had to escape from their counrty allows Kutahya to become famous in Europe. Refugees from Caucasus and Crimea who escaped from the pressure of Russia and migrated to Ottoman lands were wellcomed by local people of Kutahya. They helped much these refugees and this behavior met with appreciation by Istanbul government.