Dervendjis: Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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The Ottomans had common practice to exempt some of their tax-paying subjects ([[rayah]]) from paying certain taxes in exchange for |
The Ottomans had common practice to exempt some of their tax-paying subjects ([[rayah]]) from paying certain taxes in exchange for some services. In case of derbendcis this also included military services such as guarding mountain passes.<ref name="PfeifferQuinn2006">{{cite book|last1=Pfeiffer|first1=Judith|last2=Quinn|first2=Sholeh Alysia|title=History and Historiography of Post-Mongol Central Asia and the Middle East: Studies in Honor of John E. Woods|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=4D9pO_4j9-4C&pg=PA116|year=2006|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|isbn=978-3-447-05278-8|page=116<!-- |quote=.. common practice applied to the tax-paying subjects (re'dyd, ra 'ay a) in return for their work in the mines, or for such services as guarding mountain passes (derbend, derbendci/derbentqi) or supplying the palace or army with certain goods. -->}}</ref> Usually the entire villages were assigned with this duty and exempted from paying war time taxes ({{lang-tr|avariz-i divaniyye}}), customary taxes ({{lang-tr|tekdlif-i 'orfiye}}), service as oarsmen in the Ottoman navy and [[devşirme]] of their boys into [[janissaries]].{{sfn|Ursinus|2012| p=41<!-- |ps=: " Entire villages were often charged with the derbendci duty and consequently exempted from certain taxes." -->}}<ref name="Faroqhi1986">{{cite book|last=Faroqhi|first=Suraiya|authorlink=Suraiya Faroqhi|title=Peasants, dervishes and traders in the Ottoman Empire|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=gWzpAAAAIAAJ|year=1986|publisher=Variorum Reprints|isbn=978-0-86078-179-0|page=72|quote=According to this document, the derbendci were equally exempt from all avanz-i divaniye and tekdlif-i orfiye, a privilege customarily enjoyed by pass guards throughout the Empire17); the exemption also covered service as oarsmen in the ...}}</ref> In region of northern [[Macedonia region|Macedonia]] at least 175 villages had derbendci status and enjoyed this kind of tax exemptions. Sometimes the Ottoman state "created" villages around ''derbend'' territories while in some cases existing villages applied to their [[kadı]] to receive such status in exchange for providing security, constructing or maintaining roads and bridges.<ref name="Hall2008">{{cite book|last=Hall|first=Kenneth R.|title=Secondary cities and urban networking in the Indian Ocean Realm, c. 1400-1800|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=qF_aAAAAMAAJ|year=2008|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=978-0-7391-2835-0|page=275}}</ref> Newly settled population of such villages was not exempt from paying avariz taxes.<ref name="MacKay1999">{{cite book|last=MacKay|first=Camilla Martha|title=The road networks and postal service of the eastern Roman and Byzantine Empires (first-fifteenth centuries AD): social effects on the provincial population|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=P3ofAQAAMAAJ|year=1999|publisher=University of Michigan|page=164}}</ref> |
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Derbendci status was compulsory and hereditary. If some individual or group would escape from their duty, the Ottomans would forcefully return them. They were organized into simple structures of 30 men (''tabl'') whose members performed rotational duties. Initially they carried only light weapons and later also fire guns. Significant part of this units were Christians who were because of their duty allowed to ride horses and carry weapon,<ref name="Symposium2010">{{cite book|last=Symposium|first=Comité international d'études pré-ottomanes et ottomanes.|title=Perspectives on Ottoman studies: papers from the 18th Symposium of the International Committee of Pre-Ottoman and Ottoman Studies (CIEPO) at the University of Zagreb 2008|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=rXozTgKsAdMC&pg=PA847|year=2010|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-643-10851-7|page=847<!-- |quote=... Christian elites and groups that performed military and semi- military services for the state, such as the Christian sipahîs, knezes, premikiirs, voyvodas, voynuks, martoloses, and a good share of the derbendcis, Vlachs, and similar groups, ... -->}}</ref> but only of conventional type.<ref name="ParryYapp1975">{{cite book|last1=Parry|first1=Vernon J.|last2=Yapp|first2=Malcolm|title=War, technology and society in the Middle East|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ip1tAAAAMAAJ|year=1975|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=195<!-- |quote=Even the derbendci reaya, appointed by a special charter to guard bridges and routes at dangerous points, were not allowed in principle to use arms other than the conventional ones. -->}}</ref> Since they were poorly motivated they could not match trained soldiers so since the end of the 17th century the government had to hire mercenaries (Christians or [[Muslims]]) to ensure loyalty of derbendcis.{{sfn|Uyar|Erickson|2009| p=62}} |
Derbendci status was compulsory and hereditary. If some individual or group would escape from their duty, the Ottomans would forcefully return them. They were organized into simple structures of 30 men (''tabl'') whose members performed rotational duties. Initially they carried only light weapons and later also fire guns. Significant part of this units were Christians who were because of their duty allowed to ride horses and carry weapon,<ref name="Symposium2010">{{cite book|last=Symposium|first=Comité international d'études pré-ottomanes et ottomanes.|title=Perspectives on Ottoman studies: papers from the 18th Symposium of the International Committee of Pre-Ottoman and Ottoman Studies (CIEPO) at the University of Zagreb 2008|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=rXozTgKsAdMC&pg=PA847|year=2010|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-643-10851-7|page=847<!-- |quote=... Christian elites and groups that performed military and semi- military services for the state, such as the Christian sipahîs, knezes, premikiirs, voyvodas, voynuks, martoloses, and a good share of the derbendcis, Vlachs, and similar groups, ... -->}}</ref> but only of conventional type.<ref name="ParryYapp1975">{{cite book|last1=Parry|first1=Vernon J.|last2=Yapp|first2=Malcolm|title=War, technology and society in the Middle East|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ip1tAAAAMAAJ|year=1975|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=195<!-- |quote=Even the derbendci reaya, appointed by a special charter to guard bridges and routes at dangerous points, were not allowed in principle to use arms other than the conventional ones. -->}}</ref> Since they were poorly motivated they could not match trained soldiers so since the end of the 17th century the government had to hire mercenaries (Christians or [[Muslims]]) to ensure loyalty of derbendcis.{{sfn|Uyar|Erickson|2009| p=62}} |
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Revision as of 08:15, 25 November 2014
| Derbendcis | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | Ottoman Empire |
| Type | auxiliary force |
| Role | constabulary |
| Part of | tabl of 30 men |
| Equipment | light weapon and fire guns |
| Military of the Ottoman Empire |
|---|
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Derbendcis were the most important and largest Ottoman military auxiliary constabulary units usually responsible for guarding important roads, bridges, fords or mountain passes.[1][2] Usually, the population of entire village near some important pass would be assigned with derbendci status in exchange for tax exemptions.
Etimology
The name is derived from a Persian word Dar-band meaning "pass", "gateway" or "closer of the door".[3][4]
History
The Ottomans had common practice to exempt some of their tax-paying subjects (rayah) from paying certain taxes in exchange for some services. In case of derbendcis this also included military services such as guarding mountain passes.[5] Usually the entire villages were assigned with this duty and exempted from paying war time taxes (Template:Lang-tr), customary taxes (Template:Lang-tr), service as oarsmen in the Ottoman navy and devşirme of their boys into janissaries.[1][6] In region of northern Macedonia at least 175 villages had derbendci status and enjoyed this kind of tax exemptions. Sometimes the Ottoman state "created" villages around derbend territories while in some cases existing villages applied to their kadı to receive such status in exchange for providing security, constructing or maintaining roads and bridges.[7] Newly settled population of such villages was not exempt from paying avariz taxes.[8]
Derbendci status was compulsory and hereditary. If some individual or group would escape from their duty, the Ottomans would forcefully return them. They were organized into simple structures of 30 men (tabl) whose members performed rotational duties. Initially they carried only light weapons and later also fire guns. Significant part of this units were Christians who were because of their duty allowed to ride horses and carry weapon,[9] but only of conventional type.[10] Since they were poorly motivated they could not match trained soldiers so since the end of the 17th century the government had to hire mercenaries (Christians or Muslims) to ensure loyalty of derbendcis.[2]
Their duty was to patrol the territory they were assigned to (derbend), similar to immobile gendarmerie.[11] Since the end of the 18th century derbedcis were organized within Derbendat Ministry (Template:Lang-tr) that appointed derbend aghas (Template:Lang-tr) whose post lasted one year.[12]
References
- ^ a b Ursinus 2012, p. 41.
- ^ a b Uyar & Erickson 2009, p. 62.
- ^ Tütüncü, Mehmet (2001). Türk-Yahudi Buluşmaları. SOTA. p. 38. ISBN 978-90-804409-4-4.
- ^ Jackson, A.B. Wiliams (1911). From Constantinople to the Home of Omar Khayyam. p. 61.
- ^ Pfeiffer, Judith; Quinn, Sholeh Alysia (2006). History and Historiography of Post-Mongol Central Asia and the Middle East: Studies in Honor of John E. Woods. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 116. ISBN 978-3-447-05278-8.
- ^ Faroqhi, Suraiya (1986). Peasants, dervishes and traders in the Ottoman Empire. Variorum Reprints. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-86078-179-0.
According to this document, the derbendci were equally exempt from all avanz-i divaniye and tekdlif-i orfiye, a privilege customarily enjoyed by pass guards throughout the Empire17); the exemption also covered service as oarsmen in the ...
- ^ Hall, Kenneth R. (2008). Secondary cities and urban networking in the Indian Ocean Realm, c. 1400-1800. Lexington Books. p. 275. ISBN 978-0-7391-2835-0.
- ^ MacKay, Camilla Martha (1999). The road networks and postal service of the eastern Roman and Byzantine Empires (first-fifteenth centuries AD): social effects on the provincial population. University of Michigan. p. 164.
- ^ Symposium, Comité international d'études pré-ottomanes et ottomanes. (2010). Perspectives on Ottoman studies: papers from the 18th Symposium of the International Committee of Pre-Ottoman and Ottoman Studies (CIEPO) at the University of Zagreb 2008. LIT Verlag Münster. p. 847. ISBN 978-3-643-10851-7.
- ^ Parry, Vernon J.; Yapp, Malcolm (1975). War, technology and society in the Middle East. Oxford University Press. p. 195.
- ^ Forsén, Jeannette; Forsén, Björn (2003). The Asea Valley Survey: An Arcadian Mountain Valley from the Palaeolithic Period Until Modern Times. Svenska Institutet i Athen. p. 372. ISBN 978-91-7916-047-0.
- ^ Vakfı, Türk Kültürüne Hizmet. Türk dünyası kültür atlası. Türk Kültürüne Hizmet Vakfı, Turkish Cultural Service Foundation. p. 46.
Sources
- Uyar, Mesut; Erickson, Edward J. (2009). A Military History of the Ottomans: From Osman to Atatürk. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-275-98876-0.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Ursinus, Michael (2012). Grievance Administration (Sikayet) in an Ottoman Province: The Kaymakam of Rumelia's 'Record Book of Complaints' of 1781-1783. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-24328-0.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)
Further reading
- Cengiz Orhonlu, Osmanlı imparatorluğunda Derbend Teşkilatı, 2nd Printing, (istanbul: Eren Yayınları, 1990)