Dervendjis
| Derbendcis | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | Ottoman Empire |
| Type | auxiliary force |
| Role | constabulary |
| Equipment | only conventional for Christian members |
Derbendcis were the most important and largest Ottoman military auxilary constabulary units usually responsible for guarding bridges, fords or mountain passes.[1][2] Usually, the population of entire village near some important pass would be assigned with derbendci status.
History
Very often entire villages were assigned with this duty and exempted from paying war time taxes (Template:Lang-tr).[1] 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.[3] Newly settled population of such villages was not exempt from paying avariz taxes.[4]
Significant part of this units were Christians who were because of their duty allowed to ride horses and carry weapon,[5] but only of conventional type.[6]
Their duty was to patrol the territory they were assigned to (derbend), similar to immobile gendarmerie.[7] 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.[8]
Etimology
The name is derived from a Persian word (Dar-band) meaning "pass", "gateway" or "closer of the door".[9][10]
References
- ^ a b Ursinus 2012, p. 41.
- ^ Uyar & Erickson 2009, p. 62.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
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)