Author(s): Sedad Bešlija / Language(s): Bosnian
Issue: 46/2017
In the 16th century, precisely to 1537, the Sanjak of Herzegovina carried the title of the borderland sanjak. With the formation of the Sanjak of Klis in 1537, followed by the Bosnia eyalet in 1580, the focus of military and political decision-making was shifted in the centre of the eyalet – in Banja Luka, although the Sanjak of Herzegovina and sanjak-bey retained their specifi c role in the Ottoman administration in the late 16th century and in the 17th century. From the beginning, a standard organisation of government had been set up in the Sanjak of Herzegovina as in other Ottoman provinces. The administrative organisation was somewhat specific due to the borderland character of sanjak, which was particularly significant in war circumstances. Although the borderland role of the 16th century Herzegovina sanjak-bey ceased to be prominent in the 17th century, the sanjak-beys retained their mobility and broad military, political, diplomatic and economic powers, which was particularly evident in peacetime. One of the specificities was the assignment of the Sanjak of Herzegovina into arpaluk, particularly until the early 17th century, not only to Bosnian beylerbeys but also to Bosnian defterdar and muhafiz, who received a certain salary supplement for the performance of these duties. In these situations, Herzegovina was governed by representatives (mutesellim) of Bosnian governers, i.e. defterdar and muhafiz. In relation to the position of the Bosnian beylerbey, the position of the Herzegovina sanjak-bey and neighbouring sanjak-beys was auxiliary. This was particularly prominent in military situations. An examination of the list of names of the Herzegovina sanjak-beys in the 17th century shows that the figures who were Herzegovina sanjak-beys had military and political experience and were quite familiar with situations at the borders. This is further corroborated by the fact that many Herzegovina sanjak-beys had previously performed the role of beylerbeys of Rumelia, Kanije, Ochakiv, Sivas, Varad, Bosnia and other eyalets
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