Mukhtar Elections in the Process of Modernisation of Ottoman Urban Administration

Abstract

In order to control the neighborhood and village settlements in the Ottoman Empire, during the reign of Mahmud II, the mukhtar (the local headman) organization was established. With the establishment of the organization, the municipal and administrative powers of imams and kadis were limited within a certain framework; It is aimed to further strengthen the central authority in the administrative field and to fill the management and public order gap created after the newly abolished janissary corps. In 1829, the first mukhtar election was condacted in the neighborhoods of Bilad-ı Selase (three towns: Galata, Üsküdar and Eyüp) in Istanbul. Although the headmanship was first practiced in the capital city of Istanbul, it soon became widespread in the provinces as well.

In this article, firstly, the neighborhood management throughout history was emphasized. Secondly, the establishment of the mukhtar organization was mentioned. Thirdly, the change and transformation of the organization until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire was clarified. The article also focuses on the specific conditions of mukhtar elections, the qualifications sought in mukhtar candidates and the duties expected from them. The main purpose of the article is to determine the place of the local headman, in the Ottoman history. which has come to the fore again recently. The sources of the study are archival materials, the code of law and published research works on the local headman organization.