Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.21857/y54jof6w3m
The origin of Muslim nobility in Bosnia and Herzegovina: neglected aspects
Nenad Moačanin
; Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
In historiography, the importance of the ocaklık timars in Bosnia – Herzegovina as a key phenomenon in the emergence of the Muslim nobility has been usually either overemphasized as a proof of an autonomous status and ethnic identity, or belittled. Occasionally their existence was even denied. Yet the most important fact remains unnoticed, which is the broader context of clan and tribal formation in the whole of the Western Balkans, with Vlach and non-Vlach clans as protagonists (in Bosnia, the latter emerged as a fusion of Bosnians and newcomers which came in by the way of war and conquest). This process had started in some areas already before the contact with the Ottomans, while in others as late as the 17th century. In Bosnia, first the taxfree inheritable holdings of Vlach leaders, or their baştines, usually of small size, were simply proclaimed “timars”. This process was completed about 1530. Parallel to that, in many groups related by blood (ocak zadeleri) inheritance of sipahi grants according to the customary law became widespread, uninhibited by Ottoman authorities. In periods of crisis, imperial orders were issued where the locution “ocaklık timar” appears. The two types merged together to a large extent, soon to be joined by the third one, that is, the militia in fortresses, paid thru gedik or cash ocaklık. This brings the discussion closer to the better known institutions of hükümet, yurtluk and ocaklık on the eastern marches of the Ottoman Empire, which might have served as the model for the final goals of the Bosnial elite, as expressed in some pseudo – historical accounts, speaking of extraordinary merits and rights. In the mid – eighteen century, after a substantial degree of power was delegated by the Porte to the local elite, especially the kapudans, the new kind of the ruling caste, i. e., the ayans consolidated as the confederation of nobles, trying to preserve their status as long as possible. Yet the inheritability within the framework of the institution of the ayanlık itself never became fully established. During the Age of Reforms (Tanzimat) the political influence of the ayans was dismantled, while the very idea of nobility as a pledge of the next-to-independent condition survived, openig way to the more recent ideologization.
Ključne riječi
Bosnia – Herzegovina; Ottoman Empire; nobility; ocaklık timars; ayans
Hrčak ID:
193335
URI
Datum izdavanja:
6.5.2017.
Posjeta: 4.148 *