The Institution of “Vigla” in the Aegean Islands during the Ottoman Period

Öz

The term “vigla”, which appears in the Ottoman archival documents, is argued to be an institution existing in the Balkans before the Ottoman period. One must consider “vigla/vigli” as a pioneer of the derbendci institution which was a partly peasant and partly military institution and oversaw the functions of observation, control and defence in Anatolia and the Balkans, serving in the mountainous and cliffy regions, streams and shores. Ottoman kanunnames (law codes) and tahrir registers (land surveys) reveal that in the Aegean Islands, the “vigla/vigli” organization prevailed as opposed to the derbend institution. In the present study, the aim is to detect the settlements on the Aegean within the context of the “vigla/vigil” organization. The organization will be evaluated and exemplified in accordance with the Ottoman archival material. Furthermore, the similarities of the organization with the derbend institution will be stated and compared.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Vigla,derbend,tahrir,Ege Adaları,paramlitary,tahrir,Ege Adaları

The Institution of “Vigla” in the Aegean Islands during the Ottoman Period

Öz

The term “vigla”, which appears in the Ottoman archival documents, is argued to be an institution existing in the Balkans before the Ottoman period. One must consider “vigla/vigli” as a pioneer of the derbendci institution which was a partly peasant and partly military institution and oversaw the functions of observation, control and defence in Anatolia and the Balkans, serving in the mountainous and cliffy regions, streams and shores. Ottoman kanunnames (law codes) and tahrir registers (land surveys) reveal that in the Aegean Islands, the “vigla/vigli” organization prevailed as opposed to the derbend institution. In the present study, the aim is to detect the settlements on the Aegean within the context of the “vigla/vigil” organization. The organization will be evaluated and exemplified in accordance with the Ottoman archival material. Furthermore, the similarities of the organization with the derbend institution will be stated and compared.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Vigla,derbend,paramilitary,tahrir,Aegean Islands

Kaynakça

1. Akgündüz 1992 Ahmed Akgündüz, Osmanlı Kanunnâmeleri ve Hukukî Tahlilleri, c. 5, İstanbul.
2. Alexander 1985 John Christos Alexander, Toward a History of Post- Byzantine Greece: The Ottoman Kanunnames for the Greek Lands, circa 1500- circa 1600, Athens.
3. Barkan 1943 Ömer Lütfi Barkan, XV ve XVI. Asırlarda Osmanlı İmparatorluğuda Zirai Ekonominin Hukukî ve Malî Esasları, c. I (Kanunlar), İstanbul.
4. Bury 1911 J. B. Bury, The Imperial Administrative System of the Ninth Century - With a Revised Text of the Kletorologion of Philotheos, London.