Research Article

From Janissaries to Leaders: The Continuing History of the Kuloghlis in Libya

Number: 23 December 15, 2024
TR EN

From Janissaries to Leaders: The Continuing History of the Kuloghlis in Libya

Abstract

This article explores the nuanced presence of a distinct Turkish lineage known as the Kuloghlis in the Maghreb region, focusing primarily on Libya. While examining their historical influence on shaping the Ottoman Empire in the region, the article argues that their connection to the Turkish Republic today and their impact on the socio-political landscape persist. Originating from intermarriages between Turkish Janissaries and local women, the Kuloghlis played a crucial role in facilitating Ottoman influence in the Maghreb from the 16th century onward. While their importance waned during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamit II, they maintained ties with Türkiye and experienced a resurgence in prominence after Libya gained independence. Despite the gradually improving literature, scholarly focus lacks in examining the enduring significance of the Kuloghlis, particularly in Libyan politics. Through document analysis and literature review, it illuminates their integral role in Ottoman history and their ongoing relevance in post-independence Libya, where many influential figures can trace their ancestry to this distinctive group.

Keywords

References

  1. Presidential Ottoman Archives
  2. BOA. “Cevdet Eyalat-ı Mümtaze n. 573, N 1171,” 1816.
  3. BOA. “Y.EE 122/03,” 1892; BOA. “Y.MTV.166/36,” 1893.
  4. BOA. “Y.PRK. ASK.176/95,” 1901.; BOA. “Y.PRK. UM.41/22,” 1901; BOA. “YPRK.BŞK.25/43,” 1892.
  5. Books & Articles and other References
  6. Aydın, Cemil. “İmparatorluk ve Hilafet Vizyonları Arasında Osmanlı’nın Panislâmist İmajı, 1839-1924,” 47–69. İstanbul: Türkıye’de İslâmcılık Düşüncesi ve Hareketi Sempozyum Tebliğleri, 2013.
  7. Bachrouch, Taoufik. Fomuıtion Sociale Barbaresque et Pouvoir a Tunis Au XVI/e Siecle. Tunisia: Camiatü’t-Tunusiyye, 1977.
  8. Bolat, Barış. “Osmanlı İtalyan Harbi’nde (1911-1912) Çanakkaleye Asker İhracına Karşı Alınan Savunma Tedbirleri (Defensive Measures Taken Against the Export of Soldiers to Çanakkale in the Ottoman-Italian War (1911-1912)).” AVRASYA International Research Journal 10, no. 32 (2022): 271–93.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Ottoman Society , History of Specific Fields (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

December 1, 2024

Publication Date

December 15, 2024

Submission Date

March 30, 2024

Acceptance Date

June 5, 2024

Published in Issue

Year 2024 Number: 23

Chicago
Kaya, Yakup, and Merve Gönlühoş Elmas. 2024. “From Janissaries to Leaders: The Continuing History of the Kuloghlis in Libya”. Osmanlı Medeniyeti Araştırmaları Dergisi, nos. 23: 38-56. https://doi.org/10.21021/osmed.1461636.

Indexes

SCOPUS, TÜBİTAK/ULAKBİM TR DİZİN [SBVT]

INDEX COPERNİCUS [ICI], ISAM, SOBIAD and Scilit.


by.png

Unless otherwise stated, the articles published in our magazine are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. All authors and translators who submit texts for publication in the journal are expected to be the sole copyright holders of the submitted text or to have obtained the necessary permissions. By submitting texts to the journal, authors and translators implicitly accept that these texts will be licensed under CC BY 4.0 unless explicitly stated otherwise to the editors at the outset.