Abstract
Başak Tuğ’s Honor Politics in 18th Century Ottoman Anatolia – Chastity, Violence, and Law examines the legal regulation and judicial processes of sexual crimes in the Ottoman Empire. Utilizing sources such as court records, Ahkâm Registers, and petitions, the book explores how adultery and other sexual offenses were punished. Emphasizing that Ottoman law was shaped not only by Islamic jurisprudence but also by political and social compromises, the study is divided into five chapters. The first chapter discusses the legal and political structure of the Ottoman Empire, while the second focuses on the role of petitions in the justice system. The third chapter delves into banditry, sexual violence, and chastity, whereas the fourth examines how sexual crimes were defined in court. The final chapter evaluates how crimes were punished in kadı registers and how fatwa collections interpreted sexual offenses. The author analyzes the prosecution of sexual crimes within social and political contexts, highlighting the evolving nature of law and the authority of judges. However, a key criticism is that the author did not translate the book into Turkish herself, which some argue affects its readability and connection with Turkish readers.
Keywords
Namus Siyaseti: 18. Yüzyıl Osmanlı Anadolusu’nda Irz, Şiddet, Hukuk, Başak Tuğ (Çev. Gülbin Akkun, İletişim Yayınları, 2023)
Abstract
Başak Tuğ, Osmanlı’nın merkezî hükümetleri ile yerel kadı mahkemeleri arasındaki hukuki ilişkileri inceleyerek, 18. yüzyıl Osmanlı toplumunda cinsel suçların nasıl denetlendiğini araştırmaktadır. Çalışma, kadı sicilleri, ahkâm defterleri ve arzuhaller gibi kaynaklar kullanarak, bu belgelerin tarihsel, toplumsal ve hukuki açıdan nasıl şekillendirildiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Kitabın ana konusu, meşru ve gayrimeşru cinsel ilişkilerin düzenlenmesi etrafında şekillenmektedir. Kitapta, kanunnameler ve yerel hukuk kayıtları incelenerek Osmanlı hukukunda had ve tâ’zir cezalarının uygulanmasına dikkat çekilmektedir. Ayrıca, kitapta İslam hukukunun zorunlu delil kuralları çerçevesinde zina ile cinsel suçlar arasındaki ilişkilerde belirsizliklerin bulunduğu belirtilmektedir. Bu bağlamda, I. Süleyman’ın 16. yüzyılda çıkardığı ceza kanunnamesiyle genişletilen suç tanımlarının mevcut mahkemelere yansıması ele alınmaktadır.
Details
| Primary Language | Turkish |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Early Modern Ottoman History |
| Journal Section | Book Review |
| Authors | |
| Early Pub Date | July 8, 2025 |
| Publication Date | June 30, 2025 |
| Submission Date | February 5, 2025 |
| Acceptance Date | April 29, 2025 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2025 Issue: 20 |
Cite
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