The Process of Sedentarization of Semi-nomadic Groups of theYörüks in Parts of 16th Century Ottoman Rumeli – Migration Control or Tax Control?

Abstract

The present article is an attempt to reveal the process of adaption of the colonized Muslim population in ottoman Rumeli – modern Eastern Upper Thrace, where the majority of the migrated population were the semi-nomadic groups of the yörüks. After the establishment of new settlement network in the region at the end of the 15th and first half of the 16th centuries, the huge pasturelands and swamps were converted to regular exploitations under the çift-hane system by the semi-nomadic groups. Last led to the sedentarizaion of some of the yörüks and changes in the settlement network. A role in the process played the ottoman state by implementing special tax policy toward the yörük taxpayers.

Keywords

• yörüks,sedentarization,Ottoman Empire,16th Century

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