An Ottoman Imperial City in Transition: Transformation of Urban Governance in Edirne (18th -19th Centuries)

Modern historiography has a consensus over Edirne’s well-established socio-spatial and political position that reached its peak during the late seventeenth early eighteenth centuries. In this period, city gained de facto capital status as consecutive Ottoman sultans permanently resided in Edirne. While physical presence of imperial institutions Edirne brought about spatial demographic stability to until century, witnessed major transformations through new implementations throughout nineteenth century. Furthermore, reforms proportional participation dwellers city’s governance, including non-Muslims. Based on archival sources Muslim court registers Edirne, present paper investigates how century transformed “imperial city” vis-à-vis urban governance. The suggests was not same governed more autonomous way anymore. However, while centralization efforts meant military, administrative financial responsibilities administration provinces were converged, now provincial center, maintained Tanzimat era when participatory system ethno-religiously diverse formed.