CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2026
| Author | Kaygusuz, Utku |
|---|---|
| Title | At the Margins of Authority: Manifold Appearances of the Ehl-i Fesad Groups Within the 16th-Century Anatolian Social Fabric |
| Summary | The concept of fesâd (disorder) was a vital component of the Ottoman central administration’s imperial toolkit for managing internal politics. The concept was initially employed to regulate palace factionalism during the reign of Bayezid II, however its usage later expanded to marginalise and criminalise various groups emerging across Anatolia, as well as their associated networks, thereby excluding them from the imperial order. This study explores the evolution of the ehl-i fesâd concept in Ottoman administrative language by drawing mostly on the mühimme defterleri (state registers of important affairs), classified correspondence, and contemporary chronicles, focusing on palace factions, the territorial expansion under Selim I, and the rise of new sociopolitical and economic entities, the political “adversaries.” Throughout the sixteenth century, groups such as the levend, sekban, sûhte, celâlî, kızılbaş, and yevmlü are examined as key actors in the changing political landscape of Anatolia, with particular attention to their mobilisation during the uprising by Prince Bayezid (1559-1562). By reassessing these groups within the fesâd concept, this thesis challenges conventional interpretations of early Ottoman rebellions as mere uprisings or banditry, highlighting instead an evolutionary process that affected all layers of the empire. It further investigates the socio-political transformations driving this change and their impact on imperial governance. |
| Supervisor | Krstic, Tijana |
| Department | Historical Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2026/kaygusuz_utku.pdf |
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