Role of Nomads in Meat Supply and Transportation in the Ottoman Campaigns of Murat IV Period
Süleyman PolatAs it is known, one of the main factors, which facilitated the establishment of the Ottoman Empire, was the contribution of nomadic Turkmens. These nomadic Turkmens were influential in the formation of the Ottoman State with their support in military conflicts as well as their dynamism in the foundation phase of the new state. However, the role of nomadic groups in the military field changed with the completion of the foundation process and development of central, provincial and military organisation. Although the nomads lost their central role in war, contrary to the earlier periods of the Ottoman State, their role in the Ottoman wars in later periods transformed and continued. This study discusses the changing role of nomads in wars as part of the military activities of the Ottomans depending on the formation of a centralist structure and development of state organisation, with examples from the 17th century. It indicates the real obligations of nomads in wars as part of their new status in the military organisation, with their transformation from a people who provided support to principality forces to subjects who engaged in production and paid tax over time. In the campaign examples examined within this scope, this study also discusses the in-kind taxes levied on nomads and their contribution to the subsistence of the army in terms of purchasing sheep from these communities. In addition, this study examines the methods by means of which animals were obtained from nomadic communities to be used in military transportation duties. The extent to which nomads fulfilled their obligations in this whole process constitutes another focus of the study.
IV. Murat Dönemi Osmanlı Seferlerinde Konar Göçerlerin Et Temini ve Taşımacılık Hususundaki Rolleri
Süleyman PolatBilindiği üzere Osmanlı Devleti’nin kuruluşunu sağlayan en temel etkenlerden birisi konar-göçer Türkmenlerin sağladığı katkıydı. Nitekim konar-göçer Türkmenler Osmanlı Devleti’nin kuruluş aşamasında sağladıkları dinamizmin yanında, askerî çatışmalara verdikleri destek ile de yeni devletin oluşumunda etkili olmuştu. Ancak devletin kuruluş sürecinin tamamlanması, merkez, taşra ve askerî teşkilatının gelişmesiyle beraber konar-göçer grupların askerî sahada üstlendikleri rol de değişmişti. Osmanlı Devleti’nin ilk zamanlarındaki durumunun aksine konar-göçerler savaşın merkezindeki rollerini kaybetmişse de ilerleyen dönemlerdeki Osmanlı savaşlarında üstlendikleri rolleri değişerek devam etmişti. Bu çalışmada merkeziyetçi yapının oluşup devlet teşkilatının gelişmesine bağlı olarak, XVII. yüzyıldaki örnekler dâhilinde Osmanlı Devleti’nin askerî faaliyetleri içerisinde konar-göçerlerin savaşlardaki değişen rolü ele alınmaktadır. Buna göre konar-göçerlerin beyliğin kuruluş sürecinde verdikleri askerî destekten, zaman içerisinde üretim yapan ve vergilerini ödeyen tebaaya dönüşmeleriyle birlikte, savaşlarda üstlendikleri aynî yükümlülüklere yer verilmiştir. Bu kapsamda incelenen sefer örneklerinde, konar-göçerlere tarh edilen aynî vegiler ve bu cemaatlerden yapılan koyun satın alımlarıyla ordunun iaşe meselesine sağladıkları katkıdan bahsedilmiştir. Yine ordunun taşıma işinde kullanılmak amacıyla konar-göçer cemaatlerden hangi yöntemlerle, ne şekilde yük hayvanlarının temin edildiği incelenmiştir. Tüm bu süreçte konargöçerlerin yükümlülüklerini hangi ölçüde yerine getirdiği çalışmanın bir diğer odak noktasını oluşturmuştur.
The Ottoman Empire conducted its military activities, particularly during the course of foundation of the Beylic, with the forces provided by the nomadic Turkmen groups. However, formation of a state organisation upon expansion of the borders also led to a change in military structure. Sultan’s household soldiers at the headquarters and the soldiers deployed under the manorial system within provincial organisation changed the role of nomadic communities in wars, as well. The nomads, who had once been groups fighting in the frontlines in the wars, turned into citizens who produced, paid tax and undertook the tasks assigned to them during the time of war. Under these new conditions, the role of nomads during Ottoman wars was to contribute through the animals they raised and provide service. This service involved satisfying the need for meat of the army with the sheep they fed, and providing logistics support by selling their camels or transporting the loads of the army.
One of the basic principles of the Ottoman campaign organisations was, as far as possible, to supply the food and other ammunition required by the army from the people in and around the expedited region. Accordingly, considering the living areas of the nomadic communities like Bozulus, Danişmendlü, Türkmen-i Halep and Yeni-il during the second half of the XVI century and the first half of the XVII century, the roles played by the said groups multiplied during the campaigns of the Ottoman Empire towards the east. Particularly, during the periods when the battle between the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Dynasty arose, such as in the era of Murat IV, demands from the nomadic rayah in the region increased. During the era of Murat IV, the Campaign of Hüsrev Paşa to Baghdad, the Revan Campaign participated in by the Sultan in person and the Baghdad Campaign in 1638, were good examples to observe contributions of the nomadic communities to Ottoman campaigns. Thus, this study focused on the contribution of nomads to the campaigns towards the east during the era of Murat IV.
One of the most important items of food for the Ottoman Campaign organisations was meat. It was the most critical product in terms of the supplying process as it was required to be supplied fresh and consumed before spoilage within the time frame of the conditions. In the Ottoman Empire, the need for meat was substantially satisfied by means of the sheep raised by the nomads. This was the case during organisation of the campaigns, as well. The sheep required for the meat needs of the soldiers was supplied through the extraordinary taxes and purchases, which had been rendered a liability. Within the frame of the campaigns mentioned in the details of the study, how much meat was supplied from which nomadic community was demonstrated with examples of documents. Moreover, how much of the quantity of sheep demanded from the nomads during the Revan and Baghdad campaigns was also collected. In doing so, it was aimed to find out which nomad, by name, fulfilled his liability to what extent. In addition, it was also aimed to determine the setbacks and question the reasons hereof.
Transportation in Ottoman campaign organisations during the early modern period was largely performed by means of camels. The direction of the campaigns, east, west, north or south, had not changed this. Thus, the leading camel producers within the Ottoman society were the nomads. Naturally, the first group to consult for supplying camels during campaign organisations was the nomadic people. The camels were supplied by the nomads in two ways. The first one was supplying camels by demanding the avarız, an extraordinary tax, in kind. The other one was, as in the supply of sheep, purchasing the camels in exchange for a set price. In this study, by which methods and in what quantities camels were demanded from the nomadic people during the Revan and Baghdad campaigns were put forward. Furthermore, to what extent those demands were satisfied by the related people was determined. In addition, the tasks regarding logistics support to the army undertaken by the nomadic groups were examined. In the light of the campaigns examined accordingly, the distances along which the military ammunition were transported and the price paid in consideration were found. Moreover, data relating to the financing of the said transportation were given. Finally, all these data obtained from the archives were subjected to a general evaluation in the assessment part of the study.
