Diyarbekir Eyalet


The Eyalet of Diyarbekir was an eyalet of the Ottoman Empire. Its reported area in the 19th century was, slightly larger than the original Abbasid province in Jazira. In 1846 it was succeeded by the Kurdistan Eyalet.

Government

The 17th-century traveller Evliya Çelebi reported this on the organization of the eyalet: "In this province there are nineteen sanjaks and five hakumets eight were at the time of the conquest conferred on Kurdish begs with the patent of family inheritance for ever. Like other sanjaks they are divided into ziamets and timars, the possessors of which are obliged to serve in the field; but if they do not, the ziamet or timar may be transferred to a son or relation, but not to a stranger.
The hakumets have neither ziamets nor timars. Their governors exercise full authority, and receive not only the land revenues, but also all the other taxes which in the sanjaks are paid to the possessor of the ziamet or timar, such as the taxes for pasturage, marriages, horses, vineyards, and orchards.
The officers of the divan of Diarbeker are the defterdar of the treasury with a ruz-namji ; a defterdar of the feudal forces an inspector, and a lieutenant kehiya of the defter, and another for the chavushes; a secretary, a colonel, and a lieutenant colonel of the militia".

History

After Reşid Mehmet Pasha assumed as Wāli in 1834, he led military campaigns against the local Kurdish tribes Garzan, Bedir Khan and Milli and the Yazidi in Sincar. In 1835 he subdued the Milli tribe in Mardin. In 1836, he defeated the ruler from the Emirate of Soran. After his death in 1836, his successor was Hafiz Mehmet Pasha who continued to subdue the Kurdish tribes and the Yazidi in Sincar.

Administrative divisions