ÜRKÜNDAĞ, Ayhan Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi - Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü - Tarih Anabilim Dalı, Turkey

A Bandit from Uşak: Acemoğlu Ahmet

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Especially in the second half of the 18th Century, Ottoman State’s declining authority on provincial governence for several reasons led up to province elites’ such as Ayan (Localnotable), Voyvoda (Voivode) and Mütesellim gain domination. Some of these local governors’ broke the law by collecting high rate taxes and tyrannizing the people. Also, some of them rebelled by rejecting the state’s orders. Ottoman State defined those elite forces as “Eşkıya (bandit)” and sent forces to clear away them. One of those forces’ is Acemoğlu Ahmet who appeared in Uşak in the late end of 18th century. At first, He served as the state’s official deputy, but later the state declared him as bandit and sent military forces because of not obeying the state’s directions and tyrannizing Uşak people. Although he beat the military forces sent to him and troubled the central administration by the help of his local relations, he was beaten and murdered by another local elite force: Nasuhoğlu.

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Ottoman State , Bandit , Acemoglu Ahmet , Voivode , Uşak.

Afyon Kocatepe University Journal Of Social Sciences

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