Chapter Six. Patronage, intervention and violence in the legal process in eighteenth-century Salonica and its province

Abstract

This chapter explores the ability of external factors to intervene in the legal process as registered in the sicil of eighteenth-century Salonica, or even to be in a position to compete with official courts and to interfere with issued verdicts. As part of the general discussion on the power relations between the kadi’s court and the surrounding society, the author asks to what extent was the kadi directed in his decisions by local interventions, vested interests and even threats or direct violence? What role did the local community play in the legal arena? These questions lie at the center of the chapter. The chapter also conveys the significance of patronage relations as a key concept in understanding eighteenth-century Ottoman society, including its legal system and practice. Keywords: direct violence; eighteenth-century Salonica; kadi's court; law enforcement; legal process; patronage