Sivas Sancağının Sürgün Müftüleri

Abstract

The 19th century is a period involving a process occurred in Anatolia adumbrating dissolution of Ottoman by becoming distanced from its classical line not only with its institutions but also with human factor. Ottoman Empirethat was caught in a weaker position against the threats inside and outside, was struggling with extremism of rulers, tyrants, bureaucrats and reaya (rayah) inside, and with Tsarist Russia, shahs of Iran and Balkan nations outside like a weak body that is open to attacks. In this chaos, while the physical dimension of the society being the dynamic part of the empire has come to an end, the spiritual values making it survive with moral values have been transferred to ulema (scholars). As one of the most important cities of Anatolia and the centre of Eyalet-i Rum, Sanjak of Sivas was one of the places which embodied the effects of firesoccurred around it.It was seen that many muftis who normally had to take charge in calming the attempts, the uprisings and discontents in city centres in this century and in ending the rebellion, participated in these social movements, even took the lead in them. Many muftis have been exiled to the Sanjak of Sivas that is famous with strong castles, due to ordinary offences or offenses related to their professions, in addition to such political offences. The exile was the most preferred punishment method and seen as an alternative punishment for ulema (scholars) for whom death sentence and prohibition from politics were not imposed because of the favour shown to the scholars by the Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile most of the muftis who wereexiled by the rulers for a variety of reasons passed through Sivas. While trying to examine the reasons for the exile of Muftisto Sivas, the exile of Muftis from the Sanjak of Sivas was also included in the study.