Clothing habits and regulations in the Ottoman Empire (1703-1839)

Abstract

This thesis is an attempt to present the account of clothing habits and clotllliig regulations of the Ottoman Empire mainly in the eighteenth century as far as the primary sources allow. In the eighteenth century the speed of changes increased as far as the clothing habits of both Muslims and non-Muslims were concerned especially when compared to the relatively stable traditional forms in the previous centuries. These changes constituted the traces and preliminary steps towards the radical changes that occurred in the nineteenth century. In other words the eighteenth century showed itself to be a transition period in terms of the new clothing habits. In this thesis, Islamic sources have been examined in order to see how the issue of clothing is reflected in these sources. The clothing habits of both Nluslim and non- Muslim groups living in the capital of the Empire are presented together with an illustration of the situation in the provinces based on the account of Evliya Celebi. In the second chapter the focus is on the eighteenth century covering the period between 1703- 1829. The chapter analyzes both the clothing habits of the population and the clothing regulations. The reasons and developments that caused the changes in the clothing habits in the eighteenth century have also been presented accompanied by the reasons and the functions of the regulations. The thesis ends with a study on the punishments and precautions taken in order to deal with the undesired new changes in the traditional W<:lYS of outward appearance. In this thesis, the mam sources are pnmary sources. As official documents, Miihimm£ Defterleri and Hatt-ı Hümayuns from the Prime Ministry Archive and published sicils have been used. Besides, travelers' accounts and some visual evidences from costume albums and miniatures are other primary sources included in the thesis together with the secondary sources.