History of identification in the Ottoman lands: From the security of the person to the security of the state: Implementation of Mürur Tezkeresi in the nineteenth century

Abstract

The subject of this study is the analysis of the implementations about the control of mobility within the Ottoman lands with regard to the discussions and theories about state formation and similar practices in the world and in the history of the Ottoman Empire. In this thesis, I focus on the implementation of mürur tezkeresi/travel permit, which was sort of an internal passport and which was stated to be compulsory for traveling within the Ottoman lands throughout the nineteenth century. Based on my investigations in the archival documents including general regulations and specific orders, and considering the literature on the issue, it is understood that, the implementation was not successful in preventing the migrations or controlling every step of the subjects. This fact made me question the mentality behind these implementations which lasted during a whole century. I was inspired by the arguments about identification practices in different places in the world, especially in Europe, through different tools one of which is the control of mobility via passports and internal passports. Also theories about the new regulations in the Ottoman lands after Tanzimat edict fostered my inquiry. Firstly, I try to show the background of the implementations about control of mobility in the Ottoman lands and discuss the mentality and motivation behind these. I continue with the theoretical and informational discussions about identification practices and mobility control in the European context. In addition to the literature review about the control of mobility in the Ottoman lands and in different contexts, dealing with the Ottoman reform arguments focusing mostly on the Tanzimat period and presenting two examples of approaching reform from the history of Egypt has provided me with a springboard to accurately approach the mentality behind the application of internal travel permits in the nineteenth century Ottoman lands. By means of these investigations, this study offers a re-evaluation of the implementation of control of movement to see the transformation of the mentality through a social historical reading of the period and to have an access to the minds of rulers in the nineteenth century Ottoman state.