Mutasarrif

Mutasarrif, mutesarrif, mutasarriff, or mutesarriff (Ottoman Turkish: متصرّف, romanized: mutasarrıf, lit. 'plenipotentiary') was the title used in the Ottoman Empire and places like post-Ottoman Iraq for the governor of an administrative district in place of the usual sanjakbey.^[1][2] The Ottoman rank of mutasarrif was established as part of a 1864 reform, and its holder was appointed directly by the Sultan.^[3]

1895 map showing the Hüdavendigâr Eyalet, divided into Sanjaks, showing the separate Mutasarrifate of Biga and the Mutasarrifate of Izmit

The administrative district under his authority, the mutasarrifate (mutasarriflık),^{[clarification needed]} was officially called a sanjak (سنجاق) in Turkish or liwa (لواء) in Arabic and Persian.^[2][4] A mutasarrif was subordinate to a wali or governor-general of a province, while being of superior rank to a kaymakam.^[2][5]

Etymology

Ottoman Turkish mutasarrıf is derived from the Arabic mutaṣarrif, meaning provincial governor.^[6] Mutaṣarrif is the active participle of taṣarrafa, meaning "to act without restriction", "have the right of disposing (over somebody or something)".^[6]

History

This administrative unit was sometimes independent (e.g., Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate or Cyprus) and sometimes was part of a vilayet (province), administered by a vali, and contained nahiye (communes), each administered by a kaymakam.^[7] This rank was established in 1864 against the new Law of Villayets instead of rank of mutesellim which was abolished in 1842.^[8]

"This small political unit was governed by a non-Lebanese Ottoman Christian subject and given the protection of European powers. The religious communities of the district were represented by a council that dealt directly with the governor. This system provided peace and prosperity until its abolition."^[9]

The mutassarifates of the Ottoman Empire included:

• Mutasarrifate of Mount Lebanon (formed 1861)
• Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem (formed 1872)
• Mutasarrifate of Karak (formed 1894/5)^[10]
• Mutasarrifate of Izmit

See also

• Mutesellim
• State organization of the Ottoman Empire
• Subdivisions of the Ottoman Empire

References

1. Mutesarrif. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
2. "Mutesarrif". Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon (in German) (6th ed.). 1905–1909. Retrieved 11 February 2022 – via de-academic.com.
3. Krikorian, Mesrob K. (2018). Armenians in the Service of the Ottoman Empire: 1860-1908. Routledge. p. 24. ISBN 978-1351031288. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
4. Meyers (1905–1909), Liwâ.
5. Meyers (1905–1909), Kaimakam.
6. lexico.com, mutasarrif. Accessed 11 Feb 2022.
7. Üngör, Uğur Ü. (June 2005). A Reign of Terror, Master's thesis, University of Amsterdam, p. 21. Archived 2006-11-28 at the Wayback Machine.
8. Benedict, Peter (1974). Ula: An Anatolian Town. p. 85.
9. A History of the modern middle east Cleveland and Buntin p.84
10. Rogan, E.L. Frontiers of the State in the Late Ottoman Empire: Transjordan, 1850-1921. Cambridge University Press. p55.

External links

• Turkish explanation of the term