Value and importance of “Muhimme Defter-i”

Abstract

Ottoman registers, called “Muhimme Defteri”, are registers or leaf-lets that interlock the problems of the military sector in the Ottoman State, the operating of the system and the state affairs in various sectors. These are the most influential registers in the state leadership of the Ottoman Empire.
These documents contain important knowledge about the neighboring states of the Empire as: the neighboring European countries, North Africa, Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, the Caucasus countries and Russia.
For the history of these countries, these documents represent a major priority. These documents also include the issues of non-Muslims who were under Ottoman rule, the rights of the oppressed, the organization of policy that included the security of socio-economic needs, the freedom of performing the religious rituals, free exercise of religious rights, building religious and worshipping places, etc.. In a word, these are the main points, which we meet throughout these registers.
The number of leaflets of Muhimme Registers is large. They contained in majority military Divan – the chronology of the military problems and organizations, military services during the history and other logistical services, services that in the historical records are taken as sources of first instance.
In the State Archives of Turkey, near the Prime Ministry, these registers are listed in the catalogue with 989 numbers.
These registers were usually completed in the State Council of the Sultan. These registers include the time from the mid of 16th century and the beginning of the 20th century, i.e. a period of 350 years, with important historical occurrences and events. We can say that these registers represent a great cultural and historical wealth, which can not be met anywhere east or west.
Muhimme-registers contain also the history of the Near and Middle East, of Balkan countries and they are kept original up to now. This proves again the high education and care of the Turkish state and it is a proof that it was a successful global superpower.
It is well known that the values of some people are saved only when there were protected and registered their historical past.
In the State Archives of Kosovo there are summarized a number of documents belonging to the years 1556-1600.
So, we have documents of different years, but the majority of them belong to the years 950 - 1000 Hijri.
This is also another argument that these documents were the most prevalent, when the Ottoman Empire was in the highest prosperity.