The State Archives of Türkiye have a rich history extends beyond the scope of this introduction. The Ottoman Archives within the State Archives are divided into “Defter”, or Book, sections. The two basic ones (before the Tanzimat period, aka reform period, in the early 19th century) are Divan-ı Hümâyûn Defterleri, which record political and judicial matters, and the Bâb-ı Defterî Defterleri which are more concerned about fiscal records.

The Divan-ı Hümâyûn Defterleri are further divided into the following:

Mühimme Defterleri: These are the records of the Divan on discussions and decisions regarding important domestic and international socio-political and economic issues. Following a chronological order, the Mühimme Defterleri record the firmans, decrees and court decisions, and are thereby copies of them.

Şikayet Defterleri: Firmans, court decisions and charters that were of personal value recorded in the Mühimme Defterleri were recorded separately Şikayet Defterleri from 1649 onwards.

Ahkâm Defterleri: Records of Firmans. These records are labelled and grouped according to the principalities of the Ottoman Empire.

Düvel-i Ecnebiye Defterleri: Records international treaties, ahdnames, protocols, and writings about foreign envoys.

Defters about Non-Muslim Congregations: Various defters on non-Muslim congregations (Christians, Jews, and others).

Hadariye Defterleri: Records taxation in peace and war times.

İzn-i Sefîne Defterleri: Records permissions granted to foreign ships for sea travel through the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus.

Kalebend, Nefy ve Kısas Defterleri: Records prisoners at castles.

Kanunnâme-i Askerî Defterleri: Records decrees about military institutions.

Kırım Hanlığı Defteri: Records pertaining to Crimea  

Nâme-i Hümâyûn Defterleri: Records diplomatic correspondences that were both sent and received.

Şehbenderlik Defterleri: Records of Ottoman consuls abroad.

Tevziât, Zehâir, Esnaf ve İhtisâb Defterleri: Records yearly taxations which were collected twice a year.

I hope that this very brief introductory blog will help early-career researchers who might struggle to find their paths in the real or digital shelves of the Ottoman Archives.

Selected Bibliography

Binark, İsmet. “Türk Devlet Arşivi Ve Devlet Arşiv Listesi.” Türk Kütüphaneciliği 26.2 (1977): 74-82.

Genç, Yusuf İhsan, et al. Başbakanlık Osmanlı Arşivi Rehberi. İstanbul: Başbakanlık Basımevi, 2010.

Özel, Oktay. “Osmanlı Demografi Tarihi ve Osmanlı Arşivleri.” Uluslararası Türk Arşivleri Sempozyumu, 17-19 Kasım 2005 İstanbul (2006): 52-63.

Reychman, Jan, and Ananiasz Zajaczkowski, eds. Handbook of Ottoman-Turkish Diplomatics. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1968.