"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد I. ١٩١٨" [‎١‎٣‎٧] (٥٦٨/١٤٦)

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ADMINISTEATION 137
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tl.o P f - iT ei e h e recognized channels of communication with
Forte m all matters affecting their communities gave them
a position of considerable influence and prestige. Foreign Christians
had an analogous position. In virtue of the Capitulations they
were subject in common-law cases to the jurisdiction of their own
consuls embassies, but were not allowed to hold real property.
From 1453 to the beginning of the nineteenth century the Turkish
btate was a loosely jointed structure. The Turk's ideal was to live
on his conquests and conquered, and his organization was purelv one
adapted to the needs of war against the infidel.
Su 1 1 ^ a ^" CaIl P| 1 delegated most of his religious authoritv to the
bneikh el-Islam, who appointed the religious functionaries" in the
provinces and supervised all matters appertaining to Islam. The
Ottoman Sultan similarly transferred a certain meed of his temporal
to . . G ™ nd VlZ!er ? through whom all the high officers
btate, both in the capital and in the provinces, were nominated,
ine Empire was divided into immense provinces called
m presided over by a Pasha of Three Tails, e .g. the Pasha of Begade
, H i was viceroy of all Turkey in Europe south of the Danube ; the Pasha
of Erzevnm ruled all Kurdistan and Armenia ; the Pasha of Baghdad
exercised authority over the Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra re|ions ;
. t while the Pasha of Damascus controlled all Syria. When Eussia's
dW wars for the liberation of 'her Orthodox Christian brethren' from
mopU their yoke as rayahs resulted in the shrinkage of the Ottoman
■ rs mpire, the necessity of internal change on the lines of a more closelv
gostutiif Knit system was felt. The Janissaries and the feudal chiefs were
it te, removed by massacre and a regular army established with a Minister
f. VVar - T he eyalets were abolished and replaced by the smaller
divisions called vilayets, governed by a vali, with an accountant-
'tM g ener al [defterdar) for finance, a secretary-general repre-
losPiirf tentative of the Public Works, Public Instruction, and other
^Ijii departments in the capital. The vali was further assisted by an
( 011 Administrative Council (Idare Mej Each vilayet was divided
)nle j # into two or three sanjaqs, administered by a lieutenant-governor
^{nmtessanf) appointed by Imperial decree. The sanjaq had a finance
o ; tl f l er (muhassebeji), a secretary [tah and representatives
ttiit ot the various ministries, with also an as in a vilayet.
^ |Each sanjaq was subdivided into from three to six teas, each
i administered by a sub-governor called appointed bv the
-Government, while the kaza was further subdivided into three or
iour naMyes presided over by a mudir. In each qarlmh, or village
there was a muMitar, or headman. J
These and other similar changes were effected during the first half
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