Türkiye Military Records

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Military Records

Personnel Dossiers and Pension Records of the Ottoman Empire

These records are personnel files of Ottoman military personnel and bureaucrats. From the early 1800s the Ottoman Empire undertook programs of modernization which initially emphasized military reforms but which also eventually affected the governmental administration. Bureaucracies were expanded and reorganized. The need to pay, promote, and give retirement benefits to large numbers of civil employees and soldiers obliged the government to keep detailed personnel records.

Records are generally available for 1800-1923. They contain names of soldiers and civil employees; ages; birth date; birthplace; service information including promotions, etc; dependents’ names and details about them. There is no specific archive where they may be found. Perhaps less than 15% of the population may be recorded. Records may be in provincial (sancak) administrative offices. They may also be in the National Archives (Başbakanlık Osmanlı Arşivi), also referred to as the Prime Ministry Archives, the Sulaymaniye Library in Istanbul, or in an archive in Ankara.

Military Head Tax Register (Cizye Defter)

Records are a register of those who paid the military head tax (cizye). This tax was levied on all non-Muslims in place of military service. It is not possible to determine specific information about these records without on-site investigation. Records exist from 1551-1840. They provide an early listing of names and probably age and residence of a significant portion of the male population; may provide some lineage linking information if sons are listed with fathers.

These records list cizye payers with accompanying documents and receipts. The lists may include a comprehensive listing of Christian and Jewish males throughout the Ottoman Empire; probably providing ages and residences. There are apparently 418 volumes (the source of this number is unknown). Records cover only about five to six percent of the total population, and apparently includes only non-Muslims. Because this is a record of taxation there may be a portion of the non-Muslim population who evaded registration. Records are deposited with the National Archives (Başbakanlık Osmanlı Arşivi) in Istanbul; also referred to as the Prime Ministry Archives.