Urban Settlement and Demography in the Ottoman City
In this study an attempt is made to evaluate the bulk of the previous research about the urban settlement and demography in the Ottoman lands. First we have touched upon the debate on the concept of the “Ottoman city”. Our evaluation is also based on a periodisation regarding Ottoman history. We have tried to discern the common and different aspects of the scholarly studies dealing with urban history on the basis of historical sources and architectural works. We have dwelt upon the source material and methodology used in the research, the ways in which researchers treated settlement and population as well as the results they reached. Particular emphasis is put on the works dealing with the urban integrity, changes in urban development with a medium and long term approach. We have tried to demonstrate, by evaluating some rare examples among the previous research, the possible contributions that could be made to Ottoman urban history through an interdisciplinary approach.
YUNUS KOÇ
