Osmanlı Rum Vilayetinde Yerleşim Düzeninde Değişimler (Alaca, Mecitözü ve Almus Örneklerinde Bir Tarihsel Coğrafya Araştırması 1455-1839)

Abstract

The Central North Anatolian basin was a region Turkmens were grouped, taking part in the second-generation border line in the conquest of Anatolia and playing an active role in the establishment of the empire. Also, it is known that the Celali rebellions, which had many aspects with the Ottoman-Safavid conflict based on political and creed, were effective in this region in the XVIth century. In this respect, it is important to examine the past of the districts that are named Alaca, Mecitözü and Almus located in this basin. Alaca was an important settlement area belonging to the Hittites, who established the first civilization in Anatolia. This place was subject to Ottoman population and settlement activities centuries later due to its suitable properties. In this respect, it is a vibrant geography where settled by mobile nomadic tribes come to the fore in the first period. Mecitözü, which provides the link of by-road connection between Sivas, Tokat and Samsun was a dimmer field in the XVth century. Kafirni (Almus), at the center of the road connecting Tokat and Sivas, is a region where the Byzantine-Ottoman conflict lasted long and Muslim-non-Muslim presence came to the fore. A significant increase was observed in the number of residential areas in all three regions at the end of the XVIth century. In these regions, the period from the XVIIth century to the XVIIIth century, which is a sign of crisis and transformation, experienced a faint and fuzzy transition period. Although we cannot see it very clearly, Mecitözü and Hüseyinabad (Alaca) became desolate due to the developments and many villages were destroyed. Due to the mountainous and forested areas of Kafirni, it became a natural shelter for the people of the region and the region. All three districts took their share from the XIXth century Anatolian city history, which was reconstructed by the cycle of production, consumption, commercial agriculture and transportation activities. In the XVIIth century, Alaca which was a mountain pass became a junction area in the direction of the passage roads. Mecitözü district experienced a much more active period, unlike the first period, due to the Milli and Kavilli tribes. Settlements on the Tokat-Sivas line, which were destroyed by the anger of Celali, started to revive in the XIXth century. As a result, the foundations of the three districts we have examined were laid in the XVth century, lived their brightest periods in the XVIth century, came to the fore or regressed from time to time in the unique mysterious world of the XVIIth -XVIIIth centuries, and it can be said that they finally have attained their socio-cultural structure revived with their current settlement and settlement characteristics in the XIXth century.