Osmanlı İmparatorluğu’nda Askerî Teknoloji, Harp Malzemelerinin Tedariki ve Cebehâne-i Âmire (1718-1788)

Abstract

The Ottomans have used firearms in combat since early times, and assigned a portion of the kapikulu corps to this task. Additionally, they established cannon foundries, gunpowder mills, and arms factories in various parts of the empire, particularly in Istanbul, to produce the weapons and ammunition needed by these corps. This work explores the cebecis or armourers and the Cebehâne-i Âmire (the Imperial Armory), who were responsible for producing, maintaining, and getting war tools to the battlefield. The armourers' responsibilities in producing war tools, including gunpowder, rifles, and cartridges, are extensively discussed. The locations where military manufactories were established in the empire are also listed, and the years in which these facilities operated are examined. In this study, the field organization of Imperial Ammunution Factory is examined, and the current state of weapons and ammunition in various Ottoman garrisons along the borders, as well as in the central ammunition depot of the empire, is discussed to determine whether Ottoman fortresses are experiencing ammunition shortages. The study of the Ottoman Empire's arms industry is limited to the period between the end of the Ottoman-Habsburg Wars in 1718 and the beginning of the Ottoman-Russian and Habsburg Wars in 1788, but comprehensive explanations are provided on some topics and information is given about previous periods as well. Additionally, the process of producing or importing extra arms and ammunition during extraordinary circumstances such as wars is examined. The conditions and circumstances under which the Ottomans imported arms and ammunition are discussed, and the political and economic factors affecting the trade are examined.