Mutasarrif

{{Short description|Ottoman title for governors of an administrative district}} [[File:CUINET(1895) 4.017 Vilayet of Hüdavendigâr.jpg|thumbnail|1895 map showing the Hüdavendigâr Eyalet, divided into Sanjaks, showing the separate Mutasarrifate of Biga and the Mutasarrifate of Izmit]]

'''Mutasarrif''' or '''mutesarrif''' ({{langx|ota|متصرّف|mutasarrıf|plenipotentiary}}) was the title used in the Ottoman Empire and places like post-Ottoman Iraq for the governor of an administrative district in place of the usual sanjakbey.<ref name=MWe>{{cite book |title= Mutesarrif |publisher= Merriam-Webster |url= https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutasarrif |access-date= 11 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=MGKLmut>{{cite encyclopedia |title= Mutesarrif |encyclopedia= Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon |year= 1905–1909 |edition= 6th |lang= de |via= de-academic.com |url= https://meyers.de-academic.com/94775/Mutesarrif |access-date= 11 February 2022}}</ref> The Ottoman rank of mutasarrif was established as part of a 1864 reform, and its holder was appointed directly by the Sultan.<ref name=Krikorian>{{cite book |last= Krikorian |first= Mesrob K. |title= Armenians in the Service of the Ottoman Empire: 1860-1908 |page= 24 |publisher= Routledge |year= 2018 |isbn= 978-1351031288 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Wz9ZDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT24 |access-date= 11 February 2022}}</ref>

The administrative district under his authority, the '''mutasarrifate''' ({{langx|tr|mutasarrıflık}}), was officially called a {{lang|tr|sanjak}} ({{lang|ota|سنجاق}}) in Turkish or {{lang|ar-Latn|liwa}} ({{lang|ar|لواء}}) in Arabic and Persian.<ref name=MGKLmut/><ref name=MGKLliw>Meyers (1905–1909), [https://meyers.de-academic.com/dic.nsf/meyers/83486/Liw%C3%A2 Liwâ].</ref> A mutasarrif was subordinate to a wali or governor-general of a province, while being of superior rank to a kaymakam.<ref name=MGKLmut/><ref name=MGKLkai>Meyers (1905–1909), [https://meyers.de-academic.com/dic.nsf/meyers/68292/Kaimakam Kaimakam].</ref>

==Etymology== The Ottoman Turkish ''mutasarrıf'' was derived from the Arabic ''mutaṣarrif'', meaning provincial governor, an active participle of ''taṣarrafa'', meaning "to act without restriction".<ref name=lex>lexico.com, [https://web.archive.org/web/20220211224738/https://www.lexico.com/definition/mutasarrif mutasarrif]. Accessed 11 Feb 2022.</ref>

==History== The ''Vilayet Law'' (1864) saw a general reorganization, with the hierarchy vilayet—sanjak—kaza—nahiye, the vilayet administrated by the ''Vali'' under whose authority was the ''mutasarrif'' of the sanjak appointed by the Sultan, the ''kaymakam'' of the ''kaza'' appointed by the Interior Ministry, the ''mudür'' of the ''nahiye'', the ''muhtar'' of the village.{{sfn|Çetinsaya|2006|p=22}}

In 1867, the usage of ''kaymakam'' as a governor of a sanjak/liwa or vilayet was replaced with ''mutasarrıf''. The administrative seat of the sanjak was in the capital, and was called ''mutasarrıflık''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Prilozi za orijentalnu filologiju|journal=Prilozi za orijentalnu filologiju: Revue de philologie orientale|volume=36|date=1987|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Prilozi_za_orijentalnu_filologiju/7GoMAQAAMAAJ|pp=257-258, 272}}</ref>

==Mutasarrifates in the Levant== This administrative unit was sometimes independent (e.g., Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate or Cyprus) and sometimes was part of a vilayet (province), administered by a vali, and contained nahiye (communes), each administered by a kaymakam.<ref>Üngör, Uğur Ü. (June 2005). [http://home.uva.nl/uu.ungor/thesis.pdf A Reign of Terror], Master's thesis, University of Amsterdam, p. 21. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061128210749/http://home.uva.nl/uu.ungor/thesis.pdf |date=2006-11-28 }}.</ref> This rank was established in 1864 against the new Law of Villayets instead of rank of mutesellim which was abolished in 1842.<ref name="ula">{{cite book | title=Ula: An Anatolian Town | author=Benedict, Peter | year=1974 | page=85}}</ref>

"This small political unit was governed by a non-Lebanese Ottoman Christian subject and given the protection of European powers. The religious communities of the district were represented by a council that dealt directly with the governor. This system provided peace and prosperity until its abolition."<ref>A History of the modern middle east Cleveland and Buntin p.84</ref>

The mutassarifates of the Ottoman Empire included: * Mutasarrifate of Mount Lebanon (formed 1861) * Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem (formed 1872) * Mutasarrifate of Karak (formed 1894/5)<ref>Rogan, E.L. ''Frontiers of the State in the Late Ottoman Empire: Transjordan, 1850-1921''. Cambridge University Press. p55. </ref> * Mutasarrifate of Izmit

== References == {{reflist}} ==Sources== * {{cite book|last=Çetinsaya|first=Gökhan|title=The Ottoman Administration of Iraq, 1890-1908|publisher=Routledge|year=2006|isbn=978-1-134-29494-7|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Ottoman_Administration_of_Iraq_1890/Vc5_AgAAQBAJ}}

==External links== * [http://www.turizm.gov.tr/EN/BelgeGoster.aspx?F6E10F8892433CFF657B96472CD89203B0045F2B2135708F Turkish explanation of the term]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mutasarrif}} Category:Ottoman titles Category:Turkish words and phrases Category:Subdivisions of the Ottoman Empire