Abstract: The reforms undertaken by Sultan Mahmud II (1808-1839) and continuedAbstract: The reforms undertaken by Sultan Mahmud II (1808-1839) and continued by his son Abdulmejid (1839-1861) changed fundamentally the social organization of the Ottoman Empire. As in most Middle Eastern countries, proximity to the ruler determined an individual's position in the Empire's complex and multilevel hierarchy. The inclusion of non-Muslims in the Ottoman system of governance raises extremely important questions, which, however, have not yet been explored comprehensively in Bulgarian historiography. The participation of Bulgarians in the administrative councils established in the 1840s is still perceived by researchers as a formal rather than an actual role. This article focuses on the Bulgarians who were given the title of kapıcıbaşı and their position in the heterogeneous Ottoman elites. It is noteworthy that people who held the title were given the opportunity to make a career not only in the local administration but also in the central administrative bodies that were at the heart of the nineteenth-century reforms. On the basis of unpublished documents from the Ottoman Archives in Istanbul, an attempt is made to trace the evolution of the title and especially its function. The career that thе Bulgarian kapıcıbaşı made is very impressive, and in order to understand it properly one should take a closer look at the people who actually held this title. What did the Bulgarians who received the title become a part of? What elite did the Bulgarian kapıcıbaşı become a part of? Examining the title in the context of the Ottoman Empire would allow us to understand what was the actual position of Bulgarians who received the title in the Ottoman system of governance.

Keywords: kapıcıbaşı, defter, ottoman elite, Tanzimat, networks, meclis

REFERENCES

Anastasopoulos, A. (ed.) 2005. Provincial Elites in the Ottoman Empire.Halcyon Days in Crete V. A Symposium Held in Rethymno, 10-12 January 2003, Rethymno: Crete University Press, 2005.

Bayerle, G. 2011. Pashas, Begs, and Effendis. A Historical Dictionary of Titles and Terms in the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul: The Isis Press.

Burke, P. 1994. Venice and Amsterdam: A Study of Seventeenth-century Élites, Polity Press.

Dimitrov, S. 1974. ‘The story of an ayan’, in: In Honor of the 70-the Anniversaryof Corresponding Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Dimitar Kosev, Sofia: Academic Publishing House, рp. 65–80 / [Димитров, С.“Историята на един аян”, в: В чест на академик Димитър Косев.Изследвания по случай 70 години от рождението му, София: БАН,с. 65–80]

Dimitrov, S. 1981. Ottoman Sources for the History of Dobrudzha and North-Eastern Bulgaria, Sofia: BAS / [Димитров, С. Османски извори заисторията на Добруджа и Североизточна България, София: БАН]

Dimitrov, S. 2015. Sultan Mahmud II and the End of the Janissary Corps, Sofia: Iztok-Zapad / [Димитров, С. 2015. Султан Махмуд II и краят наеничарите, София: Изток-Запад]

Georgieva, G. 2005. Administrative Structure and Government of ealet Rumeliaduring Sultan Mahmud II (1808–1839), PhD Thesis, Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. / [Георгиева, Г. 2005 Административно устройствои управление на еялет Румелия при султан Махмуд II (1808–1839),Дисертация за присъждане на ОНС „Доктор“, София: БАН].

Georgieva, G. 2018. ‘The Different Roles of Tryavna Chorbadzhis and TheirImportance for the Local Economy’, Proceedings of the Centre for EconomicHistory Research. Vol. III. Institutions and Economic Development ofthe Bulgarian Lands Through the Ages. Varna, pp. 218–230 / [Георгиева, Г. 2018. ‘Различните роли на тревненските чорбаджии и значение-то им за местната икономика’, Известия на центъра за стопанско-исторически изследвания, т. 3. Институциите и българското стопан-ско развитие през вековете, Варна, с. 218-230].

Georgieva, G. 2019. ‘Georgi Popsmeonov – official representative of the Orthodox Christian population before the local Ottoman authorities in kaza of Turnovo’, in: The contemporary place and the role of alternative dispute resolution methods – between tradition and up-to-date legislation in Bulgaria and the member states of the European Union, Veliko Tarnovo: Faber, pp. 337–344 / [Георгиева, Г. 2019. ‘Георги Попсимеонов –официален представител на православното население пред местнитеосмански власти в Търновска каза, в: Съвременното място и роляна алтернативните способи за разреш’аване на спорове – междутрадицията и актуалната правна уредба в България и държавите-членки на Европейския съюз. Велико Търново: Фабер, с. 337–344].

Gökçek, M. 2011. ‘Centralization during the Era of Mahmud II’, OsmanlıAraştırmaları, C. 21, рр. 237–255 .

Inalcık, H. 1977. ‘Centralization and Decentralization in the Ottoman Administration’, in: T. Naff and R. Owen (eds.) Studies in 18th c. Islamic History. Carboudale, 1977, рр.27–52.

Inalcık, H. 2002. The Ottoman Empire. The Classical Age 1300–1600, Sofia: Amat-Ah / [Иналджък, Х. 2002 Османската империя. Класическиятпериод 1300–1600, София: Амат-Ах].

Lyberatos, A. 2019. Plovdiv in the Revival Period: Transformation, Hegemony,147Nationalism, Sofia: Gutenberg. / [Либератос, А 2020. ВъзрожденскиятПловдив: трансформация, хегемония, национализъм, София: Гутен-берг].

Mantran, R. 1997. ‘Kapidji’, in: The Encyclopaedia of Islam. New Edition, vol.4, p. 568.

Mert, Ö. 1993. ‘The Sons of Çapan’, in: The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Vol. 8, рp.221–224 / [Mert, Ö. 1993, Çapanoğulları, in: TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi,Cilt. 8, s. 221–224 ].

Mutafchieva, V. 1993. The Time of Kardjalii, Sofia: Prof. Marin DrinovPublishing House. / [Мутафчиева, В. Кърджалийско време, София:Академично издателство “Проф. Марин Дринов”].

Polat, S. 2016. ‘Activities of Çapanoğlu Süleyman Bey in Provision of İstanbul’sFoodstuff Need’, in: I. International Bozok Symposium, 05-06 May 2016,Vol. 1, pp. 362–373. / [Polat, S. 2016, “İstanbul’un Zahire İhtiyacınınTemini Hususunda Çapanoğlu Süleyman Bey’in Faaliyetleri”, in: I.Uluslararası Bozok Sempozyumu, Cilt. 1, 05-06 Mayıs 2016, s. 362–373]

Tafrova, M. 2012. ‘Documents for the Activity of Georgi Popsimeonov, as a Representative of the Bulgarians in front of the Local Ottoman Administration’, in: Bulgarian Society in the National Revival Epoch: Problems, Struggles and Achievements. Studies in Honor of the 75-the Anniversary of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ogniana Mazhdrakova, Sofia: Prof. Marin Drinov Publishing House / [Тафрова, М. 2012 “Документи за дейносттана Георги Попсимеонов като представител на българите пред мест-ната власт”, в: Българското възрожденско общество – проблеми, борби ипостижения. Сборник с изследвания в чест на 75-годишнината на доц.д-р Огняна Маждракова, София: Академично издателство “Проф.Марин Дринов”].

Temelski, H. & Andreev, St. 2018. Selected Ottoman Documents for Sevlievo endkaza Sevlievo, Sevlievo: M-Press. / [Темелски, Х. & Андреев, Ст. 2018,Подбрани извори за Севлиево и Севлиевска каза, Севлиево: М-Прес].

Todorov, N. 2022. The Shepherd‘s Aristocracy. The Economy of Kotel andDobrudzha in the 1830s and 1840s. Yambol: PH Tendril. / [Тодоров, Н.2022. Овчарската аристокрация. Икономиката на Котел и Добруджапрез 30-те-40-те години на XIX в., Ямбол: ИК “Тендрил”].

Turkish Documents on the History of Macedonia (1818–1827), Vol. 4,1957, Skopje: Institute of National History. / [Турски документи замакедонската историjа (1818-1827), т. 4, Скопjе: Институт за нацио-нална историjа].

Uzunçarşılı, İ. 1942. Tirsinikli Ismail, one of the famous Rumelian notables, Yılıkoğlu Süleyman Ağa and Alemdar Mustafa Pasha, Istanbul: TurkishHistorical Society. / [Uzunçarşılı, İ. 1942 Meşhur Rumeli ÂyanlarındanTirsinikli İsmail, Yıllık Oğlu Süleyman Ağalar ve Alemdar Mustafa Paşa,Istanbul: Turk Tarih Kurumu].

Uzunçarşılı, İ. 1974. ‘The Sons of Çapan’, in: Belleten, Vol. 38, 1974, рp. 215–261. / [Uzunçarşılı, İ. 1974. “Çapan Oğulları”, Belleten, Cilt. 38, 1974, рp.215–261].

Uzunçarşılı, İ. 2014. Palace Organization of the Ottoman Empire, Ankara: Turkish Historical Society. / [Uzunçarşılı, İ. 2014 Osmanlı Devleti‘ninSaray Teşkilatı, Ankara: Turk Tarih Kurumu].

Yaneva, S 2011. Bulgarian tax collectors in the fiscal system of the Ottoman Empire.To the history of the Bulgarian business and social elite in the 19th century,Sofia: New Bulgarian University. / [Янева, С 2011, Българи откупвачина данъци във фискалната система на Османската империя. Къмисторията на българския делови и социален елит през XIX век, Со-фия: Нов български университет].