The Ottoman Empire’s greatest Sultan — Mehmed II
The Ottoman Empire’s greatest Sultan, known for transforming the empire into a formidable force, was much more than the conqueror of Istanbul. This article delves into the comprehensive reforms and policies of Sultan Mehmed II, often referred to as Fatih, and how these measures had far-reaching impacts, both praised and criticized, throughout and beyond his reign.
Fatih’s most notable action, beyond conquering Istanbul, was the extensive land reform he implemented across the empire. Historian Halil Inalcik sheds light on this in his lecture notes, describing how Fatih abolished the foundation status of 20,000 villages and hamlets, redistributing these lands to soldiers as fiefs and zeamet. This wasn’t an arbitrary decision; it was based on legal principles, such as the failure of a foundation to fulfill its original purpose or the lack of sultanate permission for property or foundation status. These reforms were similar in scale to the nationalization of church properties seen in Europe during the same period and aimed to strengthen the central treasury to support the state’s needs.
However, these reforms had significant social impacts. They affected a broad spectrum of society, including beys, pashas, ulema, dervishes, and pre-Ottoman aristocratic families. Many of these groups, especially the dervishes of the Halvetiye order, opposed…
