Administrative Apprehensions in the Ottoman Provinces: The Civil-Administrative Demands and Attempts for Change in the Uşak District (1908-1919)

This study, by handling the district of Uşak, is setting forth an aspect of the administrative apprehensions in the late Ottoman provincial society. Between 1908 and 1919 the people of Uşak, the notables in particular, demanded the transformation of Uşak into liva status by separating it from the Kütahya sancak of the Hüdavendigar province, and by incorporating it into the Saruhan sancak of the Aydın province instead. Besides, they further demanded the transformation of some towns into district status, and annexation of towns and districts of neighboring districts and provinces to Uşak as well. These demands were delivered to the Ottoman central government and provincial administration from time to time. The Ottoman provincial bureaucracy as well made attempts to change the civil-administrative status of Uşak district. Besides, they strived to annex the district of Uşak to Karahisar-ı Sahib Sancak. These attempts were inconclusive. The Ottoman central government did not consider the demands of people (notables) of Uşak convenient for various reasons. Hence, the peoples’ demands are of high importance as they depict the administrative apprehensions, and partially the political consciousness even though at local level, in the late period Ottoman provinces. The attemps of provincial bureaucracy is so significant that they make clear the state’s apprehensions of rule