Nablus in the Ottoman Era: Inscriptions and Architectural Works
Date
2012-10-02
Authors
Drs. Mehmet Tütüncü
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Abstract
<p>Nablus came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire in 1517, along with the whole of Palestine. The Ottomans divided Palestine into six sanjaqs ("districts"): Safad, Jenin, Jerusalem, Gaza, Ajlun and Nablus. These six sanjaqs were sub districts of the vilayet ("province") of Damascus. Sanjaq Nablus was further subdivided into five nahiya (sub districts), in addition to the city itself. The Ottomans did not attempt to restructure the political configuration of the region on the local level such that the borders of the nahiya were drawn to coincide with the historic strongholds of certain families. During the Ottoman Era Nablus was a major City where the Ottomans builded heavily. A good survey of Ottoman builded works and the inscriptions has not been done. In my book Turkish Palestine (1069-1917) I have collected and published some of the inscriptions from Ottoman Period. For example, the Hamidian Clock Tower, Turkish Hamam, and Turkish Hospital will be treated. In this paper, I give a survey of the not published and neglected architectural works from the ottoman Period and their inscriptions.</p>