Danube Province, Ottoman Empire
Encyclopedia
The Vilayet of the Danube or Danubian Vilayet was a vilayet of the Ottoman Empire
from 1864 to 1878. In the late 19th century it reportedly had an area of 34120 square miles (88,370.4 km²).
The vilayet was created from the northern parts of Silistria Province along the Danube
River and eyalets of Niš, Vidin and Silistra. This vilayet was meant to become a model province, showcasing all the progress achieved by the Porte through the modernising Tanzimat
reforms. Other vilayets modelled on the vilayet of the Danube were ultimately established throughout the empire by 1876, with the exception of the Arabian peninsula and the by then semi-independent Egypt.
s were also offered to encourage new industrial enterprises.
The first official vilayet newspaper in the Ottoman Empire, Tuna/Dunav, was published in both Ottoman Turkish and Bulgarian and had both Ottoman and Bulgarian editors. Its editors in chief included Ismail Kemal and Ahmed Midhat Efendi.
The vilayet had an Administrative Assembly that included state officials appointed by Istanbul as well as six representatives (three Muslims and three non-Muslims) elected from among the inhabitants of the province. Non-Muslims also participated in the provincial criminal and commercial courts that were based on a secular code of law and justice. Mixed Muslim-Christian schools were also introduced, but this reform was abolished after it was met by strong opposition by the populace.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
from 1864 to 1878. In the late 19th century it reportedly had an area of 34120 square miles (88,370.4 km²).
The vilayet was created from the northern parts of Silistria Province along the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
River and eyalets of Niš, Vidin and Silistra. This vilayet was meant to become a model province, showcasing all the progress achieved by the Porte through the modernising Tanzimat
Tanzimat
The Tanzimât , meaning reorganization of the Ottoman Empire, was a period of reformation that began in 1839 and ended with the First Constitutional Era in 1876. The Tanzimât reform era was characterized by various attempts to modernize the Ottoman Empire, to secure its territorial integrity against...
reforms. Other vilayets modelled on the vilayet of the Danube were ultimately established throughout the empire by 1876, with the exception of the Arabian peninsula and the by then semi-independent Egypt.
Government
Midhat Pasha was the first governor of the vilayet (1864–1868). During his time as a governor, steamship lines were established on the Danube River; the Ruse-Varna railroad was completed; agricultural credit cooperatives providing farmers with low-interest loans were introduced; tax incentiveTax incentive
A tax incentive is an aspect of the tax code designed to incentivize, or encourage, a certain type of behavior. This may be accomplished through means including tax holidays, tax deductions, or tax abatements...
s were also offered to encourage new industrial enterprises.
The first official vilayet newspaper in the Ottoman Empire, Tuna/Dunav, was published in both Ottoman Turkish and Bulgarian and had both Ottoman and Bulgarian editors. Its editors in chief included Ismail Kemal and Ahmed Midhat Efendi.
The vilayet had an Administrative Assembly that included state officials appointed by Istanbul as well as six representatives (three Muslims and three non-Muslims) elected from among the inhabitants of the province. Non-Muslims also participated in the provincial criminal and commercial courts that were based on a secular code of law and justice. Mixed Muslim-Christian schools were also introduced, but this reform was abolished after it was met by strong opposition by the populace.
Governors
Governors of the Vilayet:- Hafiz Ahmed Midhat Shefik Pasha (Oct 1864 - Mar 1868)
- Mehmed Sabri Pasha (Mar 1868 - Dec 1868)
- Arnavud Mehmed Akif Pasha (Feb 1869 - Oct 1870)
- Kücük ömer Fevzi Pasha (Oct 1870 - Oct 1871)
- Ahmed Rasim Pasha (Oct 1871 - Jun 1872)
- Ahmed Hamdi PashaAhmed Hamdi PashaAhmed Hamdi born 1826, died 1885 was an Ottoman Ruler and Statesman.In 1873, he was appointed to be Valis of Ismir.He was ruler of Damascus from 1875 to 1876.In 1876 he was involved in Shkodër, Albania....
(Jun 1872 - Apr 1873) - Abdurrahman Nureddine Pasha (Apr 1873 - Apr 1874)
- Mehmed Asim Pasha (Apr 1874 - Sep 1876)
- Halil Rifat PashaHalil Rifat PashaHalil Rifat Pasha , was an Ottoman statesman and a grand vizier for six years between 1895 till his death 1901, under the reign of Abdülhamid II.- Education :...
(Oct 1876 - Feb 1877) - Oman Mazhar Ahmed (1876–1877)
Administrative divisions
The province included the following sanjaks:- Sanjak of TulceaTulceaTulcea is a city in Dobrogea, Romania. It is the administrative center of Tulcea county, and has a population of 92,379 as of 2007. One village, Tudor Vladimirescu, is administered by the city.- History :...
- Sanjak of VarnaVarnaVarna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
- Sanjak of Ruse
- Sanjak of Turnovo
- Sanjak of VidinVidinVidin is a port town on the southern bank of the Danube in northwestern Bulgaria. It is close to the borders with Serbia and Romania, and is also the administrative centre of Vidin Province, as well as of the Metropolitan of Vidin...
- Sanjak of SofiaSofiaSofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
(detached at the beginning of the 1870s) - Sanjak of NišSanjak of NišThe Sanjak of Niš or Sanjak of Nish was one of the sanjaks of the Ottoman Empire and its county town was Niš. It was composed of the kazas of Niš, Pirot, Leskovac, Vranje, Kuršumlija, Prokuplje and Tran ....
(until 1869)