Socio-Economic Structure and Law in the City of Serai (Sarajevo) in the Mid-XVI Century

English (OpenAlex)

Saraybosna (Sarajevo) is expressed as Sarajevo in Slavic languages, Bosnian, and Western literature; Serai plain, Serai township, Serai, Saray Bosna, or Bosna Serai (Bosnasaray) in Ottoman Turkish. Ottomans first occupied the town Hodidjed close to today’s city during the sovereignty of Murad II. Hodidjed and its surrounding with Serai Plain were taken under command of Ottoman Empire during this period. Sarajevo became a Turkish and Islamic city with Islamic-Ottoman social complexes constructed and foundations established here by Gazi Hüsrev-Beg in the XVI century. Serai was the centre of Bosnian brigade in this time. Centre of the sanjak was moved to Banja Luka in the mid-XVI century due to military reasons.This study involved information regarding social and economic status of the city Serai, muslim and non-muslim relations, and practices of law in mid-XVI century. Particularly kadi registry of 1556-1558 kept in the Library of Gazi Hüsrev-Beg were used as main source. This book is among the oldest extant seriyye (court) records of the township Serai.