Manuscript Ahval-i-Bosna by Muhamed Emin Isević (early 19th century)
Manuscript Ahval-i-Bosna by Muhamed Emin Isević (early 19th century)

Summary/Abstract: Muhamed Emin Isević was born into a eminent family of Sarajevo intellectuals, from which for almost two centuries derived the most outstanding intellectuals who preformed various services and held different office as public servants, primarily that of qadis. Muhamed Emin was born in the second half of the eighteen century and was educated, similarly to the members of his family, to become a qadi. Living and working in Bosnia, he grew acquainted whit those who attempted to uproot lawlessness and abuses of regional and local authorities and to protect the Christian and Muslim poor in Bosnia. Maturing in such a spirit, Muhamed Emin became very praiseworthy figure and on one occasion, Suleiman-pasha Skopljak, responding to an inquiry sent by the Porte, indicated that he was one of the most prominent citizens of Sarajevo. Suleiman-pasha also added that all the old prominent men had gone. This is a period in which the idea of the autonomy and confrontation with the Porte was starting to gradually emerge. As one of the advocates of this ides, Muhamed Emin was accused and banished from Bosnia but soon after he managed to return and started, with still greater intensity, to attack those responsible for the various malignancies in the society. He obviously found support in Sarajevo, particularly in the class of urban merchants and craftsmen, whose role in social and politics life of Sarajevo had begun to increase. A new social stratum to have a decisive role in Bosnia’s social and politics life was starting to emerge. It was a mixture of certain feudal elemnts, such as the captains, low-ranking Muslim priests and minor spahis on the on hand, and the urban classes on the other. In such a situation, Isević’s activity was considered as dangerous for the state and the Sultan and for the regional authorities as well so he sentenced and banished again. This time he was banished to the isle of Lemnos in the Greek archipelago in 1809. Muhamed Emin wrote there this small tractate pertaining to the Bosnian problems and sent it directly to the Sultan as some sort of a petition for pardon. The content of the tractate is such that is quite extraordinary that it ever reached the Sultan, and Muhmed Emin received abolition and even a promotion in the service. He was conferred the title of the professor of Edirne and sheyh of the Sarajevo Army Command. None amongst the Muslims had never spoken out with such an openness and fortitude and with so much aupporting evidences about the regional and local authorities. His reports can be substantiated by the different data from various archives and historical records. He divided this essay into nine chapters and in each one he describes one of the elements of the regional or local government and judicial system. The essay is divided into the following chapters: On qadis On muftis On muderises On pashas On liva alaybeys On cizyedars On mutevelis On captains On janissaries.

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