Beylik

Explanation of the term "Beylik"

BEYLIK, (BEGLIK), a term formed by joining the adjectival and relative suffix lik to bey (beg, beg) which was an old Turkish title.

Origins

The word "bey" is said to correspond to the Arabic amir, and beylik to imdra. The term beylik thus denotes both the title and post (or function) of a Bey, and the territory (domain) under the rule of a Bey. Later, by extension, it came to mean also "state, government", and, at the same time, a political and administrative entity sometimes possessing a certain autonomy. When the Ottoman Empire was established, cOthman Bey, the founder of the dynasty, was referred to as Bey by the sovereign of the Saldjukid Empire; in the same way, the territories which he had taken from the Byzantine Empire were granted to him as a beylik, imdra. At the beginning of the 8th/14th century, the other Turkish principalities in Asia Minor (of the Tawa*if Muluku) were also generally referred to as Beylik. Later, as the Ottoman Empire increased in size, the country was divided into Sandj[ak-beyliks—the most important and fundamental military and administrative unit, and these in turn were grouped, regionally, under the authority of the beylerbeys. From the 9th/i5th century, those Balkan countries which acknowledged the political and military suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire but enjoyed complete internal autonomy, were referred to as Beyliks: e.g., Beylik of the Danube, Beylik of Eflak, Beylik of Bogdan, Beylik of Erdel.

Later still, countries which had obtained some privileges from the Ottoman Empire and had succeeded in achieving a measure of autonomy, were also considered as Beyliks: e.g., Beylik of Sisam (Samos), Beylik of Bulgharistan (Bulgaria). This term in turn extended its meaning still further, and began to be used as an adjective to denote places and things belonging to the Government; e.g., Beylik arddi (mirl arddi), "the lands (domain) of the Beylik", Beylik kishla, "the winter quarters of the Beylik", Beylik ceshme "the fountain of the Beylik" Beylik dkhlr, "the stable of the Beylik", Beylik gemi "the ship of the Beylik", etc. There are also some Turkish proverbs in which this word occurs, e.g., "A Beylik of one day is a Beylik" (Bir gunun beylighi beylikdir). The name of an official in the central organisation of the Empire was derived from this term: Beylikdji (Beglikdji), who was the president of one department of the Diwdn-i Humdyun [q.v.]. (M. TAYYIB GOKBILGIN)