The Use of Kadiasker Ruznamçes in Biographical Research

Abstract

The kadiasker ruznamçes (judges’ daily records) constitute one of the most important register series for studies on Ottoman scholars, the ilmiyye (scholarly) class and the organisation of the ilmiyye. In recent years, the number of studies on kadiasker ruznamçes has increased, and this group of registers has mostly been used in prosopographic studies to understand the ilmiyye as a group or to reveal the organisational structure of the ilmiyye of the period. This article primarily discusses whether the kadiasker ruznamçes are also important archival sources for biographical studies on Ottoman scholars. It tests the usability of kadiasker ruznamçes in biographical studies on a sample from the 16th century. Through drawing attention to the types of ruznamçe registers and the information they provide for biographical studies, their
adequacy and limitations are investigated. Despite some limitations, it is determined that kadiasker ruznamçe registers constitute an important group of sources for the biographies of the members of the Ottoman ilmiyye class and that they are a significant complement to other archival sources, especially for the entry into and career steps within the ilmiyye profession. It has been determined that each of the three types of kadiasker ruznamçes, namely mülâzım, appointment, and cihet ruznamçes, can provide different information and opportunities for researchers seeking biographical information, but they also each have some limitations.