The Teftiş Register (1497) of Đurađ Crnojević, Bey/ Lord of Montenegro

Abstract

The Crnojević family was an important political entity among the lords of the Principality of Zeta. Their connection with the Ottomans is a typical example of patronage and hegemony processes. There are numerous studies related to this family, many of which include information derived from Ottoman sources and archives. However, newly discovered ahkam and teftiş registers dating back to the reign of Beyazid II provide until now unnoticed information about the family. This article publishes and evaluates a part of the Teftiş Register in which the land possessions of Đurađ Crnojević were recorded. He took refuge in Venice during the Ottoman-Venetian conflict in the period of Beyazid II and later appealed to the Ottomans in order to reclaim his former lands. However, the Ottoman administration granted him a timar estate in Anatolia. He left his country in 1496. These registers are also significant because they involve new-found information about the Crnojević family which played a prominent role in the history of Montenegro.