Wojciech Sajkowski, The Vlachs in Ottoman Borderlands: The Sanjak of Klis in the Middle of the 16th Century
The paper proposes the study of the Vlach population of the Ottoman Dalmatian hinterland in the middle of the 16th century, as described in the tax register (defter) of the sanjak of Klis from 1550, a document that allows for a better understanding of the social and economic history of southwestern Bosnia and the Herzegovina and parts of Lika, Krbava and Dalmatia, which all formed this administrational unit since 1537. The analysis outlined in the case study includes the problem of cross-border migrations, the specificity of transhumant economy, and the functioning of the “Vlach law” as well as the general status of the Vlach community in the Ottoman Empire, which can be also traced thanks to the abovementioned register. This document testifies that Vlachs were used to populate borderland areas, as it mentions that they settled in some deserted territories. Their migrations, which were sometimes caused by the colonization initiated by the authorities of the states (Venice, Habsburg Monarchy and Ottoman Empire) were partially facilitated by the internal social connections that characterized the Vlach community. The register clearly indicates that transhumance pastoralism practiced since the Early Middle Ages remained the main activity of the Vlachs in 16th century. Some of them also cultivated the land, although agriculture never became their main economic activity.