Adilcevaz

Adilcevaz is a kaza located around Van Gölü and recorded as a settlement unit within the administrative structure of the region during the Ottoman period. Adilcevaz, considered among the regions densely populated by Kurds, is regularly mentioned along with other settlements around Van in both early Ottoman tahrir defters and late period salnames and geographical works.

Ottoman Tahrir Records

Adilcevaz's administrative identity is traced in Ottoman archival documents. In the 37 Numaralı Bitlis Mufassal Tahrir Defteri, Adilcevaz is recorded as a "liva" (sancak) along with units such as Bitlis, Koltuk, Dere-i Küfündür, Tatvan, Güzeldere, Tatik, Müzik, Gezenç, Havit, and Poğna (Volume 3, p. 23). This situation indicates that Adilcevaz held a distinct administrative unit status within the Ottoman classical period's tahrir system.

Kurdish Population and Timar Records

The region is considered one of the settlements with a dense Kurdish population. Evaluations of timar ruznamçe defters indicate that hundreds of timar ruznamçe records were found in "regions densely populated by Kurds" such as Amid, Harput, Çemişgezek, Musul, Kerkük, Hısn-ı Keyf, Ruha, Van, Erciş, Adilcevaz, Ergani, Kulp, Kars, Kağızman, and Hınıs, from the second half of the 16th century to the late 19th century (Volume 3, p. 29). These records provide information regarding the timars, zeamets, and hases held by Kurdish beys in the geography including Adilcevaz.

Van Vilayet Administrative Division

Geographical works and vilayet salnames of the late Ottoman period consistently show Adilcevaz as a kaza belonging to Van Vilayeti, under Van Sancağı. In the administrative division, Adilcevaz is counted among the kazas of Van Sancağı, along with Karçikan (Karcikan), Şatak, Gevaş, Erciş, Bargiri, and Müks (Volume 4, p. 119; Volume 4, p. 142; Volume 4, p. 261). According to salname records, Adilcevaz Kazası has 44 villages and 5 nahiyes (Volume 4, p. 126).

Geographical Location

Adilcevaz is defined directly around Van Gölü due to its geographical location. The towns of Bargiri, Erciş, and Adilcevaz are located around Van Gölü as kaza centers affiliated with Van mutasarrıflığı; the distances between these settlements are also recorded: seven hours between Bargiri and Erciş, and twelve hours between Erciş and Adilcevaz (Volume 4, p. 143). Salname records introducing Van Gölü also state that the kazas of Gevaş, Karçikan, Adilcevaz, and Erciş, affiliated with Van Vilayeti, are located on the lake's shore (Volume 4, p. 277).