Научен доклад ID 2650 : 2025/1

Transport has developed with the transition from nomadic society to agricultural society and industrial society. It is the basis of a country`s development and civilisation. Goods reach high values when they are transported from their origin to the places where they are needed. With an effective transport, low value goods are made valuable by transporting them to other places. It is also the readiness of the transport service at the time of need.

Transport is one of the basic operations of logistics. It is not possible to have a supply chain without transport.

The reason why the Ottoman Empire established a centralised army at a very early date and achieved a great superiority over principalities and states is that they established a regular army. The logistics activities before and after revealed both its social and economic structure.

Many factors such as the product collection and distribution centres of the Ottoman Empire, which were established in the 15th century and became widespread in the 16th century, the cargo movements of the Port of Istanbul, the activation of the logistics and strategic facilities in that region from the moment it decided on a campaign, the division of the main roads into two as Anatolian and Rumeli sides, the population of the settlement, as well as the time of the army on foot, were taken into account when establishing the ranges.

Kapanlar, were product centres that played an important role in the daily life of the Ottoman Empire. They were logistic bases where the goods needed by the city dwellers were collected at the centre and distributed to the surrounding areas after being registered. Istanbul`s need for food, especially agricultural products, was largely supplied from Wallachia and Buğdan. Individuals with a merchant`s licence were the ones who were to buy wholesale agricultural products from these regions and bring them to Istanbul. The treasury expenditures of the Ottoman campaigns were generally composed of mevâcib, tayinat, mubayaa, inam, âdât, edâ-yıı düyûn and other expenses.

In the Ottoman Empire, menzils were accommodation centres established at certain points on the triple road network in Anatolia and Rumelia. Especially between Istanbul and Edirne there was an intense traffic of messengers. The route between these two centres was called ”Sultan/State Road”, ”Istanbul Street” and ”Great Road”. In addition, this road also draws attention with the menzil complexes built at the menzils.