Crime and Punishment in the Ottoman Empire (Cyprus Example)
Considering its historical and sociological background, Ottoman Cyprus can be said to be in an extremely important and favorable position, particularly for social history research. This is because, with Ottoman rule, a significant Muslim population emerged on the island. Muslims and non-Muslims, who constituted the majority of the island, lived together for centuries, accumulating a wealth of experience in intra-societal and, especially, inter-societal relations. A significant portion of this information has survived to the present day through the Sharia court records of the period. These records constitute the richest, clearest, and most reliable sources for investigating crimes and the punishments imposed, both within and between Muslim and non-Muslim communities.
This book, based on these points, contains important information that will shed light on the social history of Ottoman society in general and Cyprus in particular, on many subjects such as the nature and diversity of violations in the 17th and 18th centuries; the crimes committed by Muslims and non-Muslims among themselves and against each other, and the punishments applied to them; the attitude and role of the state, the public, and the court in the face of crimes; the relationships between perpetrators and victims, and their connection to the social structure.
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