| Vilayet of the Danube | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1864–1878 | |||||||||||||||||||
.svg) Flag | |||||||||||||||||||
.png) The Danube Vilayet in 1877 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | Rusçuk | ||||||||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||||||||
| • Coordinates | 43°0′N25°0′E / 43.000°N 25.000°E /43.000; 25.000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||||||||
• 1864 | 1,995,000[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Government | |||||||||||||||||||
| Governor | |||||||||||||||||||
• 1864-1868 | Ahmed Şefik Midhat Pasha | ||||||||||||||||||
• 1876-1877 | Oman Mazhar Ahmed | ||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1864 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1878 | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Today part of | Romania Serbia Bulgaria | ||||||||||||||||||
TheVilayet of the Danube orDanubian Vilayet (Ottoman Turkish:ولايت طونه,romanized: Vilâyet-i Tuna;[2]Bulgarian:Дунавска област, Dunavska(ta) oblast,[3] more commonly Дунавски вилает, Danube Vilayet) was a first-level administrative division (vilayet) of theOttoman Empire from 1864 to 1878.[4] In the late 19th century it reportedly had an area of 34,120 square miles (88,400 km2).[5]
The vilayet was created by merging the Eyalets ofNiš,Vidin andSilistra (in its post-1826 borders, after losing allkazas south of theBalkan Mountain that were spun off into theEdirne Vilayet). The Danube Vilayet was meant to become a model province, showcasing all the progress achieved by thePorte through the modernisingTanzimat reforms.[6] Other vilayets modelled on the vilayet of the Danube were ultimately established throughout the empire by 1876, with the exception of theArabian Peninsula and the by then semi-independent Egypt.[6] Rusçuk, todayRuse in Bulgaria, was chosen as the capital of the vilayet due to its position as a key Ottoman port on the Danube.[6]
The province disappeared after theRusso-Turkish War of 1877–78, when its north-eastern part (Northern Dobruja) was incorporated intoRomania, some of its western territories intoSerbia, while the central and southern regions made up most of the autonomousPrincipality of Bulgaria and a part ofEastern Rumelia.
Upon its establishment in 1864, the Danube Vilayet included the following sanjaks:[7]
In 1868, the Sanjak of Niš was detached and made part of the Prizren Vilayet.[8]
In 1876, the Sanjak of Niš and the Sanjak of Sofia were spun off into the short-lived Sofia Vilayet but were subsequently annexed to the Vilayets ofAdrianople andKosovo Vilayets only a year later, in 1877.[9]
Midhat Pasha was the first governor of the vilayet (1864–1868).[6] During his time as a governor,steamship lines were established on theDanube River; theRuse-Varna railroad was completed;agricultural credit cooperatives providing farmers with low-interest loans were introduced;tax incentives were also offered to encourage new industrial enterprises.[6]
The first official vilayet newspaper in the Ottoman Empire,Tuna/Dunav, was published in both Ottoman Turkish and Bulgarian and had both Ottoman and Bulgarian editors. Its editors in chief includedIsmail Kemal andAhmed Midhat Efendi.[6]
The vilayet had an Administrative Assembly that included state officials appointed by the Ottoman government as well as six representatives (three Muslims and three non-Muslims) elected from among the inhabitants of the province.[6] Non-Muslims also participated in the provincial criminal and commercial courts that were based on a secular code of law and justice.[6] Mixed Muslim-Christian schools were also introduced, but this reform was abolished after it was met by strong opposition by the populace.[6]
Governors of the Vilayet:[11]
According to the1831 Ottoman census, themale population of thekazas to subsequently form the Danube Vilayet stood at 477,862 souls, including 306,534 Orthodox Christians orRayah (64.15%), 159,308 Muslims (33.33%), 11,603Romani (2.43%) and 417Jews (0.09%).[14][12][13] The census only covered healthy taxable men between 15 and 60 years of age, who were free from disability.[15]
| Millet | Danube Vilayet borders | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy taxable men aged 15–60 years2 | % | |||||||||
| Islam millet/Muslims | 159,308 | 33.33% | ||||||||
| Rayah/Orthodox Christians1 | 306,534 | 64.15% | ||||||||
| Gypsies/Romani | 11,603 | 2.43% | ||||||||
| Jews | 417 | 0.09% | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 477,862 | 100.0% | ||||||||
1No data about the Christian population of thekazas of Selvi (Sevlievo), Izladi (Zlatitsa), Etripolu (Etropole), Lofça (Lovech), Plevne (Pleven), Rahova (Oryahovo) as well as Tirnova (Veliko Tarnovo) and its three constituentnahiyas. Similarly, the sheets regarding the (primarily Muslim-inhabited)kazas of Silistre (Silistra), Şumnu (Shumen), Hezargrad (Razgrad), Cuma-i AtikTargovishte andTutrakan were lost altogether.[14][16] | ||||||||||
Reliable data about the population of theNiš,Vidin andSilistra Eyalets, which were to form the Danube Vilayet in 1864, appeared only in the late 1850s, in the form of an Ottoman summary population register and a 1858 report by the British consul in Varna, Edward S. J. Neale (also based on the registers).[17] According to Neale, the combined,male and female population of the three eyalets was 1,390,855, including 430,485 Muslims (30.95%), 910,735 OrthodoxBulgarians (65.48%), 10,100Greeks (0.73%), 25,000 Vlachs (1.80%), 5,000 Jews (0.36%), and 9,535 "others" (0.68%). He noted that the Muslim population was in a steady demographic decline, while the Bulgarian one had increased considerably due to theTanzimat reforms.[17]
Nevertheless, compared with subsequent Ottoman statistics, Neale's figures appear to be an undercount, especially of Muslims, even though his opinion of population trends is shared by a number of Turkish historians, e.g.,Kemal Karpat, who has cited an annual growth rate of 0% for Muslims and 2% for Non-Muslims for much of the 1800s.[18]
According to the first modern Ottoman population register of 1859–1860, theNiš Eyalet,Vidin Eyalet andSilistra Eyalet had amale population of 821,682, whereof 284,934 Muslims (34.68%), including 19,599 Muslim Romani (2.39%), and 536,748 Non-Muslims (65.32%), including 3,258 Non-Muslim Romani (0.4%).[16] Total population, including women, was therefore 1,643,364, of whom 569,969 Muslims and 1,073,496 Non-Muslims. The register, however, did not cover the population of the Sanjaks of Mecidiye (Medgidia) and Sünne (Sulina) inNorthern Dobruja, nor anyMuhacir population. Compared with the—albeit incomplete and poorly executed1831 census—the figures indicate a whooping population growth of 71.95%, which is difficult to explain bynatural growth alone.[16]
At the same time, the proportions of the Muslim, Non-Muslim and Roma populations remained, by and large, similar. The number of Muslims grew by 66.55%, the number of Non-Muslims by 71.95%, while the Christian and Muslim Romani population practically doubled, posting an increase of 97.03%.[16] However, despite steady growth rates, especially among Non-Muslims, the more likely reason for the drastic increase can be sought in the poor quality of the 1831 census, including missing data about a number of heavily populatedkazas.[14][16] In addition, as the census covered healthy taxable men over 15only, it is unclear how much of the male population was actually counted, with, e.g., Arkadiev suggesting a multiplication factor of 2.02 to just calculate all males.[15]
Muslim & Non-Muslim population in the territory of the future Danube Vilayet as per the Ottoman population register for 1859–1860:[16]
| Sanjak1 | Muslims | Non-Muslims | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | |||||||
| Vidin | 11,906 | 14.10% | 72,543 | 85.90% | 84,449 | |||||
| Lofça | 31,885 | 33.57% | 63.091 | 66.43% | 94,976 | |||||
| Niş | 23,412 | 18.00% | 106,683 | 82.00% | 130,095 | |||||
| Köstendil | 19,463 | 32.67% | 40,104 | 71.33% | 59,567 | |||||
| Samakov | 7,634 | 13,86% | 47,422 | 86.14% | 55,056 | |||||
| Sofya | 8,104 | 12.16% | 58,563 | 87.14% | 66,667 | |||||
| Silistre | 43,257 | 67.20% | 21,104 | 32.80% | 64,361 | |||||
| Tulça | 6,150 | 35.08% | 11,383 | 64.92% | 17,533 | |||||
| Hezargrad | 29,817 | 76.57% | 9,124 | 33.43% | 38,941 | |||||
| Şumnu | 49,805 | 76.03% | 15,706 | 23.97% | 65,511 | |||||
| Varna | 21,436 | 65.60% | 11,241 | 34.40% | 32,677 | |||||
| Tırnova | 32,065 | 28.67% | 79,784 | 71.33% | 111,849 | |||||
| Grand Total | 284,934 | 34.68% | 536,748 | 65.32% | 821,682 | |||||
1 Sanjak structure, borders, etc. underwent a complete overhaul in 1863-1864, so population figures arenot comparable with later data. | ||||||||||
Non-Muslims held a clear majority in both theNiš Eyalet andVidin Eyalet, at 81.18% and 75.59%, respectively, while theSilistra Eyalet was predominantly Muslim but by a slim margin of 55.17%,[16]
The 1859-1860 figures are important as a benchmark as they are the last Ottoman records to not take into account the massive settlement ofCrimean Tatars andCircassians across the Ottoman Empire after their forced expulsion by theRussians. Estimates of the number ofMuhacir settled in the Danube Vilayet from 1855 to 1865 vary, from 200,000–300,000 according toKemal Karpat,[19][20] 300,000 as stated by Turkish historian Nedim İpek,[20] 300,000 quoted by the 1867 Bulgarian edition of the Danube Official Gazette,[21][22] 310,000 according to the French Consul-General inRusçuk, Gabriel Aubaret,[23][24] 350,000 according to Ottoman statesman and Danube Vilayet Governor,Midhat Pasha,[20] and all the way to 350,000–400,000, as estimated by Bulgarian Ottomanist Ventsislav Muchinov (however, for the entireRumelia).[22][25] The resettlement took place in two waves: one of 142,852 Tatars andNogais, with a minority of Circassians, between 1855 and 1862, and a second one of some 35,000 Circassian families, settled in 1863-1864.[26][27][28] Thus, nearly half of all 682,000 refugees were ended up in the Danube Vilayet.[29]
Eventually, the Muhacir settlement led to an increase in the share of Muslims in the province to more than 42% by the mid 1870s. According toKemal Karpat, the Tatar and Circassian colonisation of the vilayet not only offset the heavy Muslim population losses earlier in the century, but also counteracted continued population loss and led to an increase in its Muslim population.[18] Koyuncu also attributes the lion's share of the Muslim population growth to the settlement ofCrimean Tatars andCircassians.[30]
Male population of the Danube Vilayet (exclusive of theSanjak of Niš) in 1865 according to Kuyûd-ı Atîk (the Danube Vilayet printing press):[31]
| Community | RusçukSanjak | VidinSanjak | VarnaSanjak | TırnovaSanjak | TulçaSanjak | SofyaSanjak | Danube Vilayet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islam Millet | 138,017 (61%) | 14,835 (13%) | 38,230 (74%) | 77,539 (40%) | 38,479 (65%) | 20,612 (12%) | 327,712 (40%) |
| Muslim Roma | 312 (0%) | 245 (0%) | 118 (0%) | 128 (0%) | 19 (0%) | 766 (0%) | 1,588 (0%) |
| Bulgar Millet | 85,268 (38%) | 93,613 (80%) | 9,553 (18%) | 113,213 (59%) | 12,961 (22%) | 142,410 (86%) | 457,018 (56%) |
| Ullah Millet | 0 (0%) | 7,446 (6%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 7,446 (1%) |
| Ermeni Millet | 926 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 368 (1%) | 0 (0%) | 5,720 (10%) | 0 (0%) | 7,014 (1%) |
| Rum Millet | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 2,639 (5%) | 0 (0%) | 2,215 (4%) | 0 (0%) | 4,908 (1%) |
| Non-MuslimRomani people | 145 (0%) | 130 (0%) | 999 (2%) | 1,455 (1%) | 92 (0%) | 786 (0%) | 3,607 (0%) |
| Yahudi Millet | 1,101 (0%) | 630 (1%) | 14 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (0%) | 1,790 (1%) | 3,536 (0%) |
| TOTAL | 225,769 (100%) | 116,899 (100%) | 51,975 (100%) | 192,335 (100%) | 59,487 (100%) | 166,364 (100%) | 812,829 (100%) |
Male Muslim & Non-Muslim population in the Danube Vilayet according to the Ottoman Salname (Yearbook) for 1868:[32]
| Sanjak | Muslims | Non-Muslims | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | ||
| Rusçuk | 138,692 | 59.14% | 95,834 | 40.86% | 234,526 |
| Varna | 58,689 | 73.86% | 20,769 | 26.14% | 79.458 |
| Vidin | 25,338 | 16.90% | 124,567 | 83.10% | 149,905 |
| Sofya | 24,410 | 14.23% | 147,095 | 85.77% | 171,505 |
| Tirnova | 71,645 | 40.73% | 104,273 | 59.27% | 175,918 |
| Tulça | 39,133 | 68.58% | 17,929 | 41.42% | 57,062 |
| Niş | 54,510 | 35.18% | 100,425 | 64.82% | 154,935 |
| Grand Total | 412,417 | 40.30% | 610,892 | 59.70% | 1,023,309 |
After a vilayet-wide census completed in September 1874, the Danube Official Gazette published a flash summary of results on 18 October 1874, presenting cumulative data only, with no sanjak-by-sanjak breakdown. The results were also used for the 1875 Ottoman Salname, where they were also presented by sanjak, albeit with omissions.
Flash summary of the 1873-1874 Danube Vilayet census (males only), as published by the Danube Official Gazette:.[33][34]
| Community | Population | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muslims | 481,798 (42%) | |||||||||
| —Established Muslims | 392,369 (34%) | |||||||||
| —Muslim settlers | 64,398 (6%) | |||||||||
| —Muslim Roma | 25,031 (2%) | |||||||||
| Christians | 646,215 (57%) | |||||||||
| —Bulgarians | 592,573 (52%) | |||||||||
| —Greeks | 7,655 (1%) | |||||||||
| —Armenians | 2,128 (0%) | |||||||||
| —Catholics | 3,556 (0%) | |||||||||
| —other Christians | 40,303 (4%) | |||||||||
| —Non-Muslims Romani people | 7,663 (1%) | |||||||||
| Jews | 5,375 (0%) | |||||||||
| TOTAL Danube Vilayet | 1,141,051 (100%) | |||||||||
1 Exclusive of the Sanjak of Niš. | ||||||||||
Total population of the Danube Vilayet by ethnoconfessional group according to French orientalistUbicini on the basis of the official Ottoman Census of the Danube Vilayet of 1873-1874 (exclusive of theSanjak of Niš, then part of the Prizren Vilayet):[35]
| Community | Number | Percentage | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muslims | 963,596 | 42.28% | ||||||||
| —Established Muslims | 784,731 | 34.44% | ||||||||
| —Circassian Muhacir | 128,796 | 5.65% | ||||||||
| —MuslimRomani | 50.069 | 2.19% | ||||||||
| Christians | 1,303,944 | 57.23% | ||||||||
| —Bulgar millet | 1,185,146 | 52.02% | ||||||||
| —Rum millet | 15,310 | 0.67% | ||||||||
| —Ermeni millet | 450 | 0.02% | ||||||||
| —Roman Catholics | 7,112 | 0.31% | ||||||||
| —ChristianRomani | 15,524 | 0.68% | ||||||||
| —Miscellaneous Christians2 | 80,402 | 3.53% | ||||||||
| Yahudi millet | 10,752 | 0.48% | ||||||||
| GRAND TOTAL | 2,278,290 | 100% | ||||||||
1 Exclusive of the Sanjak of Niš. 2 Vlachs, Lipovans, Cossacks, Germans, etc., mostly in Sanjak ofTulça. | ||||||||||
Thus, according to the 1874 census, there were 963,596 (42.22%) Muslims and 1,318,506 (57.78%) Non-Muslims in the Danube Vilayet, exclusive of theSanjak of Niš. Adding Niš resulted in a population breakdown of 1,055,650 (40.68%) Muslims and 1,539,278 (59.32%) Non-Muslims for the province. Muslims formed a majority in the Sanjaks ofRusçuk,Varna andTulça, while theSanjaks of Sofia,Vidin,Niš andTarnovo had Non-Muslim majorities.[9]
However, nearly a third of all Muslims and close to 15% of the total population of the province were all but recent settlers, and the spectacular increase in the Muslim population of, in particular, theVarna andTulça Sanjaks was primarily fuelled byCrimean Tatar,Nogai andCircassian Muhacir arriving only in the late 1850s or mid-1860s.[36] 71,146 Crimean Tatar and 6,994 Circassian Muhacir accounted for the majority of the Muslim (126,924 people) and a plurality of the total population ofNorthern Dobruja, a region spun off from theTulça vilayet and smaller parts of the Rusçuk and Varna Vilayets and transferred to Romania in 1878.[37][38]
Male Population of the Danube Vilayet (exclusive of theSanjak of Niš) in 1875 according to Tahrir-i Cedid (the Danube Vilayet printing press):[39]
| Community | RusçukSanjak | VidinSanjak | VarnaSanjak | TırnovaSanjak | TulçaSanjak | SofyaSanjak | Danube Vilayet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islam Millet | 164,455 (53%) | 20,492 (11%) | 52,742 (61%) | 88,445 (36%) | 53,059 (61%) | 27,001 (13%) | 406,194 (36%) |
| CircassianMuhacir | 16,588 (5%) | 6,522 (4%) | 4,307 (5%) | 0 (0%) | 2,954 (3%) | 202 (0%) | 30,573 (3%) |
| Muslim Roma | 9,579 (3%) | 2,783 (2%) | 2,825 (3%) | 6,545 (3%) | 139 (0%) | 2,964 (1%) | 24,835 (2%) |
| Bulgar Millet | 114,792 (37%) | 131,279 (73%) | 21,261 (25%) | 148,713 (60%) | 10,553 (12%) | 179,202 (84%) | 605,800 (54%) |
| Vlachs, Catholics, etc. | 500 (0%) | 14,690 (8%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 15,512 (18%) | 0 (0%) | 30,702 (3%) |
| Ermeni Millet | 991 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 808 (1%) | 0 (0%) | 3,885 (4%) | 0 (0%) | 5,684 (1%) |
| Rum Millet | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 3,421 (4%) | 494 (0%) | 217 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 4,132 (0%) |
| Non-MuslimsRomani people | 1,790 (1%) | 2,048 (1%) | 331 (0%) | 1,697 (1%) | 356 (0%) | 1,437 (1%) | 7,659 (1%) |
| Yahudi Millet | 1,102 (0%) | 1,009 (1%) | 110 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 780 (1%) | 2,374 (1%) | 5,375 (0%) |
| TOTAL | 309,797 (100%) | 178,823 (100%) | 85,805 (100%) | 245,894 (100%) | 87,455 (100%) | 213,180 (100%) | 1,120,954 (100%) |
The brutality accompanying the suppression of the BulgarianApril Uprising of 1876 and the atrocities committed by irregular Ottoman paramilitaries (primarilyCircassianbashi-bazouk) caused outrage across Europe, including the United Kingdom, the hitherto closest Ottoman ally.[40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] The disproportionate use of brute force against both insurgents and non-combatants caused the Great Powers to convene theConference of Constantinople in December 1876 to seek a solution to theBulgarian Problem.
In conjunction with the Conference, most Great Powers prepared their own estimates for the population of the Danube Vilayet. Authors include Gabriel Aubaret, French Consul-General inRusçuk; Ottoman army officerStanislas Saint Clair; French scholars and orientalistsUbicini andCourteille; W.N. Jocelyn, Secretary of the British Embassy in Constantinople;[49] Greek official Stavrides, translator at the British Embassy in Constantinople; Russian diplomatsVladimir Cherkassky and Russian diplomat Vladimir Teplov.[49][34]
Total population of the Danube Vilayet according to Russian diplomatVladimir Cherkassky from the Ottoman population register:[50]
| Sanjak | Muslims | Bulgarians | Others | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | ||
| Rusçuk | 381,224 | 61.53% | 233,164 | 37.63% | 5,186 | 0.84% | 619,574 |
| Vidin | 59,654 | 17.66% | 246,654 | 73.04% | 31,398 | 9.30% | 337,706 |
| Tirnova | 189,980 | 38.71% | 300,820 | 61.29% | 0 | - | 490,800 |
| Tulça | 112,300 | 63.34% | 26,212 | 14.78% | 38,788 | 21.88% | 177,300 |
| Varna | 119,754 | 69.78% | 43,180 | 25.16% | 8,678 | 5.06% | 171,612 |
| Sofya | 59,930 | 14.02% | 362,714 | 84.87% | 4,748 | 1.11% | 427,392 |
| Niş | 77,500 | 21.63% | 270,000 | 75.36% | 10,800 | 3.01% | 358,300 |
| Danube Vilayet Total | 1,000,342 | 38.73% | 1,482,744 | 57.41% | 99,598 | 3.86% | 2,582,684 |
Male population of the Danube Vilayet in 1876 according to the Ottoman officerStanislas Saint Clair:[15]
| Community | Population |
|---|---|
| Turk Muslims | 457,018 (36%) |
| Other Muslims | 104,639 (8%) |
| Bulgarian Christians | 639,813 (50%) |
| Armenian Christians | 2,128 (0%) |
| Vlach and Greek Christians | 56,647 (4%) |
| Gypsies | 8,220 (1%) |
| Jews | 5,847 (0%) |
| TOTAL Danube Vilayet | 1,274,282 (100%) |
Total population of the Danube Vilayet (includingNiş andSofia sanjaks) according to the 1876 edition ofEncyclopaedia Britannica:[51]
| Group | Population |
|---|---|
| Bulgarians | 1,500,000 (63%) |
| Turks | 500,000 (21%) |
| Tatars | 100,000 (4%) |
| Circassians | 90,000 (4%) |
| Albanians | 70,000 (3%) |
| Romanians | 40,000 (2%) |
| Gypsies | 25,000 (1%) |
| Russians | 10,000 (0%) |
| Armenians | 10,000 (0%) |
| Jews | 10,000 (0%) |
| Greeks | 8,000 (0%) |
| Serbs | 5,000 (0%) |
| Germans,Italians,Arabs and others | 1,000 (0%) |
| TOTAL Danube Vilayet | 2,369,000 (100%) |
Total Population of the Danube Vilayet (excludingNiş sanjak) in 1876 estimated by the French counsel Aubaret from the register:[52][53]
| Community | Population |
|---|---|
| Muslims | 1,120,000 (48%) |
| incl. Turks | 774,000 (33%) |
| incl. Circassians | 200,000 (8%) |
| incl. Tatars | 110,000 (5%) |
| incl. Gypsies | 35,000 (1%) |
| Non-Muslims | 1,233,500 (52%) |
| incl. Bulgarians | 1,130,000 (48%) |
| incl. Gypsies | 12,000 (1%) |
| incl. Greeks | 12,000 (1%) |
| incl. Jews | 12,000 (1%) |
| incl. Armenians | 2,500 (0%) |
| incl. Vlachs and others | 65,000 (3%) |
| TOTAL Danube Vilayet | 2,353,000 (100%) |
In 1868 the vilayet of Prizren was created with the sancaks of Prizren, Dibra, Skopje and Niš; it only existed till 1877
H. 1276 (31.7.1859-20.7.1860) tarihli icmal nüfus defterine göre, Mecidiye ile Sünne sancakları hariç, Tuna Vilâyeti'nin kurulduğu bölgenin nüfusu kadınlarla birlikte (erkek nüfus X 2) 1.643.364 dolayındadır. Bunun %32,29'u Müslüman, %64,93'ü Gayrimüslim ve %2,78'i ise Kıptilerden oluşmaktadır. Kıptilerle beraber bölgedeki Müslüman nüfus oranı %34,68; Gayrimüslim nüfus oranı ise %65,32'dir.... Ayrıca, aynı dönemde Gayrimüslim nüfusun da yaklaşık %74 dolayında artmış olması, bölgede bu çapta reel bir nüfus artışından ziyade 1831 sayımının eksik ve problemli olduğunu düşündürmektedir. Nitekim –Todorov'un esas aldığı– 1831 icmallerinde Müslüman nüfusun yoğun olduğu Silistre, Şumnu, Hezargrad, Cuma-i Atik ve Tutrakan yoktur. Ayrıca, Tırnova, Hotaliç, Torluk, Sahra, Servi (Selvi), İzladi, Etrepol, Lofça, Plevne, Rahova ve Sipre'de de reaya nüfusu yazılmamıştır.[According to the summary population register dated H. 1276 (31 July 1859–20 July 1860), excluding the sanjaks of Mecidiye and Sünne, the population of the region in which the Danube Vilayet was established amounted to approximately 1,643,364, including women (calculated as male population × 2). Of this total, 32.29% were Muslims, 64.93% were non-Muslims, and 2.78% were Gypsies (Kıptis). When Gypsies are included, the proportion of Muslims in the region rises to 34.68%, while that of non-Muslims is 65.32%... In addition, the fact that the non-Muslim population also increased by approximately 74% during the same period suggests that, rather than reflecting genuine population growth on such a scale, the 1831 census was incomplete and problematic. Indeed, the 1831 summaries on which Todorov relied do not includeSilistra,Shumen,Razgrad,Targovishte orTutrakan, where there was a concentration of Muslims. Furthermore, inVeliko Tarnovo, Hotaliç, Torluk, Sahra,Sevlievo,Zlatitsa,Etropole,Lovech,Pleven,Oryahovo, andChiprovtsi, the reaya (tax-paying subject) population was not recorded.]
Edward S. J. Neale, 28 Mart 1858 tarihli raporunda –köy ve hane sayıları üzerinden yaptığı tahminlerle– Bulgaristan'da (Silistre, Vidin ve Niş Paşalıkları) 430.485 (%30,95) Müslüman, 910.735 (%65,48) Ortodoks Bulgar, 10.100 (%0,73) Rum, 25.000 (%1,80) Ulah, 5.000 (%0,36) Yahudi ve 9.535 (%0,68) diğer unsurlar olmak üzere toplam 1.390.855 nüfus olduğunu belirtmiştir. Neale, ayrıca, Müslüman nüfusun –zorunlu askerlik ve savaş sebebiyle– düşme eğiliminde olduğunu ve on yıl öncesine göre 100.000 dolayında azaldığını, Bulgar nüfusun ise 1838'den beri uygulanan ılımlı idare sayesinde oldukça arttığını ilave etmiştir.[In his report dated 28 March 1858, Edward S. J. Neale—drawing on estimates based on the numbers of villages and households—stated that Bulgaria (the pashaliks of Silistra, Vidin, and Niš) had a total population of 1,390,855, comprising 430,485 Muslims (30.95%), 910,735 Orthodox Bulgarians (65.48%), 10,100 Greeks (0.73%), 25,000 Vlachs (1.80%), 5,000 Jews (0.36%), and 9,535 persons belonging to other groups (0.68%). Neale added that the Muslim population was on a declining trend due to compulsory military service and warfare, having decreased by approximately 100,000 compared to ten years earlier, whereas the Bulgarian population had increased considerably thanks to the moderate administration implemented since 1838.]
The assessment of fertility rates is an absolute necessity for the understanding of the growth rate of the Ottoman population. It is generally assumed that during the first thirty years of the nineteenth century the Ottoman population decreased, beginning to increase again after 1850. This assumption is one-sided and only partly true, for it ignores the differences in growth rates between Muslim and non-Muslim groups. The non-Muslim population actually grew at a fairly fast rate after the 1830s—probably 2 percent annually; the Muslim population declined or remained the same in number. There are indications, however, that fertility rates among the Muslims began to increase after 1850. The causes of the disproportionate fertility rates among the two groups are to be found in the special economic and social conditions which favored non-Muslims and penalized the Muslims, especially Turks. Male Turks spent their peak reproductive years in military service and were unable to marry and settle down to take advantage of economic opportunities. Then, when in the nineteenth century the Ottoman state was exposed to the influence of the European capitalist economy and to intensified internal and international trade, several non-Muslim groups became the early recipients of the economic benefits—and the promoters as well—of the new economic system.... The percentage of the Muslim population in the Rumili increased substantially after 1860. There is no question that this increase resulted from the immigration of the Tatars and Circassians. The immigration not only made up for the heavy losses suffered in the various wars fought since 1812 but also increased the proportion of Muslims in the area.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)Osmanlı Devleti, Kırım Savaşı'ndan 1865 yılına kadar, Kırım (1855–1862) ve Kafkasya'dan (1859–1865) gelen büyük bir muhacir akınına sahne olmuştur. 1855–1856'da yaşanan Tatar göçlerinden sonra,38 1859 Sonbaharında Kırım'dan ikinci göç dalgası başlamış ve 1860–1861'de Tatar ve Nogay göçleri kitlesel boyutlara ulaşmıştır. Keza, Çerkez göçleri de münferit olarak Kırım Harbi akabinde başlamış ve 1859'dan sonra hızlanmıştır. Ancak, Rusya'nın uyguladığı sürgün politikası sebebiyle özellikle 1863–1864'de büyük bir Çerkez (ve Adige, Abaza, Çeçen vs.) muhâcereti yaşanmıştır. Ayrıca, 1862 ve 1865 yıllarında Sırbistan'dan ihraç edilen Müslümanlar da Osmanlı topraklarına sığınmışlardır. Takvim-i Vekâyi'ye göre 1272 senesinden 1280 senesine kadar (13.9.1855-17.6.1863) Osmanlı Devleti'ne 311.333 muhacir gelmiştir. 1280'de (18.6.1863-5.6.1864) gelen muhacirlerin sayısı 283.000'ü aşmıştır. 1281 senesinde (6.6.1864-26.5.1865) ise 87.000'den fazla muhacir gelmiştir. Buna göre, salgın hastalıklar, açlık, soğuk, deniz kazaları vs. sebeplerle yaşamını yitirenler hariç on yılda Kırım ve Kafkasya'dan Osmanlı Devleti'ne göç edenlerin sayısı 682.000'den fazladır.[From the Crimean War until 1865, the Ottoman Empire experienced a major influx of immigrants from Crimea (1855–1862) and the Caucasus (1859–1865). Following the Tatar migrations of 1855–1856, a second wave of migration from Crimea began in the autumn of 1859, and in 1860–1861 Tatar and Nogay migrations reached mass proportions. Likewise, Circassian migrations began sporadically after the Crimean War and accelerated after 1859. However, due to Russia’s deportation policies, especially in 1863–1864, a major Circassian migration (including Adyghe, Abkhaz, Chechen, etc.) took place. In addition, Muslims expelled from Serbia in 1862 and 1865 also sought refuge in Ottoman territories. According to Takvim-i Vekâyi, between the years 1272 and 1280 (13 September 1855–17 June 1863), 311,333 immigrants arrived in the Ottoman Empire. In 1280 (18 June 1863–5 June 1864), the number of immigrants exceeded 283,000. In 1281 (6 June 1864–26 May 1865), more than 87,000 immigrants arrived. Accordingly, excluding those who died as a result of epidemics, famine, cold, maritime accidents, and similar causes, more than 682,000 people migrated from Crimea and the Caucasus to the Ottoman Empire over a ten-year period.]
Demografik hareketliliğin tespiti ve Kırım ve Kafkas muhacirlerinin etkisinin anlaşılabilmesi için 1859–1860 icmal nüfus verileri esas alınmalıdır... Buna göre, Kırım muhacirlerinin yoğun olarak iskân edildikleri Mecidiye ile Sünne sancakları yazılmadığı halde, 1859–1860'ta bölgede 284.934 Müslüman ve 536.748 Gayrimüslim nüfus kaydedilmiş olduğunu hatırlatmalıyız. 1859–1860'tan 1874'e kadar Niş Sancağı hariç bölgedeki Müslüman nüfus, %84,23 (220.276 kişi) artışla 261.522'den 481.798'e; Gayrimüslim nüfus %53,29 (229.188 kişi) artışla 430.065'den 659.253'e ve toplam nüfus ise %65,02 artışla 691.587'den 1.141.051'e yükselmiştir. Bu süreçte Müslüman nüfus oranı %37,81'den %42,22'ye çıkarken, Gayrimüslim nüfus oranı %62,19'dan %57,88'e gerilemiştir. Dolayısıyla 1859–1860 ile 1874 yılları arasında kadınlarla birlikte bölgedeki nüfus 440.552'si Müslüman ve 458.376'sı Gayrimüslim olmak üzere 898.928 kişi artmıştır. Bu verilere göre, Niş Sancağı dışında Tuna bölgesinde iskân edilen Kırım ve Kafkas muhacirleri, Müslüman nüfustaki doğal nüfus artışı da göz önünde bulundurularak söz konusu 440.552 Müslüman nüfus içinde aranmalıdır.[In order to determine demographic mobility and understand the effect of Crimean and Caucasian immigration, we should use the summary population data from 1859-1860 as a basis... And we must keep in mind that even though the Silistra and Mecidiye kazas were heavily settled, they had not been included in the results. In the period from 1859-1860 to 1874, the Muslim population of the region, apart from the Nis Sanjak, went up from 261,522 to 481,798 males, an increase of 84.23% (220,276 males); while the non-Muslim population went up from 430,065 to 659,253 males, or an increase of 53.29% (229,188 males), which led to an increase in the total population from 691,587 to 1,141,051, or 65.02%. In the process, the percentage of Muslims increased from 37.81% to 42.22%, while non-Muslims decreased from 62.19% to 57.88%. Therefore, between 1859-1860 and 1874, the male/female-aggregated population of the region increased by 898,928 people, of whom 440,552 were Muslims and 458,376 were non-Muslims. According to this data, the Crimean and Caucasian immigrants who were settled in the Danube vilayet, apart from the Nis Sanjak, should be sought among these 440,552 Muslims, while taking into account the natural population growth in the Muslim population]