KANUNNAME-I AL-I OSMAN (Code of the Ottoman State)

"Kanunname-i Osman or Kanun-i Kadim. It is the law declared by the sultan to organise the judicial, economical and administrative systems of the empire. It was based on the canonical laws of Islam.

The Ottoman jurists examined the laws widely and divided the canonical laws (Kavanini Seriye) and the social laws (Kavanini Orfiye). Fatih Kanunnamesi and Sultan Suleyman Kanunnamesi were the best examples; revealing the division between the public and private laws based on the traditions.

After Fatih Kanunnamesi (Laws of Sultan Mehmed II), an extend law collection named as Kanunname-i Sultani Ber Muceb-i Orfi Osmani in which canonical taxation rules and the procedures of Timar (tax) were legalised was imposed by Sultan Bayezid II (1418-1512). However, Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent imposed more comprehensive and more organised regulations. Thus, an extensive regulation was arranged in the valid system of Divan-i Humayun and provinces. These regulations involved changes from the field of right and responsibility of Timarli Sipahis (cavalry) to the obligation of external appearances. New regulations were prepared at the newly conquered lands and regions. The regional regulations were so different from each other. For this reason a migrated person changing his place in the country was liable for the regional regulations and freed from the old ones. In addition, there were different regulations for the Muslims and the non-Muslims.

In the 17th century the first important study about the Ottoman Laws was made by Hazerfen Huseyin Efendi and called as Telhisul Beyan fi Kananini Ali Osman in which there were summaries and interpretations of the Ottoman Laws.