BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA REFUGEES IN THE 19th and 20th CENTURIES IN THE LIGHT OF OTTOMAN DOCUMENTS

Abstract

One of the most tragic events in human history, migration, no doubt, left deep traceson communities who were forced to perform it. Some of the migrations are causedby natural causes such as earthquake, flood, famine, disease and some of themoriginating from the wars. One of the biggest causes of migrations that occurred inthe Balkans was war. After 1877-1878 Ottoman-Russian War large-scale migrationtook place from Balkans to Anatolia. According to the Treaty of Berlin signed afterthe war in which Ottoman Empire was defeated, Bosnia and Herzegovina whichwas the most important territory of Ottoman Empire in the Balkans was left toAustro-Hungarian Empire. Bosnians, the Muslim population of Bosnia-Herzegovina, over this situation began to migrate to Anatolia.In this study, it will be focused on issues such as the general situation of refugeeswho migrated from Bosnia and Herzegovina to various cities of Anatolia, securityof relocation in light of the Ottoman documents. Besides information aboutOttoman Empire policies against refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina and livingconditions of refugees will be provided.