There are several views on when the institution of kadiasker was established in Ottoman history. The most respected of these is that it was founded in 1362 during the reign of Murad I (Hüdavendigar) and Çandarlı Kara Halil, who was once a Bursa judge, was appointed. The reason for the establishment of the Kadiaskeri is the necessity of having a military woman by the side of the sultan in order to settle the religious issues in wars and to solve the problems related to the army. While the number of kadiaskers was one until 1480, it was increased to two due to the expansion of the borders and the increase of problems from this date, and it was appointed as the Anatolian and Rumelian Kadiasker. In order to become a kadiasker, it was law for a person to come to one of the qadi's of five hundred akçe, called the mevleviyet. XVI. Until the second half of the century, there was no other specific condition to be a Kadiasker. However, after this date, it was enacted to bring Istanbul judges to the Anatolian Kadiasker and those who had the title of Anatolian kadiasker to the Rumelia Kadiasker. Their duties are shown in detail in Fatih Kanunnamesi. Accordingly, it is their first duty to deal with the shar'i and legal affairs within the army. Apart from this, there are also duties of ordering the appointment, dismissal and relocation of kadis within the ilmiye organization. Since Kadiasker are the main members of the Divan-ı Hümâyun, they also have important duties in the Divan. Kadiasker losing their place at the top of the ilmiye organization, XVI. coincides with the second half of the century. In parallel with the change in the political perspective of the state and the increasing importance of religion in the state, such developments were also observed in the ilmiye organization.
Kadiasker, Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Empire Conquests, Ottoman Army Organization, Conquests