HIGHLAND DISPUTES IN THE EASTERN BLACK SEA REGION (GüMü？HANE-TRABZON) DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

The geography of the Black Sea punctuated by river valleys presents a social and economic unity in a geography from coasts to plains. The highlands, the most important feature characterizing the nomadic (Konar-G？？er) Turkmen’s life, mark a space where this life style has emerged and experienced in history. Highlands after the classical Ottoman rule for a few centuries, underwent various changes and transformations in the 19th century. With the rise of international trade in the Black Sea, urbanization in the coastal regions, internal and external migrations, the proprietors’ (？yans) influence on social, economic and political aspects of the Ottoman society further aggravated the dispute on the highlands that caused property concerns. The highlands in the Eastern Black Sea region, predominantly Gümü？hane and Trabzon, were the subject of such dispute. This study aims to explore the historical background of the disputes between the Eastern Black Sea, particularly Gümü？hane and Trabzon in the 19th century