The institution of the Qadi is undeniably one of the most critical administrative and judicial establishments in both Ottoman and broader Islamic history. Emerging in the Islamic Middle Ages, the Qadi’s social and administrative functions are often misunderstood when evaluated without considering their fourteen-century evolution. Furthermore, the extent to which this institution inherited practices from pre-Islamic empires is rarely discussed in mainstream historiography.

In The Qadi: Judicial Authority in the Ottoman State, master historian İlber Ortaylı fills this crucial gap. Relying exclusively on primary archival sources, he meticulously details the history and duties of the Qadis. Ortaylı explains the complex mechanisms of their appointments, tenures, jurisdictions, assistants, and their hierarchical relationships with other state officials, providing a crystal-clear picture of how Ottoman courts truly operated on a daily basis.

Combining his broad historical perspective with his unmistakably fluent narrative flair, Ortaylı presents the multifaceted world of the Ottoman judge with extraordinary clarity. This is an essential and eye-opening work that sheds light on the very center of Ottoman legal history, exploring a foundational institution that is frequently referenced but rarely truly understood.