Historical Origins of Kazaklar Village in Uşak Revealed Through Ottoman Archives

Thanks to a comprehensive archival research, the historical past of Kazaklar Village, located in the Eşme district of Uşak, has been brought to light once again. This detailed study, conducted by Uşak-based documentary filmmaker and researcher Alp Arslan Dur, reveals that the village's history extends to much older periods than its known foundation. The research examines the administrative structure during the Ottoman period and the historical ties established with the Kayı Yörüks, shedding light on the ethnographic structure of the region. The findings obtained are of great value not only for understanding the past of this small settlement but also for comprehending the history of Eşme and its surroundings. On this occasion, the traces of Yörük and Turkmen culture in Anatolia find their rightful place in official records.

The oldest official record found to date mentioning the name of Kazaklar Village is located in the Aydın Vilayet Salnamesi (Provincial Yearbook) dated 1890. In this historical document, the village was officially registered under the name 'Kazaklar' within the borders of the Güney Nahiye of the Buldan Kazası, which was affiliated with the Denizli Sancağı in the administrative division of the period. However, researcher Alp Arslan Dur makes an important warning that this date should not be perceived as a definitive foundation year. Emphasizing that the 1890 record is merely the first official document to have survived to the present day, confirming the village's existence at that date, Dur points out that the settlement has a much older past. Therefore, it is revealed that the deep-rooted history of the village is not limited solely to this yearbook data and must be sought within different archival depths.

One of the most striking and historically profound sections of the research was obtained through the examination of the Ottoman Tapu Tahrir Defterleri (Land Survey Registers) dating back to the 16th century. These rare correspondences and official minutes prove that the geographical region where Kazaklar Village is located was within the borders of the Aydos and Kaşyenice nahiyeler during that period. The same Ottoman records clearly reveal that the examined region was one of the significant settlement areas inhabited by densely populated Turkmen communities referred to as 'Cemaat-i Yörükan' in the state archives. This situation confirms that the land where the village is located has been one of the centers of rural population mobility and nomadic-agricultural communities for centuries. These meticulous documents kept regarding the administrative and demographic structure of the region provide a unique source for understanding the social history of Anatolia.

The study particularly analyzes in detail the historical presence and influence of the Yörüks belonging to the Kayı tribe in the region. It is noted that the Kayı Yörüks stood out as one of the most populous and influential Turkmen communities in the surrounding area at that time. The fact that Güllü Köyü, which is in a neighboring position to Kazaklar Köyü, appears in the 16th-century records both as 'Karye-i Güllü an Yörükan-ı Kayı' and 'Yörükan-ı Güllü' is shown among the clearest historical findings supporting the deep-rooted and powerful presence of the Kayı Turkmens in this region. These naming practices are extremely valuable as they demonstrate how ethnic affiliation and geographical occupation were recorded by the Ottoman administration. The ability to trace the ancestors of the local people so clearly reveals the power and richness of local history.

The oral history narratives passed down from generation to generation by the local people offer a different yet complementary perspective on the foundation of the village. According to these narratives, the Kazaklar Village settlement was originally founded and given life by Yörük families who migrated from the Yeniköy region. Even though a definite foundation document or imperial edict from the period when the village was first established supporting this claim has not yet been identified in the archives, the available data paints a consistent picture. When the Ottoman archives, the constant data of historical geography, and the continuity of other nearby settlements are evaluated together, there are strong historical indications that the village is a natural continuation of the Kayı-dominant Turkmen settlement in the Aydos basin. It is anticipated that this meticulously prepared study by researcher Alp Arslan Dur will serve as a fundamental source for future academic studies concerning the history of Eşme district and its surrounding settlements.