False Witnessing: Theory and Practice in the Premodern Ottoman Empire

Abstract This article explores false witnessing in the early modern Ottoman period, drawing on premodern doctrinal considerations, lawbooks, a variety of archival sources—including court records, complaint registers, registers of important affairs, and registers of punishments—and narrative sources by contemporary observers of the Ottoman polity. Our discussion is intended to complement jurisprudential formulations on the topic with insights into Ottoman legal practice. In the latter regard, we examine the prevalence of false witnessing in Ottoman courts, its impact on litigation processes, and the profiles and motivations of habitual false witnesses. Additionally, we provide information on how the Ottoman legal system attempted to police and discipline this crime, and the factors that may have influenced the government effort in this regard.