O Bosanskoj Dubici u svjetlu dokumenata Osmanskog arhiva u Istanbulu

Bosanska Dubica is situated on the northwestern border of Bosnia, among a series of small towns along the Una River that have witnessed significant events throughout various historical periods. This paper aims to contribute to the exploration of Dubica's past and to understand its importance as a border town during the Ottoman era, a subject that has been modestly addressed in existing historiography. One of the research objectives is to highlight the archival potential available for further studies on the history of towns at both local and regional levels in the Bosanska Krajina during the extended Ottoman period. The introductory section provides basic information about Dubica's administrative position during the Ottoman period, from its incorporation into Ottoman rule up to 1878. Until the Tanzimat reforms, Dubica held the status of a nahija and was administratively part of the Kobaš, Novosel, Kostajnica, or Banja Luka kadiluks. From the mid-19th century, Dubica, as a mudirlik, was included in the Bihać kaymakamlik. Located on the border between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy, Dubica experienced an intense history characterized by frequent changes, especially in terms of territorial jurisdiction. In 1538, military units under Bosnian sanjak-bey Gazi Husrev-bey captured Dubica, incorporating it into the Ottoman Empire during a broader campaign to conquer territories of the medieval Bosnian state that had come under Hungarian control after 1463. For the next 150 years, until 1688, Dubica remained continuously under Ottoman rule. From the late 17th to the late 18th century, Dubica fell under Habsburg control on three occasions (1687, 1716, and 1788) during the well-known Ottoman-Austrian wars, totaling 47 years under Habsburg rule. Historiography has extensively covered the last major Ottoman-Austrian war at the end of the 18th century, known in literature as the Dubica War, due to the fact that the Pounje area was one of the main military targets of Austrian generals, and Dubica was one of the main sites of significant military operations. This war broke out after the Ottoman Empire declared war on the Russian Empire in 1787, with the Habsburg Monarchy, as Russia's ally, joining the conflict in 1788. On August 26, 1788, General Gideon Laudon captured Dubica; however, during peace negotiations in Svištov, it was returned to Ottoman possession, specifically to the Bosnian Eyalet. As every historical topic is determined by historical sources, this research has been guided by archival materials in exploring Dubica's history. Among the topics covered are the fortress garrison, with a special focus on the payment of soldiers in the Dubica fortress; the handover of Dubica to the Ottoman side after the end of the Dubica War in 1795-1796; the construction and repair of the Dubica fortress and other structures in the area; appointments to various duties and the names of Ottoman officials in Dubica; legal violations and various irregularities in Dubica; and Dubica's mosques. The primary sources for this paper include professional literature and archival materials available in the Ottoman Archives in Istanbul, covering the period from the 16th to the 19th century. The paper presents a thematic-chronological analysis and contextualization of available archival documents, shedding light on previously unknown events, processes, and personalities from the past of Ottoman Bosanska Dubica.