Altunköprü history detailed in new Ottoman archive doctoral thesis

Eshraf Sadun Taha Orug, a doctoral student at Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, has completed a comprehensive thesis titled ‘Altunköprü According to Ottoman Archive Documents’. The research examines the historical, social, and cultural development of Altunköprü and its surrounding areas from the 16th century to the early 20th century.

Utilizing various Ottoman sources, including the Kerkük Mufassal Tahrir Defteri, tax records, endowment documents, and administrative correspondence, the study provides new data on the region's sociological structure, geography, climate, and architecture. The thesis also explores the origins of the name Altunköprü and the historical continuity of local place names.

Key historical findings include the route taken by the Ottoman army during Suleiman the Magnificent’s 1535 Irakeyn Campaign, which passed through Altunköprü toward Tabriz. Additionally, the work evaluates developments in the Mosul, Kirkuk, and Sulaymaniyah regions following World War I, including the internationalization of the Mosul issue and the transfer of the Mosul province to Iraq following the Ankara Treaty of June 5, 1926.