Bursa Vilayet

ولايت خداوندگار‎ Vilâyet-i Hüdâvendigâr
Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire
← 1867–1922 →
Hüdavendigâr Vilayet in 1895
Capital		Bursa
History
•	Established	1867
•	Disestablished	1922
Population
•	Muslim, 1914	474,114
•	Greek, 1914	74,927
•	Armenian, 1914	60,119
•	Jewish, 1914	-

The Hüdavendigâr Vilayet (Ottoman Turkish: ولايت خداوندگار, Vilâyet-i Hüdavendigâr‎) or Bursa Vilayet after its administrative centre, was a first-level administrative division (vilayet) of the Ottoman Empire. At the beginning of the 20th century it reportedly had an area of 26,248 square miles (67,980 km²).

The name Hüdavendigâr was a poetic Ottoman name for Bursa, from the Persian word خداوندگار Khodavandegār meaning God, Lord.

As of 1920, the British had described the vilayet as being "one of the most prosperous in Anatolia." The northern and western regions were mainly occupied by Christians. Highlands were populated by Turkish immigrants from Europe. The area near the Sea of Marmara was considered the most fertile area, with a large portion of the vilayet being "marshy and fever-stricken, especially between Bursa and Panderma." The vilayet produced wheat, barley, maize, beans, and seeds in the northern and western regions. Throughout the region, opium, tobacco and cotton was also produced. The area around Lake Iznik produced rice. The Balıkhisar area produced "some of the finest fruit grown in Turkey." Barley is also of large production in the highlands and is exported to England.

Silk production was considered the most valuable of the region during the 20th century. The vilayet had schools devoted to silk production. The region had obtained silkworm seed from France. Bursa was the heart of silk production. The silk is mainly exported, sometimes as thread or cocoons. In the mid 19th-century, a disease spread through the silkworm, causing a decline in production. As of 1920, the disease was eradicated and business was steady. Cotton production remained steady, and towels and robes were common items produced from cotton.Velvet and felt were also produced. Felt was used for saddles and other equestrian related goods. The area also made tanned leather and carpet. The city of Kütahya created tiling and pottery. Soap and flour was also produced in the vilayet.

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Wikipedia