Eyalet System

The Eyalet system was an administrative division used by the Ottoman Empire from the 15th to 19th centuries. The empire was divided into large regions called eyalets (later called vilayets), each governed by an appointed Ottoman official called a beylerbey or vali. These regions allowed the central government to manage territories more effectively, overseeing military, tax, and legal affairs locally. Over time, the system evolved into smaller, more centralized units to improve governance and control. This structure helped maintain the vast Ottoman Empire across parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa for several centuries.