Ottoman Civil Code

The Ottoman Civil Code, established in 1917, was a legal framework that modernized and unified personal and family law within the Ottoman Empire. Influenced by European legal traditions, especially the Swiss Civil Code, it regulated matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and property rights. Its purpose was to create consistency and clarity in civil law, replacing traditional Islamic and local customs with a more standardized, secular legal system. This code reflected efforts to modernize the empire’s legal structure while maintaining respect for existing social and cultural practices.