Crossing the line in the sand: regional officials, monopolisation of state power and 'rebellion'. The case of Mehmed Ağa Boyacıoğlu in Cyprus, 1685-1690

The aim of this paper is to examine centre-peripheryrelations and issues of state control in Ottoman provinces in the seventeenthcentury, as these are reflected in the case of Mehmed Ağa Boyacıoğlu in OttomanCyprus. Mehmed Ağa Boyacıoğlu rose to prominence in the 1680s and dominated theisland for a period of five to seven years, until 1690. His behaviour andactions, and the way the Sublime Porte dealt with them, represent a usefulexample of how power was negotiated between the centre and the periphery.Moreover, it demonstrates how rebellion terminology had a particular meaningfor contemporary historians and officials, but must be used with caution by theanalysts of today. This paper focuses on our handling of this phenomenon, andinitiates a discussion on terminology and meaning.