State-Tribe relations and the ihtilal of 1819 in Diyarbekir During the first decades of the nineteenth century social, political and demographic atmosphere of Diyarbekir has changed dramatically. This was reflected in both political position of local urban elites and economic patterns of urban society. In this paper, the reforms of Mahmud II and his policy towards reconstructing state authority/mechanism throughout the empire will be analyzed in the context of the 1819 events in Diyarbekir, where people, gentry and local elites rebelled against the authority of new governor, Behram Pasha, a member of Milli tribe of Viran?ehir. Interestingly enough from the beginning of rebellion, July 18, till its end, Diyarbekir was governed by the consensus of the inhabitants and gentry and the city was defended for three months against both Ottoman military power and armed forces of Milli tribe who supported Behram Pasha in order to eliminate the defence. In October 26, 1819, rebellion was suppressed and the majority of local elite and influential Muslim urban inhabitants were exiled. By the end of the rebellion, Ottoman State eliminated the political and economic authority of local `Ayan families in Diyarbekir and reconstructed its authority. Taking this rebellion as a departure point, this paper will examine city-tribe relations as well as will attempt to answer one of the essential questions, why tribes oppose to city in the nineteenth century Diyarbekir. I will also illustrate the unknown/undefined role of Mahmud II’s politics of city-tribe relations and show the continuities or changes of state policies on this central issue in the context of the early nineteenth century.