On November 3, 1839, with the permission of Sultan Abdülmecid I (1839-1861), the Edict of Tanzimat was proclaimed by Mustafa Reşid Pasha. In its most general sense, the Edict of Tanzimat promised four basic reforms. The first of these is that the Edict guarantees the life, honor, and property of the subjects of the ruler. The second is the establishment of a regular taxation system that would replace the tax farming system. The third one is the compulsory military service. The latter signifies the promise of equality before the law for all the subjects, regardless of religion (Zürcher, 2010, p. 84).

The Edict of Tanzimat is the first comprehensive reform initiative for the solution of the “Eastern Question”.