The earliest defter of the Sanjak of Nicopolis is composed in the mid-15th century. One group of scholars dated this defter to 1430 while another group of scholars dated it to 1479/1480.[1] This was the first Ottoman defter which mentioned the Romani people, who lived in 431 households, or 3.5 percent of households in this sanjak.[2]
In the collected notes of Evliya Çelebi (mid-17th century) the Sanjak of Nicopolis with 20 ziamets and 244 timars and income of 40,000 aspres was mentioned as one of 24 Ottoman sanjaks in Rumelia.[3] In the mid-19th century it had 15 kadiluks.[4]
Bulgarian historian Rusi Stojkov believed that Skanderbeg was mentioned in 1430 Ottoman defter as a sanjak-bey of the Sanjak of Nicopolis.[5] According to this view he was appointed to this position shortly after being chosen for the position of sanjak-bey of the Sanjak of Dibra. Halil İnalcık explained that for Skanderbeg, "this was a big promotion as Nikopol was one of the largest sanjaks of European Turkey".[6] Strashimir Dimitrov dated this defter to 1479–80 and believed that the Iskander Bey mentioned in it was not Skanderbeg but some other person who was mirliva of Nicopolis.[7]
During the reign of Sultan Murad II the sanjak-bey was Mehmed Bey, a son of Firuz Bey.[8]
In March 1834 Husseyn Pasha was appointed as sanjak-bey of the Sanjak of Nicopolis and Sanjak of Vidin.[9]
