the ottoman empire came into disarray due to problems asserting "central government control" during the 16th and 17th centuries. they needed a way to reassert their military might. ziamets of ottoman cavalry were enlarged and turned over to a smaller number of owners, with a longer tenure. thus, authority in provincial areas turned to police authority as local administrations dissolved, and ziamets were converted into tax-farms or iqta. this conversion of ziamets into tax-farms proved to be the first step to growing provincial control in the ottoman empire, as economic decline in the empire gave these stronger provincial governors the chance to assert power.[3]