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. 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.
Administrative division 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. In the mid-19th century it had 15
kadiluks.
Sanjak-beys Bulgarian historian Rusi Stojkov believed that
Skanderbeg was mentioned in 1430 Ottoman defter as a
sanjak-bey of the Sanjak of Nicopolis. 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".
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. During the reign of Sultan
Murad II the sanjak-bey was Mehmed Bey, a son of Firuz Bey. In March 1834 Husseyn Pasha was appointed as sanjak-bey of the Sanjak of Nicopolis and
Sanjak of Vidin. == Economy ==