The nineteenth century was an era when the centralization efforts of Ottoman government gained momentum as the new concepts of modern state, like uniform provincial administration and centralized government, were embraced by the Ottoman ruling elite. Eastern Anatolia, which had enjoyed an autonomous position because of its geographical characteristics and remoteness from the capital, was also subjected to a vigorous effort of centralization and administrative reform. Tribal structures and religion always played prominent roles in socio-political structure of eastern Anatolia. As Ottoman government tried to strengthen the central authority in its eastern provinces, tribal leaders and shaikhs became the key elements in the relations between the state and tribal populations. The object of the present study is to examine the relation of tribe and state in eastern Anatolia during the Hamidian and the Young Turk periods. Throughout this work main emphasis will be given to the strategies of the central government for securing control and integration of the tribal element within the Ottoman Empire.