Because of its prosperity, Urfa's population grew as it attracted residents from nearby cities. In 1571, a government report indicated that most of the government employees under the governor of Diyarbakır were actually living in Urfa instead. In 1586, Ottoman authorities created the Eyalet of Raqqa out of territories that had previously belonged to the Eyalet of Diyarbekir, and Urfa became "the center of economic and political power" in this new province.
