A Statistical Analysis of the Spread and Diversity of Waqf (charitable endowment) in the Ottoman Empire: A Case Study of Records from the National Archive of Bulgaria

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Morteza Nouraei ¹
• Ma’soumeh Pajhooheshnia ²

¹ Professor, University of Isfahan, Iran

² PhD Student, History of Iran in Islamic Era, University of Isfahan, Iran

10.22067/jhistory.2023.81187.1211

Abstract

The present study surveys the spread and diversity of Waqf endowments in the Ottoman empire (10^th-13^th centuries A.H./16^th-19^th centuries A.D.) according to the documents found in the national archive of Bulgaria. The study aims at identifying the various types of Waqf, its distribution patterns, and the usages of Waqf revenues in the Ottoman empire during the specified time span. The documents studied in this research, in addition to the unpublished records, include 470 records related to Waqf in the Ottoman empire compiled by the Oriental Department at the St. Cyril and Methodius National Library and published as the Inventory of Ottoman Turkish Documents about Waqf Preserved in the Oriental Department at the St. Cyril and Methodius National Library. The study’s main question is: What were the common types of Waqf and the usages of Waqf revenues in the Ottoman empire? In other words, the study sets to analyze the sources of Waqf income and its usages in the Ottoman empire according to the aforementioned documents and during 10^th-13^th centuries A.H./16^th-19^th centuries A.D. It is concluded that the highest frequency of Waqf income in 10^th-13^th centuries A.H./16^th-19^th centuries A.D. was from leasing endowed properties, while in the 11^th century A.H./17^th century A.D. it came from the Jizyah taxes in different cities. Additionally, the usage of Waqf revenues include instances such as paying salaries to the employees in endowed properties, maintaining the endowments, and providing food for the poor.

Keywords

• Waqf
• Ottoman empire
• economic history
• archival documents

Main Subjects

• Other

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