THE ANALYSIS OF COMMERCE IN ISTANBUL IN THE EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY ACCORDING TO ISTANBUL AHKÂM REGISTERS (1750-1763)

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This study, which aims to evaluate the commerce of Istanbul in the 18th century, is based on the classification of Istanbul Ahkâm Registers in the period of 1750-1763. In order to classify the provisions of Ahkâm Registers; (a) registry (book) numbers, (b) application areas, (c) conflict issues, (d) the social position of the litigants, (e) the religion of the litigants, and (f) application years were chosen as the basic analysis variables. Each judgement, which were based on this systematic, were examined in themselves. 221 provisions of the commerce were determined in Istanbul Ahkâm Registers in the period of May 1750-December 1763. The analysis of this Ahkâm Books (between 3-6 books), the maximum provisions were found with 3rd part (28.1%) of them. The most problems of the commerce of Istanbul were “commerce, price, assignation, transport and storage of merchandise” (44.3%) and “maritime trade, shipping, marine accident and shipwrecked merchandise” (35.3%). Moreover, the most commercial problems occurred in Haslar (40.3%) region. Also, the most commercial problem in Surici and Uskudar was “provide and transport of product, firewood and coal” (respectively 12 and 35 cases); in Galata and Haslar was “rescue, protection and returning to the owner of the merchandise of the wrecked ship” (respectively 8 and 35 cases) The commercial problems of Istanbul in the 18th century occurred between the reaya (76%). Both the applicants and the complainees were intensity composed by the Muslims reaya which were dwelling in centrum. It was determined that 22.6% of this commercial problems occured in the period of 1760-1761.

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18th Century , The Ottoman Commercial System , The Commerce of Istanbul , Istanbul Ahkâm Registers

Journal Of Economics an‎d Administrative Sciences

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Journal Of Economics an‎d Administrative Sciences