QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NON-MUSLIM POPULATION IN KARAHISAR-I SAHIB DISTRICT (AFYONKARAHISAR) ACCORDING TO THE POPULATION BOOKS (1835-1841)
NÜFUS DEFTERLERİNE GÖRE KARAHİSAR-I SAHİB (AFYONKARAHİSAR) KAZASINDA GAYRİMÜSLİM NÜFUSUN NİCEL VE NİTEL ÖZELLİKLERİ (1835-1841)

Author : Mehmet GÜNEŞ
Number of pages : 339-372

Abstract

In the Ottoman Empire, the first population census only for the purpose of determining population without the excuse of land records was carried out in 1831. In the census the major aim of which was to detect the soldier and tax potential of the country, only Muslim and non-muslim men were taken into consideration. In this sense, it was attempted to determine the Muslim population in order to provide soldiers for the new military organization called “Asakir-i Mansure-i Muhammediyye” established as a result of the abolition of the Janissaries and the non-muslim population as the taxpayers of jizya. Following this, new censuses were conducted regularly as population counts in the country, and the books in which these censuses were recorded were sent to the centre. These books generally named as “Population Books” included crucial information in terms of demographic, social, and cultural structure of the areas where they belong. In this research, information about the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of non-muslim population was tried to be given by considering the Reaya Population Books including the records of the this population inhabiting in Karahisar-ı Sahib district by years 1835-1840. Within this scope, the study tried to investigate this population’s distribution by neighbourhoods, population movements, and birth-death events by firstly detecting the number of the non-muslim population inhabiting in the district. Then by detecting the number and characteristics of the population that was the taxpayer of jizya, evaluations were carried out related to the income status of this population. Subsequently, the personal names, nicknames, and family names used by non-muslims and their age characteristics, physical conditions, and professions were tried to be explained with tables and graphics.

Keywords

Karahisar-ı Sahib District, Population, Neighbourhood, Non-Muslim, Armenian, İzya

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