Ottoman 1898 Land Deed Agricultural Field in Sivas Title Koçgiri Zara

Ottoman Title Deed - Zara Village, Koçgiri, Sivas 1898

Description

This original Ottoman title deed is dated Kanun-ı Sani 1313, corresponding to January–February 1898, and relates to an agricultural field located in Zara Village within the Koçgiri district of Sivas. The document records ownership of a two-thirds share of the land, reflecting the common Ottoman practice of registering fractional land holdings.

The field has a total recorded size of 2 dönüms. The deed documents a legal transfer of ownership from the previous holder, Yusuf, to Nuri Efendi, identified as Hacı Bekir Ağa’s son and a subject of the Ottoman Empire (tebaa-i aliyeden). 

Notably, the document records both an assessed value (kıymet) of 250 and a purchase price (bedel) of 300, indicating that Nuri Efendi acquired the land by paying an amount above its officially assessed value. This detail provides insight into land valuation and market practices in late Ottoman rural Anatolia. The simplicity of the boundary descriptionlisting the same neighboring owner on all sides suggests a consolidated or centrally located plot.

Key Features

• Type: Ottoman title deed (Tapu)

• Location: Zara Village, Koçgiri, Sivas

• Property Type: Agricultural land (field)

• Share Details: Two-thirds (2/3) share of the land

• Size: 2 dönüms

• Boundaries: East, West, North, and South bordered by the property of Nuri Efendi

• Previous Owner: Yusuf

• Registered Owner: Hacı Bekir Ağa’s son, Nuri Efendi (Ottoman subject)

• Declared Value (Kıymet): 250

• Purchase Price (Bedel): 300

• Date: Kanun-ı Sani 1313 (January–February 1898)

• Historical Significance: Documents a formally registered land transfer involving fractional ownership and highlights valuation and pricing practices in the late Ottoman provincial land market