Ottoman 1905 Debt Contract between Armenian and Muslim Citizen Finance Armenia Erzincan

Ottoman Debt Contract between Kasap Ahmed Efendi and Emretyan Melkon (Armenian citizen) (7 September 1905)

Description:
A rare Ottoman-era debt bond issued in İstanbul, Hace Paşa, dated 25 Ağustos 1321 (7 September 1905). The document records a loan of 10 Lira-i Osmani taken by Kasap Ahmed Efendi, a Muslim butcher residing in Istanbul, from Emretyan Melkon Ağa, a respected Armenian merchant from Erzincan’s Eğin region. The bond stipulates that Ahmed Efendi promised to repay the loan within 11 days, and in case of delay, he agreed to pay interest.

This debt bond is notable not only for its financial function but also as a testament to intercommunal economic relations in the late Ottoman Empire, illustrating collaboration and trust between Muslim and Armenian Ottoman citizens. The document features an official stamp and seal, and the reverse contains Armenian inscriptions, adding further historical and linguistic interest.

Key Features:

• Date: 25 Ağustos 1321 (7 September 1905)

• Issuer/Debtor: Kasap Ahmed Efendi, Istanbul (Muslim)

• Creditor: Emretyan Melkon Ağa, Erzincan (Eğin) (Armenian)

• Amount: 10 Lira-i Osmani

• Terms: Repayment within 11 days; interest applicable for delay

• Language: Ottoman Turkish (front), Armenian (reverse)

• Authenticity Marks: Original seal and revenue stamp attached

• Historical Significance: Demonstrates financial and social interactions between Armenian and Muslim citizens in the Ottoman Empire

• Cultural Significance: A rare example of intercommunal trust and economic practice in early 20th-century Istanbul