Ottoman 1905 Land Deed House in İstanbul Makriköy Title Armenian Citizens Greek Greece Tavshanjian

Ottoman Mortgage and Conditional Property Transfer Agreement of Nazor Hanım – Makriköy, Istanbul, 1905

Description:

This original Ottoman Turkish legal document, dated 14 March 1321 (27 March 1905), concerns a conditional property transfer made by Nazor Hanım, an Armenian woman and wife of Kirkor Elinak, daughter of Istepan Tavşancıyan (Tavshanjian). The agreement relates to three houses with gardens and one plot of land situated on Istanbul Street in Makriköy, present-day Bakırköy, Istanbul. The document records the use of these properties as security for a loan of 750 Ottoman liras obtained from the merchant Tanaş Yorgiyadi.

The transaction was conducted through a legal arrangement known as a conditional transfer of property for the purpose of redemption, a form of security transaction used in Ottoman property law. Under this arrangement, the properties were transferred to the creditor subject to a condition allowing the original owner to recover them by repaying the debt within the agreed period. In this case, Nazor Hanım undertook to repay the principal together with the legally stipulated interest within one year.

The agreement also specifies the consequences of non-payment. If the debt remained unpaid at the end of the one-year term, the three houses and the plot were to be sold at public auction. The creditor would recover the outstanding principal and the interest accruing after the due date from the proceeds. If the sale proceeds proved insufficient to cover the debt, Nazor Hanım remained responsible for the shortfall. These provisions offer a revealing example of how property, credit and contractual obligations were handled in the late Ottoman legal system.

The properties were situated on Istanbul Street in Makriköy, the historical settlement corresponding to present-day Bakırköy. The document therefore provides a connection to the area's property history during a period when Istanbul's urban districts were home to diverse religious and commercial communities. The identities of Nazor Hanım and Tanaş Yorgiyadi also make the agreement relevant to the study of economic relationships between Armenian and Greek Ottoman subjects.

For collectors of Ottoman legal documents, Armenian heritage and the history of Istanbul, this is a particularly interesting archival piece. Its detailed record of a 750-lira loan, four properties used as security, conditional transfer provisions and the rights of the creditor and debtor makes it a valuable primary source for understanding property-based lending and the multicultural commercial life of early twentieth-century Istanbul. Numerous official stamps, seals and Armenian signatures further enhance its documentary and historical appeal.

Key Features:

• Title: Ottoman Mortgage and Conditional Property Transfer Agreement of Nazor Hanım

• Document Type: Ottoman Turkish Legal Agreement for a Property-Secured Loan

• Property Owner and Debtor: Nazor Hanım, wife of Kirkor Elinak and daughter of Istepan Tavşancıyan (Tavshanjian)

• Creditor: Tanaş Yorgiyadi, merchant

• Location: Istanbul Street, Makriköy (present-day Bakırköy), Istanbul

• Properties: Three houses with gardens and one plot of land

• Loan Amount: 750 Ottoman liras

• Legal Arrangement: Conditional property transfer with a right of redemption

• Repayment Terms: Principal and legally stipulated interest payable within one year

• Default Provisions: Public auction of the properties if the debt remained unpaid, with any remaining shortfall recoverable from the debtor

• Date: 14 March 1321 (27 March 1905)

• Language: Ottoman Turkish

• Documentary Features: Numerous official stamps and seals, with Armenian signatures

• Historical Significance: Documents property-secured lending and legal arrangements between Armenian and Greek Ottoman subjects in Istanbul

• Collectible Significance: A detailed legal record of property, credit and multicultural commercial life in late Ottoman Istanbul, of particular interest to collectors of Ottoman legal documents, Armenian heritage and Istanbul's urban history