{"product_id":"ottoman-1908-asar-tax-receipt-amasya-merzifon-hejaz-railway-agricultural-tithe","title":"Ottoman 1908 Aşar Tax Receipt Amasya Merzifon Hejaz Railway Agricultural Tithe","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"61\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eAşar Tax Receipt (Aşar Pusulası) from Merzifon, Amasya (1908)\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"999\" data-start=\"262\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(170, 26, 23);\"\u003eDescription:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"281\" data-start=\"278\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"77\" data-end=\"459\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eThis Ottoman Turkish document is an original Aşar Pusulası (Tithe Tax Receipt) dated 10 Kanun-ı Evvel 1324 (23 December 1908). Issued in Merzifon, Amasya, the receipt records the payment of both the agricultural tithe (aşar\/öşür) tax and a contribution to the Hejaz Railway Fund, illustrating the fiscal administration of the late Ottoman Empire during the reign of Sultan Mehmed V.\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"461\" data-end=\"817\"\u003eThe taxpayer is identified as Hafız Bekir Efendi, son of Mustafa, grandson of Lâdiklioğlu, residing in Hacı Rahat Mahallesi, one of the historic neighborhoods of Merzifon in the Amasya district. The receipt was issued by Brusalı-zâde Mehmed Râşid, who is identified as the responsible tax collector or official authorized to collect the payment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"819\" data-end=\"1426\"\u003eAccording to the document, Hafız Bekir Efendi paid a total of 10 kuruş covering both the aşar (öşür) tax and the contribution to the Hejaz Railway. The aşar, also known as öşür, was one of the principal agricultural taxes of the Ottoman Empire. Derived from Islamic law, it represented a tithe traditionally amounting to one-tenth of agricultural production and was levied primarily on crops cultivated by Muslim landholders. As one of the empire's most important sources of rural revenue, the tax formed a central component of Ottoman fiscal administration until its abolition during the Republican period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1428\" data-end=\"1863\"\u003eThe inclusion of a contribution to the Hejaz Railway alongside the tax payment reflects the Ottoman government's continued efforts to finance one of its most significant infrastructure projects through public participation. Even after the completion of major sections of the railway, such contributions remained closely associated with imperial administration and the broader ideals of Islamic solidarity promoted by the Ottoman state.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1865\" data-end=\"2213\"\u003eBearing its original revenue stamp and official seal, this receipt provides valuable evidence of everyday taxation, agricultural administration, and rural economic life in the Ottoman Empire during the early twentieth century. It also illustrates the close relationship between state taxation and public fundraising campaigns for imperial projects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2215\" data-end=\"2426\"\u003eFor collectors and researchers, this is an excellent historical document connecting Ottoman fiscal administration, agricultural taxation, the Hejaz Railway campaign, and the local history of Merzifon and Amasya.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1020\" data-start=\"1001\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(170, 26, 23);\"\u003eKey Features:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2443\" data-end=\"2483\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e• Type: Ottoman Aşar (Tithe Tax) receipt\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2485\" data-end=\"2507\"\u003e• Title: Aşar Pusulası\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2509\" data-end=\"2557\"\u003e• Date: 10 Kanun-ı Evvel 1324 (23 December 1908)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2559\" data-end=\"2609\"\u003e• Location: Hacı Rahat Mahallesi, Merzifon, Amasya\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2611\" data-end=\"2682\"\u003e• Taxpayer: Hafız Bekir Efendi, son of Mustafa, grandson of Lâdiklioğlu\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2684\" data-end=\"2729\"\u003e• Issuing Official: Brusalı-zâde Mehmed Râşid\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2731\" data-end=\"2754\"\u003e• Amount Paid: 10 kuruş\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2756\" data-end=\"2833\"\u003e• Payment Purpose: Aşar (Öşür) tax and contribution to the Hejaz Railway Fund\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2835\" data-end=\"3097\"\u003e• Historical Context: Documents the collection of the Ottoman agricultural tithe together with a contribution supporting the Hejaz Railway, reflecting both the empire's fiscal system and its efforts to finance major imperial projects through public participation\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3099\" data-end=\"3160\"\u003e• Physical Features: Original revenue stamp and official seal\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3162\" data-end=\"3363\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e• Collectible Significance: Valuable for collectors of Ottoman fiscal documents, agricultural history, Hejaz Railway memorabilia, Amasya and Merzifon local history, and Ottoman administrative ephemera.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Turkrex Collectables","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49756608331914,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0716\/3687\/7450\/files\/1_8a26a088-ebfb-44e3-87ee-dd1aeaac2aa0.jpg?v=1784462513","url":"https:\/\/turkrexcollectables.com\/products\/ottoman-1908-asar-tax-receipt-amasya-merzifon-hejaz-railway-agricultural-tithe","provider":"Turkrex Collectables","version":"1.0","type":"link"}