Ottoman 1914 Land Deed Garden in Ertuğrul Bilecik Title Armenian Family Armenia
Ottoman Garden Title Deed from Bilecik – Hataboğlu Quarter, Ertuğrul Sanjak (1914)
Description:
This Ottoman Turkish title deed records a bağçe eşcarı (garden with trees) located in Hataboğlu Mahallesi of Bilecik, within the Ertuğrul Sanjak. The document is dated 30 Nisan 1330 (Rumi), corresponding to 13 May 1914 (Gregorian), a moment just before the profound demographic and political transformations that would soon reshape the region.
The property is defined as a bağçe eşcarı, indicating a cultivated garden containing trees, a category commonly associated with small-scale agricultural production and household-level horticulture. The legal classification (nevi) specifies that the land is attached to the Ertuğrul Gazi Vakfı, reflecting the enduring role of vakıf land tenure in late Ottoman provincial life.
The recorded boundaries (hudud) provide a vivid micro-topography of the neighborhood: to the east a cemetery, to the west the property of his brother Artin, to the north a bağçe belonging to “Casman?” oğlu (the reading is uncertain due to the difficulty of Ottoman rika script), and to the south a public road. Similarly, the street name is read as “Abbaslık?” with some uncertainty, again due to the challenges of deciphering handwritten Ottoman rika.
The deed was issued following an intra-family division of property. According to a registered deed dated December 1913 (No. 10), the heirs of Kum Kara oğlu Kirkor—his sons Agop and Jirar, along with his wife Mari—voluntarily divided their jointly held properties. Based on their declaration and mutual agreement, the entirety of this bağçe was assigned as an independent holding to the share of the deed holder. This allocation was formally confirmed through an official document dated 3 May 1914 issued by the local quarter authorities, as well as through records in the tax register (4th volume, page 50). As a result, the property was legally separated and the title record updated.
The registered owner is listed as Kum Kara oğlu Agop veledi Kirkor, an Ottoman citizen of Armenian origin. The document bears revenue stamps and official seals, reinforcing its administrative validity and authenticity.
Beyond its legal content, this piece offers a compelling window into the Armenian presence in Bilecik on the eve of World War I. At the time, Bilecik hosted one of the largest Armenian populations within the Ertuğrul Sanjak, with neighborhoods such as Hataboğlu and adjacent non-Muslim quarters playing a central role in the local economy through sericulture, weaving, goldsmithing, and trade.
The broader historical context further enhances its significance. In 1914, the mayor of the Ertuğrul Sanjak was an Armenian Ottoman citizen, Kirkor Efendi, who was removed from office on 13 June 1914 on charges of corruption. Shortly thereafter, the Armenian population of the region declined rapidly due to the deportations (tehcir) that followed in the coming years. In this light, the document stands as a poignant and tangible record of a community and way of life on the threshold of irreversible change.
For collectors, this is not merely a land deed, but a layered historical artifact combining legal documentation, family history, and the socio-economic fabric of late Ottoman Anatolia. Its Armenian provenance, detailed cadastral data, and strong contextual background make it particularly desirable.
Two additional title deeds belonging to the same family are also available; viewing them together offers a rare opportunity to reconstruct a fuller picture of property ownership and inheritance within a single household.
Key Features:
• Type: Ottoman garden title deed (bağçe eşcarı)
• Date: 30 Nisan 1330 (Rumi) / 13 May 1914
• Location: Ertuğrul Livası, Bilecik Kazası, Hataboğlu Mahallesi
• Street: “Abbaslık?” (reading uncertain due to Ottoman rika handwriting)
• Language: Ottoman Turkish
• Property Type: Garden with trees
• Legal Status (Nevi): Land belonging to Ertuğrul Gazi Vakfı
• Boundaries (Hudud): East – cemetery; West – brother Artin’s property; North – bağçe of “Casman?” oğlu (uncertain reading); South – road
• Property Size (Mikdar): 1 dönüm atik, 9 evlek, 19 arşın-ı cedid
• Owner: Kum Kara oğlu Agop veledi Kirkor
• Transfer Reason: Intra-family division based on December 1913 deed (No. 10), confirmed by official records in May 1914
• Supporting Records: Document dated 3 May 1914; tax register (Vol. 4, p. 50)
• Community Context: Armenian family property ownership in Bilecik, a key center of Armenian population and economic activity in the Ertuğrul Sanjak
• Historical Context: Immediately prior to World War I and the demographic transformations affecting the Armenian population
• Physical Features: Revenue stamps and official seals present
• Collectible Significance: Strong relevance for Armenian, Ottoman provincial, and land registry history collectors