Ottoman Identity Document 1910 İstanbul Muslim Female Citizen Fatma Hikmet

Ottoman Identity Document (Tezkire-i Osmaniye) – Fatma Hikmet Hanım (Üsküdar, 1910)

Description:
An original Ottoman identity document (Tezkire-i Osmaniye) issued to Fatma Hikmet Hanım, daughter of Arif Hikmet Bey and Emine Güzide Hanım. The document is dated 26 Kanun-u Sani 1325 (8 February 1910) and includes official Ottoman stamps and seals, remaining in moderate (middle) condition with some tape repairs on the reverse side.

The Tezkire-i Osmaniye served as the official identity certificate of Ottoman citizens and contained detailed personal information name, parentage, birthplace, religion, appearance, and address. Known popularly as “kafa kağıdı” (head paper), these documents were typically folded and carried inside a small pocket within men’s fezzes, hence the nickname. When authorities requested identification, they would command “Kafa kağıdını çıkar!” (“Take out your head paper!”). Failing to produce it could result in immediate questioning or detention. Thus, these documents were central to the social control and bureaucratic identity system of the late Ottoman Empire.

In this example, Fatma Hikmet Hanım was born in Istanbul on 1 August 1325 (14 August 1909). Her religion (millet) is listed as Muslim, and her residence as: Istanbul Province, Üsküdar District, İhsaniye Neighborhood, İskele Street, House No. 22.

The identity document illustrates the registration of women and family members during the late Ottoman modernization period, when population recording systems began including more detailed data, particularly for urban citizens of Istanbul and its districts such as Üsküdar.

Key Features:

• Document Type: Tezkire-i Osmaniye (Ottoman Identity Certificate)

• Holder: Fatma Hikmet Hanım

• Father’s Name: Arif Hikmet Bey

• Mother’s Name: Emine Güzide Hanım

• Birthplace and Date: Istanbul, 1 August 1325 (14 August 1909 CE)

• Religion (Millet): Muslim

• Residence: Istanbul Province, Üsküdar District, İhsaniye Neighborhood, İskele Street, No. 22

• Date of Issue: 26 Kanun-u Sani 1325 (8 February 1910)

• Material: Printed and handwritten Ottoman official document, with fiscal stamps and seals

• Condition: Medium – minor tears and tape reinforcement on the reverse, but text and stamps remain intact

• Historical Significance:

  • Reflects the Ottoman Empire’s civil identity system in the early 20th century.

  • Shows female registration and urban residence documentation during a period of growing bureaucratic organization.

  • A fine example of late Ottoman personal identification from Üsküdar, one of Istanbul’s most historic districts.

  • Demonstrates the continuity of modern record-keeping practices inherited by the early Turkish Republic.