Ottoman Land Sale Document 1887 Makri Village Istanbul Dadian Family Armenian Armenia

Ottoman Land Sale Document – Makri Village (Bakırköy, Istanbul) 1887

Description

This original Ottoman document is dated 4 June 1303 (16 June 1887) and concerns the sale of an agricultural field located in Makri Village known today as Bakırköy, Istanbul specifically opposite the railway station, in an area described as “Yüksek Tarla.” According to the attached map and supporting documents referenced in the text, the sellers formally declared and proved their ownership of a field measuring 1,980 zira.

The document notifies the relevant official authorities that the field would be sold for a price of 12 muhassın to Saadetli Agop Efendi, an Armenian Ottoman citizen and Director of the Emniyet Sandığı. In the Ottoman period, the Emniyet Sandığı functioned as a credit and lending institution, providing loans secured against collateral, making Agop Efendi a figure of notable financial and administrative standing.

What makes this document exceptionally valuable is the identity of the sellers: members of the Dadyan (Dadian) family, one of the most prominent Armenian families in Ottoman history. The document bears the signatures or seals of three family members; Hosrov Dadyan, Arşak Dadyan, and Dirtad Dadyan. Hosrov Dadyan was a distinguished senior engineer and machinist, and the second son of Ohannes Bey Dadyan, who served as Barutcubaşı (Chief Gunpowder Master). Arşak and Dirtad were his sons. The Dadyan family was renowned for its industrial expertise, long-standing monopoly over the Ottoman gunpowder industry, close ties to Ottoman banking, and advisory roles within the state.

The document includes a revenue stamp and, on the reverse, official administrative seals and endorsements, including statements confirming that there were no outstanding tax obligations and that the document was reviewed and approved by the relevant authorities. Together, these features make the document a highly significant and collectible piece reflecting Ottoman land transactions, Armenian elite families, and late 19th-century administrative practices.

Key Features

• Type: Ottoman land sale document

• Location: Makri Village (modern Bakırköy), Istanbul; opposite the railway station, Yüksek Tarla

• Property Type: Agricultural field

• Size: 1,980 zira

• Sale Price: 12 muhassın

• Buyer: Saadetli Agop Efendi, Director of the Emniyet Sandığı (Armenian Ottoman citizen)

• Sellers: Members of the Dadyan family

• Signatories: Hosrov Dadyan, Arşak Dadyan, Dirtad Dadyan

• Date: 4 June 1303 (16 June 1887)

• Features: Ottoman revenue stamp; official seals and endorsements on the reverse

• Historical Significance: Documents a land sale involving the Dadyan family, one of the most influential Armenian families in Ottoman industrial, financial, and political history