Ottoman Real Estate Tax Receipt 1908 Erzurum with Armenian stamp Armenia Muslim 2

Ottoman Tax Receipt – Erzurum, Ali Paşa District 1908

Description

This original Ottoman tax receipt is dated 19 March 1324 (1 April 1908) and documents the payment of a property tax (emlak vergisi) in the amount of 103 kuruş. The receipt pertains to the city of Erzurum and records the payment made by residents of the Ali Paşa District, including Ali Fevzi Efendi and others, reflecting routine municipal taxation practices in the late Ottoman period.

What makes this receipt particularly interesting and collectible is the official seal it bears. The seal is stamped with the name “Garabed,” an Armenian name, identifying Garabed as a tax collector serving in the Sixth District (Altıncı Daire) of the Erzurum municipality. This detail provides clear documentary evidence of Armenians serving as municipal officials within the Ottoman administrative system.

Beyond its fiscal function, the receipt offers valuable insight into the social and professional life of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, illustrating their active role in urban administration and public service on the eve of the Second Constitutional Period.

Key Features

• Type: Ottoman tax receipt (Emlak Vergisi)

• Location: Erzurum, Ali Paşa District

• Tax Type: Property tax

• Amount Paid: 103 kuruş

• Payers: Ali Fevzi Efendi and other residents of the Ali Paşa District

• Date: 19 March 1324 (1 April 1908)

• Official Seal: Stamped with the name “Garabed,” municipal tax collector

• Issuing Authority: Erzurum Municipality, Sixth District (Altıncı Daire)

• Historical Significance: Documents Armenian participation in Ottoman municipal administration and reflects the social and professional presence of Armenians in early 20th-century urban life