Ottoman Rental Contract of Home İstanbul 1919 French Citizens Priest Monastery

Ottoman Rental Contract - Şişli, Pangaltı (1919)

Description:
An Ottoman Turkish rental contract dated 1919, concerning the lease of a house located in Şişli, Pangaltı, Hacı ..... Street, No. 21 - i could not read the street name fully.

The property owner is recorded as P. Baptiste, the Chief Priest (Ser Rahibi) of the V. Mekhitarist Monastery, a religious institution associated with the Catholic Armenian Mekhitarist Order. His nationality is listed as French. The tenant is Alexander (Aleksandır) Efendi, also identified as French.

The lease was drawn up for a period of one year, with a monthly rent of 9 Ottoman liras (Lira-i Osmani). The document bears official Ottoman revenue stamps, seals, and signatures, confirming its authenticity.

This contract is an important historical artifact that illustrates the presence of French clergy and residents in early 20th-century Istanbul, particularly in the Pangaltı–Şişli district, which was known for its European and Levantine communities. It also highlights the multicultural character of late Ottoman Istanbul, where foreign religious institutions and expatriates actively participated in local urban and social life.

Key Features:

• Type: Rental contract (residential lease)

• Date: 1919

• Duration: 1 year

• Location: Şişli, Pangaltı, Hacı .... Street, No. 21

• Landlord: P. Baptiste – Chief Priest (Ser Rahibi), V. Mekhitarist Monastery

• Nationality: French

• Tenant: Alexander (Aleksandır) Efendi – French

• Rent: 9 Ottoman liras per month

• Language: Ottoman Turkish (Arabic script)

• Features: Revenue stamps, seals, signatures

• Significance: Demonstrates the French religious and expatriate presence in Ottoman Istanbul, and stands as a rare example of a property transaction between two French nationals within the Ottoman legal system.