Ottoman Treasury Document Hejaz Vilayet Deficit 1899 Mecca Medina Hijaz

Ottoman Treasury Document - Hazine-i Celile-i Maliye, Hejaz Vilayet Deficit, 1899

Description:
An original Ottoman financial document issued by the Hazine-i Celile-i Maliye (Imperial Treasury, today’s Ministry of Treasury and Finance), dated 7 June 1315 (19 June 1899). The document records the allocation of 70,000 kuruş transferred from the Trabzon province to cover a budget deficit (sandık açığı) in the Hijaz (Hicaz) province.

The Hijaz region, home to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, held immense religious and political importance for the Ottoman Empire. Ensuring stability and addressing financial shortages in this sacred land was a matter of prestige and duty for the state. This document demonstrates how the central treasury redirected funds from one province to another in order to sustain the well-being and administration of the Hijaz.

The sheet bears two official seals, confirming its authenticity and administrative validation.

Key Features:

• Type: Treasury / financial allocation document

• Institution: Hazine-i Celile-i Maliye (Imperial Treasury)

• Date: 7 June 1315 (19 June 1899)

• Content: 70,000 kuruş transferred from Trabzon to cover Hijaz province deficit (sandık açığı)

• Region: Hijaz (modern-day Saudi Arabia) – including Mecca and Medina

• Language: Ottoman Turkish

• Authentication: Contains 2 official seals

• Significance: Illustrates Ottoman fiscal management, the importance of Hijaz for the empire, and inter-provincial financial support within the imperial system