Ottoman Waqf Receipt 1915 Armenian Citizen Empire Armenia Kütahya

Ottoman Waqf Revenue Receipt – Kütahya Armenian Citizen (1915)

Description:

This Ottoman document is titled “Emvâl-i vakfiye tahsildârânına mahsus makbuzdur”, meaning a receipt issued for payments made to collectors of waqf (vakıf) properties. The document is dated 4 March 1331 (17 March 1915), placing it firmly within the World War I period.

The receipt records a payment of 158 kuruş 24 para, made by İstefan Efendi, an Ottoman Armenian citizen, who was the tenant of an Hotel and Coffeehouse (Otel ve Kıraathane) belonging to the Tevkii Mehmet Paşa Waqf in Kütahya. The payment was delivered to the official waqf tax collector İbrahim Efendi, whose role was to collect revenues generated by vakıf-owned properties.

Notably, the document bears İstefan Efendi’s own signature, confirming the transaction and adding to its authenticity and documentary value. The receipt illustrates the everyday financial relationship between Muslim religious foundations (vakıfs) and non-Muslim Ottoman citizens, demonstrating the integrated economic life of the empire even during wartime conditions.As a World War I–era waqf document, it provides valuable insight into Ottoman fiscal administration, vakıf revenue systems, and the social and economic presence of the Armenian community in Kütahya.

Key Features:

• Document Type: Ottoman waqf revenue receipt (Emvâl-i vakfiye makbuzu)

• Date: 4 March 1331 / 17 March 1915

• Location: Kütahya

• Related Waqf: Tevkii Mehmet Paşa Vakfı

• Property Type: Hotel and Coffeehouse (Otel ve Kıraathane)

• Payer: İstefan Efendi (Ottoman Armenian citizen)

• Collected Amount: 158 kuruş 24 para

• Collector: İbrahim Efendi (waqf tax collector)

• Signatures: Signature of İstefan Efendi present

• Historical Significance:
– Demonstrates vakıf–tenant relations involving non-Muslim citizens
– Reflects Ottoman waqf administration during World War I
– Valuable source for Kütahya Armenian and Ottoman social-economic history