Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
of Istanbul
Author(s): Stanford J. Shaw
Source: International Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jan., 1975), pp. 94-114
Published by: Cambridge University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/162736 .
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Stanford J. Shaw
It has been just fifteen years since my researches in the Bagbakanlik Arsivi
(Prime Minister's Archives) in Istanbul on Ottoman provincial administration
and finance before the nineteenth century' led me to attempt to describe what
I saw in the archives for the benefit of other researchers.2 Since that time,
a number of additional collections in that archive have been catalogued and made
available, and my own subsequent research into the Ottoman reform movement
in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries have enabled me to examine these
and other materials which I did not see or examine during my earlier research
efforts in Istanbul. It is the purpose of this survey, then, to describe these more
modern archival materials in Istanbul, particularly those in the Basbakanlik
Arsivi which were not described in my earlier article, in the hope of encouraging
all those interested in modern Ottoman and Middle Eastern history to make use
of them in the course of their own research.3 In order to help the reader under-
stand the nature of the bulk of materials in each collection, I am dividing them
into four general categories: basic laws and regulations, administrative records
and regulations, records of sultans and individual statesmen, and judicial records,
although in fact the materials in each collection at least partly overlap in nature
with those of the others.
I See S. J. Shaw, The Financial and Administrative Organization and Development of
Ottoman Egypt, I517-1798 (Princeton, N.J., 1962); Ottoman Egypt in the Age of the
French Revolution (Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1964); The Budget of Ottoman Egypt (The
Hague, Holland, 1968).
2 S. J. Shaw, 'Archival Sources for Ottoman History: The Archives of Turkey',
Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 80 (i960), pp. I-12; 'Turkish Source
materials for Egyptian History', Political and Social Change in Modern Egypt, ed. P. M.
Holt (Oxford University Press, London and New York, 1968), pp. 28-48.
3 The best general inventory of the Basbakanllk Archives in Istanbul is Midhat
Sertoglu, Muhteva Bakimindan Basvekalet Arfivi (Ankara, I955). It is a basic tool, and
should be used consistently and regularly by all researchers.
Within each general subject catalogue, documents have not been arranged
either by date or by subcategory. In addition, when documents concerned
several subjects, the cataloguers were compelled to make arbitrary judgments as
to which single category catalogue they should be assigned. The careful researcher
therefore should consult as wide a group of subject catalogues as is possible in the
time available.
Irades ever issued by the Ottoman government, arranged by date, with short
summaries of each. However, no attempt has yet been made to coordinate these
listings with the documents found in the Irade documents collection, so these
registers at present are of limited use.
Register
volume
Ministry or subject numbers Inclusive dates of correspondence
Adliye/Justice 1-29 24 Rebi II 1278/1861-31 October
1338/1922
Bahriye/Navy 30-51 28 Cemazi II 1265/1849-I2 Rebi I
1341/1922
Dahiliye/Interior
Incoming 52-86 3 Cemazi I 1297/1880-8 Rebi I
1338/1919
Outgoing 87-122 4 Rebi II 1297/I880-II Rebi I
I341/1922
Evkaf/Foundations 123-144 9 Cemazi II 1268/1852-IO Rebi I
1341/1922
Hariciye/Foreign Affairs
Incoming 145-I74 4 Rebi II 1297/1880-7 Rebi I
1341/1922
Outgoing 175-192 21 Rebi I 1296/1879-10 Rebi I
1341/1922
Harbiye/Army
Documents 193-204 14 $eval 1260/1844-I6 Ramazan
1330/1912
Incoming 205-245 i Receb 1265/I849-14 Rebi II
1341/1922
Outgoing 246-273 i Muharrem 1278/1861-11 Rebi I
1341/1922
Hazine-i Hassa/Treasury of Sultan
Incoming 274-275 io Muharrem 1278/1861-31 October
1338/1922
Outgoing 276-277 I Muharrem 1278/I861-31 October
1338/1922
Istizan Irade-i Seniye 278-343 3 Receb 1265/1849-8 Rebi I 134I/1922
defteri/Requests for permission
to issue Irades
Resen Irade-i Seniye, 344-360 28 Cemazi II 1265/1849-25 Cemazi I
Summaries of Irades 1327/1909
Irade-i Hususiye/Special Irades 361-389 6 Muharrem 1286/1869-25 Rebi II
issued on internal regulations 1340/1922
and privileges, judicial,
financial, and police
matters
Maarif/Education
Incoming 390-394 I6 Muharrem 1278/1861-29 Safar
I341/I922
Outgoing 395-399 I Muharrem 1278/1861-i Safar
I341/1922
Register
volume
Ministry or subject numbers Inclusive dates of correspondence
Maliye/Finance
Documents 400-444 8 $eval 1260/I844-13 Muharrem
1290/1873
Incoming 445-472 29 $aban I277/I86I-IO Rebi I
1341/1922
Outgoing 473-517 i Muharrem 1278/I861-IO Rebi I
1341/1922
Meclis-i Ayanl Council of Notables
Incoming 518-520 25 Zilkade 1326/1908-I4 Muharrem
1340/1921
Outgoing 521-522 26 Zilkade 1326/1908-8 Safar
134I/I922
Meclis-i Mebusan/Council of Representatives
Documents 523-524 2 Zilhicce 1327/1909-8 Receb
1338/1920
Incoming 525-526 3 Zilhicce 1326/1910-8 Receb
1338/1920
Outgoing 527-528 25 Zilkade 1326/1910-13 Receb
1338/1920
Mefihat/Religion
Incoming 529-532 i Muharrem 1290/I873-9 Rebi I
134I/1922
Outgoing 533-537 I Muharrem I279/186I-1O Rebi I
1341/1922
Nafia/Public Works
Incoming 538-544 28 Zilhicce I285/1869-21 October
1338/1920
Outgoing 545-549 17 Zilhicce 1286/1870-I October
1338/1920
Ticaret ve Nafia/Trade and Public Works
Incoming 550-551 28 Cemazi I 1265/1849-o10 aban
1328/1910
Outgoing 552 21 Safar I327/I909-1I Rebi I 1329/1911
Ticaret/Trade
Incoming 553-554 17 Muharrem 1290/1873-2 Rebi I
1341/1922
Outgoing 555-558 20 Muharrem 1290/1873-10 Rebi I
1341/1922
Ticaret ve Sihhiye/Trade and Health
Incoming 559 9 Muharrem 1278/I86I-12 Muharrem
1290/1873
Outgoing 560 i Muharrem 1278/I86I-I3 Muharrem
1290/1873
Ticaret ve Ziraat/Trade and Agriculture
Incoming 56I-562 15 Rebi I 1329/19I1-I4 Rebi I
1336/1918
Outgoing 563 28 Zilkade I327/I909-4 Rebi II 33I/I9I3
Orman ve Maadin/Forests and Mines
Incoming 564-567 27 Receb 1289/I872-8 February
1326/1911
Outgoing 568-570 7 Cemazi I I299/1882-I5 Rebi I
1336/1917
Register
volume
Ministry or subject numbers Inclusive dates of correspondence
Sihhiye/Health
Incoming 57I-572 21 Muharrem I290/I873-10 Rebi I
I34I/I922
Outgoing 573-575 21 Muharrem 1290/I873-Io Rebi I
1341/1922
Posta ve Telgraf/Post and Telegraph
Incoming 576-58I 17 Muharrem 1290/1873-II Receb
I337/91I9
Outgoing 582-586 17 Safar I293/I876-8 Receb I337/1I9
Rusumat/Excise Taxes
Incoming !587-59I Io Muharrem I278/I86I-IO Receb
1327/1909
Outgoing !592-595 2 Muharrem I278/I861-I5 Receb
1327/1909
$ura-i Devlet/Council of State
Incoming !596-598 i6 Receb I295/I878-II Rebi I I341/1922
Outgoing 599-60I 22 Receb I295/I878-29 Safar 1341/1922
$ura-i Devlet mazbata defteril (602-640 23 Zilhicce I285/I869-12 Rebi I
Protocols of proposed legislation I341/1922
issued by the Council of State
Tophane/Arsenal
Incoming 641-646 13 Receb I278/I86I-IO Zilkade
1327/1909
Outgoing 647-649 i8 Muharrem 1290/1873-5 Cemazi II
I327/I909
Zabtiye/Gendarmerie
Incoming (650-657 29 Cemazi II 1265/1849-24 Receb
1327/1909
Outgoing (658-663 2 Muharrem I278/I861-19 Cemazi II
I327/I909
Anadolu Teftif Komisyonul
Anatolian Inspection Commission
Incoming 4664-666 5 Rebi II I313/1895-28 Safar 1320/I902
Outgoing 667-668 io Rebi I 1313/1895-28 Ramazan
1320/1920
Bulgaristan Komiserligi
Police Superintendence of Bulgaria
Incoming (672-676 13 Sevak I3I3/I895-28 Zilkade I319/1902
Outgoing 677 I9 Receb 1315/I897-25 Zilhicce I32I/I904
Documents 678-680 2 Rebi I I3Ii/i893-6 Receb I327I1909
Sicil-i Ahval Komisyonul 68i-682 6 Receb 1305/1888-8 Muharrem
Commission to Register and I31I/I893
Supervise Bureaucrats
$ehremaneti/Istanbul Municipality
Incoming 683-686 i6 Muharrem I278/I86I-6 Safar
1327/1909
Outgoing 687-689 5 Muharrem I278/I861-23 Receb
I327/I909
Sedarete gelen fifreli telgraflar/
Ciphered telegrams coming to
the Grand Vezir (mostly decoded)
Incoming (690-698 I July I320/I902-28 February 1327/1909
Register
volume
Ministry or subject numbers Inclusive dates of correspondence
Sedaretten giden fifreli telgraflar/
Ciphered telegrams sent by
Grand Vezirate
Outgoing 699-705 I December I320/1905-26 May
1327/1911
Hariciye miiteferrikasz/Foreign 706-715 ii October 1302/1887-20 September 1922
and minority affairs, miscellaneous
Hicaz Demir Yollarz/The Hicaz
Railroad
Incoming 716 8 Zilhicce 1319/19o2-12 Zilkade 1332/1914
Outgoing 717 7 Zilhicce 1319/1902-12 Zilkade
1332/1914
Defter-i Hakani Nezareti/
Ministry in charge of revenues
from certain imperial properties
Incoming 720-723 10 Muharrem 1278/1861-20 Receb
1330/1912
Outgoing 724-726 2 Muharrem 1278/I861-2o Rebi II
1330/1912
Divan-i Muhasebat/Accounting
Council
Incoming 727-733 o1 Muharrem 1297/1879-26 Rebi II
1297/1879
Outgoing 734-735 i Safar 1299/1881-28 Zilhicce 1330/1912
Miilkiye Tekaut Sandzgz/Civil
Service Retirement Bank
Incoming 736-738 9 Cemazi II 1297/1880-17 Cemazi II
1329/1911
Outgoing 739-740 ii Cemazi II I297/I880-3 Ramazan
1328/1910
Memurin-i Miilkiye Komisyonul
Commission on Civil Service
bureaucrats
Incoming 741 7 Ramazan I314/I897-5 $aban I326/I908
Outgoing 742 24 Receb 1314/1897-18 Receb 1326/I908
Mizsr KomiserligilHigh 743-750 IO Rebi II 1300/1883-24 $eval 1332/I914
Commissioner for Egypt
Miimtaze Hariciye miiteferrikasz/ 751-757 22 Receb 1307/1890-12 June 1330/1914
Foreign relations of special
provinces
Muhacirin Komisyonu/Commission
Refugees
Incoming 758-760 2 Muharrem I278/I861-7 Receb
1326/1908
Outgoing 761-764 3 Muharrem I278/1861-24 Cemazi II
1326/1908
Islahat-i Maliye Komisyonul
Financial Reform Commission
Incoming 765-766 27 *eval 1296/1879-29 Cemazi II
1326/1908
Outgoing l-
767-768 27 $eval 1296/1879-29 Cemazi II
1326/1908
Register
volume
Ministry or subject numbers Inclusive dates of correspondence
Mekke-i Mukerreme/Affairs 769-770 9 March I326/I910-4 August I334/1918
of Mecca
Mekatib-i Askeriye/Military
Schools
Incoming 770/2 I Zilkade I3I6/I899-9 Safar 1326/1908
Outgoing 770/2-3 I Cemazi I 1298/1881-16 Receb
1326/I908
Tibbiye/Medicine
Incoming 771 II Safar I278/I861-23 Muharrem
1293/1876
Outgoing 772-773 3 Muharrem 1278/I86I-I Rebi I
1296/1879
Techizat-i Askeriye Komisyonu/ 774-775 26 Zilhicce 1319/1902-5 $aban I326/I908
Commission for special military
equipment taxes
Tevhid-i Mubayiat Komisyonu/ 776-777 3 Muharrem I323/I905-8 Cemazi II
Commission on unification of 1323/1905
government purchases
Iase Komisyonu/Commission of 778-779 25 August I334/I9I8-I6 Rebi II
food supplies I337/I92I
Mzszr islerine dair/Affairs of Egypt 784 12 Ramazan 1301/I884-4 Rebi I
I304/I886
Sadaret Mektubi-i Miihimme 785-789 2 $aban 1308/I89I-2 July I337/I92I
Kalemi Kayit Defteri/Register of
correspondence prepared by the
Secretariat for Important
correspondence of the Prime
Minister's Office
Buyuruldu defteri/Register of 790 I Rebi I I302/I884-I8 Zilkade I302/I885
orders (buyuruldu)issued by the
Prime Minister
Der Saadet Miiteferrika defteri/ 791 1300/1883-1337/I92I
Register of miscellaneous matters
concerning Istanbul
Arzuhal defteri/Register of 792-877 28 Cemazi I I306/I889-4 November
petitions received by Prime 1338/I922
Minister's office, and those
initiated by it
Telgraf Arzuhal/Register of 878-883 3 March I326/I9Io-4 January 1338/1922
petitions received and sent by
telegram
Takvim-i vekayine mahsus 884-890 3 $aban 1336/1918-4 November
defterler/Registers concerning 1338/1922
the government newspaper,
Takvim-i Vekayi, and other
official publications
Miidevvenat/Collected reports on 891-895 12 Ramazan 1326/1908-8 Rebi I
various matters 1341/I922
Tesrifat/Protocol and 896-913 9 Cemazi II 1276/1861-I Rebi I
Ceremonies 1341/1922
Vildyat-i Mumtazeden/ 914-916 7 Rebi II I297/I88o-14 Cemazi II
Correspondence from the 1304/1887
Register
volume
Ministry or subject numbers Inclusive dates of correspondence
Sertoglu, Muhteva Bakzmzndan,p. 26, lists the number of registers and dates for
each province.
Finance, located at the Basbakanhk Ar?ivi. However, of the former only about
I0,000 bound registers and Ioo,ooo documents are catalogued and available,
while several million items remain uncatalogued, and of the latter only some
8,ooo bound registers are available as the Mdliyeden miidevver collection, while
7,800,000 documents from the same Ministry remain unavailable along with
5,500,000 documents from the Ministry of Religious Foundations and 460,000
items from the Ministry of Trade. The archives of the Ministry of Education are
stored in the Topkapi Sarayi, Istanbul, in the possession of the Ministry, but
work to classify and catalogue it has only begun. Those of the Ministry of War
remain in its possession and are stored, uncatalogued, in the Sultanahmed
section of Istanbul, while the more important materials have been transferred to
the Ministry of War's own archives in Ankara, at present available only for
official research. The Navy Department's papers are stored in the Naval Dock-
yard in the Kasimpapa section of Istanbul, and are opened to researchers only on
rare occasions. The records of the departments which cared for census and
cadastre operations in Ottoman times are possessed by the Tapu ve Kadastro
Umum Miidiirliigii in its offices in Istanbul and Ankara and are available for
research, but under rather severe restrictions and limitations. The Ministry of
Justice archives also remain in its own possession in Ankara, and are not presently
available for researchers. In sum, therefore, for all practical purposes researchers
can follow the work of most ministries and departments only by consulting the
relevant materials in the Irade and the Bab-z Ali Evrak Odasi collections.
Dates covered
Belgium I254/I838-I327/I909
Brazil I274/I857-I324/1906
Bulgaria 1286/1869-I329/191
Denmark II70/I756-1334/I915
Dubrovnik/Ragusa IOI3/1604-1221/1806
Europe (all orders issued concerning I250/I834-I284/1867
European merchants trading in the Empire)
France I044/I634-I328/I910
Germany/Austria-Hungary 975/I567- 332/I9I3
Great Britain/England 1086/I675-I332/I913
Greece I250/I834-1330/I91I
Holland IO91/680-I33I/I912
Iran I238/1822-1331/I9I2
Italy 1239/I736-I332/I913
Mexico 1282/I865-1331/1912
Montenegro 1320/I902-I323/1905
Norway I325/I907-I332/I913
Poland IOI6/I607-1173/I759
Portugal 1259/1843-1330/1911
Prussia II74/1760-1332/1913
Rumania (Wallachia and Moldavia) II42/1729-1324/1906
Russia III3/I70I-I32I/I903
Sardinia I239/I823-1320/1903
Serbia 1253/1837-I332/1913
Sicily II53/I740-I276/1859
Sisam/Samos I263/1846-1306/I888
Spain I196/I78I-1223/1808
Sweden II72/I758-I242/I826
Sweden and Norway II49/I736-1331/I912
The Seven Islands Republic I215/I800-I222/1807
Tuscany I215/I800-I222/I807
Venice III2/1700-122I/I806
The Ba?bakanllkAr?ivi also has a separate collection of the original treaty and
protocol documents, from I797 to I920, all fully catalogued and indexed.
(b) Name-i Hiimdyun Defterleri/Registers of letters to and from the Sultan,
including correspondence with the ferifs of Mecca, foreign rulers and princes,
heads of state and heads of government, and the like; also copies of many
treaties and contracts and orders regarding the payment of the wages of the
Janissaries and other military corps. Seventeen registers, from 1111/1699 to
I336/1917. There are also cartons containing the original name documents fr om
1256/1840 to 1331/1912.
(c) Kanunname-i Askeri DefterlerilRegisters of law codes and regulations con-
cerning the Ottoman army. Eight registers, from I222/I807 to I318/1900, with
most materials concerning the first half of the nineteenth century.
(d) The Meclis-i Tanzimat and Nizamat collection. See page 99.
(e) Tevcihat ve Redif ve Mevad ve Miirettebe ve Miihimme-I Asdkir Defterleri.
Fourteen registers, covering 1196/178I to 1326/1908, including administrative
orders regarding military appointments, dismissals and salaries, conscription,
and the reserve army.
D. JUDICIAL RECORDS
The archives of the Muslim religious courts, containing substantial information
on social and economic conditions within the Empire as well as on foundations
and strictly legal and judicial matters, can be found in three major collections
and several smaller ones in Turkey:
(i) Istanbul Miiftiiliik, the former Bab-z Me?ihat in Istanbul, has 8,866 $eriat
court registers from 27 courts in the Istanbul area, covering the years from I501
to 1922. The courts represented, and number of registers from each are: Istanbul
Kadiligl (334), Evkaf-i Hiimayun Mifetti?hlii (80I), Istanbul Bab Mahkemesi
(544), Kasimpapa (I79), Uskiidar (8oi), Ahigelebi (66I), Davutpa?a (I92),
BakirkOy (i6), Kartal (40), Adalar (8), Beykoz (3), Bilad-i Metruke (36), Kismet-i
Askeriye (2,142), Galata (1,040), Balat (155), Beledi kassamllgi (I55), Rumeli
$er'iatclligi ve Sedareti (624), Mahfil-i $er'iyat (io8), Anadolu Sedareti (I77),
Besiktas (231), Tophane (275), Mahmudpasa (246), Hawas-i Refia (629),
Yenik6y (I74), Evkaf Muhasebeciligi (I29), Hask6y (40), and Maliye Beyt
ul-Mal kassamllgi (Io6). The bulk of these registers are from the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries, but some are from earlier times.
(2) The Topkapi Sarayl Museum, Istanbul. $eriat court records for the
following judicial districts (with the number of registers and inclusive dates in
parentheses): Edirne (684 registers, 945/1538-1341/1945), Ayvallk (i register,
I228/I8I3-I33I/I9I5), Bafra (5 registers, I309/1893-I328/I912), Balkesir (I09
registers, 1295/1879-1311/1895), Bartin (ii registers, 1306/I888-I325/I9o8),
Bayramic (6 registers, 1286/1870-1324/1908), Biga (13 registers, I246/I83I-
1322/1906), Bolu (263 registers, 1070/I659-1306/1890), Burhaniye (27 registers,
1138/I725-1329/1913), 9anakkale (I2 registers, 1246/I830-1294/1877), Divrik
(9 registers, I304/I886-1329/19I3), Diizce (31 registers, 1302/1884-1325/1909),
Eceabad (5 registers, 1303/I885-I329/1903), Edremit (103 registers, 921/1515-
1323/1907), Ezine (7 registers, I2I4/1847-1327/19I1), Gebze (30 registers,
II23/171I-1317/190I), Gerede (io registers, I255/I840-1328/1910), G6nen
(II registers, 1303/1887-1340/1924), Gorele (40 registers, I266/I849-1340/1924),
Goynuk (24 registers, II54/1741-1329/19I3), Giresun (49 registers, 1275/I858-
1338/1922), Hopa (i register, 13II/I893-1328/1922), Izmit (o0 registers, I220/
I805-I329/I913), Mesudiye (6 registers, I288/I871-1340/1924), Mudurnu (7
registers, 1231/1816-I325/1909), Ordu (2 registers, 13I9/1903-1325/I909),
Pazar (io registers, I279/1863-1329/I9I3), Rize (23 registers, 1270/I854-I332/
1906), Rodoscuk/Tekirdag (245 registers, 953/I546-1298/1882), Samsun (43
registers, 1200/1786-1340/1924), Slndlrgi (7 registers, I3Io/I894-1330/1914),
Tirebolu (io registers, I206/1792-133I/1915), Trabzon (297 registers, 963/I555-
1334/1918), Zafranbolu (45 registers, III9/1805-I324/1908), Zonguldak (13
registers, 1238/I823-I326/9Io0).
(3) The Ethnographic Museum, Ankara. $eriat court records for the follow-
ing judicial districts (with the numbers of registers and dates in parentheses):
Ankara (319 registers, 991/I583-I326/1908), Ayas (34 registers, 1I67/I753-
1343/1924), Kalecik (7 registers, 1250/1834-1324/I906), Beypazarl (87 registers,
1299/I88I-I340/I92I), (ankir
(76 registers, Io63/1652-I330/192I), (erkes
(io registers, 1256/1840- 327/1909), Qorum (i6 registers, 1255/1839-I327/1909),
Egin (36 registers, 1199/1784-1329/1911), Eskisehir (2 registers, I286/I869-
1309/1891), Sivrihisar (69 registers, 122I/I806-1342/I923), Giimiiuhane (3
registers, 1302/1884-1329/191), Kayseri (289 registers, 895/1489-I333/1914),
Klr?ehir (24 registers, I292/I875-1332/1913), (Ciekdagi/Mecidiye (2 registers,
1324/1906-1329/1911), Yozgat (30 registers, I298/I880-I334/1915), Bogazllyan
(I register, I306/I888-I321/1903, Ahiska (i register, 1232/1816-1241/1825),
and 8 miscellaneous $eriat volumes concerning timar and iltizam holdings.
8 MES 6
(4) In various provincial museums: Adana (424 registers for Adana, Urfa,
Gaziantep, Mara?, ICel, Malatya and vicinity), Afyonkarahisar (I58 registers for
Afyon, Denizli and environs), Antalya (46 registers for Antalya and vicinity),
Bergama (6 registers for Bergama), Bursa (827 registers for Bursa, Bilecik and
vicinity), Diyarbekir (252 registers for Diyarbekir, Elazig, Hakkari, Bitlis, Siirt,
Mardin, Bingol, Tuneeli and vicinities), Hatay (ioi registers for Hatay and
vicinity), Izmir (179 registers for Izmir, Aydin, Mugla and vicinity), Kastamonu
(207 registers for Kastamonu and vicinity), Konya (329 registers for Konya,
Burdur, Isparta and vicinity), Kiitahya (90 registers for Kiitahya and vicinity),
Manisa (297 registers for Manisa and vicinity), Nigde (22 registers for Nigde and
vicinity), Sinop (23 registers for Sinop and vicinity), Sivas (12I registers for
Sivas and vicinity), Tokat (107 registers for Tokat, Amasya and vicinity), and
Van (9 registers for Van, Agrl and vicinity).'
Foreign scholars wishing to do research in any archive or library in Turkey
should apply to the Turkish Embassy in their home country as far in advance as
possible, specifying their scholarly background and subject of research, and the
archives and libraries in which the research is to be undertaken. Permission is
granted only for a calendar year, and additional applications must be made for
renewals. Xerox and microfilm equipment is available at the Ba?bakanlikArsivi,
but the archive is not normally equipped to fill photographic orders by mail.
Persons wishing to make photographic copies should apply for permission for
this as well when making their research application, and it normally is helpful if
scholars wishing microfilm copies bring their own microfilm with them. The
staff at the Basbakanlik Arsivi is extremely knowledgeable and helpful to serious
scholars, but because of staff shortages and the large number of researchers
using the archives, the latter are allowed to order no more than ten items daily or
to photograph more than one hundred items during a calendar year. It is to be
hoped that, with the recent acquisition of efficient Xerox equipment, the archives
may be able to modify at least the latter restriction. While not all the materials in
this and other archival collections have yet been catalogued or made available,
the quantities of important registers and documents which are accessible make it
imperative that researchers plan to spend as much time as possible in Istanbul.
I The materials available in the Muslim court archives are discussed in detail in Halit
Ongan, Ankara'nzn 1 Numaralh 5er'iye Sicili (Ankara, 1958); Ronald Jennings, 'The
Judicial Registers (Ser'i Mahkeme Sicilleri) of Kayseri (1590-I630) as a Source for Otto-
man History' (Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Los Angeles, 1972).
See also Nazmi Sevgen, 'Ser'i Mahkemelerin Sicil Hazinesi', Belgelerle Turk Tarihi
Dergisi, vol. 8, no. 44 (May I971), pp. i6-i8; and Osman Ersoy, 'Ser'iye Sicilleri'nin
Toplu Kataloguna Dogru', Ankara University, Dil ve Tarih-Cografya Fakiiltesi Dergisi,
vol. xxI (I963), pp. 33-85.