Abstract:

The Cash Waqfs and Credit Operations in the First Half of 18th Century at Thessaloniki The cash waqfs, which emerged in the early periods of the Ottoman Empire, were very widespread in the cities of Anatolia and Rumeli in the 18th century, and were usual credit institutions almost in all cities of the empire. In this aspect, the cash waqfs played an important role in the society where the banking operations have not yet develop to meet the demands of the needed commercial transactions and cash loans both by individuals and society. Because of these reasons, they helped to villagers and small entrepreneurs who borrowed loans from users with high interest rates because of their tax burdens by providing low interest credit. In this context, by using waqf registers between the years of 1696 and 1766 located in the collection of Judicial Records of Thessaloniki, we will try to map out the place and the role of the cash waqfs on the loan and credit transactions, and in the financial history of the city by analyzing the data including founders of the waqfs, their capitals, borrowers, and interest rates in the first half of 18th century

Keywords: