Traces Left Behind by a Yağlıkçı Merchant in 18th Century Ottoman Istanbul

Abstract

In studies on the socio-economic history of the Ottoman Empire, muhallefat (inheritance) registers, which record the estates of deceased individuals, constitute an important primary source. These records not only reflect the personal assets of individuals but also offer significant insights into the social, cultural, and daily life of the period in which they lived. Based on these muhallefat registers, it is possible to access detailed information about the deceased persons’ marital status, family structure, residences, household furnishings, clothing items, kitchenware, and inventories of movable and immovable properties such as houses and shops.

Such data enable researchers to assess the lives of individuals from different social strata within a specific time and place, including their level of wealth, clothing preferences, the quality and types of their possessions, and the distribution of their estates. Moreover, they provide valuable information about material culture, such as where and why certain items were produced, the types of fabrics used in clothing, and the nature of the accessories that adorned them.

This study focuses on the muhallefat record of Hacı Davud, a merchant of yağlıkçı, who resided in the Kâtib Muslihiddin neighborhood of Istanbul and passed away on November 18, 1779. Through an examination of his home, shops, and personal belongings, this paper aims to construct a multi-layered portrait of the daily life of an artisan. While evaluating the consumption preferences of society based on both the goods he used and those he sold in his shop, it also attempts to explore the everyday life of an urban middle-class figure by entering into the various spaces occupied by such individuals in late 18^th century Ottoman Istanbul.