Conversion petitions and kisve bahası grants in Ottoman Empire during the period between mid-17th and late 18th centuries

Date

2023-1

Author

Zeynep Gül, Özgüven Kayrıcı

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This thesis examines the substantiality of conversion petitions and kisve bahası grants in elucidating the phenomenon of voluntary conversion to Islam within historical context of the Ottoman Empire. The research specifically focuses on both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of these petitions, meticulously analyzing their accumulation during the 17th and 18th centuries. By means of comparative analysis with contemporaneous archival sources, the research endeavors to establish a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. The empirical foundation of the study rests upon an extensive corpus comprising more than 400 conversion petitions and 250 related documentary records, meticulously procured from the Republic of Turkey Presidential State Archives. The study accentuates the scholarly neglect and underexploitation of the conversion petitions housed within the Turkish archives, underscoring their significance as invaluable sources for scholarly investigation. Moreover, this research seeks to address existing gaps in the current body of scholarly literature and delve into the motivations that drive individuals to undergo religious conversion and the situational context of conversion petitioning and kisve bahası grants within 17th and 18th century Ottoman ceremonial customs, thus providing an additional layer of scholarly investigation into the multifaceted phenomenon of voluntary conversion. Ultimately, this comprehensive examination sheds light on the historical context and broader implications of conversion, offering valuable insights into the complex dynamics of religious transformation within the Ottoman Empire.

Subject Keywords

Conversion Petitions, Kisve Bahası Grants, 17th and 18th century Ottoman Ceremonial Customs, Religious Transformation

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/103816

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis