421 number (h.1311-1327/g.1893-1909) Siirt sharia registry transcription and evaluation

The Shari`a court records numbered 421 comprise court records covering the period between 1893-1907. These records are observed to mainly include the topics of heritage and estates, claims on alimony and mahr (dower), proxy appointments to vacant orphan directorates, protection of orphans’ inheritance and assets, if any, through guardians appointed by orphan directorates, and the raising of these orphans by guardians. Along with these, the books have been observed to include also records on the notification of authorized bodies about the failure to identify the beginning of the three holy months for various reasons, appointments to be made to the charters of a waqf, and the disputes arising during the course of these appointments. Review of these books is of particular importance, especially in terms of urban historiography. Thus, this paper attempts to shed light on the sociocultural, economical, administrative and historic aspects of the city, while providing information on the contents of Shari`a court records which are also referred to as the books of law, courts and cadis. This paper starts with an introduction followed by three chapters, namely the historical evolution of the city, transcription of the records, and the assessment thereof. Chapter one deals with the contents of Shari`a court records, by whom these records were kept, and the historical evolution of the city, while the transcription of these records is addressed in chapter two, followed by an assessment of the records in chapter three.