The Adana Court Registry number 8 (H.1245-1247 / M.1829-1831-S.51-100) transcription and evaluation

One of the most important aspects of writing history, perhaps the most important, is the accuracy of documents and sources. Therefore, the most crucial objects in this regard are primary sources. In this context, the "sicillat-ı şer'iyye defterleri" (sharia court records) kept by the Ottoman Empire are evaluated. These records are highly valuable because they provide significant information regarding the legal, administrative, economic, and social life of the Ottoman Empire. The registers kept by the qadis (judges) offer information about each administrative region. The "Adana Sharia Court Records Number 8" contain information specifically about Adana on the aforementioned topics. Being the provincial center at the time, it includes details about the distribution of the Asakir-i Mansure-i Muhammediye troops sent from the capital according to the districts. From inheritance records, we learn about the distribution of estates, the salaries of religious officials appointed to mosques, the diversity of trades, and the names of professions. The subjects addressed include the appointments of governors, deputy governors, anher officials, and their associated taxes. Additionally, there is information about the names and numbers of administrative structures such as districts, villages, neighborhoods, and townships within the Adana province. Information about the items used in Adana during that period, based on inheritance cases, is revealed through these documents. Furthermore, according to the records, the demographic structure of the time is described, showing that in addition to the Muslim population, there were also Christian, Jewish, and Armenian communities present. Keywords: Adana, Deputy Governor, Province, Sharia Court Records, Qadi.