Waqf institutions in Ayaş Kazasi according to the Hurufat Registers

This study examines the waqfs established in Ayaş, a district of the Ankara Sanjak during the Ottoman period, based on records in the Hurûfât Registers held by the Directorate General of Foundations. From these Hurûfât Registers, we can identify the waqf institutions located in the district center and villages, their founders, operations, the names and duties of assigned personnel, the appointment procedures, their daily allowances, and changes over time. Although the Hurûfât Registers used in this study cover the years 1688-1834, the origins of the waqfs in the district date back much further, to the mid-14th century when Ankara and its surroundings came under the Ottoman rule. To trace the history of waqfs established in Ayaş, records from the Ankara Sanjak's waqf and mufassal tahrir registers dated 1463, 1522, and 1571 were also utilized. This study aims to identify the names, founders, locations, appointed officials, appointment and dismissal procedures, and salaries of the waqf institutions such as mosques, prayer rooms, zawiyas, schools, madrasas, and fountains in the Ayaş district center and its villages during that period, based on the Hurûfât Registers. The Hurûfât Registers provide extensive information on the names of neighborhoods and villages in Ayaş, as well as insights into the social, economic, and religious life of the district's inhabitants. This study contributes to the understanding of the history of waqfs established and operating in the Ayaş district during the Ottoman period, which contributed to the development and revitalization of the region. It also helps to identify the religious, social, and cultural structures throughout the district. Additionally, new information has been provided for researchers to create an inventory of Ayaş district's waqfs and religious, social, and cultural structures. Besides the primary sources of the study, books, articles, theses, and academic works related to the subject and Ayaş were utilized, and fieldwork was conducted through visits to Ayaş and its villages. Keywords: Ayaş Mahalles and Villages, Ayaş Kaza, Hurûfât Registers, Waqfs, Waqf Institutions.