The socio-economic aspects of foundations in Ottoman Empire: A study specific to the Fatih and Süleymaniye Complexes

In the Ottoman State, foundations constituted one of the cornerstones of the religious, social and economic structure of society. This study aims to reveal the critical roles that foundations played in Ottoman society by examining their religious, social and economic dimensions. In the religious dimension, foundations played an important role in the construction and maintenance of places of worship and education such as mosques, madrasahs and dervish lodges, as well as in the spread of religion and the protection of spiritual values. In the social dimension, foundations contributed to the establishment of social justice by providing assistance to the poor, orphans, widows and other needy people, and strengthened social solidarity and peace. In the economic dimension, foundations ensured the sustainability of foundation services and revitalized the Ottoman economy with the income obtained from properties such as agricultural lands, commercial inns and baths. This study aims to present a comparative analysis by focusing on the socio-economic dimension of foundations in the Ottoman Empire, especially by using the Fatih and Süleymaniye Complexes as examples. In this context, the main purpose of the study is to examine the effects of the foundation institution in the Ottoman Empire on social and economic life from a historical and analytical perspective. In this context, in order to more clearly reveal the purpose of the study, the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, which are considered to be the most glorious periods of the Ottoman Empire in terms of socio-economic aspects, were examined. Then, two complexes were selected and the scope of the study was narrowed down in terms of both the period and the complex examples. In the study, which was carried out using the comparative analysis method, the foundation documents, structural features, service areas and social effects of the Fatih and Süleymaniye Complexes were examined. As a result of the study, it is seen that both complexes reflect the conditions of the periods in which they were built and the vision of the sultans, and are a summary of the social, economic and religious structure of the Ottoman society. The Fatih Complex stands out as an important representation of the ideals of the foundation period of the Ottoman Empire and was built with the integration of social solidarity, education and religious services. The Süleymaniye Complex symbolizes the political and cultural power of the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, which is considered the golden age of the Ottoman Empire, and goes beyond being just a religious center and was designed as a complex that offers science, art and social services together, reflecting the universal vision of the Ottoman Empire.