A reconsideration of Ottoman women's position in pious endowments: Critical and comparative evaluation in the light of waqfiyya

The awqaf, which have been a significant subject in recent Ottoman studies, have been examined from various perspectives for many years. Despite the abundance of literature, there is still a necessity to address waqf from different dimensions. This thesis endeavors to present a new perspective on Ottoman awqaf, with a particular emphasis on scrutinizing them from the standpoint of women. Rather than concentrating on elite women such as dynastic members, and the wives and children of high-ranking bureaucrats or non-Muslims, our study focuses on the participation of women from the middle and lower segments of society in waqf activities. The density of records reflected in the archive regarding waqf activities has led to the limitation of the scope of the thesis to the Tophane region of Istanbul, in order to obtain reliable findings. The primary source underpinning the study consists predominantly of waqf deed records, particularly derived from 18th-century data. However, when required, data from both earlier and subsequent centuries have been integrated into the study. The thesis, composed of an introduction and four chapters, is focused on fundamental topics such as the types of endowments established by women, profiles of the beneficiaries and administrators of these endowments, motivations for endowment creation, women's practice of using the courts, profiles of witnesses, and the roles they assumed. Contrary to the assumption that Ottoman women were excluded from waqf activities or public spheres, it has been determined that they played a significant and active role. Each chapter addressed has been explained through a comparative analysis, avoiding generalizations. This approach aims to contribute to the research field by focusing on the relationship between women and awqaf. Keywords: İstanbul, Tophane, Waqf, Waqfiyya, Woman.