1895-1909 Tarihli Sivas Eytâm İdâne Defteri’nin Yetim Haklarının Uygulanması Açısından Analizi (198 Numaralı Sivas Şer‛iyye Sicili)
Analysis of the Sivas Orphans Idāna Book Dated 1895-1909 in Terms of the Implementation of Orphans' Rights (Sivas Shar‛iyya Registry No. 198)

Summary/Abstract: This study will examine and analyse the idâne records found in the Sivas Shar‛iyya Registry Books numbered 198. Idāna is a legal term meaning debt. One of the facts of societies is orphanhood. Orphans need care and protection until they are old enough to meet their needs. In particular, the movable and immovable properties the family leaves must be preserved and protected until the age when they can be used by themselves. In the Ottoman Empire, the property of orphans was kept by guardians appointed by the court until they reached the age of twenty, which was considered the age of majority. From 1851 onwards, the Ottoman Empire took the responsibility of protecting and managing the of orphans’ property by establishing The Orphans Custody (Emvâl-i Eytâm Nezareti). The custody aimed to offer orphans' property to the market, primarily to trusted tradesmen, and to prevent the orphan's money from losing value in economic conditions through interest income. In order to monitor this, the custody created book within its organisation. Until the idāna records were kept in separate books, they were also recorded in the shar‛iyya registry boks. One of Sivas’s the limited numbered Shar‛iyya registry books, numbered 198 and dated 1895-1909, is a book consisting entirely of idāna debt notes. This book, may contain various records such as creditors, debtors, the supply of money to the market, interest rates, and profiles of debtors. Borrowers were local families, women entrepreneurs, tradesmen, local officials, educators, and members of religious orders. It is noteworthy that in the repayment of the loans, the money was used in financial circles with interest rates ranging from a low of 9% to a high of 50% according to the economic conditions of the period. Although the idāna records do not show in which area of the economy the money was invested, a total of 487 thousand 283 kuruş was offered to the market. This sum yielded an interest return of 126 thousand 229 kurus. This corresponds to an average rate of 21 per cent, which is a reasonable rate in the economic conditions of the day

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