Osmanlı Döneminde Mora’da Bir Sahil Şehri: Balya Badra/Patra (1460-1715)
A Coastal City in the Morea During the Ottoman Period: Balya Badra/Patras

Summary/Abstract: After the conquest of the Morea by Mehmed II, this region was tranformed into an Ottoman province governed by Elvanoğlu Sinan Bey. Morea was subdivided into 17 districts. These districts were Balya Badra, Vostiça, Hulumiç, Vumero, Krevukor, Arkadya, Leondar, Korintos, Kalavrita, Minhalu, Bezenik, Kalandriça (Halandriça), Sandomiri (Sandomeri), Grebena (Grevena), Ayo İlia, Gardicko and Mistra. The great number of these districts has the same name as their center. The district of Patras was also named by the name of its center that is the town of Patras. Patras was known in the Ottoman period as Balya Badra. The aim of this article is to study the town of Patras, its population and economy between 1460 and 1715 years. This study is based on the Ottoman Archives sources, especially on the Ottoman survey register (tahrir) concerning the province of Morea. After the presentation of the sources fournishing rich data about Patras this article examined the population growth, the average of growth, the process of Turkicization, conversion and Islamization in the town. We draw the tables showing the names of the quarters of the town of Patras, the number of tax-payers and their confessions. In 1514/1515 there were one Muslim quarter, 20 Christian and 8 Jewish quarters, a Cipsy and a Christian müsellem community in Patras. In 1715 the town has 13 Christian and 4 Muslim quarters and a Jews community. The information about the agricultural production, the total amount of taxes and the jobs practicing by the inhabitants of the town of Patras was also given.

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