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Waqf Activity of Grass-Roots Level in 16th Century Damascus
Abstract
Waqf endowment played a crucial role in the development of Damascus from medieval to the Ottoman period, as 31 jami’s , 152 madrasas and 76 Sufi convents were founded by the end of the Mamluk period and financially supported by waqf properties. However former studies have focused on larger endowment for major religious institutes by the ruling persons, because of scarce documentary sources before the Ottoman period. This paper studies waqf activity in Damascus Province in the 16th century., using three waqf survey registers preserved at the Archive of the Prime Minster’s Office in Istanbul They recorded the waqf endowment deeds from the 12th to the 16th century and the donated properties with its location and income. I have already published an article focusing on waqf endowment related to the Salihiyya Quarter in the northern suburbs of Damascus, which makes clear the following points; First most of endowed properties are agricultural ones which supported urban development. Second, the preponderance of family waqf of ordinary people who donated one or two of their private properties. Third there were a small number of waqf deeds the date of which was before the 14th century though it came to a boom of waqf endowment at that time. The disappearance of earlier waqf properties suggests they were embezzled and transformed to private properties. Here examining all the waqf deeds recorded in the three registers (about 3000 waqf deeds recording 15,000 properties), I will elucidate socio-economic relation between the city and surrounding rural regions by means of waqf endowment at the grass-roots level, showing statistical data and concrete examples.It reveals that the city dominated the rural regions not only by political power of the military but also by religious institution managed by the ulama.
Discipline
History
Geographic Area
Syria
Sub Area
13th-18th Centuries