Tanner İbrâhîm’s Estate and Its Inheritance in Eighteenth-Century Istanbul

Abstract

This study examines the estate of tanner İbrâhîm bin ‘Alî and its inheritance in eighteenth-century Istanbul from a social historical perspective. It enhances our understanding of the lives of workers and features of guilds in early modern Ottoman cities. First, I overview the state of İbrâhîm’s estate at the time of his death and process of its inheritance by analyzing his probate inventory (tereke). Second, I compare these data with the relevant details of forty-four other retailers and artisans who lived in Istanbul. Subsequently, I analyze the status of İbrâhîm’s property, his outstanding expenses, and debts owed by and to him in detail. Finally, I examine the court cases on his inheritance according to four relevant court records (i‘lâms). My analysis reveals the relative affluence of İbrâhîm and the significant involvement of other tanners in determining the inheritance of his estate.