An Analysis of the Categorization of Core Information Resources in 17th-Century Uskudar Based on Probate Inventories

Abstract

Purpose: This study primarily seeks to explore the mapping of book culture in 17th-century Ottoman uskudar by analyzing the circulation of books and conducting a general evaluation of their subjects. Method: In this study, all per'iyye court records from the 17th century kept at the uskudar Court were thoroughly examined to identify probate inventories (terekes) that included books. No selection was made among the probate records; instead, all terekes from this century were systematically analyzed. Based on the identified books, both the books circulating in 17th-century uskudar and their similarities and differences with 16th-century uskudar book culture were examined through comparative analysis. Findings: Unlike in the 16th century, 187 new books were found to be in circulation in uskudar during the 17th century. In the previous century, this number was 52. While book ownership in the 16th century was primarily confined to the ilmiye (scholarly) class, in the 17th century, various groups such as barbers, cund & icirc;s (cavalry soldiers), & ccedil;avupes (messengers), confectioners, kethudas (stewards), lumber merchants, papa servants, palace gatekeepers, odabap & imath;s (chamberlains), and physicians were also found to own books. The data reveal a significant increase in book ownership rates after the 16th century. While book ownership was recorded at 1.62% in the 16th century, it increased threefold to 4.50% in the 17th century. Conclusion: The findings indicate that, in the 17th century, many books of subjects and genres previously unrecorded in the 16th century were in circulation through terekes. Additionally, while book ownership in the 16th century was predominantly limited to the upper class, and their records were absent from per'iyye registers, in the 17th century, individuals from various social classes, as well as high-ranking state officials, emerged as book owners. In uskudar, individual prosperity and material wealth remained relatively limited throughout the 16th century; however, the 17th century witnessed a marked socio-economic transformation. This shift contributed to the flourishing of urban cultural life, which was reflected in a considerable increase in book ownership and the circulation of written materials. Originality: This paper departs from prior research by focusing on uskudar's book culture and intellectual history within the framework ofper'iyye records, specifically examining terekes and offering a diachronic analysis that traces developments and contrasts from the 16th to the 17th century.