Money Foundations on the Island of Rhodes

Abstract

Waqfs were created by Muslims in the name of Islamization of the conquered areas and various locations in the Ottoman Empire since the establishment period. The idea of charity for Islamic purposes prevailed in the creation of these institutions, and the state had many municipal services in the cities without any expense with the foundation works created. Salaries of religious servants and officials such as imams, preachers, muezzins, mudarris, and mutevellies were given through the foundations established by these benevolent people. On the island, there are foundations established by individuals among the normal reaya, as well as the founders consisting of ümera and ülema holding the titles of agha, sultan, sheikh, master, bey. 48 of a total of 61 foundations were formed from reaya. How the general needs of foundations are met from the ledger; We were able to observe that some foundations gave loans to individuals, and some allotted fees to sects and shehys belonging to various sects. Some of the foundations are known to have connections with sects. We learn that Murat Baba (Reis) is a Bektashi from the information given by Evliya Çelebi. In our article, the function of the cultural and social structure that the foundation created on the island was emphasized by explaining how 61 foundations served as a source of finance on the island of Rhodes during the Ottoman period, their mutevellies and expenditure items, debts and income items.