Ottoman Taxation on Vineyards and Wine in Cyprus (1570-1610): “From Whom Should We Buy the Wine? The Kadı or the Müfti”
Keywords:
Ottoman Cyprus, Financial History of Cyprus, Wine Production, Ottoman Taxation System in Cyprus.Abstract
Wine was both a critical financial resource and one of the integral components of the daily diet in the early modern period. For this reason, by focusing on the financial records in the Ottoman archives and the records of the Nicosia kadı’s court, this article seeks to explore the wine production in Cyprus, its taxation, the
unit of measurement called the “load” (yük) used for wine and the link between şıra (graphe juice) and hamr (wine). These were some of the most essential elements of agrarian life in Ottoman Cyprus during the first four decades of Ottoman rule. In doing so, the article seeks to emphasize the significance of the financial documents
of the Cyprus treasury for understanding the financial regulations that the Ottomans introduced and to examine its effects on Cyprus’s economy and society.
