Unlicensed Construction of Churches, Monasteries, Synagogues and Schools in the Ottoman State

The fact that several nations cannot live together and have continual strifes among themselves under a nation-state, though many nation-states were founded in the geography from which the Ottoman State withdrew, indicates that the mortar=tolerance that once kept them together no longer exists in those regions. The co-existence of many nations under the rule of one sovereign was enabled by the Ottoman administration which ruled that geography with tolerance for a long period. On the other hand, the Ottoman State could keep its power over these regions due to the influence of the “policy of tolerance”. We know that the concept of “tolerance”, an indispensable element for both the ruler and the ruled in Turkish-Islamic civilization, was spread over all the lands and thus their sovereignty lasted for centuries. The concept of tolerance is immediately related to the freedom of religious beliefs. There is a common view that the Ottoman State acknowledged the churches, monasteries and synagogues in the conquered regions but did not permit the construction of new ones or the repair of the existing ones. However, when the archive records are examined with their theoretical and practical dimensions, it can be seen that the non-Muslim subjects were granted permission to build and repair when it is seen necessary. In this respect, this study aims to find out what kind of freedoms were granted for the construction and repair of the churches, monasteries and synagogues; whether it was possible to build new churches and monasteries; whether the reparation of the damaged sanctuaries was allowed; why the permissions and rights were granted and how they were executed. However, the main target of this study is why and where unlicensed churches, monasteries, synagogues and schools were built though these were permitted if there was a need. In this regard, quantitive data is made use of. While trying to find answers to these questions, especially the legal basis and social motivations of the permissions will be analyzed. Mainly, this study aims to correct years-long misinformation about the construction and repair of the sanctuaries. While trying to answer our questions, the relevant sources in the Ottoman Archive will be evaluated with the “sample case examination” method.

Keywords

History of Religions, Ottoman History, Sanctuary, Church, Monastery, Synagogue, School, Construction and Repair