The Rums And The Armenians In Kayseri: According To The Jizya Records Dated 1259 A.H / 1843 A.D

Among the sanjaks and the cities in Karaman Province, Kayseri, came into prominence in each period in terms of its non-Muslim population. The preponderance of the non-Muslims in there has been associated with the relocation policy, imposed by the Byzantine Empire during the struggles between the Seljuks and the Byzantines and the existing structure had kept on till the end of the Ottoman Empire. Thus, a large Muslim population can be seen in and around the city in 19th century traveller notes, tax records and censuses. In this concept, the records in two registers in 1843, being the basis of our study, prepared for the jizya taxes of the non-Muslims in Kayseri sanjak, are thought to be the sufficient materials to confirm this case. In the anlysed period, Kayseri Sanjak occured from Kayseri, Develü, İncesu, Karahisar, Sarıoğlan and Zamantu district and Armenians and Rums have been written according to districts and villages where they were registered separately. First register is belong to those who paid their Jizya taxes in their places of residence, second register is belong to those who went elsewhere by leaving from their places of residence and was wanted to pay in places of residence. Towards middle of the nineteenth century, labor shortage emerged with the increase of agricultural production in the Aegean and Çukurova areas; this shortage was struggled to be balanced with those who came from east and middle Anatolia. The migrations intensified with various professions in addition agricultural sector. In this connection, there was a large wave of immigration from Kayseri and its areas to towards variety regions and particularly to İstanbul, İzmir, Adana. Jizya tax in itself was

Keywords

Kayseri, Non-Muslim, Rum, Armenian, Jizya, Population, Migration.