KULLIYAT The Journal Of Ottoman Studies

Abstract

Chios is an island of Greece in the Aegean Sea. The island, which is connected to the North Aegean region of the country, is separated from Turkey by the Strait of Chios. It is famous for mastic trees and mastic gum obtained from these trees. Shortly before the death of Suleiman the Magnificent, the island, which joined the Eyalet of the Archipelago (Eyālet-i Cezāyir-i Baḥr-i Sefīd in Ottoman Turkish) in the Ottoman Empire, was conquered by Kapudan Pasha Piyale Pasha in 1566. Due to the mountainous nature of Chios, a small part of its land is suitable for agriculture. A very small part of the population that made up the island was Muslim. Throughout history, the most important products of the island were mastic, citrus, lemon and orange, almond, pomegranate, olive trees. Citrus products such as fresh lemons, lemon juice, citrus and citron, which constitute the island's most important source of income, were sent to Istanbul to the palace halvahane (Ottoman hist. a section of a sultanic kitchen where desserts and candies were made) under the name "Miri Mübayaa". The material cost of these purchased products was also covered from the mukataa of the island. The problems encountered in the years when products could not be obtained from these trees were also reflected in the documents. In the state yearbooks (salname), a disease called "Kermez " was mentioned, which we cannot get any information about exactly. In the orchards created by two sample farms, it was tried for three years to fight the diseases. This study was conducted by a businesslike science officer. Agriculturalists who became quite skilled in this business were also sent to treat citrus diseases that occurred in other provinces. Olive and the oil obtained from it was one of the pure products of the island. However, the tithe (öşür) tax obtained from olive cultivation, which is available enough to meet the needs of the island, was collected through mukataas and this income was used for the needs of the state, especially the treasury. The main sources of our article are the documents, the state yearbooks, reports and of course travel books in the Ottoman Archives of the Presidency of the State Archives. All kinds of information reflected in the archive about fruit production in Chios and these products, diseases infesting trees, export of fruits, all documents in the archive about trees are explained in detail.