Encyclopaedia Judaica
Jews in Ottoman
Empire 07: Decomposition and anti-Jewish laws
Luxury and inefficiency - restrictions against
the Jews - Adrianople - house regulations and dress laws -
inner quarrel
from: Ottoman Empire; In:
Encyclopaedia Judaica 1971, vol. 16
presented by Michael Palomino (2008)
Decline of the Political
and Economic Status of the Jews.
[Decomposition of the army
- inefficiency of the state - arrogance and luxury -
exploitation and revolts in the occupied regions - bribery
and state robbery]
After the peak military, political, and economic era of the
sultans *Selim I, his son Suleiman, and Selim II, the
gradual eclipse of the empire began during the rule of
*Murad III and his son. The strict discipline introduced
into the janissary army by Selim I was destroyed, and the
army became a constant source of danger to the sultans
because of frequent revolts and exaggerated demands for
remuneration and various bonuses. Breaches occurred in the
feudal arrangements of the army of sipahim.
The tax burden increased and the foundations of rule and
order were undermined. In the courts of the sultans and the
lords, luxuries and extravagance spread like a malignant
plague. The cruel exploitation of the conquered regions
caused revolts in all quarters of the empire which the
rulers only with difficulty succeeded in crushing.
Bribery was one of the most certain methods of arranging all
matters at the court, as well as with its representatives in
the provinces. Sheikhs and minor rulers enriched themselves
on the ruin of the Ottoman Empire. (col. 1537)
[Dress restrictions to the
Jews under Murad III]
When the sultan Murad III learned that Sephardi girls were
wearing choice garments and ornaments with precious stones,
he issued a decree to exterminate all Jews throughout all
the provinces of his empire. Through the influence of the
sultan's mother, the decree was revoked, but an order was
given that Jews must wear, in place of the yellow turban, a
peculiar and strange tall hat, pointed above and wide below,
like those of the Spaniards. Jewish women were forbidden to
walk in the streets of Turkish towns wearing silk gowns and
clothes. As a result of this decree caused by the great
extravagance of Jewish women, the rabbis issued an ordinance
which added to the royal decree:
"women and girls are not to go out wearing velvet garments
and ornaments of gold and precious stones."
[More restrictions to the
Jews under Murad IV: execution of Judah Kovo]
The situation of Jews in Constantinople and throughout the
empire deteriorated. *Murad IV (1623-40), known for his
cruelty and the bloodshed he caused, ordered the execution
of Judah Kovo, the chief of the Salonika delegates who came
to pay "the clothes tax" (paid annually), in 1636; there was
no Jew powerful enough to influence the sultan to rescind
the decree.
[Ibrahim I: partial
occupation of Crete - new capital Adrianople with many
Jews]
During the rule of Ibrahim I (1640-48) the Turks attacked
the island of *Crete, which belonged to Venice, and
conquered part of it (1646); the war for its complete
capture was a prolonged one. The sultan's court was
transferred from Constantinople to Adrianople, and as a
result of this transfer many Jews who had business dealings
with the sultan also transferred their residences there.
Nevertheless the situation of the Jews deteriorated.
[18th century: anti-Jewish
decrees in the Ottoman Empire: House regulations -
restrictive dress laws]
The Turkish empire gradually lost the states it had
conquered. In the time of Ahmed III (1703-30) a decree was
issued (1728) that all the Jews living in the capital in the
street of the fish market - near the mosque of the sultan's
mother - must sell their houses and possessions to Muslims
in order not to contaminate the streets.
During the rule of 'Uthman III (1754-57), the ministers
oppressed the Jews and limited their rights. An ancient
decree was renewed which stated that Jews could not build
houses above the height of 18 feet (c. 6m.), while Turks
could build up to 24 feet (c. 8m.).
In 1758, on the order of Mustafa III, the decree that Jews
could not wear clothes nd hats like those of the Muslims was
revived, and the hat merchants were ordered to be careful
about who their customers were. The decree of 1702 of the
vizier Daltaban Pasha, forbidding Jews to wear shoes and
hats other than black ones, was revived.
THE STATUS OF THE JEWS IN THE EMPIRE.
[Mahmud II: inner quarrel
between the sultan, the janissaries, and the wealthy
philanthropic Jews]
Sultan Mahmud II (1808-39) in his desire to inaugurate
reforms in the empire fought against the janissaries, who
were opposed to this. The vizier Bayrakdar Mustafa Pasha
spoke out harshly against the wealthy philanthropic Jews of
the capital, who conspired with and supported the
janissaries, among them the chelebi [[Turk.
"gentleman"]] Bekhor *Carmona, the
brothers Adjiman, and Gabbai. They supported the janissaries
not from love but in order to defend themselves and their
property; nevertheless, they were sentenced to death.>
(col. 1538)
^
