Ottoman Waqf–Medreses in Greece “Archival & architectural study”

Abstract

This paper focuses on the study the education system of the ottoman medrese considering mainly the waqfiyehs and the extant ottoman medreses –either partially or entirely– in Greece. Waqfiyehs of the educational institutions in Greece provide a wealth of information concerning the scholastic system, staff, students, salaries, duties, and process of working of these institutes, and in sometimes a brief data regarding their architectural shape. This study proposes new publishing of early 15th century Ottoman waqfiyehs. These waqfiyehs were written in Arabic; and gives aAnalysing the data in these waqf documents in addition to an important layout about the ottoman society then. Among these waqfiyehs are those of Haci Omar Bey Turhan in Trikala, Mehmed Bey bin Yaqob in Veroia, Faeiq Pasha in Arta. Also, this paper analyses the content of two later Ottoman waqfiyehs: the one of Veli Pasha in Ioannina and Mehmed Ali Pasha in Kavala. The latter was issued in Egypt. This paper deciphers some existing foundation inscriptions of the extant ottoman medreses in Greece for first time. Among which are the foundation inscriptions of Osman Efendi medrese in Athens and Haci Mehmed Bey in Mytilene. These waqfiyehs, foundation inscriptions and the extant ottoman structures picture the life of the ottoman medrese in Greece from many aspects. There are ten extant structures of the traditional ottoman medrese in Greece. This paper publishes these buildings in terms of the history of architecture along with the linked archival material, drawings, and inscriptions. The paper concludes with a recommendation emphasizes the necessity of preserving and maintenance these extant distinctive architectural models, and to invest these buildings in tourism with a civilizational suitable reuse.

Keywords

• medrese; waqf; ottoman architecture; greece balkan; islamic architecture