Property Deed #32

Archive

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MGK Collection

Name/Title

Property Deed #32

Scope and Content

This Ottoman property deed, dated May 27, 1913 (14 Mayıs 1329), records the transfer of a woodland located in Arınç (today Çöğürlü) Village near the city of Muş in eastern Anatolia. Classified as Arazi-i Miriyye—land owned by the state but granted for usufruct rights—the property carried an annual tithe (öşr) of five para, a tax typically set at around ten percent of agricultural production in the Ottoman fiscal system. The woodland, measuring 30 zira-i atik and 17 arşun-i cedid, originally belonged to Margarit, daughter of Melkon (Melkonian?), residing in Istanbul. Acting on her behalf, her legal proxy, Simakyan Mardiros Ağa, sold the land to Karabet, son of Mıgırdiç (Mıgırdiçyan). A related legal record concerning this transaction appears in the Galata Court of Istanbul, dated 24 Cemaziyel 1330. The deed’s boundary descriptions name neighboring landowners: Osib (Hovsep), Karabet, and Takuhi. This document offers a rare window into the workings of the Ottoman miri land tenure system. The deed has a revenue stamp (pûl) and several official seals, the deed remains in its original condition, displaying age-consistent wear that underscores its authenticity.

Category

Property Deeds

General Notes

Note Type

Historical Note

Note

Arinj (Armenian: Առինջ, also recorded as Առինք) was a village in Western Armenia, situated within the Msho (Muş) district of the Bitlis Vilayet during Ottoman rule. It lay on a plain approximately 2–3 kilometres north of the town of Muş (Muş city) in the historically significant region of Taron. The village was divided into upper and lower quarters, separated by orchards and gardens, reflecting its agrarian character. The surrounding landscape was described as a flat plain interspersed with cultivated gardens. Historically, the administrative region of Msho (the sanjak of Muş) was incorporated into the Bitlis Vilayet in 1879–1880 under Ottoman administration, following a reorganization of lands previously part of the Van and Diarbekir provinces. Arinj was one of the many Armenian-inhabited rural settlements in the Msho district prior to the upheavals of the early 20th century. Its layout of gardens and orchards underscores its role in local agricultural life.

Created By

garenkazanc@hotmail.com

Create Date

October 25, 2025

Updated By

garenkazanc@hotmail.com

Update Date

November 9, 2025