HISTORY OF JEWS IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
Jewish people are the most organized nation or belief group on earth, sometimes introverted but also open to the world. Also known as Jews, which means "followers of Moses" in Arabic. Today, the total Jewish population worldwide is 15 million 300. Although most of this population is in the USA and Israel, there are many Jews in different parts of the world.
The Place of the Jews in the Ottoman Empire
According to the information obtained from Byzantine sources, the presence of Jews in Anatolian geography dates back to the 4th century BC. In the 12th and 13th centuries, there was limited interaction between Turks and Jews during the Anatolian principalities. We can describe this interaction as mutual trade. However, where and when the first contact between Turks and Jews occurred is a matter of debate. According to the Ottoman Jewish writer Avran Galante, the first contact took place during the Great Seljuk period. Jews tired of Byzantine oppression took refuge in the Seljuk state. The Ottomans, who emerged in western Anatolia with the collapse of the Seljuk State, established good communication with the Jews in their own lands. Osman Bey's son, Alaattin Bey, showed special interest in the Jews because he thought they were successful in trade. In particular, Bursa, which was captured by Orhan Bey in 1326, was the first major castle conquest of the Ottomans. The Jews, who left Bursa during the long siege, returned to Bursa upon the call of Orhan Bey. When Byzantine and Damascus Jews were included in this special call, a significant Jewish population was formed in the Ottoman country, which was still in its foundation stage. In order to live their religion freely, the Jews requested Orhan Bey to establish a Jewish Quarter of their own, and this was accepted by Orhan Bey. Jews living under oppression in Europe could own property in the Ottoman Empire, and in return for this freedom, they paid a tax called Harach to the Ottoman state. With the development of the borders of the Ottomans, they began to become Ottoman subjects. For example
1) Gallipoli – 1354
2) Edirne – 1361
3) Izmir – 1422
4) Thessalonica – 1430
With the conquest, the Jews here joined the Ottoman Empire. The fact that Jews living under Ottoman rule had a more comfortable life than Jews living in Europe caused immigration to accelerate in Ottoman lands. Jews expelled from Hungary, France, Sicily, Venice and Genoa took refuge in the Ottoman lands. During the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han issued an edict granting rights to the Jews. After all immigration to the Ottoman Empire, some taxes were not collected from the Jews. This approach between the Ottomans and the Jews created confusion for other countries and immigrants. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent continued the continuation of the rights granted to the Jews in the same way. The Ottoman Empire, the great power of the period, made an appeal for the Jews expelled from Spain and Beyazit II invited the Jews to the borders of the Ottoman Empire. The Jews brought settled in Amasya, Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, Manisa, Edirne, Gallipoli, Bitola, Thessaloniki, Larissa and Patrasa. Beyazit II ordered that the Jews expelled from Spain should be treated well and those who do otherwise should be punished with death. Jews had an important place in the Ottoman Empire during the rise period. Especially Jews who hold important positions in the countries they come from. Josef Nasi, Soloman Esk, Aben Yaeş were important names in Ottoman foreign policy. The influential name on finances in the 16th century palace was Ester Kyral. Thanks to his wealth, which was increasing day by day, he even started to establish close contact with the Valide Sultans, and thanks to this position, he had authority over everything from Janissary salaries to Customs administrations. In fact, when Queen Maria Theresa of Austria decided to expel the Jews from her country, Yuda Berruh intervened, explained the situation to Mahmud I, arranged for an envoy to be sent to Maria Theresa, and persuaded her to give up her decision.
Since the mid-19th century, when the Greek and Armenian minorities came to the fore and the state began to decline, they turned to Europe. They showed interest in Palestine, which was a part of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire ended with World War I, which started in 1914. Today, 15,000 Jews live in the Republic of Turkey.
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