The Social and Economic Circumstances of Tripoli in the Mid-17th Century (According to the Tahrir Defteri Dated 1645)

Abstract

In light of the contents of the 1645 Tahrir Defteri, this study sheds light on the quarters, residents, ethnoreligious makeup, and economic circumstances of the coastal city of Tripoli on the East Mediterranean. The documents reveal that Tripoli in the mid 17th century had 26 quarters, with some 12-17,000 Muslims constituting a majority alongside Christian and Jewish minorities. Though the city’s economy relied primarily on seaport revenues, berry and olive cultivation took on a prominent position. On this basis, it appears to have made great progress in the silk industry and the production of soap.