Mülk Explained

Mülk was a form of land holding in the Ottoman Empire.^{[1] [2]}

Characteristics of mülk

Mülk was similar to freehold land; owners could buy, sell, and mortgage freely. It was exempt from some kinds of land taxes.^[3] Mülk was about more than just the land; it might also include the right to annual malikane payments from tenants and farmers.^[4]

Context

In much of the near east, mülk can be contrasted against miri, which was effectively state-controlled land (perhaps a former mülk forfeited to the state when the owner had no heir to pass it on to).^[5]

In some ways, mülk was similar to waqf property.

See also

• çiftlik
• Iltizam
• Tapu resmi
• Sinirname
• Malikane
• Miri
• mawat: Dead land, or wilderness.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Forni. Land tenure policies in the Near East. FAO. 28 October 2012.
2. Book: Türkische Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte (1071-1920). 9783447036832. 125.
3. Web site: Mulk. 28 October 2012.
4. Book: İslamoğlu-İnan. State and Peasant in the Ottoman Empire: Agrarian Power Relations and Regional Economic Development in Ottoman Anatolia During the Sixteenth Century. 1994. 9789004100282. 135.
5. Web site: Ottoman Land Registration Law as a Contributing Factor in the Israeli-Arab Conflict. 28 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20080916054748/http://www.beki.org/landlaw.html. 16 September 2008. dead.