Emine Hatun bt. Abdullah

Emine Hatun’s modest estate is typical: a handful of cushions, the fundamental item of furniture in any house. Rugs, bedding, a set of cookware that’s complete but without a single frill. An incomplete set of clothing; if we assume she was buried in her daily wear, then she could afford to own an extra set of undergarments, a ferace, and a coat, but not much more. She had a bath shirt but not the basin, bowl, and mat that completed the set.

There are some telling omissions. She didn’t own a lantern or candlestick, or the set of tray (sini) and stand (sofra) that were used as a table for meals. Did she do without? Many of her belongings were old and worn, she was a widow, and her son, Ramazan, was missing and no one knew whether he was alive or dead. Perhaps she lived alone, and poor.

On the other hand, she owned quite a few cushions for a woman who lived alone. She owned only one mattress, but five sheets and two quilts. That’s a lot of expensive textiles for a woman who went without a table at meals and a light at night. Did she rent a room with people who provided furnishings? Did she take in boarders? Was she sharing quarters with someone else who owned the things missing from her estate?

• Source: Galata Mahkemesi, 20 Numaralı Sicil (1005-1007/1596-1599), case 175, pp. 161-162
• Date: The first ten-day period of the second month (Sefar) of 1006/September 12-21, 1597
• Location: Galata, Istanbul
• Status of Translation: A mess.

Translation	Original	Quantity	Value
Neighborhood: The Kulaksız neighborhood of Kasımpaşa, a district of Galata. Heir: Her son, Ramazan.	Hâric-i mahmiye-i Galata müzâfâtından Kasımpaşa mahallâtından Kulaksız mahallesinde sâkine iken vefât eden ve geride mîrâsının ona münhasır olduğu Ramazan nâm gāib oğlunu bırakan merhûme Emine Hâtun bt. Abdullah’ın muhallefâtıdır.
	Vaka‘a’t-tahrîr fî evâili Saferi’l-muzaffer sene sitte ve elf.
	Yemeni yastık 42
Pillowcase	Gılâf-ı yastık 24
Old quilt	Köhne yorgan 90
	Hırdavât 4
Old ferace	Köhne ferâce 150	1	150
Bedsheet	Çarşaf 42
Old curtain	Köhne perde 31
Napkin	Makrama 19
Cooking pot	Tencere 87
Basin	Leğen 32
Embroidered pillow	Münakkaş yastık 51
Old mattress	Köhne döşek 180
Old seat cushion	Minder-i köhne 42
An old piece of cloth	Köhne pâre bez 5
Old mohair	Muhayyer köhne 36	1	36
Bedsheet	Çarşaf 24
Bath wrap	Peştamal 120
Bath shirt	Hamam gömleği 108		108
Drawstring	Uçkur 8		8
Covered dish and baking pan	Sahan ma‘a tepsi 126
Frying pan	Tâbe 26
Tripod for cookpot and wooden chest	Sacayak ve tahta sandık 11
	Yemeni yastık	1	47
Old seat cushion	Köhne minder 50
Back pillow	Yastık 36	1
Old kürdiye	Kürdiye-i köhne 22		22
Bedsheet and quilt	Çarşaf ma‘a yorgan 41
Underpants and gömlek	Don ma‘a gömlek		34
Bedsheet	Çarşaf 15
Mortar and pestle	Havan ma‘a deste 71
Old Yemeni quilt	Köhne yemeni yorgan 134
Flatweave carpet	Kilim 71
Bedsheet	Çarşaf 32
Napkin	Makrama 43
Two wrapping cloths	Bohça aded 2 59	2
Metal bowl or ewer?	Maşraba 35
	İki tas 40
Total	Yekûn 2.102
	Minhe’l-ihrâcât ber mûceb-i
	vasiyyet-i müsbet an yedi vasiyy-i
	muhtâr Hüseyin b. Ahmed
	Berâ-yı tabut 118
	Gasl 31
Valuable shroud(?)	Bahâ-i kefen 186
	Tahta ma‘a hammâliyye 50
	Sakā 23
	Müezzin ve imâm 40
	İskāt 60
	Berâ-yı tilâvet-i eczâ-i Kur’ân 60
	Berâ-yı hüccet-i lâzım nâib-i Kasımpaşa		178
	Gassâliyye 40
	Ta‘âmiyye 52
	Yedinci gün ta‘âmiyye 117
Fees for transportation of goods or services of a porter	Hammâliyye 40
	Kassâmiyye 100
	Defteriyye 40
The fee for citation or summons	İhzâriyye ve kâtibiyye 135
	Berâ-yı hücec-i şerîfe 140
	Mezarda fukarâya 35
	Berâ-yı deyn-i müsbet 60
	Kırkına ta‘âmiyye 300
	Yılına dahi kezâlik 300
Brokerage tax	Dellâliyye …? 46
	Berâ-yı dîdebân 10
Total	Yekûn 2.135
	Mezbûr vasiyy-i muhtâr Hüseyin yedinden ber mûceb-i vasiyyet-i müsbet iki bin üç yüz beş akçe sarf olunmağın fürûht olunan esbâblarının semeni cümle ona teslîm olunmağın kayd olundu.