Egyptian Civilian Society and Tax-Farming in the Aftermath of the Ottoman Conquest

Abstract

This chapter aims at looking at social categories outside the Mamluk military establishment, which was hit hard by the Ottoman conquest. It considers the social impact of this important event and of some of the consequences of this conquest as they were felt by those who were outside the circles of power. It also asks whether we can see some levels of continuity among the ordinary urban dweller, the artisans and the traders of the city, between the last decades of the Mamluk sultanate and the first decades of Ottoman rule. The institution of iltizam, or tax farm can be said to have been a significant factor in the socio-political history of Egypt and in shaping state society relations. Through the study of tax grants, one can not only see who gets these iltizams but, more significantly, try and understand, when possible, the social dynamics that led to these changes. Keywords:Egypt; iltizām; Mamluk military; Ottoman conquest; tax farm; tax grants