Judiciary and Wealth in the Ottoman Empire, 1689–1843

Abstract

This article examines the accumulation, temporal variation, and inequality of wealth in the Ottoman judiciary between the late seventeenth and early nineteenth centuries. Using information from the estate inventories, we calculate the gross and net wealth of judges at the time of death. Comparisons against contemporary economic indicators show low to moderate levels of wealth accumulation among the judiciary. Wealth levels varied significantly across judiciary subgroups and they dropped drastically in the latter part of the eighteenth century. Regression analysis shows that differences in motives for bequests and family connections to other members of the judiciary contributed to the inequality of wealth.