Simonopetra Monastery Ottoman archive

This volume marks the beginning of an initiative undertaken by the Mount Athos Studies Laboratory at the Institute of Historical Research of the National Hellenic Research Foundation to publish in full the Ottoman documents of Mount Athos – an invaluable source for the early modern history of the Holy Mountain and for Ottoman history more broadly.

The present edition brings together the sixteenth-century Ottoman documents preserved in the archive of the Monastery of Simonopetra on Mount Athos. These records shed important light on the history of the monastery and its properties under Ottoman rule, including invaluable evidence concerning its restoration after the devastating fire of 11 December 1580.

Πρόλογος τοῦ Καθηγουμένου τῆς Ἱερᾶς Μονῆς Σίμωνος Πέτρας  Ἀρχιμανδρίτη κ.κ. Ἐλισαίου / Foreword by the Hegoumenos of the  Holy Monastery of Simonopetra Archimandrite Elisaios

Πρόλογος τοῦ Διευθυντῆ τοῦ Ἰνστιτούτου Ἱστορικῶν Ἐρευνῶν  τοῦ Ἐθνικοῦ Ἱδρύματος Ἐρευνῶν Καθηγητῆ κ. Νικολάου Παπαζαρκάδα / Foreword by the Director of the Institute of Historical Research  of the National Hellenic Research Foundation Prof. Nikolaos Papazarkadas

Introduction

Sigla

Bibliographical abbreviations

The documents of the sixteenth century

1 Sale of a vineyard in the village of Karvia (1548)
2 Survey of the properties of the Simonopetra Monastery on the island  of Limnos (1557)
3 Distribution of inheritance on the island of Thasos (1564)
4 Distribution of inheritance in the village of Theologos on the island of Thasos (1564)
5 The foundation charter for the endowment of Simonopetra Monastery (1569)
6 Sales of arable fields by villagers of Agios Nikolaos to the monks  of Simonopetra (1571)
7 Sales of arable fields by villagers of Agios Nikolaos to the monks  of Simonopetra (1575)
8 Permit for the cultivation of lands in the winter pasture of the Monastery of Simonopetra in Longos (1577)
9 Registration of the sale of a house in Nikiti village (1577)
10 Sale of property to Simonopetra Monastery in Trygi on Limnos Island (1578)
11 Imperial decree prohibiting the oppression of the monks of Simonopetra  Monastery under the pretext of collecting blood money for the monks who  perished in the fire (1581) 12 Imperial decree for the reconstruction of the Simonopetra Monastery after the fire (1581)
13 Permit for the repair of the Monastery of Simonopetra after the fire (1581)
14 The monks of Xenophontos monastery declare that they do not anymore hold the monks of Simonopetra co-responsible for their debts (1581)
15 Receipt for the payment of the annual tax of Simonopetra Monastery’s metochion of Provlakas (1581)
16 Judicial confirmation of the debt of the Simonopetra Monastery for the re-purchase of the winter pasture of Xenophontos Monastery in Longos (1582)
17 The monks of Xenophontos monastery confirm that they do not anymore hold the monks of Simonopetra co-responsible for their debts (1582)
18 Sale of the title deed of a buffalo fold in Lapra to the monks of Simonopetra (1583)
19 Permit for the transport of agricultural products from Esfamenos to the Simonopetra Monastery (1583)
20 Two monks of Simonopetra buy a property in the town of Ainos (1584)
21 Confirmation for the sale of a buffalo fold at Lapra to the monks of Simonopetra (1584)
22 Post-mortem examination of the body of a deceased Christian from excessive drinking in the village of Agios Nikolaos (1584)
23 Settlement of arrear debts by the steward of the Simonopetra metochion of Trygi on the island of Limnos (1586)
24 Delivery of the tithes for the metochion of Esfamenos (1588)
25 Sale of the metochion of Trygi on the island of Limnos from the Simonopetra Monastery to ‘Alī Çelebi (1588)
26 Distribution of inheritance in the village of Theologos on the island  of Thasos (1588)
27 Distribution of the inheritance of a deceased man on the village of Theologos on the island of Thasos (1588)
28 Lump sum annual payment of tax for the Simonopetra metochion at Agios Nikolaos (1589)
29 Permission for the repair of Simonopetra Monastery’s church called Panagia near the village of Agios Nikolaos (1589)
30 Payment of title-deed fee for the Simonopetra metochion in Kassandra (1589)
31 Sale of properties in Agios Nikolaos to the monks of Simonopetra (1590)
32 Registration of the payment of the title-deed fee for the Simonopetra metochion in Kassandra (1590)
33 Recognition by Ġażanfer Aġa of the payment of title-deed impost for the metochion of Simonopetra in Kassandra (1590)
34 Imperial decree for the protection of the Simonopetra metochion in Kassandra (1590)
35 Permission for a donation to Simonopetra Monastery of a tree garden on Theologos on the island of Thasos (1591)
36 Payment of the tithe from the Simonopetra metochion on the island of Limnos (1591)
37 Dispute over debt from a loan in Thessaloniki (1593)
38 Permission to repair the church of the metochion of Simonopetra near Agios Nikolaos after earthquake damage (1593)
39 Renewal of the permit for the repair of the church of the Simonopetra metochion near Agios Nikolaos (1594) 
40 Compromise between Memi Beşe and the monks of Simonopetra (1597)
41 Confirmation of the title-deed for the Simonopetra lands in the peninsula of Kassandra (1598)
42 Confirmation of the possession and delimitation of lands belonging to Simonopetra Monastery in Vourvourou (1599)
43 No sheep tax should be collected from the monks of Simonopetra in the judicial district of Sidirokavsia (1599) 

Glossary

Facsimiles

Index of places

Index of persons

Τὰ ὀθωμανικὰ ἔγγραφα τῆς Σιμωνόπετρας (1548-1599)