Orhan Gazi Foundation

Orhan Gazi Foundations are significant historical documents from the reign of Orhan Gazi, the second sultan of the Ottoman State. These foundations are official deeds demonstrating how the sultan allocated his property, income, and certain structures to charitable purposes. These documents shed light on the early institutional development of the Ottoman state and provide valuable insights into the social, economic, and cultural structure of the period. In particular, the foundation deed dated 1324 and the one established in 1360 for his son Süleyman Paşa hold great importance for understanding Orhan Gazi’s conception of rulership, state organization, and familial ties.

Among primary sources for understanding the achievements and state formation of Orhan Gazi, one of the earliest rulers of the Ottoman Empire, foundation deeds occupy a unique place. Foundation deeds are official documents, drawn up in accordance with Islamic legal principles, by which an individual dedicates property or income to a specific purpose. These documents offer unparalleled information on the socio-economic structure, institutional development, and cultural values of the era, going far beyond mere legal records. The foundation deeds attributed to Orhan Gazi play a complementary and illuminating role in areas where early Ottoman historiography remains insufficient.

The 1324 foundation deed has been questioned for its authenticity by some Western scholars such as H. Scheel and P. Wittek, yet strong arguments have been advanced by Turkish historians like İsmail Hakkı Uzunçarşılı to affirm its authenticity. These debates underscore the critical importance of the document’s content and the information it provides.

The Süleyman Paşa foundation deed is a unique document, issued by Orhan Gazi in grief over the death of his son and containing significant details such as the mention of Ertuğrul Gazi’s name. These foundation deeds constitute concrete evidence of Orhan Gazi’s efforts to transform his expanding principality into permanent institutions and his determination to strengthen social order through the waqf tradition. Thus, the foundations of Orhan Gazi serve as fundamental sources for understanding the institutionalization process and administrative structure of the early Ottoman State.

Orhan Gazi’s First Foundation Deed (March 1324)

According to the 1324 foundation deed, Orhan Gazi granted the administration of a hangâh in Mekece, which he had endowed, to his freed slave Tavaşi Şerefeddin.^【1】 This property, separated from his own holdings, served as a place for providing food (it’âm) to dervishes, the destitute, the poor, and the needy. The chronicle of Neşri, while referring to Orhan Gazi’s deeds, mentions this endowment by stating that he converted Mekece into a zaviye and endowed it. The conquest of Mekece is dated variously between 1304 and 1313. Today, it is a village under the district of Geyve in Kocaeli Province. This foundation deed is an important document illustrating Orhan Gazi’s early waqf activities.

The 1324 foundation deed is one of the oldest and most academically debated documents concerning the founding years of the Ottoman Empire. It was discovered during the archival classification carried out by Professor Lajos Fekete at the Office of the Chief Secretary and was subsequently examined alongside documents from Topkapı Palace by Professor İsmail Hakkı Uzunçarşılı, a member of the Turkish Historical Society (TTK), who provided a detailed evaluation. The document was included in catalogs published under the orders of the Ministry of Education. Uzunçarşılı introduced this document to the scholarly world in an article titled “The Significance and Explanation of a New Document Relating to Ottoman History,” published in the ninth issue of the Belleten journal.

The most important feature of this foundation deed is that it is the earliest known Ottoman document bearing Orhan Gazi’s own seal or tuğra. At the beginning of the document, the tuğra “Orhan bin Osman” appears, confirming that the document was authenticated by Orhan Gazi himself. The content of the deed regulates the dedication of properties inherited from his father Osman Gazi as well as newly acquired lands as waqf. Among the individuals named in the document are Orhan Gazi’s siblings, children, and prominent figures of the period. In particular, the list of witnesses provides valuable clues regarding the early Ottoman bureaucracy and social structure.

However, this foundation deed has been challenged by certain Western academics, particularly H. Scheel and Paul Wittek. Scheel argued that certain linguistic elements and titles used in the document, such as the title “Sultan,” were too early for the year 1324 and suggested the document might be a forgery. Wittek, on the other hand, emphasized the scarcity of sources from the early Ottoman period and the fact that some documents were composed in later centuries, advocating cautious scrutiny of such materials. According to them, the document may have been fabricated to enhance Orhan Gazi’s prestige in later periods.

Professor İsmail Hakkı Uzunçarşılı, however, vigorously defended the authenticity of the document with compelling evidence. He noted that the language of composition, terminology used, and specific details contained in the document are consistent with the early 14th century. The presence of the “Orhan bin Osman” tuğra and the correspondence of the individuals mentioned in the text with historical records of the period constitute significant proof of its originality. According to Uzunçarşılı, the use of the title “sultan” in the document indicates that Orhan Gazi was already recognized as an independent ruler at that time, issuing sermons in his own name and minting coins. Indeed, the fact that Orhan Gazi minted coins in 727 AH (1327 CE) supports Uzunçarşılı’s thesis. Uzunçarşılı emphasized that Orhan’s coinage, despite the continued Ilkhanid suzerainty over Anatolian beyliks, demonstrated that the old constraints had ceased and that beyliks were now free to mint coins in their own names.

This foundation deed also clarifies the historical moment when Orhan Gazi began to adopt the symbols of sovereignty. The document demonstrates that shortly after the death of his father Osman Gazi, Orhan rapidly assumed leadership of the principality and established himself as an independent political entity. Moreover, the foundation deed proves that Orhan Gazi was not merely a warrior chief or local lord but a ruler who organized his lands and resources according to Islamic law, thereby laying the foundations of a state tradition. The deed reveals how early the Ottoman State adopted the waqf system and how this system became one of its fundamental pillars. In this respect, the 1324 foundation deed is not a myth-confirming document but a critical primary source that supports historical processes with concrete evidence. The academic debates surrounding this document further confirm its historical importance and its status as a reference point for researchers.

Süleyman Paşa Foundation Deed (June 1360)

Another vital document from the reign of Orhan Gazi is the foundation deed dated 761 Şaban (June 1360), issued following the death of his eldest son and heir, Süleyman Paşa. This deed has been thoroughly examined by Ord. Prof. İsmail Hakkı Uzunçarşılı. As commonly noted in Ottoman histories, Süleyman Paşa, who led major conquests in Rumelia and served as his father Orhan Gazi’s right hand, died tragically after falling from his horse during a hunting expedition. This great loss deeply affected Orhan Gazi and prompted him to establish this foundation deed for his son at the zaviye of Hacı Karaoğlan, known as Osman bin Yusuf, in İznik. The supervision and guardianship of the foundation were entrusted to Hacı Karaoğlan and subsequently passed to his sons and grandsons.

This foundation deed holds exceptional significance in Ottoman history for several reasons. First, it is one of the oldest and most original foundation deeds ever commissioned directly by an Ottoman sultan. This fact demonstrates how central the waqf institution was to the Ottoman State from its very inception and how it formed the foundation of the state’s social, religious, and economic life. The authenticity of the document is reinforced by its seals, tuğras, and period-specific writing techniques.

Second, and perhaps most critically, the deed contains the names of Orhan Gazi’s grandfather Osman Gazi and his great-grandfather Ertuğrul Gazi. This detail is of utmost importance as it officially confirms the genealogy of the Ottoman dynasty, which in early Ottoman chronicles is sometimes inconsistent or ambiguous. The inclusion of Ertuğrul Gazi’s name in such an official document strengthens knowledge regarding the origins of the Ottoman dynasty and provides historians with a crucial reference point. This may also be interpreted as evidence of the Ottoman State’s effort to emphasize its legitimacy and the enduring legacy of its ruling house.

Third, this foundation deed has played a decisive role in resolving discrepancies among various sources regarding the date of Süleyman Paşa’s death. Although some sources suggest he died in 1357 or 1358, the fact that the foundation deed is dated 761 Şaban (June 1360) definitively establishes that he died shortly before this date. This information aligns with the records of major Ottoman chroniclers such as Aşıkpaşazade and Neşri. The precise determination of Süleyman Paşa’s death date is a critical detail for understanding the chronology of the Balkan conquests and Orhan Gazi’s final period of activity.

This endowment to the Hacı Karaoğlan Zaviye in İznik also reveals the function of prominent religious and social centers of the period and the widespread prevalence of waqfs in Ottoman society. The allocation of specific properties and revenues to the zaviye through this foundation aimed to ensure its sustainability and to generate continuous spiritual merit for Süleyman Paşa’s soul. Such waqfs also symbolize the Ottoman administration’s emphasis on spreading Islam and establishing socio-economic order in newly conquered territories.

The Süleyman Paşa Foundation Deed is not merely a legal document but a primary source essential for understanding the political, social, and cultural structure of the early Ottoman period. By providing information on the dynasty’s origins, the death of a prominent prince, and the institutionalization of the state through the waqf tradition, this document makes significant contributions to Ottoman historiography.

The foundations of Orhan Gazi are rare and important documents that illuminate the founding years of the Ottoman Empire. The foundation deeds of 1324 and 1360 reveal Orhan Gazi’s conception of governance, institutional development, and the early role of the waqf tradition. Although subject to academic debate, the detailed information they provide serves as primary sources for historical research on the dynasty’s lineage, the chronology of key events, and the socio-economic functioning of the state.