Coffee, Coffeehouses and Regulars in Ottoman Urfa

This research is based on a study of coffee consumption, functionality of coffeehouses and portraits of regulars in the late Ottoman Empire. In the 18th century customs records, data on the trade in coffee was scarce. This pointed out that coffee is not a unique product that needs little consumption and trade in the city. The increase in consumption coincided with the 19th century. Coffeehouses, which had many functions in the urban fabric, were rare socializing areas. Official announcements, contracts and agreements were made here in the presence of Regulars. In the words of Alan Mikhail; It was a "complex area of social interaction". Gambler regulars and sect guests were not missing. They were stopovers for travelers and guests. Most importantly, different aspects of daily communication took place in the witnesses of regulars.Before the emergence of associations and societies, the coffeehouses had reconciliation and conflict at the same time, and these places could turn into a political space. Despite the gradual increase in numbers, the reaction of the pious groups has never changed and the view of the coffeehouse has always been negative. Most of these places that appealed to the bazaar, inn and neighborhood. They were within the scope of a foundation. With its presence in the bazaar, neighborhood and streets, the coffeehouses remained a definite part of the urban identity. This work on coffee, coffeehouse and its regulars; It has been prepared by benefiting from the registers of the judges, official correspondence between different administrative units of the Ottoman Empire, travel books and memoirs.

Keywords: Urfa, Coffee, Coffeehouse

DOI Number: 10.9737/hist.2021.979

Bu çalışma; son dönem Osmanlı Urfa´sında kahve tüketimi, kahvehanelerin işlevselliği ve müdavimlerin portreleri üzerine bir incelemedir. XVIII. yüzyıl gümrük kayıtlarında kahvenin ticaretine dair veriler yok denecek kadar azdı. Bu da kahvenin şehirde az tüketimine, ticaretine ihtiyaç duyulan eşsiz bir ürün olmadığına işaretti. Tüketimin artışı XIX. yüzyıla tesadüf ediyordu. Kentsel doku içerisinde birçok işleve sahip kahvehaneler ise nadir sosyalleşme alanlarıydı. Resmî duyurular buralarda yapılır, sözleşmeler, anlaşmalar müdavimlerin huzurunda gerçekleşirdi. Alan Mikhail´in ifadesiyle buralar; "karmaşık bir sosyal etkileşim alanı"ydı. Kumarbaz müdavimleri, tarikat ehli misafirleri eksik değildi. Seyyahlara, misafirlere mola yerleriydi. En mühimi gündelik iletişimin farklı veçheleri müdavimlerin tanıklığında vuku buluyordu.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Urfa, Kahve, Kahvehane

DOI Number: 10.9737/hist.2021.979