A Historical Sketch of the Roma in the Bulgarian Lands at the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century
A Historical Sketch of the Roma in the Bulgarian Lands at the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century

Summary/Abstract: The paper aims at presenting new information concerning the Ottoman (short timar) tax registry TD 370 from 1530, comprising the Ottoman administrative unit region (beylerbeylik) of Rumelia (the Eastern Balkans, mostly the current-day Bulgarian lands). The historical record TD 370 offers a copious picture of the structure of the Ottoman society and the integration of the Roma into its different strata during the first half of the 16th century. An attempt for interpretation of the data on the geographical distribution and the quantitative parameters concerning the Christian and Muslim Roma, the Roma travellers and Roma settlers making their living through cultivating is offered. In addition, tax obligations and occupations of the Roma in the non-agrarian sphere are discussed as well as the integration of a substantial part of the Roma in the military organisation of the muselems.

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