Economic and Financial History of Hüsnüşah Hatun Waqf in Manisa (1632-1789)

This study examines the waqf of Hüsnüşah Hatun, the wife of Sultan Bayezid II and the mother of Şehzade Şehinşah Sultan, in Manisa. The waqf’s charitable structures include a mosque, a school, and an imaret. Additionally, the Kurşunlu Han is also among these structures. The aim of the study is to outline the profile of the Hüsnüşah Hatun Waqf and to analyze its revenues, personnel salaries, and expenditures. This analysis is based on the waqf’s accounting books covering the years 1632-1789. The key finding of the study is the transformation in the waqf’s spending priorities. Initially, the primary focus was on the foundation’s core services and personnel payments. However, by the late XVIIIth century, a significant portion of the waqf’s revenues had begun to be allocated to expenditures such as treasury shares.