Glimpses from the Activities of Ottoman Guilds: The Register AQSH. F. 141, D. 2 of the Central Archives of the State, Tirana, Albania

This working paper publishes for the first time in its entirety a manuscript kept at the Central Archives of the (Albanian) State, Tirana: AQSH. F. 141, D. 2. The codex casts light to several aspects of the cultural, social, economic, religious and educational life of the city of Moschopolis (Alb. Voskopoja) in the course of the eighteenth century, i.e., both, prior to and after the city’s first destruction (1769). In its 60 folios, multiple acts dated from 1714 to 1791 are recorded. The manuscript is written in Greek, the lingua franca of the Orthodox subjects of the Ottoman Empire and has remained largely unknown to date. Its modular structure contains eight parts: 1r-45v: This part contains a variety of acts related to the administration, functions and operations of Voskopoja’s guild of tailors from 10.06.1714 to 15.03.1749. 46r-48v: It contains acts related to the reconstruction and upgrading of the former educational institution of Voskopoja to a Greek School, the establishment of a provident fund to alleviate poverty, as well as donations to accomplish these ends, dated from 1750 to 10 May 1752. 49r-50r: It is a register of donations to the church of the Great Taxiarchs Michael and Gabriel in the Iliou quarter, dating from 1762 to 27 August 1772. 50v-52r: It extends from 1772 to 1778 and records various donations to the nowadays demolished church of St Spyridon. 52r-53r: In this part records are made again of donations to the church of the Archangels, dating 1778 to 1782. 53v-55r: This sixth part records donations to the nowadays also demolished church of St Varvara from 1782 and also contains a short reference to a donation to the church of St Charalambos, to the Greek School of the city and the church of the Taxiarchs. 56r-59v: This part deals with the 1760 reconstruction of the (demolished) church of St Charalambos, donations offered to this end and details of the sort of works that were made possible through such donations.