Gümrük resmi
Encyclopedia
The gümrük resmi was a customs charge, or tax, in the Ottoman Empire
.
Customs duties were typically paid on the value of commodities; in the Ottoman empire, just as in modern commerce, this would fuel disagreements over the "value
" of the goods being traded.
As with other Ottoman taxes
, collection could be "farmed out" to a contractor who would agree to pay a fixed amount, or a percentage, to the government. Sometimes the tax farmer might attempt to request customs duties on goods or traders which had previously been exempt. In the 17th century, gümrük resmi was capped at 3% for Dutch traders; but nonetheless, the emin might attempt to increase that, or to try other ways of calculating duty which would increase the amount payable.
In the 18th century, the Ottoman empire attempted to enforce gümrük on all vessels sailing in and out of the Persian Gulf
; however, this was increasingly difficult as ships could not be forced to call at the customs-post in the port of Muscat
, local chiefs failed to pay gümrük from their ports promptly (or at all), and vessels from (or under the protection of) the great powers such as Britain
were effectively exempted from gümrük. After 1795, the Sultan responded to this problem by encouraging a certain form of freebooting; the Suwaydi tribe were encouraged to settle at the Hormuz Strait
, a bottleneck at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, and they were tacitly encouraged to raid any ship which could not prove it had paid gümrük resmi.
Some farmers in border areas might attempt to evade livestock taxes by claiming to each government that their livestock were on the "other" side of the border; sultan Selim ordered in 1571 that gümrük
resmi would have to be paid, but some tax evasion appears to have continued.
Sometimes an emin
might be stationed at a port or border crossing, to manage customs; this would be a gümrük emin.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
Customs duties were typically paid on the value of commodities; in the Ottoman empire, just as in modern commerce, this would fuel disagreements over the "value
Transfer pricing
Transfer pricing refers to the setting, analysis, documentation, and adjustment of charges made between related parties for goods, services, or use of property . Transfer prices among components of an enterprise may be used to reflect allocation of resources among such components, or for other...
" of the goods being traded.
As with other Ottoman taxes
Taxation in the Ottoman Empire
Taxation in the Ottoman Empire changed drastically over time, and was a complex feudal patchwork of different taxes, exemptions, and local customs.-Inheritance:...
, collection could be "farmed out" to a contractor who would agree to pay a fixed amount, or a percentage, to the government. Sometimes the tax farmer might attempt to request customs duties on goods or traders which had previously been exempt. In the 17th century, gümrük resmi was capped at 3% for Dutch traders; but nonetheless, the emin might attempt to increase that, or to try other ways of calculating duty which would increase the amount payable.
In the 18th century, the Ottoman empire attempted to enforce gümrük on all vessels sailing in and out of the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
; however, this was increasingly difficult as ships could not be forced to call at the customs-post in the port of Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
, local chiefs failed to pay gümrük from their ports promptly (or at all), and vessels from (or under the protection of) the great powers such as Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
were effectively exempted from gümrük. After 1795, the Sultan responded to this problem by encouraging a certain form of freebooting; the Suwaydi tribe were encouraged to settle at the Hormuz Strait
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important waterway between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf. On the north coast is Iran and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman....
, a bottleneck at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, and they were tacitly encouraged to raid any ship which could not prove it had paid gümrük resmi.
Some farmers in border areas might attempt to evade livestock taxes by claiming to each government that their livestock were on the "other" side of the border; sultan Selim ordered in 1571 that gümrük
resmi would have to be paid, but some tax evasion appears to have continued.
Sometimes an emin
Emin (Ottoman official)
An emin was an officer in the Ottoman empire; a "steward", the holder of an eminet, and often responsible for customs duties. Unlike a timar holder, an emin was a salaried official...
might be stationed at a port or border crossing, to manage customs; this would be a gümrük emin.