A caphar was a toll or duty imposed by the Turks on the Christian merchants who traded their merchandise from Aleppo to Jerusalem.[1] The term was derived from the Arabic term kifhara, which means "defence" or "protection".[1] Individuals who manned these posts or leaders of armed groups who offered protection to merchants also claimed the right as a Caphar.[2]
The caphar was introduced by the Christians themselves when they controlled the Holy Land. The toll originally supported troops and forces who were posted in the more difficult passes, to prevent pillaging from Arabs. But the Turks, who continued and even raised the toll, abused the practice, exacting arbitrary sums from the Christian merchants and travellers.[3] This was on the pretense of guarding them from Arabs, with whom they frequently kept an understanding, and even favored their pillaging.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b Fennell, Charles Augustus Maude (1892). The Stanford Dictionary of Anglicised Words and Phrases. Cambridge: University Press. p. 200.
- ^ Walpole, Robert (2012). Travels in Various Countries of the East: Being a Continuation of Memoirs Relating to European and Asiatic Turkey, Etc. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 352. ISBN 978-1-108-04391-5.
- ^ Rees, Abraham (1819). The Cyclopaedia; Or, an Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature: In Thirty-nine Volumes. Calvari - Cas. London: Longman.
- ^ Postlethwayt, Malachy (1766). The Universal Dictionary of Trade and Commerce. London: H. Woodfall. p. 13.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "Caphar". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.
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