What is "tzelepides"

In its effort to immediately cover its needs in certain livestock products, the Ottoman state established a special tax for large-scale livestock breeding. This tax became known as tzelepiko tax (resm-iagnam-Icelebkeşan), while its payment in kind and its collection exclusively by the state led to the establishment of a special mechanism for its administration. The persons in this mechanism are called tzelepides (celep). The need for a flexible state agency, that will oversee the supply and prompt delivery of the required animals for consumption, gradually involves the livestock breeding populations in the mechanism for the collection of the tax. Through this process they are turned into one of the empire’s productive forces, while the capacity of a tzelepis is slowly identified with livestock owners who have undertaken the task to supply the state with livestock products. This upgraded relationship with the state provides them with the privilege to access or intervene in the state mechanisms, which in turn maintains or even instigates their pursuitof a stronger economic presence. This is realized when livestock breeding develops into a broader commercial activity. This way these “state sheepherders” sell part of their production on the free market, thus achieving greater profits and greater economic power.