Ottoman Land Law and the Peasant: Palestine's 1858 Transformation

Episode 72 of Fexingo's History of Palestine takes a deep dive into the Ottoman Land Code of 1858, a piece of legislation that reshaped property ownership across the region and, many argue, laid the groundwork for the modern conflict. Lucas and Luna explore how Sultan Abdulmecid I's miri land reforms—intended to centralize control and boost tax revenue—inadvertently dispossessed Palestinian fellahin farmers. They trace the role of local elites like the Husseini and Touqan families, the impact on the Negev Bedouin, and the legal maneuvers that allowed European settlers to acquire land. Along the way, they unpack the Tanzimat reforms, the role of the qadi and mufti, and how customary rights clashed with the new cadastral surveys. The episode also touches on the 1860 Jaffa Gate bombing as a flashpoint of resistance to these changes. A must-listen for anyone seeking to understand the deep roots of land ownership disputes in Palestine.

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