Al-Salt's Commercial Relations with Damascus (Al-Sham) and Palestine During the Period from 1298 Hijri / 1880 to 1332 Hijri / 1914

Abstract

This study focuses on the city of Al-Salt's commercial relations with Damascus (Al-Sham) and Palestine during the period from 1298 Hijri / 1880 to 1332 Hijri / 1914 as documaent in the registry of Al-Salt's division of the religious court. The importance of the study stems from the said registry as its main resource of data and information that during the studied period Al-Salt city was in the blowing peak of its economic and commercial activities, which made it a primary distention for a large number of arrivals from different areas not the least Damascus and Palestine. In light of that status, Al-Salt city was a location commercial relations and transactions developed, including sale, purchase, rent mortgage, and loans. This varity of commercial transactions required using the necessary means and mechanisms – for example, surety, commercial notes, agency, and money orders and drafts, to protect te rights of the parties to such relations. The said truncations had been carried out in pursuance to various conventional measurements such as "Alsa'a", and "Althemnyeh'. In addition, various currencies were used as a consideration in the commercial transactions, most notably the golden currencies such as the then Golden Turkish, English, and French Dinners. Siver and Copper-based currencies, such as the "Majedy" Riyal, Piaste, and "Bara" (the smallest unit of the then Turkish currency), were also used.