Note 142 — Chapter II · ORKHAN A NEW NATION IS FORMED AND COMES INTO CONTACT WITH THE WESTERN WORLD
Reading edition
Up to the time of the Tanzimat, in 1849, Christians were called raïas. The original meaning of raïa was a flock, and was not a term of contempt, but a recognition of the fact that Christians were a taxable asset to the nation, at so much per head.