a conditional hereditary fief in the Ottoman Empire during the Middle Ages. A timar was granted from state lands to someone who performed military service accompanied by armed horsemen—one horseman for every 3,000 aspers (silver coins of small denomination) of income. The holder of a timar (the timariot) was obliged to serve in the Turkish Army’s campaigns. The size of a timar could be increased in return for special services rendered by the timariot.

In the 1830’s, the timar system was abolished, since it had become unworkable as a result of the timariots’ appropriating the timars and refusing to do military service in return.