MEDITERRANEAN TRADE IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
Murphey, R. “Conditions of Trade in the Eastern Mediterranean: An Appraisal of Eighteenth-Century
Ottoman Documents from Aleppo.” Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient. Vol.
33, No. 1, pp. 35 -50, New York, 1990.
Murphey studies the reports of European diplomats and merchants about their state’s trade with the
Ottomans in the eighteenth century. In his study he explains that world conditions have changed in the
nineteenth century and it led the Ottomans get into contact with Europe and improve its international
diplomacy. Moreover, in the eighteenth century bureaucratic efficiency decreased and the authority
was decentralized. Therefore, the government was unable to protect merchant from the destructions of
local officials. Furthermore, the documents of sixteenth century reveal that the government was
complaining about interloping in Mediterranean. In addition, in eighteenth century the foreign
travelers also were complaining about the venality and excesses of local officials in Mediterranean
cities of the Ottomans. Thus, this article is relevant to my topic by providing information about
the conditions of Mediterranean trade and the situation of the Ottomans. In addition, this article is also
important for my essay since it reveals most of the opinions submitted to the Ottoman Empire such as
the tax-farmers, government officials, and foreign consular representatives.
Quataert Donald and Inalcik H. “An Economic and Social History of the Ottoman Empire, 13001914.” Cambridge University Press, New York, 1994.
Donald Quataert and H. Inalcık study the Ottomans’ social and economic history from 1300 to its
destruction of during World War I. They examined the Ottoman Empire in four chronological sections
which are affected by population, trade, manufacturing, and the economy. This article focuses on the
significance of the Ottoman Empire in spice trade. In addition, the book reveals the emergence of
Cairo which later turned into an international entrepot in the Middle East. Furthermore, this article is
relevant to my topic since it gives comprehensive information about the Ottoman history. In fact it ıs
very useful for me since it provides me a broad range of history which will help me to understand the
development of the Mediterranean trade.
Pamuk, Sevket. “A Monetary History of the Ottoman Empire.” Cambridge University press,
Cmabridge and New York, 2000.
Ottoman state started with a small “beylik” which was on the trade routes of Anatolia. Later,
in fourteenth century it grew. Finally, in sixteenth century it turned into a big empire which
was located on the crossroads of the intercontinental trade. The most significant part of its
trade was the global flow of specie. However, in seventeenth century there were economical
fluctuations which caused the cessation of mint trade. Moreover, ‘akçe’ started to reduce
while the foreign coins started to increase its circulation in the Ottoman territory. However,
the government established a new currency, silver unit to strengthen the monetary connections
between the center and the peripheries of the empire. Unfortunately, in eighteenth century
Ottoman Empire started to shrink. That’s why in nineteenth century they improved their
monetary system and used the gold standard. This source is relevant to my essay topic since it
includes the information about the monetary systems of the Ottoman Empire and its affects on
trade. In addition, it is also important for me since it remarks that monetary currents and
problems were different in each century. Furthermore, it examines the variation of trade in
Mediterranean as the monetary system changes. In this way, this article would help me to
understand the affects of monetary change of the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean trade.
Fleet, Kate. “European and Islamic Trade in the Early Ottoman State: The Merchants of
Genoa and Turkey.” Cambridge University press, New York, 2000.
Kate Fleet studies the commercial relationship between Genoa and Ottoman empires. It
examines the period beginning from 1300 to 1453 answer the question how Muslim- Christian
trade affected the foundation of the Ottoman Empire. According to Fleet’s analysis trade
belongs to the Europeans while agriculture to the Ottomans. That’s why; modern capitalism
did not evolve in the Ottomans while it appeared in Europe. This article is related to my topic
by examining the trade of Ottoman and Genoa which are the important pieces of
Mediterranean trade. It is very significant source for my essay since it details the early
modern Mediterranean trade and it reveals the ideas that Europeans and Muslims did not
divide Mediterranean communities into different worlds; however, they mixed the cultures
and made convergence of them.
Casale, Giancarlo. “The Ottoman Administration of the Spice trade in the Sixteenth-Century
Red Sea and Persian Gulf.” Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, Vol. 49
Issue 2, p170-198. 2006.
After the Ottoman had conquest Egypt and the Levant, it tried to increase its revenues by
expanding the spice trade between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. In sixteenth
century, the Ottomans progressed and make up a foundation which contains a rational empire
wide tax regime controlling private trade. Moreover, Ottoman had a network of “imperial
factors”. They were buying species for the emperor from the abroad. In addition, there were
trains of vehicles of spice gallery which carries pepper from Yemen to Egypt and Istanbul.
Therefore, the Ottomans challenged the pepper monopoly of Portuguese Estado da Indıa with
the help of these infrastructures, with its advantageous geography and with the benevolence of
Muslim traders in the Indian Ocean. This article is relevant to my topic since gives broad
information about the space trade and it is important for my essay because the space trade
constitutes the most significant part of the Mediterranean trade.