TRGOVINA ENGLESKE SA LEVANTOM U DOBA VELIKOG TURSKOG RATA (1683–1699)*
THE TRADE BETWEEN ENGLAND AND LEVANT AT THE TIME OF THE GREAT TURKISH WAR (1683–1699)

Summary/Abstract: Opinion of certain scientists that crisis for English Levant Company started in 1680 can be doubted if archive documents are referred to, primarily company ledgers. They reveal drastic decrease in English textile exports (the most important item in English exports to Ottoman Empire) occured in 1685, i.e. two years aft er outbreak of the Great Turkish War. Due to efforts of English ambassador in Constantinople, who intervened for his personal interest, improvement was achieved in the following years. A new crisis, provoked by introduction of copper mangure (1689–1691) affected interests of English trading in the Ottoman Empire. That caused new decrease of English exports after 1692, and in 1697 it achieved its minimum. The same fact can directly be connected to changed orientation of new sultan, Mustafa II, supported by certain circles within the country, towards war-oriented politics, and that prolonged the Great Turkish War. France took advantage of such a situtation, and because of skills of French ambassador in Constantinople, it managed to coax the Porte to establish regulations very convenient for French merchants. The most significant consequence, anyway, was changed approach of London and businessmen in England towards Levant, since for all of them it lost its significance.

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