[Codex of Franco-Ottoman commercial and diplomatic correspodence]

This material is held atBritish Library Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 59 Or 7006
  • Dates of Creation
    • 18th century
  • Language of Material
    • French Turkish
  • Physical Description
    • Codex 48 ff Materials : Paper. Foliation : Western, 48 ff. Dimensions : 200 mm x 260 mm. Script : Divani, Nesih, Latin.

Scope and Content

This volume is a collection of letters, mainly on the commercial relations between French merchants and the Sublime Porte (Ottoman government) in the 18th century, which passed between the Baştercüman and dragomans named De Clérambeau, Broux (?) and Damirat (?). Occasionally, no name is provided at all. Contracts between a Muslim Ottoman citizen and a French shipowner are found on ff 44-45 regarding the hiring of a ship to work in the Eastern Mediterranean. Both legal documents were signed at Izmir, the first in 1199 AH (1784-85 CE), and the second in 1200 AH (1785-86 CE), followed by a copy of a firman (ff 46-47) issued in connection with an expedition against the Morea, dated in Edirne in 1127 AH (1715 CE). All documents are in Divani script, except for the two contracts.

Access Information

Not Public Record(s)

Unrestricted

Related Material

For another contract similar to those found on ff 44-45, please see Add MS 18810.