florin marinescu - the trade of wallachia with the ottoman empire between 1791 and 1821
TRANSCRIPT
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FLOR NMARINESCO
THETRADEOFWALLACHIAWITHTHEOTTOMANEMPIRE
BETWEEN1791and1821
The
purpose
ofthisstudyistoanalysethecommercialrelationships
asawholebetweenWallachiaandtheOttomanEmpireduringthethirty
yearperiodfrom1791.TheRomaniandocumentsattheStateArchivesin
Bucharest,someofwhicharestillunpublished,andtheTurkishdocuments
discoveredbyspecialistsin
Ottomanstudies1,inadditiontoanumberof
generalandspecialistworks,allrevealextensivetradebetweenthetwoareas.Asit iswellknown,theOttomanmonopolyinhibitedthegeneraldevelop-
mentoftheRomanianPrincipalities,limitingtheirabilitytotradetheirpro-
ducts
atmarketprices.Itisalsowellknownthatthepeaceconcludedin
Adrinoplein1829resultedinchangesinthejuridicalsystemandstructure,
andinthePrincipalitiesforeigncommercialrelations.
But
thedocuments
discovered
showthatevenbetween1791(theyear
oftheShishtovpeace)and1821(whentherevolutionarymovementunder
the
leadership
ofTudorVladimirescuemerged)therewerenormaltrading
relationsboth
asregards
Wallachian
products
notunderthe
Ottoman
mon-opolyandTurkishproductsindemandbybothordinaryandprivilegedcon-
sumers.Therewasalsoanactivetransittrade,throughWallachia,between
AustriaandtheOttomanEmpireontheonehand,andRussiaandtheOt-
tomanEmpireontheother.
Beforedealingwithcommercialrelationsindetailweshalldwellupon
certainjuridicalsettlementswhichprecededtheperiodweareconcerned
withandwhich,tosomeextent,graduallyestablishedthequantitiesofmer-
chandisetheOttomanPorteaskedfor,theconditionsoftheirforwarding,
andthegraduallimitationoftheabusestheyimplied.
I.INTERNATIONALTREATIESAND REGULATIONSBETWEENTHEOTTOMAN
EMPIREANDTHEROMANIANPRINCIPALITIES
TheOttomanEmpiresexploitationofthetwoRomanianPrincipalities
1.Mihail
Guboglu,Cataloguldocumentelorturce ti(TheCatalogueoftheTurkish
Documents),Bucharest,Vol.I-H,1960-1965;MustafaA.Mehmet,Ocondicdomneasc
dinadouajumtatea veaculuialXVHI-leascrisinlimbaturc,privindTaraRomneasc
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290 FlorinMarinescu
inthe18thCenturyhadanoppressiveeffectuponRomaniantaxpayers.
ThestipulationsoftheOttomanfirmanssuchastheimportofcereals
fromBanat,claimedbythePortein1794causedgreatsufferingtoRoma-
nians,whichwasaggravatedbytheabusescommittedbypeoplecomingfrom
Constantinopletotakeoverthemerchandise,andbytheproblemsinvolved
incarryingthecerealsuptotheDanubewithoutremuneration2a.o.
Afterthelastquarterofthe18thcentury,thePortesclaimsbeganto
bereplacedbyjuridicalregulationscontainedeitherinthetreatiesconcluded
withRussiaorAustria,orinthehatt-isheriffsandconventionsconcerning
thePrincipalitiesonly.
The first regulation,whichwasasimportantastheonefromAndrinople,
cameintoeffectatKutchuk-Kainardji,in1774,attheendoftheRussian-
Turkishwar(July10).
So
far
as
the
stipulations
regarding
the
Principalities
were
concerned,the
Porte
wasconfirmingtheprivilegestheyenjoyed,whileensuringthe
RomanianrepresentativesinConstantinopletheprivilegeoftherightof
nations.Ontheotherhand,theTurkspledgedthemselvestotakeaccount
ofRussiasobservationsonbehalfofthePrincipalities.
OnDecember15/24,1774,SultanAbdul-HamidI promulgatedahatt-i
sheriff,informingAlexanderIpsilantis(theprinceofWallachia)about
certainprevilegesgrantedtoWallachiaandintendedtomoderatesomeof
itsobligations.Thus,thefirmanprovidingtheannualprocuring,byakasap-
bashi
(the
bailiffofbutchers
in
Constantinople)
ofa
certain
number
of
sheep,
was
annulled,
as
it
had
caused
the
oppression
and
persecution
of
theTaia*3.
Furtheronhowever,itwasmentioned;Butitisimportantandnecess-
arytotakesheepfrommycountriestoo...fortherationsofthemiriye**,
(APrincelyRegisterfromtheSecondHalfofthe18thCentury,writteninTurkish andCon-
cerningWallachia),inRevistaArhivelor,1(2),1958,pp.248-250.
2. EudoxiuHurmuzaki,Documenteprivitoarelaistoriaromnilor(Documentscon-
cerningtheHistoryofRomanians),Vol.XIX,p.1,Bucharest,1922,p.711.
3.Arhivele
Statului
Bucureti(hereafterreferred
toasA.S.B.),
DLXX/66a,
the
iden-
tificationmarkoftheLibraryoftheAcademy(hereafterreferredtoasB.A.)apudMustafa
A.Mehmet,Documenteturce tiprivind
istoriaRomniei(TurkishDocumentsconcerning
theHistory ofRomania),Vol.I,Bucharest,1976,p.324.(Thehistoricaldocumentsfromthe
LibraryoftheAcademyweretransferedtoA.S.B.Theyretaintheidentificationmarkal-
ocatedbytheLibraryoftheAcademy).
*
raia=AfortressoccupiedbytheTurks.
**Miriye=taxesandallincomeoftheOttomantreasury.
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ThetradeofWallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 291
andforfeedingtheinhabitantsoftheHighPorte...Thatiswhytheraias
ofWallachiashouldnothidethesheeptheyintendtosell,butshouldsell
thematthecurrentpricetothemerchants andtothegeleps*.Thesewere
importantstipulations,butlaterontheywerenolongertakenintoaccount45.
ThePrincewasresponsibleforthatoperation.
Asecondstipulation,intendedtodiminishtheobligationsandviciss-
itudesoftheraia,wasthebreakingupofthemukayesel6(thequantity
offoodintendedforthePorte),whichhadbeenappliedaccordingtoan
agreementbetweenthetwoparties.
Butitwasalsospecifiedthat...theraiasshoulduninterruptedlycarry,
uptothegangways,allcropsandeverythingobtainedfromsowingandalso
theircattle,andtosellthemtotheshipcaptains,calledreis,whoalsotook
careofthekapans(warehouses).Itwasforbiddentosellcerealsorany
otherfoodtootherpeople;itwasalsoforbiddentohidethemandtoneglectploughingandsowing.
Asregardstimber,bothcuttingandtransportwerepaidfromthe tribute.
Inadditiontothetwodocumentssignedin1774,anotherconvention
wasconcluded,whichaimedatsomeexplanationregardingAinal-Cava
(March10,1779),andinwhichthestipulationsconcerningthePrincipalities
wereemphasized.ThePortepledgeditselfagain(article7,paragraph4)to
imposethetributetobepaidbythePrincipalitieswithmoderationand hu-
manity...;thetributewastobebroughttoConstantinoplebythenational
deputiessentbyeach
Principalityevery
secondyear.
Nobodywas
allowed
toaskthePrincipalitiesforanyotherpaymentortaxes,irrespectiveofany
reasonorpretext...,sincetheywouldregularlycontinuepayingthetribute
havingbeenmentioned,settledandfixed7.
Inadifferentconnection,itshouldbenotedthatRussiasrightofspeak-
ingintheirfavour(thePrincipalitiesF.M.)wasbecomingarightof
intercession8(asitwasinfactanoppositionwhenOttomanactswerepro-
4. Ibidem,pp.324-325.
5. Ibidem,p.325.
6. Ibidem,p.326.
7. D.A.Sturdza,C.Colescu-Vartic,Acte idocumenterelativela istoriarena teriiRo-
mnic i(ActsandDocumentsConcerningtheHistoryofRomaniasRenaissance),Vol.I,
Bucharest,1888,p.154.
8. IonIonacu,PetreBrbulescu,GheorgheGheorghe,Relafiileinternationaleale
Romniei indocumente(RomaniasInternationalRelationsinDocuments),Bucharest,1971,
p.228,noteno.1.
*gelepmerchantofcattleandespeciallyofsheep,whousedtobuythemfromthe
Principalities.
is
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292 FlorinMarinescu
mulgatedwhichwereagainsttheinterestsofthePrincipalitiesF.M.).
InadocumentcalledinTurkishasened,publishedin1783,theSultan
directedthatanycerealsshouldbeboughtbytheso-calledmirionly(who
wereoffice-workersatthepublictreasury)andpaidforincash9.
There
was
a
difference
between
such
official
buying
which
observed
theConstantinoplepriceandthebuyingdonebymerchants,atthecurrent
price.Thisclearlydemonstratedthatafreetradeexistedbetweenthetwo
countries10.
Theproblemoftimberisextensivelyanalysed.Timber,aswellassalt-
petre,constitutespartofthatcategoryofmaterialswhichhadtobegiven
tothePorte.Somefacilitationishoweverensuredonthispointtoo,bythe
decisionthatthecuttingandcarryingoftimbershouldbepaidforinkeep
ingwiththesenedssealedbybinaemens(bailiffsofconstructions),from
theimposttheprincewasclubbingfromthepopulation,andcalledcapita-tion11.So,thesystemofstatesupplieswasstillmaintained,oncondition
thatprivatepeopleshouldbecompensatedfromtheimpostthathadbeen
clubbedforpayingthehara.Withtheintentionof ensuringgoodmanage
ment,thesenedprovidedforprincestobenotifiedintimeaboutthequan-
tityofwoodandbuildingmaterialstobecarriedtotheboundaries,andwhere
thecommissarychargedtotakethemoverhadtopayincashforthecutting
andtransport12.
Saltpetretoowastobepaidforfromthesametaxobtainedfromtax
payersandnot byanysubtractionfromthetribute.Work
caterings
were
also
mentioned.
From
the
Austrian
consular
re-
ports,whichwereconfirmedbythepetitionaddressedtotheSultanin1783
(inTurkish,suchapetitionwascalledarzmahzar)it transpiresthatthePorte
wasaskingforthousandsofpeopletoworkwithorwithout toolscarry-
ingfoodandcerealsincarts,erectingbridges,andrepairingthefortresses.
AccordingtoV.A.Urechia,intheabovementionedpetitionofthe
Divan,itisalsomentionedthatduringtwomonthsthePrinceorderedthe
allocationof1.000day-labourers,600cartswithoxen,andmanyotherthings
9.D.A.Sturdza,C.Colescu-Vartic,op.cit..Vol.I,pp.193-194.
10.Aplusforteraison,danslecoursducommerce,quandlesachatsserontfaitspar
desngociants,lespayementsaurontlieuenargentcomptantetauprixcourantdelapro-
vince.D.A.Sturdza,C.Colescu-Vartic,op .cit..Vol.I,p.194.
11.M.M.Alexandrescu-Dersca,Rolulhatierifurilordeprivilegiinlimitareaobli-
gapilorctrePoart1774-1802(TheRoleoftheHatt-iSheriffsofPrivileges,inLimiting
theObligationstothePorte,1774-1802),inStudiino.6/1958,p.116.
12.D.A.Sturdza,C.Colescu-Vartic,op.cit..Vol. I,p.194,point9.
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Thetradeof
WallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 293
necessarytorepairthefortressesofIsmail,GiurgiuandAda-Kaleh.
Inordertocopewithallthiswork,thousandsof poorstarvingpeople
andtheircattlewillbeemployed.Thenwehavetocarrybarleyfortwopro-
vinces(inConstantinople,memlechet)fromanother1.000poorraiasand
day
labourers
and
workers
and
carts
with
their
wretched
cattle,
asfaras
thefortress,whichis140hoursdistantfromtheircountry13.
Inouropinion,
thisdocument,aswellastheotheronecalledsened,
issuggestive,asitcomprisesalltheworkthePorteorderedtobedone.
Itisalsointhesenedwereadthatthetransportneserapaslacharge
deshabitants14;butitwasneveraccomplished,because,afterPasvanOglus
revolt,thepeasantsofOlteniafledtothemountains,toavoiddrawingby
ropetheshipscarryingmerchandisefortheSultansarmyofCalafatand
Vidin.
Oneyearlater,onJ anuary9,
1784,inasenedaddressedtotheRussianagentStakievinConstantinople(HalilHamidPashabeingtheintermediary)
theformerengagementswithregardtothePrincipalitieswereagainmentioned,
inconnectionwiththeregulationoftrade:whenprocuringsheepclaimed
bythechiefofthebutchersinConstantinople(namedkasapbashi),bymeans
ofthesaidji*,thatoperationwillbedonereasonably.Anytimberwillbe
obtainedbypayingasatisfactorypricetotheraias.Thepopulationwillnot
beobligedtosendtheirproductsbeyondtheboundaries.Noactofvexation
willbecommittedagainsttheraias.Anyinfringementwillbepunished15.
Thenext
document
weshall
mention
isthe
onesigned
inJ assy
onDe-
cember29,
1791-January9,
1792,aftertheRussian-Constantinoplewar.
In
theNewLaw(Kanunname)therewerespecified28commonconditions
regardingboth
Wallachiaand
Moldavia,
andcomprisingtheirobligations
tothePorte;thenature,thequantum,and thepayingdateswerealso defined.
Inpoint16itisshown that,fortimber,foodandanyotheritemsorwork,
suchasrepairingthefortressesandotherbuildings,reasonablepriceswould
beestablished,whichweredifferentfromthefiyat-imiriyethatisthe
Ottomantreasuryfisk.Categoricaladviceswouldbegivenastheyshould
betosuchpeoplewhowerechargedbytheSupremeEmpiretoobtainall
theabovementionedthingsfromthetwoPrincipalities;
thedrasticthreats
13. V.A.
Urechia,IstoriaRomnilor(TheHistoryofRomanians),Vol.I,Bucharest,
1891,p.275.
14.D.A.Sturdza,C.Colescu-Vartic,op .cit..Vol. I,pp.193-194.
15.A.S.B.-DLXXXI/92-92a(markofB.A.)apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Vol.I,p.94.
*saidji=shepherdswhousedtocountsheep;theywere alsosheepmerchants,helping
thegelepswiththeirwork.
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294 FlorinMarinescu
wouldbeclearlyexposedinthehighorderstobeaccomplished16.
Point17speciallystipulatedthatinordertoobtainsheepthroughthe
agencyofthekasapbash(bailiffsofthebutchersinConstantinople),the
currentpricewillbepaid...andnocontributionmoreandnomiteless
willbeoffered17.
ThePortehadinviewthefuturebenefitsresultingfromexploitation
ofthePrincipalities.Forinstance,atpoint24itwasprovidedtosetup
factoriescalledKerhane,whereallsortsofcloth(cuka)andotherfabrics
(akmis)wouldbeinthecourseoftimeproducedandbringgreatadvantages
totheEmpire.ThePortewasalsoconcernedwiththeimprovementofagri-
culturebyincreasingthenumberofanimals;thatiswhynegligenceand
indifferenceinthatrespectwillberegardedasseriousoffencesandpeople
willhavetoworkdiligently,sothateverythingmentionedabovecouldbe
accomplishedefficientlyandwithoutdelay18.
Weshalldwellparticularlyupononeofthemostimportantjuridical
documents,issuedon17/29August,1802whichwasineffectanotherstep
forwardinlimitingTurksabusesoftheirobligationstotheEmpire.
Thedocumentisexplicitinthatrespect,makingitclearthatnohigh
OttomanoffialmighttakefromWallachiaanythingnotmentionedinthe
hatt-isheriff.Worthmentioningistheregulation,forthefirsttimeinadocu-
mentissuedbythePorte,ofthequantityofproductsWallachiahadtofor-
ward.Thepricewastobepaidfromthepublicmoneyincash,withoutneglect-
ingthecurrent
one.
Andthe
crains
were
tobepaid
according
tothetariff
fixedeveryyearatthegangboardofBraila.Thetransportofthemerchandise
wastobepaidfor.
Afterestablishingthequantityofproductsthisstipulationwasmost
importantdiscussionswouldtakeplacewiththeboyarsinordertoclarify
whetherornottherequestforsuppliescouldbewhollyhonoured,ifnot,
thePortehadtobenotifiedintime.
Weshallnowquoteafewstipulationsofthehatt-isheriff...and
sinceitisforbiddentoenterWallachia,peoplegoingtotheirhighdignitaries,
myall-highvizires,iftheyleavetheirlegalroutewhengoingandreturning,
andiftheytake from theraiasalltheyneedsuchasposthorsesandanyother
16. IonIonacu,PetreBrbulescu,GheorgheGheorghe,op .cit.,p.255.
17. Ibidem.
18.RegardingCarteadelegi(TheBookofLaws)seeMustafaA.Mehmet,Onou
regleraentarearaporturilorMoldoveiiTriiRomnetifatadePoartla1792(ANew
RegulationGoverningtheRelationsofMoldaviaandWallachiawiththePorte,in1792),
inStudiino.4/1967,pp.691-709.
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ThetradeofWallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 295
thingsofthekindwithoutpayment,itmeanstheyhavelaidwastetothepoor
raia;
thatiswhy,fromnowon,itisbynomeansthewillofmyEmpirethat
theraiasofWallachiashouldbedamagedbytheviziresandthemirimirans*.
orbyotherpeopleaccompanyingthem19.Thesheep...withtheprice
they
want
toselltomerchants
and
geleps...
who
willbring
them
to
Tsari-
gradandtonootherplace20;andfood...tobecontinuallybroughtdown,
agooddeal,tothegangwaysoftheDanubeandtosellthemtothecaptains
ofshipspertainingtothekapans(Turkishwarehouses),atareasonable
priceandnobodyelse.
TheLawgiverswereconcernedwithgoodorganizationinordertovictual
the
cityofConstantinople,providingitwithallitneeded.TheOttomans
didnot,evenin1802,admitthat...theraiasofthecountrywereusedand
enjoyedbenefitsandadvantages(byturningtheirproduistobetteraccount-
F.M.);
andthatthecitizens
oftheircapital
cityweretosomeextentshort
of
food21.
Asfortimber,...forerectingthefortressesatRumele,timbershould
becutinthemountainsofWallachia...anditwillbecarriedtosuchplaces
thatlackedtimberand,bymeansofsomesenedsealedbythebinaemeni
(specialistsinhousebuilding)theexactpriceofcuttingandcarryingwillbe
paid...
from
themoneyofthehara...bynomeansless22,...butthese
raiasshouldnotbeaskedfortimberorotherproductsbeyondtheboundaries
oftheirowncountry23.
Regarded
as
awhole
and
compared
withprevious
documents,
this
hatt-isheriffseems
toembodythemostsubstantialchangesinthePortespolicy.
AlastjuridicalregulationofthecommercialrelationsbetweenWallachia
andTurkeywastheoneconcludedonMarch21,1821,atOrtachioi.Inthe
protocol
ofthatconference,afteremphasizingtheprincipleofgoodunder-
standingbetweensellersandbuyersatthegangwaysofGalatiandBrila,
itisaddedthatintheeventofdisagreementbetweenthemthepartiesshould
beconvokedtothecapitalcitiesofbothcountrieswhere,withtheparticipa-
tionoftheprincesandmembersoftheDivan,thepricewouldbefixedto
theirmutualagreement24.
19. IonIonacu,PetreBrbulescu,GheorgHeGheorghe,op .cit.,p.264.
20. Ibidem,
p.265.
21. Ibidem,pp.265-266.
22. Ibidem,pp.266-267.
23. Ibidem,pp.268-269.
24. C.C.Giurescu,Istorialiora uluiBrila .Dincelemaivechitimpuripinaastzi(The
*mirimirans=akindofgeneralgovernors.
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296 FlorinMarinescu
Inregardtoclothing,wequoteafewwordsfromaworkbyEdgarPatin:
Le22marseutlieuPradanslamaisondecampagneduResEffendi,
uneconfrencedanslaquellefurenttablieslesconditionsdanslesquelles
lesprincipautsauronspresterdornafantlesfournituresobligatoiresen-
verslaSublimePorte.
Lesdlgusroumainsprtendirentquelaperteque
subirentlesprincipautsparlamoinsvaleurobtenuedelapartdescapanl
ainsiqueparlesrquisitions,forcesslevaitpourlpoque1812-181933
milionsdepiastres25.DuetothepressureexertedbytheRussianplenipoten-
tiaries,andyieldingtoNesselrodespretensions,thePorteconsentedto
limitthequantitiesofcerealsfromthePrincipalitiestoaquantityrepresent-
inglamoyennedcennaleandcomprisingeverythingtheyhadtosendto
Turkeybetween1812and182126.
II.WALLACHIAANDTHEPROVISIONINGOFTHEOTTOMANEMPIRE
Inthepreviouspartofthepapermentionwasmadeofsomeofthe stipula-
tionscontainedinthePorteshatt-isheriffs,showingtheirspecialcarethat
someofWallachiasproductsshouldbesentonlytotheOttomanEmpire,
withtheaimofprovisioningConstantinople,theTurkisharmy,andthein-
habitantsoftheirfortresses.Plentyofmerchantsandoffice-workerswere
concernedwithdeliveringWallachianmerchandiseattheDanube,taking
itoverarmandtransportingittoitsdestination.
Among
themwere
Romanians,
Turks,
Greeks,
Armeniansand
J ews27.ItwastheRomanianswhopreparedpastramiintheislandofPrunduand
intheso-calledzalhansthatis,placeswherecattlewerecut.Suchplaces
weretobefoundinPloiesti28andinotherareastoo.Peoplelivingoutside
theraiasalsogatheredcattle;therewerefishermentoo.Thecattlemerchants
weregiventhegenericTurkishnameofgeleps.Theyalsohadothernames,
accordingtotheirkindofwork29.Thekapardwerepeoplewhoprovisioned
HistoryoftheTownofBrila,sincetheRemotestTimesuntilToday),Bucharest,1968,p.103.
25. EdgarPatin,LecommercedescerealesdanslebassinduBas-Danube, Paris,1933,p.121,
note
3.
26. Ibidem.
27. C.C.Giurescu,op.cit.,p.108.
28.TheoneofPloiestiwasplacedonthelandbelongingtothebeizadea(sonof
aprince)CostacheCaragea,where3.000-4.000cattlewerecuteveryyearA.S.B.,
MCCCXLIV/100a(markofB.A.),unpublisheddocument.
29. C.C.Giurescu,op.cit.,p.108.
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The
trade
offVallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 297
theKapan(i.e.theEmpireswarehousesandstores).Thesaegiesbought
mainlyflocksofsheep,rams,lambs,goatsandkids.Thesurecciesgathered
cattleforthepeopleofConstantinople.Inadditiontoallthese,werethe
peoplewhofattenedcattle,andpeoplewhopreparedpastrami.
Why
were
the
Ottoman
authorities
so
preoccupied
with
the
intense,
continuousprovisioningoftheircapitalcity,andofthewholepopulation
livingonTurkishterritory?
OneofthereasonsarosefromacharacteristicfeatureoftheEmpire
whichhasbeencommenteduponbyhistoriansandeconomists,asweshall
seebelow.
GheronNettawrotethattheOttomansmonopolizedcertainproducts
andexploitedboththeproducersandthemerchantsintheconsumersin-
terests.ThatiswhyinConstantinople,economic,industrialandcommercial
lifecouldnotdevelop.
TheOttomansaimwastoprotectconsumersandthishadanadverseeffectupontrade30.
Theseseemstohavebeentworeasonsforthisattitude.Onewasthefact
thattheTurkswerenomerchants;neitherweretheyintermediariesincom-
merce,whichwaspractisedforthembyforeigners.Theyhadthestatepower
onlyinordertomonopolize...theywerenotinterestedinthecommercial
incomesomeconqueredregionsenjoyed.ThesecondreasonforthisOt-
tomanmentalitywastheirprinciplethatpoorpeopleshouldbetakencare
ofbythecharityoftherich.InNettasopinion,thisattitudetoowasdisad-
vantageoustocommerce
and
production,
aspeople
prefered
being
beggars
toworkingandproducing31.NoteventheTurkishprovinceswereinterested
in
provisioningConstantinople,astherewasnothingtobedrawnupon.
Thusthestatesauthorityhadtointervene32.
Alongthesamelines,weshallquoteafewpassagesfromaspecialstudy
madebyM.M.Alexandrescu-DerscaoftheprovisioningofthecityofCon-
stantinoplewithwheatduringthe18thcentury.Whencharacterizingthe
Portespolicy,theauthorproperlynoted:Laraisondecettepolitiquedex-
ploitationintense,deprohibitionsetdemonopolesrsidedansunegrave
contradictionquiminelempireendclin.Cestdunepartlaccroissement
deschargeset,delautre,labandondelapolitiquedeconqute,sanspar-
venirtoutefoisremplacerlemodedeproductionfodalparunnouveau
30. GheronNetta,Cursdeistoriacomertului(ACourseoftheHistoryofTrade),1937,
p.469.
31. Ibidem.
32. Ibidem,
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298 FlorinMarinescu
modeadaptauxexigencesduntatmoderne33.Accordingtothisstudy, the onlyremedywouldhavebeentheintroduction
ofcapitalistmethodsinagriculture,whoseinventorywasrudimentary.Butthedeudalsocietyopposedit.Thesultanswereunabletoperceivethecause
ofthecrisisi.e.thedestructionoftheeconomicbasisoftheEmpire:thepettypeasantrysproperty.Theypreferred,duetotheorganizationalpowertheyhadinheritedfromtheBizantines,tosolveallproblemsbyarigorousregulationofthetradewith cereals,andbyapolicyofstocking, thusifnecess-arysatisfyingtherequirementsoftheConstantinoplepopulation.Thatpopulationwasanactualdangerforthesultans,andasthemeansoflivingwerelacking,theirmostprimitiveinstinctsemerged34.
Andthedangerconsistentlyincreased,owingtothepenetrationofnu-merouspeasantsfromAnatoliaandRumelia.Inanattempttostoptheir
emigration,thesultansimposednewtaxesforthetchiftbozan(i.e.farmerswhowereleavingtheirfields),andalsoorganizedacertaincensus35.
Thewarsandrevolutionsofthepashaswho,fortheirownadvantage,exploitedthetendenciesoftheprovinceswiththeaimdrivingthemapart,alsohadadisastrouseffectontheeconomy.
IntheislandstooCyprusandChios36whichwereanimportantmarketforcerealsinLevant,thepeoplewererevoltingagainstabusescom-mitted
bythefiscalauthorities,whichprofoundlyaffectedtheirproperty.Syriahadbecomeconsiderablypoorer,whileinEgyptthebeysweresharing
the
power
between
them.WithEgyptfallingunderthebeyofthe
mamelukesand
neglecting
itsobligationtoprovisiontheOttomancapitalcity(Egypt,thePrincipalitiesandtheregionoftheMarmoraSeaprovidedfourmonthsfoodforConstanti-nople37),theburdenonthePrincipalitiesincreased.Hence,abiggerquantityofsupplies,animprovementintheprovisioningofConstantinople,butalsodissatisfactiononthepartoftheinhabitantsand,induecourse,introductionoftheabove-mentionedregulations.
As
regardsthemethods
usedby
the
kapanlies
toaoquire
Wallachian
33.M.M.Alexandrescu-Dersca,ContributionltudedelapprovisionementenbldeConstantinopleauXVIIImesicle,inStudiaetactaorientalia,Bucharest,1957,p.13.
34. Ibidem,p.14.35. Ibidem,p.
16.
36. Ibidem,p.17.37.TraianIonescu,Hatierifuldin1802inceputullupteipentruaprovizionareapielei
interneaPrincipatelordunrene(TheHatt-iSheriffof1802andtheBeginningoftheStruggletoProvisioningtheInternalMarketoftheDanubianPrincipalities),inStudiifiorticoledeistorie.Vol.I,Bucharest,1956,p.44.
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Thetradeof
WallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 299
products,VelSpatharusIanacheVcrescuwroteonMay18,1793:there-
fore,whereasthenizam(inTurkish:order,system)providesthatthekapanl
merchantswhowant
totaketheirmerchandisefromthecountryshould
receiveaprincelyorderfromthetreasurer,addressingthesubprefectsofthe
country
wherethemerchandiseisand,whengoingoverthere,togivethesened
tothesubprefectsforthequantityofmerchandisetheyhavetotakeandthus
toreceivefromthesubprefectsayoltezkeresi(akindofpassport),tobe
allowedtocrosstheDanubewheretheywantedto...38.
GheronNettagivesalsoacompletetableaboutthewaytheexportof
productsinWallachiawastakingplaceanddirectedtotheOttomanEmpire.
Henotedfourmainstages:
I.Checkingandtakingtheproducts;
II. Gatheringof
products
from
all
overthecountry
and
their
carrying
totheresidenceof thekadi(ajudge),whowasregardedastheeyeand
armofthegovernor,andalsoorganizedtheprovisioningandfinancial
problemsineveryprovince;
III. DispatchingorforwardingallthoseproductstoConstantinople;
IV. HandingthemoverinConstantinople.
Thekadididnottaketheproductshimself.Hehadproviders(thegeleps)
whom
heaskedtocometohisresidence.Theproviderswereregisteredin
abookconcerningfoodsupplies.Togetherwiththekaditheyestablished
the
merchandise,
its
quantity
and
nature.
The
list,
comprising
the
names
ofalltheproviders,wasthensenttoConstantinople,whereitwassanctioned
bythecompetentorgansandsentbacktothekadi.Itwasasortoflicence.
Cattleofgoodqualitywereselectedandthegelepstookthemover,some-
timesatlowerprices.Thecattlewerethengatheredattheresidenceofthe
kadi,whoboughtthemfromthegeleps.Thusthekadialwaysboughtmer-
chandiseat
secondhand.
CattleweresubsequentlysenttoConstantinoplebymeansofsomemer-
chant,acontractbeingconcludedbetweenthekadiandthemerchant.From
the
country,
the
herds
were
escorted
by
spahis,
under
the
leadership
of
a
representativeofthekadi(callednaipirzcndbeingalowerjudge,whoused
to
replacethe
kadi)39.
38.A.S.B.RegisterXXIV,p.150.
39. GheronNetta,op .cit.,pp.470-471.
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300 FlorinMarinescu
III.
THE
MERCHANDISEWALLACHIASUPPLIEDTOTHEOTTOMANPORTE
Inthefollowingpagesweshalltrytoshowamostcompleteandvaried
table,
coveringtheforwardingofcereals,cattle,woodandotherproducts
fromWallachia,necessaryforprovisioningConstantinopleandotherregionsofthe
EmpireandtheTurkish
garrisons
ofSilistra,
Rustchuk,
Ada-Kaleh
etc.
MostofthedocumentsweshallusetoillustratethisaspectofTurkish-
WallachianrelationsaretobefoundinthecatalogueofTurkishDocuments,
publishedbyMihailGuboglu;weidentifiedtheothersinthecollectionsof
the
LibraryoftheAcademy;thecriterionwechosewasthechronological
one;wetriedasfaraspossibletogrouptherespectivemerchandisewithin
everyyear.Themostdocumentaryevidenceisaboutcereals,cattleandtheir
derivatives.Forinstance,in1791,thefirstyearwelldealwith,onOctober
3,
SultanSelimIIIorderedthekadiandtheotherdegnitariesofSilistrato
depositinWallachia,atCallrai,80.000chile(kilas)ofwheatand150.000
kilas
ofbarley,obtainedthankstoMichaelSoutsos.Fromthatquantity,
15.000 kilasofwheatand45.000kilasofbarleyweretobedistributedto
Brila,20.000kilasofwheatand45.000kilasbarleytoSilistra,13.000kilas
wheatand20.000kilasofbarleytoRustchuk,ShishtovandNicopole.One
kilaofConstantinoplewouldequal20penceforwheatand10pencefor
barley,thecosttobegiventoMichaelSoutsosentirely40.
Inanote.PrinceMichaelSoutsosstatedthatin1791-1792therewere
broughttothegangway
ofBrilla41,
fromWallachia,foodandcerealsina
quantityof:1.347kilasofConstantinople42wheat,19.164barley,19.991
milletasasumtotal40.502beingloadedonfivesailingvesselsbelonging
tothekapan43.
OnDecember18,1791,SultanSelimIII, whowasatthecampofSumla,
askedtheTurkishdignitariesofHirsovaandofotherplacestocarrytoHir-
sova38.822ocasflour44.
Theonlymentionoftheexportofcattlein1791isthatofMarch6.That
year,thekadiofIstanbul,AbdulahAli,showedthatahighorderhadbeen
40.A.S.B.Microphilm13(IV-3),apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Voi.,p.370.
41. ForgrinsBrilabecomesahugewarehouse,fromwhichnotonlytheTurkish
fortressesontheDanubeareprovisioned,butalso,andespeciallythecapitalcityof
heEmpire,Constantinopleanditsothercities,C.C.Giurescu,op.cit.,p.99.
42. OnekilaofConstantinople22ocas27,402-27,720Kg.
43. A.S.B.Anorientalmanuscript,no.231,f.1.(markofB.A.),apudM.Guboglu,
top.
cit..Vol.II,p.367.
44. A.S.B.Microphilm13(III-26),apudM.Guboglu,op .cit.,Vol. II,p.373.
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The
tradeofWallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 301
receivedattherequestofthekasapbashandheaskedthataparticularly
largenumberofsheepandgoatsshouldbesenttothePorte,ontheoccasion
oftheBairamofRamazan,beingnecessaryasfoodforthepopulation.The
followingpricesarementioned:225,135,105,125and165akce(aTurkish
silvermoney),forsheepandgoats;it isalsomentionedthatthesaidgiesand
thegelepswereregisteredinthedefter(abookofentry)ofthedistrict
Cetalgea,with250gurushes(oldTurkishsilvermoney)foreachsheep,per
capita45.
Thesultansordersin1791,asinotheryears,includedfalconstoo.That
year,MichaelSoutsosconfirmedtothe greatvizireKogeaIusufPasha,receipt
ofthefirmanforforwardingthefalcons,inkeepingwiththeannualhabit,
andheshowedhehadgiventhechiefofhunters12bigfalcons46.
Forthefollowingyear,1792,thequantityoffoodthePorterequested
wasof150.000kilas(about4.240.5tons)47.Thatyear,MichaelSoutsosaskedthePortetoissueorderstotheemin(aconfidentialpersonandmanageror
bailiff)whosejobwasthatofsomechiefatthebarns,andtothenazir-aga
(thecommanderofthefortress)atBrila,totakeover40.000kilasofbarley,
inordertobekeptatSilistra,40.000kilasflouratBrilaand18.000kilasat
Rustchuk.Therestofbarleyandflourand3.500weighing machinesofbiscuits
(oneweighingmachineequalled44ocas)forBrilawerebeingprepared48.
That
sameyear,theWallachianprinceconfirmedtothePortereceiptof
theimperialfirmanforsupplying100.000kilaswheatandheaskedthat
theyshouldbesubtractedfromtheabove-mentionedquantity,asthecountry
was
sufferingbecause
ofthedrought,
havingnoteventhenecessaryseeds.
People...associatedandploughedsuperficially,soagriculturehasdiminish-
ed.Besides,insomegoodplacesforcultivatingcereals,locustsappeared,
andinotherplacesthereappearedakindofinsectontheearsofwheat,be-
comingarealcalamityforthebeansofcereals.Besidetheagriculturalcrisis,
onecanforeseeakindoffaminetoo49.ItisstillSoutsoswholetthePorte
knowthathewouldloadonshipsandwouldcarrytothegangwayofBrila
another57.410kilaswheat,untilthebeginningofMay179350.
45. A.S.B.StockHagiIanu,XX/16, apudM.Guboglu,op .cit.,Voi.I, p.116.
46. A.S.B.AnorientalManuscript,no.226,f.4(markofB.A.),apudM.Guboglu,
op.cit..Vol.II,p.366.
47. MustafaA.Mehmet,Ocondicdomnea sc...(APrincelyRegister...),pp.253-254.
48.A.S.B.Registerno.53/1954,mark342,suretTa(markofB.A.)apudM.Guboglu,
op.cit..Voi.I,pp.124-125.
49.A.S.B.Registerno.53...suret8(markofB.A.),apudMustafaA.Mehmet,O
condicdomneasc...(APrincelyRegister...),p.256.
50.A.S.B.Registerno.53...suret12(markofB,A.),apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.
I,p.125,
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302 FlorinMarinescu
Inspiteofthecrisisinagriculturehecouldhoweverannouncethat
hehadsentsofar(in1792orso)266.439kilasofConstantinoplewheat
and
barley,loatedon57ships.Thedocumentoftheirforwardingwould
bepresentedinConstantinoplebythekapikehaye(abailiffoftheOttoman
Porteandalsoadiplomacyagent)ofWallachia51.
Asinthepreviousyear,theexportofsheepwasnowagainmentioned
indocuments.Inamahzar(acollectivepetition),theprince,theboyars,the
metropolitana.o.informedthePortethattheycouldnotsendthatyearmore
than70.000sheep;becauseofthesupplies52exceedingthecountryspossibil-
ities,theraiawasindangerof remainingwithoutbreedingsheep.Afterre-
ceivingthe70.000animals,allthegelepsandsaidgieshadtoleavethecountry53.
(Sheepwerethemainchapteroftradeandoflivingforthepoorraia).
Asaresult,thegelepsgaveawrittenagreementthattheywouldobserve
thenizam
(order)thePrince
ofWallachiahad
madeup54
.Itis
still
in1792
thatMustafathecaimacamtransmittedtoavali(generalgovernorofapro-
vince)thecontentsofafirmanstipulatingthatfromWallachia,fromthere-
gionsabouttheDanube,thechannelsofDobrudja,Andrinople,Vra(aand
fromthekazas(administrativeunitsundertheruleofakadi,aslargeas
somecounties)ofSalonicandVeriashouldbebrought80.000sheepand
goatstobepaidincashfromthesumsthesaedjiespossessed,attheprice
thestatehadfixed;theywillthenbesenttoConstantinople.Itwasprovided
thatonesheepandonegoatfromtenshouldbeboughtfromthesumtotal
theownershadgotandthatnooneshouldbesoldbeforethestatesnecess-
itieswereensured.(Itmaytherefore besupposedthat
notallthecattlereached
Constantinople,asthegelepsandthesaidgiesalsopracticedatradeoftheir
own-F.M.)55.
Itisstillin1792thatthemerchantEminsenttoConstantinopleanother
32.000 sheep56andanumber of90.000weretobeforwardedin thetwomonths
51. A.S.B.Registerno.53...suret17(markofB.A.),apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Voi.
I,p.126.
52. Moreover,thisyear,becauseofalongwinter,mostoftheanimalsstarved,lacking
foodand
because
ofthefrost
,A.S.B.
Registerno.
53,suret
8,apud
MustafaA.
Mehmet,
Ocondicdomneasc...(APrincelyRegister...),pp.253-254.
53. A.S.B.Registerno.53...suret7(markofB.A.),apudMustafaA.Mehmet,O
condic
domneasc...(APrincelyRegister...),pp.254-255.
54.Registerno.53...suret7,apudMustafaA.Mehmet,Ocondicdomneasc...
(A
PrincelyRegister...),
pp.
254-255.
55. A.S.B.TurkishdocumentXXXII/2459,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Vol.II,p.380.
56. A.S.B.Registerno.
53...suret3(markofB.A.),apudM,Guboglu,op.cit..Voi.
I,p.123.
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The
tradeof
Wallachia
withtheOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 303
afterOctober2657.
WeshallalsomentionthedocumentofthatsameyearinwhichMichael
Soutsosaskedfor anorderfromthePortedesignedtoprovidethatmerchants
shouldnotclaimanytalloworsuetunderthepricefixedatSilistra.They
buyinWallachiasuet,payingfor anocanot20pencebut12only58.
Thatsameyear,thegreatvizireMehmetpashaletMichaelSoutsosknow
that,althoughinthehighfirmantheyprovidedforconstructionof4big
barnsfordepositingfoodnexttoSilistra,Rustchuk,NicopoleandShishtov
thePrincesuggestedthatthefirsttobebuiltshouldbethoseatSilistraand
Rustchuk.
ThePrinceisadvisedthattimberforthebuildingsshouldbecutfrom
Romanianforests,atareasonableprice59.
Inthesellingcuesof thecustomsfor1792,canbefoundwithinarticle
15thefollowingmention:
aswaxisalsooneoftheproductswhicharefor-biddenafterthefirstcue,everybodyshouldknowthatinforeigncountries
nobodyisallowed topasswaxanywhereelseexcepttotheTurkishland...60.
Fortheyear1793,nomentioncanbefoundindocumentsofthequantity
offoodortheanimalsforwardedtotheOttomanEmpire.Wedohowever
noteanordergivenbySultanSelimIII,onMay18,1793,tothemuhafz
(thecommanderof thefortress)ofVidinandthemiralem(acolourbearer)
MehmetPasha,totakecareof thesheepnecessarytofeedthetroops;with
thisendin
view,theyshouldpassintoWallachia,inordertoobtain
them61.
Apartfromthegeleps,
nomerchant(atleasttheoretically)wasallowed
toexportsheepovertheDanube.OneJ une7,1793,theprinceorderedthe
arrestoftwomenofViaseawhomthegeleodenouncedashavingsecretly
sentsheepovertheDanube62.
Thesamesultan(SelimIII)orderedonJ une10-J uly9,1793,thatthe
muhafzandthekadiofVidinshouldprocureandcarrytimberfromWal-
lachia,fortheneedsofthefortressofVidin63.
57. A.S.B.Register
no.
53...
suret9(markofB.A.),apud
M.Guboglu,op .
cit..Voi.I,p.124.
58.A.S.B.Registerno.53...suret9(markofB.A.),apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.
I,p.125.
59. A.S.B.Turkishdocument/220,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.130.
60.V.A.Urechia,op .cit..Vol.IV,Bucharest,1892,p.641.
61. A.S.B.Microphilm12(V-9),apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Vol.II,p.381.
62. V.A.Urechia,op .cit..Vol.VI,Bucharest,1893,p.641.
63. A.S.B.TurkishdocumentIII/1204,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Vol.II,pp.385-386.
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304 Florin
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Concerning
1794,
wefoundnonoticeaboutquantitiesofsupplies.We
onlymentionthatthegreatvizireMehmetizzetPashawrotetoMichael
Soutsos,theprinceofMoldavia(ashealsowrotetotheWallachianprince)
orderingtheboyars,
theraiasandthemonasteriesnottohideanyfoodin
ordertosecuresomeincome,buttosellittothekapanlmerchants6465.
Ascanbeseen,regulationdejurebymeansoftreatiesorfirmans
was
notenoughtostopavoidanceoftheirstipulations.Inanunpublished
documentof 1794,itisemphasizedthattheArgesbishopryorderedall priests
ofthediocesetopassanysupplementarywheattotheprincelyofficialswho
wouldpayforitonthespot;butif itwasfoundthatanywheathadbeen
hidden,itwouldbetaken fromthemforitwasmeantforthe necessitiesof
Constantinople66.
Concerningthesendingoffalcons,AlexanderMourousistoldthePorte
thathegave25ofthemtothemubasir(thedelegate)
Satiri
Mehmet
aga...ThegatheringoffalconsforthehuntingorganizedbytheSultantookplace
inWallachia,inkeepingwiththeengagementofobedienceofeveryvoivode66.
OnMay17,1795,Mehmet,thestewardofShishtov,sentalettertoMou-
rouzisaskinghimwhatpossibilitiestherewereconcerningfood(probably
exceedingthequantitythathadalreadybeengiven-F.M.)because thedrought
had
madehim
seekforwheatinothercountries.Hewantedtheprinceto
send15-20.000ocasflour,25.000ocasmillet,paying29gurushesforone
hundredocaswheatflourand8penceforeverykilamilletandcornflour67.
Wallachia
was
continuing
to
send
cattle
to
Constantinople.
On
J une14,SultanSelimIII,whohadaskedhisdignitariesandtheWallachianprince
forhelpintransportingsheepandgoatsfromWallachiaandfromthebanks
oftheDanubeuptothestraitsofBosphorusinRumelia...asallthesewere
necessary
toprovisiontheimperialcapital68.
Thesameyear(1795),thegreatvizireMehmetinConstantinopleasked
theWallachianandMoldavianprincestosendalargequantityoflongthick
poles,inordertorepairthefortressofIsmail69.
Otherinformationconcerningtradearetobefoundin1799.OnJ une
64. A.S.B.Registerno.
53...
suret32(markofB.A.), apudMustafaA.Mehmet,O
condicdomneasc...(APrincelyRegister...),pp.257-258.
65. A.S.B.CMLIV (markofB.A.)unpublisheddocument.
66. A.S.B.Registerno.53... suret34(markofB.A.),apudM.Guboglu,op.cit.,Voi.
I,p.138.
67. A.S.B.A.N.,CLXXXI/29,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.140.
68. A.S.B.DLXXXII(markofB.A.), apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.386.
69. A.S.B.TurkishdocumentIII/272,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Voi.,p.386.
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The
tradeofiVallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 305
18,themerchantsofthekapanofGalataaddressedamahzartoprinceAle
xanderMourouzis.39merchantsweretoarriveinordertobuyvariousitems
inkeepingwiththefirman.AmongthemwasArabzadeAhmedaga,asso
ciatedwith
Topal
HuseinAgafromBrila,andCerasl-Es-Ahmed,with
attendantKrmAhmed70.
Averyinterestingdocument,althoughconcerningMoldavia,isone
issuedfromtheimperialcapitalon2-11September.TheSultanaskedCon
stantineYpsilantis,thevoivodeofMoldavia,toprohibitthecuttingoftrees
intheMoldavianforeststoobtainashesforthepreparationofdyes.He
disapprovedthefactthatacategoryofmerchantshadformedargimeof
tradeoftheirown(ourownunderlining-F.M.),byopeningbigworkshops
andcuttinggianttreestopaintcottonandflax,havingtraderelationswith
PolandandAustria.Ifthissituationisconfirmed,boththeempireandMol
davia
will
no
longer
have
timber71.
From
this
document,
it
transpires
thatinspiteoftheintenseexploitationoftheprincipalitysresources(andwe
havenoreasontobelievethatthesituationwasdifferentinWallachia)there
stillremainedandthePorteacknowledgeitsomepossibilityofturning
woodintoaccountinothermarkets,albeitlessefficiently72.OnMay25,
1800,HadjIsmail,abailiffofvoivode,informedtheAustrianconsul,J .
Merkelius,thatamanhadarrivedatGiurgiu,andanumberof cartstrans
portedtimberfromWallachiatothesmallfairPhilimon,nexttoNicopole73.
Thatsameyear,
itwasmentionedthatfoodandcerealshadbeensent
to
the
Empire.
In
a
tacrir
(report),
the
voivode
ofWallachia
let
the
Porte
knowthathe
had
sent
by
the
two
ships
belonging
totheKapanmerchants,
9.108kilaswheatand275kilasbarley,from thegangwayofBrila74.
In1801-1802,MichaelSoutsosansweredthecourtmarshalGregory
Ventura,caimacam
ofCraiovainanunpublisheddocument,aboutthe
70. A.S.B.,A.N.,CLXXXI/31,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.150.
71. A.S.B.MCCCLXXXV/19(markofB.A.),apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.,p.400.
72. AmongtheessencestheTurksaskedfor,therewerethoseof thefir-tree(required
bythenavy),lime-tree,oaktree,elm.,hornbeam,corneltreeseeG.BujoreanuLivrrile
lnnaturactrePoartaotomana,mijlocdeexploatare
economicaa
Moldovei,inperioada1802-1828(ThedeliveriesinkindtotheOttomanForte,aMeansofExploitingMoldavias
Economy,between1802and1828),inAnaleleUniversitatiiAl.I.CuzadinIasi(newseries)
sectiuneaaIll-a(tiintesociale)A,Istorie,filologie,IX (1965),p.184;seealsoC.C.Giu-
rescu,Istoriapdurii romne ti.TheHistoryoftheRomanianForest,Bucharest,1976.
73. A.S.B.Agendaaustriaca'TheAustrianAgency11/19(markofB.A.),f.15,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.154.
74. A.S.B.orientalmanuscriptno.190(markofB.A.),f.15,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Vol.II,p.405.
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306 FlorinMarinescu
quantityofbarleythathadbeenboughtfortheneedsoftheOttomanarmy,
atthepriceof3gurushesforonehundredocas,andthatanotherquantity
wastobeboughtbytheprefectsofthecountriesofMehedinjiandRomanap,
foronepennyanoca;healsomentionedthat75.000ocasbutterand25.000
ocas
suet
were
obtained75.
Fromanotherunpublisheddocument,issuedonAugust17,1802,wecan
seethatthetwokapikehayasofthePrincipalities(ConstantineSoutsosand
AlexanderHangerli)weresendingtoPrinceA.Ypsilantistwofirmans,con-
taining:1)Anorderprohibitinganyfurthercuttingofcattleinthecountry,
andthesellingof cattleanywherebutinAndrinople,andthereonlytothe
merchantschosenbythePortetoprovisionConstantinople;2)anorder
prohibitinganyfurthersellingbypeopleofGiurgiutoanyoneotherthan
merchantssentbythePorte76.Wecanthereforeseethattheporteintervened
againtostopanyfreetradebetweentheWallachiansandtheTurks.Thehatt-i
sheriffSultanSelimIIIissuedin1802,presentedinthepre-
viouspart,regulatesonlythequantityofvegetables77tobesenttothePorte.
Until1806,nootherinformationcouldbefoundaboutWallachiasproducts
senttothePorte.
Inan
unpublisheddocumentof
that
year,[Crejulescu,thetreasurer]
wrotetothePrinceabouttheSultansfirmaninwhichheorderedthat40.000
kilas
barleyshouldbesenttoAda-Kaleh,aswellas10.000kilasflourand
4.000 kilaspulledbread,whichhadalreadybeenpatiallydeliveredtoRegep-
aga78.
Turn
now
to
a
document
attesting
the
large
quantities
ofproducts
ex-
portedtothePorte.
OnNovember
14,es-SeidMehmed,themola(judge)ofSilistrainformed
theHighDevelt(i.e.theOttomanEmpire)aboutthemeasuresoftheKapanli
merchantsontheoccasionofthemedjilis(generalmeeting)oftheseriate.
Theyhadaskedforaquantityof607.404ocastallow,suetandtchirvish(melt
tallow
ofbeef,used
forcooking),whichhad
resultedfromthe
98herdsof
cattle,consistingof6.524oxenand7.848cows,thathadbeenobtainedthanks
toConstantineYpsilantisofWallachia79.AllthefoodboughtfortheOttoman
troops
wasmeanteitherforeachgarrisonseparately,
orfortwo
ormoreof
them.
75. A.S.B.MCDXXXV/106(markofB.A.),unpublisheddocument.
76. A.S.B.DC/58(markofB.A.),unpublisheddocument.
77. A.S.B.TurkishdocumentVII/1149,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Vol.I,p.166.
78. A.S.B.DC/202(markofB.A.),unpublisheddocument.
79. A.S.B.Turkishdocument1/2,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Vol.I,p.276.
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ThetradeoffVallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 307
Mentionedinalistof1806-1807arebread,meatandbarley,tobesent
tothearmyofGiurgiuandofBucharest80.On
October30,theemins(bailiffs)ofthebamsofIsacceaconfirmed
receipt
of6.740ocasflourand5.622kilasbarley,intendedfortheimperial
army81.OnNovember12,thesameyear,theemirofBrila,IbrahimChedcklii,
confirmedreceiptof45.000ocasand330sacksfromMehmetaga,whowasinstructedtobuyvariedmerchandiseatTulcea82.Fourdayslater,Ibrahim,theeminofIsmail,confirmedthathehadreceived171.349ocaspureflourboughtatTulceabyMehmetaga83.From1808wehaveoneofthefewin-dicationsofthesumspaidforprovisioningtheOttomanarmy,whichhadbeenestablishedinthePrincipality.OnJ anuary18,HadjEbn-Bekiragacon-firmedin
asenedpaymentof27.000gurushesforsuppliesreceivedbythe
imperialarmyonthebanks
oftheDanube8485 86.
OnMarch31,peoplesentbyMehmetagacarriedflour(1.500Constanti-noplekilas)and3.000kilasbarley,from IsacceatoIsmail88.
Amonthlater(April27),theeminofTulceaconfirmedthat50rackwaggonloadsoflirewoodwere
bought
for134gurushesand3
pence
and
assignedtothetopchies(gunners)underthemieofskenderaga88;onJ une
25,receipt
of
135cartloadsoffirewoodwasconfirmedbyskenderagaforassignmenttothegunnersandcartersofGiurgiu87.
Among
theplaceswherefoodandcerealswereboughtforthearmy,
were
Babada,
Hrova88,
Mangalia,
Constanta
and
the
Wallachian
port
ofGiurgiu89,
wheretheabovementionedmerchandisewasdelivered,
beingforwarded
asfarasRustchuk.
Among
the
documents
ofthetimewealsofindthenameofthewell-knownArmenianmerchantManucbey90.OnAugust2,1808,theaim(mayor)ofRustchuk,Ahmedeffendi,askedManucbeyfor20.000ocashoney,100.000
80. MuzeuldeIstorieBucureti(HistoryMuseum,Bucharest,hereafterreferredtoasM.I.B.),inv.26341,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.179.
81. M.I.B.,inv.26422,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Voi.I,p.177.
82. M.I.B.,inv.26452,apudM.Guboglu,op.
cit..Voi.I,p.185.83. M.I.B.,inv.26414,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit.,Voi.I,p.185.84. M.I.B.,inv.26301,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit.,Voi. I,p.189.85. M.I.B.,inv. 26336,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit.,VoU,p.192.86. M.I.B.,inv.26433,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.195.87. M.I.B.,inv.26443,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.204.
88. M.I.B.,inv.26499,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit.,Voi.I,p.204.89. M.I.B.,inv.26513,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.208.90. FormoreinformationsabouthimseeGh.Bezviconli,ManucBei,2ndedition,Chi-
lo
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308 FlorinMarinescu
ocassuet andcheese,5.000ocasbeansandlentil,2.000ocasbrimstone,150.000
eggs,2.000ocasiufkaand5.000candles91.Thisdocumentisinteresting,
sinceitthrowsintoboldreliefthesubstantialscaleonwhichthisArmenian
merchanttraded.Hisnamewillbementionedagaininthisstudy.Alsoworth
mentioning
are
his
commercial
relationships
not
only
with
Ottoman
high
officials,butwithprivatemerchantsaswell.Hewasthereforeconcerned
withexport-importandwithfinancialoperation.
Concerning1810,wedealwithtwounpublisheddocuments,showing
thecontributionofordinaryclergymentoPorteobligations.TheArgedio
ceseorderedthatallpriests(livinginregionswherecerealscouldnotbe
cultivated-F.M.)weretocontribute10thalerseachforfoodassignedtothe
Imperialarmy92.ThedateofthedocumentwasJ anuary5;onAugust30,
Iosif,thebishopofArges,askedpriestsanddeaconstodonatecartsofhay
tomeettheneedsoftheimperialhosts93.Wedonotknowwhethersuchsupplieswerepaidfor,orwhetherthey
weretreatedasdonationswhichwerenormalPorteobligations.Itisonly
in1812thatinformationontherequiredfoodbegantoappear.OnNovem
ber
14,therewererequiredforthehostandthegunnersofthebeilerbey
(generalgovernor)SahinAlipasha,whohadbeenalsonamedvice-governor
andmuhafzofSilistra,3.000kilasbarleyand150.000ocasflour,tobefor
wardedtoSilistra,underthecontrolofthePrince94.
Big quantitiesofcerealswereclaimedoneyearlater.OnMarch15,
the
governor
ofSilistra
asked
Ioannis
Karatzas,
on
behalfofthe
Porte,
to
send
165.000
kilas
wheat
to
Constantinople
and
75.000
kilas
barley
to
the
troopsontheDanube(thedocumentisnotpublished)95.
OnJ anuary8,1813,theaian(mayor)ofRustchuk,AbdulahBosniac,
askedIoannisKaratzastopermitOmeragatobuy15.000ocasofgoatsuet
fromWallachia,fortheneedsofthepeopleofhisdomain9.OnMarch26,
twoTurks(perhapsmerchants)fromBrilasoughttheinterventionofthe
postelnic(courtmarshalofWallachia)toauthorisethedespatchof56.000
inu,1938.
AbouthimandotherArmenianmerchantsseeH.Dj.Sinini,Armeniiin
viafaeconomicafrilorromne ti(TheArmeniansintheEconomicLifeoftheRomanianPrin
cipalities),Bucharest,
1944.
91.M.I.B.,inv.42381photocopy,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.198.
92.A.S.B.,DCVn/26(markofB.A.),unpublisheddocument.
93.A.S.B.,DCVn/27(markofB.A.),unpublisheddocument.
94.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument,1/1,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.221.
95.A.S.B.,DCVII/271(markofB.A.),unpublisheddocument.
96.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/36,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.222.
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ThetradeofWallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 309
ocasofmeltedsuetto thePorte97.ItwasnotonlythePrincewhogavepermits
forgatheringWallachianproducts,butthekapikehayesaswell.
OnApril1,thennazr(inspector)oftheimperialkapan,elHadjHasan
aga,informedthekethda(manageroftheimperialpantry)thatSeemen-
dreli
Abdul-Kerimagahad
deliveredtothekapan
60sacksand
6.000
ocas
cheese,whichhadbeenboughtinWallachiaaccordingtothepermitofthe
kapikehaya98.
OnApril23,thetwokapikehayasofConstantinople[MichaelGr.Soutsos
andScarlatN.Rosetti]senttoJ .Karatzas2firmans:1)tostopwheatbeing
soldatapricelowerthanthepricefixedbythePorte;2)tostopmorewheat
beinggroundthanwasneeded99(anunpublisheddocument).Bothdocuments
wereintendedtoeliminateexporttoothermarketsforadvantageousprices.
OnMay26,1813,themollaofNicopoleaskedJ .Karatzastofacilitate
the
obtaining
offood
and
timberatthe
currentprice
fromvillages
onthebanksoftheriverOlt.Itwasalsomentionedthattheywereintendedfor
theraiaandnotforthemerchants100.Theherdsofcattle,sheeporlambs
were
stillpaidforatthemarketprice,andthemerchantsandbutchershad
topaywhenaskedtobythemollaofSilistra101.
ThefollowingdocumentwasissuedonApril23-May1,bySultan
MahmudII,anditrepeatedtheformerstipulationsregardingthetermson
whichthe
kapanlii
wereallowedtobuymerchandiseinWallachia.Thefol
lowingtermswereimposed:themerchantshavingcomein thecountrywould
receive
from
the
prince
the
tezkere
(passport),
specifying
the
place
wheretheycouldbuyfood,beitafairoragangway;thesellershadtobepaidfor
thefoodatthecurrentpriceandineash(ourownunderlining-F.M.).
Theywerenotallowedtobuyocafromotherplaces,nortotakefood
oranythingelsefromtheinhabitants.Theywerealsoforbiddentogobeyond
thespecifiedarea,ortotroubletheinhabitantsinanyway.Whenleaving,
theyhadtoreturnthetezkereandtorenderanaccountof thequantityof
foodtheyhadbought102.
Amongthedocumentsof1813,aretobefoundafewnamesofkapanl
merchants,suchastheonesappertainingtothekapanfortallow(SeidHadj
97. A.S.B.,Turkish document1/54,apudM.Guboglu,op.
cit.,Voi.I,p.223.
98.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/53,apudM.Guboglu, op .
cit..Voi.I,p.223.
99.A.S.B.,DCIQ/28(markofB.A.)unpublisheddocument.
100.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/33,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Voi.I,p.224.
101.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/51,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.I,p.225.
102.A.S.B.,ms.21,f.33-34,translatedintoGreek,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.,
p.421.
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310 FlorinMarinescu
Aliaga,Hasanaga,IbrahimzadeelHadjMehmedaga,KavasogluMustafa
aga,Akkermanel-HadjMustafaaga,a.o.;andamongtheonespertaining
to
thekapanofhoneyareNazrKapanlelHadjMasan,el-HadjMustafa,
el-HadjHalilSalikaga,HafizMehmed103.
Itisstillin
1813thatJ .
Karatzas,PrinceofWallachia,
rejectedthepre-
tensionsoftheinhabitantsofthefortressofVidin,whowerelayingclaim
bythreatstoamuchbiggerquantityoffood,whichtheymaintainedwas
neededbytheirregion.Inordertosatisfythem,thePrinceinvitedanorder
forlargestquantityofcerealstheywereabletodeliver.Theywerealsotold
that in1813therewasadroughtandthatIstanbulwasconsumingagreat
quantityofcereals.
Asforsuet,thePrincewrotethattheycouldnotdeliversomuchevery
month,asthefivecountriesofOlteniaproducedannually80.000ocasof
suet104;thiswasoneof thefewindicationsto
befound
incertain
countries
ofWallachiaonsuetproductionintheZalhanas.
ItgoeswithoutsayingthattheinhabitantsandtheOttomanarmysettled
inthefortresseslaidclaimtoconsiderablymorethanthePrincipalitycould
produce,eventuallyleadingtothenecessarymeasurestakenbytheprinces.
Largecattle herdsandbigquantitiesofsuetortchirvish(meltbeeftallow),
a.o.,weresenttotheEmpirethefollowingyear(1814).
18.385ocasofsuetandtchirvish,yieldedbytwohersofoxenandone
ofcowsweresenttoSilistrabytwokapanliimerchants105106.Another18.000
ocas,
were
cut
from
300
oxen
(60
ocas
fromeach
ox
and
were
sent
bythekapanlJ adj
Mustafa)100.
In1815,HadjMustafawasgiven153.000ocasoftallow,suet,and127
weighingmachinesofpastrami,obtainedfromtwoherdscomprising227
oxen.
Anumberofciphersshowingthebigquantitiesofanimalproductssent
arementionedinthedocumentof September6;10kapanliimerchants,sup-
portedbyJ .Karatzas,bought15herdsofbeef(2.173headofcattle)and22
herdscows(3.133head)whichyielded229.170ocasoftallowsandtchervish
and1.800weighingmachinesof pastrami107.
That
same
year,
eight
merchants
bought
1.448
oxen
and
1.006
cows
103.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/50,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Vol.I,p.224.
104.A.S.B.,DLXXXVU/101(markofB.A.),apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Vol.I,p.232.
105. A.S.B.,Turkish document1/52,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Vol.I,p.240.
106.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/56,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Vol.I,p.242.
107.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/18,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Vol.I,p.245.
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ThetradeofWallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 311
(theciphersbeingtakenfromaregisterfromSeptember30,1815)loa.Amongthe
countriesthroughoutwhichtheTurkstraveledtotakefoodwerealso
PrahovaandScuieni;andsodid,after1816,SeidSuleimanagaspeople108109.
ThekapanliofBrilaaskedJ .Karatzastourgethegatheringofthemerchan-
diseas60vesselswerewaitingatthegangwayofBrilatotransportittothe
Porte110.
Concerning1817,nodocumentswerefoundonsuppliesassignedtothe
Porte.However,accordingtoastatisticaltableoftheTsaristconsulatein
Bucharest,between
1812and1817Wallachiaexported448.750
kilas(of
Brila)withanannualaverageof89.750kilas111.For1818,
wehave
several
documentsshowingthelargevolumeofex-
portstoConstantinople.
Forinstance,onOctober14,MahmudIIorderedIbrahimPashathe
generalgovernorofSilistra totakeoverandstoreinthebarnsofthefortressallthefoodhehadreceivedfromWallachia.Ithadalreadybeenpartially
paidforbytheEmpirestreasurywith94.750gurushes,representingthepriceof25.000kilasofreddishwheat,15.000kilasofmilletand10.000kilas
ofbarley112.
OnOctober2-11,byafirman,10.000moreConstantinoplekilasof red
wheatand10.000morekilasofbarnsbarleyfromthelatestharvestwereas-signedfordepositintheBrilafortress.
Thiswasaddedtothequantityalreadyregulatedi.e.1.000Constantinople
kilas
ofbarley,
2.000
Brila
kilas
of
milletand
17.000Constantinople
kilasofred
wheat113.
Here
is
therefore
a
concomitant
useofbothmeasureunits,aswellas
anillustrationoftheimportantrolethemarketofBrilawasplaying,that
rolehavingalreadybeenemphasizedbyC.C.Giurescu.
On
October2-30,anotherfirmanaskedtheprincetosupplytheAda-
Kalehfortress,onthetributesaccount,withflour,2.000kilasofmilletfrom
Brila,andwhatwasleftof100.000ocasyieldedbytheharvestof1815.
They
werewaitingbeforethearrivalofwinterfor82.000ocasof
108. A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/3,apndM.Guboglu,op .cit..Vol.I,p.245.109. A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/95,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit.,Vol.I,p.248.
110. A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/41,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit.,Vol.I,p.248.111. C.C.Giurescu,Istoriatiora luiBrila(TheHistoryoftheTownofBrila),p.101.112. A.S.B.,Microphilm23(113and114copies,115)apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Voi.,
p.428.
113. A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/31,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit.,Voi.I,p.254.
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312 Florin
Marinescu
flourand40.000kilasmillet114;andon2-31Octoberanother1870kilas
wererequestedfromBraila,atthecurrentprice.Previouslyreceivedfor
Silistra
were25.000Constantinoplekilasof redwheat,15.000kilasofmillet
andasmuchbarley,incash(94.750gurushes)115.
An
obligation
not
yet
found
in
documents
is
the
one
granting
yearly,byimperialfirman,20.000ocasflour(takenfromWallachia)assignedto
theKoshaiCossaks(livingintheregionofZaporoje).Bysened,onNovem
ber
20,Andreia
Lola,
astewardof theCossaks,confirmedthathehadre
ceivedsuchaquantityfromthestewardoftheWallachianPrince116.The
quantityofsuetobtainedfromeachanimalcutwasbetween40ocas(ac
cordingtotheDivanboyarsofthePorte)and60ocas(accordingtotheOt
tomans).Forthepreviousyears,thequantitieshadbeen52.5ocasfromeach
oxand32.5ocasfromeachcow117.Tallowwascarriedbyship.
In
the
same
period
of
time,
the
great
vizire
Dervish
Mehmed
PashareproachedthePrincebecause thetimberforthebuttsneededbythefortresses
ofRustchuk,Nicopole,Hrova,SilistraandMatin,hadnotyetarrived.Aselmwoodcouldnotbefound,theviziredemandedthat500pieces
ofoakshouldbedeliveredtothegangwayof Brila,inordertobesentby
ship.
OnFebruary26thefollowingyear,44.000Constantinoplekilasofwheat
and51.000kilasofbarley,stillfromtheharvestof1816,weresenttoCon
stantinople.
The
transport
expenses
are
also
mentioned.
They
attained
the
cipherof43.553.28gurushesontheroutebetweenCalarasiandGiurgiu118.
Alsomentionedarerequestsforposthorses,whichthegreatmerchant
HagiIanuwasaskedtoassistinobtainingonFebruary25,1818119.
Fromtheharvestof1819,44.000Constantinoplekilasofwheatand
51.000 kilasofbarley120,and2.000kilasofmilletand40.000ocasofflour121
weresenttothePorte,onJ uly28,forthebarnsofAda-Kaleh.
AccordingtoVoivodeAl.Soutsos484.000kilasmilletwerealsosent
114.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument
1/16,apud
M.Guboglu,op.cit..Voi.I,p.254.
115.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument
1320,apud
M.Guboglu,op .
cit..Voi.I,p.255.
116.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/57,apud
M.Guboglu,op.cit..Voi.I,p.257.
117.BibliotecaCentralideStat(TheStateCentralLibrary-hereafterreferredtoasB.C.S.), stockM.Koglniceanu,LXXIII/1,nr.2, apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Vol.II,p.433.118.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/14,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Voi.I,p.261.119.A.S.B.,stockHagiIanusLXXVII/12,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Vol.II,p.261.
120.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument1/19,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit.,Voi.I,p.269.
121.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument,1/13,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit..Voi.I,p.269,
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ThetradeofWallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 313
fromWallachia,butitisnotmentionedwhen122.
AnumberofprecisedataarecomprisedinthedocumentAl.Soutsos
signedonNovember23,inwhichthequantitiesofvariousproductsobtained
bythekapanliiarementioned123.Certain
quantities
oftallow,
cheese,
honey,
melt
suet
and
tchirvishwere
senttwicethatyear(inspringandinautumn).
Springdelivery:
5.692ocastallow
30.353ocascheese
5.156ocashoney
681.775ocasmelt
suetandtchervish
A
utumndelivery:
101.934
ocas
tallow149.694ocascheese
52.141
ocashoney
100.255ocas
meltsuetandtchirvish.
Itcanseen
that
theAutumndeliverycontainedincreasedquantitiesof
allproductsexceptmeltedsuetandtchervish,whichwerenearly7timesless.
Forthefollowingyears,weencounterednopublisheddocuments,nor
didwefindanyunpublishednoticesconcerningfoodsenttothePorte.
OnlyonNovember24,1820,thefollowingsuppliesweresenttoClarai
on
behalf
of
Caimacam
Constantine
Negri
for
the
Ottoman
hosts
whichhadmadeahaltinBucharest,BradaandIai:
415.780piecesofbreadof750gramseach,824ocasofmeatfor13pence
oneocaand1.625kilasbarleyandcor.Thesupplieswerefor41days,bet-
weenMay12,andSeptember30,1820124.
Beforeanyappreciation,itmustbeemphasizedthatthedocuments
mentioned
do
not
purporttopresentafullycomprehensivepictureofthe
merchandisesentbythePrincipalitytothePorte.Thisiswhywecannot
compileastatisticaltable,basedoneitherexactannualoraveragefigures,
illustratingthequantitiesdemanded,withorwithoutinsistenceandregularity.Weshall
simplyenumeratetheproducts
wemetindocumentsandin
publishedwritings:
Cereals(wheat,barley,millet,soyabeans,lentils,com).
122.A.S.B.,Turkishdocument,1/13,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Vol.I,p.269.
123. A.S.B.,Turkishdocument,IV/314,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Vol.I,p.272.
124.A.S.B.,DCCCXXX/156(markofB.A.),apudM.Guboglu,op .cit.,Vol.II, p.441.
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314 FlorinMarinescu
Herewemustalsomentionriceandderivatives(flour,bread,biscuits).Animals(sheep,goats,lambs,cows,oxen,horses)andderivatives(eggs,
cheese,butter,marrow,pastrami,tchervish).
Fish
Wood-timber,firewoodVariousproducts,suchashoney,wax,cartsofhay,falcons,salt,oil,salt
petre,potassiumnitrate125.
Ifweassumethatlargequantitiesofmerchandise(cerealsandcattle)
weretakenfromWallachiaduringthelongwarperiods,thedocumentsshowanincreasein
Wallachianobligations.
Themerchandiseclaimedinlargequantitiesduringthisperiod1791-1821wasprovidedbytheRomanianPrincipalityonlywithgreatdifficulty.
Nevertheless,as
C.C.Giurescuexplains,therewassomelimitationon
thelowpricespaidforrequisitionedgoods,
particularly
for
cereals,
for
thesimplereasonthatifpricespaidwerecuttoofarproducerswouldceaseto
produce
andmarkettheirgoods.Furthermore,theprincestoodtolossif
pricesforsuchproductsascereals,fish,honey,waxetc.werefixedattoolow
alevelbecausethiswouldmakeitdifficultforproducerstopaytheirdues
to theTreasury,whichwouldhaveanadverseeffect onhisincome126.Intime,juridicalregulationsreplacedeverythingarbitrarilyimposed
andthepricespaidformerchandiseenabledthePrincipalitytopaytheharac
andmeetitsotherobligationstothePorte.
IV.THEFREETRADEBETWEENWALLACHIAANDTHEOTTOMANEMPIRE
TheOttomanPortedidnot
retain
allthe
products
whetherrawor
remadeitreceivedfromtheWallachiaPrincipalityinitsroleasakiler
(imperialpantryorgranary).
In
additiontoheavyobligations,oftenthecauseofunrest,Wallachia
was
alsoengaged,between1791and1821,innormal,freecommercialex-changeswithotherpartnersoftheOttomanEmpire.
Exports,whetherthe
kapanlis
admitted
itor
not,increasedthe
countrys
125. C.C.Giurescu,SurlesrelationsentrelepeupleroumainetlEmpireOttomantraverslessicles,inTurhTarihKongressi,Ankara,1973,p.594.126. Ibidem,Istoriaora uluiBrila(TheHistoryoftheTownofBrila),p.102.See:
C.C.GiurescusopinionsontheTurkishmonopolyinhiswork:Problemecontroversate
aleistoriografieiromne ti(ControversialproblemsofRomaniansHistoriography),Bucha
rest,1977,pp.87-122.ThechapterCaracterulrelatiilordintreromniiturci(ThenatureoftherelationsbetweenRomaniansandTurks).
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ThetradeofWallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 315
income.Butattimes,insteadofgoingtothetreasurythemoneyfoundits
wayintothepocketsoftheprinceorthoseofhisdignitaries.
AfairlylargenumberofproductspenetratedthemarketofWallachia,
beingrequiredbyrichandpooralike,inthatwaycompetingtheimageof
anactivetradebetweenthetwocountries.
Mostofthemerchandisefreelyforwardedorimportedismentioned
intheCataloguesofCustomsV.A.UrechiapublishedintheHistoryof
theRomanians.Weshouldmakeitclearthattherearetobefoundnotonly
suchproductsthataretypicalofeverycountry;therearealsoidenticalones
butof variousqualities,beingcommercializedinbothdirections.
Forinstance,thecatalogueof1803,featurestheaba(akindofcloth
ofthickwool)whichcomesherefromtheTurkishLand,andfurtheron,
theabawhichgoesfromheretotheTurkishLand127.Fromallthesecata
loguesfortheyears
1792128,
1803129,
1807130and
1822131,
as
well
as
fromothertestimoniestobefoundintheXlthvolumeoftheabove-mentioned
book,fromtheyears1802(pp.305-309),1803(pp.317-321),1804(pp.SII
SI5),1806(pp.322-326),weselectproductswhich,arespecifiedtogetothe
TurkishLandorwhichareintheTurkishLand.
Wementionbelowthemaincategoriesofexportedmerchandise:
a) animals:buffaloeswhichleavetheTurkishLand,butonlyifI permitit,
bymyownwriting132,oxen,cows(theytooifallowedtogototheTurk
ishLand),horses(exportedbymyownwrittenapproval),aswellas
animal products:pressed
cheese
and
ordinary
cheese
(which
goes
totheTurkish
Land,
but
is
not
intended
for
the
kapan
ofTsarigrad
but
for
otherplaces),andpastrami.
b) technicalplants(country-sidetobacco);cerealderivatives-flour.
c) remadetextilesofavegetalnature(rope)andofanimalsource(aba,
passementerie,cloth).
d) rawskins(oxen)andremadeskins.
e) wood-timber.
f) fruit-apples;prepared-wins.
g)various -honey,tar,pitch.
Nearly
all
the
documents
found,
whether
published
or
unpublished,
127. V.A.Urechia,IstoriaRomnilor,Vol.XI,Bucharest,1900,pp.206-207.
128.V.A.Urechia,op .cit..Vol.IV,pp.233-252.
129.V.A.Urechia,op .cit..Vol.XI,pp.206-251.
130. Ibidem,pp.581-683.
131. V.A.Urechia,op .cit..Vol.XIII, Bucharest,1901,pp.203-242.
132. V.A.Urechia,op .cit.,Vol.IV,p.233.
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316 FlorinMarinescu
dealwithproblemsofsaltexporttotheEmpire.
OnAugust10,1806,NehmedEmin,thechiefofthecustomsatthegang-
waysofHrova,confirmedreceiptfromIancu,thekethda(bailifformanager
oftheprincelyorimperialpantry)ofBrailathequantityof167.000ocasof
salt133.
Oneyearlater,
onOctober30,
Mehmedagaconfirmedhis
owndebts
of651gurushes,i.e.thecounter-valueofthesalthehad receivedfromkethda
Anton134135.
AnunpublisheddocumentfromOctober12,1812leadsustobelieve
thatRegepaga,whohasrelationshipswiththegreatmerchantHagiMoscu,
informedthelatter,fromAda-Kaleh,thathehadintervenedwiththeTurk-
ishcaimacansfromRustchukandanothertwoports,withtheaimofper-
suadingthemtostoptakingcustomforsalt136.
Otherunpublisheddocumentsmentionthatthequantityofsalthad
increased
somuchthatitcouldno
longerbe
storedand
AthanasieEmanuelConstantin
hadaskedforatemporarystoppageoftransportacrosstheDa-
nube.Theonlysaltdeliveryin1812wastothewarehouseofRuova(Orova)
where500.000ocasweredeposited136.
Exportofsaltwasinexchangeforiron,whichwasonceunloadedat
Ceme(iinsteadofGiurgiu137,becausetheyfearedtheSerbians,andon another
occasionbecausetheforwarderrefusedtotakesaltand,so,thegreat dignitary
loanHagiMoscudidnolongerreceivetheironsenttohim138.
Itisstillsalt(itsquantitybeingimprecise),and20.000ocasoftchervish,
thatBosniacAbdullahaskedManucbeytosendhim,throughKarakasOcul-lari,toRustchuk(adocumentdatedMay
11,
1810).
The kapanliimerchants,besidegatheringproductstoprovisionthecapital
city,practisedaprivatetrade.In1793,forinstance,theyaskedC.A.Mou-
rousisforpermissiontocutthegoatstheyhadboughtintheWallachianfairs139.
In
anunpublisheddocument
infactaregisterdiarycoveringthe
period
1806
to
1811,andbelongingtoatrade-houseofSmimaandCon-
stantinople,mentionismadeof atraderofBucharest,ApostolOfetaru;he
usedtosendhispartnersoftheEmpiretallowandtextilessuchascotton,
133. M.I.B.,inv.no.26489,apudM.Guboglu,op .cit..Vol.I,p.175.
134. M.I.B.,inv.no.26467,apudM.
Guboglu,op.
cit..
Vol.I,p.184.
135.A.S.B.,DCCCXXVI/58(markofB.A.)unpublisheddocument.
136.A.S.B.,DCCCXXVI/57(markofB.A.)unpublisheddocument.
137. A.S.B.,DCCCXXVI/58(markofB.A.)unpublisheddocument.
138. A.S.B.,DCCCXXVI/128(markofB.A.)unpublisheddocument.
139.GeorgetaPenelea,r.esfoiresdeValachiependantla priode1774-1848,Bucharest,
1973,p.83.
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ThetradeofWallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 317
fibresanddyes140.OthermerchantsofBucharesthadbusinessrelations,between1813and
1816,withthetradehouseofIoann/MichaelofConstantinople.
TheywereMichaelHagiDimuandhiscompany,Ioann.Zakinopol,
StephanNedelcuandCulogluBrothers141.
Therewasahugeexporttrade,greatlyappreciatedinEurope,inleeches.
Inthisconnection,GeorgePotrwrote:Eversincethefirsttwodecades
ofthe19thcentury,astrongdemandforleecheshasbeennotedinCentral
Europe,especiallyinAustria,theresultbeingthatthesewormscommanda
highprice,notonlyinWallachia,butalsobeyondtheDanube,inTurkish
territories142.
Theforegoinginformation,extractedfromdocumentsandotherwrit-
ings,coverstheexportofWallachian products toConstantinopleintheframe-
work
ofnormal
commercial
relations.
Furtherinvestigation
will
no
doubtleadtothediscoveryof othercategoriesofmerchandisesenttotheEmpire.
WeshallnowdwellupontheimportofTurkishproductstoWallachia
andweshallbeginagainwiththeonesmentionedinthecataloguesofthe
above-mentionedcustoms.
Wechosesomeproductseitherspecifyingthattheyarecomingfrom
Tsarigrad,Brasaetc.ormentioningtheTurkishtownwheretheyhadbeen
produced(butthemerchantwasnotobligedtotakeproductsoverandfor-
wardthembeyondtheDanube);somedescribedasfromtheTurkishLand;
andotherswhichalthoughnotspecifyingtheirplaceoforiginaretraditionallyTurkish
(particularly
clothes).
We
also
chose,
eventually
but
with
some
uncertaintyproductstowhichthewordTurkishwasapplied.These
aredoubtfulstarterssinceinWallachiatherewerepeoplemakingso-called
Turkishproducts143.
Weshallmentionalltheseitemsincategories:
1.Textileproducts:
a. vegetalrawmaterialsTsarigradcottonandBrasacotton.
b. animalproducts:flosssilkfromTsarigrad;primewool.
140.B.A.
Greek
Manuscript1007unpublished.
141.B.A.GreekManuscript1008unpublished.
142. GeorgePotr,PracticalipitorilorinterapeuticaromneascdinsecolulalXlX-leaicomertulculipitoriinTaraRomneasc(TheuseofleechesintheRomanianmedicine
duringtheXIXcenturyandtheWallachiastradeinleeches),in Dinistoriamedicinarom-ne ti(FromthehistoryofRomanianmedicine),Bucharest,1962,p.285.
143. In1832,forinstance,amancalledNicahadafactoryforTurkishdyedcotton-
threadandtherewereprobably alsootherpeople likehim,
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318 FlorinMarinescu
c. re-madetextilefabrics:vegetalcottonthreadorcottonspunin
Smirna;cottonmixedwithsilk,satingmixedwithsilk,kerchiefs,velvet
cushions.
d. animal:shawls,thickwoolencloths,goldenthread,Brusasilk,Tsari-
gradpeasantsskirts,muslin,Tunuzfezes,Tsarigradslippers(boughtontheterritoryoftheTurkishland).
2. Rawskinsfox,marten,wolf,otter,polecat,fitchremadeskinshorse
tannedskin;saddles,boots(andboot-soles)madeinEderne.
3. Fishasortofgreymullet,sturgean,skipper,saltfish.
4. Fruitandtheirderivativesgrapes,winebrandymadeinTsarigrad,
raisinsfromIzmir.
5. PlantsTurkishtobacco,anise,saffron;wecouldaddherethesugar,
thechickpeaandthekhalva.
6. Variousproducts:gunpowder,paper,vermicellimadeinTsarigrad,greenolivesfromTsarigrad,soapmadeinIsmir,whitesandal.
Toallsuchmerchandisenotedinthecustomregisters,couldbeadded
(quotingtheabove-mentionedstudybyGeorgetaPenelea)thefollowing
textileproducts:cottonofAnatolia,TocatOtdeiar,Abekir,satinofConstan
tinople,silkfromConstantinople,satinmixedwithcottonofConstantinople,
aswellasbeltsofAndrinople,skirtsofBrusaandskirtsofConstantinople144.
AfewdocumentsattesttheimportofTurkishmerchandise.For instance,
tefanloanMoscuaskedfromConstantinopletobesent10bigspinylobsters
inbrine,
and
tobacco
aswell,
because
the
tobacco
ofBucharest
isexpensive
andofbadquality145.
ThemerchantofCraiovaKrkPoluzkar(whowasprobablyanAustrian
subjectsincehewasdenouncedtoMerkelius,theconsuloftheHapsburgh
Empire)hadimportedwoolfromHadjiHalilMolozadeandditnotpay
himthe1.431gurushes146.
Instead,thewell-knownArmenianmerchantManucpaidtoMustafa
pasha27.898,1/2gurushes,forthesilkhehadboughtfromthelatter,as
GhehaiazadeAhmedpaidhim,alsoforsilk,20.000gurushes147.
144. GeorgetaPanelea,op.cit.,p.81.
145.D.Limona,E.Moisuc,CasacomercialaHagi-MoscuitefanloanMoscudin
Bucureti(TheTradeHouseloanHagiMoscuandtefanloanMoscuofBucharest),in
RevistaArhivelor,no.3/1975,p.259.
146. A.S.B.,AgentiaAustriaca(Austrian Agency), II/9(markofB.A.), unpublisheddocu-
ment.
147. M.I.B.,inv.no.35.157,apudM.Guboglu,op.cit.,Vol.I,p.196,
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ThetradeofWallachiawiththeOttomanEmpirebetween1791and1821 319
In1795,AlexanderMourousisrequestedforhisownneedstwocurtains(onecurtain=22ocas=27.962kg.),alsocoffee,and15sacksand15basketswitholiveoil,forhisownuse148.
Thesedocumentscompletethetableofthemerchandiseimportedby:Wallachia
from
the
Ottoman
Empire.
Inconclusion,fromalltheabove-mentioneddataitisclearthat,ontheonehand,thePorteclaimedlargequantitiesofmerchandisewhichWal-lachiawasobligedtosend149,despitethefactthatWallachianssufferedinconsequence.
Ontheotherhand,however,WallachiahadfreetraderelationswithpartnersintheOttomanEmpire.Later,ofcourse,theTreatyofAndrinoplegavetheRomanianprincipalitiesfullcommercialliberty,andtheywereno
longerobligedtoprovisionthefortresseserected
ontheDanubeandin
Con-
stantinople.
Center
forNeo-HellenicResearch
Athens
148.W.Eton,Tableauhistorique,politiqueetmodernedelEmpireOttoman,2ndedition,
Vol.
II,Paris,
1801,
p.17.
149. 57,4%ofthetotalvalueofWallachiasexportableproductsin1820.SeeA.Otetea,Ptrundereacomerfuluiromnescincircuitulinternational(ThepenetrationofRoumaniantradeintotheinternationalcircuit),Bucharest,1977,p.72.