Research Information System
Kadim, no.5, pp.113-141, 2023 (Scopus, TRDizin)
This article examines the trade of food supplies in Alexandria, a bustling Mediterranean hub for the grain and spices in the 18th century Eastern Mediterranean. Through a close study of archival sources including imperial edicts addressed to the Egyptian governor, kadi and local administrators, the article reveals the state’s attempts to control this trade, primarily by banning the export of commodities such as rice and coffee. The state’s policies demonstrate that it aimed to control the direction of the movement of consumer goods in order to ensure their availability in the local markets and to prevent price increases, especially in Istanbul. The profile of consumers of these products are also evaluated. Moreover, the Ottoman administration encouraged the use of state (mîrî) galleons and tried to restrict European-flagged (müste’men) ships in the transportation of Egyptian goods from Alexandria to Istanbul. However, it had to give concessions and had to employ foreign ships throughout the century due to shortages in the number of domestic vessels.