UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY
2nd International Conference on Economic and Social History
"Markets" and Politics
Private interests and public authority (18th-20th centuries)
Volos, 10-12 February 2012
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Abstracts
- Sophia Laiou Politico-economic partnerships in the Aegean in the beginning of 19th century: the case of admiral of the Ottoman fleet Küçük Hüseyin Paşa and Hydra kocabaş Georgios Voulgaris
At the end of the 18th century Ottoman society was clearly diversified, in particular in that it did not follow the traditional religious and political distinctions among its subjects. Ottoman economy was monetarized to a great extent, and the competition of the European states for the control of the external commerce was augmented. Within this framework the parameters of Ottoman social reality, such as provisioning the large cities, the increase of tax revenues including customs and the domination of commercialized agriculture in certain parts of the empire, contributed to the creation of a merchant network centered upon Istanbul, in which members of the askeri class participated. Indeed, their investment in enterprise ventures was a widespread phenomenon at the end of the 18th century. One should note that the most significant of these initiatives, for example the leasing of tax revenues and trade for the provisioning of the capital, were directly related with the function of the state.
This article addresses to the enterprise ventures of the kapudan paşa Küçük Hüseyin Paşa (1792-1803), during the reign of Selim III, with whom he was bound with ties of friendship and devotion. The investments of Küçük Hüseyin Paşa are recorded in a defter preserved in the Başbakanlık Osmanlı Arşivi. In addition reference will be made to his relations with Georgios Voulgaris of Hydra, who enjoyed the title of baş reis in the Ottoman navy and later became baş kocabaşı of Hydra, an island which provided valuable services to the Ottoman navy until 1821. The relationship between the grand admiral and Voulgaris had all the characteristics of patron-client relation, while it had a political as well as an economic aspect. In this article emphasis will be given to the latter.
The investments of Küçük Hüseyin Paşa were mosty focused on the provisioning of Istanbul, since in many entries of the above mentioned defter the grand admiral is reported to have received money from the sale of grain (brought from Egypt), coffee, rice or animals. In addition, Küçük Hüseyin Paşa invested in ship-ownership. In these cases the grand admiral received transoprt fees, while in two entries the destination port was located in France, an indication that Küçük Hüseyin Paşa was involved in external trade. Although Küçük Hüseyin’s investments in ship-ownership were facilitated by the office he held, the same interest in sea commerce is evident in the enteurprenurial activities of other Ottoman officials during the 18th century, who often cooperated with Christian shipowners and captains in order to participate in the potentially lucrative external trade.
Küçük Hüseyin Paşa promoted his economic activities through a patronage network in which Georgios Voulgaris participated. While the latter served in the Ottoman navy, he saved twice the life of his patron, Küçük Hüseyin Paşa. As a result, Voulgaris received political and economic rewards for the devotion and faith with which he served the grand admiral and the Ottoman state in general. In 1800 Küçük Hüseyin Paşa granted to Voulgaris and to another inhabitant of Hydra the small island of Agkistri (opposite Egina), which by then was “uninhabited”, that is there was no official habitation and economic exploitation. It seems that Voulgaris and his partner would receive the tax revenues deriving from the island. In 1801 the grand admiral donated two ships to Voulgaris, and in the same period he provided him a loan for the purchase of grain; there is no indication of interest, although it is probable that Voulgaris would repay him after the sale of the grain. On the other hand, Voulgaris acted as an agent for the economic interests of his patron, as in the case of the grain belonging to the kapudan paşa, which in 1803 was brought from Cyprus to Hydra in order to be sold there. It seems that Voulgaris, by then baş kocabaşı of Hydra, assured a better price for the sale (4.5 ğuruş/kile) in comparison to the prices received in the grain market of Istanbul (3.24-3.25 ğuruş/kile). It is to be noted that after the death of Küçük Hüseyin Paşa, Voulgaris continued to act as the agent of the economic interests of other Ottoman officials such as the voyvoda of Tenedos (Bozca adası).
The economic activities of Küçük Hüseyin Paşa and his polical and economic cooperation with the baş kocabaşı of Hydra can serve as an example of the involvement of the members of the central and provincial elites in the merchant networks of the empire. Both Küçük Hüseyin Paşa and Georgios Voulgaris acted within the Ottoman political system, in which both belonged and believed.
