The Venetian’s guide to Jerusalem and the Ottoman Empire:

Part 1:

From an economic perspective, conducting trade in the Ottoman Empire would be a lucrative venture. Despite the recent conquest and fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans, it’s very possible to have a friendly and beneficial relationship. If you travel to Middle East regions such as Syria, official parties greet you at a special reception room (IMG_2462 MET). From there, one needs to request a treaty and trading rights from the Sultan. This is important because there have been cases of ships being detained due to lack of permits (Carroll, Labalme, and White 261). Fortunately, there has been tremendous contact between the Ottomans and the Venetians, making trade an easier prospect. Venice is now known as a key interface, connecting Europe to the Muslim World (Carboni, Kennedy, Marwell MET). Notably, trade with the Mamluks and Ottomans will help grow your business if you look into the silk, velvet, and porcelain markets. Like economics, it’s important to consider safety as a factor of your cost of business.

Travellers and merchants need to be advised of the dangerous Mediterranean; the swaths of pirates patrolling the waters. Piracy is a chief concern for merchants and their local counterparts. Historically, there have been discussions between the “doge and the Turkish ambassador of their mutual interest in pursuing and punishing pirates, whether Venetians preying on Turkish ships or vice Versa,” helped push for a trend of stability between the two partners (Carroll, Labalme, and White 205). The Ottomans cared for security and stability within their empire. As such, you could find nightly military patrols throughout the city (IMG_2463 MET). While one can rely on local security to an extent, it’s important to either use a guide or have some sort of map for your travels (IMG_2468 MET). Lastly, in conjunction with economic knowledge of the local region, and norms, understanding local religious life is essential to your success.

While there are many points of contact within the Ottoman Empire, this guide will focus on Jerusalem. Jerusalem is at the epicenter of multiple religions and cultures that can help diversify and successfully grow your business. In Jerusalem, one would find thousands of Christian pilgrims making their way to various holy sites. These pilgrims typically head to sites like the Holy Sepulchre as well as various other monasteries. While there are peaceful excursions, travelling merchants should be aware of the ever-present danger and economic repercussions from the Crusades. For example, Merchants like Marin Sanudo have attempted to persuade the Pope and other nobles to call for another crusade, something that could be detrimental to a merchant’s financial success while in the Middle East (IMG_2473 MET). While this is a risk, it’s also important to be aware of other religious communities within the Fatimid territory.

While Muslim leadership’s opinion of “infidels” may vary, they do have a generally open relationship with Venetian traders. It is very possible to have a successful relationship. For example, Gentile Bellini who was a Venetian artist, established a strong relationship with Mehmet II of the Ottoman Empire, and helped bring a closer relationship between the two states while being heavily compensated (Carboni, Kennedy, and Marwell).

From an economic perspective, trade between Venice and the Ottoman Empire is highly recommended. The Ottoman Empire has equal interest in creating a healthy trade relationship where one can safely sell goods. Furthermore, the plethora of cultures clashed in Jerusalem can easily help one diversify their trade. Overall, it is a very lucrative time for merchants.

Part 2:

During my MoMa visit, I decided to see the “Arab Lands” section first. This allowed me to engage with the Middle East as a whole, before heading towards Jerusalem. I made a point to make the theme of my visit, “Merchants in the Middle East.” This theme allowed me to orient myself towards my blog assignment and help keep everything organized. I took pictures of the receiving room as well as artifacts that could be used for trade. For example, I took pictures of Persian carpets as well as pottery, which were part of a very lucrative trade. Once I finished, I proceeded to the Jerusalem exhibit.

The Jerusalem exhibit was actually quite wonderful. It showcased different religions and cultures that brought life to the city during the Middle Ages. What I found particularly interesting was the book involving Marin Sanudo, who urged for another Crusade. It brought to light how interconnected trade, conflict, and religion were for all groups involved.

Album Link: https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipN95dGXXPMWT-LtGJiJV0USehPB4lfymGLwcdyM

Works Cited

Carboni, Stefano, and Trinita Kennedy. “Venice and the Islamic World, 828–1797.” In

Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of

Art, 2000–.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/vnis/hd_vnis.htm (March 2007)

Carboni, Stefano, and Trinita Kennedy. “Venice’s Principal Muslim Trading Partners:

the Mamluks, the Ottomans, and the Safavids.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art

History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/vmos/hd_vmos.htm (March 2007)

Carboni, Stefano, and Trinita Kennedy, and Elizabeth Marwell. “Commercial

Exchange, Diplomacy, and Religious Difference between Venice and the

Islamic World.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The

Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cedr/hd_cedr.htm (March 2007)

Sanudo, Marino, Patricia H. Labalme, and Laura Sanguineti White. Venice, Cità

Excelentissima: Selections from the Renaissance Diaries of Marin Sanudo.

Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 2008. Print.