A Monetary History of the Ottoman Empire

An important book on the monetary history of the Ottoman empire by a leading economic historian.

Sevket Pamuk (Author)

9780521617116, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 16 December 2004

332 pages, 45 b/w illus. 1 map 16 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.3 cm, 0.5 kg

'… this is an impressive work … this book presents new results and should stimulate further research. Buy it for the numismatics, and get all the rest for free.' Scandinavian Economic History Review

The Ottoman empire stood at the crossroads of intercontinental trade at the dawn of the era of capitalism. This volume examines the monetary history of that empire from its beginnings in the fourteenth century to the end of the first world war. Through a detailed examination of the currencies and related institutions of an empire which stretched from the Balkans through Anatolia, Syria, Egypt and the Gulf to the Maghrib, the book demonstrates the complexity of the monetary arrangements and their evolution in response to both local developments and global economic forces. The volume also affords some valuable insights into social and political history and the evolution of Ottoman institutions. This is an important book by one of the most distinguished economic historians in the field.

List of maps, graphs and tables
List of illustrations
Preface
Acknowledgments
Note on transliteration
1. Introduction
2. Trade and money at the origins
3. Interventionism and debasements as policy
4. The emerging monetary system
5. Credit and finance
6. Money and empire
7. The price revolution in the Near East revisited
8. Debasement and disintegration
9. In the absence of domestic currency
10. The new Kurus
11. Linkages with the periphery
12. The great debasement
13. From bimetallism to the “limping gold standard”
14. Conclusions
Appendices
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Asian history [HBJF]