Treaty of Balta Liman
Encyclopedia
The Treaties of Balta Liman were both signed in Balta-Liman
(near Istanbul
) with the Ottoman Empire
as one of its signatories.
signed in 1838 between the Ottoman Empire and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
, regulating international trade
. Duties
were set at 7 % on imports, 16 % on exports, and 8 % on transiting goods. The Ottomans also agreed to the abolition of all monopolies
. In 1831, Mehmet Ali of Egypt's son Ibrahim Pasha
led a successful military expedition into Syria
, established himself as governor, and set to modernize the country. There was concern in the United Kingdom about the possibility of the establishment of an independent state allied to Russia
against the Ottomans and Qajar Persia
(the independence and territorial integrity of both the Ottoman Empire and Persia were seen as vital to British interests in the region). There were also numerous complaints of British businessmen who were subject to duties levied on good transshipped across the Ottoman Empire and arbitrary levies by local pasha
s. When Muhammad Ali refused to implement the agreement because of the threat this posed to his nascent industrialisation
project, Sultan
Mahmud II
gave him a year's grace period, after which Muhammad Ali still refused to comply. In 1840, the Ottomans, with British assistance, attacked and reasserted control over Syria. The price paid for the help was a high one though, as the treaty had initiated a new commercial era for British interests and continued dominance of the Ottoman Empire.
(the basis of present-day Romania
), signed during the aftermath of the Revolutions of 1848
. Moldavia
, which had been placed under Russian occupation in late spring 1848 following a revolutionary attempt, and Wallachia
, where a liberal Provisional Government had briefly assumed power before facing a common Ottoman-Russian reaction
, were confirmed their previous status of Ottoman suzerainty
and Russian protectorate
(first established in 1831-32 by the Regulamentul Organic
). Minor provisions were added, signifying a relative increase in Ottoman influence — namely, hospodar
s were no longer elected by the local National Assemblies for life, and instead appointed by the Porte for seven-year terms. A common military presence was maintained until 1851. The document led to the appointment of Barbu Dimitrie Ştirbei
as hospodar of Wallachia and Grigore Alexandru Ghica
as hospodar of Moldavia. The Convention was rendered void by the Crimean War
(during which the Principalities fell under Austrian
occupation), and the statutory system itself was annulled by the 1856 Treaty of Paris
.
Balta-Liman
Balta-Liman is a bay near the European coast of Bosporus, in the city of Istanbul. The name originates from - "arch".The bay is famous for the Treaty of Balta Liman, signed between Russia and the Ottoman Empire on May 1, 1849....
(near Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
) with the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
as one of its signatories.
1838
The Treaty of Balta Liman was a commercial treatyCommercial treaty
A Commercial treaty is a formal agreement between states for the purpose of establishing mutual rights and regulating conditions of trade.For example, the Methuen Treaty was a commercial treaty between Portugal and England....
signed in 1838 between the Ottoman Empire and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
, regulating international trade
International trade
International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories. In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product...
. Duties
Duty (economics)
In economics, a duty is a kind of tax, often associated with customs, a payment due to the revenue of a state, levied by force of law. It is a tax on certain items purchased abroad...
were set at 7 % on imports, 16 % on exports, and 8 % on transiting goods. The Ottomans also agreed to the abolition of all monopolies
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
. In 1831, Mehmet Ali of Egypt's son Ibrahim Pasha
Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt
Ibrahim Pasha was the eldest son of Muhammad Ali, the Wāli and unrecognised Khedive of Egypt and Sudan. He served as a general in the Egyptian army that his father established during his reign, taking his first command of Egyptian forces was when he was merely a teenager...
led a successful military expedition into Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, established himself as governor, and set to modernize the country. There was concern in the United Kingdom about the possibility of the establishment of an independent state allied to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
against the Ottomans and Qajar Persia
Qajar dynasty
The Qajar dynasty was an Iranian royal family of Turkic descent who ruled Persia from 1785 to 1925....
(the independence and territorial integrity of both the Ottoman Empire and Persia were seen as vital to British interests in the region). There were also numerous complaints of British businessmen who were subject to duties levied on good transshipped across the Ottoman Empire and arbitrary levies by local pasha
Pasha
Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in...
s. When Muhammad Ali refused to implement the agreement because of the threat this posed to his nascent industrialisation
Industrialisation
Industrialization is the process of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one...
project, Sultan
Ottoman Dynasty
The Ottoman Dynasty ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1299 to 1922, beginning with Osman I , though the dynasty was not proclaimed until Orhan Bey declared himself sultan...
Mahmud II
Mahmud II
Mahmud II was the 30th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. He was born in the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, the son of Sultan Abdulhamid I...
gave him a year's grace period, after which Muhammad Ali still refused to comply. In 1840, the Ottomans, with British assistance, attacked and reasserted control over Syria. The price paid for the help was a high one though, as the treaty had initiated a new commercial era for British interests and continued dominance of the Ottoman Empire.
1849
The Convention of Balta Liman of May 1, 1849 was an agreement between Russia and the Ottomans regulating the political situation of the two Danubian PrincipalitiesDanubian Principalities
Danubian Principalities was a conventional name given to the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, which emerged in the early 14th century. The term was coined in the Habsburg Monarchy after the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca in order to designate an area on the lower Danube with a common...
(the basis of present-day Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
), signed during the aftermath of the Revolutions of 1848
Revolutions of 1848
The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations, Springtime of the Peoples or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe in 1848. It was the first Europe-wide collapse of traditional authority, but within a year reactionary...
. Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, which had been placed under Russian occupation in late spring 1848 following a revolutionary attempt, and Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
, where a liberal Provisional Government had briefly assumed power before facing a common Ottoman-Russian reaction
Reactionary
The term reactionary refers to viewpoints that seek to return to a previous state in a society. The term is meant to describe one end of a political spectrum whose opposite pole is "radical". While it has not been generally considered a term of praise it has been adopted as a self-description by...
, were confirmed their previous status of Ottoman suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
and Russian protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
(first established in 1831-32 by the Regulamentul Organic
Regulamentul Organic
Regulamentul Organic was a quasi-constitutional organic law enforced in 1834–1835 by the Imperial Russian authorities in Moldavia and Wallachia...
). Minor provisions were added, signifying a relative increase in Ottoman influence — namely, hospodar
Hospodar
Hospodar or gospodar is a term of Slavonic origin, meaning "lord" or "master".The rulers of Wallachia and Moldavia were styled hospodars in Slavic writings from the 15th century to 1866. Hospodar was used in addition to the title voivod...
s were no longer elected by the local National Assemblies for life, and instead appointed by the Porte for seven-year terms. A common military presence was maintained until 1851. The document led to the appointment of Barbu Dimitrie Ştirbei
Barbu Dimitrie Stirbei
Barbu Dimitrie Ştirbei , a member of the Bibescu boyar family, was a Prince of Wallachia on two occasions, in 1848–1853 and in 1854–1856.-Early life:...
as hospodar of Wallachia and Grigore Alexandru Ghica
Grigore Alexandru Ghica
Grigore Alexandru Ghica or Ghika was a Prince of Moldavia between October 14, 1849 and June 1853, and again between October 30, 1854 and June 3, 1856...
as hospodar of Moldavia. The Convention was rendered void by the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
(during which the Principalities fell under Austrian
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
occupation), and the statutory system itself was annulled by the 1856 Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1856)
The Treaty of Paris of 1856 settled the Crimean War between Russia and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the British Empire, Second French Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The treaty, signed on March 30, 1856 at the Congress of Paris, made the Black Sea neutral territory, closing it to all...
.
Sources
- James L. GelvinJames L. GelvinJames L. Gelvin is an American scholar of Middle Eastern history. He has been a faculty member in the department of history at the University of California, Los Angeles since 1995 and has written extensively on the history of the modern Middle East, with particular emphasis on nationalism and the...
, The Modern Middle East , Oxford University Press, 2005. - Keith Hitchins, Românii, 1774-1866, Humanitas, Bucharest, 1998 (translation of the English-language edition The Romanians, 1774-1866, Oxford University Press, USA, 1996).