I contatti commerciali tra Creta veneziana e la Polonia nel XVI secolo (con particolare riferimento a Leopoli)
Part of : Θησαυρίσματα ; Vol.39-40, 2009, pages 229-247
Issue:
Pages:
229-247
Author:
Abstract:
In her article the authoress draws attention to the little known problem of striking up close trade ties between the Venetian island of Crete and the far Poland in the XVI century. During the time of king Sigismund Augustus II’ s neutral policy toward Turkey in the second half of the XVI century, it became possible for trade galley to sail from Crete through the Bosphorus onto the Rlack Sea to Kilia and Relgorod. From there, barrels filled with malvasia and muscat were transported to the nearest Polish town of Lvov. The trade exchange also extended to various oriental articles, such as spices, silk, carpets, pearls and other luxury items. At the same time, Greek and Italian merchants from Crete began to come to Poland and conduct their business in Lvov, and subsequently in Cracow and Zamosc. Their activity became considerably more intense beginning with the seventies of the XVI century, among others, thanks to the presence of Jewish, Turkish and Greek merchants i
nhabiting the territories of the Turkish state. As is evidenced by the Lvov city records, some merchants from Crete appeared in Lvov periodically, while a dozen or so of them settled here permanently. Among the ones who are mentioned by the authoress by name, one finds among others: Sawa Fedorowicz, Jani Affendik, Nicolas Domestico Neuridis, Marcus de Langis, Leon Warszani, Manuel Mazapetha.The import of choice wines to Poland took on considerable proportions when the Polish kings began to grant some foreigners exclusive rights and privileges to import Greek wines to Poland. And so in the year 1567, Josef Nassi of Naxos received such a privilege, likewise Konstanty Korniakt from Lvov; in the year 1587 Mosse de Mosso Kohen from Lvov also received such a privilege. The import of wines was accompanied by tough competition between, on the one hand, the Lvov merchants i.e. Greeks from Crete and on the other, Jewish merchants. An exceptional career among the Greeks from Crete was made by
Konstanty Korniakt (d. 1603), who became knighted in 1571. The latter had amassed a considerable fortune on the import of wines and cotton as well as the export of hides and furs. Enjoying the royal protection, he became chief customs and duties collector on Ruthenian territories as well as a prominent banker which had subsequently won him the reputation of the wealthiest man in Lvov. The wine trade was well organized; the Greek merchants had their representatives both in Costantinople and in Venice. According to the sources, one may assume that one fifth or maybe even one fourth of the entire wine production in Crete was exported to Poland in the latter half of the XVI century.
Subject (LC):
Notes:
Περιέχει σημειώσεις
