Week 4 Reading Response

Reading Response 4

            This week, we learned about coffee’s context in Western Europe, and how it represents the cultural exchange between the East and the West in the 16^th century. It was especially pertinent to us because we had learned in such detail about coffee in the Ottoman Empire, but the movement of coffee and coffee houses to Western Europe is a significant part of the cultural encounter as well. This ties in well with the idea of the Mediterranean as a place of fluid identity (as opposed to the modern construction of identity that we are more familiar with). The coffee in Europe and coffee houses that they were enjoyed in the Ottoman Empire are different, but have some similarities- emblematic of their relations.

             This week we got to think about the various ways that concepts of identity changed. Identity used to be based off of nation and religion; but in this time, there is a different notion of identity. My understanding of the change that we read and talked about this week was that a person’s nation and religion were their markers of identity, but within a nation there wasn’t always a homogenous language. Today, usually within a nation, everyone speaks the same language and language is another very important marker of national identity. In the 16^th and 17^th centuries, identity was fluid as people moved through space to various areas of the Mediterranean, and I will discuss a few examples of this below.

            Venice was in the middle of Western Europe, but it had all the markers of an Eastern city, making it a “Western, borderline Eastern” city. One fascinating example of this that we discussed in class was how the San Marco Cathedral in Venice has Eastern influences in the architecture, how you can see hints of the East in the roof. Having been to Venice recently, I had noticed that some of the architecture there was different from what I had seen in other parts of Italy and Spain, but I hadn’t perceived the differences as Eastern. Now, after our discussion in class, looking at pictures of Venice I see the Eastern qualities that remain in its architecture, a result of the Ottomans living in Venice and the Venetian experiences with the Ottomans. This ties into the idea of fluid identity because it’s a spatial manifestation of two different identities, East and West, in one place.

            Perhaps the many fluid identities of both Westerners and Easterners shared space in Constantinople because the Ottoman Empire was more welcoming than the West. This week’s readings delineated the many reasons that Western Europeans came to Constantinople and converted to Islam. Reasons included gaining social mobility, improving social status, escaping slavery, hopes of financial success, and better conditions and political autonomy for women. Another group was of the Venetian and sometimes Genoese students of foreign language who went to Constantinople to improve their knowledge and then work in embassies and interpret for trade. Additionally, some were just in search of adventure, so they moved to Constantinople for that! All of these various reasons show us how during moments of economic crisis in Europe, there were more conversions- a lot of this is due to people going to Constantinople, which to me is very interesting having just studied in Istanbul and seen the blending of the traditional and the modern, also the East and the West, there.

            For women, the law in Constantinople was different than that in Venice. As the Dursteler reading on renegade women showed with the example of Fatima, women were already subjects in Constantinople., and they had more rights than European women; including the right to dispose of their property as they wanted, the right to go to court, the right to go in front of the Divan (imperial council), and so forth. For these reasons, women left Europe for Constantinople and converted to Islam. It is interesting to me how now the East, even Turkey, and sometimes, Islam itself, is considered “backwards” by some, when they actually were historically more gender equal than Western Europe.

            To conclude, in class we learned that in this time, coexistence as a way of life emerged, taking the place of the clash of civilizations. I accept this to be true, but I am also mindful that while there was coexistence, there was intolerance, too, as seen in the fear of intermarriages (which we touched on in the Othello close reading) and the common fear of conversion to Islam. So, this is where the idea of multiple, fluid identities that change and shift comes into play. This is how the Mediterranean becomes one big area “characterized by movement, exchange, and cultural encounters”. 

Week 3 Reflection- Michael Garcia

Week 3 Reflection- Michael Garcia

City states around the Mediterranean region began to rise in the 14^th century and began to become very important in their influence on international trade routes, spice routes, etc. In the 15th century, these trade routes began to develop and be utilized on a greater scale. Following the crusades, especially during the 16th century, Europe became more powerful.  Following the collapse of Constantinople, the expansion of the Ottoman Empire actually allowed for  doing “away with numerous borders and resulted in one homogeneous trading zone in which only one set of import export customs was due (Fleet).” However, the Ottoman Empire emerged into a trade center for the east as it happened thanks to the accumulation of marriages and religious conversions. Constantinople was filled with Jesuits and with the rise of demand of Western Europeans; the Catholic pope turned the other cheek against Christians converting to Islam for business or personal purposes. Meanwhile, in the west, Genoa and Venice (although small city-states) served as great mediators of the east and west. Therefore, stimulating the “economic development of the early Ottoman state and, indeed, to Ottoman territorial expansion” demonstrating economic aspirations and eventual integration into the economy of the Mediterranean basin for the Ottomans (Fleet).

For the interactions between Genoa and Venice with Istanbul, money largely formed the basis of the relationship, rather than any religious dispute. Once Constantinople had fallen, what “the Genoese really wanted was... to ensure freedom of movement and, in particular, access to and from the Black Sea (Fleet).” Both Genoese and the Turkish Ruler, Mehmed, had high interests in keeping relations between each other running smoothly. The Genoese merchant was an integral part of the embryonic Ottoman economy, not merely as an outside factor coming, taking and leaving, but as one of the functionaries of the state, for Genoese and other Latin merchants operated as tax farmers for the Ottomans in the 15^th century. Venetian merchants could even trade safely within Ottoman lands, with the freedom of movement and security of persons and goods

Yet, the early Ottoman state was not distinctly eastern or western, or viewed in the light of a western Christendom Muslim Turkish conflict, but to be understood as an integral part of the Mediterranean economy (Fleet). Although, it may seem as “the Turks” were one of the infamous Christian enemies, they were actually a huge part of their trading bloc, especially where Genoese flocked to.

In spite of their many wars between the Venetians and  Ottomans, the two enjoyed long periods of peace and friendly relations on commercial and political levels (Carboni). Venice was Istanbul's best customer since they wanted to discourage trade with English, Dutch and French and continue their own activities in the Orient. Even, the Sultan’s income consisted of taxes on non-Muslim subjects that yielded ever-greater revenue as lands grew (Carboni).  In 1481 non-Muslims and non-tributaries paid 4 per cent on imported goods and on merchandise transferred from one ship to another, tributaries paid 2 per cent and Muslims paid 1 per cent (Fleet). This made it economically advantageous for a merchant to be Muslim to avoid taxes and gain certain business privileges once in the land of the Ottomans, and so the Christian converted to Islam.

It became easy for men to convert to Islam, while not all Christian women who arrived in Istanbul during the same years actually changed their religion. Muslim could marry a Christian women and it was easier for women to maintain their religion if they choose to live in Istanbul (Pedani). Males reached Ottoman lands as prisoners or at own will but had to become Muslims if they wanted their freedom or make a career. Yet, in the late-16th century, Christian women went to Istanbul to join their relatives who gained important positions in the Imperial administration. Muslim women in Ottoman lands had much more political power than Christian woman, thus becoming advantageous for Venetian women to convert to Islam upon arriving to Istanbul (Pedani). Finally, marriages served to cement alliances. Some free-born persons began to obtain high political positions using the help of harem women. Rich or important heiress women were the means to reach the goal of gaining wealth and power (Pedani).  And so, “the East” and “the West” were much more connected (via trade) and influencing then one may have perceived. On my visit to Venice this past weekend, I noticed how some of the architecture prominent on palaces and even on Saint Mark’s Basilica (which contains four horses originally from the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul) contains many Islamic and Ottoman traits as traces of these relationships.    

Week 3 Reading Reflection

Shane West

Professor Villa

28 October 2015

The Mediterranean region was once considered the trade center of the world, bridging between East and West with an extensive network of exchange unlike any other region. The Mediterranean was in fact described as “the sum of its routes” (Braudel 201). Sea and land trade rivaled, towns emerged and gained power, and cultures either coexisted or clashed. The latter half of the last millennium in the Mediterranean is characterized by interdependent economies, cultural and social hubs, and also frequent wars. Although it would seem as if a stark dichotomy existed between eastern and western nations, namely Venice and Constantinople, it is much less black and white than this. Communication and trade relations in the Mediterranean in this era were as dynamic as the identities of the people that inhabited it.

If the Mediterranean was the trade center of the world, then Venice was the nucleus inside of it, actually considered the undisputed center of the Mediterranean world in the 1400’s (Wright 253). Venice became a melting pot of east and west trade and culture as trade boomed and the Ottoman Empire expanded (Fleet 3). “Business was good in the Mediterranean, and Venetian ships were in the thick of it”. Venetians were “in the thick of it” their agents located in both gateways to spices, silk, and other products of the East, Syria, and Egypt”—cities and urban life in general were booming, but especially Venice, and as Venice got richer more people migrated to the city, and the cycle continued (Wright 256). The recipes in the excerpts of A Mediterranean Feast that we read are very meat and dairy centered, both luxuries that poorer parts of Italy did not have, thus reflecting the Venetian wealth at the time.

Unlike many other western societies, Venice did not carry out acts of aggression on the Ottomans, only taking part in Crusades to prevent the spoils from going to their rivals, and actively maintaining trade relations with the Muslim world (Carboni 43). In fact, trade was so interdependent between these two powers that Venetians would convert to Islam to establish trading careers in the Ottoman Empire, and then simply convert back to Christianity when they had finished (Safiye 23). West and East were constantly sharing goods, ideas, and culture, influencing each respective society immensely. I went on a day trip to Venice this Saturday and our tour guide pointed out the Ottoman influence in the architecture of St. Mark’s Basilica,  and the four horses atop it that were taken from Constantinople. Similarly, Galata Tower was built by Northern Italians, the Genoans. Although there was not necessarily outright aggression towards Ottoman societies by the Venice, they were involved in many wars, usually involving a loss on the Venetian’s part (Carboni 44). Venetian and Genoese relations with the Ottoman Empire contributed to its expansion and rise to an important global power, and rather than being two different worlds, these east and west relations both influenced and helped their respective societies as well as economies: “…the early Ottoman state needs to be seen not as something distinctly eastern as opposed to western, or viewed in the light of a western Christendom Muslim Turkish conflict, but to be understood as an integral part of the Mediterranean economy” (Fleet 11).

The Mediterranean was a contact zone, a network of trade routes and cultural influence. As commerce and exchange boomed, two major powers emerged: Constantinople and Venice, east and west. Yet it is more ambiguous than a simple two sided coin. Both sides intermingled, influenced each other through goods, art, architecture, etc., and contributed to the growth of the other despite also engaging in several wars. The relation between these two powers was a major cog in the system of Mediterranean exchange that was the center for world trade. 

Reflection 3

Delilah Sanchez

10/27/15

Making the Mediterranean

Prof. Villa

Reflection 3

Venice, being such a beautiful picturesque city, used to be one of the most powerful and influential cities aligning itself with the Ottoman Empire. In the early Byzantine times, Venice traded extensively with Constantinople forming a very important relationship between the Venetians and the Ottomans. Venice is made up of 118 islands at the northern tip of Italy, making it geographically ideal for ocean-going trade. Its trading position allowed access to Syria and Egypt. Given its location, the city did not have many natural resources. This is why they relied heavily on trade and this is how the relationship with the Ottoman Empire came to be. Venice was not the only city Gaining all the riches from this relationship, Genoa anche Became very wealthy. Even though These cities were Relatively small Compared to the enormity of the Ottoman Empire, they managed to even surpass it in power and influence. Colonies were established by Genoa in the land of the Ottomans. Venice consequential Became an exporter of wine to Constantinople and in turn received imports of spices such as black pepper and other Eastern merchandise. Due to this power, Venice was excused from paying any form of tax. 

The strong relationship between These two cities is really fascinating to me Because this meant That religion and other differences had to be overlooked in order for this interaction to be successful. The Ottoman empire essentially served as a contact zone between different These powers by connecting the mediterranean. As a result of its fall, Venice and Genoa were affected Undoubtedly. Yet by this time, both cities were high in economic power. Even so, as well as Venice, Genoa Became very successful With Their connections on trade and commerce. 

The daily life in Venice is probably no where near the life I would be portatili afford two to all the wealth surrounding it. People lived lavishly. The wealthy During the 15th through 16th century were envied by everyone Because They striving to have good living. Those who were wealthy enough Began Their investing money in land and soon Began to buy farms.Those who did not belong with the upper class were Jewish people. They were the ones who were discriminated against Constantly. In class, we saw an example of how Jews were forced out into ghettos. When out in the city, they were Obligated to wear red hats in order to separate them from the rest of the people.

Learning about Courtesans was very interesting to me Because We never associated prostitutes as high class. Yet, courtesans were the complete opposite. They were intellectual and highly respected women in Venice. When I was in visiting, our tour guide took us to bridge Titte bridge were women would go and expose Their breasts for the men. This bridge, he Compared to the red light district in Amsterdam Because it was surrounded by a building full of windows where women would strand to get the attention of men. 

Overall, Venice is truly an amazing city. I had the opportunity and pleasure to visit this past weekend. It was especially exciting Because it was the topic of conversation for this week's class. I definitely felt immersed in what I was learning in class. I could picture Venetians being fashionable people walking through the canals engaging in witty conversations and enjoying fine dining. The atmosphere gave the city allowed for this to happen lifestyle.

Week 3 Reflection

This past week’s readings we examined how the Mediterranean acted as a fluid surface for economic and social exchange. The Mediterranean was also pivotal in the political systems between Ottoman Empire, Republic of Venice, and the rest of Europe in creating alliances and prolonging rivalries. Port cities such as Venice and Istanbul played a central role in creating a communication network inside the Mediterranean region, especially the interactions between East and West. We looked at the pattern of food consumption and reflections based on travel literature to analyze the Mediterranean conflicts and connections. Furthermore, we were able to construct a vivid image of the narratives of important individuals from reports and correspondence of migrants, merchants, and ambassadors. Although these examinations provide a detailed illustration of the economic, social, and political activities of fifteenth until the eighteenth century Europe, these evaluations can give us an idea of why leaders and subjects of the time acted the way the did in times of war, peace, and great prosperity.

In The Mediterranean and Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II, Braudel explains how the Mediterranean was not only a physical unit, but also a human unit that connects towns and cities through sea, river, and land routes. These trade routes served as a means to communicate between distant communities and without these routes towns risk economic stagnation or abandonment. Braudel writes that the Mediterranean greatly relied on small boats for shipping since they were able to load goods quickly and sold their services cheaply. Although he states that large boats such as galleys were not favored in the Mediterranean trade activities, the modern world has shifted to a larger commercial trade network, especially in the Mediterranean. When I visited Venice, the port that was once lauded as the most important trading port of Europe, has modernized and expanded to accommodate the large ships and tonnage. Today, trade in Venice is not limited to the Mediterranean, but is connected with the rest of the world. Mercantilism no longer exists because individual merchants, similar to the Ottoman and Venetian merchants of the Renaissance would not be able to survive against the capitalist corporations that dominate the world economy.

In Venice and the Islamic World, Carboni writes about the love-hate relationship between Venice and the Ottoman Empire. Both the Republic and the Empire engaged in major naval battles over a span of three centuries. However, the two Mediterranean powers enjoyed long periods of peace and friendly relations on the commercial and political levels. This resulted in the exchange of Venetian and Ottoman cultures that greatly influenced the economy and society. For example, in Istanbul I saw the Levantine areas, primarily the Galata district, that were once trading and housing areas for Venetian and other European merchants. These trading areas provided economic wealth to the Ottoman Empire since the sultan’s income consisted on taxing non-Muslims subjects and accepting Venetian tributes.  During my visit in Venice this past weekend, I witnessed the Ottoman influence that once affected Venetian society. Several buildings were incorporated a few Ottoman architectural designs such as the St. Peter’s Basilica and Doge Palace. Although Venice and the Ottomans had some hostility towards each other, both were more welcoming of each other since they depended on each other for economic growth and political influence between the East and the West.

Maria Pia Pedani gives us a better picture of the close relationship between Venice and the Ottoman Imperial Palace in Safiye’s Household and Venetian Diplomacy. Pedani writes how Venetians presented pieces of furniture to members of the Ottoman imperial family as a gift to congratulate the newly engage wife-to-be. Furthermore, many Christian women went to Istanbul to join their male relatives who gained important positions in the Imperial administration. This perspective of the imperial household further supports the notion that inter-religious and inter-cultural marriages between Ottomans and Venetians were important to maintain peace between the two powers. Venetian presence in the Ottoman capital pleased the sultan because they relished on the European tributes and saw that Venetian merchants contributed to the wealth of the Empire. On the other hand, the Republic of Venice valued their peace treaty with the Ottomans because it allowed free trade between the three continents, which helped Venetians amass a great amount of wealth.    

Making Assignment #3

Nicholas Martinez

10/27/15

Reading Response #3

During the beginning part of this program, we discussed the importance of the Mediterranean, the Ottoman Empire in particular, serving as a contact zone for many different cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and the religions of the empire. The material presented in the weeks classes and readings were able to validate this claim and it is interesting to discover the give-and-take relationship from the perspective of the Italians. Also, I think that it was important to talk about the Ottoman Empire in order to understand the other aspects of the Mediterranean.

            I enjoyed the Braudel’s description of the Mediterranean Sea, not only as an obstacle or barrier between lands, but also as a source of unity, transport, and a means of exchange and intercourse.  The way he described the Mediterranean itself as being formed through the movement of people really stood out to me, and I think showed very well how lives and identities in the region have historically been anything but static (201). He argues that lives and identities are fluid and that we should look into how this region was a melting pot of cultures and rituals.

            It is also important to note that large towns, which stood at crossroads, did not necessarily see growth. The crossroad simply created a change in route of transportation (228). Ultimately, large roads and the exchanges they permitted led to the gradual division of labor where cities distinguished themselves from the countryside. “The starting point of this process was commercial activity- in places like Venice, Seville, Genoa, Milan, and Marseilles in the 16^th century (229). When the division between country and city life was beginning, Venice established itself as an industrial port, regarded for banking while Genoa was regarded as the most sophisticated credit machinery of the middle Ages. By 1607 all “capitalist” activity was in the hands of Florentines who owned houses in the city and the Genoese who provided silver (Braudel 232) - between them, they controlled all exchanges.         

Yesterday, I attended the film screening of “La Grande Bellezza”. In this film, the main character, Jep, and his friends, who were part of the Roman elite, enjoyed giant parties, outrageous expositions of art, extensive meals, and the company of strippers. Yet as I watched this film, I realized that Jep was tired of his empty life and kept thinking of his past. Venetian renegades had done something similar. When they had tired of Constantinople, they moved back to Venice to rejoin their loved ones and reconverted. The lifestyle of Jep and his high class friends were much how the upper class Venetians lived. The way Venice is characterized here is comparable to the way life was portrayed in Rome in the film, “La Grande Bellezza.” “Venetian style meant fashionable people who listened to music, engaged in witty conversation, all with proper doses of theater, gambling, drinking, and fine dining” (Wright, 2000).

Finally, though I know there are differences between the Eastern and Western Mediterranean in terms of religion, art, architecture, and many other factors. It is fascinating to see how different the West and East, but made the attempt to co-mingle in the Ottoman Empire. Also, I want to investigate further how religion and nation seem to be intertwined, but at the same time nonexistent throughout these communities and how that affected the patrons of these cities.  

Week 3: Imperial Networks in the Mediterranean and Cosmopolitan

Lindsey Nguyen 

Making of the Mediterranean 

Professor Villa 

October 27, 2015

Week 3: Imperial Networks in the Mediterranean and Cosmopolitan 

The Mediterranean served as the center for economic, social, and cultural exchange during the 16th century and its influence continues to prevail around the world today. The imperial networks of ports of European city states helped facilitate the Mediterranean in becoming a huge Cosmopolitan. Italian city states such as Genoa and Venice were particularly important in their trade relationships with the Ottoman empire. During my time in Turkey, I learned that the location of port cities promoted easy access to trade commerce, and inevitably brewed intellectual exchange. The literary works that we studied this week further validated this notion. Our focus this week examines the growth of the Mediterranean trade economy, and its consequences from the Italian perceptive.

Venice was one of Italy's most flourishing, and economically driven cities. In class, it was argued that Venice was considered unique by outsiders due to is political status as a Republic. Despite having a force field as their landscape, Venetians resisted participation in political conflict or warfare. They were viewed as peculiar for their liberal ways and enamored for their extravagant lifestyles. Their lavish lifestyles were portrayed in the two films, shown in class: Shakespeare's play adaptation of The Merchants of Venice, and Dangerous Beauty. Both films depicted Venetians and their high society adorned  in silk clothing, consuming only the most expensive foods. In addition to, both films highlighted the importance of courtesans to Italy, as they were among the most influential and educated women. 

The economic wealth of Venetians was in part, credited to their relations with Constantinople. However, Wright also describes Venetian's heavy reliance on the the Ottoman Empire, so when "its population reached seven hundred thousand in the late sixteenth century, sucking up all the wheat within reach to feed this enormous population, Venice had to seek suppliers closer to home" (Wright, 260). From the historical context and perspective of Italy, their lifestyle was only affordable through the reign of the Ottoman empire. It was in the utmost interest of the Genoese to maintain their relations with the Ottomans. Fleet notes "the Genoese merchant was an integral part of the embryonic Ottoman economy, not merely as an outside factor coming, taking and leaving, but as one of the functionaries of the state, for the Genoese and other Latin merchants operated as tax farmers for the Ottomans" (Fleet, 127). Through the literary works and cinematic depictions, it is evident that there existed a symbiotic relationship between Italian city states and the Ottoman empire. 

I decided to backpack across Europe for a month before the start of my program. I spent a solid ten days living alone in a vegan hostel located right behind the Galata tower. I found the atmosphere of the area to be comforting because it resembled art districts back in San Diego. I definitely noticed the presence of westernization- my hostel provided pancakes and fresh vegan muffins every morning. To my surprise, my school center ended up being in Galata as well. The area was filled with quaint coffeehouses, which I would describe as westernized and hipster. The Galata port that I saw everyday used to be one of the largest for domestic import and exports of commodified goods. It was incredible to take a stroll through that part of history. Similarly, on my trip to Venice, I was also taken aback at the floating city. I stood at Rialto bridge, not even knowing of its historical importance. My tour guide also pointed out Ponte TIttay bridge, where the courtesans used to take post at! Walking through Florence, I definitely notice the distinguishable wealth of the people here. All in all, the culture and society of today exist because of the many exchanges taken place in the Mediterranean.