Fruits of Empire: Figs, Raisins, and Transformation of Western Anatolia in the Late Nineteenth Century

Abstract

Ottoman port-cities, because of their privileged position at the interface of two or more distinct economic systems, cultures, and environments, have long fascinated historians. In their studies, they have primarily dealt with the processes and developments that linked these cities to the centres of global economy. 1 On the other hand, historians have also studied Ottoman port-cities within the framework of city-country relations for quite some time. 2 They have, however, focused principally on the ways cities exercised influence over the countryside and often viewed transformations in the hinterlands as results of impact of the city on the country. Historical interplay between port-cities and their hinterlands has remained a rather neglected aspect of Ottoman history. This paper aims to fill a gap in our understanding of the complex relationship between port-cities and hinterlands in the Ottoman Empire and give an environmental perspective on the subject through the study of interactions between Izmir and Western Anatolia in the nineteenth century. 1 For a theoretical and methodological framework on Ottoman port-cities and their role in the integration of Ottoman Empire into the expanding world-economy, see:

The political economy of regulations and trade: Wine trade 1860–1970

“…The value of Turkish raisin exports increased from around 75 million pounds in the early 1870s to almost 200 million pounds by the mid‐1880s. By then, Turkey had overtaken Spain as the world's largest raisin producer (Inal, forthcoming; Morilla Critz et al., , ).…”

Forests and Energy in Ottoman Anatolia: Fueling Copper Smelters in Ergani and Tokat (1830–1914)

“…By investigating the sources, provision, and consumption of wood fuel in this context, my goal is to contribute to the environmental history of the broader Middle East and specifically of the Ottoman Empire. This emerging literature has revealed diverse aspects of the history of human-nature interaction by bringing factors like animals, plants, climate, and geographical landforms into the fore (Dolbee, 2023;Gratien, 2017;Husain, 2021, Inal, 2019Mikhail, 2011;Pehlivan, 2020;White, 2011). The analysis of Ottoman forests from an environmental standpoint has also experienced a growing trend (Akgül-Kovankaya, 2019;Dursun, 2007;McNeill, 1992;Mikhail, 2017).…”