Research Article

LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY

Volume: 12 Number: 2 October 27, 2025
TR EN

LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY

Abstract

This study examines the economic transformation of 19th century Istanbul through the example of the Levantine Foscolo family, with a particular focus on the Pera district. Originating from the Venetian aristocracy and later migrating to various parts of the Ottoman Empire, the Foscolo family participated in the changing dynamics of trade, law and social life in the 19th century. The research highlights how the family integrated into the local economy through professions such as merchants, artisans and financiers and contributed significantly to the development of Istanbul's Levantine business environment. It also examines the impact of industrialization, corporate law, and foreign capital on the business environment of the period, as well as how the Foscolos navigated these changes by establishing influential shipping and coal companies. By tracing the family's migration, professions and enterprises, this study sheds light on the transformation of Istanbul into a cosmopolitan center where East and West converged in both culture and commerce.

Keywords

References

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  2. Alff, K. (2018). Levantin joint-stock companies, trans-mediterranean partnerships and nineteenth-century capitalist development. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 60(1), 150-177.
  3. BOA, HR.SYS. 1742/128.
  4. BOA. DH.MKT. 1530/62, 671-42.
  5. BOA. HR.H. 485/3.
  6. BOA. HR.SFR. 329/6.
  7. BOA. HR.TH. 113/31.
  8. BOA. HR.UHM. 170/56, 215-29.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Late Modern Naval History, Late Modern Urban History, Late Modern Renewal History

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

October 23, 2025

Publication Date

October 27, 2025

Submission Date

May 7, 2025

Acceptance Date

May 26, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 12 Number: 2

APA
Sefer, S. (2025). LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, 12(2), 983-1014. https://doi.org/10.69878/deuefad.1694992
AMA
1.Sefer S. LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi. 2025;12(2):983-1014. doi:10.69878/deuefad.1694992
Chicago
Sefer, Semih. 2025. “LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY”. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 12 (2): 983-1014. https://doi.org/10.69878/deuefad.1694992.
EndNote
Sefer S (October 1, 2025) LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 12 2 983–1014.
IEEE
[1]S. Sefer, “LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY”, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 983–1014, Oct. 2025, doi: 10.69878/deuefad.1694992.
ISNAD
Sefer, Semih. “LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY”. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 12/2 (October 1, 2025): 983-1014. https://doi.org/10.69878/deuefad.1694992.
JAMA
1.Sefer S. LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi. 2025;12:983–1014.
MLA
Sefer, Semih. “LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY”. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 12, no. 2, Oct. 2025, pp. 983-1014, doi:10.69878/deuefad.1694992.
Vancouver
1.Semih Sefer. LEVANTINE ECONOMIC LIFE IN PERA: THE CASE OF THE FOSCOLO FAMILY. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi. 2025 Oct. 1;12(2):983-1014. doi:10.69878/deuefad.1694992