Pashas, Traders and Travellers in the Islamic World

This book shows how British imperialism slowly strangulated the Ottoman Muslim world economically and politically from the 16 to the early decades of the twentieth century.

An important omission is the failure to mention the Portuguese rounding of the tip of South Africa in 1498, after which hordes of Portuguese ships filled with lawless pirates invaded the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean severely crippling Muslim commerce/trade.

Despite this blow, this book shows how brisk English/Turkish trade continued uninterrupted for centuries afterwards. At first, all this economic activity was peaceful. The early English traders described here treated the Turkish merchants as equals. At that time the Ottoman Empire had attained the height of its power and glory, controlling large areas of Asia, and Europe. Constantinople was one of the world’s greatest cities. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566) was the mightiest ruler on earth. Superbly capable Grand Viziers held the still expanding empire together long afterwards. It was not until after the mid–18th century when its advanced decay became manifest. Taking full advantage of this, seemingly innocent traders were suddenly transformed into occupiers and naked imperialism embarked on its notorious career.