Portraits of Italians in health affairs in 19th century Istanbul: Dr. Castaldi, Pharmacist A. Calleja, Midwife Messani", in: Mirella Galletti (editor), Medici, missionari, musicisti militari italiani attivi in Persia, Impero Ottomano ed Egitto, Quaderni di Oriente Moderno Roma, Istituto per l'Oriente C.A. Nallino,

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Işil Ülman F. Y.

Quaderni di Oriente Moderno, cilt.88, sa.6, ss.135-149, 2008 (Hakemli Dergi)

• Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
• Cilt numarası: 88 Sayı: 6
• Basım Tarihi: 2008
• Dergi Adı: Quaderni di Oriente Moderno
• Sayfa Sayıları: ss.135-149
• Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
• Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

Portraits of Italians in Health Affairs in 19th century Istanbul,

(Dr. Castaldi, Pharmacist A. Calleja, Midwife Messani)*

Yesim Isil Ulman**

 

 Turkish - Italian Relations through history up to the 19th century

            The first European language heard by Turks settling in Anatolia after 1071 was the Italian of Genoese and Venetian merchants[1]. While borrowing many words from each other, the cross-cultural relationships of the two communities in commerce, maritime, politics, history and medicine continued for ages. Actually Galata, then mostly a Genoese colony, and the liveliest trade centre in Constantinople of the pre-modern era, had existed for years in the capital city as an autonomous administrative unit independent from the Paleologos dynasty during the late Byzantine Empire[2]. Galata was one of the oldest and most powerful colonies of the Italian city-states. When Constantinople was conquered by the Sultan Mehmed II in 1453, Italian city states were enjoying the heyday of their influence and power in the East. Sultan Mehmed II (the Conqueror, 1451-1481) neither lay siege to or invaded the region, nor did he hesitate to recognize the rights and privileges of Galata’s inhabitants[3], [4]. As a matter of fact, the Ottoman State, as the main successor of Eastern Roman Empire, continued all its relations with the Italian city-states, both in political and commercial transactions as well as cultural and scientific exchanges[5]. This action was quite compatible with the Ottoman style of expansion in recognizing the rights of conquered local communities by allowing them freedom in their private and social lives, commercial activities, and religious worship while protecting them with imperial power. But the communities were required to pay regular taxes in return. As the Ottoman officials gleaned a very considerable profit from the trade, merchandise, and customs at Galata, they even encouraged and promoted the growth of  Italian (and other foreign) settlements in Galata and Pera[6]. Foreign influences increased in variety over the course of time, particularly in Pera where foreign legations and residences emerged and a European and elegant way of living flourished. Until the 19th century, it seems that Italian influence had gradually waned especially compared with French presence in the  intellectual and cultural centres of Constantinople. Similarly French became the most preferred language in the press and scientific publications.