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The Levant Company was an English
chartered company A chartered company is an association with investors or shareholders that is incorporated and granted rights (often exclusive rights) by royal charter (or similar instrument of government) for the purpose of trade, exploration, and/or coloniz ...
formed in 1592.
Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...
approved its initial charter on 11 September 1592 when the
Venice Company The Venice Company was an English chartered trading company established in 1583 to monopolise on trade in and around the Venetian colonies in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1592, the Venice Company merged with the Turkey Company to form the renowned ...
(1583) and the Turkey Company (1581) merged, because their charters had expired, as she was eager to maintain trade and political alliances with the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
.Kenneth R. Andrews (1964), Elizabethan Privateering 1583–1603, Cambridge University Press Its initial charter was good for seven years and was granted to Edward Osborne, Richard Staper, Thomas Smith and William Garret with the purpose of regulating English trade with the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
and the
Levant The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is eq ...
. The company remained in continuous existence until being superseded in 1825. A member of the company was known as a ''Turkey Merchant''.


History

The origins of the Levant Company lay in the Italian trade with Constantinople, and the wars against the Turks in Hungary, although a parallel was routed to Morocco and the Barbary Coast on a similar trade winds as early as 1413. The collapse of the
Venetian empire Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetian and the like may also refer to: * Venetian language, a Romance language s ...
, high tariffs, the ousting of the Genoese from Scio (
Chios Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of mastic ...
) had left a vacuum that was filled by a few intrepid adventurers in their own cog vessels with endeavour to reopen trade with the East on their own accounts. Following a decline in trade with the Levant over a number of decades, several London merchants petitioned
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...
in 1580 for a charter to guarantee exclusivity when trading in that region. In 1580 a treaty was signed between England and the Ottoman Empire, giving English merchants trading rights similar to those enjoyed by French merchants. In 1582
William Harborne William Harborne of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (c.1542–1617) was a diplomat, businessman, and English Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, appointed by Queen Elizabeth I of England. Establishment of the English Embassy in Constantinople Following a ...
, an English merchant who had carried out most of the treaty negotiations in Constantinople to French protestations, made himself permanent envoy. But by 1586 Harborne was appointed 'Her Majesty's ambassador' to the Ottoman Empire, with all his expenses (including gifts given to the Sultan and his court) to be paid by the Levant Company. When the charters of both the
Venice Company The Venice Company was an English chartered trading company established in 1583 to monopolise on trade in and around the Venetian colonies in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1592, the Venice Company merged with the Turkey Company to form the renowned ...
and the
Turkey Company Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in S ...
expired, both companies were merged into the Levant Company in 1592 after
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...
approved its charter as part of her diplomacy with the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. The Company had no
colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...
aspirations, but rather established "
factories A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. T ...
" (trading centers) in already-established commercial centers, such as the Levant Factory in
Aleppo )), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black". , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , image_map1 = ...
, as well as
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
,
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
and
Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...
. Throughout the Company's history, Aleppo served as headquarters for the whole company in the Middle East. By 1588, the Levant Company had been converted to a regulated
monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek el, μόνος, mónos, single, alone, label=none and el, πωλεῖν, pōleîn, to sell, label=none), as described by Irving Fisher, is a market with the "absence of competition", creating a situati ...
on an established trade route, from its initial character as a
joint-stock company A joint-stock company is a business entity in which shares of the company's capital stock, stock can be bought and sold by shareholders. Each shareholder owns company stock in proportion, evidenced by their share (finance), shares (certificates ...
. The prime movers in the conversion were Sir Edward Osborne and Richard Staper. In January 1592, a new charter was granted and by 1595 its character as a regulated company had become clear. In the early days of the company there were threats not just from
Barbary pirates The Barbary pirates, or Barbary corsairs or Ottoman corsairs, were Muslim pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa, based primarily in the ports of Salé, Rabat, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli. This area was known i ...
but also from Spain during the 1585 to 1604 war. In that conflict however the Company with its heavily armed ships managed to repel the Spanish galleys intent on capturing the cargo in a number of pitched naval battles, in
1586 Events * January 18 – The 7.9 Tenshō earthquake strikes the Chubu region of Japan, triggering a tsunami and causing at least 8,000 deaths. * June 16 – The deposed and imprisoned Mary, Queen of Scots, recognizes Philip II of ...
, 1590,
1591 Events January–June * March 13 – Battle of Tondibi: In Mali, forces sent by the Saadi dynasty ruler of Morocco, Ahmad al-Mansur, and led by Judar Pasha, defeat the fractured Songhai Empire, despite being outnumbered by at l ...
and 1600 The Company as a result surrendered some of their ships to the English Crown and were used during the
Spanish Armada The Spanish Armada (a.k.a. the Enterprise of England, es, Grande y Felicísima Armada, links=no, lit=Great and Most Fortunate Navy) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aris ...
campaign proving their worth.
James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) *James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) *James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu *James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...
(1603–25) renewed and confirmed the company's charter in 1606, adding new privileges. However he engaged in a verbal anti-Turk crusade and neglected direct relations with the Turks. The government did not interfere with trade, which expanded. Especially profitable was the arms trade as the Porte modernised and re-equipped its forces. Of growing importance was textile exports. Between 1609 and 1619, the export of cloth to the Turks increased from 46% to 79% of total cloth exports. The business was highly lucrative. Piracy continued to be a threat. Despite the anti-Ottoman rhetoric of the king, commercial relations with the Turks expanded. The king's finances were increasingly based on the revenues derived from this trade, and English diplomacy was complicated by this trade. For example, James refused to provide financial support to Poland for its war against the Turks. During the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
(1642–1651), some innovations were made in the government of the company, allowing many people to become members who were not qualified by the charters of Elizabeth and James, or who did not conform to the regulations prescribed. Charles II, upon his restoration, endeavored to set the company upon its original basis; to which end, he gave them a charter, containing not only a confirmation of their old one, but also several new articles of reformation.


Organisation in 1661

By the charter of King Charles II in 1661, the company was erected into a
body politic The body politic is a polity—such as a city, realm, or state—considered metaphorically as a physical body. Historically, the sovereign is typically portrayed as the body's head, and the analogy may also be extended to other anatomical par ...
, capable of making laws, under the title of the ''Company of Merchants of England trading to the Seas of the Levant''. The number of members was not limited, but averaged about 300. The principal qualification required was that the candidate be a wholesale merchant, either by family, or by serving an apprenticeship of seven years. Those under 25 years of age paid 25 pounds at their admission; those above, twice as much. Each made an oath, at his entrance, not to send any merchandise to the Levant, except on his own account; and not to consign them to any but the company's agents, or factors. The company governed itself by a plurality of voices. The company had a court, or board at London, composed of a governor, sub-governor, and twelve directors, or assistants; who were all actually to live in London, or the suburbs. They also had a deputy-governor, in every city and port where there were any members of the company. This assembly at London sent out the vessels, regulated the
tariff A tariff is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods. Besides being a source of revenue for the government, import duties can also be a form of regulation of foreign trade and poli ...
for the price at which the European merchandise sent to the Levant were to be sold; and for the quality of those returned. It raised taxes on merchandise, to defray impositions, and the common expense of the company; presented the ambassador, which the King was to keep at the port; elected two
consuls A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, as well as to facilitate trade and friendship between the people ...
for
Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...
and
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
, etc. As the post of ambassador to the
Sublime Porte The Sublime Porte, also known as the Ottoman Porte or High Porte ( ota, باب عالی, Bāb-ı Ālī or ''Babıali'', from ar, باب, bāb, gate and , , ), was a synecdoche for the central government of the Ottoman Empire. History The nam ...
became increasingly important, the Crown had to assume control of the appointment. One of the best regulations of the company was not to leave the consuls, or even the ambassador, to fix the impositions on the vessels for defraying the common expenses—something that was fatal to the companies of most other nations—but to allow a
pension A pension (, from Latin ''pensiō'', "payment") is a fund into which a sum of money is added during an employee's employment years and from which payments are drawn to support the person's retirement from work in the form of periodic payments ...
to the ambassador and consuls, and even to the chief officers—including the chancellor, secretary, chaplain, interpreters, and
janissaries A Janissary ( ota, یڭیچری, yeŋiçeri, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and the first modern standing army in Europe. The corps was most likely established under sultan Orhan ( ...
—so that there was no pretence for their raising any sum at all on the merchants or merchandises. It was true that the ambassador and consul might act alone on these occasions, but the pensions being offered to them on condition of declining them, they chose not to act. In extraordinary cases, the consuls, and even ambassador himself, had recourse to two deputies of the company, residing in the Levant, or if the affair be very important, assemble the whole nation. Here were regulated the presents to be given, the voyages to be made, and every thing to be deliberated; and on the resolutions here taken, the deputies appointed the treasurer to furnish the required funds. The ordinary commerce of this company employed from 20 to 25 vessels, of between 25 and 30 pieces of cannon. The merchandises exported there were limited in quality and range, suggesting an imbalance of trade; they included traditional cloths, especially shortcloth and
kerseys Kersey is a kind of coarse woollen cloth that was an important component of the textile trade in Medieval England. History It derives its name from kersey yarn and ultimately from the village of Kersey, Suffolk, having presumably originated in tha ...
,
tin Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn (from la, stannum) and atomic number 50. Tin is a silvery-coloured metal. Tin is soft enough to be cut with little force and a bar of tin can be bent by hand with little effort. When bent, t ...
,
pewter Pewter () is a malleable metal alloy consisting of tin (85–99%), antimony (approximately 5–10%), copper (2%), bismuth, and sometimes silver. Copper and antimony (and in antiquity lead) act as hardeners, but lead may be used in lower grades of ...
, lead,
pepper Pepper or peppers may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant ** Black pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae ** Bell pepper ** Chili ...
, re-exported
cochineal The cochineal ( , ; ''Dactylopius coccus'') is a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the natural dye carmine is derived. A primarily sessility (motility), sessile parasitism, parasite native to tropical and subtropical Sout ...
, black rabbit skins and a great deal of American silver, which the English took up at Cadiz. The more valuable returns were in
raw silk Raw Silk was an American dance band, which originated in New York. History Raw Silk first signed to West End Records, which was once a popular garage label, where they recorded moderate hits. Their songs were remixed by post-disco/ R&B produ ...
, cotton wool and yarn, currants and '' "Damascus raisins"'',
nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...
,
pepper Pepper or peppers may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant ** Black pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae ** Bell pepper ** Chili ...
,
indigo Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', m ...
,
gall Galls (from the Latin , 'oak-apple') or ''cecidia'' (from the Greek , anything gushing out) are a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants, fungi, or animals. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to be ...
s,
camlet Camlet, also commonly known as camlot, camblet, or chamlet, is a woven fabric that might have originally been made of camel or goat's hair, later chiefly of goat's hair and silk, or of wool and cotton. The original form of this cloth was very valu ...
s, wool and cotton cloth, the soft leathers called maroquins,
soda ash Sodium carbonate, , (also known as washing soda, soda ash and soda crystals) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na2CO3 and its various hydrates. All forms are white, odourless, water-soluble salts that yield moderately alkaline solutions ...
for making glass and soap, and several gums and medicinal drugs. Velvet, carpets, and silk were bought by the traders. The commerce of the company to Smyrna, Constantinople, and
İskenderun İskenderun ( ar, الإسكندرونة, el, Αλεξανδρέττα "Little Alexandria"), historically known as Alexandretta and Scanderoon, is a city in Hatay Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Names The city was founded as Ale ...
, was much less considerable than that of the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
; but was, more advantageous to England, because it took off much more of the English products than the other, which was chiefly carried on in money. The places reserved for the commerce of this company included all the states of
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
, in the
Gulf of Venice The Gulf of Venice ( it, Golfo di Venezia, sl, Beneški zaliv, hr, Venecijanski zaljev) is an informally recognized gulf of the Adriatic Sea. It lies at the extreme north end of the Adriatic, limited on the southwest by the easternmost point of ...
; the state of
Ragusa Ragusa is the historical name of Dubrovnik. It may also refer to: Places Croatia * the Republic of Ragusa (or Republic of Dubrovnik), the maritime city-state of Ragusa * Cavtat (historically ' in Italian), a town in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Cro ...
; all the states of the "Grand Signior" (the
Ottoman Sultan The sultans of the Ottoman Empire ( tr, Osmanlı padişahları), who were all members of the Ottoman dynasty (House of Osman), ruled over the transcontinental empire from its perceived inception in 1299 to its dissolution in 1922. At its hei ...
), and the ports of the Levant and
Mediterranean Basin In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and w ...
; excepting Cartagena,
Alicante Alicante ( ca-valencia, Alacant) is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city was 337,482 , the second-largest in t ...
,
Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
,
Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
,
Marseilles Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...
,
Toulon Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...
,
Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian ce ...
,
Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...
(Leghorn),
Civitavecchia Civitavecchia (; meaning "ancient town") is a city and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located west-north-west of Rome. The harbour is formed by two pier ...
,
Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...
,
Messina Messina (, also , ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 219,000 inhabitants in ...
,
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
,
Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...
,
Menorca Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capi ...
, and
Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...
; and other places on the coasts of France, Spain, and Italy.


Levantine shipping

Ships owned by the Levant Company from 1581 to 1640: * ''Alathia'' * ''Alcede'' * ''Alice and Thomas'' * ''Alice Thomas'' * ''Aleppo Merchant'' * ''Angel'' * ''Anne Frane'' * ''Ascension'' * ''Bark Burre'' * ''Barque Reynolds'' * ''Centurion'' * ''Charity'' * ''Cherubim'' * ''Christ'' * ''Clement'' * ''Cock'' * ''Concord'' * ''Consent'' * ''Cosklett'' * ''Darling'' * ''Delight'' * ''Desire'' * ''Diamond'' * ''Dragon'' * ''Eagle'' * ''Edward Bonaventure'' * ''Elizabeth and Dorcas'' * ''Elizabeth Cocken'' * ''Elizabeth Stoaks'' * ''Elnathan'' * ''Emanuel'' * ''Experience'' * ''Freeman'' * ''George Bonaventure'' * ''Gift of God'' * ''Golden Noble'' * ''Grayhound'' * ''Great Phoenix'' * ''Great Suzanne'' * ''Greenfield'' * ''Guest'' * ''Gyllyon'' * ''Harry'' * ''Harry Bonaventure'' * ''Hector'' * ''Hercules'' * ''Husband'' * ''Industry'' * ''The Jane'' * ''Jesus'' * ''Jewel'' * ''Job'' * ''John'' * ''John Francis'' * ''Jollian'' * ''Jonas'' * ''Lanavit'' * ''Lewis'' * ''Little George'' * ''London'' * ''Margaret'' * ''Margaret Bonaventure'' * ''Marget and John'' * ''Marigold'' * ''Mary'' * ''Mary Anne'' * ''Mary Coust'' * ''Mary Martin'' * ''Mary Rose'' * ''Mayflower'' * ''Merchant Bonaventure'' * ''Mignon'' * ''Paragon'' * ''Peregrine'' * ''Phoenix'' * ''Primrose'' * ''Prosperous'' * ''Providence'' * ''
Rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...
'' * ''Rebecca'' * ''Recovery'' * ''Red Lion'' * ''Report'' * ''Resolution'' * ''Roebuck'' * ''Royal Defence'' * ''Royal Exchange'' * ''Royal Merchant'' * ''Saker'' * ''Salamander'' * ''Salutation'' * ''Samaritan'' * ''Sampson'' * ''Samuel'' * ''Saphire'' * ''Scipio'' * ''Society'' * ''Solomon'' * ''Suzanne'' * ''Suzanne Parnell'' * ''Swallow'' * ''Teagre'' * ''Thomas and William'' * ''Thomas Bonaventure'' * ''Thomasine'' * ''Toby of Harwich'' * ''Trinity'' * ''Trinity Bear'' * ''Triumph'' * ''Unicorn'' * ''White Hind'' * ''William and John'' * ''William and Ralph'' * ''William and Thomas'' * ''William Fortune''


Governors

* 1581–1592 Sir Edward Osborne (nominated in first & second charters) * 1592–1592 Richard Staper * 1600–1600 Sir Thomas Smith (nominated in third charter) * 1605–1623 Sir Thomas Lowe (nominated in fourth charter) * 1623–1634 Sir Hugh Hammersley * 1634–1643 Sir Henry Garraway * 1643–1653 Isaac Penington * 1654–1672 Sir Andrew Riccard * 1672–1673 John Jolliffe * 1673–1695 The Earl of Berkeley * 1696–1709
Sir William Trumbull Sir William Trumbull (8 September 163914 December 1716) was an English statesman who held high office as a member of the First Whig Junto. Early life Trumbull was born at Easthampstead Park in Berkshire and baptised on 11 September 1639. He ...
* 1710–1718 The Lord Onslow * 1718–1735 The Earl of Carnavon * 1736–1766 The Earl De La Warr * 1766–1772 The Earl of Shaftsbury * 1772–1776 The Earl of Radnor * 1776–1792 The Earl of Guilford * 1792–1799 The Duke of Leeds * 1799–1821 The Lord Grenville The British government took over the Company in 1821 until its dissolution in 1825.


The ambassadors at Constantinople

* 1582–1588
William Harborne William Harborne of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (c.1542–1617) was a diplomat, businessman, and English Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, appointed by Queen Elizabeth I of England. Establishment of the English Embassy in Constantinople Following a ...
* 1588–1597 Edward Barton * 1597–1607
Henry Lello Sir Henry Lello was an English diplomat, Warden of the Fleet Prison, and Keeper of the Palace of Westminster. Lello went to Constantinople as an attache to the English Embassy to the Sublime Porte of the Ottoman Empire, but originally as secretar ...
* 1606–1611 Sir Thomas Glover * 1611–1620
Paul Pindar Sir Paul Pindar (1565–1650) was a merchant and, from 1611 to 1620, was Ambassador of King James I of England to the Ottoman Empire. Born in Wellingborough and educated at Wellingborough School Pindar entered trade as the apprentice to an Ital ...
* 1619–1621
Sir John Eyre Sir John Eyre (1580–1639), initially of Great Chalfield Manor, Wiltshire and later of St. Giles-in-the-Fields, Middlesex was an English courtier, ambassador and Member of Parliament. John Chapman (agent) * 1621–1628
Sir Thomas Roe Sir Thomas Roe ( 1581 – 6 November 1644) was an English diplomat of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. Roe's voyages ranged from Central America to India; as ambassador, he represented England in the Mughal Empire, the Ottoman Empi ...
* 1627–1638 Sir Peter Wyche * 1633–1647 Sir Sackville Crowe * 1647–1661 Sir Thomas Bendysh * Richard Salway (never sent out) * Richard Lawrence (agent only) * 1668–1672 Heneage Finch, Earl of Winchilsea * 1668–1672 Sir Daniel Harvey * 1672–1681 Sir John Finch * 1680–1687 James, Lord Chandos * 1684–1686 Sir William Soames * 1686–1691
Sir William Trumbull Sir William Trumbull (8 September 163914 December 1716) was an English statesman who held high office as a member of the First Whig Junto. Early life Trumbull was born at Easthampstead Park in Berkshire and baptised on 11 September 1639. He ...
* 1690–1691
Sir William Hussey ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...
* Thomas Coke (chargé d'affaires only) * 1691–1692 William Harbord * 1692–1702 William, Lord Paget *
Sir James Rushout, 1st Baronet Sir James Rushout, 1st Baronet (22 March 1644 – 16 February 1698), of Northwick Park, Worcestershire, was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1670 and 1698. Rushout was the fifth but only surviving son of ...
(nominated only) *
George Berkeley, 1st Earl of Berkeley George Berkeley, 1st Earl of Berkeley PC FRS (1628 – 10 October 1698) was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1654 until 1658 when he succeeded to the peerage. Life Berkeley was the son of George Berkele ...
(nominated only) * 1700–1717 Sir Robert Sutton * 1716–1718 Edward Wortley-Montagu * 1717–1730
Abraham Stanyan Abraham Stanyan (c. 1669–1732) was a British diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1715 to 1717. He was ambassador to Austria and the Ottoman Empire. Stanyan was the eldest son of Lawrence Stanyan of Monken Hadley, Middl ...
* 1729–1736
George Hay, 8th Earl of Kinnoull George Henry Hay, 8th Earl of Kinnoull (23 June 1689 – 28 July 1758), styled as Viscount Dupplin from 1709 to 1719, was a British peer and diplomat. He was the eldest son of Thomas Hay, 7th Earl of Kinnoull and Elizabeth, daughter of William ...
* 1735–1746 Sir Everard Fawkener * Stanhope Aspinwall (chargé d'affaires only) * 1746–1762 James Porter * 1761–1765
Henry Grenville Henry Grenville (11 September 1717 – 22 April 1784) was a British diplomat and politician. Grenville was born into a family of politicians. His father was Sir Richard Grenville, MP; one of his elder brothers was Earl Temple, a governmen ...
* William Kinloch (chargé d'affaires only) * 1765–1775 John Murray * Anthony Hayes (Chargé d'affaires only) * 1775–1794
Sir Robert Ainslie Sir Robert Ainslie, 1st Baronet ( – 21 July 1812) was a British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire (Ottoman Porte), orientalist and numismatist. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the rotten borough of Milborne Port in Somerset between 1796 ...
* 1794–1795
Robert Liston Robert Liston (28 October 1794 – 7 December 1847) was a British surgeon. Liston was noted for his speed and skill in an era prior to anaesthetics, when speed made a difference in terms of pain and survival. He was the first Professor of Cli ...
* Spencer Smith (Chargé d'affaires) *
Francis James Jackson Francis James Jackson (December 1770 – 5 August 1814) was a British diplomat, ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Prussia and the United States. Career Francis Jackson entered the diplomatic service aged only 16 and served as a Foreign Office ...
(never took up appointment) * 1799–1803
Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin and 11th Earl of Kincardine (; 20 July 176614 November 1841) was a British nobleman, soldier, politician and diplomat, known primarily for the controversial procurement of marble sculptures (known as the Elgin Ma ...
* Alexander Straton (Chargé d'affaires) * 1803–1804 William Drummond * 1804–1807
Charles Arbuthnot Charles Arbuthnot (14 March 1767 – 18 August 1850) was a British diplomat and Tory politician. He was Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire between 1804 and 1807 and held a number of political offices. He was a good friend of the Duke of Welling ...
* 1809–1810 Robert Adair * 1810–1812 Stratford Canning Minister Plenipotentiary * 1812–1820
Robert Liston Robert Liston (28 October 1794 – 7 December 1847) was a British surgeon. Liston was noted for his speed and skill in an era prior to anaesthetics, when speed made a difference in terms of pain and survival. He was the first Professor of Cli ...
* 1820–1824 Percy Clinton, 6th Viscount Strangford.


Consuls


At Smyrna

* 1611–1624 William Markham * 1624–1630 William Salter * 1630–1633 Lawrence Green * 1633–1634 James Higgins * 1634–1635 John Freeman * 1635–1638
Edward Bernard Edward Bernard (1638 – 12 January 1697) was an English scholar and Savilian professor of astronomy at the University of Oxford, from 1673 to 1691. Life He was born at Paulerspury, Northamptonshire. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, ...
* 1638–1643
Edward Stringer Air Marshal Edward Jackson Stringer, is a senior Royal Air Force officer. Since April 2018 he has served as Director-General of the Defence Academy. He also served as Director-General of Joint Force Development, Strategic Command from April ...
* 1644–1649
John Wilde John Wilde (December 12, 1919 – March 9, 2006, pronounced "WILL-dee") was a painter, draughtsman and printmaker of fantastic imagery. Born near Milwaukee, Wilde lived most of his life in Wisconsin, save for service in the U.S. Army during Wor ...
* 1649–1657 Spencer Bretton * 1659–1660
William Prideaux William Prideaux Courtney (1845–1913) was a British biographer and civil servant. Writing as W. P. C., he was a contributor to the first edition of the '' Dictionary of National Biography''. He was the brother of Leonard Courtney, 1st Baron Cour ...
* 1660–1661 Richard Baker * 1661–1667
William Cave William Cave (30 December 1637 – 4 August 1713) was an English divine and patristic scholar. Life Cave was born at Pickwell, Leicestershire, of which parish his father, John Cave was vicar. He was educated at Oakham School and St John's Co ...
* 1667–1677
Paul Rycaut Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...
* 1677–1703 William Raye * 1703–1716 William Sherrard * 1716–1722 John Cooke * 1722–1723 George Boddington * 1733–1741 Francis Williams * 1741–1742
Thomas Carleton General Thomas Carleton (c. 1735 – 2 February 1817) was an Irish-born British Army officer who was promoted to colonel during the American Revolutionary War after relieving the siege of Quebec in 1776. After the war, he was appointed as L ...
* 1742–1762 Samuel Crawley * 1762–1794 Anthony Hayes * 1794–1825 Francis Werry


At Aleppo

* 1580–1586 William Barrett * 1586–1586 James Toverson * 1586–1586
John Eldred John Eldred (1552–1632) was an English traveller and merchant. His ''Journal of his Voyage to Tripoli and Bassora'' is reproduced in Richard Hakluyt's ''Principal Navigations'' of 1599. Early life Eldred was born in 1552 at New Buckenham in Nor ...
* 1592–1594 Michael Locke * 1596 George Dorrington (acting vice-consul) * 1596–1596 Thomas Sandys * 1596–1597
Ralph Fitch Ralph Fitch (1550 – 1611) was a gentleman merchant of London and one of the earliest British travellers and merchants to visit Mesopotamia, the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, south Asia & Southeast Asia. At first he was no chronicler but he d ...
* 1597–1597 Richard Colthurst * ''vacant'' * 1606 James Hawarde (acting vice-consul) * 1606–1610
Paul Pindar Sir Paul Pindar (1565–1650) was a merchant and, from 1611 to 1620, was Ambassador of King James I of England to the Ottoman Empire. Born in Wellingborough and educated at Wellingborough School Pindar entered trade as the apprentice to an Ital ...
* 1610–1616 Bartholomew Haggatt * 1616–1621 Libby Chapman * 1621–1627
Edward Kirkham Edward is an English language, English given name. It is derived from the Old English, Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements ''wikt:ead#Old English, ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and ''wikt:weard#Old English, weard'' "gua ...
* 1627–1630 Thomas Potton * 1630–1638 John Wandesford * 1638–1649
Edward Bernard Edward Bernard (1638 – 12 January 1697) was an English scholar and Savilian professor of astronomy at the University of Oxford, from 1673 to 1691. Life He was born at Paulerspury, Northamptonshire. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, ...
* 1649–1659 Henry Riley * 1659–1672 Benjamin Lannoy * 1672–1686
Gamaliel Nightingale Captain Sir Gamaliel Nightingale, 9th Baronet (15 February 1731 – January 1791) was an English landowner and Royal Navy officer. Early life and family Sir Gamaliel was born at Kneesworth Hall, his family seat. He was the son of Sir Edward N ...
* 1686–1689 Thomas Metcalfe * 1689–1701 Henry Hastings * 1701–1706 George Brandon * 1707–1715 William Pilkington * 1716–1726
John Purnell John Purnell D.D. was an English academic administrator at the University of Oxford. Between 1716 and 1726 Purnell was Consul acting for the Levant Company at Aleppo. Purnell was elected Warden (head) of New College, Oxford, in 1740, a post h ...
* 1727–1740
Nevil Coke Nevil may refer to: Surname: * Alex Nevil (born 1965), American actor and younger brother of Robbie Nevil *Dwight Nevil (born 1944), American professional golfer *Robbie Nevil (born 1958), American pop singer-songwriter/producer/guitarist Given n ...
* 1740–1745 Nathaniel Micklethwait * 1745–1751 Arthur Pollard * 1751–1758 Alexander Drummond * 1758–1758 Francis Browne * 1759–1766 William Kinloch * 1766–1768 Henry Preston * 1768–1770
William Clark William Clark (August 1, 1770 – September 1, 1838) was an American explorer, soldier, Indian agent, and territorial governor. A native of Virginia, he grew up in pre-statehood Kentucky before later settling in what became the state of Misso ...
* 1770–1772 Charles Smith (pro-consul) * 1770–1783 John Abbott * 1783–1784 David Hays (pro-consul) * 1784–1786 Charles Smith (pro-consul) * 1786–1791 Michael de Vezin (pro-consul) * factory closed 1791–1803 * 1803–1825 John Barker


Shipping numbers: Turkey and the Levant


Chaplains


Decline

Membership began declining in the early eighteenth century. In its decline the Company was looked upon as an abuse, a drain on the resources of Britain. The Company's purview was thrown open to free trade in 1754, but continued its activities until dissolution in 1825. The name of the bird called 'turkey' came from the Turkey merchants. Turkish opium was bought by the Levant Company. The Levant Company encompassed American merchants before 1811 who bought Turkish opium. These merchants would sell the opium to the Chinese, beginning in 1806. Among these American Turkey merchants were members of the famous Astor family.


Heraldry

The arms of the Levant Company were: ''Azure, on a sea in base proper, a ship with three masts in full sail or, between
two rocks Two Rocks is an outer suburb at the northern edge of Perth, the state capital of Western Australia, located northwest of the city's central business district. It is part of the City of Wanneroo local authority and represents the furthest nor ...
of the second, all the sails, pennants, and ensigns argent, each charged with a cross gules, a chief engrailed of the third, in base a seahorse proper''. * The crest was: ''On a wreath of the colours, a demi seahorse saliant''. * The supporters were: ''Two seahorses''. * The Latin
motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...
was: ''Deo reipublica et amicis'' ("For God, the Commonwealth and our Friends").As recorded in the


See also

*
Chartered companies A chartered company is an association with investors or shareholders that is incorporated and granted rights (often exclusive rights) by royal charter (or similar instrument of government) for the purpose of trade, exploration, and/or coloniza ...
*
British foreign policy in the Middle East British foreign policy in the Middle East has involved multiple considerations, particularly over the last two and a half centuries. These included maintaining access to British India, blocking Russian or French threats to that access, protecting ...


Notes


References


Manuscripts

* * Harley MSS, 306 Standing Ordinances of the Levant Company (ff.72-4) c.1590 * Lansdowne MSS. 60 Petition of the Turkey and Venice Merchants to be incorporated into one body (f.8) c.1590-1 * MSS Bodleian Library Folio 665, (i List of the Membership of The Levant Company, 1701 (ff.97-8) * British Museum, 1718. Paragraphs of Some Letters to Prove the Reasonablness of The Levant Company 's late order to carry on their trade by general ships, Bodleian Pamphlets, Folio 666, ff.288-9. * 1718–1719, The Case of The Levant Company, British Museum. 351–356, 6(40) * 1825, Proceedings of The Levant Company respecting the Surrender of their Charters, BM6/6259


Sources

* * * * Covers the years of the periodic charterers, 1581–1605 and the permanent charter to 1640. * * * * * *


Further reading

* * * * * * *


External links

* http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail?coll_id=18428&inst_id=118 {{Authority control Chartered companies Trading companies of England Defunct companies of England 1592 establishments in England Trading companies established in the 16th century Organizations established in the 1590s British companies disestablished in 1825 Defunct shipping companies of the United Kingdom Elizabethan era Economic history of England Economy of the Ottoman Empire