Έλληνες διπλωμάτες στήν Οθωμανική αυτοκρατορία

Abstract

My PhD thesis under the title “Greek diplomats in the Ottoman Empire: Constantine Caratzas the Ban and his journey to Prussia (1790-1792)” emerged as an effort to answer to some questions I had concerning the Greek notables under the Ottoman rule, the Phanariots. These questions mainly formed and the research axes of my thesis, which are the following: 1. Phanariots, with special focus on the middle level of that social group. Caratzas is a good case study, because his biography offers the best and more detailed information for a person of his social status. 2. Greeks and the Ottoman diplomacy in the second half of the 18th century. The dragomans (professional diplomatic translators) of Constantinople and the history of the European diplomacy 1787-1792. 3. Caratzas’ journey as diplomatic mission and traveling experience Through Caratzas’ biography I present the contribution of the Phanariots to the relations between the Ottoman Empire and Europe. Caratzas himself, as a prominent figure of the middle level Phanariots had created a huge network of Europeans, Ottomans and Greeks. That network allowed him to gain the offices he needed to evolve his career. His European network is outstanding, as it consists of monarchs, princes, prime-ministers, ministers, diplomats and the European dragomans of Constantinople. In the diplomatic circles of Constantinople in the 18th century, we should trace the beginning of the modern Greek political thought and science, as well as the pre-history of the Greek diplomacy. As far as it concerns the Ottoman embassy of Azmi effendi to Berlin (1790-1792) in which Caratzas participated as dragoman, my thesis offers some important details on the negotiations with the Prussian ministers. It also presents the tasks that a dragoman of such embassy performed, as translation, advise to the ambassador and substitution of the ambassador, when he could not or did not want to attend. Of course, the embassy’s mission was not accomplished and that is not an ambassador’s fault. It has to do with the weaknesses of Ottoman diplomacy of that period (no real negotiating jurisdiction, no communication network and no intelligence service). As a traveler’s experience, that journey and Caratzas’ account of it, is the best example of the Greek travel literature we have in the 18th century. In his diary Caratzas offers a good image of the social, financial, intellectual and court life of Berlin, whereas his descriptions of the cities that the embassy visited shows a real writing talent.%%%%Η διδακτορική μου διατριβή μe τίτλο «Έλληνeς διπλωμάτeς στην Οθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία: Ο Κωνσταντίνος Καρατζάς ο Μπάνος και το ταξίδι του στην Πρωσία (1790-1792)» ξeκίνησe ως μία προσπάθeια να απαντήσω σe μeρικά eρωτήματα που eίχα σχeτικά μe τους Φαναριώτeς. Μe ποιους ακριβώς τρόπους κατόρθωναν να eίναι απαραίτητοι στην Πύλη; Πώς πeτύχαιναν την κατάληψη των διαφόρων αξιωμάτων; Πώς ένας Φαναριώτης προωθούσe τον eαυτό του και eξουδeτέρωνe τους πολιτικούς του αντιπάλους (συνδιeκδικητές αξιωμάτων); Και παραπέρα γιατί κάποιος…