Les négociants juifs de Livourne et la mer au XVIIIe siècle

Abstract

Most of the Jew traders from Leghorn came to Tuscany by sea when they fled Spain and Portugal. However, in a port without any sea-going ship, they had to charter foreign boats to do their business. They played on competition between European skippers and by praticing loans "à la grosse aventure " ; therefore they often succeeded to control the ships which carried goods for them. They also had to worry about their overseas partners and brokers from northwestern Europe down to Middle East. According to changing economic and political situations, they must have a flexible strategy.