Upstairs, Downstairs: British Diplomatic Travellers in 18th Century Istanbul

March 28, 2023
6.30pm UK time
Talks are free for LHF & Royal Asiatic Society members but booking essential: https://gemma-masson-presentation.eventbrite.co.uk

Royal Asiatic Society, 14 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HD

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3rd joint event Levantine Heritage Foundation with the Royal Asiatic Society gathering in London with guest speaker Dr Gemma Masson

In the 18th century Ottoman Empire, international interactions shifted from warfare to trade and diplomacy, resulting in a significant number of European diplomats arriving in Istanbul. Historians should not limit themselves to official documents and instead extend the definition of diplomatic travellers to include their families and retinues. The author presents three different travellers who came to Istanbul as part of different diplomatic households to show that members of the household had experiences solely dictated by their diplomatic status and that information on diplomatic life can be gathered from other members aside from the official ambassadors.