Kilia - a Genoese colony on the Danube, in the light of aAntonio di Ponzò's notarial records of 1360-1361

Strona wydawcy: https://www.wuj.pl

In the late 13th century the Genoese Republic extended its commercial operations to the Black Sea and in effect monopolized Europe's trade with the East. The period of ambitious expansion was followed in the 14th century by a rise of local markets. They held on to a relatyvely narrow territorial base and yet were able to generate substantial profits. One of such local centres was Kilia on the Danube where Genoese commercial activities reached their peak in the 1350s and 1360s. Thanks to the discovery of a file of notarial acts compiled by Antonio di Ponzd in 1360-1361 we have been able to get a broad insight into the life of a typical Genoese colony in that period. Kilia was an urban settlement. The administration of the colony, appointed by Genoa's consulate, was situated in the centre, flanked by rows of warehouses and residential homes owned by West-European as well as Levantine merchants. Kilia had a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic population. Its economic life was dominated by West-European merchants, yet a considerable amount of business was conducted by traders of East- Mediterranean background, first of all Greeks, but also Tartars, Armenians, Jews, and the locals. The overall impression is that Kilia must have been a vibrant, multicultural urban settlement kept going by the unflagging spirit of Genoese enterprise. It was after all the merchant community from Genoa that took the risk of setting up a trading outpost at the mouth of the Danube. The Genoese connection turned the place into a local market within a major trade network. Kilia's principal commodity was corn grown in the Danube basin. It came down the river to be shipped to Pera and Constantinople, and from there to Genoa.