Gold For the Sultan: Western Bankers and Ottoman Finance, 1856-1881

by Christopher Clay

The financial collapse of the Ottoman government in 1875 was a pivotal event in the history of the Middle East. Based on extensive use of both financial and diplomatic sources, this book is an economic history of Ottoman finances in the context of the larger political and diplomatic history of the Empire. It covers the reasons for the bankruptcy, examining the lack of financial controls and the consequent accumulation of debt.

448 pages, Hardcover

First published March 21, 2001