The Armenian Commercial Houses and Merchant Networks in the 19th Century Ottoman Empire

The aim of this article is to provide a synopsis of the Armenian merchant networks and commercials houses in the Ottoman Empire during the 19th century with a specific concentration on Istanbul. It will discuss some factors that led to the proliferation and the decline of the Armenian merchant networks and commercial houses in the Empire. It will also argue that it is impossible to discuss geographic representations of merchant networks and commercial houses in the Empire as separate entities. On the contrary all were interconnected, not only economically, but also through kinship bonds. Other factors ranging from development of commercial education, mechanization, morality and deteriorating ethnic relationships will be discussed as important factors in the proliferation of these networks and commercial houses and their subsequent decline