Articles Related to Trade in the Political Agreements of the Bahri Mamluk’s

Abstract

In this study, the articles related to trade in the political treaties established by the Bahri Mamluks are discussed. During the period of the Crusaders, the Mamluks, like their predecessors Ayyubids, continued their political struggles with the Crusaders. In addition to the ongoing wars between the parties, many treaties have been concluded to ensure the continuation of political and economic interests. It is noteworthy that many articles concerning trade and merchants are included in these treaties. This situation is important in terms of showing the importance that the parties of the treaties attach to the regular continuation of international trade. In addition to supplying the imported goods that the countries needed, the merchants were a significant source of income for the states due to the customs taxes they paid on the goods and commodities they traded. The Middle Age was a risky period in many respects as well as for traders who had to go to different countries for their trading activities. In particular, any war or political tension between the two states could adversely affect trade and merchants as well as the peoples of the region. For this reason, some commercial issues such as the safety of the trade routes, the security of the life and the property of the traders and the state guarantee of the goods of the traders who suffered losses were guaranteed by many articles in the political treaties and thus the uninterrupted continuation of international trade was aimed.