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Bedlam In Beirut: A British Perspective In 1826, Theophilus C. Prousis

Theophilus C. Prousis

Foreign consuls from European states compiled countless communiques about the state of the Ottoman Empire during the turbulent early nineteenth century, a period fraught with internal and external crises triggered by war, revolt, sectarian tension, the breakdown of once effective governing institutions, and European rivalries associated with the Eastern Question. Consular records offer firsthand information and a treasure trove of detail on economic, commercial, social, political, and military conditions in the Ottoman world. By relating specific incidents, episodes, and situations, eyewitness commentaries by consuls provide insight into urban and rural affairs and shed light on the human dimension of everyday …