Greek merchants in the 16th century Romanian Principalities. New case study: the Vorsi Family
Greek merchants in the 16th century Romanian Principalities. New case study: the Vorsi Family

Summary/Abstract: This research has brought to light a family of Greek tradesmen originating in the Island of Chios, who started their activity, at the latest, during the seven decade of the 16th century. In the beginning they had modest business and it was only when they settled in Moldavia that they took the leap to the large traffic of goods and acquired the status of merchants. The fact they gave loans to the princes of the Romanian Principalities created the conditions for privileged positions in the local administrative, financial and economic systems: grand customs officer and prince’s merchant. From these positions, the Vorsis capitalized all the opportunities that Moldavia could provide at the end of the 16th century. The most obvious and profitable were leasing the right to levy customs taxes on behalf of the prince and carrying out trading operations exempted from customs duties to Moldavia: the export of cattle to Poland, the export of cattle skins, beeswax and wool to Italy; the import of Western fabrics from Poland and Italy; the transit of Malmsey, Oriental fabrics and other Turkish goods to Poland; the transit of Western fabrics to the Ottoman Empire. The obvious success of all of these businesses would lead the family’s second generation to a rapid social rise that would rapidly bring with it involvement in the politics of that time. Finally, the Vorsis are portrayed in the classical image of the merchant involved in long-distance trade, as described by Fernand Braudel: educated and well informed, opportunist through his openness towards all categories of goods that could bring good profits, he teams with state authorities when he can, and when fortune smiles on him he shows high social ambitions.

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