Tatar merchants in the markets of the Near and Middle East in the XIX century

The article is devoted to determining the role and importance of the Tatar merchant class in the development of foreign trade relations of the Russian Empire with the markets of the Near and Middle East during the XIX century. The author reveals the ethno-confessional features of the participation of Tatar traders in the specified region, the role and importance of the community of culture, religion, language with the peoples of the East, as well as the historical ties of the Tatars of the Volga region and Crimea with the Asian states. The article contains an overview of the leading centers of foreign trade in the Near and Middle East, the features of trade operations and traditions, the main trade routes, vehicles, etc. The author pays special attention to the trade of Tatar pilgrims during the Hajj to Mecca and Medina, in the markets of Iran, Syria and Iraq, Palestine, Hejaz and Nejd as part of the Ottoman Empire. He reveals the range and volumes of goods sold and purchased by Tatar merchants in the markets of the Middle East, as well as the prices of goods. The article presents a variety of statistical material characterizing the foreign trade relations of the Russian Empire with the states and peoples of the specified region of the East. The author uses archival documents, mainly from the Archive of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire, as well as little-known pre-revolutionary publications in Russian, English, French, Spanish, and Turkish.