Publisher's description:
Analysing different conflicts in Late Medieval Alexandria, this book offers new insights into the micro-mechanics of Venetian life and trade in Egypt and recalibrates the narrative of the strictly regulated and often violent contacts between East and West. This thorough microanalysis, based on the private archive of a Venetian merchant and consul in Alexandria read in conjunction with other Venetian and Mamluk sources, provides a differentiated image of conflict patterns cutting across the cultural divide. It transforms our image of Alexandria as a city at the intersection of Orient and Occident into that of a microcosm in its own right where disputes did not always fall neatly along cultural divides and conflicts were traded as much as trade created conflicts.

Table of contents:
XIII List of Figures and Tables
XV Acknowledgements
XVII Transcription of Arabic Words and Unifijication of Date
1 I Introduction
PART ONE
FRAMEWORK: VENETIAN MERCHANTS IN ALEXANDRIA – BIOGRAPHY OF BIAGIO DOLFIN
19 II Levant Trade
45 III Venetian Commercial Privileges in the Mamluk Empire
55 IV The Venetian Consulate in Alexandria
97 V Biagio Dolfijin – Public Servant and Merchant
PART TWO
PRESUMED RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS
113 VI Crusade and Levant Trade
121 VII Slave Trade and Solidarities
143 VIII Venice as Protector of Pilgrims and the Importance of the cortexia
155 IX Per onor di san Marcho – Wanderings of St Mark's Head
167 X Shed Wine – Anti-Christian Riots in Alexandria?
PART THREE
CONFLICTS OVER THE SPICE TRADE FAIR
187 XI Prolungar la muda – Conflict over the Spice Fair's Deadline
209 XII Non per pato, ma per complaxer – Modalities of the Customs Clearance
229 XIII Per cholpa, defeto et triste maniere – The Conflict Surrounding the Sultan's Pepper
251 XIV The Case of Giacomo Zorzi: Release of a Debt Prisoner
PART FOUR
EPILOGUE AND CONCLUSION
273 XV Epilogue: Montar al Caiero – Quasi-Martyrdom of the Consul?
281 XVI Conclusion – Types of Truth
APPENDICES
293 I Partial Reconstruction of Biagio Dolfijin's Correspondence
305 II Transcription of Venetian Texts
307 III Documents
BIBLIOGRAPHY
331 1 Sources
335 2 Selected Studies
354 3 Reference Works
Index