Privateering and trade in the 16th- and 17th-century Mediterranean. The ambiguities of a confrontation
Presented by Pr. Géraud Poumarède from Sorbonne University
Organized by the Embassy of France in Malta with Alliance Française de Malte Mediterranée
The merits of the Order of St John in the fight against the Ottomans were generally praised by European sovereigns, and its assistance was sought in major conflicts against the Sublime Porte. But the predations that accompanied it were also criticised by the Kingdom of France, Venice and sometimes by the papacy itself.
An analysis of these recurring tensions reveals that the Mediterranean was more open to movement and trade than it might appear.
The lecturer
Géraud Poumarède is a Professor at Sorbonne University. He is considered one of the leading specialists in the history of Mediterranean diplomacy and the Venetian Empire in the modern era. His book Pour en finir avec la Croisade : Mythes et réalités de la lutte contre les Turcs au XVI et XVIIème siècle will be available for purchase.