THE CREATION OF LEVANTINE LITERATURE THROUGH THE PERSPECTIVE OF LAST LEVANTINS

Abstract

The Levantines, descendants of the Latins of Constantinople, integrated into the Ottoman Empire after the 1453 conquest, by forming a hybrid community of Western and Eastern influences. These families, often Genoese, benefited from diplomatic protection and tax exemptions thanks to their diplomatic position in Western embassies in Constantinople. As they were speaking several languages, their culture reflected their international mobility and their adaptation to a multi-religious and multi-cultural community. Although geopolitically located at the crossroads of exchanges between East and West, they developed a distinct identity, influenced by trade, religious missions and diplomatic relations, while contributing to a unique travel literature and an affirmed cultural richness. Travel writing reflects the varied opinions of individuals in society and contributes to the emergence of a new literature. Travel diaries of diplomats, drogmans, tradesman, priests/priestes reveal the social and cultural impact of interactions within the Ottoman Empire, where diplomatic events such as Venetian receptions strengthened bilateral relations and the prestige of nations. In the 19th and 20th centuries, French, which became the lingua franca of the Eastern Mediterranean, fostered cultural and commercial exchanges. Through Franco-Ottoman newspapers, French as a language of communication united diverse communities, creating a neutral and strategic bridge between East and West.