Poti Consulate of the Ottoman Empire

The contacts of the Ottoman Empire with the Caucasus region begin with Fatih Sultan Mehmet. However, the annexation of the city of Poti -being our topic- to the Ottoman Empire was the result of the Iranian Expedition of Lala Mustafa Pasha. Due to its geographical location and being a port city, from time to time it came out of the Ottoman Empire and came under the rule of Russia. After the Ottoman – Russian war of 1828 – 1829, Poti coming out of the Ottoman Administration, has now became a Russian city in 1793 within the scope of the embassy activitie starting with III. Selim, the Ottoman Empire established a consulate here in order to observe the rights and laws of the people of Ottoman-living in Poti. This conculate played an active role in Poti between 1863 – 1909. Our study focuses on the establisment of the Poti consulate, the officials working in Poti and the political, military, commercialand social activities of the Poti consulate.