Lamartine and his Agricultural Exploitation Project in Turkey

Abstract

Financially ruined by his expenses in 1848, Lamartine decided to venture into an agricultural exploitation project in Turkey. In that time period, there was a wealthy French presence in Turkey whose affairs went well. Lamartine approached Ottoman authorities who granted him a vast piece of land. The writer visited Turkey for the second time and was very pleased with the Sultan’s generosity. Lamartine hopes that the cultivation of this land will allow him to overcome his financial crisis. He lacks however the necessary financial means to cultivate this large piece of land. He tries either to borrow money from his friends in France, Belgium and England, or to lease in counterpart, for a short period of time, some pieces of the allocated land. He does not succeed. Meanwhile the Sublime Porte is worried by Lamartine’s efforts to lease out a part of his land to cause international political problems. As a result, the Porte withdraws the piece of land and allocates an annual sum of money.