In the Eye of the Storm: The Influence of Maritime and Trade Networks on the Development of Ostend and Vice Versa during the Eighteenth Century
In the Eye of the Storm: The Influence of Maritime and Trade Networks on the Development of Ostend and Vice Versa during the Eighteenth Century
This chapter explores the development of trade opportunities in the port of Ostend during the Eighteenth century, particularly the circular manner in which trade helped the port develop, which in turn brought in more people and further trade opportunities. It introduces Ostend as a relatively quiet port which began to develop once the Bruges-Ostend Canal opened in 1623 and facilitated the coast to inland trade. It analyses the privateering business in Ostend; the presence of Irish merchants and privateers on the Flemish coast; the impact of the Austrian Empire’s dominance of Ostend; the impact of war; and the mercantile careers of firm-owners Thomas Ray, Andreas Jacobus Flandrin, George Gregorie and Franꞔois Benquet. The conclusion states that the tumultuous political and economic factors ensconcing the port of Ostend offered significant trade opportunities, provided the merchants were versatile, specialist, and able to integrate into the community.
Keywords: Merchant Social Hierarchies, Port of Ostend, Port Communities, Bruges-Ostend Canal, Ostend Privateering, Austrian Empire, Irish Merchants
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