Economic Activities of the Bulgarian Community in Thessaloniki (Second Half of the 19th – Early 20th Centuries)

The city of Thessaloniki (Selânik, Solun, Salonica) has been an important maritime and commercial center even before its conquest by the Ottomans in 1430. It became the most significant commercial port in the European territories of the Ottoman Empire after the capital, Constantinople, and the largest trade hub in the region of Macedonia. By the end of the Ottoman period, a substantial part of the road and railway infrastructure passed through Thessaloniki, connecting the imperial capital with Europe and the secondary urban centers of the region. In the 19th century, Thessaloniki was a central vilayet city, playing an important role in the economic, national, and political development of the Bulgarian population in the European vilayets of the Ottoman Empire. However, through their economic activities, the Bulgarians also contributed to the city’s evolution. The aim of this study is to outline the main directions of their economic activities in order to properly assess their contribution to the growth of Ottoman Salonica. This requires clarifying the question of the size and social composition of the Bulgarian community in the city, as well as the sectors in which they were professionally engaged. Other important aspects of the topic include whether there were significant industrial and commercial enterprises owned by Bulgarians and the relationship between economic opportunities and the socio-political activity of different social strata among the Bulgarians in Thessaloniki.