The Forced Change in Agricultural Practices of the Greeks during the Rise of Maritime Trade in the Azov Sea Region

• In Event: At the Vanguard of Modernization: The Intertwined Histories of Animals and Empire in Ukraine

Abstract

To facilitate the annexation of the Crimean Khanate, the Russian Empire resettled over 30,000 Christians, primarily Greeks and Armenians, from the Crimean Peninsula to the Azov Sea region. The annexation and subsequent dissolution of the Crimean Khanate provided the Russian Empire with strategic access to the Black Sea and vast expanses of fertile chernozem soil. Focusing on the Greek population of the Azov region, this study examines the impact of the burgeoning maritime trade on the colonial policies of the Russian Empire in the area. How did the desire to expand arable land influence the reduction of land holdings among the Greeks and the restriction of sheep farming? What initiatives were proposed by state institutions in the region’s economy to enhance Russia’s export potential, and how did these initiatives align with the interests of the Greek population? This research investigates the case of the Greeks and their forced transition from traditional sheep herding to agriculture in the Azov Sea region, shaped by the deliberate policies of the Russian Empire. It also examines the significance of sheep products in the everyday life of the Greeks and their traditional rites, as well as in local and international maritime markets.

Author

• Svitlana Arabadzhy, Mariupol State U (Ukraine)