Capitulations at the Treaty of Lausanne

The word 'capitulation' usually refers to a country granting various concessions and privileges to the citizens and consulates of another country on her lands, which might be financial, commercial, legal, administrative, etc.

When the Ottoman Empire began to give these concessions to the European states and their citizens in the 16^th century, the circumstances and the purpose were different. The Empire was on the rise; it was believed that such privileges, granted in line with the circumstances of the time, would contribute to the economy. The Empire failed to see the repercussions of this risky move.

Capitulations were first given to Venetians during the reign of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, then to the French during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, followed by other states, most notably Britain. In the beginning, the capitulations were limited to the lifespan of the Sultans who granted them, but with an agreement signed with France in 1740, became permanent. After this date, capitulations granted to the great powers, most notably Britain, created severe issues in the Ottoman economy, industry, and justice system, among others. Over time, commercial and legal privileges increased and caused major problems in the 19^th century. While in the beginning, the privileges were unilateral and served the interests of the Ottoman Empire, they later completely changed into a system where some rights of the Ottoman Empire were entrusted to foreign states through bilateral agreements.

The British deep state led the others in managing and controlling these privileges, sometimes explicitly and sometimes behind closed doors.