The Ottoman Sultan Who Sold His Empire's Ships for Grain

What happens when an empire's treasury runs dry and its sultan must choose between feeding his people and defending his coasts? In the late 18th century, the Ottoman Empire faced exactly that crisis under Sultan Abdülhamid I, a ruler who came to the throne after a devastating war with Russia. This episode of The Ottoman Empire and Its Influence on Modern Europe tells the story of the 1775 sale of seven Ottoman warships to the Spanish navy in exchange for grain shipments — a desperate trade that reveals the empire's crumbling finances and shifting priorities. We explore how the loss of Crimea, the humiliation of the 1774 Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca, and a massive earthquake in Istanbul forced Abdülhamid I to make impossible choices. Lucas and Luna discuss the role of the Kapudan Paşa (Grand Admiral) Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Paşa, the ship-of-the-line Mahmudiye, and the secret negotiations in Barcelona. This episode also examines how European powers like Spain exploited Ottoman weakness while maintaining diplomatic courtesies. It's a story of pragmatism, survival, and the painful adjustments of a declining empire. #OttomanEmpire #AbdülhamidI #CezayirliGaziHasanPasha #TreatyOfKucukKaynarca #Crimea #KapudanPasa #Mahmudiye #SpanishNavy #WarshipSale #18thCentury #NavalHistory #OttomanCrisis #KüçükKaynarca #Cezayirli #OttomanNavy #Barcelona #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo