British Consul James Brant and His Reports on the Problems in Erzurum and Muş

Recently, there has been renewed interest in the activities and influences of the consulates in the Ottoman territories. In particular, the reports and activities of the British consuls, who examined the regions in which they were located in great detail, attract the attention of researchers. The increase in the number of consulates and the boost in their importance were the results of the development of transportation facilities in the early 19th century. In this process, states could get raw materials and new markets through information from consulates. The British wanted the Ottomans to remain strong against the Russians. One way to implement this policy was to establish a consular network in the Ottoman territories. In this context, James Brant was assigned as the British consul of Erzurum on 29 April 1836 The principal objective of this study is to research how the British influenced the Ottoman provincial administration, as well as how Brant affected the appointment and removal of the governors. Besides, it is also tried to understand and explain what Brant did regarding the link of corruption extended from the capital to the most remote parts of the empire.