In the late 18th century a vessel carrying about 50 tonnes of wheat passed through the Dardanelles to modern-day Ukraine. To transit the strait with that modest cargo, the merchant Apaştaş Parasara knew he would have to pay the Ottomans a fee for safe passage.
The duty, called İzn-i sefînei, was about 300 akçe, according to historical records, a measure of silver equivalent to about $15,000 today. It formed part of an elaborate series of tolls and permissions that the Ottomans levied on ships traversing to what they considered their private inland lake, the Black Sea.
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