Russian Registry Certificate for the (brig) "Alexander A' " owned by Athanasios Sekiris.
Date: August 1819
Location: Russia
Stamp: Tsar Alexandros
The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca
On July 21, 1774, the Ottoman Empire and Russia sign the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca The Treaty ended the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774
Article III – Russia and the Ottoman Empire acknowledge all the Tartar peoples as free and independent nations, with freedom of religion and the freedom to be governed by their own ancient laws. Describes the withdrawal of troops from the lands they have ceded to the Tartars.
Article VII – The Sublime Porte promises constant protection of the Christian religion and its churches.
Article VIII – Subjects of the Russian Empire have the right to visit Jerusalem and other places deserving of attention in the Ottoman Empire. They will have no obligation to pay any tax or duty and will be under the strict protection of the law.
Article XI – The Sublime Porte will allow the residence of consuls from the Court of Russia to reside in Ottoman territory wherever the Court deems it expedient to establish said consuls. Prescribes free and unimpeded navigation for merchant ships of both countries. Subjects of both Empires may also trade on land.
The treaty opened the Black Sea to Russian merchant and navy ships. Until 1774, the Black Sea and the Straits were of exclusive use to the Ottoman ships. Article 11 of the Treaty now allowed the right of merchant ships of both parties to navigate freely on the seas which washed the shores of both empires. Russians bestowed the privilege of flying Russian flag on their ships to the Christian subjects of the Ottoman Empire. The inhabitants of the Archipelago islands who were skilled sailors and mainly Greek built large merchant fleets flying the Russian flag.
Article XVI – The Empire of Russia returns Bessarabia, the fortress of Bender, Wallachia and Moldavia. The Sublime Porte promises to in no way obstruct the free exercise of the Christian religion in these areas, and to grant to families who wish to leave the country a free emigration with all their property. And, from the day the treaty is established, the Sublime Porte will require no taxes of these people for two years. At the expiration of this two-year term, the Sublime Porte promises to treat them with fairness and respect in the taxes they impose.
Article XVII – Russia returns the islands of the Archipelago to the Sublime Porte. In turn, the Sublime Porte promises to observe amnesty of all crimes committed or suspected to have been committed by these people against the interests of the Sublime Porte. The Sublime Porte also promises to not oppress the Christian religion in the area, and to observe the same tax and emigration policies as mentioned in Article XVI.
Article XVIII & Article XIX & Article XX The Castle of Kinburn, the fortresses of Jenicale and Kertsch, the city of Azov shall belong to the Empire of Russia.
Source from Wikipedia