William Harborne

William Harborne of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (c.1542–1617) was a diplomat, businessman, and English Ambassador to the Ottoman empire, appointed by Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Establishment of the British Embassy in Constantinople

Following a visit to Constantinople in 1575 by British merchants John Wright and Joseph Clements, Harborne was employed in 1578 by a group of British merchants to travel to Constaninople, via Poland, and obtain permission from the Sultan Murat III for British ships to trade in Ottoman ports. Previously only the French had enjoyed this privilege, which was granted to Harborne in 1580 following negotiations with Sadrazam Sokullu Mehmed Pasha, and correspondence between Queen Elizabeth I and the Sultan.

Harborne thus became British Ambassador, in the pay of the Levant Company, an association of traders created for this purpose, led by Edward Osborne and Richard Staper, who had accompanied Harborne on his visits.

Harborne sailed to Constantinople from London in 1583 bearing lavish gifts for the Sultan including an expensive clock. [ [http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1053446568285 History British Embassy, Turkey ] ] [ [http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101012234 William Harborne : Oxford Biography Index entry ] ]

Harborne played a key role in preventing the Ottoman Empire from supporting catholic Spain in the war with protestant England that was taking place at the time. Harborne was able to persuade the Porte that Spain was a threat to peace for all of Europe. Although he was unable to obtain a military alliance with the Ottomans, the Spanish-Ottoman protocol was not renewed in 1587.

Harborne also succeeded in obtaining from the Ottomans capitulations and other tariff reductions for British goods, and was charged with obtaining samples and information regarding dyestuffs and fabrics used in the production of cloth and clothing in Turkey at that time.

Harborne was succeeded as ambassador in 1588 by Sir Edward Barton, by which time trade had begun to thrive and the post was one of the most powerful positions in the British foreign service [Susan Skilliter, William Harborne and the Trade with Turkey, 1578-1582 (London: British Academy, 1977)] .

Buried in Mundham Church, Norfolk

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