PELISSIE DU RAUSAS: LE REGIME DES CAPITULATIONS DANS L EMPIRE OTTOMAN. PARIS 1902-1905 First edition, in 8vo, complete in two volumes, contemporary leather over boards,499p.,515p., text clean and bright, overall in almost fine condition. De Rausas was professor of Law in the Levant. The Capitulations, a series of treaties (beginning since the early 16th century) had huge impact on every aspect of social and commercial life in the Levant for centuries.Foreigners were excluded from Ottoman Law,from taxation up to family matters and were subject of the laws of their own countries. The Consular of the country of origin played the role of judge.From the early 19th century many locals, mostly Greeks, achieved to take foreign nationality to evade taxes and duties.Du Rausas analyzed how these exemptions were the primary cause of the economic struggle of the Ottoman State. He described very accurately the legal system that boosted the Greek economic control in late 19th century all over the Levant. He explained how the system was abused through the berat system where local Ottoman subjects obtained foreigner protection effectively removing themselves completely from any Ottoman jurisdiction.Finally he concluded that although the Capitulations were originally planned to promote trade, by the end of 19th century they were used for European political interference. Very rare scientific account from a local resident about the social and economic frame in the Ottoman Levant