ABSTRACT
Lucia's case suggests the importance of thinking about the role of movement in cross-cultural relations. Her decision to cross from Ottoman to Venetian territories and then to Venice represents what could happen when a woman attempted to place herself in a new political setting. But cases like Lucia's need to be explored not only in terms of the face-to-face contact but also in regard to connections that developed between individuals and the Ottoman state and to ties that existed between travelers and other powerful people in the Ottoman Empire who could influence events beyond imperial boundaries. Rather than thinking solely in terms of state diplomacy, Ottoman influence must be thought of in a very broad sense. Ottoman power in Venice was projected through envoys, treaties, institutions and personal influence. In many respects this expression of power reflected a microcosm of Ottoman social and political networks.
