Levante#

Levant (from Italian "Levante" = Orient), name for the eastern Mediterranean countries, long the preferred area of Austrian trade policy. Under the reign of Maria Theresia, the Levant trade company was to break down the English, Dutch and French monopoly of Eastern trade and to promote Trieste by establishing a stock exchange. In 1836 the Oesterreichischer Lloyd was created, which facilitated maritime traffic with the Levant. The Maria-Theresien-Taler was also called Levant-thaler. Between 1867-1914 the Austrian-Hungarian post offices used separate stamps in the Levant region.

Literature#