Godge Sarhad

Godge Sarhad was one of the first Armenian silk merchants, originating from Iran, operating both in Amsterdam and the Levant. Armenian merchants played an important role in commerce between Muslim and Christian worlds. They were involved in long-distance trade with Asia and in the inter-European trade network.

In the early 1620s Godge Sarhad cooperated with the Dutch merchant Johan Schaep. Sarhad sent to Schaep nine bales of silk to Amsterdam in a Dutch ship. Shaep and another Amsterdam merchant, Matthijs Aertsen, were involved in selling these bales for Sarhad. The business went smoothly, with all parties satisfied.

There is also another transaction between Sarhad and Schaep known from a notarial act. In this act Schaep testified, at the request of Sarhad, that in the presence of Seloe Saarhat and a certain Armenian merchant Aganier, he had sold 40 bales of silk on behalf of Sarhad. Schaeop also declared that Sarhad had met his financial obligations towards him.