Consul s, particularly the representatives of Western nations from the early nineteenth century onwards, are relevant for the Islamic world both as agents of their countries' imperialistic policies and as the authors of primary sources-methodologically often problematic-about the Islamic world. The first foreign consuls in Muslim territory were probably those in Mamlūk Egypt or in the Black Sea ports under Mongol control at the turn of the seventh/thirteenth century, and they were undoubtedly Italian (or Italianate). During this early period, the consul's role was strictly commercial.