The Sortavala merchant class in 1643-1918

The article, based on the Finnish research sources and archive materials, is devoted to the role of trade and merchant class in the history of Sortavala - the largest city of the Northern Ladoga area. The author analyses the Sortavala trade links, the volume of the trade, the number and structure of the Sortavala merchants at different time periods, the trade and philanthropic activity of the main merchant families, etc.