Friday, August 22, 2008

Jews doctors as ambassadors in Ottoman Empire

After the conquest of Cyprus sultan selim 2 established 500 Jewish families on the Island and appointed Joseph Nassi as duke of Naxos. The German King Maximilian II asked Nassi to interfere in favour of Alexander Lapusneanu who was in disgrace. In 1569 Nassi had a treaty signed between Charles 9, of France and Selim II. In 1574, the palace doctor Solomon Nathan Eskenazi was sent to Venice as ambassador. The treaty between the Ottomans and Spain being under discussion, the Spaniards tried to btibe Eskenazi. Eskenazi gave them a lession in honesty and the treaty was signed in favour of Turkey.

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