UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI VENEZIA DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE STORICO-ARCHEOLOGICHE E ORIENTALISTICHE, QUADERNI DI STUDI ARABI 13 1995 DIVINATION, MAGIE, POUVOIRS AU YEMEN coordonné par Anne REGOURD HERDER EDITRICENOTE E DOCUMENTI (MARIA FIA PEDAN FABRIS A SEVENTEENTH CENTURY MUSLIM TRAVELLER IN PARIS 1a receat times seholars have pointed out the fact that there were more Muslim Seuato, soe manchor® dh prestargli ogni sssistenza per if proseguimeno del su Viaggio. Publica le grazie et g\"bonon resyutl in Venezia, e1 ‘rim i partie da Parigi vorrebbe riverre Sua Muesth Ingionta viene a Vosie Bovellcuve una tetera dell) Sep perso, al yuale condnus assistere in tutte Je cose, et dimani river Sus Maes Strangely enough no reccomendation about this person was ever sent to the amibassavor by the Senate that oa the other haad, wiote to the ambassador in Germany, Batista Nani, on the 6th of May 1656 to inform him that a Persian, called «Seifis ag. wine thud fed trom the Otoman amy in Crete, had reached Venice and was on the point of leaving the city to go back (0 his country by land, passing through the Hapsburg Lermitores to resch Tana and avoid Orioman lands*. All Ambasciatore in Germania Un tale Seifs agi persiano, che gid miliava in Candia ne gl'esereitt di Cusseino, di fuggito se a8 passat in quella eit dico doverss re per ordinw di yuo! se € divisando il camino della Germania ei ha sapplicao imperiali passaporsi da Sus Maesta, confonne vedereie dall'aggionto memoriale. Se pao la yest maturta che i rishiedesli non promovano discorsi e che il turlo come da vi posta exer considersto in quel wrmine dl piene graadezza onde yoghowe | prencipi codsolar chi 3 loeo rleone, cl rimetiismo alla vostrs pridenza. Questo solo vi diremo, che havendolo noi scxolto. ¢ col solito generese modo della Repubblica daiogl qualche segao della liberaliti del Seustw, voressino anche poter readsrio consolaio In questa richiesta, del modo perd che per propria capucitl virwosissims voi anderete bea compresiendo, Sep, «Seifis ap and the author of the letter from Pass seem to be the same person, bur it is ox clear why he went to France and if he was ceally u Persian or not, the same period other Muslims were tavelling in the Wes', According to Venetian records for instance, in 1652 an imerpreser a a jnissury reached Venice and thea proceeded to France; in April 1656 another Persisn, Yusuf, arived from Crete in ender to each Tana and Persia; between Ociober and November of the same year an Otloman, Mustafa, Wino fhud been token prisoner in that island, presented himself as an ambassador seut by the sultan and the valde to speak of peace. In 165R, according to the Venetian amaassador i the Emperor's cour, Tatar envoy was in Vienaa: ia the same period an unidentified traveller, who was well-informied about the international political situation, reached Leghom from Istanbul and was in contact with some Frenchmen, while tne Venetian [ASVe, Sour, Delbeactont Cort rg. 89.0. 48-9 His eter was in Otioman und on his seal there is clearly writen the Turkish fin (Gano) even if Mic ie Beal, Markov, he sale hs ameregn uh ac lpr and bah wade might also be ‘sed for dhe Orton sultan 29secretary Giovanni Battista Ballarin wrote to the Seaate thet a Tuck, whe knew Italian had been senk 10 spy disguised as a Persian, In 1659 a person irom Dubrovnik was in Lyons with letters from the grand vizier, and in 1660 an ambassador from Maghreb reached Marscilles and Paris. I iy possible that at least some of these people, if not all of them, were spies in the service of the Ottoman state, The fact thal «Sepy/Seyfi went to Pusis instead of Tana as he had Said may confirm this hypothesis? In 1656 the political situation in the Ottoman empire was at a turning point: during the first months of that year it was very confuses and it was possible that the ‘sultan ha seat ax envoy, that is to say Mustafa, to speak of peace without informing his councellors; but in Sepiember Képrii Mehmed pasha was appointed geand vizier and immediately the political amosphere changed: within a few years he succeeded in reorgunising the state ‘Even during the war the contacts between Venice ani! Istanbul were aot completely interrupted. The Venetian secretary Giovansi Battista Ballarin was able to maintain open the diplomatic channels even when the ambassador Giovanni Cappello was pul in prison ‘and whea he Was released and left Istanbul for Venice Rallarin took his place; thea in 1660, for his services, he was rewarded by being appointed cuncellier grande while he was til in the Levant. In fact be never managed to come back 10 his country 10 assume this appointment officially and died in 1666 while he was going 1o Crete. In the same period the French ambassador, Jean de La Haye, seigneur de Vantelet, was ia Istanbul ‘with his son: His mission was a very difficult one since France seemed to support the ‘Venetians and Koprild Mehmed pasha became his personal enemy as de La Haye di ‘not give him the uscill gifts when he became grand Vizier, thinking thal as he Was Very ‘old he would not remsin vitier for very long. In 1659 de La Haye too was imprisoned and on 21 July 1661 he left Istanbul, without the usual meeting wit the sultan! «Sep»’s journey 10 Paris was made during this period. The Venetians treated! him swell and gave him « passport with the Hope of creating another war front against she ‘Ottoman empire, renewing the links they had hed with Persia in past years. In fact during the whole Candian war the Senate wrote letters und sent ambassadors to the shalt to urge him to fight against the sultan! IF uh strange traveller was really in Quoman "ASNe, Senaie, Deliberecioni Costninopel, esp: 30-0612, WH-200: fogs 31,6 48: Inquisvor State b 1, 3 July 168k: Senate, Deleracions Cordh reg. 33. we: 90—40; rep. 38.68: 79 Ziv, 38.89, 224 tap, MOE HOE rep. 37, 6.43, YTS. 120¥. 139, 172: 19 GE Txedlan, Ballarine, Giewnn Barisan Diioro Biograficn det diem, vel. V Roma 163. pp. 970-571; Bueué Grammoot - Kunealp- Hits). Représensan’s permanent, 5p. 19-2. In fact the Senate pave th following tert the former “Persian”, Yas fr the sha WAL Re dh Persia. Dal cxnpo seni nel Repo nostro di Canc ® venat.a meters cote la proteaione: dels Repubbiiea il signorJusaf aga, sudo 4} Vests Maesth. Fu eg da rppreseniaitt nose ricevule st aseolt cou To forme dolla maggior wintesia, quali appunto of convengono all sfets che ccomeniame verso it codesty polsaussima nation, Si dichiarh doves. ub obewicnza de su ‘lia seit doonduesl jn pala, e beamando far il viggio dt tra per eshimcrst dat pencols del Taare, € dal dubio i rcadere nelle mano Turch, © potvenmio th questa ei, ova he pute 230spy. as everything seems to hint, he suecoeded in his mission thank: to the help of his enemies, His journey to Paris was more pleasant than that made in 1397 by the miiteferrika Mustafa, who wrote another letter to the lords of Venice: after a terrible experience in the land of France he declared hie happiness to have reached st las the Venetian Republic that he considered as his own country, In fact Venice offered @ Mostirn traveller many commodities he could not find in other Furopesm cities. At this point mention must be made of a book writen by 8 Seventeenth century French traveler in Istanbul, Guillaume Joseph Grelo, in which he states that he never heard so many inveetives agains the cleanness of the Europeans ss those he heard in Istanbul from the mouth of a Turk from Damascus who had been in Marseilles and Paris!*. “TRaNscRITTION eu St ELE tte Sl ee y ey pale 2 fie Ie Ai oor DAvaT ATE Wella milior dispositions. Hora, essendo di partenza, habbiamo suteatierh out nel preseute incontr. per pole iesimoniare alla Maestd Vortex la centinuata affetuona ‘sservanea della Repobilica verso codest gfande Reale Corona, ¢ dichisit isieme la promteeea a contrib senrpe a ogni iment tts Zl possi por le glvie« per 4 vantagg! mygicei dell ‘ue Serenissina Cara. A questi 'eppoctanba prereate porgs grande motive alla genctosits de" Suc} spit di fimamcateapplicar, mentee wl cers ah denich campy tancore, abuts Feroglio tuiebesce di vigore, oi sting ed) rispets, $1 Uova Kea fe turholenze imtelae ‘savagliosisine javota in vist guera quanta mal ingiusamete, © can vislasions Lede © de Pati solenpememte grat) premossn dalla ineatisbile vete Ulla Casi Otoemams dt rape gl sal Auui per sabi La monarcbla ualefsile,aluethniy sostenuts cop siporosa cistanya dalla Repubblica nostra, che con Uassstenza del Sianoe Dio protege delle cause gluse, ha potute rene delus | suoi vast dssegn. La Maes Westra urque dal aperura che sek raperesenus faorevlisina, et invita al un geneonisims dscttimente per le axurpation) fate allan Real Corona dal padain do Turck, © son la more St wtre ami glorions, ma} soumpsghale lle visio: pracaraiy i sacquinie del espsogli, monive la riselate yelgath delle Republica di propane sloo Pullme renpire (sere dst serlco comune © le contesion! dh quel govereo acillante maggionnente gh promettone gMacqaist € wionf ¢ le feicth tel intoprese che oroneranno et move glrie Hs Maest Su alla quale ef», ASVe, Yona, Deliberecian! Cort, reg, 38, cc. 3940, The stories of «Sep» and Yasul and the sbove-mentoned document are aot imeatiined by Guglieino Berchet, who collected about coe henéred documents concerning the relutonship bawees Pea and the Repubic of Venice from the XIV cto 1798. Cir G. Berchet, La Repubblica de Venetia e la Persia, Torino 1865; G. Betcha. La Republica di Veni lr Persia Numi decimentle rege, »Raceota Vent. V1 (1866), pp. 562 . Grelot. Relation nowielle dun vonage de Constantinople, Pars 1681p. 297-401; Redan, Jn ned Gran Signore, p98. a1BA ose HS Se te ey tet [eesrrrenseernee) Gren! Hy) a8 Ae aS pt Sy Beye FA Oe ON Sp pe Gun Sle 4 [evenarne] Sia pat fg iS Ame ay SB pg ayy Sty Spy iy ee Ge aS remot] Seay igs LF Sl oa any Lacy ey ey! PAE ofS ge peel GEL pila eatery pads Sieamady 6 hee ey BE ee eee ee hd ell ee ps se Be 7 Erk th! eo aS patel Salty saly| 35th yaa eag oily ile AB uA rhe see tpi dses # Free tS ot OS 2 Sar te Eek OS gig CE HL Ap tA Slap e P ER Se AB es S595 ply! Spel Maly Le yy ee eee 0 Say BSE Sy Oeie pela pose eg see hay Wate! daey e435 pip pu Coase gS Oe A genes Ul CARE a So eae LT ps I EG! Sgt as a pet ag ey Gale el 9s wale SESS ID PERE SUS LIL G55 plu! A de yd Gail dye ee milage lee EAS OS Jew git ULE gly Cte 19 Bt egies tole Bae a GIy aes 7 le cae LS Seb Set SG Steet US Maye pet! sie easly) SE Seas ares! ile Shad whe Hal yy OE aS heyy Ge EASE ee yey SSS IS BD pr Sige gl ak apeiebe cles Se pases I) Gye SS y lode pean peas Ly GSS 5 16 PS et oS ek AS page hd ay 9S eal Sze gi Sie SO nS eA 5 HAUS WIS OS ips Oy CHS eR yp IT ety eas hl ei hep ON YAS nya 4a! Sind S| gS i aah Marie Set aps oy sate ak ort igs OS 18 LAT THE RIGHT MARGIN) See ee eet AF ee te eee 2 BT aoe PS SS ee ee OD ws oak Selb 58 OOH UH Ee ee sally BL pee sS ple ee Sigs dat vEKs0) herding! 1 ee pe ey ee 232Als OLS gle pk lS gl aly, 3 a ives 4 Letra in clucco seritts da cer Saif) alli uobill di Venezia cou [1a] quale riggrustre delle ascoglienze che li sone procurate in vit dl pussapori per Mu ia Non sl covosce daw. “TRANSUTERATION 1 Kv), 2. Siaytad(ortlo ve) m@eCayrieNdd ve) “Gx)mceyA stwHMCDI, Weer», buneeCeriierrin(iyh bakpay(e) sedrifl(eirine yz ve) ghziCeye sbrerim censors) ‘ldtae Kis icici sande ve) aay (edNe sCadhanayn, HKady Tara ‘bazteduterrindtern rgamdr oda Xi hie bUe FUNKUINAZ hid gin ola. Amin t | Stwitan(pm «G(r sae bladyurinb by atuikudwinse aballsnae)a sual) Seri DiuiyartuyescainaGz. eadmACOXKClab, vie) almtian” Kh shbCate gb Pacis ‘edirine dab (olduk,ssseern) E(endtibm. isan etilgfbiz passports ile We)eiaingi xCayteiki vardle bu acuniuiaceya™ el wertnde dati ye) bYeya(im efie;nd(iyn exCeie gran dune Milayceinalinde, eger Geneve) viblayleh(inde. eB(ele Freadaksis widlaylediinde, s(uitanGdm batty ian!” bu (eIG0 Kaya ‘aim vi ayfen ee. Ve) bedtime “Caetanatenda suntan, bu quuiknhne Pare Kedhrine CONDE, snl, ihsan etl MeL ECO XG} slNtaNINMI}A esi Fradaksisga Custniyane Lolimeys vilkuikde! bu qiunlwimjea ot qandaye eiayten eum hi di te tari b(D1 dC Y(e) DeacM eFCeMdA ym, FrFanAsisqa CusCHniyanO, bu YlwKU BLL ae Kleven: Aiyaflenle edi is) qué klcre ManhSllokre ney gle Ged Mle) begin aiiain gdnder( bani, 4 P i Water ve he live. rete Hewiyrluisaria ete i elu, nt an om. do | ‘mekubu verde, petieds. 2339% sordirur™ v(e) ne Iazum ise b(udyurdir™®. H(Ujdaya m(a)'lumd{u)r ki bw gulwinuiea {ol olabar aye etmadidir Hi di le 1)"Wie ola, balun) ee Xe mde etrm ivdCiir, EAC y Ti) als, 10, b(adir(en(e dri “@dmrin® eGdyad eyledye citi olursa bile. olsa anBladq olur, Gledreedk i Vienieie ream air vie) bleak aude tan bu Bate, bu ACHR UIZCU)H ne gtaldlar bizmbelti wind, 11, Claimicsin Friadaksinge Costdniyane Lol g6:d"* ve yo! emilee ab vi Infaitch yaqirinda gidenz. S(adkan(im, AllaKa) iswairkaidke Hy ‘Keay'sh donner. 12, gonqEnaCayZ m(ayadis vie, Amin, Ya-mKo)'in le) HeeKi a (OH O¥IvCE NLU stuiljan(aim, Hialq Tlaytah bia dtr(eit(e)ri eBlepdle)n aman v{ie(ednse™, su ilyan(aim thsan eta name ie Sah0)'aeymptena 13, Mazeeillerine varG)raa, Ingle isi KF bu lau ne BlodvaCne soyletemm gleirekks S()meh dinter™ Kir dadnsCr. Insslah Taal aun(2nGA ervahids r(aham Stee 14, olur ye) enc maycaviviente eehiettim bu glaxis whlaycende gleinsbil Meveifaniiaden brim iyGQt vl) Keele WayleMs varigéa Bioinsh Sevediiche haan Gun HeikKei?™ yi 15. pata ki unud(aim?!: biedndm eftedndiim bu iyClikKeir aliaim olan unulm(a le: sneer mae olan unwary Taal MaaceniCes Sain olsun KE Bu aunlteniane 16. bu iit olCenrediek unocingwrn le) eMC SaradkeRtH xwranKDMD, bu a(ulantianz oq vilavien ve) Bey Sehr We) oq glade andi UaNaya ‘na uaa hi ae Meine gb See ge ‘17, dim vie) ne Véeyntedikde olaa gée(e)l gibi gizie gdrdim, vie) ne Qaindive gibi alae gOrdineB(or aay adam Weve i vane yallainwyler OO ier dinyala Vie)atenik 18, glibs g6aio) ModbGie YobUCaye, Vied(edikle olan goal! gland SledMirKednte Youe(oyr vle) Qlandiye aids qlarte bide padi&Abda yebduir HLoidara say omer. Bagi eyyam. Beam ba ts) ld Bi Loveera] Feta ne Jslernes | See nnCine Palz}, Siew 2 ora 2 enh dbo goa D semnpactah » genes. Binladin 30 Cae 3 yaa 22 slim, andr a sh, ad 0 om(ar Tun oer MAROKN 1. Vie) bu fentalbd(ain s(a)iad(einlo vie) m(Q)r(Bvivenld Andiriye Qomare burieeterine ve) Lunardo Loren 2. hiadireiteyrine vie} Antonio Bazaicins WladirtoKNeinid luau) Kerritle cine "adr "alhadGy(eX vie) stad Modvae eszar 3 BuGiyaglGnr "(are olumer. Unturzdue ke laibul giana ve) Blednidm etfeindtiam lumarim ki bu qGIGaCUIA bain serena 4. biuyurmenyanz. Haig Tray'al Maartenmen eBfedid(erm aman vdiriese Lnsallah dowikoy n(De olar gor(Disiz™, Bayl vie) ehdua, iveRs0} 1. Infallah Thay 2. bu m(edktub sayadionlo ye) midsole Rta vie) “adeladmedle sCaan( om 3. viedlin(iV'mte (iim efedadtim, beikl(aye blaldetejtvedriaGi)A bakld) paly ds Mejnflteyrine 4 vagcut olabyanpy TRANSLATION He My happy and generous atid majestic lord, ses, I rub my face and my oes in the dust at the feet of your excelaney [oe | itis that. my hoppy and generous lord, our woquedt to the excelent true God Almighty i that every day of yous becomes one thousand days, amen Jee | sy lord, if you ask afer this slave of yours. thanks to God und by luck, we reached the ety of Pacis in good health (+v*] ry lord, in every county where we arived, thanks 0 the passport you ave Us, they Areated ‘ery well thi slave of yours, inthe land of tke Great Duke 4 Well as in Genoa}, ay well as jn de land of France; my lov thanks to you, they treated ‘Well this slave of yours and, my august lord, os soon ay this slave of yours was in the city of Paris. wy bo wwltea we gave the letter which you gave us io my lon's ambusiador Francesco Giunta olin, fe tated this slave of yours with so great respest that i $8 ot possible to express it spesking and, my lord, how may timer Francesco Giustininn organized great bunuels ip honour uf this slave of yours, how maxy mes he ‘eccaparied {this save! uo walk in the gutdens and every day 4 man was seot to ask after our healt tnd be sent us everything we needed, God Knows with so great respect Ie seated thls shave ‘of yours i is mot possible w express the satae on speaking rina ete abe‘He made this stave of yours a capital stave (of Kis), Lot aliaighty God increase your days If there & an ambassador be isthe only one. Truly te behaved as a teue venetian geatenan and, sy happy Jord, be made 10 this slave of yours many services. Francesco Giustiniun Lovin looked afer everything and le wok and gave us orders for wie joumey (passports), LEGod wants, we are an the point of lewving: Good by, my lor Let Godt give you what your heart desires, siren, oh God be benevolent, snd my generous Jord, if thanks 10 God, before death Lakes us, arrive in the presence of the sultan, who protects dhe world wid the lever you gave us thanks 10 God, you will bear the answers I'l give. Now f have to say something else; Than to Ged. you will know it, wen the answer to the ewer serves snl my generous: lord, God forbid ubat I will forget tae reseption {had in this aearby couatey tan that [received in every counery I reseed iv your honour ‘oh my lord, nov man fargets this seeeption, peshups who is ungrateful forgets iL God is witness tht 1 shall not forget this recepsion until my death ate, my lord, | saw many ‘countries and many fortesses, but God knows that I never saw either a city lke Venice, ar $0 bemutful as Venice and { never saw a torres like Candia: f one sayy the contrary he says 3 hes in the world there is not sity a beautiful as Venive, or io sultn's countey 4 fortress like (Candia, God knows it For the rst im wall. Re happy. [pray foe you In te sty of Pats, in Fran. {AP TU GHEY seaRCy) ‘And feom my par, genersus and bappy lord, give my sogerds to thir excellencee sir Andrea (Comer, sir Leangrdo Lonedan avd sir Anwoaio Baswdoana. 1 bope that they will be received, cand that this willbe chank’w ame. And I, Jet God allow i, death des not reach us you will se how many friendships will be. Good bye [veso Thanks to God, Lope that is leter Will arrive at the dust ander the feet of the sable and excelent sir my ucky and generouy and majestié ord and benefactor lord Letior ia Tuekish waittea by a certs Seyi lo ghe lords of Venise by which he tanks for the good reception he received by means of the passpor: for Maly. The dat is unknown aesuMe AUt casera 1659, pendant ka gue she ree, un Musume exppelé Sey artee a Paris I sugisait d'un persan, eth peurdire 'an expion ottoman, qu arren @ tre ret par 1 rol Louie NEV, Seyfi, qui Ju wkté par la Republique de Veise dang som voyage et par Panbexsadeur veniten Francesco Ginsttuian Lolin des son sbiour parisien, crit une erare ambrguve pour rBwencter le age et te Sonat en gioryiaut Ja beauté de leur cite etka farnerese ce Cunade 230