Joseph Nasi facts for kids

Joseph Nasi (born 1524 in Portugal, died 1579 in Konstantiniyye), also known as João Miques in Portuguese, was a very important Portuguese Jewish diplomat and administrator. He was part of the powerful Mendes family and the nephew of Dona Gracia Mendes Nasi. Joseph Nasi had a lot of influence in the Ottoman Empire during the reigns of Sultan Suleiman I and his son Selim II. He was a great supporter and helper of the Jewish people.

As a trusted advisor to the Sultan, he was made Lord of Tiberias. His goal was to help Jewish people move back to Palestine and start new businesses there. This attempt didn't fully succeed. Later, he became the Duke of Naxos. Nasi also encouraged a war with the Republic of Venice, which led to the Ottomans taking the island of Cyprus from Venice. After Sultan Selim II died, Joseph Nasi lost some of his power in the Ottoman Court. However, he was allowed to keep his titles and his money for the rest of his life.

Joseph Nasi's Early Life

Joseph Nasi was born in Portugal in 1524. His birth name was João Miques. He was born into a family of marranos, which meant they practiced Judaism in secret. This was because the government in Portugal forced Jews to convert to Christianity. His father, Agostinho Micas, was a well-known doctor and professor.

In 1546, the Portuguese Inquisition began to target secret Jews in Portugal. Joseph Nasi had to escape. He moved to Antwerp in the Habsburg Netherlands with his aunt, Doña Gracia Mendes Nasi. He studied at the University of Louvain. But he had to flee again in 1547 because of the Inquisition. He then lived in France and later in Venice. Finally, in 1554, he moved to the Ottoman Empire. There, he married his cousin Brianda (Reyna) Mendes, who was the daughter of Gracia Mendes Nasi.

Business and Diplomatic Work

When Joseph Nasi arrived in Constantinople with his aunt, he made a smart choice. He supported Selim II, who was the future Sultan, against his brother Bayezid. Because of this, he became a favorite of the Sultan's court. He eventually became a very important diplomat and minister.

Joseph Nasi had many business connections across Europe. This allowed him to have a lot of influence on the Ottoman Empire's foreign policy. Some of his achievements include:

• Negotiating peace with Poland.
• Influencing the election of the new Polish king.
• He was given the special right to control the trade of beeswax with Poland.
• He also controlled the wine trade with Moldavia.
• He worked to keep princes in Moldavia who supported his policies in power. For example, he supported Ioan Iacob Heraclid in 1561 and Ion Vodă cel Cumplit in 1572.

Cyprus and the Ottoman-Venetian War

During the war between the Ottomans and Venice, Joseph Nasi was talking with the Jewish community in Venetian-controlled Cyprus. These talks were discovered. As a result, most Jewish people in Famagusta were forced to leave in June 1568.

It is believed that Nasi wanted parts of Cyprus to become a Jewish settlement. He encouraged the Ottoman Empire to take Cyprus in the war for this reason. Sultan Selim II even gave him a special coat of arms. This showed that he would have a high rank in that new colony.

Encouraging Revolts and Becoming Duke

Joseph Nasi also kept in touch with William the Silent, a leader in the Netherlands. Nasi encouraged the Netherlands to revolt against Spain. Spain was a big enemy of the Ottoman Empire. This revolt eventually led to the Eighty Years' War.

For his many achievements, Sultan Selim II appointed Joseph Nasi to be the Duke of Naxos. Naxos was an island in the Aegean Sea. Nasi mainly ruled the Duchy from his palace called Belvedere. He had his own Hebrew printing press there. After Joseph's death, his wife, Doña Reyna, continued to run the printing press.

Jewish Settlement in Tiberias and Safed

Joseph Nasi is most famous for his efforts to resettle the towns of Tiberias and Safed in 1561. He was the first person to try and help Jews settle in these cities in Palestine in a practical way. He didn't just wait for a miracle.

Nasi received permission from the Sultan to rule the area. With help from Joseph ben Adruth, he rebuilt the walls of Tiberias and the town itself. He also tried to make it a center for textile (silk) production. He planted mulberry trees and encouraged skilled workers to move there. Plans were made for Jews to move from the Papal States. However, when the Ottomans and the Republic of Venice went to war, the plan had to be stopped.

See also

In Spanish: José Nasí para niños