Physician and diplomat in the Ottoman palace: Solomon Ben Nathan Ashkenazi (1520-1602)

This study aims to shed light on the role of Solomon ben Nathan Ashkenazi, an Ottoman Jewish physician, in Ottoman diplomacy. Despite being a German-born Jew and practicing medicine for several years, Ashkenazi played a crucial part in Ottoman relations with Venice and Poland after arriving in Istan...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of medical biography Vol. 32; no. 3; p. 308
Main Author Kurt, Menderes
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 01.08.2024
Subjects
History, 16th Century
History, 17th Century
Jews - history
Ottoman Empire
Physicians - history
Poland
Turkey
Poland
Ottoman Empire
Turkey
Ottoman diplomacy
Ashkenazi
diplomat
physician
Jew
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Summary:This study aims to shed light on the role of Solomon ben Nathan Ashkenazi, an Ottoman Jewish physician, in Ottoman diplomacy. Despite being a German-born Jew and practicing medicine for several years, Ashkenazi played a crucial part in Ottoman relations with Venice and Poland after arriving in Istanbul. The study explores how Ashkenazi, a physician by profession, attained the position of diplomat and examines the reasons behind his involvement in Ottoman foreign relations. While it is common for Ottoman Jewish physicians to be involved in Ottoman foreign affairs, Ashkenazi's example provides valuable insight into the mechanisms and motivations behind their participation in Ottoman diplomacy. The study shows that Jewish physicians in the Ottoman Empire contributed to Ottoman medicine with their medical expertise and played a significant role in bridging the gap in Ottoman-European relations with their diplomatic skills.
ISSN:1758-1087
DOI:10.1177/09677720231190892