Antall József szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 73-74. (Budapest, 1975)

TANULMÁNYOK - Schultheisz Emil—Tardy Lajos: Egy reneszánsz-korbeli orvosdiplomata (angol nyelven)

There were however some results: Venice did support Uzun Hasan by sending galleys, munition and some persons well versed in the European ways of warfare. This partial result undoubtedly owes much to Isaac Beg, the envoy of Uzun Hasan. As the letter of the Senate of the Venetian Republic sent to its chargé d'affairs in Buda, Alvise Sagondino states/'

0 in January 1473 Isaac Beg was still in Buda. In the same year in August there is a reference to the emissaries of King Matthias sent to Uzun Hasan in the report of Caterino Zeno from Persia. No doubt, this was a reciprocation by Matthias to Uzun Hasan's sending him an envoy in the person of Doctor Isaac. The last date when Isaac Beg occurs in the diplomatic correspodence of Venice is 15 February 1474 (1473 by the Venetian calender). When the Signoria in his letter to Uzun Hasan spoke with appreciation about the way the Persian ruler kept his word, and also mentioned the services of Isaac Beg and Hadjimahomed.

:!1 It is not without significance that the letter spoke of Isaac as the physician of Uzun Hasan. The credential letter addressed to the Doge called him magnus medicus, i. e. archiater, court physician. In Cancel's opinion doctor Isaac

—in accordance with his efforts to further the unity of the Christian countries—had an important role in bringing about a reconciliation between Matthias Corvinus and Stefan eel Mare, the Voivode of Moldavia. Isaac's further career may be traced in the Encyclopaedia Judaica.

32 If he is identical with the doctor Isaac who was a court physician in Poland aruond 1504, we are unable to tell what happened to him after completing his European missions and how he moved from Persia to Poland. It is true that there was an active diplomatic contact maintained between the Persian court and the Kingdom of Poland, with frequent sending of envoys. Doctor Isaac, too, was there in such a capacity. It is possible that after the death of Uzun Hasan in consequence of the troublous state of affairs in Persia, Isaac decided to transfer his activities to Poland, which he had already visited during the reign of Casimir IV and where he had good personal contacts. We do not know the date either of his birth or death. According to some documents his father was "Abraham of Jerusalem"/" also known by the epithet "of Trebisond"

31

, consequently he may have entered the service of Persia 30 Ibid. 31 Ibid, 127. p. 32 Vol. VIII. Berlin, 1931, 49 p. Cf. Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. VI. New YorkLondon, 1906, 622 p. 33 Jewish Encyclopedia 1. c. 31 "Solicitatum ilium fuisse ab usumcassano, ut foedus cum ipso adversus Mahometem sanciret, refert Ioannes Arrivabenus in Uteris... ad Iacobum Cardinalem Papiensem : Venit, inquit, cum Hungaro orator Ussoncassam, qui ingentem exercitum pollicetur, modo Hungaro ad suscipiends quoque arma pecuniae hie dentur nil se velle praeter dominium quod uxori debetur etc. Romae III. Septembris MCCCCLXXIV. De Isaaco Trapezuntino ab Ussumcassano ad Poloniae et Hungáriáé Reges misso, ituroque ad Pontificem, et Venetos pro gerendo proximo vere cum aliis Regibus Christianis in Turcam sociali bello, Michovias

... et Cromerus.

. . meminere." Raynaldus Odoricus: Annales, Vol. XIX, Roma, 1663.