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

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

Let us now turn to Isaac Beg's appearance in the court of King Matthias Corvinus. On 12 September the Senate of Venice wrote a letter to its envoy at the Holy See informing him of the arrival of the envoy of Uzun Hasan, the sovereign of Persia, "Spanish by nationality, Jewish by faith", who gave an account of the large preparations of his master against the Turks.

22 Thirteen days later, on 25 September 1472 the Senate on the occasion of the arrival of another emissary of Uzun Hasan, Hadjimaodmed (who in contrast to the continuously travelling Isaac stayed in Venice maintaining the contact with the Senate) informed the Persian ruler that Ambassador Isaac was received by the Republic with great joy and honour, and that he was already on his way to Rome to act before the Holy Father upon his instructions.

2:i If we follow his itinary to Venice, we can see when and how he first entered the Territory of Hungary as an envoy. His route from Kaffa to Venice can be ascertained from the direct references contained the contemporary sources. From Kaffa the customary route passed through Moncastro (Neszterfejérvár, Cetatea Alba) and Vaslui, Cancel's work is convincing in this respect.

21 As the credential letters translated into Latin by the notary of Kaffa were addressed to Stefan eel Mare and King Matthias respectively, it is quite certain that the doctor travelled from Kaffa through Moldavia to Poland, where King Casimir, too, received the appeal of Uzun Hasan, then he went on to Hungary and from there to Venice. Consequently Isaac first came to Hungary as the envoy of Uzun Hasan in 1472,

25 at a date after July 15, in order to urge the king to take part in the anti-Turkish coalition. From Hungary Isaac travelled to Venice, where the Senate prepared a written appraisal ot the situation: "We have been pleased to see the envoy of His Majesty and our heart is happy that we heard of His Majesty. His justness and valour won him fame all over the world, especially pleased us, and his splendid victories please us even more. We praise and accept his fi n e wish and have come to 22 "Fuit a

d presentiam nostram unus orator illustrissimi domini Ussoni Cassani natione Hispanus fide autem hebreus, et de bona disr jitione prefati domini offendendi turchum multa exposuit" (Cornet, op. cit., 3'.y. p.) 23 Cornet, op. cit., 48, p. According to Berchet (op. cit., pp. 24—26) Doctor Isaac christianized in Rome. The following piece of Venetian folklore refers to his conversion: Novamente ha mandato Usoncassano Al papa Sisto un suo ambassatore El quai a Roma è facto cristiano, Et a ciascun famellio servitore El sancto Padre cum sua propria mano Gli donö vestimenti e fato onore. Or son tornati verso la Turchia Dove Usoncassan tien la signoria. (Medin, A.: Per l'origine della voce "sancassan". Le geste di Husun Hasan in un cantare del sec. XV. Atti del R. Istituto Veneto de Scienze, Lettere ed Arti. Tomo 87, P. II, 813 p. — Cf. Todesco, V.: Cassiano o uno Scia di Persia? Ibid, Tomo 86, P. IL, 1396—1387. pp.) Obviously Isaac later returned to the faith of his ancestors. 24 Cornet, op. cit. 32—33. pp. 25 Cancel, P.: Data epistolei lui Uzun-Hasan. Bucuresti, 1912, 32 p.