History op the learned. 



prince of Athens, and' duke of Thebes. This latter 

 circumflance is not generally known. But a few year9 

 ago the original of the diploma, or patent, given him 

 by the faid fultan Jachia, was found amongft the 

 archives of count Pierucci at Florence, wherein the 

 inveftiture of the abovementioned territories is granted 

 to him. 



Jachia was a fort of the grand-fultan Mohammed IIL 

 by the fultanefs Elpara of Cyprus, who was fprung 

 from the imperial family of the Falaeologi. While a 

 child fhe had fecretly conveyed him into a greek 

 monaftery, for fecurity, where he was brought up 

 in the chriftian religion. When Achmet, his younger 

 brother, afcended the imperial throne, to which he 

 thought he had a nearer right, he quitted Greece, in 

 order to feek affirmance from the chriflian princes 

 againft the ufurper. He landed in 1609. at Leghorn, 

 and found a very favourable reception with Cofmo IL 

 grand-duke of Tufcany. Cofmo not only provided 

 him with money, and honoured him with magnificent 

 prefents, but actually fitted out a fleet for his fervice* 

 to procure him at leaft a territory in Alia. But, as 

 this force was too fmall, he returned to Europe, and 

 implored fuccours from France. Here, as may well 

 be imagined, being only amufed with empty expecta* 

 tions, be lhewed himfelf as liberal in reciprocal pro- 

 mifes, the fulfilment whereof depended on a fortunate 

 event, of which he himfelf made but littie account. 

 Of this nature is the document, wherein he not only 

 promifes to reward Cafpar Schoppen, who was held in 

 ^reat efteem by feveral princes, efpecially by the pope, 

 with Attica, in the capital whereof, Athens, he m- 



yol. 11. , £ b tenaed 



