Francesco Teldi
Encyclopedia
Francesco Teldi was a Venetian trader and ambassador who negotiated with the Egyptian Mamluks in the early 16th century for joint action against the expansion of the Potuguese in the Indian Ocean
, during the Portuguese-Mamluk War.
In 1504, the Venetians, who shared common interests with the Mamluks in the spice trade and desired to eliminate the Portuguese challenge if possible, sent Francesco Teldi, posing as a jewel buyer, as envoy to Cairo. Francesco Teldi tried to find a level of cooperation between the two realms, encouraging the Mamluks to block Portuguese navigations. The Venetians claimed they could not intervene directly, and encouraged the Mamluk Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri to take action by getting into contact with Indian rulers of Kingdom of Cochin
and Kingdom of Cannanore to entice them not to trade with the Portuguese, and the King of Calicut and Sultan of Cambay to fight against them. Some sort of alliance was thus concluded between the Venetians and the Mamluks against the Portuguese.
Francesco Teldi was apparently the owner of a unique painting of Cairo
, which may have inspired a painting of Cairo by Gentile Bellini
in 1493.
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, during the Portuguese-Mamluk War.
In 1504, the Venetians, who shared common interests with the Mamluks in the spice trade and desired to eliminate the Portuguese challenge if possible, sent Francesco Teldi, posing as a jewel buyer, as envoy to Cairo. Francesco Teldi tried to find a level of cooperation between the two realms, encouraging the Mamluks to block Portuguese navigations. The Venetians claimed they could not intervene directly, and encouraged the Mamluk Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri to take action by getting into contact with Indian rulers of Kingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin was a late medieval Hindu kingdom and later Princely State on the Malabar Coast, South India...
and Kingdom of Cannanore to entice them not to trade with the Portuguese, and the King of Calicut and Sultan of Cambay to fight against them. Some sort of alliance was thus concluded between the Venetians and the Mamluks against the Portuguese.
Francesco Teldi was apparently the owner of a unique painting of Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, which may have inspired a painting of Cairo by Gentile Bellini
Gentile Bellini
Gentile Bellini was an Italian painter. From 1474 he was the official portrait artist for the Doges of Venice.- Biography :...
in 1493.