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.The fi rst document, dated 22 April 1440, was a certifi cate of citizenship issued to the Syrian Anthony Masota, declaring him to be a Rhodian citizen and recommending him to all, and in particular to navigators, so that they might receive him and his goods kindly.It thereby makes it clear that he was a merchant by profession regularly travelling back and forth from Rhodes.11 The second document, dated 12 April 1450, is a safe conduct for the Syrian merchant Mark Salvatore.John de Lastic requested those setting eyes on the letter, with special reference to the captains and patrons of galleys, to welcome this merchant and protect him from harm.12 The document states that Mark travelled on a regular basis between Rhodes, Syria and Egypt with a number of boats and a variety of merchandise, not only on his own account but also behalf of persons of the Order, for whom he clearly acted as a factor.It specifi es that Mark Salvatore was not a Rhodian citizen, describing him as a native of Syria, but asks those coming into contact with him to treat him as if he were a native of Rhodes and a subject and servant of the Order because he had always served the Order faithfully and well.The document concludes by stating that the Order will consider itself obliged to all those assisting Salvatore in his affairs.One notes that this document, unlike most documents of the Order, which were written in Latin, was written in Italian, the nautical lingua franca of the Mediterranean, and so more comprehensible to the mariners likely to set eyes on it.A more unusual instance of a Syrian settling in Rhodes concerned that of the doctor George Suriano of Cairo.His surname indicates a Syrian origin even though he and his family lived in Egypt; other residents of Rhodes with the surname Suriano, such as Prospero and his brothers Angelo and Benedetto, merchants trading regularly with Egypt and Damietta in particular, are specifi cally designated as Venetians.All of them probably fell into the legal category known as White Venetians, encompassing people originating from the Eastern Mediterranean and elsewhere who were Venetian subjects and so enjoyed Venetian protection as well as certain economic and legal advantages.13 In May 1453 John de Lastic addressed a written appeal to Sir Bernard de Villamarin, the captain-general of the fl eet of King Alfonso V of Aragon, in particular and to the captains or patrons of galleys and other ships in general, requesting them to assist George Suriano and refrain from harming him so that he could implement his wish to come and settle in Rhodes with his family and become a subject of the Hospitallers.The document makes reference to the slaves, textiles and other goods he might be bringing with him and asks those setting eyes on it to treat George Suriano and his dependants as though they were already subjects of the Order.14 A subsequent document, of July 1453, records how John de Lastic had Rhodian citizenship bestowed on George Suriano, thereby granting him burgess status along with the privileges and immunities attendant on this and placing him, 11 Tsirpanlis, Engrapha, no.118.12 Tsirpanlis, Engrapha, no.20313 D.Jacoby, ‘Citoyens, sujets et protégés de Venise et de Gênes en Chypre’, Byzantinische Forschungen, 5 (1977), 160–1 and 166–8.14 Tsirpanlis, Engrapha, no.306.Nicholas Coureas105his family and his goods under the protection of the Order.For his part, George Suriano had fi rst taken an oath to serve the Order, its offi cers and their successors in whatever part of the world he might happen to be in and to inform the Order and its offi cers should he happen to discover any overt or covert plots being hatched against them.15The merchant Prospero Suriano mentioned above petitioned the Order for assistance some time before March 1440, explaining that although he had rendered thorough and effective services and large amounts of money to various merchants he had suffered damages on account of the perils of the sea and had diffi culty in paying off his creditors.John de Lastic, moved by his rightful requests, had now conferred a grace period of one year upon him, during which his fi xed and movable goods were protected from his creditors’ demands, so as to enable him to restore his fi nances, and this protection was publicized in writing to all brothers and offi cers of the Order, secular offi cials and creditors.16 The Hospitallers’ assistance was also extended to Prospero’s brothers, Angelo and Benedetto.In October 1453 John de Lastic issued a written appeal to all captains or patrons of galleys and other sailing ships requesting them to afford them assistance and refrain from harming them in the course of a journey the brothers were about to undertake, along with their goods and textiles, to Damietta in Egypt and other destinations for the purpose of obtaining victuals, goods and others things necessary for human sustenance, which they would bring back with them to Rhodes.17 The references to victuals suggest that Rhodes was undergoing a grain shortage and that Angelo and Benedetto, described as residents (but not citizens) of Rhodes, were journeying as factors of the Order to procure supplies of grain.More indirect evidence for the settlement of Cypriots and Syrians on Rhodes derives from deeds concerning the donation of property
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