Michel Angelo Corai

Michel Angelo Corai (born Fathullah Qurrai, — ) was a Syrian diplomat, translator and spy in service of Shah Abbas I and Ferdinando I de' Medici. He was instrumental in establishing Safavid embassy to Europe and rebellion of Ali Janbulad against Ottoman Empire.

Background Michel Angelo Corai was born as Fathullah Qurrai around 1557 in Ottoman Syria. His birthplace is disputed, it was either Aleppo however it seems that he was originally from Manbij and could have been a Turkmen. Although it was suggested that he was a Syrian Orthodox, he was probably a qurrāʾ, a professional reciter of Quran, hence his Muslim surname and later converted.

Career

In Europe He started his diplomatic career as a scribe to Cigalazade Yusuf Sinan Pasha when he was deployed to Syria, from whom he probably learnt Italian. He traveled to Iranian border frequently with his master, where he learnt Persian as well. He later left Cigalazade's service in 1582 and lived in Safavid Iran for a while, it was probably when he frequented Safavid court. He was married to a Christian woman in Aleppo and later converted for her. Facing persecution for leaving Islam, he later arrived in Mantua via Venice with Giovanni Battista Ruffini, a member of the Franciscan order and chief confessor of Vincenzo I Gonzaga in 1597. who was a secret diplomat of Safavids in merchant disguise. Asad bey was an experienced travel who earlier traded in Hormuz and Mughal India. Corai met Muhammadgulu bey Arabgirli-Shamlu in Constantinople and later arrived in Venice. He met the Signoria on 28 November 1599. He was described by Venetian secretary Piero Pellegrini as "a man of small stature, with black beard, of olive complexion, robed in a black camlet, of about forty years".

He visited Mantua and later Florence on 17 December 1599 to announce arrival of Safavid embassy to Ferdinando de’ Medici. Corai shared with the Duke the same story he told everyone else—that the Shah's wife was a Georgian Christian, the Shah himself wore a cross around his neck, and he commanded 50000 cavalry, 20000 riflemen, 100000 mounted archers, and numerous spearmen and was ready to ally with Medicis to invade Ottoman lands. Corai also noted on 20 December that Jelali revolts let by Karayazıcı and Huseyn Pasha have been consuming Ottomans. From this point, he was also enlisted in Medici service. He left Florence for Rome and delivered same announcement to Papal authorities. He met Antonio Fernández de Córdoba y Cardona (Spanish ambassador in Papal States) in late December 1600 and delivered letters by Anthony Shirley and Nicolas de Melo.

Asad bey on the other hand, arrived in Venice only in June 1600 and met Marino Grimani on 8 June. After their meeting, when Asad bey suggested to Corai that they travel to Rome together, Corai realized that Huseyn Ali Bey and Shirley had not yet arrived there. Concerned about this, he did everything in his power to prevent Asad bey from going to Rome. Corai feared that Asad might disclose diplomatic secrets to the Pope, especially since Asad had not been officially sent by the Shah as an ambassador. Corai stayed with the embassy in Rome through their mission. Shirley, having fallen out with Huseyn Ali bey in Rome, asked Clement VIII for a passport to return to Iran via Naples-Messina-Crete-Alexandretta-Tripoli-Damascus-Ormus route, financial means and diplomatic credentials for his interpreter, Corai. However, Shirley never returned to Iran while Corai left for Florence.

In Syria Corai resurfaced in 1606, this time as a Medici envoy to Ali Janbulad. However, this criticism sometimes is also attributed to a French knight of Saint Stephen named Ippolito Lioncini, Corai's other companion. there is little documentation to support this, as the shah never extended his campaigns beyond Iraq. Several of Corai's writings focus on the growing tensions between the Portuguese, particularly represented by the Augustinian religious order, and the shah, as well as the appearance of English ships in the waters of Hormuz, and, naturally, the shah's wars against the Ottomans, especially in the region of modern-day Iraq. According to Corai's letters, the shah was especially interested in whether the Catholic states were continuing their war against the Turks. Shah inquired on at least one occasion whether Michelangelo Corai had received any information regarding Anthony Shirley, the shah's ambassador who had left for Europe several years prior and had since ceased contact. Corai, lacking direct news, informed the shah that the last he had heard of Sherley was his reported journey to Barbary. However, through a French intermediary, Corai had learned some troubling details about Sherley's conduct. Reports indicated that Sherley had entered the service of the King of Spain, escaped from imprisonment, and had been banished from both England and Venice. He was later appointed by Shah Abbas as commissioner for all Safavid mines in the country, according to his secretary Giorgio Criger. Shah granted Michelangelo Corai all the wealth and properties of Dengiz Beg Rumlu, his ambassador to Spain, who had left for his mission in 1609 with Antonio de Gouvea. Upon Dengiz Beg's return to Persia in 1613, the shah had him executed after learning of his misconduct during his years of ambassadorship. Meanwhile, Corai was longing to return to Europe. However, Curzio Picchena, Secretary of State of Tuscany denied his request to be granted additional funds and called his travel to Iran unsanctioned in his letter dated 9 July 1612.

Following this communication, it remains uncertain whether Corai ever received the letter, but the correspondence between him and the Tuscan court ended permanently, and his situation took a dramatic turn. According to reports from the Discalced Carmelites, the shah, despite valuing Corai's services, demanded that he renounce his Catholic faith and convert to Islam. He used his position as mine commissioner as a means to orchestrate his escape. Before leaving Isfahan, he confessed and received communion at the Carmelite church. He left the city accompanied by a large group of slaves and servants, under the guise of fulfilling his mission for the shah. His departure was supported by the royal treasury and orders from the shah to governors to provide assistance. However, suspicions grew among his Muslim servants when they realized the route he was taking did not lead directly to the mines. They suspected that Corai intended to flee to Portuguese-controlled territories, considered Christian strongholds in the region. His attempt to complete the journey to Hormuz resulted in his arrest, but Corai, using his cunning, managed to escape by drugging his captors during a dinner party and fleeing, evading musket fire from Safavid border guards, he reached the fortress of Comorão (modern Bandar Abbas). From there, he secured passage to Ormus, where he was welcomed by local commanders. Despite his successful escape, Corai faced additional challenges upon arriving in Goa.

In 1614, after years of increasing tension with the Portuguese, Safavids captured Comorão, demanding the Portuguese governor to hand over Michelangelo Corai. Last letter addressed to Corai was written on 29 January 1616 by his former secretary Giorgio Criger, who by that time was working as an adviser for Ibrahim Adil Shah II.