appeals to Donna Gracia, who was
then settled in Constantinople. She at once addressed herself to the
reigning Sultan, Solyman the Magnificent, and entreated his
intervention, on the ground that the Marrano Jews in Ancona were for the
most part Turkish subjects. The appeal was well conceived, for the
Sultan was outraged by the idea that subjects of his could be maltreated
by a foreign potentate. He promptly responded (March 9, 1556) by sending
an ultimatum to the Pope, demanding the immediate release of his
unjustly accused lieges, under pain of reprisals on the foreign
Christians within his own dominions.[63] The Turk in those days was not
in the habit of treating Christian States with an excess of ceremony,
and the Pope realised the wisdom of complying with the ultimatum. He
revenged himself, however, by burning those of the prisoners who could
not be shown to be Turkish subjects.[64]

This incident is of peculiar interest for its bearing on the still much
debated question of the political status of Jews in the lands of their
"Dispersion." The Turkish Jews in 1556 seem to have had no doubt that
they were full nationals of the Ottoman Porte and as such entitled to
the protection of the Turkish Sultan. The precedent, however, was far
from decisive. In other circumstances other views have prevailed. Thus
in 1655, when the Commonwealth declared war on Spain, and an order was
issued for the confiscation of the property of Spaniards in England,
some of the Spanish Crypto Jews, then resident in London, appealed
against the order on the ground that their national status was that of
Jews and not that of Spaniards. This plea was allowed by the Admiralty
Commissioners, to whom it was referred, and they discharged the orders
made against the appellants.[65]

The question slumbered for a century and a half, and when it reappeared
the Turk was again on the side of the light. In 1815, there was a
dispute on this subject between Austria and Turkey. At that time the
Jews of Turkey were treated better than the Jews of Austria. Austria
applied to Turkish Jews visiting her territories the disabilities
imposed upon her own Jews. Turkey protested on the ground that,
according to the treaties--mainly the Treaty of Carlowitz--in force
between the two powers, Austria had no right to make any distinction
between Turkish Jews and other subjects of the Ottoman Porte. This
contention was held to be valid by the Austrian Government, and the
inci