In 1668 a work appeared in France, with a license from the King, to
whom it was dedicated, bearing for title, _Histoire de Mahomet Bey, ou
de Jean Michel Cigale, Prince du Sang Ottoman, Basha et Plenipotentaire
Souverain de Jerusalem, du Royaume de Cypre, de Trebizonde_, etc. This
work, which purported to contain the veritable adventures of its
author, was the production of a man declaring himself to be descended
from the illustrious Cigalas of Sicily, and who cited several passages
from various authors to prove that his family had intermarried with
most of the royal families of Europe. His own immediate parentage was
ascribed to Scipio, son of that famous Viscount Cigala who was taken
prisoner by the Turks in 1561, just after Andrew Doria's grand victory
over them. Scipio, having been captured with his father, according to
this book's account was taken to Constantinople, and in order to
ingratiate himself with the Sultan, Solyman the Magnificent, adopted
Mohammedanism, and was rewarded with the post of generalissimo of the
army, and the hand of a royal princess. Mahomet Bey, said the
veritable history, was the result of this illustrious alliance. Having
received a princely education, Mahomet, according to his book, was made
Viceroy of Palestine; and whilst in the Holy Land was so impressed by a
miraculous vision that he determined to become a Christian, and
abandoned the intention he had of pillaging the Holy Sepulchre at
Jerusalem. Obliged for the present to disguise his conversion, he was
advanced to the governorship of the Isle of Cyprus, and made general of
the army destined for the conquest of Candia. During the two following
years he contrived to hear mass, befriend and deliver several
Christians from slavery, and perform various notable deeds, of which,
strange to say, no one had heard until he published this wonderful
book. The Sultan now assigned to him the sovereignty of Babylon,
Caramania, Magnesia, and numerous other provinces; but on his way to
take possession of his new domains he was favoured with another
miraculous vision, of a very singular character, which thoroughly
confirmed him in his Christianity. Other marvels followed; but the
Jesuit dying to whom he had confided his idea of renouncing his high
duties and becoming a Christian, his public renunciation had to be
deferred. Returning to Constantinople, he was compelled to accept the
Viceroyalty of Trebizond, and the Governor-Generalship of the Black
Sea. On arrival at his new post, he collected all his valuables and
confided them to an envoy named Chamonsi, with instructions to carry
them into Moldavia, and there await his employer's arrival, he having
determined to abandon the Mohammedan territory and faith at the same
time. Betrayed and robbed by his faithless messenger, he was set upon
by a party deputed by the Governor of Moldavia to seize him; but after
having performed prodigies of valour, only equalled by those of Baron
Muenchausen, he succeeded in killing all his assailants, and escaping in
the borrowed garb of a peasant.
Reduced from his princely rank to the condition of a penniless
wanderer, but still bent on becoming a professed Christian, Mahomet
crossed the frontiers and made his way to the Cossacks, then at war
with Russia. In the Cossack army, runs his tale, he discovered three
soldiers whom he had released from captivity in former times. These
men recognized their deliverer, and making known his quality to their
chiefs, he was treated with respect, and invited to honour their
country by receiving baptism in it. But Mahomet had resolved to make
his profession of the Christian faith in the city of Rome, and to
receive the sacrament from the Pope's own hands. On learning this
resolve, the Cossacks, who were schismatics, became so unfriendly that
he was forced to fly their country, and take refuge in Poland. There
he received a very kindly reception from the Queen, Maria Gonzaga, and
became so impressed with her friendliness that he yielded to her
persuasions, and was baptized by the name of John in the Cathedral of
Warsaw. From Poland, according to his own story, he proceeded to Rome,
where the Pope no sooner heard of his arrival than he gave him
audience; and having heard his adventures, bestowed his apostolic
benediction upon him. Still influenced by the kindness of the Polish
Queen, he returned to Warsaw, deviating somewhat from the way, however,
in order to assist the Emperor of Germany against the Turks. To
display his zeal for Christianity, Mahomet tells his readers he
encountered and slew the Turkish general in single combat, and
performed such feats of daring, that had we not his own testimony for
their truthfulness, they would not be deemed credible.
The great things he had done for the German Emperor procured for him
from that potentate the post of guardian-captain of his artillery, but
that was not a sufficient inducement to retain him at Vienna; so, peace
being concluded, he departed for Sicily, to find out some of his
relatives and their allies. As a scion of the illustrious house of
Cigala, he was received with royal honours by the Viceroy of the
island, as he was later on by the Viceroy of Naples, according to his
own veracious story. After being feted by the nobility of this latter
kingdom he revisited Rome, and was highly honoured by the new Pope,
Clement the Ninth, who introduced him to everybody of note. After
various adventures he finally reached Paris, where the King and chief
members of the Court exerted themselves to the utmost in order to pay
him every respect and attention. A palace was provided for him, and
when he left the country chains of gold and medallions of the King and
Queen were presented to him.
Such is the history of the life and adventures of Mahomet Bey as
detailed by himself. A very different account is that given of him by
John Evelyn, author of the _Diary_, and other patient investigators.
According to their story, this pretended member of the chief royal
families of Europe was the son of an opulent citizen of Trogovisti, a
town of Wallachia. Prince Matthias, of Moldavia, who had held the
claimant's father in much esteem, when he died took his son into his
service, and sent him on a mission to Constantinople. When he returned
home an honourable career was open to him, but he took to such
disreputable courses that, had he not been warned in time to take to
flight, he would probably have ended his adventures on the gallows. A
second visit to Constantinople, this time as a fugitive from justice,
did not improve his morality. He resided in the Turkish capital until
the death of Prince Matthias, when he returned to Wallachia; but
receiving unequivocal proofs that his past offences were not forgotten,
he deemed it prudent to retire once more to Constantinople, where he
renounced Christianity for the usual pecuniary recompense. Unable to
make much progress with the Turks, or finding the neighbourhood growing
too hot to be pleasant, he started on his travels through Christendom.
By pretending that he had resigned his Mohammedan honours in order to
embrace Christianity, this _soi disant_ scion of the Ottoman royal
family often obtained aid and protection from various dupes. Finally
he came to England, and presented a copy of his mythical history to the
King. For some time he was received at Court, but eventually some high
personage who had seen him at Vienna, and knew something of his true
history, exposed his imposture. The last that is known of this
pretender is that he was drawing an annual pension from the imperial
treasures at Vienna in his old character of a Mohammedan prince
converted to Christianity.