Princes, Popes and Pirates

"Princes, Popes and Pirates" is an epic novel about the life of Joseph Nasi, the Duke of Naxos and an important leader in the world of Sephardic Jewry in the late sixteenth century. This is a sequel to Sandra Toro's "By Fire Possessed: Doña Gracia Nasi," about the life of the most important Jewish woman leader of that era. Joseph Nasi is the historical figure on which "The Jew of Malta" by Christopher Marlowe was based, later re-interpreted by Shakespeare in "The Merchant of Venice." Joseph Nasi was the most powerful Jew of his day, and his opposition to Spain, the Inquisition, the Church and the Holy Roman Emperor made him a persona non grata in the power circles of Europe. As heir to the commercial empire left by Doña Gracia, his aunt, he controlled one of the largest fortunes of his day. He was a close confidant to the Ottoman Sultan Selim, and he had a major role in the development of the Ottoman navy, which was so powerful that it controlled much of the Mediterranean. He was an important figure in the Battle of Lepanto. "Princes, Popes and Pirates," together with "By Fire Possessed," tells the sweeping story of the most powerful Sephardic family of the sixteenth century.