A CAMEO RING, BARBAROSSA HAYREDDIN PASHA, 16TH CENTURY, ITAL...

Hammer

£9,000

A CAMEO RING, BARBAROSSA HAYREDDIN PASHA, 16TH CENTURY, ITALY

Carved Agathe Stone Ring

It belongs to Barbarossa Hayreddin Pascha’s second wife Dona Maria Gaetani; daughter of Governor of Reggio in Italy. There was a war between France and Spain King and German Emperor Sharlken the Fifth. French King Francis, who was struggling to defeat his enemies, called the Ottoman Sultan for help. Barbarossa went there with 154 galleys by the order of Suleyman the Great (Kanuni). On the way they stopped by Reggio for their water need. But the governor did not let them in so Barbarossa bombed the city and he met her young wife at her governor father’s house. This marriage could be found in French and Spanish archives. He married her in 1544 when he was seventy while she was still 18. After fifteen months’ successful expedition in France, he brought her to Istanbul. This ring was a gift to Maria from Barbarossa, depicting the profile of Barbarossa on it. He died when he was seventy-three. After his death, Maria returned to Italy.
For a similar example of an important agate cameo depicting Barbarossa and dating to the 16th century, see Sotheby’s, London, 24 April 2012, lot 123.

Provenance A Parisian family

Reference:
Mehmet Tutuncu

https://www.ntv.com.tr/sanat/barbaros-hayrettin-pasanin-yuzugu-9-bin-500-euroya-yeni-sahibinde,bEIw2mldekuntof441KQPw

https://www.yenicaggazetesi.com.tr/barbaros-hayrettin-pasanin-italyan-askina-hediye-ettigi-yuzugu-bir-turk-satin-aldi-286761h.htm

https://www.milliyet.com.tr/gundem/kizil-sakalin-askini-kanitlayan-yuzuk-9-bin-500-euroya-yeni-sahibinde-6246598