#caffa

Genoese Towers in the Black Sea by Ivan Aivazovsky

There are no indications whether diplomatic contacts between the Wallachian voivodal court and the Genoese colony of Caffa existed prior to this embassy. Nevertheless, a Wallachian-Caffan connection seems highly probable, since this colony, following the fall of Constantinople and Pera—the most important Genoese colony—became increasingly dependent on secondary or tertiary political allies and commercial partners. In exchange, through Caffa, the voivodal court of Wallachia could establish diplomatic contacts with the Polish king, as shown in another record. The exact purpose of this embassy is unknown, but it can be suspected that it involved easing the conflict with Stephen the Great, which was dangerous for V., and attempting to activate King Casimir IV. Other motives could also be considered, such as commercial matters, perhaps even quite trivial ones. The long stay of the envoys, from May 1462 until September 1463, must have been conditioned by the land and sea blockade imposed by the Ottomans and Moldavians, as well as by the political-military situation in Wallachia, which prevented or significantly hindered the transmission of news to the voivode.

The Mongols to Caffa, 1346

Solar Eclipse in Feodosia by Ivan Aivazovsky

Raffaele Monterosso, the Genoese consul of Caffa, offers vassalage of the city to Casimir IV, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, asking in exchange that he either include Caffa in a peace treaty or armistice with the Ottomans, or place it under his protection.

French vintage postcard