Gracia Mendes in Dubrovnik

Abstract

On her flight from the Apennine Peninsula to the Ottoman Empire Gracia Mendes made a stopover in Dubrovnik, as evidenced by four recently discovered documents that she had registered at the Ragusan notary on 20 September 1552. Sparse data in the Dubrovnik Archives on a distinguished figure such as that of Gracia Mendes does strike as odd, considering that the city authorities kept detailed record of the political, economic, private and public life. This fact along with the content of the mentioned documents spurred us to investigate deeper and find the reasons underlying her stay in Dubrovnik and her business affairs with the Ragusans.