Isol the Pisan, also known as Ciolo Bofeti di Anastasio or Zolus Bofeti de Anestasio ( fl. 1300), was an Italian merchant, diplomat, and military leader. For some time he resided at the court of the Mongol Ilkhan, Ghazan, in Persia, rising to become his ambassador or liaison ^[1] to the Kingdom of Cyprus. His high status at Ghazan's court may stem from his being the godfather of Öljeitü at the latter's baptism. ^[2]

Little is known about Isol, but the French historian Jean Richard concluded that he was probably the governor of a Persian province. ^[3] In a letter dated 20 September 1300 from Pope Boniface to the Archbishop of Nicosia, Isol was titled "Vicar of Syria and the Holy Land for Ghazan the Emperor of the Tartars", ^[4] suggesting that he was put in charge of coordinating relations between the Crusader states and the Mongols. ^{[5] [6]} Isol is also a probable source for some of the information about Europe in the "History of the World" chronicle by the Mongol historian Rashid-al-Din Hamadani. ^[7]

In 1300, Isol acted as an intermediary between Ghazan and European leaders such as Henry II of Cyprus and Pope Boniface VIII. This is mentioned in a letter dated 2 July 1300 written from Barcelona by Romeu de Marimundo, counsellor of James II of Aragon:

From the Tatars, the king of Armenia, the king of Cyprus, the Great Master of the Templars or other nobles from Outremer, are arriving ambassadors on a visit to the Pope. They are already in Apulia and should reach the Pope in the next few days. ^[8]

Isol was also present as the Mongol representative in July 1300 aboard a small Cypriot fleet of sixteen galleys which were attacking Rosetta and other targets along the Palestinian coast. ^{[2] [9]}

Notes

References

• Demurger, Alain (2007). Jacques de Molay. Editions Payot.
• Richard, Jean (1970). "Isol le Pisan: Un aventurier franc gouverneur d'une province mongole?" Central Asiatic Journal, 14: 186–94.
• Richard, Jean. Histoire des Croisades. Fayard.
• Schein, Sylvia (1979). "Gesta Dei per Mongolos 1300. The Genesis of a Non-Event." English Historical Review, 94:373 (October), pp. 805–819.
• Sinor, Denis (1975). "The Mongols and Western Europe." A History of the Crusades III: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries, Harry W. Hazard, ed. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press.
• M. Balard, “Génois et Pisans en Orient (fin du XIIIe-début du XIVe siècle)”, in Atti Società ligure di storia patria, n.s. Vol. XXIV (XCVIII), fasc. II, Genova, Società ligure di storia patria, [1984], pp. 179–209.
• M. Chiaverini, "Il ‘Porto Pisano’ alla foce del Don tra il XIII e XIV secolo", Pisa, MARICH, 2000, pp. 51–52.