Joseph Nasi - a Portuguese born Jew, who gained prominence in the Ottoman empire in the second half of XVI century. He was born in Lisabon in 1524. His father Antonio Micas was a doctor and a lecturer in the university of Lisabon. He ran from the Inquisition in 1546. 
As a man with many links and friends in Europe, Nasi quickly rose to prominence, supporting Selim II for the throne. He was able to tap into the Ottoman trading system but also influenced the imperial foreign policy. He was a monopolist in wine trade to Moldavia and wax export to
Poland-Lithuania. He supported his business intrests by manipulating Ottoman policy and ruler appointment in Moldavia and Wallachia. Due to his time spent in the Netherlands, he served as a linc between the Ottoman court and William of Orange guring the Netherlands' revolt.
Due to his skills and links, he was appointed duke of #Naxos and aspired to acquire Cyprus, thus kickstarting the Ottoman-Venetian war of 1570-73 by supportink the hawk faction at Court. He later negotiated the armistice between Spain and the Ottomans in 1580.
He tried to create a Jewish province arround Tiberias, where Jews from arround Europe could gather away from persecution. He wanted to establish Tiberias as a silk and cloth production hub. His project ultimately failed yet remains a predecessor of the Jewish state concept.
