Moses Montefiore, having completing his mission to…
October 1840 CE
Meeting with Lord Ponsonby in the Ottoman capital on October 15, 1840, Montefiore suggests that following the precedent set by Suleiman the Magnificent, the sultan should issue a decree (firman) formally denouncing the blood libel and effectively sealing the cases both in Rhodes and in Damascus.
The British ambassador is enthusiastic about the idea, and within one week he arranges for Montefiore a meeting with Reshid Pasha.
Montefiore had prepared a draft text of the firman and had its French translation read to Reshid Pasha, who had responded encouragingly.
Montefiore's audience with the sultan takes place at the palace late in the evening on October 28.
Montefiore will describe in his diary that as he and his party were driving to the palace, "[t]he streets were crowded; many of the Jews had illuminated their houses."
During the audience, Montefiore reads aloud a formal address in which he thanks the sultan for his stand in the Rhodes case.
In turn, the sultan assures his guests that their request will be granted.
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