Bailo of Constantinople

baili / bailos) was a diplomat who oversaw the affairs of the Republic of Venice in Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, and was a permanent fixture in the city around 1454.

[1] The traumatic outcomes of Venice's wars with the Ottomans made it clear to its rulers that in the Ottoman case the city would have to rely chiefly on diplomatic and political means rather than offensive military efforts to maintain and defend its position in the eastern Mediterranean.

[2] Like English bailiff, the Venetian word bailo derives from Latin baiulus, which originally meant "porter (carrier)".

After another war the bailo relocated to one of Galata’s suburbs, to an embassy called Vigne di Pera.

After the War of Cyprus, the embassy in Galata relocated to Vigne di Pera permanently.

This became the case after the Battle of Lepanto, when the bailo’s head ordered them to protect the integrity of their merchant powers from the English, Dutch and Florentines.

[5] Protecting the business interests of the Venetians involved in international commerce was also a function of the bailo.

The baili had active social lives and were present in confraternities, protected the company of the holy sacrament, patronized artists and artisans in the creation of religious objects and decorations for Latin-rite churches of Constantinople and Galata.

[10] One spiritual and diplomatic duty was to free Christian slaves unless they voluntarily converted to Islam.

There was a health risk associated with going to Constantinople – the long journey seemed to kill people and more seemed to be dying in the city itself.

After several deaths during the voyage to Constantinople, the Venetian government allowed doctors to accompany the baili to keep them from dying.