Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Montagu, Edward Wortley, 1713-1776.
- Extent:
- .5 linear ft.
- Language:
- English.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
Correspondence, primarily between Montagu and his secretary, Nathaniel Davison (1764-1779), journals and notebooks, and miscellaneous documents and letters.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Edward Wortley Montagu (1713-1776), was the only son of the celebrated letter-writer Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, His career was notorious throughout Europe: he had contracted two bigamous marriages, fought at Fontenoy, was one of two represented Britain at Aix-la-Chapelle, sat as Member of Parliament for Huntingdon, acquired a remarkable proficiency in Arabic and other tongues, appeared in London salons dressed in a wig of iron, and then turned Turk. In Egypt from 1762, he met the Danish Consul, John Feroe. and his wife and being attracted to the latter, persuaded Feroe to go to Europe, told Caroline Feroe that her husband had been drowned and married her himself. However, Feroe returned to Egypt and Montagu had to reassure the Roman Catholic Mrs. Feroe that he would adopt her persuasion, which would invalidate her marriage to the Protestant Consul.
Then, pursued by the Dane and accompanied by his secretary, Nathaniel Davison, the couple set off on an enforced honeymoon, following the supposed route of the Exodus to Mt. Sinai and thence to Jerusalem, where Montagu was received into the Church of Rome. Assisted by Davison, he later published an account of this journey for the Royal Society. Davison later became British Consul at Nice and Tangiers, although he still kept up a correspondence with Montagu; while the latter remained some time in Egypt where it is said he married a Nubian girl called Ayesha, by whom he had a son. He ended his days living as a Turk in Padua, declaring to the priest at his deathbed that he died a good Mussulman and repeating to his son, Fortunatus, in Arabic: Elhamdulillah - May God be Praised.
Access and use
- Location of this collection:
-
Department of Special Collections, Green Library557 Escondido MallStanford, CA 94305-6004, US
- Contact:
- (650) 725-1022