Janus Bey

Janus Bey, in Turkish Yunus Bey (born in Modon at the end of the 15th century; died 1551) was an Ottoman Empire interpreter and ambassador (a dragoman) who was active in Europe in the 1530s. In 1532 he visited Venice and had meetings with the Venetian government. He was considered as the ambassador for the Ottoman Empire, was well received, and was the beneficiary of large presents from the Venetians. In 1532, he apparently worked with French ambassador Antonio Rincon to obtain a safe-conduct for the Ottoman embassy to France (1533). In 1537 he was co-author with Alvise Gritti of an Italian booklet, published in Venice, on the government of the Ottoman Empire. The title was Opera noua la quale dechiara tutto il gouerno del gran Turcho.