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Gabriel Milan (or Gavrī’el Mil’ō (גבריאל מילאו), ''c'' 1631 – 26 March 1689) was Jewish governor of the Danish West Indies (now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands) from 7 May 1684 to 27 February 1686. Though he mainly went by the name of 'Gabriel Milan', he identified himself as ''Don Franco de Tebary Cordova'' in his correspondence with King Frederick III of Denmark. Like many of the early Danish West Indies governors, Milan's term was short and stormful, as he disagreed with the Danish management on several issues. He was called to Denmark after less than two years and executed after a lengthy trial. == Early life == Milan came from a reputable Sephardic Jewish family, likely from Spain, and had connections in Portugal, Flanders, and Hamburg. Some genealogists note that he is the son of Manuel Cardoso de Millao and Sara de Caceres.〔Heymann, (Heymann Family Web Site ), accessed February 13, 2007〕 At some point, his family was forced into a Catholic baptism,〔Terslin, Milan, 9〕 however, they had re-assumed their Jewish identity by the time of Milan’s life.〔Locker, ‘Yehūdīm’, 138.〕 Milan was first married to the daughter of Benjamin Musaphia, a Jewish scholar and author of a number of scientific works regarding archaeology, Semite philology, and alchemy. His wife's given name was not recorded in any sources, except that that her last name was De Castro and her family's coat of arms depicted a negro head.〔Terslin, Milan, 10〕 Thus, his family was related by marriage to the well-known Portuguese-Jewish houses of da Costa.〔 Among the people connected to this family was Emanuel Teixiera Cardosa de Milan (also known as ''Isaac Haim Senior Teixeira'' – d. 1705), a wealthy merchant of the Portuguese Jewish community in Hamburg who was Milan's uncle by marriage. Another of Milan's uncles was Moseh Abenzur, a shipowner and jeweller who was also known by the names, ''Paulo de Milao,'' ''Milan'', and ''Poul Didricksen''.〔Terslin, Milan, 13〕 Moseh's oldest son, Josua Abenzur, was the brother-in-law of Milan and in his early dealings, Milan often borrowed money from Josua. Milan begun his career as a soldier, notably as a colonel in the Spanish cavalry in Flanders (1654–55). He participated in the Thirty Years' War on the Spanish side against France in 1657,〔 and fought at the Battle of Dunkerque. During this period, Milan was living in Brussels and later served under Cardinal Mazarin. In 1667, Milan was an Amsterdam merchant, concerned with financing Prince George of Denmark. In 1668, he was made Danish Factor, and, in 1670, Factor-General in Amsterdam. In this capacity, Milan composed reports on political and commercial matters, which afforded him confidential relations with various important people at the Danish Court. Here Milan learned to speak Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, and Dutch. Milan's first wife died in 1675, leaving behind two children. Shortly thereafter, Milan married the widow Juliane Regina von Breitenbach. With Juliane, Milan had five children (see The children of Gabriel Milan). By 1684, the affairs of St. Thomas were moving too swiftly for the comfort of the directors at Copenhagen. George Iversen, the first Governor of St. Thomas, recounted that he was forced to conform to Adolph Esmit and later, Esmit's older brother, Nicolai, and was held in his office until a new incumbent was secured. The patience of the English government was exhausted, and they had no interest in hearing Esmit's complaints. At a shareholders' meeting on March 10, the directors of the Danish company were asked to choose a new Governor. Two candidates presented themselves, Balthasar Lachmann, who was an auditor, and Gabriel Milan. Milan was selected because for his linguistic knowledge and business ability.〔Krarup, Milan, 3.〕 The recommendation, dated March 14, was signed by the executive committee of the directors, consisting of Albert Gyldensparre, a brother of the disgraced Count Griffenfeld; Abraham Wüst, later to become a member of the Board of Trade; and Edward Holst. On May 7, 1684, the King issued an order that deposed Adolph Esmit and named Gabriel Milan as Governor of St. Thomas.〔Christian V. to A. Esmit. A. E., 1682-89.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Gabriel Milan」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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