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{{Short description|British politician}}
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'''Sir Robert Ainslie, 1st Baronet''' (''[[circa|c.]] ''1730 – 21 July 1812)<ref name="LR">{{Rayment-hc|m|2|date=March 2012}}</ref> was a Scottish ambassador to the [[Ottoman Empire]] ([[Ottoman Porte]])<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YdIKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA264|author=Burke, John|title=Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry, Volume 1|publisher=H. Colburn|year=1847|page=264}}</ref>), orientalist and [[numismatist]]. He was a [[Member of Parliament]] (MP) for the [[rotten borough]] of [[Milborne Port (UK Parliament constituency)|Milborne Port]] in [[Somerset]] between 1796 and 1802.<ref name="LR"/>
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
⚫
'''Sir Robert Ainslie, 1st Baronet''' ({{circa|1730}} – 21 July 1812)<ref name="LR">{{Rayment-hc|m|2|date=March 2012}}</ref> was a [[list of diplomats of the United Kingdom to the Ottoman Empire|British ambassador]] to the [[Ottoman Empire]],<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YdIKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA264|author=Burke, John|title=Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry, Volume 1|publisher=H. Colburn|year=1847|page=264}}</ref> orientalist, [[numismatist]] and [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for the [[rotten borough]] of [[Milborne Port (UK Parliament constituency)|Milborne Port]], in [[Somerset]], between 1796 and 1802.<ref name="LR"/>


==Biography==
==Biography==

===Early life and family===
===Early life and family===
He was the third and youngest son of George Ainslie, Esq., the representative of the ancient Scottish family of Ainslie of [[Dolphinton]], Lanarkshire, chief of the name, who married Jane, daughter of Sir Philip Anstruther of Anstrutherfield, and died in 1733. The issue of the marriage of George Ainslie was a family of seven children, and included four daughters, three of whom were married and established in France. The elder brothers of Ainslie were Sir Philip Ainslie, knight, who was born in 1728, and died on 19 June 1802; and [[George Ainslie (general)|George Ainslie]], a general in the army, colonel of the 13th regiment of foot, and lieutenant-governor of the [[Scilly Islands]], who died on 7 July 1804.
He was the third and youngest son of George Ainslie, Esq., from a [[Lasswade]] family, who married Jane, daughter of Sir Philip Anstruther of Anstrutherfield, and died in 1773. The issue of the marriage of George Ainslie was a family of eight children and included five daughters, four of whom were married and established in [[France]]. The elder brothers of Ainslie were Sir [[Philip Ainslie]], knight, who was born in 1728 and died on 19 June 1802 and [[George Ainslie (British Army officer, died 1804)|George Ainslie]], a general in the army, colonel of the 13th regiment of foot and lieutenant-governor of the [[Scilly Islands]] who died in 1804.


Ainslie, who was born either in 1729, or most probably in 1730, is described as having resided in the earlier part of his life at [[Bordeaux]], where his father had been for some time settled as a merchant.<ref name="bds">{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Wck5AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA569|title=The Biographical Dictionary of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, Volumes 1-2|publisher= Longman, Brown|year=1842|pages=568–69}}</ref> He is said to have returned to Scotland in 1727, and to have purchased the estate of [[Pilton, Edinburgh|Pilton]], in the county of [[Midlothian]].
Ainslie, who was born about 1730, is described as having resided in the earlier part of his life at [[Bordeaux]], where his father had been for some time settled as a merchant.<ref name="bds">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wck5AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA569|title=The Biographical Dictionary of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, Volumes 1-2|publisher= Longman, Brown|year=1842|pages=568–69}}</ref> He is said to have returned to Scotland in 1727 and to have purchased the estate of [[Pilton, Edinburgh|Pilton]], in the county of [[Midlothian]].


===Ambassador to Turkey===
===Ambassador to Ottoman Empire===
Ainslie is first noticed in the ''[[London Gazette]]'' on 20 September 1775: "The king has been pleased to appoint Robert Ainslie, Esq., to be his majesty's ambassador to the Ottoman Porte, in the room of John Murray, Esq., deceased; and his majesty was pleased this day to confer upon him the honour of knighthood, upon which occasion he had the honour to kiss his majesty's hand."<ref name="bds"/> He left England in May 1776 for [[Constantinople]], where he arrived on 2 October following. Ainslie had the reputation while in Turkey of being a great favourite and boon companion of the [[Abdul Hamid I|Sultan Abdul Ahmed]].<ref name="bds"/> He returned to England in 1791.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=C2GgHl9Rls0C&pg=PA452|title=The decline of Eastern Christianity under Islam: from Jihad to Dhimmitude : seventh-twentieth century|publisher=Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press|year=1996|page=452|author=Yeʼor, Bat|isbn=0-8386-3688-8}}</ref> He was given leave to return home on September 22, 1793, and left Turkey sometime in 1794.
Ainslie is first noticed in the ''[[London Gazette]]'' on 20 September 1775: "The king has been pleased to appoint Robert Ainslie, Esq., to be his majesty's ambassador to the Ottoman Porte, in the room of John Murray, Esq., deceased; and his majesty was pleased this day to confer upon him the honour of knighthood, upon which occasion he had the honour to kiss his majesty's hand".<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=11598 |date=19 September 1775 |page=1}}</ref><ref name="bds"/>


He left England in May 1776 for [[Constantinople]], where he arrived on 2 October. Ainslie had the reputation in [[Turkey]] of being a great favourite and boon companion of Sultan [[Abdul Hamid I]].<ref name="bds"/> Ainslie returned to England in 1791.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C2GgHl9Rls0C&pg=PA452|title=The decline of Eastern Christianity under Islam: from Jihad to Dhimmitude : seventh-twentieth century|publisher=Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press|year=1996|page=452|author=Yeʼor, Bat|isbn=0-8386-3688-8}}</ref>{{bsn|date=December 2022}} He was given leave to return home on 22 September 1793 and left Turkey sometime in 1794.{{cn|date=December 2022}}
===MP===

⚫
On 8 September 1796, Ainslie received a grant of a pension of £1,000 on the civil list, to be held ‘during the joint lives of his majesty and himself’; and was elected a member of the parliament which met on the 27th of the same month, with [[Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey|Lord Paget]] as his colleague, for the close borough of [[Milborne Port (UK Parliament constituency)|Milborne Port]], [[Somerset]]. At the general election of 1802, his seat in parliament was transferred to [[Hugh Leycester]].<ref name="LR"/> He was created a [[baronet]], of Great Torrington in the County of Lincoln, on 13 October 1804, with remainder, in default of issue male, to his nephew, [[Sir Robert Ainslie, 2nd Baronet|Robert Sharpe Ainslie]], son of General George Ainslie.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=15744 |date=9 October 1804 |startpage=1266 }}</ref> The ''[[Gentleman's Magazine]]'' for December 1796 records the death of his son on 20 December 1796 from a violent fever. Ainslie died after a long illness aged 83 at [[Bath, England]], on 21 July 1812.
===Member of Parliament===
⚫
On 8 September 1796, Ainslie received a grant of a pension of £1,000 on the civil list to be held "during the joint lives of his majesty and himself" and was elected a Member of Parliament. It met on the 27th of the same month, with [[Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey|Lord Paget]] as his colleague, for the close borough of [[Milborne Port (UK Parliament constituency)|Milborne Port]], [[Somerset]]. At the general election of 1802, his seat in Parliament was transferred to Hugh Leycester.<ref name="LR"/>

He was created a [[baronet]] of [[Great Torrington]], in the [[County of Lincoln]], on 13 October 1804, with remainder, in default of issue male, to his nephew, Robert Sharpe Ainslie, son of General George Ainslie.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=15744 |date=9 October 1804 |page=1266 }}</ref> The ''[[Gentleman's Magazine]]'' for December 1796 recorded the death of his son on 20 December 1796 from a violent fever. His great-nephew was [[Thomas Corbett (Lincolnshire MP)|Thomas Corbett]].

Ainslie died after a long illness aged 83 at [[Bath, England]], on 21 July 1812.


==Numismatics==
==Numismatics==
{{Moresources|section|date=December 2022}}
Ainslie took advantage of his position at Constantinople to amass a collection of ancient coins from [[Eastern Europe]], [[Asia Minor]], and the north of Africa.<ref name="bds"/> The most characteristic were described by [[Abate Domenico Sestini]], who dedicated to Ainslie a work which has gone through several editions, entitled ''Lettere e Dissertazioni Numismatiche sopra alcune Medaglie rare della Collezione Ainslieana'', 4 vols. 4to, Leghorn, 1789–90,<ref name="bds"/> a fifth volume of which, with the enlarged title ''e di altri Musei,'' appeared at [[Rome]] in 1794, and four others, referring to particular collections, were published at [[Berlin]] in 1804–6. Sestini continued his exposition of the Ainslie collection in a smaller work, and more special in its scope, entitled ''Dissertazione sopra alcune Monete Armene del Principi Rupinensi della Collezione Ainslieana'', 4to, Leghorn, 1790. This work is at present bound up with a copy of the first four volumes of the ''Lettere e Dissertazioni,'' which, according to an inscription, probably autographic, on the fly-leaf, was ‘presented from Sr Robt Ainslie, June 5, 1795,’ to the [[British Museum]]. Another volume of Sestini's is entitled ''Descriptio Numorum Veterum ex Museis Ainslie, Bellini, Bondacca, Borgia,'' Leipzig, 1796. Ainslie had been the ‘Mæcenas’ of Sestini's dedication of the ''Lettere e Dissertazioni'' of 1789; seven years later, in the preface to the ''Descriptio,'' he was a malignant speculator and trader in antiquities.
Ainslie took advantage of his position at Constantinople to amass a collection of ancient coins from [[Eastern Europe]], [[Asia Minor]], and the north of Africa.<ref name="bds"/> The most characteristic were described by [[abbot]] Domenico Sestini, who dedicated to Ainslie a work which has gone through several editions, entitled ''Lettere e Dissertazioni Numismatiche sopra alcune Medaglie rare della Collezione Ainslieana'', 4 vols. 4to, Leghorn, 1789–90,<ref name="bds"/> a fifth volume of which, with the enlarged title ''e di altri Musei,'' appeared at [[Rome]] in 1794, and four others, referring to particular collections, were published at [[Berlin]] in 1804–06.

Sestini continued his exposition of the Ainslie collection in a smaller work, and more special in its scope, entitled ''Dissertazione sopra alcune Monete Armene del Principi Rupinensi della Collezione Ainslieana'', 4to, Leghorn, 1790. This work is at present bound up with a copy of the first four volumes of the ''Lettere e Dissertazioni,'' which, according to an inscription, probably autographic, on the fly-leaf, was "presented from Sr Robt Ainslie, 5 June 1795", to the [[British Museum]].

Another of Sestini's volumes is entitled ''Descriptio Numorum Veterum ex Museis Ainslie, Bellini, Bondacca, Borgia,'' Leipzig, 1796. Ainslie had been the 'Mæcenas' of Sestini's dedication of the ''Lettere e Dissertazioni'' of 1789; seven years later, in the preface to the ''Descriptio,'' he was a malignant speculator and trader in antiquities.


==Research and commissions==
==Research and commissions==
{{multiple image
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{{double image|right|Luigi Mayer Ancient Telmessus.jpg|205|Luigi Mayer The Harbor At Cacamo.jpg|200|Paintings of [[Telmessus]] by Luigi Mayer, commissioned by Ainslie during their excursion along the Turkish coast:}}
| align = right
⚫
Ainslie's researches embraced antiquities of various kinds, objects of natural history, and illustrations of the East and its current life. Ainslie was a friend of important German orientalist artist [[Luigi Mayer]] and before departing Turkey travelled with him along the coast. He commissioned Mayer to produce drawings of many landmarks en route include the former settlements of ancient [[Lycia]], such as ''The Harbor At Cacamo'' and ancient [[Telmessus]] ([[Fethiye]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lycianturkey.com/art-literature-lycia.htm|title=Art and Literature About Lycia|publisher=Lycian Turkey|accessdate=August 12, 2010}}</ref> Mayer also drew other places in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans for Ainslie and in his time visited [[Wallonia]], the [[Ionian Islands]] and [[Egypt]], all documented in his paintings. Three volumes of drawings were published, in the words of the dedication, ‘under his auspices.’ The first of these is entitled ''Views in Egypt, from the original drawings in possession of Sir Robert Ainslie, taken during his Embassy to Constantinople by Luigi Mayer; engraved by and under the direction of Thomas Milton; with historical Observations and incidental Illustrations of the Manners and Customs of the Natives of that Country,'' eleph. fol. London, 1801.<ref name="bds"/> This was followed by two bilingual volumes, English and French, entitled ''Views in the Ottoman Empire, chiefly in Caramania'', &c., 1803; and ''Views in Palestine,'' &c., 1804. The coloured plates in these volumes are ninety-six in number; and fifty-four were afterwards given in the first edition, and seventy-one in the second edition, of ''Views in Turkey in Europe and Turkey in Asia'', London, 1810.<ref name="bds"/> A selection from all these appeared in 1833 as a group of engravings, uncoloured and of smaller size, with the title of 'A Series of Twenty-four Views illustrative of the Holy Scriptures''.
| image1 = Luigi Mayer Ancient Telmessus.jpg
| width1 = 205
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = Luigi Mayer The Harbor At Cacamo.jpg
| width2 = 200
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
⚫
| footer = Paintings of present day Kaleköy (ancient Simena) at Kekova (Cacamo) by Luigi Mayer, commissioned by Ainslie during their excursion along the Turkish coast:
⚫
}}
⚫
Ainslie's researches embraced antiquities of various kinds, objects of natural history, and illustrations of the East and its current life. Ainslie was a friend of important German orientalist artist [[Luigi Mayer]] and before departing Turkey travelled with him along the coast. He commissioned Mayer to produce drawings of many landmarks en route include the former settlements of ancient [[Lycia]], such as ''The Harbor at Cacamo'' and ancient [[Telmessus]] ([[Fethiye]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lycianturkey.com/art-literature-lycia.htm|title=Art and Literature About Lycia|publisher=Lycian Turkey|access-date=12 August 2010}}</ref> Mayer also drew other places in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans for Ainslie and in his time visited [[Wallonia]], the [[Ionian Islands]] and [[Egypt]], all documented in his paintings. Three volumes of drawings were published, in the words of the dedication, 'under his auspices.' The first of these is entitled ''Views in Egypt, from the original drawings in possession of Sir Robert Ainslie, taken during his Embassy to Constantinople by Luigi Mayer; engraved by and under the direction of Thomas Milton; with historical Observations and incidental Illustrations of the Manners and Customs of the Natives of that Country,'' eleph. fol. London, 1801.<ref name="bds"/> This was followed by two bilingual volumes, English and French, entitled ''Views in the Ottoman Empire, chiefly in Caramania'', &c., 1803; and ''Views in Palestine,'' &c., 1804. The coloured plates in these volumes are ninety-six in number; and fifty-four were afterwards given in the first edition, and seventy-one in the second edition, of ''Views in Turkey in Europe and Turkey in Asia'', London, 1810.<ref name="bds"/> A selection from all these appeared in 1833 as a group of engravings, uncoloured and of smaller size, with the title of ''A Series of Twenty-four Views illustrative of the Holy Scriptures''.


==Notes==
==Notes==
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{{S-start}}
{{S-start}}
{{S-par|gb}}
{{S-par|gb}}
{{S-bef|before = [[Mark Wood (1750-1829)|Mark Wood]]<br />[[John Pennington, 1st Baron Muncaster|John Pennington]]}}
{{S-bef|before = [[Mark Wood (1750-1829)|Mark Wood]] |before2=[[John Pennington, 1st Baron Muncaster|The Lord Muncaster]]}}
{{S-ttl
{{S-ttl
|title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Milborne Port (UK Parliament constituency)|Milborne Port]]
|title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Milborne Port (UK Parliament constituency)|Milborne Port]]
|years = [[British general election, 1796|1796]] – [[United Kingdom general election, 1801|1800]]
|years = [[1796 British general election|1796]]–[[1801 United Kingdom general election|1800]]
|with = [[Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey|Lord Paget]]
|with = [[Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey|Lord Paget]]
}}
}}
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{{S-bef|before = Parliament of Great Britain}}
{{S-bef|before = Parliament of Great Britain}}
{{S-ttl
{{S-ttl
|title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Milborne Port (UK Parliament constituency)|Milborne Port]]
|title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Milborne Port (UK Parliament constituency)|Milborne Port]]
|years = [[United Kingdom general election, 1801|1801]] – [[United Kingdom general election, 1802|1802]]
|years = [[1801 United Kingdom general election|1801]]–[[1802 United Kingdom general election|1802]]
|with = [[Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey|Lord Paget]]
|with = [[Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey|Lord Paget]]
}}
}}
{{S-aft|after = [[Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey|Lord Paget]]<br />[[Hugh Leycester]]}}
{{S-aft|after = [[Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey|Lord Paget]] |after2=[[Hugh Leycester]]}}
{{S-reg|uk-bt}}
{{S-reg|uk-bt}}
{{S-new|creation}}
{{S-new|creation}}
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}}
}}
{{S-aft|after = [[Sir Robert Ainslie, 2nd Baronet|Robert Sharpe Ainslie]]}}
{{S-aft|after = [[Sir Robert Ainslie, 2nd Baronet|Robert Sharpe Ainslie]]}}
{{s-dip}}
{{s-bef|before=[[John Murray (British diplomat)|John Murray]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of diplomats of the United Kingdom to the Ottoman Empire|British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire]]|years=1775&ndash;1793}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Robert Liston (diplomat)|Robert Liston]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{S-end}}


{{authority control}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->

| NAME =Ainslie, Rob
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British politician
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1730
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 21 July 1812
| PLACE OF DEATH =
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}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ainslie, Rob}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ainslie, Rob}}
[[Category:Scottish numismatists]]
[[Category:Scottish numismatists]]
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[[Category:British MPs 1796–1800]]
[[Category:British MPs 1796–1800]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1801–02]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1801–1802]]
[[Category:Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]

Revision as of 11:32, 24 April 2024

Sir Robert Ainslie, 1st Baronet (c. 1730 – 21 July 1812)[1] was a British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire,[2] orientalist, numismatist and Member of Parliament (MP) for the rotten borough of Milborne Port, in Somerset, between 1796 and 1802.[1]

Biography

Early life and family

He was the third and youngest son of George Ainslie, Esq., from a Lasswade family, who married Jane, daughter of Sir Philip Anstruther of Anstrutherfield, and died in 1773. The issue of the marriage of George Ainslie was a family of eight children and included five daughters, four of whom were married and established in France. The elder brothers of Ainslie were Sir Philip Ainslie, knight, who was born in 1728 and died on 19 June 1802 and George Ainslie, a general in the army, colonel of the 13th regiment of foot and lieutenant-governor of the Scilly Islands who died in 1804.

Ainslie, who was born about 1730, is described as having resided in the earlier part of his life at Bordeaux, where his father had been for some time settled as a merchant.[3] He is said to have returned to Scotland in 1727 and to have purchased the estate of Pilton, in the county of Midlothian.

Ambassador to Ottoman Empire

Ainslie is first noticed in the London Gazette on 20 September 1775: "The king has been pleased to appoint Robert Ainslie, Esq., to be his majesty's ambassador to the Ottoman Porte, in the room of John Murray, Esq., deceased; and his majesty was pleased this day to confer upon him the honour of knighthood, upon which occasion he had the honour to kiss his majesty's hand".[4][3]

He left England in May 1776 for Constantinople, where he arrived on 2 October. Ainslie had the reputation in Turkey of being a great favourite and boon companion of Sultan Abdul Hamid I.[3] Ainslie returned to England in 1791.[5][better source needed] He was given leave to return home on 22 September 1793 and left Turkey sometime in 1794.[citation needed]

Member of Parliament

On 8 September 1796, Ainslie received a grant of a pension of £1,000 on the civil list to be held "during the joint lives of his majesty and himself" and was elected a Member of Parliament. It met on the 27th of the same month, with Lord Paget as his colleague, for the close borough of Milborne Port, Somerset. At the general election of 1802, his seat in Parliament was transferred to Hugh Leycester.[1]

He was created a baronet of Great Torrington, in the County of Lincoln, on 13 October 1804, with remainder, in default of issue male, to his nephew, Robert Sharpe Ainslie, son of General George Ainslie.[6] The Gentleman's Magazine for December 1796 recorded the death of his son on 20 December 1796 from a violent fever. His great-nephew was Thomas Corbett.

Ainslie died after a long illness aged 83 at Bath, England, on 21 July 1812.

Numismatics

Ainslie took advantage of his position at Constantinople to amass a collection of ancient coins from Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and the north of Africa.[3] The most characteristic were described by abbot Domenico Sestini, who dedicated to Ainslie a work which has gone through several editions, entitled Lettere e Dissertazioni Numismatiche sopra alcune Medaglie rare della Collezione Ainslieana, 4 vols. 4to, Leghorn, 1789–90,[3] a fifth volume of which, with the enlarged title e di altri Musei, appeared at Rome in 1794, and four others, referring to particular collections, were published at Berlin in 1804–06.

Sestini continued his exposition of the Ainslie collection in a smaller work, and more special in its scope, entitled Dissertazione sopra alcune Monete Armene del Principi Rupinensi della Collezione Ainslieana, 4to, Leghorn, 1790. This work is at present bound up with a copy of the first four volumes of the Lettere e Dissertazioni, which, according to an inscription, probably autographic, on the fly-leaf, was "presented from Sr Robt Ainslie, 5 June 1795", to the British Museum.

Another of Sestini's volumes is entitled Descriptio Numorum Veterum ex Museis Ainslie, Bellini, Bondacca, Borgia, Leipzig, 1796. Ainslie had been the 'Mæcenas' of Sestini's dedication of the Lettere e Dissertazioni of 1789; seven years later, in the preface to the Descriptio, he was a malignant speculator and trader in antiquities.

Research and commissions

Paintings of present day Kaleköy (ancient Simena) at Kekova (Cacamo) by Luigi Mayer, commissioned by Ainslie during their excursion along the Turkish coast:

Ainslie's researches embraced antiquities of various kinds, objects of natural history, and illustrations of the East and its current life. Ainslie was a friend of important German orientalist artist Luigi Mayer and before departing Turkey travelled with him along the coast. He commissioned Mayer to produce drawings of many landmarks en route include the former settlements of ancient Lycia, such as The Harbor at Cacamo and ancient Telmessus (Fethiye).[7] Mayer also drew other places in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans for Ainslie and in his time visited Wallonia, the Ionian Islands and Egypt, all documented in his paintings. Three volumes of drawings were published, in the words of the dedication, 'under his auspices.' The first of these is entitled Views in Egypt, from the original drawings in possession of Sir Robert Ainslie, taken during his Embassy to Constantinople by Luigi Mayer; engraved by and under the direction of Thomas Milton; with historical Observations and incidental Illustrations of the Manners and Customs of the Natives of that Country, eleph. fol. London, 1801.[3] This was followed by two bilingual volumes, English and French, entitled Views in the Ottoman Empire, chiefly in Caramania, &c., 1803; and Views in Palestine, &c., 1804. The coloured plates in these volumes are ninety-six in number; and fifty-four were afterwards given in the first edition, and seventy-one in the second edition, of Views in Turkey in Europe and Turkey in Asia, London, 1810.[3] A selection from all these appeared in 1833 as a group of engravings, uncoloured and of smaller size, with the title of A Series of Twenty-four Views illustrative of the Holy Scriptures.

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "M" (part 2)
  2. ^ Burke, John (1847). Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry, Volume 1. H. Colburn. p. 264.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g The Biographical Dictionary of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, Volumes 1-2. Longman, Brown. 1842. pp. 568–69.
  4. ^ "No. 11598". The London Gazette. 19 September 1775. p. 1.
  5. ^ Yeʼor, Bat (1996). The decline of Eastern Christianity under Islam: from Jihad to Dhimmitude : seventh-twentieth century. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. p. 452. ISBN 0-8386-3688-8.
  6. ^ "No. 15744". The London Gazette. 9 October 1804. p. 1266.
  7. ^ "Art and Literature About Lycia". Lycian Turkey. Retrieved 12 August 2010.

References

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Milborne Port
1796–1800
With: Lord Paget 		Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Parliament of Great Britain
 Member of Parliament for Milborne Port
1801–1802
With: Lord Paget 		Succeeded by
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baronet
(of Great Torrington)
1804–1812 		Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
1775–1793 		Succeeded by
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