The 1840 Rhodes Blood Libel

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Focusing on the 1840 Rhodes blood libel, this study explores the intersection of Ottoman and Jewish histories amidst a surge of anti-Jewish violence instigated by local authorities. It utilizes newly uncovered Ottoman and Jewish sources to argue that the acquittal of the Rhodian Jews is best understood through the lens of the Tanzimat reforms and the diplomatic landscape of the time. This work reveals that the effects of these reforms were felt earlier than previously thought, providing insights into intercommunal relations in the Eastern Mediterranean during the late Ottoman period.