Dragomanos

ΣΤ:. To the conquering truth

(Constantinople 1750 – 1812)

A descendant of the glorious and great family of Karatzades. Karatzas was a dragoman and hatman of the High Gate and other Ottoman officials. With Ambassador Azmi Ahmed Efendi (1740-1821) he was in Berlin in 1791-1792 on a diplomatic mission . Karatzas, having been initiated into the Berlin Lodge 1791 “The Truth that Wins”, which belonged to the “Grand Lodge, Royale York de l’Amitie”. In this way he participated as an external member and honorary guest until 1812. At the same time he came into social contact with high members of the Lodge who facilitated his mission. In addition to commercial contacts, the programme of diplomatic visits included educational and social programmes in hospitals, confinement institutions, etc. He is also reported to have visited the Royal Library in Dresden and royal art collections. He is invited to official dances of the Prussian palace and to opera performances, so he is now part of the cultivated expatriates of the Greek diaspora. Karatzas lived mainly in Constantinople and occasionally travelled.