Sabbatai Zevi (also spelt Sabbathais Zevi and Sabtai Zefi), a false messiah, the founder of a wide-spread sect of semi-Christians and semi-
Jews throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, was born at Smyrna in 1641. By his personal magnetism, his character, his extraordinary learning, and his brilliant abilities, he led thousands of followers, mainly in Smyrna, Salonica, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, where he successively laboured, to believe in him as the Messiah (see MAHDI). In 1664 no fewer than about 80,000 people belonged to the new empire; and in the following year the beginning of the Messianic reign within a few months and the rebuilding of the Temple in the next year were proclaimed aloud in the streets of Alexandria by Sabbatai and six disciples, all clad in white raiments, with garlands on their heads. Somewhat later he returned to Jerusalem; and the general resurrection, to take place within six years, and the deposition of the sultan, whose crown would be placed upon Sabbatai's head, were proclaimed far and near. But three years later, having provoked serious alarm at Constantinople, he was apprehended at Smyrna, and terrified into something like a recantation of his mission. He was said to have declared that his sole object had been all along to embrace Islam, and to carry over all the Jews with him. The sultan declared himself satisfied, and honoured him with the title of an effendi, giving him an honorary post at the same time. But the movement was far from having reached its end. A fictitious man was supposed by some to have embraced Islam, while the real Messiah had ascended heavenwards. Finally the grand vizier was persuaded to imprison Sabbatai once more, and to send him to Albania or Servia, where he died in prison—according to some, in consequence of poison, while according to others he was executed in 1677, ten years after his conversion.