Indeed, it was prophesied that the Grand Turk himself would relinquish his crown to Sevi.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

It was not until 1648 that Sevi took himself properly speaking to be the messiah.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

Sevi's followers dreamed not only of returning to Israel but of having Gentiles prostrate themselves before them.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

Sevi's story is so remarkable that even an unadorned telling of it makes for an interesting narrative.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

Such inversions of the existing order of things were a Sevi speciality.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

Born in 1626 into a prosperous commercial family in Izmir, Sevi exhibited at an early stage the pathology and genius on which his messiahhood would rest.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

Yet in the 17th century the Jewish world from Aleppo to Amsterdam was in thrall to Sabbatai Sevi, a kabbalist who claimed to be the messiah.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

Brought before the Ottoman ruler with the connivance of hostile rabbis to answer charges of sedition, Sevi converted to Islam rather than face martyrdom, and accepted a sinecure as the Sultan's head gatekeeper.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism