ACOSTA, DUARTE NUÑES D':

By: William Milwitzky

Merchant at Hamburg during the first half of the seventeenth century; descendant of a prominent Marano family from Portugal. When, about 1640, King John IV. of Portugal established his agency at Hamburg, he made Acosta the first incumbent of the office, with the title of "noble of the house," in spite of local prejudice against the Jews due to the propaganda against them led by John Müller. Throughout the existence of the agency, to the year 1795, other members of the Acosta family held the office.

W. M.