Speaker: Bruno Cianci, University of Genoa and Rahmi M Koç Museum (Istanbul)

This seminar focuses on an unpublished log book recording the training voyage to the eastern Mediterranean of three ships of the Tuscan navy under the command of Captain John Acton (1714-1766), the uncle of the more famous Sir John F. E. Acton (1736-1811). The purpose of this voyage, which took place in the years 1750-51, was to teach the crews and officers British naval practice. The manuscript is written by Acton himself in archaic Italian and is dedicated to Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria.

About the speaker:

Born in 1970, Bruno Cianci is a chartered journalist and writer based in Istanbul since 2008. He holds a Laurea magister in Political & Social Sciences (University of Milan) and is a PhD candidate in Marine Science & Technology (University of Genoa). Cianci has authored a dozen maritime and historical books. His expertise ranges from maritime history to navigation and technology at large; from geopolitics to international politics; from heraldry to vexillology. The recipient of several accolades, in 2021 he was awarded the Order of the Star of Italy (OSI) by the President of the Italian Republic for services to Italy-Turkey bilateral relations. He’s currently working on his PhD thesis, which focuses on the most important designs by Camper & Nicholsons (1782-1980), probably the most important British yacht builder of all time.

This event is open to the public and free to attend both in-person and online (via Zoom). In-person spaces are limited, so register now to secure your spot!

For those joining online, the Zoom link will be sent by email two days before the event.