Durante Nunes D' Acosta

Durante Nunes D’ Acosta was a descendant of a prominent Marano family from Portugal who had established himself as a prominent merchant in Hamburg.

When, about 1640, King John IV of Portugal established his agency at Hamburg, he made Durante Nunes D’ 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, until 1795, other members of the Acosta family held the office.