Life and posthumous fate of Angelo Soliman, one of Vienna's most unusual residents

Angelo Soliman, a man of remarkable intellect and dignity who befriended Mozart and inspired characters in "The Magic Flute," died in Vienna on November 21, 1796, at the age of 75. Known as the "tall prince of Africa," Soliman was a familiar face in the company of princes and scholars for decades. His death marked the end of a life that, even 230 years later, serves as a stark indictment of an era that prided itself on reason yet perpetuated profound injustice.

Born Mmadi Make around 1721 in West Africa, likely in present-day Nigeria, Soliman recounted a childhood tragically cut short when slave traders abducted him at seven. He passed through Mediterranean slave markets, eventually landing in Messina. There, he was baptized Angelo Soliman and entered the household of a marquise. His life took another turn when Imperial General Prince Georg Christian von Lobkowitz requested him as a gift. Soliman became his valet and companion on military campaigns, even saving Lobkowitz's life in battle and becoming his trusted confidant.

Following Lobkowitz's death in 1753, Soliman was transferred, much like a valuable possession, to Prince Joseph Wenzel von Liechtenstein, one of the wealthiest men in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Brought to Vienna, Soliman's intellectual capabilities flourished beyond the era's prejudiced narratives about Black individuals. He became fluent in six languages, including German, French, Italian, Latin, and Czech. He excelled in mathematics and history and was renowned as one of the city's top chess players. He managed the Liechtenstein household, navigated courtly salons, and became the tutor for the heir to the princely family.

Despite his intellectual achievements and social standing, Soliman's position was fraught with ambiguity. While impeccably dressed in the latest fashion, his hosts sometimes dressed him in fabricated "oriental" costumes for formal occasions, highlighting his role as an exotic status symbol. This duality became starkly apparent in 1768 when he secretly married Magdalena Christiani, a widow from a respectable family. The interracial marriage caused a scandal, leading to his expulsion from the palace by an enraged prince. Soliman and his family lived modestly, dedicating themselves to gardening, books, and their daughter, Josephini. Visitors described his home as a sanctuary of quiet scholarship, and Soliman himself as a gentle, measured man who spoke of his extraordinary fate without bitterness. He only returned to court when the old prince's successor invited him back to educate the young Prince Alois. His true recognition came in 1783 when he was admitted to the Viennese Masonic lodge "Zur wahren Eintracht" (True Harmony).