This is a quick note and a place holder to return to the historical figure and to the general topic of the “Persianate woman” in Europe. From Refashioning Iran:
In the first decades of the seventeenth century, an Iranian woman journeyed to Europe. Teresia, daughter of Isma’il Khan, a member of the court of Shah ‘Abbas, married Robert Sherley (1581-1628) and accompanied him on two diplomatic missions on the Shah’s behalf to Europe. p 39
And a couple of internet sources:
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2009/feb/16/couple-shah-abbas-van-dyck
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Shirley
It’s interesting that she is Circassian rather than Persian, but like many others of her time of different ethno-cultural backgrounds, she is considered Persianate because Circassia was under the rule of Safavid Iran and her father was a member of the courst. Much more to be said about Iranian colonialism.