Shabbetai Tzvi was a 17th-century Jewish mystic and self-proclaimed Messiah born in Smyrna (now Izmir, Turkey) in 1626. He gained a significant following among Jews in Europe and the Ottoman Empire due to his charismatic personality and claims of divine inspiration. His teachings were influenced by Kabbalah, a mystical interpretation of Jewish texts. In 1666, Tzvi was arrested by the Ottoman authorities and faced the choice of conversion to Islam or execution. He chose conversion, which led to disillusionment among his followers. Despite this, his movement continued to influence various sects, including the Dönmeh, a group of crypto-Jews who followed his teachings.