The subject of "religious" slavery in the early modern Mediterranean has received considerable attention by both European and Middle Eastern specialists. While research has focused on the actions of slaving states and the conditions of life for the enslaved, historians have paid relatively little attention to the role that status and bi-lateral treaties played in the ransom and release of individual captives. This paper explores inter-state negotiations around the captivity of the Ottoman governor of Rhodes, Mustafa Pasha, who had fallen captive when his Christian galley slaves succeeded in overwhelming his Muslim crew and sailed his ship from the Aegean to La Valletta. The paper documents the role of French diplomats as representatives of Ottoman interests in Catholic lands as well as the increasing importance of treaty obligations, trade, and principles of reciprocity in protecting high ranking persons and their property under the most adverse political circumstances.