Huh? Portuguese Merchant Of Venice? How?

[jg4444]

I'm playing as the Zulus this game and in the middle of wrecking Portugal I notice Portugal has a Merchant of Venice running around their border? how? Venice is in this game, but don't great people get destroyed when attacked?


Couldn't be from a militaristic city state could it?

 

[JSMCAG]

Patronage finisher makes City-States occasionally gift a Great Person if you are their ally. This includes Khans and Merchants of Venice.

Portugal finished the Patronage tree, Portugal has at least one City-State ally, Portugal was lucky.

Nothing else to see here, move along!

 

[I_qua_I]

They were gifted one from a city-state. They must have the patronage tree fully filled out (it's part of the finisher.) I've been gifted one as Korea before.

EDIT: Ninja'd