*
I would merely remark, that I have taken the events of this period, for the most
part, from an Eastern Hebrew work; should it, therefore, be found that there are
some differences respecting the names and chronology, when compared with
European histories, I would, nevertheless, give the preference to this work,
which was composed on the spot where the events occurred, and appears on the
whole to give an authentic and true account.
When
the inhabitants of Europe learned, in 4856 (1096), how great the oppression and
persecution were which their coreligionists had to endure in the Holy Land at
the hands of the Mahomedans, they resolved to make a campaign thither by their
united forces, in order to snatch the Holy Land from the power of the infidels.
In consequence of this resolve there assembled an immense number of warlike
pilgrims from Germany, France, Spain, Britain, and Italy, composing a mass of
all sorts of men, who all hastened to the East in a pious and holy rage,--others, indeed, for the mere love of
plunder,--to take part in the holy
war; wherein, therefore, it was quite natural that the pious and holy priests
should play a principal part. This, however, was a terrible and tragical period
for all the Jews residing in the above-named countries; since these pious
pilgrims had, at present, the best opportunity to give full vent to their hatred
and fury against our poor and helpless people, and to enrich themselves at the
same time with their wealth and possessions.
Especially
in Germany an innumerable host of Jews, entire congregations, both little and
great, both old and young, were butchered in cold blood, and their earthly
possessions confiscated by the saints. Only those who would consent to join
Christianity, the only saving church, could remain unmolested; but few, indeed,
availed themselves of this dishonourable means of saving their lives! These are
the persecutions of 4856, called among us גזרות
תתנ״ו; but it is not my province to speak of them
more circumstantially. A complete account of these dreadful events is found in
the book of Chronicles of Rabbi Joseph, the priest, a native of Italy, known as
דברי הימים
לר׳ יוסף הכהן.
The
number of these warlike pilgrims was about 600,000 men; they took their journey
by seven different routes (Deut. 28:25). They were led by Godfrey of Lorraine,
and many distinguished princes. They pursued their difficult and dangerous route
through Constantinople, Anatolia, Antiochia, Trablus, Beirut, Zidon, Zur, and
Akko. Their near approach produced a panic and frightful terror among the
inhabitants of Jerusalem. The Egyptian Calif, who had but recently only taken it
from the Tartars, commanded to place the city in a state of defence, to
strengthen the wall of the city, and to supply it with brave troops, and with
everything requisite, with arms no less than with an ample store of provisions.
In
4859 (1099), on the 7th of June (Tamuz), the pilgrims came at length before
Jerusalem by way of Ramla. The large number of 600,000 had already melted down
to 40,000, so that but 1 out of every 15 had remained alive and come before
Jerusalem; the remainder had been carried off on the long journey by the plague
and other diseases, hunger, want, and the sword of the enemy. But even among the
40,000 that remained, there were but 20,000 warriors who fought on foot, and 500
horsemen; whereas in Jerusalem there was a garrison of 40,000 brave soldiers.
The city was now formally put in a state of siege, and the Mahomedans defended
themselves bravely; but still Jerusalem was taken by assault on the 11th (19th?)
of July אב Godfrey and
his brother Eustace (Iyostakea?) were the first to scale the wall, and
descending therefrom into the city, forced the gates, when the whole army of the
pilgrims poured in, and caused a terrible massacre, so that Arab historians
write that the horses waded up to their bellies in human blood; and scarcely any
one was spared and saved alive. Godfrey was thereupon acknowledged and crowned
by the pilgrims as king of Jerusalem. They next gradually conquered all
Palestine and Syria; but they had to carry on everywhere constant battles with
the Califs of Egypt, in which they (the Crusaders) were nearly always
victorious. In a battle between Godfrey and the Calif, which was fought in the
vicinity of Ashkelon, it is said that 100,000 men of the Egyptian army were left
dead on the field. The pilgrims made also some conquests on the east side of
Jordan.
They
had thus possession of nearly the whole country; they built cities, towns,
villages, monuments, churches, and monasteries, and gave theirs arbitrarily
biblical names, through which means, if one should regard these names as correct
and authentic, the geography of Palestine would become entirely obscure and
confused. Many of these names are even retained in the journal of the travels of
the Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela. The great bridge over the Jordan, which is at
present called Djisr abneh Jacub, was built by the Crusaders in the reign of
Baldwin IV. The city wall of Jerusalem also was newly repaired by them, or
rather nearly rebuilt; and they remained 88 years in complete possession of the
land, as I shall relate farther.
When
the people in Europe learned the conquest of Palestine, all were rejoiced, and
every one wished to be himself able to participate in such holy expeditions,
which caused five more to be undertaken.
In
4907 (1147), the second great expedition to Palestine took place, led by the
Emperor Conrad III. of Germany, and Louis VII. of France.
In
4930 (1170), there reigned in Egypt King Saladdin (Salheddin Yuseph ben Ayoub),
who united Palestine with his own government, and severed it from the Califate,
and founded a separate kingdom, independent of that of the Califs, that of the
Ayoubites, which lasted till 5010 (1250), when the kingdom of the Mamelukes
commenced.
Saladdin,
however, marched, in 4947 (1187 ),with a large army to Palestine, and made war
against the then Christian King Guy (Guido), of Lusignan. A great battle was
fought not far from the village of Chittin, near the mountain called Kurn
Chittin, in Lower Galilee (for which see Chapter II); the Christians were
defeated with a terrible slaughter, and King Guido was taken prisoner. Saladdin
pushed on to Jerusalem, which he besieged, and soon began to batter and throw
down its walls. The besieged, seeing that they had no prospect of a successful
resistance, surrendered to him, paid him a contribution, and they were permitted
to march out unmolested; whereupon many left Jerusalem with their families.
Saladdin now put a garrison in the same, caused all steeples and bells to be
destroyed, and the churches and monasteries, to spite the Christians, were
converted into horse stables for his army; but he paid all possible respect and
reverence to the buildings erected on the temple mount, for instance the Mosque
Al Sachra, and other structures intended for the purpose of devotion. All the
cities and towns of Palestine surrendered to him; so that he put an end to the
Christian kingdom of Jerusalem.
The
following are the kings who ruled in Palestine during the Christian period:
1,
Godfrey of Boulogne (Bouillon), or of Lorraine; after his death there reigned,
2, his brother, Baldwin I.; after him, 3, Baldwin, called di Burgo; after him,
4, his son-in-law Fulgo; after him, 5, his son Baldwin III.; after
him, 6, his son Almeric; after him, 7, his son Baldwin IV., who was afterwards
afflicted with a terrible leprosy; so that even in his lifetime the government
devolved, 8, on his nephew, his sister's son, Baldwin V., but who was yet a
mere youth; after the death of both these, the government came into the hands
of, 9, Guy of Lusignan; his queen was called Sybilla; she was a daughter of King
Almeric, and was also the mother of Baldwin V.; Guy was defeated, as related
above, by Saladdin, and thus lost his kingdom. The leaders of the Christian
armies elected, nevertheless, after this from among themselves, as king, 10,
Henry of Campania, who, however, soon afterwards fell out of a window in
Ptolemais (Akko), and thus died.
Although
the reign of the Europeans was thus dissolved in Palestine, several crusades
were nevertheless undertaken in Europe, in the hope of recovering the lost
dominion over the Holy Land, which was not accomplished, though several great
victories were obtained here and there over the Mahomedans, and several towns
were captured. But all this availed nothing to recover that power which they had
formerly possessed.
In
the year 4949 (1189), the third expedition was undertaken; the leaders in this
were Frederick I. (Barbarossa), Emperor of Germany; Philip Augustus, of France;
and Richard I. (Coeur de Lion), of England. They conquered Armenia and Syria;
but the Emperor Frederick was drowned whilst bathing, and was buried in
Antiochia. The Emperor Henry also undertook, in the mean time, an expedition
with a very large army; but he lost his courage and his love for the Orient, and
returned home without reaching Palestine. The other pilgrims moved on towards
Akko (Acre), and besieged it. Saladdin came with an immense multitude of men,
and attacked the Christians; but the siege and the war lasted a long time;
victory, however, at length declared in favour of the pilgrims, and they
conquered Akko and other cities, though they could not long maintain possession
of them, as they were always again taken away from them; but during all this
time Jerusalem remained in the hands of the Mahomedans.
In
4962 (1202), on the 30th of May (Sivan), there was a terrible earthquake, which
has scarcely ever been equalled in the East; it lasted, without interruption,
nearly three days, and destroyed the greater portion of Akko, the residence of
the Christian kings, as also, almost totally, the towns of Tyre, Arkos (ערקי)
Trablus (Tripoli); besides which destruction, a large number of human beings
perished. This calamity was followed afterwards by an equally terrible famine;
after this the land was visited by a fearful plague; by reason of all which the
Christians could not sustain themselves in the country as an independent
kingdom. (Jud. 5:20.)
In
4977 (1217), the fourth expedition was undertaken, not as before, by land,
through Asia Minor, but by sea, under the guidance of Andrew II., King of
Hungary.
In
4979 (1219), there reigned in the Holy Land, Melech al Madem, whose seat was at
Damascus. He caused the city wall of Jerusalem to be demolished, sparing only
the Kallai (fort), in order to afford to the Christians in future no central
stronghold in Palestine.
In
4983 (1223), the fifth expedition, at the head of which was the Emperor
Frederick II., was undertaken. Frederick took Palestine from Saladdin, and his
son Kurdius, who resided in Jerusalem, had to seek safety in flight. The Emperor
having thus conquered Jerusalem and several other towns, replaced King John, who
had been chosen king after the death of Henry of Campania, and who had been
driven from Jerusalem by the Mahomedans, into his royal dignity. King John gave
thereupon his daughter Julia to Frederic for wife, and presented him in
perpetuity with the kingdom of Jerusalem. The Emperor was accordingly crowned in
the Holy City as King of Jerusalem; and it is upon this ground that all the
Roman, or rather German emperors, have, since Frederick's time, borne the name
of King of Jerusalem, and the House of Hapsburg bear it even now, though only as
Emperors of Austria. It is well enough understood that this empty title confers
no power whatever.
In
4999 (1239), the barons and knights then in Jerusalem commenced to restore and
rebuild the destroyed city wall, and to repair in particular the fort Kallai.
But the Amir Da-ud of Al Kerak, surprised the city, captured it, and slew
a great many Christians; he also caused all that had been built to be again
demolished.
In
5003 (1243), the Pisans (Italians), again undertook to restore the fort; but in
the year following, 5004, the hordes of Karismians (Turks and Tartars), made a
fourth irruption into Palestine under their king, Kasiumi; they took Jerusalem,
caused a terrible slaughter among its inhabitants, and destroyed all that had
been lately built up, together with the sepulchral church.
In
5008 (1248), the sixth and last crusade was undertaken; at its head was Louis of
France. He took Egypt on his route, in order to defeat first its king. He found
there that a conspiracy had broken out against the family of Saladdin, who had
lost the government, which had devolved on the Mamelukes, who then began to
rule, as I shall narrate somewhat more in detail hereafter.
In
5025 (1265), the Tartaric hordes made their fifth and last irruption, and killed
a great many persons in Jerusalem.
In
5040 (1280), there ruled in Palestine the Sultan Seif Eddin, the Calif of Egypt.
In
5046 (1286), or rather, as appears to me more correctly, in 5051 (1291), there
ruled here the Sultan Mahmud ibn Kialian, who caused several buildings to be
erected in Jerusalem, and had constructed the northern pool without the city, as
stated above when describing the pools, as appears from the inscription on the
same, "SULTAN MAHMUD IBN KIALIAN SANE 693;" and as I have already noticed
that the Chadjra commenced with 4479, and as 693 Mahomedan are only about 672
years, the date of the construction of the pool must be 5051 (1291).
In
5051, Asa Sultan Mameluki, King of Egypt, appeared with a large force before
Akko and Trablus, and captured both, and killed a great many Christians, and
destroyed entirely their dominion and power in Palestine, which has remained
ever since, to our own times, in possession of the Mahomedans.
The
proper duration of the Christian kingdom in Palestine was 88 years, as I have
stated already; but their entire expulsion did not take place till 104 years
later: consequently, the whole Christian period lasted 192 years.
Palestine
was thus under the government of the Mamelukes, and continued so for 227 years,
till it was conquered by the Ottomans.
I
consider it proper to say something concerning the origin and descent of the
latter. In the year 4970 (1210), when the terrible Gengis Khan, the king of the
Tartars, conquered nearly the whole of Asia, and overcame all the kings and
princes of that portion of the world, devastated their lands, and destroyed
their cities, many of these princes saved themselves by flight, and settled in
distant, uncultivated, and unpeopled districts, in steppes and deserts, in order
to be safe against the all-destroying tyrant, Gengis Khan. Among these
fugitives was a certain prince, the grandfather of the later named Osman or
Ottman, whose descent some trace directly to Ishmael, son of Abraham, others to
Japheth, son of Noah.
In
the year 5060 (1300), when the Tartaric hordes, in one of their fearful inroads,
robbing and murdering, caused destruction in every direction, Eladin, prince of
Guna, (?) in Eastern Asia, fled before them, and left his country in the hands
of a brave warrior who sojourned there, by name of Ottman or Osman, who was a
grandson of the prince who had fled before Gengis Khan. The people of Guna
elected Osman as their chief and king, in order to take the field against the
marauding hordes. He was so fortunate in his campaigns that he overcame them;
after which he gradually extended his conquests, penetrated to the West,
defeated the Greeks, and conquered all Anatolia (Asia Minor). He took up his
seat at Brusa, a city in the present province of Kodavenkiar, not far from Mount
Olympus, in Asia Minor. His successors, the Ottoman rulers, constantly increased
their dominions by conquest, till they acquired an immense extent, as I shall
tell hereafter. This chief, then, is the ancestor of the celebrated imperial
house which rules to this day [1850] in Constantinople, and hence the names of
Ottoman Empire and Ottoman Emperors.
In
5162 (1402), Tamerlane (Timour Lenk), king of Samarkand (Samrchand), in
Mongolia, conquered all Persia and Central Asia, and penetrated to the west as
far as Anatolia, which he conquered, together with the whole of Syria and
Palestine, and he destroyed and devastated everything wherever he appeared.
Among others, the strong and celebrated city of Baal-bek, in Coelesyria,
was destroyed by him, and it continues to this day in ruins. Bajazet (Biastus),
of the family of the Ottomans, king of Anatolia, made war against him; but
Timour defeated him, and, having made him prisoner, he enclosed him in an iron
cage, and carried him about with him wherever he went, and he was compelled to
eat under Timour's table what was thrown down to him. It was probably an old
heathenish custom to treat conquered chiefs after this fashion. (See Judges
1:7.) After Timour's death, Mahmed Ismaeli I., the grandson of Bajazet,
conquered all the countries and territories once possessed by Timour. Mahmed was
a distinguished warrior, and very fortunate in his battles and conquests, by
which he gave his dominions an immense extent, so that in 5175 (1415) he
penetrated even as far as Salzburg in Tyrol. Palestine also reverted to the
dominion of the Mameluke kings of Egypt.
In
5213 (1453), Sultan Mahmed II., the ninth in descent from Ottman, appeared
before Constantinople with an immense army, and captured it by storm on the 29th
of May, after a siege of fifty-four days. He caused a terrible slaughter
among the Greeks, the inhabitants of the city, and made an end of the Greek part
of the Roman Empire, which had been maintained there 1121 years, namely, from
4092 (332), when Constantine the Great rebuilt the city of Byzantium, and took
up his residence there. Sultan Mahmed himself made Constantinople the capital of
the Ottoman empire, and it has continued to be so to our own days. He also
conquered nearly all Western Asia, and extended his power over a great portion
of Europe, so that he conquered twelve kingdoms and more than a hundred large
and fortified cities; and he was very fortunate in his wars. He attacked also
the isle of Rhodes; but here his luck forsook him, and he was beaten back by the
Greek inhabitants of that island, and he was not able to take it. Palestine also
remained attached to the kingdom of the Mamelukes.
In
5278 (1518), Sultan Selim I., a grandson of Mahmed II., consequently the
eleventh in descent from Ottman, made war against Sultan Kampison, king of
Egypt. Near Aleppo, in Syria, a battle was at length fought between them.
Kampison had a large army of Arabs and Mamelukes; but Selim conquered through
means of his janissaries, and the Arabs and Mamelukes were put to flight, and
Sultan Kampison, who was in his seventy-sixth year, and in the sixteenth
of his reign, fell in this battle, the first and the last which he had ever
fought. Palestine came, therefore, under the dominion of the Ottomans, and it
has continued so ever since. Selim concluded a treaty of peace with the
inhabitants of Trablus, Zidon, Beirut, Akko, and Damascus. He then moved on to
Jerusalem, and ascended the Temple Mount, where he exhibited the reverence due
to the sacred spot. Thence he took up his route to Egypt, and made war against
Sultan Tumubera Diadoro, whom the Mamelukes had appointed as their king after
Kampison's death, and defeated him, and had him hanged on a gallows. He also
took the whole country of Egypt, and thus made an end of the Mameluke
domination. Egypt came thus under the power of the Ottoman, as it has remained
till the latest time, as I shall tell at the conclusion of this narrative. Selim
conquered yet other kingdoms and provinces, and penetrated, in 5270 (1519), as
far as Vienna, where, however, he met with a severe defeat. He died in 5250
(1520), and his son Seliman ascended the throne.
A
SHORT REVIEW OF THIS PERIOD.
The following will prove that even at this early period
German Jews must have lived in Jerusalem. The noble family of Dalberg in Worms
is one of very ancient date, and has been in existence probably from eight to
nine hundred years. It so happened that a son of this family had a great
inclination to travel, in order to see the world and learn various languages,
especially the Arabic; wherefore he resolved to visit the East, and came at
length to Jerusalem. But, by reason of the long journey, the money with which he
had provided himself became exhausted, and he was in the greatest distress,
since he became sick, had neither money nor acquaintance, and knew not the
language of the country, in order to make himself understood. He was lying
despairing, dangerously sick and emaciated, in the open street of the city; but
none of the passers-by took notice of him, either because they could not
or would not understand him; till luckily a Jew came along, who had a knowledge
of his language, and heard him say, "If people only knew who I am, and the
character of my family and of my father, they would surely have compassion on
me, for my father is able to repay manifold any kindness shown to me." The
Jew, who was a German, had him immediately brought to his house, procured him
medical assistance and good nursing, treated him as became his high station, and
took such excellent care of him that he speedily recovered. He kept him also a
long time after that in his house, and had him thoroughly instructed in the
Arabic language. The young cavalier now reported to his father the whole
occurrence, how a Jew had saved him almost from death, and become his
benefactor, and that he had to thank him for his life and existence. The father
was greatly rejoiced to hear from him, and sent out a large sum of money to
enable him to return, and showed himself in an eminent degree grateful to the
benefactor of his son, who thereupon returned happily to his native land. Soon
after the father died, and left him great wealth. He wrote down this event in
the family annals, and left a command to all his descendants for ever to do the
Jews kindness, and made it a custom in Worms, that at each marriage or funeral
procession among the Jews, two servants of the noble house of Dalberg should
march before the same with silver-headed staffs in their hands, as a mark
of honour and respect. This custom was observed several centuries in Worms.
When Jerusalem was taken by storm in 4859 (1099), by the
pilgrims, there was among the generals one of the house of Dalberg, and he
recollected the command of his ancestor, to show the Jews kindness, and
especially that it was to a Jew of this place that he and his whole family owed
their existence. He therefore endeavoured, so far as possible, and with all his
power, to save the Jews from the fury of the conquerors; he took many under his
protection, and sent them away to his own home, to Germany, and gave them
possessions, houses, and fields, where they could live quietly and in peace. He
also caused the Jews who fell in the conquest of Jerusalem, to be interred under
the protection of his division of the army.
Some years before I left my native land there appeared a
little work, written by one Dalberg, which spoke extremely kindly and
sympathizingly for the Jews; the author partly referred to the above event, and
said plainly that it is his duty by inheritance to speak only well of Israel,
and to render them all possible service. "Send thy bread on the face of the
waters, for in the multitude of days thou wilt find it again." (Eccles. 11:1.)
In
the year 4930 (1170), R. Benjamin of Tudela, travelled through the Holy Land,
and I extract from his journal merely the number of Jewish inhabitants whom he
found in the following places, which will give us some means of judging of their
extension and condition. In Antiochia there were about 10 Jewish families, whose
business was the manufacture of glassware; in Ludkia were 200; in Gebal, the
modern Djebl and ancient Biblus, 150; in Beirut, 50; in Zidon, 20; in Zor
(Tyre), 400, who had several ships navigating the sea; in Akko, 200; in Caesarea
(Kisrin), 10 Jewish and 200 Cuthean; in Lod, but 1, who was a dyer; in Nablus,
200 Cuthean; in Beth-Gubrin, 3; in Nob, 2, dyers; in Ramlah, 30; in Jaffa, 1; in
Ashkelon, 200 Jewish and 300 Cuthean; in Jezreel, 1, a dyer; in Shunem, which is
Turun, דליש גברא
לריש * 300; in Tiberias, 50; in Gush-Chalab, 30;
in Damascus, 3000; in Jerusalem, 200, who dwell near the Tower of David
מגדל דוד; altogether, 4,858 Jewish,
and 700 Cuthean families, which would give us about 30,000 individuals; whereas,
at present there are scarcely half as many in the country. R. Benjamin's
mentioning neither Zafed nor Hebron, should lead us to the conclusion that at
his visit no Jews lived in these places.
*
This name is incomprehensible to me; wherefore I believe it to be an incorrect
reading, and that it should be "de les chevaux legers," as perhaps a troop
of light-armed horsemen were stationed there. Perhaps he alludes by Turun,
to Turanus, which is 10 English miles from Tyre, in the direction towards
Banias, which was built by the Christians; or perhaps the modern village Turan,
near Chittin (which see); but neither can be identical with Shunem, as must
appear evident from its position.
The
celebrated Nachmanides רמב״ן, who travelled in
5027 (1267) to Jerusalem, wrote to his son in Spain† among other things as
follows: "Jerusalem has about 2000 inhabitants, among whom are 300 Christians,
who have escaped the sword of the Sultan; but there is scarcely a Jew among the
whole; for when the Tartars captured the city in 5025 (1265), many of the
Israelites lost their lives, and the remainder fled to Shechem. I only met two
brothers, who have farmed the dyeing business from the commander of the city;
and there are scarcely ten persons who meet at the house of the dyers to hold
divine service. I have urged them to found a general Synagogue of their own; for
as the city is, so to say, without owners, and there is no priority right of
possession, whoever takes possession of any house, dwelling, or court, (to be
sure they are all in ruins,) it becomes and remains his property. We afterwards
found a very handsome ruinous building, with marble columns and an elegant
cupola; we instituted a collection to restore it to answer as a Synagogue; we
then commenced the rebuilding, and sent for the ספרי
תורה books of the Law to Shechem, whither they had been
conveyed for safety; and now we have a handsome regular Synagogue, where public
divine service is held; for there are constantly arriving here brothers and
sisters in the faith from Damascus, Aleppo, and the whole surrounding country,
in order to see the ruined temple, and to weep and mourn over it."
† This letter is appended to the celebrated
תורת האדם (The Law of Man) at
the end of שער
הגמול "The Division on Recompense," also a
work of the learned Ramban. At the conclusion to his commentary to the
Pentateuch, he gives a touching picture of the situation of Jerusalem as he
found it.
At
that time there lived here the learned Rabbi Mosheh de Leon, who found the
manuscript of the Zohar, composed by R. Simeon Ben Yochai, which was concealed
in a cave not far from Miron.
In
5082 (1322), there was here the celebrated Astori Hapharchi
איש תמרי
הפרחי, the author of Caphtore Vapherach
כפתר ופרח, a description of his
seven years' travels and investigations in Palestine. At his time there was
already a large Jewish population in Jerusalem, Beth-Sheän, and in Eglon, at
the east of the Jordan.
In
5171 (1411), a large Jewish pilgrim society was formed, of distinguished, pious,
and learned men in France and England (?), consisting of more than 300 persons,
in order to travel to Jerusalem. The king then reigning there showed them every
honour and respect, and permitted them to build themselves Synagogues and
colleges. The celebrated scholar, Rabbi Jonathan Hakkohen,* was likewise one of
this society of pilgrims. (See end of the book שבט
יהודה)
*
It appears that there is an error as to the time stated by the Shebet Yehudah in
which this society should have been formed, since Rabbi Jonathan Hakkohen could
not possibly have travelled to Palestine in 5071, as he lived more than two
hundred years before that date. I would, therefore, correct
קע״א 171, i. e. 5171, with
תתקע״א, which error occurred by dropping the
two ת; this would give us the date 971, i. e. 4971 (1211); and in truth
Rabbi Jonathan lived about that time. [This solution of the question will also
remove the question of Jews being in England at the time of the pilgrimage,
which may have been in 1211, but not in 1411.-TRANSLATOR.]
Concerning
The General Condition Of The Jews During This Period.
When
the Christians conquered Jerusalem and Palestine, the situation of the Jews
became extremely miserable, and many thousands were butchered by the holy and
pious pilgrims. But after awhile, when these same Christians were attacked and
persecuted in their turn by Saladdin, they were not able to be any longer
persecutors of the Jews; these then extended themselves gradually over the
country, and lived happily and contentedly under the protection of the Egyptian
rulers, as will appear from the number of souls in the year 4930; and, as a
general rule, the statement which I have made above will be found confirmed,
that the Mahomedans of that time cannot be regarded as enemies and persecutors
of the Jews. Under Sultan Saladdin they had great privileges and liberties; for
he was a particular friend to our people, and he caused it to be made known
throughout his dominions, that every Jew should have the liberty to settle
unmolested in Jerusalem, and should enjoy all the rights of freemen. Jerusalem
accordingly received a large Jewish population; but when the Tartars, particular
enemies to the Jews, at a later period, made an inroad into the city, the Jews
had to endure many persecutions. The later Ottomans also were no persecutors of
the Jews. Selim had, as his physician and confidant, Rabbi Joseph Hamon; and was
likewise a friend and benefactor to the Jews.
History Index
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