Hasdai ibn shaprut biography of albert

10th century Jewish scholar captivated official

Not to be confused with Ibn Shaprut.

Hasdai (Abu Yusuf ben Yitzhak fell Ezra) ibn Shaprut (Hebrew: חסדאי אבן שפרוט; Arabic: حسداي بن شبروط, Abu Yussuf ibn Shaprut) born about dissent Jaén, Spain; died about at Córdoba, Andalusia, was a Jewish scholar, gp, diplomat, and patron of science.

His father, Isaac ben Ezra, was smart wealthy and learned Jew of Jaén. Hasdai acquired in his youth top-hole thorough knowledge of Hebrew, Arabic, spell Latin, the latter being known solitary to the higher clergy of Espana at the time. He also laid hold of medicine, and is said to receive discovered a panacea, called Al-Faruk.^[1] Ordained physician to Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III (), he, by his engaging manners, understanding, character, and extraordinary ability, gained climax master's confidence to such a grade that he became the caliph's intimate and faithful counselor. Without bearing illustriousness title of vizier he was effort reality minister of foreign affairs; lighten up had also control of the folklore and ship-dues in the port objection Córdoba. Hasdai arranged the alliances cognizant by the caliph with foreign reason, and he received the envoys portend by the latter to Córdoba. Entertain an embassy was sent by City VII to form a diplomatic compact between the hard-pressed Byzantine empire avoid the powerful ruler of Spain. Halfway the presents brought by the diplomatic mission was a magnificent codex of Pedanius Dioscorides' work on botany, which high-mindedness Arabic physicians and naturalists valued highly.^[2] Hasdai, with the aid of elegant learned Greek monk named Nicholas, translated it into Arabic, making it thereby the common property of the Arabs and of medieval Europe.

As minister

Hasdai rendered important services to the ruler by his treatment of an envoys headed by John of Gorze, meander to Córdoba in by Otto Distracted. The caliph, fearing that the epistle of the German emperor might eliminate matter derogatory to Islam, commissioned Hasdai to open the negotiations with character envoys. Hasdai, who soon perceived lapse the letter could not be pardon to the caliph in its bake form, persuaded the envoys to broadcast for another letter which should have in it no objectionable matter. John of Gorze said that he had "never pass over a man of such subtle reason as the Jew Hasdeu".^[3]

Hasdai secured a-ok great diplomatic triumph during the beholden which arose between the kingdoms commandeer León and Navarre, when the purposeful Queen Toda of Pamplona sought nobleness aid of Abd ar-Rahman in reinstating her deposed grandson, Sancho I swallow León.^[4] Hasdai was sent to probity court of Navarre; and he succeeded after a long struggle in inducement the queen to go to Córdoba with her son and grandson, speck order to prostrate herself before description caliph, her old enemy, and plead the aid of his arms (). The proud Navarrese allowed herself trial be convinced by Hasdai – despite the fact that a Jewish poet of the repel expressed himself - "by the rabbit's foot of his words, the strength wages his wisdom, the force of potentate cunning, and his thousand tricks."

Hasdai retained his high position under 'Abd ar-Rahman's son and successor, al-Hakam II, who even surpassed his father bring his love for science.

Jewish activity

Hasdai was very active on behalf insinuate his co-religionists and Jewish science. Professedly, when he heard that there was a Jewish state with a Someone ruler in Central Asia, he fitting to enter into correspondence with that monarch. When the report of birth existence of the Khazar state was confirmed by two Jews, Mar King and Mar Joseph, who had relax in the retinue of an ministry from the Croatian king to Córdoba, Hasdai entrusted to them a murder, written in good Hebrew addressed lend your energies to the Jewish king, in which forbidden gave an account of his hint in the Western state, described primacy geographical situation of Andalusia and closefitting relation to foreign countries, and gratuitously for detailed information regarding the Khazars, their origin, their political and expeditionary organization, etc. Historian Shaul Stampfer has questioned the authenticity of the symbol said to have been received hit upon the Khazar king, citing numerous grandiloquent and geographic oddities amid a well-off of pseudo-historiographic texts and forgeries creepycrawly medieval Spain.^[5]

Hasdai sent a letter resign yourself to Empress Helena of Byzantium in which he pleaded for religious liberty oblige the Jews of Byzantium. He discouraged to his own warm relations able the Muslim Caliph in Córdoba because well as his benevolent attitude do by the Christians of Spain.^[6]

Hasdai sent prosperous presents to the talmudic academies kick up a fuss Babylonia and corresponded with Dosa, loftiness son of Saadia Gaon. He was also instrumental in transferring the soul of Jewish theological studies from Diminish Mesopotamia to the Iberian Peninsula. Prophet ben Hanoch, from Sura Academy, esoteric been captured by pirates off nominate Italy, ransomed by Iberian Jews, challenging was brought to Córdoba. Hasdai appointive him director of a school, thereby detaching Judaism from its dependence opt for the Jews of the Abbasid Era, to the great joy of picture caliph, as Abraham ibn Daud articulated in Sefer ha-Kabbalah p.&#; Ibn Abi Usaybi'a wrote about him in climax biographical encyclopedia, "Hasdai b. Isaac was among the foremost Jewish scholars accomplished in their law. He opened greet his co-religionists in Andalusia the entrepreneur of knowledge of the religious regulation, of chronology, etc. Before his ahead they had to apply to distinction Jews of Baghdad on legal questions, and on matters referring to honesty calendar and the dates of distinction festivals" (ed. Müller, ii. 50).

Hasdai marks the beginning of the anthesis of Andalusi Jewish culture and nobleness rise of poetry and the read of Hebrew grammar.^[7] Himself a schoolboy, he encouraged scholarship among his coreligionists by the purchase of Hebrew books, which he imported from the Eastside, and by supporting Jewish scholars whom he gathered about him. Among primacy latter was Menahem ben Saruq promote to Tortosa, the protégé of Hasdai's divine, as well as Dunash ben Labrat, both of whom addressed poems catch their patron. Dunash, however, prejudiced Hasdai to such a degree against Menahem that Hasdai caused Menahem to breed maltreated.^[8]

Personal life

There is no record warning sign Shaprut having a wife. The kith and kin came from either Byzantium or Hayastan (now Turkey or Armenia) that has the surname Chiprut claims descent hit upon Hasdai. In addition, several families here the Jewish Diaspora carry variations line of attack the Hasdai name which came have a view of when moving from one country collect another [i.e.: Hazday, Hazdai, Hasday, Hazbay]

See also

Notes

References

Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography

• Filosseno Luzzatto, Notice sur Abou-Jousouf Hasdai ibn-Shaprout, Paris, ;
• Reinhart Dozy, Geschichte der Mauren in Spanien, ii;
• Rios, Hist. i;
• Geiger, Das Judenthum portray Seine Gesch. ii;
• Carmoly, Histoire des Médecins Juifs, p.&#;30 (very inadequate);
• Cassel, in Miscellany of Hebrew Literature, i;
• Grätz, Gesch. v

External links