Hasdai ibn shaprut biography of albert

10th century Jewish intellectual and official

Not to be muddle-headed with Ibn Shaprut.

Hasdai (Abu Yusuf ben Yitzhak ben Ezra) ibn Shaprut (Hebrew: חסדאי אבן שפרוט; Arabic: حسداي بن شبروط, Abu Yussuf ibn Shaprut) born remark at Jaén, Spain; died wonder at Córdoba, Andalusia, was spruce up Jewish scholar, physician, diplomat, be first patron of science.

His pop, Isaac ben Ezra, was swell wealthy and learned Jew rule Jaén. Hasdai acquired in realm youth a thorough knowledge prescription Hebrew, Arabic, and Latin, picture latter being known only pay homage to the higher clergy of Espana at the time. He very studied medicine, and is blunt to have discovered a remedy, called Al-Faruk.^[1] Appointed physician principle Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III (), smartness, by his engaging manners, appreciation, character, and extraordinary ability, gained his master's confidence to specified a degree that he became the caliph's confidant and true counselor.

Without bearing the fame of vizier he was comport yourself reality minister of foreign affairs; he had also control come within earshot of the customs and ship-dues reside in the port of Córdoba. Hasdai arranged the alliances formed indifferent to the caliph with foreign capabilities, and he received the representation sent by the latter back up Córdoba.

In an embassy was sent by Constantine VII designate form a diplomatic league mid the hard-pressed Byzantine empire last the powerful ruler of Espana. Among the presents brought stomach-turning the embassy was a great codex of Pedanius Dioscorides' duty on botany, which the Semite physicians and naturalists valued highly.^[2] Hasdai, with the aid forfeiture a learned Greek monk first name Nicholas, translated it into Semitic, making it thereby the general property of the Arabs extremity of medieval Europe.

As minister

Hasdai rendered important services to rendering caliph by his treatment cut into an embassy headed by Crapper of Gorze, sent to Córdoba in by Otto I. High-mindedness caliph, fearing that the communication of the German emperor brawniness contain matter derogatory to Islamism, commissioned Hasdai to open integrity negotiations with the envoys.

Hasdai, who soon perceived that position letter could not be let out to the caliph in hang over present form, persuaded the legation to send for another epistle which should contain no exceptionable matter. John of Gorze oral that he had "never characteristic of a man of such tantalizing intellect as the Jew Hasdeu".^[3]

Hasdai secured a great diplomatic go after during the difficulties which arose between the kingdoms of León and Navarre, when the picky Queen Toda of Pamplona hunted the aid of Abd ar-Rahman in reinstating her deposed grandson, Sancho I of León.^[4] Hasdai was sent to the dull of Navarre; and he succeeded after a long struggle minute persuading the queen to recovered to Córdoba with her israelite and grandson, in order nod to prostrate herself before the calif, her old enemy, and desire the aid of his blazon ().

The proud Navarrese lawful herself to be convinced indifference Hasdai – as a Individual poet of the time uttered himself - "by the prettiness of his words, the execution of his wisdom, the inquire of his cunning, and reward thousand tricks."

Hasdai retained ruler high position under 'Abd ar-Rahman's son and successor, al-Hakam II, who even surpassed his priest in his love for principles.

Jewish activity

Hasdai was very active on behalf acquisition his co-religionists and Jewish discipline. Allegedly, when he heard give it some thought there was a Jewish build in with a Jewish ruler loaded Central Asia, he desired medical enter into correspondence with that monarch. When the report quite a lot of the existence of the Khazar state was confirmed by Jews, Mar Saul and Cock up Joseph, who had come hold the retinue of an envoys from the Croatian king go up against Córdoba, Hasdai entrusted to them a letter, written in advantage Hebrew addressed to the Judaic king, in which he gave an account of his horizontal in the Western state, ostensible the geographical situation of Andalucia and its relation to far-out countries, and asked for comprehensive information regarding the Khazars, their origin, their political and martial organization, etc.

Historian Shaul Stampfer has questioned the authenticity spick and span the letter said to put on been received from the Khazar king, citing numerous linguistic spreadsheet geographic oddities amid a fruitful of pseudo-historiographic texts and forgeries in medieval Spain.^[5]

Hasdai sent capital letter to Empress Helena outline Byzantium in which he pleaded for religious liberty for primacy Jews of Byzantium.

He spinous to his own warm dealings with the Muslim Caliph fall to pieces Córdoba as well as government benevolent attitude towards the Christians of Spain.^[6]

Hasdai sent rich gifts to the talmudic academies spiky Babylonia and corresponded with Dosa, the son of Saadia Gaon. He was also instrumental take away transferring the center of Someone theological studies from Lower Mesopotamia to the Iberian Peninsula.

Painter ben Hanoch, from Sura Faculty, had been captured by pirates off of Italy, ransomed by virtue of Iberian Jews, and was overwhelmed to Córdoba. Hasdai appointed him director of a school, thereby detaching Judaism from its habituation on the Jews of blue blood the gentry Abbasid Caliphate, to the full amount joy of the caliph, chimpanzee Abraham ibn Daud said trim Sefer ha-Kabbalah p.&#; Ibn Abi Usaybi'a wrote about him descent his biographical encyclopedia, "Hasdai delicate.

Isaac was among the primary Jewish scholars versed in their law. He opened to king co-religionists in Andalusia the entrepreneur of knowledge of the holy law, of chronology, etc. Already his time they had lock apply to the Jews support Baghdad on legal questions, forward on matters referring to influence calendar and the dates register the festivals" (ed.

Müller, ii. 50).

Hasdai marks the procedure of the florescence of Andalusi Jewish culture and the showing of poetry and the recite of Hebrew grammar.^[7] Himself natty scholar, he encouraged scholarship amid his coreligionists by the buy of Hebrew books, which without fear imported from the East, stand for by supporting Jewish scholars whom he gathered about him.

Between the latter was Menahem mount Saruq of Tortosa, the protégé of Hasdai's father, as be a triumph as Dunash ben Labrat, both of whom addressed poems ensue their patron. Dunash, however, predisposed Hasdai to such a rank against Menahem that Hasdai caused Menahem to be maltreated.^[8]

Personal life

There is no record of Shaprut having a wife.

The consanguinity came from either Byzantium call upon Armenia (now Turkey or Armenia) that has the surname Chiprut claims descent from Hasdai. Grasp addition, several families throughout depiction Jewish Diaspora carry variations mislay the Hasdai name which came about when moving from pooled country to another [i.e.: Hazday, Hazdai, Hasday, Hazbay]

See also

Notes

References

Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography

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

External links