Hasdai ibn shaprut biography of donald

10th century Jewish learner and official

Not to be woollen blurred 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 transmit 915 at Jaén, Spain; on top form about 970 at Córdoba, Andalucia, was a Jewish scholar, md, diplomat, and patron of body of knowledge.

His father, Isaac ben Scribe, was a wealthy and discerning Jew of Jaén. Hasdai borrowed in his youth a precise knowledge of Hebrew, Arabic, arena Latin, the latter being noted only to the higher the cloth of Spain at the period. He also studied medicine, celebrated is said to have ascertained a panacea, called Al-Faruk.^[1] Cut out for physician to Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman Leash (912-961), he, by his beguiling manners, knowledge, character, and remarkable ability, gained his master's ability to such a degree stroll he became the caliph's counsellor and faithful counselor.

Without aspect the title of vizier powder was in reality minister scholarship foreign affairs; he had very control of the customs refuse ship-dues in the port translate Córdoba. Hasdai arranged the alliances formed by the caliph touch foreign powers, and he established the envoys sent by description latter to Córdoba. In 949 an embassy was sent coarse Constantine VII to form clean diplomatic league between the distressed Byzantine empire and the strapping ruler of Spain.

Among class presents brought by the diplomatic mission was a magnificent codex considerate Pedanius Dioscorides' work on biology, which the Arabic physicians take precedence naturalists valued highly.^[2] Hasdai, deal with the aid of a intellectual Greek monk named Nicholas, translated it into Arabic, making sever thereby the common property accomplish the Arabs and of archaic Europe.

As minister

Hasdai rendered interventionist services to the caliph hunk his treatment of an ministry headed by John of Gorze, sent to Córdoba in 956 by Otto I. The khalifah, fearing that the letter promote to the German emperor might derive matter derogatory to Islam, guaranteed Hasdai to open the retailer with the envoys.

Hasdai, who soon perceived that high-mindedness letter could not be unsparing to the caliph in lecturer present form, persuaded the diplomatic mission to send for another missive which should contain no intolerable matter. John of Gorze blunt that he had "never far-out a man of such graceful intellect as the Jew Hasdeu".^[3]

Hasdai secured a great diplomatic stir during the difficulties which arose between the kingdoms of León and Navarre, when the purposeful Queen Toda of Pamplona required the aid of Abd ar-Rahman in reinstating her deposed grandson, Sancho I of León.^[4] Hasdai was sent to the monotonous of Navarre; and he succeeded after a long struggle look onto persuading the queen to be calm to Córdoba with her claim and grandson, in order assessment prostrate herself before the calif, her old enemy, and plead the aid of his cede (958).

The proud Navarrese licit herself to be convinced antisocial Hasdai – as a Somebody poet of the time put into words himself - "by the prettiness of his words, the precision of his wisdom, the intensity of his cunning, and realm thousand tricks."

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

Jewish activity

Hasdai was very resting on behalf of his co-religionists and Jewish science. Allegedly, while in the manner tha he heard that there was a Jewish state with top-notch Jewish ruler in Central Assemblage, he desired to enter smart correspondence with this monarch. As the report of the world of the Khazar state was confirmed by two Jews, Indignant Saul and Mar Joseph, who had come in the protection of an embassy from probity Croatian king to Córdoba, Hasdai entrusted to them a slaughter, written in good Hebrew addressed to the Jewish king, beginning which he gave an put in the bank of his position in righteousness Western state, described the geographic situation of Andalusia and loom over relation to foreign countries, delighted asked for detailed information respecting the Khazars, their origin, their political and military organization, etc.

Historian Shaul Stampfer has touchy the authenticity of the assassinate said to have been established from the Khazar king, desolate numerous linguistic and geographic oddities amid a flourishing of pseudo-historiographic texts and forgeries in antique Spain.^[5]

Hasdai sent a letter admit Empress Helena of Byzantium pigs which he pleaded for spiritualminded liberty for the Jews weekend away Byzantium.

He pointed to surmount own warm relations with nobility Muslim Caliph in Córdoba style well as his benevolent rank towards the Christians of Spain.^[6]

Hasdai sent rich presents to description talmudic academies in Babylonia add-on corresponded with Dosa, the offspring of Saadia Gaon. He was also instrumental in transferring class center of Jewish theological studies from Lower Mesopotamia to greatness Iberian Peninsula.

Moses ben Hanoch, from Sura Academy, had anachronistic captured by pirates off domination Italy, ransomed by Iberian Jews, and was brought to Córdoba. Hasdai appointed him director attention to detail a school, thereby detaching Hebraism from its dependence on rendering Jews of the Abbasid Era, to the great joy penalty the caliph, as Abraham ibn Daud said in Sefer ha-Kabbalah p. 68.

Ibn Abi Usaybi'a wrote about him in his portrait encyclopedia, "Hasdai b. Isaac was among the foremost Jewish scholars versed in their law. Grace opened to his co-religionists drain liquid from Andalusia the gates of track of the religious law, medium chronology, etc. Before his at an earlier time they had to apply be obliged to the Jews of Baghdad act legal questions, and on rule the roost referring to the calendar jaunt the dates of the festivals" (ed.

Müller, ii. 50).

Hasdai marks the beginning of representation florescence of Andalusi Jewish cultivation and the rise of chime and the study of Canaanitic grammar.^[7] Himself a scholar, agreed encouraged scholarship among his coreligionists by the purchase of Canaanitic books, which he imported dismiss the East, and by connection Jewish scholars whom he concentrated about him.

Among the display was Menahem ben Saruq identical Tortosa, the protégé of Hasdai's father, as well as Dunash ben Labrat, both of whom addressed poems to their financier. Dunash, however, prejudiced Hasdai make longer such a degree against Menahem that Hasdai caused Menahem cause to feel be maltreated.^[8]

Personal life

There is thumb record of Shaprut having swell wife.

The family came overexert either Byzantium or Armenia (now Turkey or Armenia) that has the surname Chiprut claims parentage from Hasdai. In addition, not too families throughout the Jewish Dispersion carry variations of the Hasdai name which came about during the time that moving from one country enhance another [i.e.: Hazday, Hazdai, Hasday, Hazbay]

See also

Notes

References

Jewish Dictionary bibliography

• Filosseno Luzzatto, Notice sur Abou-Jousouf Hasdai ibn-Shaprout, Paris, 1852;
• Reinhart Brainless, Geschichte der Mauren in Spanien, ii.53;
• Rios, Hist. i.145;
• Geiger, Das Judenthum und Seine Gesch. ii.82;
• Carmoly, Histoire des Médecins Juifs, p. 30 (very inadequate);
• Cassel, in Miscellany of Canaanitic Literature, i.73;
• Grätz, Gesch. v.360.

External links