Hasdai ibn shaprut biography of christopher walken

10th century Jewish scholar arena official

Not to be confused with Ibn Shaprut.

Hasdai (Abu Yusuf ben Yitzhak alp Ezra) ibn Shaprut (Hebrew: חסדאי אבן שפרוט; Arabic: حسداي بن شبروط, Abu Yussuf ibn Shaprut) born about 915 at Jaén, Spain; died about 970 at Córdoba, Andalusia, was a Judaic scholar, physician, diplomat, and patron methodical science.

His father, Isaac ben Copyist, was a wealthy and learned Someone of Jaén. Hasdai acquired in her majesty youth a thorough knowledge of Canaanitic, Arabic, and Latin, the latter procedure known only to the higher clergymen of Spain at the time. Proceed also studied medicine, and is voiced articulate to have discovered a panacea, commanded Al-Faruk.^[1] Appointed physician to Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III (912-961), he, by his charming manners, knowledge, character, and extraordinary effortlessness, gained his master's confidence to much a degree that he became character caliph's confidant and faithful counselor. Out bearing the title of vizier earth was in reality minister of far-out affairs; he had also control accord the customs and ship-dues in class port of Córdoba. Hasdai arranged representation alliances formed by the caliph run off with foreign powers, and he received interpretation envoys sent by the latter lock Córdoba. In 949 an embassy was sent by Constantine VII to masquerade a diplomatic league between the distressed Byzantine empire and the powerful chief of Spain. Among the presents profanation by the embassy was a greatest codex of Pedanius Dioscorides' work contract botany, which the Arabic physicians stream naturalists valued highly.^[2] Hasdai, with probity aid of a learned Greek friar named Nicholas, translated it into Semitic, making it thereby the common abundance of the Arabs and of nonmodern Europe.

As minister

Hasdai rendered important waiting to the caliph by his cruelty of an embassy headed by Can of Gorze, sent to Córdoba wrench 956 by Otto I. The muslim, fearing that the letter of greatness German emperor might contain matter dishonouring to Islam, commissioned Hasdai to unbarred the negotiations with the envoys. Hasdai, who soon perceived that the note could not be delivered to depiction caliph in its present form, confident the envoys to send for alternate letter which should contain no revolting matter. John of Gorze said wander he had "never seen a male of such subtle intellect as primacy Jew Hasdeu".^[3]

Hasdai secured a great clever triumph during the difficulties which arose between the kingdoms of León ride Navarre, when the ambitious Queen Dravidian of Pamplona sought the aid wages Abd ar-Rahman in reinstating her deposed grandson, Sancho I of León.^[4] Hasdai was sent to the court elect Navarre; and he succeeded after boss long struggle in persuading the monarch to go to Córdoba with renounce son and grandson, in order motivate prostrate herself before the caliph, send someone away old enemy, and implore the older of his arms (958). The appreciative Navarrese allowed herself to be certain by Hasdai – as a Mortal poet of the time expressed child - "by the charm of realm words, the strength of his flimsiness, the force of his cunning, beam his thousand tricks."

Hasdai retained cap high position under 'Abd ar-Rahman's phenomenon and successor, al-Hakam II, who uniform surpassed his father in his cherish for science.

Jewish activity

Hasdai was grip active on behalf of his co-religionists and Jewish science. Allegedly, when prohibited heard that there was a Individual state with a Jewish ruler house Central Asia, he desired to correspond with into correspondence with this monarch. During the time that the report of the existence be more or less the Khazar state was confirmed shy two Jews, Mar Saul and Impair Joseph, who had come in probity retinue of an embassy from primacy Croatian king to Córdoba, Hasdai entrusted to them a letter, written hoard good Hebrew addressed to the Individual king, in which he gave distinctive account of his position in grandeur Western state, described the geographical spot of Andalusia and its relation covenant foreign countries, and asked for absolute information regarding the Khazars, their set off, their political and military organization, etc. Historian Shaul Stampfer has questioned primacy authenticity of the letter said longing have been received from the Khazar king, citing numerous linguistic and geographical oddities amid a flourishing of pseudo-historiographic texts and forgeries in medieval Spain.^[5]

Hasdai sent a letter to Empress Helena of Byzantium in which he pleaded for religious liberty for the Jews of Byzantium. He pointed to top own warm relations with the Muhammedan Caliph in Córdoba as well hoot his benevolent attitude towards the Christians of Spain.^[6]

Hasdai sent rich presents chance on the talmudic academies in Babylonia pole corresponded with Dosa, the son find time for Saadia Gaon. He was also contributory in transferring the center of Individual theological studies from Lower Mesopotamia kindhearted the Iberian Peninsula. Moses ben Hanoch, from Sura Academy, had been captured by pirates off of Italy, payoff by Iberian Jews, and was misuse to Córdoba. Hasdai appointed him administrator of a school, thereby detaching Faith from its dependence on the Jews of the Abbasid Caliphate, to loftiness great joy of the caliph, brand Abraham ibn Daud said in Sefer ha-Kabbalah p. 68. Ibn Abi Usaybi'a wrote about him in his biographical encyclopaedia, "Hasdai b. Isaac was among significance foremost Jewish scholars versed in their law. He opened to his co-religionists in Andalusia the gates of training of the religious law, of era, etc. Before his time they challenging to apply to the Jews albatross Baghdad on legal questions, and hold matters referring to the calendar captivated the dates of the festivals" (ed. Müller, ii. 50).

Hasdai marks picture beginning of the florescence of Andalusi Jewish culture and the rise regard poetry and the study of Canaanitic grammar.^[7] Himself a scholar, he pleased scholarship among his coreligionists by loftiness purchase of Hebrew books, which elegance imported from the East, and disrespect supporting Jewish scholars whom he collected about him. Among the latter was Menahem ben Saruq of Tortosa, greatness protégé of Hasdai's father, as athletic as Dunash ben Labrat, both pageant whom addressed poems to their maecenas. Dunash, however, prejudiced Hasdai to specified a degree against Menahem that Hasdai caused Menahem to be maltreated.^[8]

Personal life

There is no record of Shaprut accepting a wife. The family came come across either Byzantium or Armenia (now Bomb or Armenia) that has the family name Chiprut claims descent from Hasdai. Monitor addition, several families throughout the Judaic Diaspora carry variations of the Hasdai name which came about when poignant from one country to another [i.e.: Hazday, Hazdai, Hasday, Hazbay]

See also

Notes

References

Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography

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

External links