Chapter I: Front Matter

HISTORY OF THE JEWS

HISTORY OF THE
JEWS

BY
HEINRICH GRAETZ

VOL. IV

FROM THE RISE OF THE KABBALA (1270 C. E.) TO THE
PERMANENT SETTLEMENT OF THE MARRANOS
IN HOLLAND (1618 C. E.)

PHILADELPHIA

THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA

5717-1956

Copyright, 1894, by

THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA

_All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced in any form without permission in
writing from the publisher: except by a reviewer
who may quote brief passages in a review to be
printed in a magazine or newspaper._

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

CULTIVATION OF THE KABBALA, AND PROSCRIPTION OF SCIENCE.

Progress of the Kabbala--Todros Halevi and his Sons--Isaac
Allatif and his Kabbalistic Doctrines--Adventurous Career
of Abraham Abulafia--He assumes the Character of Messiah
--Opposition of Ben Adret--The Prophet of Avila--Joseph
Jikatilla and his Kabbalistic Mazes--The Impostor Moses de
Leon--Forgeries of the Kabbalists--Origin of the Zohar--
Its Doctrines and Influence--Shem-Tob Falaquera--Isaac
Albalag--Levi of Villefranche--Samuel Sulami and Meïri--
Abba-Mari's Exaggerated Zeal--Jacob ben Machir Profatius and
the Controversy regarding the Study of Science--Asheri--The
Poet Yedaya Bedaresi _page 1._

1270-1328 C.E.

CHAPTER II.

THE FIRST EXPULSION OF THE JEWS FROM FRANCE, AND ITS
CONSEQUENCES.

Philip le Bel--The Jews of France plundered and banished--
Estori Parchi; Aaron Cohen; Laments of Bedaresi--Eleazar
of Chinon, the Martyr--Return of the Jews to France; their
Precarious Position--Progress of the Controversy regarding
the Study of Philosophy--Abba-Mari and Asheri--Death of Ben
Adret--Rabbinical Revival in Spain--Isaac Israeli II--
Samuel and the Queen Maria Molina--Don Juan Emanuel and Judah
Ibn-Wakar--The Jews of Rome--Robert of Naples and the Jews
--Peril of the Jews in Rome--Kalonymos ben Kalonymos, his
Satires--Immanuel and Dante--The Poet Judah Siciliano--
Leone Romano and King Robert--Shemarya Ikriti--Position of
Karaism--Aaron the Elder and the Prayer-Book of the Karaites
_page 46._

1306-1328 C.E.

CHAPTER III.

THE AGE OF THE ASHERIDES AND OF GERSONIDES.

Condition of Palestine--Pilgrims and Immigrants--Shem
Tob Ibn-Gaon--Favorable Position of the Jews in Castile
under Alfonso XI--Persecution in Navarre--Joseph de Ecija
and Samuel Ibn-Wakar--Increase of Anti-Jewish Feelings
--Abner-Alfonso of Burgos, Convert to Christianity, and
Persecutor of the Jews--Gonzalo Martinez--Fall of Martinez
and Deliverance of the Jews--Decline of the Study of Science
--The Study of the Talmud prosecuted with Renewed Vigor--
Jacob and Judah Asheri--Isaac Pulgar, David Ibn-Albilla--
The Provençal Philosophers Ibn-Kaspi, Leon de Bagnols, and
Vidal Narboni--Decline of the Study of the Talmud in Germany
--Emperor Louis of Bavaria and the Jews--Persecution by the
"Leather-Arms" _page 73._

1328-1350 C.E.

CHAPTER IV.

THE BLACK DEATH.

Rise of the False Accusation against Jews of Poisoning the
Wells--Massacres in Southern France and Catalonia--The
Friendly Bull of Pope Clement VI--Terrible Massacres in all
Parts of Germany--Confessions wrung from the Jews on the Rack
--The Flagellants as a Scourge for the Jews--King Casimir of
Poland--Persecution in Brussels--The Black Death in Spain
--Don Pedro the Cruel and the Jews--Santob de Carrion and
Samuel Abulafia--Fall of Don Pedro and its Consequences for
the Jews--Return of the Jews to France and Germany--The
"Golden Bull"--Manessier de Vesoul--Matathiah Meïr Halevi
--Synod at Mayence _page 100._

1348-1380 C.E.

CHAPTER V.

THE AGE OF CHASDAÏ CRESCAS AND ISAAC BEN SHESHET.

The Jews of Spain after the Civil War--Joseph Pichon and
Samuel Abrabanel--The Apostates: John of Valladolid--
Menachem ben Zerach, Chasdaï Crescas, and Isaac ben Sheshet
--Chayim Gallipapa and his Innovations--Prevôt Aubriot
and the Jews of Paris--The French Rabbinate--Revival
of Jewish Influence in Spain--The Jews of Portugal--The
Jewish Statesmen, David and Judah Negro--Rabbis and Clergy
--Persecutions in Germany and Spain--The First Germs of the
Inquisition--Second Expulsion of the Jews from France--The
Convert Pessach-Peter--Lipmann of Mühlhausen _page 136._

1369-1380 C.E.

CHAPTER VI.

JEWISH APOSTATES AND THE DISPUTATION AT TORTOSA.

The Marranos--The Satirists--Pero Ferrus of Alcala, Diego
de Valencia, and Villasandino--Astruc Raimuch and Solomon
Bonfed--Paul de Santa Maria and his Zealous Campaign against
the Jews--Joshua Ibn-Vives--Profiat Duran (Efodi)--Meïr
Alguades--The Philosophy of Crescas--Death of Henry III of
Castile and Unfavorable Change in the Position of the Jews--
Messianic Dreams of the Kabbalists--Jews seek an Asylum in
Northern Africa--Simon Duran--Geronimo de Santa Fé, Vincent
Ferrer and Benedict XIII--Anti-Jewish Edict of Juan II--
Special Jewish Costume--Conversion of Jews owing to Ferrer's
Violent Efforts--Disputation at Tortosa--The Jewish
Spokesmen at the Conference--Incidents of the Meeting--
Geronimo instigates the Publication of a Bull for the Burning
of the Talmud--Pope Martin V befriends the Jews _page 179._

1391-1420 C.E.

CHAPTER VII.

THE HUSSITES. PROGRESS OF JEWISH LITERATURE.

The Hussite Heresy--Consequences for the Jews involved in
the Struggle--Jacob Mölin--Abraham Benveniste and Joseph
Ibn-Shem Tob in the Service of the Castilian Court--Isaac
Campanton, the Poet Solomon Dafiera--Moses da Rieti--
Anti-Christian Polemical Literature--Chayim Ibn-Musa--
Simon Duran and his Son Solomon--Joseph Albo as a Religious
Philosopher--Jewish Philosophical Systems--Edict of the
Council of Basle against the Jews--Fanatical Outbreaks in
Majorca--Astruc Sibili and his Conversion to Christianity
_page 221._

1420-1442 C.E.

CHAPTER VIII.

CAPISTRANO AND HIS PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS.

Pope Eugenius IV, under the Influence of Alfonso de Cartagena,
changes his Attitude towards the Jews--His Bull against the
Spanish and Italian Jews in 1442--Don Juan II defends the
Jews--Pope Nicholas V's Hostility--Louis of Bavaria--The
Philosopher Nicholas of Cusa and his Relation to Judaism--
John of Capistrano--His Influence with the People is turned
against the Jews--Capistrano in Bavaria and Würzburg--
Expulsion of the Breslau Community--Expulsion of the Jews
from Brünn and Olmütz--The Jews of Poland under Casimir IV
--Capture of Constantinople by Mahomet II--The Jews find
an Asylum in Turkey--The Karaites--Moses Kapsali--Isaac
Zarfati--Position of the Jews of Spain--Persecutions
directed by Alfonso de Spina--The Condition of the Marranos
_page 248._

1442-1474 C.E.

CHAPTER IX.

THE JEWS IN ITALY AND GERMANY BEFORE THE EXPULSION FROM SPAIN.

Position of the Jews of Italy--The Jewish Bankers--Yechiel
of Pisa--His Relations with Don Isaac Abrabanel--Jewish
Physicians, Guglielmo di Portaleone--Revival of Learning
among Italian Jews--Messer Leon and Elias del Medigo--
Pico di Mirandola, the Disciple of Medigo--Predilection of
Christians for the Kabbala--Jochanan Aleman--Religious
Views of Del Medigo--German Rabbis immigrate into Italy--
Joseph Kolon, his Character and his Feud with Messer Leon
--Judah Menz, an Antagonist of Del Medigo--Bernardinus
of Feltre--Jews banished from Trent on a False Charge of
Child-Murder--The Doge of Venice and Pope Sixtus IV befriend
the Jews--Sufferings of the Jews of Ratisbon--Israel Bruna
--Synod at Nuremberg--Emperor Frederick III _page 285._

1474-1492 C.E.