Preface To The Society's Edition
In presenting this revised and enlarged edition of Lady Magnus's useful work, we beg to express our acknowledgments to Lady Magnus for the kindness and liberality she has evinced in her dealings with us; to Monsieur Theodore Eeinach for his generous permission to make free use of the valuable tables appended to his excellent book, Histoire des Israelites;
and to the writers of the American chanters (XL- XLID. For the latter Lady Magnus is in no wise responsible.
Our thanks are also due to the Hon. Edward M. Paxson, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, through whose courtesy we are enabled to present a restoration of the Temple of Jerusalem as reconstructed by Herod. The frontispiece is after a photograph of the model made by Herr Baurath Schick, the venerable architect and archaeologist of
Jerusalem.
The Committee.
Preface
Tiiese Outlines of Jewish History are the result of a proposal which was made to me, some two years back, by the administrators of the Jacob Franklin Trust, to write a book which should tell the history of the Jews from Biblical times to the present day. in a form which should fit it for use in schools and homes. A right ot reterei.ce to Dr. Friedlander, the learned Principal of Jews' College, was one of the privileges of my commission, and the bringing to him of all my doubts and difficulties for decision has proved not only an advantage to my book, but a pleasure to me.
The trouble I have had in endeavouring to keep the book simple enough for youthful readers, suggests the possible presence of a weak point, and tempts me to forestall criticism by urging that I have, at least, been mindful on this head, and have patiently done my best. But so complicated a history, and so advanced a civilisation as that of the Jews, is not quite susceptible of entirely simple
Viii PREFACE.
treatment. ' They stained their bodies with a plant called woad ' is a perfectly comprehensive if somewhat bald bit of history, 'adapted to the use of schools,' anent the ancient Britons. * In their schools they laid the foundations for the Miahnah ' would be a correct contemporaneous statement concerning the ancient Jews, but one that hardly lends itself to such comfortable brevity and simplicity of style. I can only plead that I have told the whole sad, beautiful, ' heroic history ' of my race with the keenest sympathy; and I can only hope that the moral and the meaning of it all, which are so very clear to me, may be found to shine out between the lines.
Kattb Magnds
Chapter I. The Jews In Babylon
1 Babylonian Exiles 1
2. Persian Conquest of Babylon 2
3 The Influences of the Exile .... 2
4. How Cyrus's Permission was received . . . . . 8
5. The End of the Exile 4
Chapter II. The Return To Palestine
1. The Rebuilding of the Temple 6
2. The Samaritans . . . ... 6
3. The Feast of Purim 7
4. Ezra the Scribe 7
6 The Work of Ezra and Nehemiah ... .8
CHAPTER HI.
LIFE IN PALESTINE.
1 Condition of the People . . .... 10
2 Literary Labours . 11
8. Alexandrian Jew* ... . 12
X. CONTENTa
mob
4. The Septuagint ......... 13
5. Under Egyptian Kule ....... 14
6. Under Syrian Kale . . , , , . . ,. 14
Chapter IV. The Maccabean Wab Of Independence
1. Antiochus Epiphanes . . . . , , . , 16
2. Antiochus's Tyranny .,.,.,,. 17
3. Resistance of Mattathias , , , . . ..18
4. Chasidim and Zaddikim , 18
6. The Success of Judas Maccabeus . . . . . , 19
6. Institution of Hanuoah ....... 20
7. Treaty with Rome . . , , , , . ,.20
Chapter V. Palestine Under Native Bulk
1. Death of Judas Maccabeus ...... 22
2. Jonathan the Maccabee . . . . , , . 22
3. Simon, the First of the Priest-King Dynasty . . .23
4. The Sons of Simon , , . 24
5. Reign of John 11} rcanus ....... 24
6 His Last Years ......... 26
Chapter VI. Judea During The Remainder Of The Rule Of Toe Asmoneans
1. Rival Factions, Pharisees and Sadducees . . . .25
2. How they got their Names . . . . . . . 26
3. Their Tenets and Position, Religious and Political . . 27
4. State Quarrel with the Pharisees . . . . . . 30
6. The Bseenes 31
6. Reign of Alexander Jannaeus ... . . 32
7. After the Death of Alexander Jannieua . . 32
CONTENTS. XI
chapter vn.
A NEW DYNASTY.
PlOB
1. Antipater the Idumean . . . , , , , 33
2. Rome arbitrates •••••••.34
3. A nti pater's plans ...,,,... 35
4 The Sanhedrim 36
6 The Fall of the Asmonean House . . , , , . 87
CHAPTER VIIL
REIGN OP HEROD.
1 Antipater's ' Desire ' fulfilled ...,,. 39
2. How Herod strengthened his Position . , , . . 40
3. Herod as Husband ....,,., 42
4. Herod as Father . ........ 43
6. The End of Herod's Reign 44
7. Hillel : a Contrast .....,,. 45
CHAPTER IX
1. Herod's Will
2. Judea sinks into a Roman Province
3. Jesus of Nazareth ....
4. Jews in Egypt and Syria . ,
5. Birth of Christianity . , ,
6. Reign of Herod Agrippa . ,
7. Caligula and the Jews . .
48 49 62 63 64 66
CHAPTER X.
THE WAR WITH ROMB.
1. Agrippa II. ; Roman Governors . , . .67
2. Vespasian sent to Judea . 68
8. Preparations for Defence , . 69
4. Joseph ua . .69 xii CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XL THE END OF THE "WAR.
PAGE
1. The Defence of the Provinces ..... 62
2. Affairs in Jerusalem . . . . . . . . 63
3. The War Party and the Peace Party : their Leaders . 64
4. The Siege of Jerusalem . . . . . . . 66
5. A Mediator sent: Terms proposed . . . .67
6. The Destruction of the Temple 68
Book II. Darkn Ess
CHAPTER XII.
AFTER THE WAR.
1. Titus completes his Conquest 71
2. Masada 71
3. What became of the Chief Actors . . . .72
4. What became of the Country and the People . . . 73
5. Salvage 74
6. Jochanan ben Saccai; the Schools . . . . . 74
7. An Unforeseen Result of the War : Jewish Christians . 75
CHAPTER XIII.
THE REVOLT UNDER HADRIAN.
1. Conquered Jews in the West ...... 77
2. Contemporary Jews in the East 78
3. Under Trajan 79
4. The Policy of Hadrian 79
5. The Jews in Revolt: their Leader 80
6. Akiba, the Romance of his Youth . . . . . 81
7. Akiba, the Romance of his Age 84
8. Hadrian's Resolve accomplished 84
CONTENTS. Xlll
CHAPTER XIV.
THK REVIVAL OF THE SCHOOLS: THEIR WORK.
rxa*
1. One of History's Miracles .86
2. The Schools : their Work . . 87
3 The Masters of the Schools . . . . . . . 89
4 The Moral Influence of the Schools 89
6. The Political Influence of the Schools . . , . . 90 6 The Literary Influence of the Schools . . , .90
CHAPTER XV.
CHRISTIANITY A STATES RELIGION.
1. How it spread among the Heathen . . . 94
2. The First Christian Emperor 95
5. Constantine legislates on the Subject ; its Effects , , 95 4 Jews in the East under Persian i'.uie . . . .96
6. Julian the Apostate . 97
CHAPTER XVL
THE BREAK DP OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE : SOME! OF ITS CONSEQUENCES.
1. Political Changes 99
2. Social Changes . ..... 100
i. Monks and Saints ........ 102
4 How Jews became Traders 104
6. The Slave Trade 106
6 Jews as Slave Owners , . 107
7. Church Councils 107
8. Easiern Jews . ... . . 108
t>. War between the Persian and the Byzantine Empires . 109
CHAPTER XVIL
THE RISE OF MAHOMEDANI8M.
1 The Koran or the Sword . . . ..Ill
i What Mahomed learnt from the Jews . . . .112
a
XIV CONTENTS.
4. Likenesses between Islam and Judaism • . • • 11-t
5. Differences between Islam and Judaism « • . . 114
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE CONQUESTS OF THE KALIPH3 : EFFECT, RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL, ON THE JEWS.
1. Progress of Mahomedanism
2. Gaonim
3. Spain in tbe Hands of tbe Mahomedans
4. The Karaite Movement ....
5. Mahomedan Causes for Karaism
6. The Leader of the Karaite Movement .
7. What became of the Sect .
8. Qood out of Evil . . . . •
CHAPTER XTX.
LIFE UNDER THE KALIPH8.
1. 'Like a Dream in the Night* .
2. The Jew Schools . • 8. The first Na^id of Hpain
4* Another Nagid : troubles in Granada 6. Revival of Cat holicism in Spain . 6. Effect on the Jews .
T. The Almohade Dynasty of Kali phi
1. Jews in the East • • • 124
2. Close of the Schools ; some Scholars 125
3 Jews in the West . . . . • ■ • .126
4 The Policy of the Early Kaliphs 127
8. Some Effects of this Policy . . . • • .128
CHAPTER XX.
CONTENTS
XV
CHAPTER XXI.
JEWS IN SPAIN, CONTINUED (1150-1492).
1 . Under Catholic Kings in Spain . *
2. The Toledo Synagogue . . .
3. The Downward Slope to Death . ,
4. The Marannos or New Christians .
5. An Effort at Argument .
6. The Inquisition .....
7. Objects and Functions of the Inquisition
8. Some Statistics of the Inquisition
9. Edict of Expulsion ..... 10. Abarbanel's Intercession . . ,
FAOB
CHAPTER XXII.
JEWS IN CENTRAL EUROPE IN THE MIDDLE AGE8.
1. General Position of European Jews
2. Jews become Money-lenders ..,»...
3. Charges of Usury . • •••..
150 153 154
CHAPTER XXIIL
JEWS IN CENTRAL EUROPE, CONTINUED.
1. The Crusades
2. Glimpses of Better Things . . .
3. Life in France till the Expulsion thence • •
4. Expelled from France ......
5. Treatment of Jews in the German States . *
160 161 164 164
CHAPTER XXIV.
JEWS IN ENGLAND (l066-1210).
1 The First Seventy Years
2. 'Saints' and Supplies .
3. Accession of Richard .
4. Treatment by Hichard . 5 Under John
XVI CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXV.
JEWS IN ENGLAND, CONTINUED (l 216-1290).
1. The Next Fifty Years
2. The Caorsini
3. The First Jewish M.P.'i . . , , ,
4. Another Device for raising Money • , . 6. Under Edward I. .
6. Some Ironical Legislation ....
7. Dishonest Jews . , . .
8. Effort* at Conversion . • •
9. Expulsion of Jews from England . . •
Book III. Starlight
PAO»
CHAPTER XXVI.
CONCERNING JEWISH LITERATURE AWD LITERARY MEN.
1. 8tarlight . 181
2 How the Stars shone 182
3. Piyntim . . 183
4 A Specimen Planet ...... 187
CHAPTER XXVII
SOME FIXED STARS
1. Solomon ibn GabiroJ . . .... 190
8. Ibn Ezra 195
4 A Great Traveller . 196
6. Jehndah Halevi 198
CONTENTS XV11
CHAPTER XXVIE
THB GREATEST OF THB FIXED STARS, MAIMONIDE8 (1135-1204).
PAOl
1. Early Days in 8pain ....... 204
2. Life in Exile . 205
8. Becomes a Court Physician ...... 206
4. Court and other Employment 207
5 His Writing* 209
7 The End of his Life 214
CHAPTER XXIX.
DARKNESS BEFORE THB DAWN.
I The Stan die oat 215
2. Whither the Exiles went 215
3. Life in Germany . ....... 216
4 A New Crusade 219
6 What became of the Spanish and Portuguese Exile* . . 220
CHAPTER XXX.
TUB DARKNESS VISIBLE.
1. Deterioration of Character .... 223
2. Atmospheric Conditions ....... 225
3. A Shooting Star— Sabbatai Zeri . , . . .226
4. How the News was received ...... 227
6. The Sultan interferes 228
6. Sabbatai resigns his Pretensions ...... 229
7. Becomes a Convert to Mahomedanism ■ ■ ■ . 229
XViil CONTENT*.
Book IV. Dawn
CHAPTER XXXT.
DAWN.
1 Beginnings of Retter Daj's in Holland , , . . 231
2. The New Jerusalem 233
3. Sephardim and Ashkenazim ....... 234
4. Spanish Jews in Holland ... ... 235
5. Their Acquired Intolerance ....... 236
6. An Instance in Point : Uriel da Costa .... 236
CHAPTER XXXH.
MANASSEH BEN ISRAEL.
1. His Early Life 239
2. His Writings and his Friends ...... 242
3. Manasseh finds his Vocation . . . . . . 24 4
4. Negotiations began for the Return of the Jews to England 245
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE RETURN OF TUE JEWS TO ENGLAND.
1. Manasseh presents his Petition ... . 246
2. A Christian Advocate ....... 249
3. What People said 250
4. How the Petition was received ...... 251
5 End of Manasseh 's Story ....... 253
CHAPTER XXXIV.
1. Clouds obscure the Dawn. ..... 254
2. The Amsterdam Jews at the Time of Spinoza . . . 254
CONTENTS.
XIX
3 Spinoza's Student Days . • . •
4. Things come to a Climax
5. How Spinoza took his Sentence ; his Mode of Life
6. Unto this Last ....
7. His Writings . . . > • •
8. Results .
CHAPTER XXXV.
IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE, BEFORE THE DAWN.
1. A Long Night
2. Reuchlin and the Talmud
3. Another Jewish Influence : Elias Levitas .
4. Some Jewish Results from the Invention of Printing .
5. Influence of Printing on Kabbalistic Literature
266 267 268 269 270
CHAPTER XXXVI.
IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE, BEFORE THE DAWN, CONTINUED.
1 . A' Group of Stars . • •
2. Polish Jews ...#••
3. French Jews • •
4 Social Life in Germany ....
6. Moral and Material Ellects upon the Jews .
CHAPTER XXXVII.
1 Early Days in Dessau
2. Goes to Berlin
3. How he fares there . 4 Seed-time . .
5. Harvest . . •
6. Nathan der Weise
7 Literary Successes ,
8 His Home Life
w. Ltw>t Years . .
272 276 278 280 281
2:»2
294 296
XX CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXXVI1L
1. Light and Shadows 298
2. Leopold Zunz 299
3. Progress of Events and Legislation in Germany . . . 30l
4. Progress of Events and Legislation in France . 304 6. Progress of Events and Legislation in Italy , . . 308
6. Progress of Events and Legislation in Spain and Portugal 309
7. Progress of Events and Legislation in Aust rian Dominions 310
8. Progress of Events and Legislation in other European
States 310
9. Progress of Events and Legislation in Russia and Poland 311
10. Progress of Events and Legislation in Danubian Provinces 312
11. A Glance at the Rest of the Map , . 312
CHAPTER XXXIX.
TWO CRNTURIES AND A QUARTER IN (1660-1885).
1. The First Fifty Years
2. Influx of Germans and Poles : how received
3. Converts
4. Progress of Anglo-Jewish Legislation .
5. Communal Progress .....
7. A Slander revived and slain ....
8. The Man of the Nineteenth Century .
9. Conclusion
ENGLAND
•
•
•
•
.
•
•
. .
•
331 333
CHAPTER XL.
SOUTH AMERICA. — THE WEST INDIES.
1. The Early Settlers 334
2. South America 336
3. Surinam 337
4. Maranuos in Brazil ...... * . . 339
CONTENTS. XXI
CHAPTER XLI.
NORTH AMERICA.
I. New York ; Newport .840
S. Maryland 342
3. Pennsylvania 344
4. Savannah 344
5. Prosperity 345
6. Religious Life 346
7. In the Struggle for Independence 348
8. Haym Solomon 350
9. In the War of 1812 351
0. Struggle for Rights in Maryland 352
CHAPTER XLII.
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
2. Emigration from Germany 354
3. Religious Condition ; Isaac Leeser 355
4. Growth of Schools; Rebecca Gratz 356
5. Higher Education 35S
6. Board of Delegates 359
7. Beneficial Institutions 360
8. Orders 361
9. Religious Life 362
10. Russian Immigration 363
11. Agriculture and Trades 364
12. Michael Heilprin; Emma Lazarus 365
13. Conclusion 366
Chronological Tables 368
Dates of Chief Events and Chief People .... 376 Index 379
OUTLINES OF JEWISH HISTORY.
Book I. Dst The Shadow Of The Sword
Psalm orll. 10, 'L%/' fulfils itself in many ways.'
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