“The Compassionate and Benevolent”: Jewish Ruling Elites in the Medieval Islamicate World by Miriam Frenkel Tzemah Yoreh

Author:Miriam Frenkel, Tzemah Yoreh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: De Gruyter
Published: 2020-12-16T09:25:16.282000+00:00

The ascendance of the European immigrants did not mean that that they completely took over the leadership of the community. Leaders born in Egypt continued to serve, such as Isaac b. Ḥalfon and Elijah b. Zechariah. Both, locals and new immigrants alike, were appointed by the Nagids of the Maimonidean dynasty, and relied mainly on their close association with these Nagids and on their support. One must add that the European leaders did not replace the ruling elite, but rather were integrated among them. In order to succeed as leaders, they had to earn the support of the old elite, learn to speak their language of authority, and adopt their channels of information and their conduits to power. Upon his arrival, R. Samuel took advantage of the support of Judah Ibn al-ʿAmmānī and their good relationship; R. Anatoly used the fundraising apparatus for the purpose of buttressing his position in the same way as his predecessors; and R. Pinḥas, who had difficulty understanding the political parlance of the locals, languished in his position. The closer a local leader was to the ruling elite in his cultural background and the common path of preparation for the position, the more successful he was. One may therefore conclude that despite the foundation of authority shifting over the years and epochs, reliance upon the local ruling elite and the imperative to integrate among them remained a constant.

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