Joseph Krauskopf - Jews and Moors in Spain

Joseph Krauskopf

e-artnow, 2020

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EAN 4064066058890

PREFACE. PREFACE. Table of Contents This volume is a reprint of newspaper reports of a series of lectures delivered by the author from the pulpit of Congregation B'nai Jehudah, Kansas City, Mo., during the Fall and Winter of 1885–1886. The lectures were prepared to fulfill the requirements of popular discourses, and designed to convey information upon a highly important epoch of the world's history, that is almost neglected in English literature. The thought of publishing these lectures in book form was utterly foreign to the author throughout their preparation, until an urgent solicitation from very many persons, both Jews and Gentiles, in all parts of this country, whose interest in these lectures was aroused by their wide-spread republication by the Press, made it a duty. Kansas City, Mo., January, 1887. The following are two of the many letters addressed to the author, requesting him to have his lectures on "The Jews and Moors in Spain" published in book form.

Letter from Hon. T. T. Crittenden, Letter from Hon. T. T. Crittenden, Table of Contents Ex-Governor of the State of Missouri. Kansas City, Mo., March 29, 1886. Rabbi Joseph Krauskopf. Dear Sir:—Having read with pleasure and edification the series of lectures delivered in the Synagogue, Kansas City, Mo., entitled "The Jews and Moors in Spain," in which you treat of the social, political, religious and intellectual life of these Oriental nations, may I inquire if it is your purpose to have them published in book form? I think the lectures too valuable, too full of prolonged historic research and thought to live only one day in the columns of a daily newspaper. Even if they were designed "to adorn a tale or point a moral" of the great race to which you belong, whose history commenced with Abraham and will end with that of the human race, still the history of that race was (and is) so intimately interlaced with the history of the other races for the intervening centuries, that the lectures are in part, so much the history of the other races, that they can be read and studied by all men without prejudice or animosity. One thing is certain, you have in the lectures divested history of much of its dry and useless details, and make it a thrilling romance of facts, presented in the simplest and purest Anglo-Saxon language. I know not how others view the lectures, only speak this for myself—no library is complete without the History of the Jewish race, and no history of that race for the period covered, is more comprehensive, truthful and impartial than that presented in these lectures. I think the book would find a ready sale in all thinking, reading communities. Very Truly Yours, Thos. T. Crittenden.

Letter From Arnold Krekel, Letter From Arnold Krekel, Table of Contents Judge of the U. S. Court, Western District of Missouri. Kansas City, Mo, April 2, 1886. Rabbi Joseph Krauskopf. My Dear Sir:—Having attended a number of your lectures on "The History of the Jews and Moors in Spain," and read such as I did not hear, allow me to give expression to my views regarding the same. Aside from the interest the student of history must always feel in that part of history of which your lectures treat, the manner of treatment specially interested me. Relating historical facts, too often becomes dry and irksome, and it requires more than ordinary skill of presentation to make the subject interesting and attractive. In this you have fully succeeded by interweaving with the facts those matters which enliven the picture. A knowledge of the social condition of a people, and the relation to which they stand to their age, enables us to judge of their worth and the influence they exercised. Your lectures, as a whole, presented a life-breathing social picture of the times and people, and as the civilization of Europe was largely effected by the Jews and Moors, their history embraces to a large extent the history of civilization, and thereby acquires an interest not limited to the people and countries of which your lectures give so interesting an account. A publication in permanent form of your lectures would advance our knowledge of that part of history to which we have always looked for instruction and guidance, and I hope you may find a way of accomplishing this object. Very Respectfully, A. Krekel.

Editorial in the Kansas City Journal of Sunday, April 24, 1886.

CHAPTER I. A DAY IN CORDOVA.

CHAPTER II. EUROPE DURING THE DARK AGES.

CHAPTER III. EUROPE DURING THE DARK AGES. (CONTINUED.)

CHAPTER IV. OUR RETURN TO CORDOVA.

CHAPTER V. THE ARAB-MOORS.

RODERICK'S LAMENT.

CHAPTER VI. A SABBATH EVE IN CORDOVA.

CHAPTER VII. A SABBATH EVE IN CORDOVA (CONTINUED.)

CHAPTER VIII. THE ENTRANCE OF THE JEWS INTO EUROPE.

CHAPTER IX. THE ENTRANCE OF THE JEWS INTO SPAIN.

CHAPTER X. THEIR POSITION IN MEDICAL SCIENCE.

CHAPTER XI. IN THE SCIENCES.

CHAPTER XII. IN LITERATURE.

LOVE-SONG.

SEPARATION.

LOVE SONG OF CHARISI.

NIGHT-THOUGHTS.

TO A DETRACTOR.

WINE AND GRIEF.

DEFIANCE.

A DEGENERATE AGE.

TO THE WEST WIND.

(Extracts from the Book of Tarshish, or "Necklace of Pearls.")

MEDITATIONS.

HYMN.

IN THE NIGHT.

ON THE VOYAGE TO JERUSALEM.

ISRAEL, THE DOVE.[30]

CHAPTER. XIII. IN PHILOSOPHY.

CHAPTER. XIV. IN THE INDUSTRIES.

CHAPTER. XV. THE INQUISITION.

Antonio Joseph da Silva.

CHAPTER XVI. EXPULSION OF THE JEWS.

TORQUEMADA.

CHAPTER XVII. DISPERSION OF THE JEWS.

Isabel la Catolica.

CHAPTER XVIII. EFFECT OF THE EXPULSION.

FAREWELL TO SPAIN.

FOOTNOTES:

Table of Contents

This volume is a reprint of newspaper reports of a series of lectures delivered by the author from the pulpit of Congregation B'nai Jehudah, Kansas City, Mo., during the Fall and Winter of 1885–1886.

The lectures were prepared to fulfill the requirements of popular discourses, and designed to convey information upon a highly important epoch of the world's history, that is almost neglected in English literature.

The thought of publishing these lectures in book form was utterly foreign to the author throughout their preparation, until an urgent solicitation from very many persons, both Jews and Gentiles, in all parts of this country, whose interest in these lectures was aroused by their wide-spread republication by the Press, made it a duty.

Kansas City, Mo., January, 1887.

The following are two of the many letters addressed to the author, requesting him to have his lectures on "The Jews and Moors in Spain" published in book form.

Table of Contents

Ex-Governor of the State of Missouri.

Kansas City, Mo., March 29, 1886.

Rabbi Joseph Krauskopf.

Dear Sir:—Having read with pleasure and edification the series of lectures delivered in the Synagogue, Kansas City, Mo., entitled "The Jews and Moors in Spain," in which you treat of the social, political, religious and intellectual life of these Oriental nations, may I inquire if it is your purpose to have them published in book form?

I think the lectures too valuable, too full of prolonged historic research and thought to live only one day in the columns of a daily newspaper. Even if they were designed "to adorn a tale or point a moral" of the great race to which you belong, whose history commenced with Abraham and will end with that of the human race, still the history of that race was (and is) so intimately interlaced with the history of the other races for the intervening centuries, that the lectures are in part, so much the history of the other races, that they can be read and studied by all men without prejudice or animosity. One thing is certain, you have in the lectures divested history of much of its dry and useless details, and make it a thrilling romance of facts, presented in the simplest and purest Anglo-Saxon language.