The Jews In Sicily 1392 1414

This volume in the series Documentary History of the Jews in Italy illustrates the history of the Jews in Sicily during the last decade of the fourteenth century and the first two of the fifteenth. It is the sequel to the first and second volumes on the history of the Jews in Sicily, and illustrates the events during the political upheavals which preceded the reunion of the island with Aragon. During that period the Jewish minority of flourished, although affected by unsettled political conditions, along with the rest of the population. Over 500 documents, many of them published here for the first time, record the fortunes of the Jews and their relationships with the authorities, especially the two Martins, and their Christian neighbours. Much new information has come to light, and many facets of Jewish life in Sicily have been uncovered. The abundance of historical records in the archives of the Crown and of local authorities compares favourably with the relative scarcity of surviving documentation in earlier centuries. Therefore, again, many documents had to be reported in summary form. Much new information has come to light. The volume is again provided with additional bibliography and indexes, while the introduction has been relegated to the end of the series on the Jews of the island.

This is the 16th volume in the series "Documentary History of the Jews in Italy," and the third volume focused specifically on the Jews in Sicily. It concentrates on the events during the political upheavals which preceded the reunion of the island with Aragon. Simonsohn (Jewish history, Tel Aviv U.) presents over 500 historical documents--many published here for the first time--recording the fortunes of the Jews and their relationships with the authorities, especially the two Martins, and their Christian neighbors. Each document includes the original text, the date and source, and an English translation; due to the abundance of documents and space limitations, in many cases the translations are presented in summary form. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This work includes international secondary literature on anti-Semitism published throughout the world, from the earliest times to the present. It lists books, dissertations, and articles from periodicals and collections from a diverse range of disciplines. Written accounts are included among the recorded titles, as are manifestations of anti-Semitism in the visual arts (e.g. painting, caricatures or film), action taken against Jews and Judaism by discriminating judiciaries, pogroms, massacres and the systematic extermination during the Nazi period. The bibliography also covers works dealing with philo-Semitism or Jewish reactions to anti-Semitism and Jewish self-hate. An informative abstract in English is provided for each entry, and Hebrew titles are provided with English translations.

This volume in the series Documentary History of the Jews in Italy illustrates the history of the Jews in Sicily from 1458 to 1477. It is the sequel to the first five volumes and covers the events during the rule of King John. Although John continued the policies of his father Alphonso towards the Jews of the island, there is a distinct deterioration in their position during his times. After years of incitement by the members of the Mendicant Orders, anti-Jewish riots broke out in various parts of the Sicily. The worst of them was the massacre in Modica in 1474. During that period the Jewish minority of Sicily continued to flourish economically and socially. Nearly a thousand documents, many of them published here for the first time, record the fortunes of the Jews and their relationships with the authorities and their Christian neighbours. Much new information has come to light, and many facets of Jewish life in Sicily have been uncovered. The abundance of historical records in the archives of the Crown and of local authorities compares favourably with the relative scarcity of surviving documentation in earlier centuries. Therefore, again, many documents had to be reported in summary form. The volume is provided with additional bibliography and indexes, while the introduction has been relegated to the end of the series on the Jews of the island.

The history of the Jews in Sicily covers a period of over a thousand years, from Antiquity to the Expulsion, based on some 40,000 archival records, most of them hitherto unpublished. It illustrates the political, legal, economic, social and religious vicissitudes of the Jewish minority and its relations with the surrounding majority of Romans, Moslems and Christians. While the antecedents of the Jewish presence on the island are shrouded in mystery, more and more historical records surface with the passage of time.

This volume of the "Documentary History of the Jews in Italy" is the eighth of the second series, illustrating the history of the Jews in Sicily based on notarial and court records. It is the sequel to the eight volumes of the first series. Notarial deeds drawn up by public notaries in Palermo and elsewhere and cases brought before the Pretorian Court in Palermo present a kaleidoscopic picture of the private lives of the Jews of Sicily during the last three centuries of their presence on the island. They illustrate the economic, social and religious history of the Jewish minority and the relations with the Christian majority. Much information is provided on trade and commerce, crafts and professions, religious and family life. Some light is thrown also on the internal life of the communities, particularly the larger ones, including organization and institutions, the synagogue, education, customs and traditions. Although the surviving legal deeds present only a fraction of the total drawn up in those years, they are copious and abundant. Over 30,000 documents of this group were selected for publication, most appearing here for the first time. While some documents are discussed at length, the majority are only presented in summary form. The volume is provided with additional bibliography and indexes, while the introduction will appear at the end of the series.