"Truth, like oil, rises to the surface" {Sephardic saying} (Lazar 140)
This site is dedicated to introducing you to the Golden Age in Spain, when the Jews were tolerated under the Moorish government and became very prosperous. This period began with the Moorish conquest in 711, and finished with the expulsion of the Jews, by the Christians in 1492. The height of this Golden Age was during the IX, X, and XI centuries. This was a unique time in Jewish history, until modern times, because they had the opportunity to develop their society, although they did not run their own government. The experience of the Jews in Spain and Portugal, during these centuries, was very similar, thus we can speak, at times, about the entire Iberian Peninsula, when talking about the Sephardim (Raphael 69).
What was Jewish history like before 1492? The history of Spain, between the rule of the Romans and the Catholic Monarchs was tumultuous. This was the life the Jews, but the years before their departure were prosperous, and they created a strong and rich culture. The economic and political situation, during the middle centuries of Moorish rule [map], created and atmosphere in which the Jews were able to build up their cultural confidence. They transformed the life style, learning more about agricultural, and focusing on business and trade. Also during this time, the Sephardim created literary, musical and artistic styles, for the first time, mixing the cultures of that period in Spain. Many of these cultural features have lasted to modern times, in their songs, celebrations and language.
It is important to first understand the circumstances of Jewish history in Spain, before the arrival of the Moors. There is physical evidence of the Jews in Iberia the third century, but it is more probable that they arrived with the Romans. They were, for the most part, merchants and farmers. Under the Roman government, the Jews were tolerated, although they could not own property. In 409, the Visigoths [map]conquered the Romans. They did not tolerate the Jews, and persecuted them.
With the arrival of the Moors in 711, and their defeat of the Visigoths in 712, a new atmosphere of toleration began for the Jews. The Arabs had few men and needed help in every city they conquered to maintain their rule (Romero20). The Jews helped the Arabs because they represented an opportunity to free themselves from the Visigoths.
Free from the oppression of the Visigoths, and accepted into the Arabic government, the Sephardim earned money, built synagogues, and fortified their culture and religion. The similarities between the Arabs and the Jews aided in the mixing of the two cultures. During the middle centuries of the Moorish rule, the political foundation, constructed during the Moorish conquest, developed into a strong, open society. The Jews were included in this Moorish society of Al-Andalus, and had the opportunity to develop many aspects of their culture.
As stated above, the focus of this site is these middle centuries, called the Golden Age of Spain, when the Sephardic culture prospered. To that end, I have here a few specific themes with which you can further investigate this interesting topic. Although I do not have much written here, the Internet and libraries are full of information about the Sephardic culture. If you have more interest, look for it there.
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