Jews, Islam world, and Baghdad (2)

David Ben Zokaee is contemporary with Sadia Ben Joseph Gaon (882-942M.).
Sadia is known as the greatest rabbi and Jewish scholars of the "Gaon" age. He was born in Egypt, and he educated in Palestine. In the year 310 AH / 922 CE. He went to Baghdad and took over the presidency of the field Pambedyta. At this time, he established a close relationship with Sahl ibn Natyra, great Jewish plutocracy of Baghdad, and took his teachering position. Six years later, David Ben Zokaee appointed Sadia to head of important area of Seurat.
Sadia's biography identifies him as an ambitious and conspirator man. For this reason, Zokaee at the time of his appointment, took a commitment from him that "he would not ignore his obedience, not plot against him, not to recognize any other one as" David King”, and not accompany by his enemies." Nevertheless, Sadia did not remain calm and ignored obedience of David Ben Zokaee. “David King " removed him from his post, and other rabbi was appointed at the head of the field of Seurat. Sadia also relying on the support of Sahl ibn Natyra and plutocracy of Baghdad issued a fatwa to depose David from the presidency of the Jews and his brother was appointed as the "David King”. Differences became more and more, and eventually it went to arbitration of Ali ibn Isa, secretary of the Caliph. In the year 326 AH / 937 AD hn the presence of Ali bin Isa an agreement was signed between the parties. After the incident, David Ben Zokaee was appointed to Shamokh position in Almoqtader’s the court; Caliph started to support him against his enemies, and helped him in collecting tax his nationals.
There are Gaon books from Sadia which he has written to the heads of the Jewish communities in Germany and Andalusia (Spain). The tone of these correspondences is very autocratic and authoritarian, and they begin with "children of Israel" address. He shows off central authority of Baghdad and emphasizes on his religious leadership position. It has been likely that he has written similar letters to other Jewish communities of the world which are not in our access.
Sadia in these letters recalls of members of Harun and Natyra’s plutocrat families with the respectful title of “sons of Mar Rav Natyra and Mar Rav Harun” and adds that they help him to achieve any request he has from the government.
The aforementioned contents clear four points:
1-up to the tenth AD century Jewish oligarchs were based in Baghdad that with authority had the leadership of other Jewish communities. In other words, Jews around the world owned a single center and a coherent structure.
2. From the late third century AH / ninth AD (of the reign of Almotazed) Jews gained an important place in the economy and politics of the Abbasid caliphate.
3. Since the third century AH / ninth AD a Jewish oligarchy of plutocracy was formed in Baghdad that was busy doing vast commercial operations, globally, and it was considered as a strong financial focus. State system (Abbasid Caliphate) to meet its liquidity needs needed the center, and thus Jewish plutocracy had a lot of political power.
4. This plutocracy in spite of links with political and religious structure of the new Judaism, was not only independence, but also had full domination over "Resh Geluta" (David King) and "Gaon" (religious leadership) of the Jews. In other words, the true leadership of the Jews was with him. Since late tenth AD century and coinciding with dissection of Abbasid Caliphate, branches of “David family” were established in all independence governments which were formed and took the leadership of Jewish communities of these countries.
They, like Baghdad, had functioning of political and judicial administration, tithe collecting for the "government in immigration of" Jews and Jewish agencies in the host states. The bosses were called "Nasi" and in some areas, such as Egypt, Yemen and Granada were called "Naqid".
In the twelfth AD century, "Naqid" of the Jews of Yemen was appointed by “David King" in Baghdad and rabbis settled in Jerusalem, and he was of members of the "house of David".
Branch of "house of David" based in Palestine was descended from Zutra, the same person who founded "independent Jewish kingdom" in Mahvza during Sasanid Ghobad’s era. Zutra’s descendants founded branch of "David princes" stationed in Palestine. One of the dynasties of "David" of Palestinian was Cohen family whom many of them headed Jews of the region.
In the second half of the fourth AH century / tenth AD "princes of David" were also established in Tunisia and Egypt.
At this time, we find a man named Abu-al- Faraj Jacob Ben Khalys (318-318 AH / 930-991M.) in the system of Fatimid caliphs, which initially was stationed in Tunisia. He is a new-Muslim Jew who organized finance of the court of the Fatimid Caliphs. Jewish Encyclopedia writes Ibn Khalys stimulated Fatimid caliphs to occupation of Egypt and provided valuable information for them about the situation of the country. After the occupation of Egypt (358 BC. / 968 M.) and the establishment of the Fatimid caliphate, He was appointed in the territory in charge of collecting taxes. Ibn Khalys became minister in the year 367 AH / 977 AD.
At the same time, with the authority of Ibn Khalys, a Jew named Moses ben Alyazar (Paltyl) (d. 365 AH / 975 CE.) reached the Fatimid system as a physician and astrologer and soon became a powerful figure. He, who had a close relationship with Ibn Khalys, was known as "mediator" of the court of the Fatimid, was involved in military affairs, and was "Naqid" of Jews of Egypt. Paltyl’s children were Fatimid caliphs’ doctors for four generations. In the second half of the tenth AD century, one of the boys of Natyra, great plutocracy of Baghdad, called Yusuf bin Natyra, was of co-chair of the Fustat’s Jews.
Some Egyptian Fatimid caliphs such as al-Mustansir (427-487 AH. /1036-1094 AD.) Had respectable conduct with the "princes of David". Levy family (Holloway) are from this group that since the late twelfth century AD, Many of them were head of Egyptian Jews. Decline of Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad and reduction of finance and political importance of the Jews in Mesopotamia and in the contrast, flourishing of the Jews in Andalusia led of religious and political center of Jews to be transformed naturally and gradually to Iberian Peninsula.
During this period, an important part of the rabbi oligarchy of Baghdad and members of the "house of David" immigrated to Andalusia, and founded the foundations of a plutocracy oligarchy associated with cross oligarchy of Europe continent on the Iberian Peninsula. In the second half of the eleventh AD century, coinciding with the beginning of the Crusades, the main focus of political structures of Jews was placed in the Iberian Peninsula.
In the eleventh century, great Rabbis appeared as well in West Germany such as Gershom ben Judah (960-1028 CE.), Known as "Lord Gershom", and Solomon ben Isaac Rashi (1040-1105M.) who had a lot of authority. This brought political and judicial independence for the Jews who were stationed in Europe gradually. However, they certainly did not deny their adherence to the "David King".
In the first half of the fifth AH century / eleventh CE. Hezekiah ben David (Hezekiah second), was “David King” (1018-1058M.) and at the same time was a great rabbi. He ruled for 40 years on the Jews, and yet he was also their religious reference. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, at the time of the First Crusade (1096-1099 CE.) leadership of the Jews of Europe was still done by the "David King". At this time, "Hezekiah ben David” (Hezekiah III) is the "David King. However, it seems that at this time the main role in Jews’ leadership has been by plutocracy oligarchy based in Andalusia.
Benjamin Tudlayi in his famous travelogue has described situation of Jews in Baghdad during the Caliphate of Abbasid Almostajed (555-566 AH. / 1160-1170 CE.). He sees 40 thousand Jews living in Baghdad that “live in the shadow of the Great Caliph in security, prosperity and dignity”, and among them, there are many rich people. Many Jewish scientists and doctors and poet are in the court of the caliph. Baghdad has 28 synagogues. Great Synagogue is a magnificent building with columns of marble with gold and silver engraved on it. There are ten great rabbis in Baghdad. They are each headed to one area and are engaged full time to teaching and religious affairs. The main field of the school is named "Jacob" headed by the great Rabbi Shmuel Ben Ali. "He was a Levite, and his ancestry goes back to Moses, our teacher." (Shmuel Ben Ali, from the house of Levi, was the great Jews’ rabbi in years 1164-1193 CE.).
At this time, Daniel Ben Hasday THE fourth is the "David King" (1150-1174 CE.). Muslims address him "Sidna son of David". He runs Jews’ affairs with "authority". Khalifa ordered to where he entered, everyone respected him and stand up and say hello. Whoever does not do it, Muslim or non-Muslim will be punished by a hundred lashes. "David King" goes to visit the caliph every Thursday. During this time, he wears silk dress, rides a horse and has a big turban on his head. The guards run in front of him and would proclaim: "make room for our sir, Sidna Ibn David". First, he kisses caliph’s hand. Then, caliph comes and places him in the bed next to himself.
Daniel Ben Hasday rules over all the Jews of Iraq and Yemen and Iran and Khorasan and Diyar bekr and the inhabitants of Mount Ararat (Armenia and Georgia) and Alan and Turkestan and Gorgan and Amu Darya River to Samarkand and Tibet and India, and the Jews go to meet him with presents and gifts. He has great gardens, and he has reached great legacy of his father. Every year, Jewish merchants and shopkeepers of Baghdad give tax in the amount of 200 thousand gold dinars, and this is except his income from other areas.
In the sixth AH century / twelfth CE. The most important Jewish cities in the Muslim world were Baghdad, Kufa, Basra (Iraq), Cairo, Fustat, Alexandria (Egypt), Fez (Morocco), Cordoba and Toledo (Andalusia).
Documents which were discovered in the old synagogue in Cairo in recent years have drawn the attention of researchers. This document, which was published in 1973 by Princeton University in America, is a collection of Jewish merchants’ letters in the fifth to the seventh AH century / CE. Eleventh to thirteenth.
These documents reflect the activities of a network of the Jews’ influential international trade which was struggling in all major business centers around the world at the time in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula, Iran and the Persian Gulf and the coasts of India and was involved in trade of all kinds of goods, from consumer goods to gold and silver, sheep and slaves. One of these businessmen is Ibn Huqal (Yusuf bin Ya'qub), a resident of Fustat. He lived in the late tenth AD century and early eleventh century and was such a great plutocracy that Guytyn, researcher at Princeton University, calls him "Prince of business".
Hulagu Khan the Mongol during the invasion of Baghdad and ending the Abbasid Caliphate (656 AH / 1258 CE.) was not hostile to the Jews of Baghdad and “David King” who at this time was Shmuel Ben David (1240-1270 CE.). Jewish community of Baghdad continued his activities and "David King" found an even better situation than before.
After the death of Shmuel Ben David, "David King" of the Jews is not based in Baghdad anymore. However, at the same time, we know Iberian Peninsula’s Jewish leaders that call themselves as "David Princess" and are placed in position of the president of the Jews. In fact, in this time, a long time had passed from the transition of determining institutions of leadership of the World Jewish community to Andalusia.