Benjamin of Tudela

Benjamin of Tudela

▪ Spanish rabbi
born 12th century, Navarre [France]

      rabbi who was the first known European traveler to approach the frontiers of China and whose account of his journey, Massaʿot (The Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela, 1907), illuminates the situation of Jews in Europe and Asia in the 12th century.

      Motivated by commercial interests as well as a desire to learn of the conditions of Jews, he spent about 13 years journeying through Italy, Greece, Palestine, Persia, and the western borders of China, returning by way of Egypt and Sicily (1159–73). Though the Itinerary contains errors and treats places he may not have visited, it remains valuable.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Benjamin of Tudela — (Binyamin MeTudela) was a medieval Navarrese rabbi and explorer who traveled through Europe, Asia, and Africa in the 12th century. His vivid descriptions of western Asia preceded those of Marco Polo by a hundred years. With his broad education… …   Wikipedia

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  • Benjamín de Tudela — (n. Tudela, (Navarra), 1130 † 1173). Viajero y escritor. Poco se sabe de él ya que la única fuente de que disponemos es su “Libro de Viajes”. Aunque escritores no judíos le titulan frecuentemente como “rabí”, no existen pruebas concluyentes de… …   Enciclopedia Universal

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  • Benjamin of Tudela — (Benjamin ben Jonah) (12th century)    Medieval Spanish traveller. Benjamin, who came from the town of Tudela in northern Spain, was the roving reporter of Jewish life in the Mediterranean and Near East in the 12 century. Nothing is known of his… …   Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament

  • Benjamin aus Tudela — Benjamin aus Tudẹla,   jüdischer Gelehrter aus Navarra, Vorläufer Marco Polos; bereiste 1159 73 die Mittelmeerländer, Vorderasien und Ägypten. Sein Reisebericht (erste Ausgabe in Hebräisch, Konstantinopel 1543; viele Übersetzungen und… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Benjamin of Tudela — (fl. second half of 12th cent)    Spanish traveller. A resident of Tudela, he set out on his travels in about 1167 and returned in 1172 or 1173. He visited France, Italy, Greece, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, the Persian Gulf, Egypt and Sicily. His… …   Dictionary of Jewish Biography

  • Benjamin of Tudela —    Jewish traveler from Spain (q.v.) who visited Constantinople (q.v.) during the reign of Manuel I Komnenos (q.v.). His description of the city is invaluable, as are his other travel notes, including his description of his journey through… …   Historical dictionary of Byzantium

  • Tudela, Navarre — Tudela is a municipality in Spain, the second city of the autonomous community of Navarre. Its population is around 40,000. Tudela is conveniently sited in the Ebro valley. Fast trains running on two track electrified railways serve the city and… …   Wikipedia

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