1066 Granada massacre facts for kids
The Granada Massacre of 1066 happened on December 30, 1066. During this event, a Muslim crowd attacked the royal palace in Granada, a city in the Taifa of Granada (a small Muslim kingdom in what is now Spain). They killed the Jewish leader and advisor, Joseph ibn Naghrela. Many other Jewish people in the city were also killed.
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Who Was Joseph ibn Naghrela?
Joseph ibn Naghrela (born September 15, 1035 – died December 30, 1066) was a very important person. He served as a vizier (a high-ranking advisor or minister) to King Badis ibn Habus. Badis was the ruler of the Taifa of Granada during the time when Muslims ruled parts of Spain, known as al-Andalus. Joseph was also the nagid, which means the main leader of the Jewish people in that area.
Joseph's Early Life and Role
Joseph was born in Granada. He was the oldest son of Samuel ibn Naghrillah, who was a famous rabbi, poet, and warrior. We know a little about Joseph's childhood from his father's Hebrew poems. Joseph started copying these poems when he was about eight and a half years old. He even wrote a short poem about feeling homesick when he went with his father to a battlefield at age nine and a half.
His father was his main teacher. Joseph also studied under Nissim ben Jacob in Kairouan. In 1049, Joseph married Nissim's daughter.
After his father died in 1056, Joseph took over his roles. He became both the vizier and a rabbi. He also ran an important Jewish school called a yeshiva. Famous students like Isaac Albalia and Isaac ibn Ghiyyat studied with him. However, Joseph made some difficult decisions and plans that caused problems for the kingdom.
How People Saw Joseph
The historian Abraham ibn Daud wrote very good things about Joseph. He said Joseph had all the good qualities of his father, except that he was not quite as humble. This was because Joseph grew up in a very rich and comfortable life.
Some old Arabic writers said that Joseph did not believe strongly in any religion. Arabic poets also praised him for being very generous.
One of Joseph's biggest enemies was Abu Ishak of Elvira. Abu Ishak wanted a job at the royal court. He wrote a very mean poem against Joseph and the Jewish people. The king did not pay much attention to the poem because he trusted Joseph completely. However, the poem became very popular among the Berber people who lived there.
The Events Leading to the Massacre
Joseph had a big dream, which was possibly to become a king himself. He sent messages to Al-Mutasim ibn Sumadih, the ruler of the nearby Taifa of Almería. This kingdom was usually an enemy of Granada. Joseph promised to open the city gates for Al-Mutasim's army. In return, Al-Mutasim would help Joseph become king, and Joseph would then be loyal to him.
At the last minute, Al-Mutasim changed his mind and did not invade. But the news of Joseph's secret plan got out to the public. When the people heard about it, the Berbers claimed that Joseph wanted to kill King Badis and betray the kingdom.
The Attack and Its Aftermath
On December 30, 1066, angry Muslim crowds stormed the royal palace. Joseph had gone there to find safety. According to some accounts, Joseph tried to hide in a coal pit and blackened his face so no one would recognize him. But he was found and killed.
After Joseph's death, a terrible attack on the Jewish people of Granada began. Many Jews in the city were murdered. An old historical account from 1906 claimed that "More than 1,500 Jewish families, numbering 4,000 persons, fell in one day." However, later versions of the encyclopedia do not give exact numbers. This is possibly because it is hard to confirm exact figures from over 900 years ago, and numbers can sometimes be exaggerated over time. Another encyclopedia also mentions the "more than 1,500 householders" killed.
Joseph's wife and his son Azariah escaped to Lucena, Córdoba. The Jewish community there supported them. Sadly, Azariah died when he was very young.
Why Did It Happen?
Historian Bernard Lewis says that the massacre happened because the Muslim people reacted strongly against Joseph. He was a powerful Jewish advisor who showed off his wealth.
Lewis mentions an old poem by Abu Ishaq, written in Granada in 1066. This poem is believed to have helped cause the attack against the Jews that year. Some lines from the poem say:
- Do not think it is wrong to kill them; it would be wrong to let them continue.
- They broke our agreement with them, so how can you be blamed for acting against those who broke it?
- How can they have any agreement when we are not important and they are powerful?
- Now we are humble next to them, as if we were wrong and they were right!
Lewis also notes that attacks like the one in Granada in 1066 were rare in Islamic history. The event has been called a pogrom, which is a violent attack against a specific group of people, especially Jews. Historian Walter Laqueur wrote that Jews usually could not hold public office, but there were exceptions, and sometimes there were pogroms, like the one in Granada in 1066.
See also
In Spanish: Masacre de Granada de 1066 para niños
- Timeline of Jewish history
- Timeline of anti-Semitism
- List of massacres in Spain
