PREFACE.
THESE Outlines of Jewish History are the result of a proposal which was made to me, some two years back, by the administrators of the Jacob Franklin Trust, to write a book which should tell the history of the Jews from Biblical times to the present day, in a form which should fit it for use in schools and homes. A right of reference to Dr. Friedländer, the learned Principal of Jews’ College, was one of the privileges of my commission, and the bringing to him of all my doubts and difficulties for decision has proved not only an advantage to my book, but a pleasure to me.
The trouble I have had in endeavouring to keep the book simple enough for youthful readers, suggests the possible presence of a weak point, and tempts me to forestall criticism by urging that I have, at least, been mindful on this head, and have patiently done my best. But so complicated a history, and so advanced a civilisation as that of the Jews, is not quite susceptible of entirely simpletreatment. ‘They stained their bodies with a plant called woad’ is a perfectly comprehensive if somewhat bald bit of history, ‘adapted to the use of schools,’ anent the ancient Britons. ‘In their schools they laid the foundations for the Mishnah’ would be a correct contemporaneous statement concerning the ancient Jews, but one that hardly lends itself to such comfortable brevity and simplicity of style. I can only plead that I have told the whole sad, beautiful, ‘heroic history’ of my race with the keenest sympathy; and I can only hope that the moral and the meaning of it all, which are so very clear to me, may be found to shine out between the lines.
KATIE MAGNUS.
July 1886.
DATES OF CHIEF EVENTS AND CHIEF PEOPLE.
| B.C.E. | |
| Return from Babylon | 536 |
| Dedication of Second Temple | 516 |
| Institution of Purim | 473 |
| Judea under Egyptian rule | 320 |
| Simon I., the Just; high priest | 310 |
| The Septuagint translation made | 240 |
| Judea is conquered by Syria | 203 |
| Antiochus IV., Epiphanes, King of Syria | 175–163 |
| Institution of Hanucah | 164 |
| Judea an independent state | 141 |
| The Idumeans are conquered, and forced to accept Judaism | 120 |
| Judas Aristobulus, the first Jewish king | 106 |
| Civil war between the brothers Hyrcanus II. and Aristobulus | 70 |
| Pompey in Jerusalem | 63 |
| Herod I. becomes King of Judea | 37 |
| Hillel I. president of the Sanhedrin | 30 |
| The Temple rebuilt by Herod | 20 |
| C.E. | |
| Judea a Roman province | 7 |
| Origin of the Christian religion | 37 |
| Philo, Jewish philosopher in Alexandria | 40 |
| Fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple | 70 |
| Jochanan ben Zakkai establishes a college at Jamnia | 70 |
| The Pentateuch is translated into Chaldee by Onkelos, and the whole Bible into Greek by Akylos | 130 |
| The Jews rise under Barcochba against the Romans | 133–135 |
| Akiba dies | 135 |
| Compilation of the Mishnah by Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi | 190 |
| Colleges founded in Babylonia by Rab and Samuel | 219 |
| The Jerusalem Talmud compiled | 320 |
| Hillel II. fixes the Jewish calendar (at present in use) | 360 |
| The Babylonian Talmud completed | 500 |
| A Jewish kingdom in Yemen | 500 |
| First Gaon in Sura, Mar Isaac | 658 |
| Origin of the vowel signs and accents in Hebrew | 650 |
| The Arabs conquer Spain | 711 |
| The Chazars embrace Judaism | 740 |
| Development of Karaism | 761 |
| Saadia of Fajum, philosopher and theologian | 892–942 |
| Foundation of colleges by Babylonian scholars in Western countries | 950 |
| Hai, the last of the Gaonim | 998–1038 |
| Solomon Gabirol | 1037–1070 |
| Rashi (Rabbi Solomon Yitschaki) | 1040–1105 |
| Beginning of the Crusades and of the persecutions of the Jews in Europe | 1096 |
| Moses ibn Ezra | 1070–1139 |
| Judah ha-Levi | 1085–1145 |
| Abraham ibn Ezra | 1092–1167 |
| Moses Maimonides | 1135–1204 |
| Benjamin of Tudela, traveller | 1165–1173 |
| Persecution of Jews in England under Richard I. | 1189 |
| The writings of Maimonides burnt at Paris | 1233 |
| The Jewish Parliament summoned by Henry III. | 1240 |
| Copies of the Talmud burnt at Paris | 1242 |
| Expulsion of Jews from England | 1290 |
| Jacob Asheri completes the religious code called the Four Turim | 1340 |
| Persecution of Jews in Europe in consequence of the Black Death | 1349 |
| Don Isaac Abarbanel | 1437–1509 |
| The first Hebrew books printed | 1475 |
| Inquisition against the Marannos | 1480 |
| Expulsion of the Jews from Spain | 1492 |
| Expulsion of the Jews from Portugal | 1497 |
| The first ghetto in Venice | 1516 |
| Reuchlin for the Talmud, Pfefferkorn against it | 1506–1516 |
| First complete edition of the Talmud printed | 1520 |
| Spanish Jews settle in Holland | 1591 |
| Manasseh ben Israel | 1604–1657 |
| Sabbatai Zevi | 1626–1676 |
| Baruch Spinoza | 1632–1677 |
| Slaughter of Jews in Poland by the Cossacks under Chmielnicki | 1648 |
| Manasseh ben Israel came to England | 1655 |
| First Portuguese synagogue in London | 1656 |
| First German synagogue in London | 1692 |
| Moses Mendelssohn born | 1729 |
| The edict of Joseph II., Emperor of Austria | 1782 |
| Moses Montefiore born | 1784 |
| Frederick William II. of Prussia abolishes the ‘Leibzoll’ | 1787 |
| The Jews in France emancipated | 1791 |
| Jews admitted to the freedom of the City of London | 1832 |
| The Jews’ civil disabilities in England removed | 1845 |
| Persecution of Jews in Damascus: Professor Theodore’s letter on same | 1840 |
| D. Salomons elected M.P. for Greenwich | 1851 |
| Jewish Oath Bill passed | 1858 |