Benjamin of tudela was a native of spain whose travels from there to the east took place between 1169 and 1171 a. Shulevitz bases this extraordinary work on benjamin s own book of travels and many other sources listed in an extensive bibliography. Instead of reading it as an eyewitness report documenting the human geography of the medieval world, i seek to understand the aggregatory character of a literary work that contains. Anyone who enjoys reading primary sources in history will enjoy this. The travels of benjamin of tudela by uri shulevitz, uri. Benjamin of tudela was a medieval jewish traveler who visited europe, asia, and africa in the. Travels in the middle ages english and hebrew edition by tudela, benjamin of and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The travels of benjamin of tudela internet archive. The travels of benjamin of tudela farrar straus giroux 2005.
This is basically a travel diary of benjamin, a jewish man, in the middle ages. The history is especially fascinating given the current. Through three continents in the twelfth centuryimagine a time when streets were narrow and dirty, towns were surrounded by walls, brigands lurked alongside roads. Applying insights gleaned from recent theoretical studies of space, jacobss essay a days journey. The fool of the world and the flying ship farrar straus giroux 1968. Travels in the middle ages the itinerary of benjamin of tudela introductions by michael a. His travel diary, the book of travels, has been a godsend for historians. Multicultural picture book benjamin of tudela sandra bornstein. This picture book is an interesting factfilled read about a medieval jewish traveller known as benjamin of tudela. The travels of benjamin of tudela more than a century before marco polo packed his bags, a spanish jew embarked on a 14year journey through france, italy, greece and into the middle. Through three continents in the twelfth century in 2005. Travels of the last benjamin of tudela is a long autobiographical meditation of 1,014 lines divided into 59 unnumbered stanzas of irregular length.
The travels of benjamin of tudela the travels of benjamin of tudela interior 1 the travels of benjamin of tudela interior 2 the travels of benjamin of tudela. Percezioni di viaggiatori europei e non europei a confronto. Based on the book of travels of the 12th century explorer benjamin of tudela, called by shulevitz in his author. There is no general account of the mediterranean world or of the middle east in the. Grade 48benjamin, a spanish jew, left his native town of tudela in 1159 to embark on a 14year journey across the middle east. Hot free books the itinerary of benjamin of tudela.
A brief comparison of the book of travels with two other jewish travel accounts of the twelfth century highlights some of its particular 12 the brief reign of louis x. A fictionalized account of the travels of benjamin, a jewish man from tudela, spain, who, in 1159, set out on a fourteenyearlong journey that took him to. An english translation was published in 1840 as the itinerary of rabbi benjamin of tudela. The travels of benjamin of tudela by uri shulevitz scholastic. The travels of benjamin of tudela 2005 edition open. Though only a layman, he was well versed in hebrew, arabic and spanish likely basic french as well and was familiar with the leading jewish poets, scholars and physicians of his day.
He described his years abroad in a book, the travels of benjamin, masaot binyamin, also known as, sefer hamasaot. Working from benjamin s original chronicle, written in hebrew, as well as other sources on the period, uri shulevitz captures the true spirit of this amazing adventurer, using a text written in the first person and superlative illustrations. A fictionalized account of the travels of benjamin, a jewish man from tudela, spain, who, in 1159, set out on a fourteenyearlong journey that took him to italy, greece, palestine, persia, china, egypt, and sicily includes bibliographical references. The itinerary of benjamin of tudela by active 12th century of tudela benjamin free ebook project gutenberg. Shulevitz recasts the impersonal account of a great medieval jewish traveler, who set out to see as many of the places mentioned in the bible as possible, as a firstperson narrative threaded with vivid comments about smells, hazards, misfortunes, spectacles and local legends encountered along the way. Uri shulevitz a fictionalized account of the travels of benjamin, a jewish man from tudela, spain, who, in 1159, set out on a fourteenyearlong journey that took him to italy, greece, palestine, persia, china. The said rabbi benjamin set forth from tudela, his native city, and passed through many remote countries, as is related in his book. In the preface to his itinerary, entitled massaot shel rabbi binyamin travels of rabbi benjamin, the information is furnished that he came from tudela in navarre, and that his fathers name was jonah.
The wellknown israeli poet nathan alterman wrote a poem about benjamin of tudela, which was set to music by naomi shemer and was often heard on the israeli radio. Benjamin of tudela and his book of travels ri opac regesta. Discover book depositorys huge selection of benjamin of tudela books online. Buy a cheap copy of the travels of benjamin of tudela book by uri shulevitz. He described his years abroad in a book, the travels of benjamin, masaot binyamin, also known as, sefer hamasaot, the book of. Nothing whatsoever is known about him except that which emerges from his famous sefer hamassa.
The travels of benjamin of tudela 2005 edition open library. The project gutenberg ebook of the itinerary of benjamin of tudela. This book details the travels of benjamin of tudela, in his quest to see jerusalem and other areas accessible from the mediterranean sea. Spatial perceptions and geographic imagination in benjamin of tudela s book of travels shows how benjamin s sefer masaot book of travels depicts movement through space as a way to express a complex cultural experience. Benjamin of tudela and his book of travels jacoby, david. Feb 08, 2005 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Benjamin of tudela project gutenberg selfpublishing.
Benjamin of tudela 1 1173 publication date 1784 publisher london. This book contains the reports of rabbi benjamin, the son of jonah, of blessed memory, 1 of tudela, in the kingdom of navarre. This man traveled through many and distant countries, as related in the following account, and took down in writing in each place what he saw or what was told him by men of integrity, whose names were known in spain. In 11656 he set off on a voyage through the mediterranean region, mesopotamia, palestine, arabia, egypt, and other places in asia minor and the near east, before returning to spain in 1173 and publishing an account of his travels. Pirates, diseases, and inclement weather were major concerns. A fictionalized account of the travels of benjamin, a jewish man from tudela, spain, who, in 1159, set out on a fourteenyearlong journey that took him to italy, greece, palestine, persia, china, egypt, and sicily. Through three continents in the twelfth century by uri shulevitz 2005, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Scholarship of the book of travels is fragmentary, descriptive and largely focused on what the narrative can tell scholars about the. This man traveled through many and distant countries, as related in the following account, and took down in writing in each place what he saw or what. Uri shulevitz wrote and illustrated the travels of benjamin of tudela. Benjamin of tudela, rabbi who was the first known european traveler to approach the frontiers of china and whose account of his journey, massa. Sea travel was faster, but limited to rudimentary barges and small boats. The itinerary of benjamin of tudela by active 12th century of.
The caldecottwinning author and illustrator worked from the original hebrew chronicle to create this eyepopping book, a recommendation from washington. Binyamin altutayli tudela, kingdom of navarre, 1castile, 1173 was a medieval jewish traveler who visited europe, asia, and africa in the 12th century. The travels of benjamin of tudela is a 2006 bank street best childrens book of the year. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study.
Despite errors, the book is an invaluable historical source. Through three continents in the twelfth century by uri shulevitz. The travels of benjamin of tudela npr coverage of the travels of benjamin of tudela. He is frequently called rabbi by nonjewish writers, but there is no authority for this except that the. Discussion of themes and motifs in yehuda amichais travels of the last benjamin of tudela. The fictional account reads like a diary, and the narrative is very informative and engaging. Benjamin of tudela travels, medieval europe, palestine, description. The art of uri shulevitz books the fool of the world.
Benjamin of tudela travels, medieval europe, palestine. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. He vividly describes the different communities he visits throughout spain and the middle east. This is the book of travels, which was compiled by rabbi benjamin, the son of jonah, of the land of navarrehis. Benjamin ben jonah of tudelabenjamin ben jonah of tudela second half of 12th century, the greatest medieval jewish traveler.
In the beginning of the book, uri provides a map of benjamins travels. His account, massaoth schel rabbi benjamin, sheds light on the situation of jews in europe and asia. Beyond his journey, no facts of his life are known. Working from benjamin s original chronicle, written in hebrew. There is no general account of the mediterranean world or of the middle east in the midtwelfth century which approaches that of benjamin of tudela in importance, whether for jewish or for general history. Mar 07, 2014 benjamins bare bones land treks were accomplished by traveling by foot and in wagons. The travels of benjamin of tudela by uri shulevitz. Over 100 years before marco polo made his journey, benjamin left tudela, spain to travel throughout the known world a journey that took him 14 years. It was the year 1159 when the medieval jewish traveler benjamin left his native town of tudela in northern spain on an adventure to see the places he had read about in the bible. This study explores the notions of space underlying a famous hebrew travel account from the twelfth century. The travelogue takes readers over land and water from tudela in northern spain to romes. This fictionalized account reveals many of the sites that benjamin saw and what he may have encountered along the way, from the hazards of.
The travels of benjamin of tudela by uri shulevitz fictiondb. The travelogue of benjamin of tudela who made an epic year trip across europe and the middleeast starting in 1160 photo credit. The travels of benjamin of tudela is a 2006 bank street best childrens book. This is the book of travels, which was compiled by rabbi benjamin, the son of jonah, of the land of navarrehis repose be in paradise. This thesis explores the transmission and reception of benjamin of tudelas book of travels, a twelfthcentury hebrew travel narrative. Excerpt from the itinerary of benjamin of tudela malibu, 1983, 3542 thence it is two days to bagdad, the great city and the royal residence of the caliph emir al muminin al abbasi of the family of mohammed. I read this book not in this edition, but in greek, by stochastis editions, with comments by professor megalommatis. He crossed southern europe, north africa, the eastern mediterranean and visited egypt before returning home.
Travels of rabbi benjamin, son of jonah, of tudela. Benjamin of tudela was a 12thcentury jewish merchant from, predictably, the spanish town of tudela. Professor megalommatis, as usual, did a superb work of providing the theological, philosophical and mystic dimensions behind benjamin s travels. The book of travels article about the book of travels by. The book he wrote is called safer hamassaot book of travels a lively report, written in an easy, fluent hebrew, on the people and the places he had seen in the course of a grand tour from his native city tudela in the province of navarre to the four quarters of the globe.
The book he wrote is called safer hamassaot book of travelsa lively report, written in an easy, fluent hebrew, on the people and the places he had seen in the. In the year 1173 benjamin of tudela, spain, ended his fourteenyear trek through parts of europe, asia, and africa. The travels of benjamin of tudela book by uri shulevitz. Scholarship of the book of travels is fragmentary, descriptive and largely focused on what the narrative can tell scholars about the twelfthcentury jewish and nonjewish worlds. Through three continents in the twelfth century would be the perfect book to share with anyone who is interested in the middle ages, notable european sites, and jewish history.
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