Benjamin of Tudela

BENJAMIN of Tudela, a celebrated Jew, originally of the Kingdom of Navarre, and a native of Tudela; he lived in the twelfth Century. He travelled to all places where he thought that there were Synagogues, in order to make himself acquainted with the state of his Nation. After he had employed many years in his travels, he returned to France in the reign of Lewis the Young, and in 1173 went to Castile, where he died the same year. He has written an account of his travels, wherein we find several particulars relating to the Jewish Nation; but he is very unaccurate, a bad Geographer, and oftentimes a fabulous Historian. Notwithstanding which he is very proper to give us a general idea of the Jews and their condition, as well in the East as West, during the twelfth Century. He is reproached with very strong prejudices in favour of his Nation. His work was first of all printed in Hebrew at Constantinople in the year 1543. Arias Montanus translated it into Latin, and had it printed at Antwerp in 1575. Constantine L’Empereur has since re-printed it with Annotations at Leyden in 1633. See Fabricius de Apocryphis veteris Testamenti p. 1168. and a Criticism of this Author by M. Basnage, in his History of the Jews, tom. iii. l. v. c. 6. p. 111, &c. of the Paris Edition.

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