The Jews in Moorish Spain

A golden age of culture, science and religious tolerance

When one thinks of medieval Spain, images of knights, castles, and interfaith conflict often come to mind. But between the 10th and 13th centuries, the Iberian Peninsula also experienced one of the most remarkable periods in Jewish history: the Golden Age of Sephardic Jews in Islamic Al-Andalus.

A climate of tolerance and exchange

Under the rule of the Moors—Muslim rulers from North Africa—Al-Andalus developed into a center of science, culture, and philosophy. Especially during the Caliphate of Córdoba and later the Taifa kingdoms, a comparatively tolerant climate toward religious minorities prevailed.

Jews, Christians, and Muslims lived in a state often described as "convivencia"—a coexistence that was not always free of conflict, but nevertheless enabled intensive cultural exchange. This offered Sephardic Jews the opportunity to play a prominent role in administration, science, medicine, and literature.

Great personalities and intellectual blossoming

This period produced some of the most important Jewish scholars:

• Samuel ibn Nagrela (Shmuel ha-Nagid) was not only an important poet and Talmudic scholar, but also vizier and military leader of the Taifa Kingdom of Granada – an unprecedented rise for a Jew in the medieval world.
• Moses ibn Ezra and Judah ha-Levi are considered two of the greatest Hebrew poets of all time. Their works combine religious depth with secular poetry and reflect the tension between Jewish identity and Arab-Andalusian culture.
• Moses Maimonides (Rambam), although he was born somewhat later in Córdoba and eventually fled to Egypt, is an outstanding example of the intellectual spirit of this era. His works, such as "Guide for the Perplexed" and his legal code, the Mishneh Torah, had a lasting influence on Judaism.

The role of language and science

Sephardic Jews were often trilingual: They spoke Arabic as their everyday language, used Hebrew for religious texts, and learned Latin or Romance to communicate with Christians. This multilingualism made them important mediators between cultures.

They translated medical, philosophical, and scientific works from Arabic into Hebrew and later into Latin. In doing so, they made a significant contribution to the transmission of ancient knowledge to Christian Europe—an achievement that paved the way for the European Renaissance.

Scientific achievements and groundbreaking ideas

In Al-Andalus, the sciences flourished: literature, the natural sciences, medicine and philosophy experienced an extraordinary boom, in which Sephardic Jews played a key role both as researchers and translators:

• Medicine : The Jewish physician Hasdai ibn Shaprut, an advisor at the court of the Caliph of Córdoba, played an important role in introducing Greco-Arabic medicine to Europe. Maimonides wrote medical treatises that were still read in European universities centuries later—for example, in the Theological Seminary of the University of Córdoba. E.g. about asthma, toxins and healthy lifestyles.
• Astronomy : Sephardic scholars participated in the creation of astronomical tables (e.g. E.g., the Toledo Tables), which were later used for maritime navigation and calendar calculations throughout Europe. The Jew Abraham bar Ḥ iyya wrote early works on astronomy and trigonometry, including the first known use of spherical geometry in a Jewish context.
• Mathematics : Through translation, important works by Indian, Persian, and Greek mathematicians reached European scholars via Arabic sources. Jews like Abraham ibn Ezra translated these concepts—including the decimal system and algebraic methods—into Hebrew and Latin.
• Philosophy and Logic : The intensive exchange with Islamic philosophy led to the reception of Aristotelian logic in Judaism. Maimonides was pioneering in this area by attempting to reconcile the Torah with rational philosophy—a method that had profound effects on Jewish thought.
• Translations as a cultural bridge : Jewish scholars also played a significant role in the so-called "translator schools" of Toledo. They translated Arabic texts into Latin—including works by Aristotle, Galen, and al-Farabi. Without this work, many ancient and oriental texts would have been lost in Europe.

The gradual decline

With the political collapse of the Taifa kingdoms and the rise of the religiously fundamentalist Almoravids and later the Almohads, the situation for the Jews changed dramatically. From the late 12th century onward, their living conditions deteriorated significantly—many were forced to convert or fled to the Christian north or North Africa.

Conclusion

The Golden Age of Sephardic Jews in Moorish Spain was an extraordinary period of religious tolerance, cultural diversity, and intellectual greatness. It demonstrates what is possible when people of different faiths work together, learn from each other, and respect each other.

At a time when intercultural dialogue is regaining importance, this chapter of history offers an inspiring perspective—and a legacy that continues to shape us today, from philosophy to medicine to astronomy.

In fall 2025, the JCOM will explore the music and culture of Sephardic Jews in the project THE KEYS OF TOLEDO. This project is funded by the Foundation for Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ) and the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) as part of the Nazi Injustice Education Agenda.

Current concert dates at www.jcom.de/konzerte .