Norman Roth, Jews, Visigoths and Muslims in Medieval Spain
Peter Cole, The Dream of the Poem
Overview
Samuel ibn Nagrela, known as Shmuel ha-Nagid, rose from displacement and scribal employment to become a senior official in the Taifa kingdom of Granada. He served as vizier, military commander, Hebrew poet, legal scholar, and leader of the Jewish community. These roles placed him within Muslim court politics while also giving him unusual authority among Jews. His position depended upon royal favor and remained politically precarious. Samuel’s career demonstrates both the possibilities available to a talented Jewish courtier in al-Andalus and the instability underlying minority advancement.
