HIST 219 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Fez, Dhimmi, Sephardi Jews
Document Summary
Historians" ideas of oe was largely that it was backwards, in decline--v western/christian-centric idea. Even w/in jewish pops, had diversity of class/occupation. Jews had freedom of occupation, relig, conduct own legal affairs. Thus had to pay special tax, remain loyal to oe, had lower. Note that there is no jewish mercantile elite. Language--ladino, base lang spanish, borrowing from hebrew/turkish/greek. Neighbors--no real jewish question /preoccupation w/ relig diversity. The modernizing state: jews and imperial citizenship . New rights, but also new restrictions on non-muslims. Jews end up bring disproportionately represented in govt. But expansion of individ rights coincides w restriction of communal rights. Citizenship extended to all, regardless of relig. Idea that all relig groups r united under oe. Justification for suspension of const/crackdown on all supposed ethnic nationalists. Policy is beneficial to jews, as a minority group w/out separatist natl agenda. Anxiety to participate bc oe might see as disloyalty. Jewish communities declare loyalty to oe against nationalist movements.
