The City Is Extremely Populous, And Hath None To Compare With It, Except
Bagdat, The Mighty City Of The Ismaelites[6].
In it is the magnificent
temple of St Sophia, where dwells the patriarch of the Greeks, who do not
agree in doctrine with the pope of Rome.
This temple contains as many
altars as there are days in the year, and it has a revenue beyond all
estimation great, from the offerings and riches brought continually from
divers countries, islands, forts, castles, and places, so that the wealth
of no other temple on earth can be compared to the riches which it
contains. In the middle of this temple there are pillars of gold and
silver, huge candlesticks, lanterns, lamps, and other ornaments of these
precious metals, more than can be reckoned. Close to this temple there is a
place set apart for the diversion of the emperor, called the Hippodrome,
where great spectacles are represented yearly, on the birth-day of Jesus of
Nazareth, in which men in the habits of all the various people of the
earth, appear before the emperor and empress, with lions, bears, leopards,
and wild asses, which are made to fight together; and in no country on
earth are such princely sports to be seen.
Besides the palace left him by his ancestors, Manuel has built one for
himself, called Bilbernae[7], the pillars and walls of which are overlaid
with beaten gold and silver, on which all the wars of his ancestors are
represented. In this palace there is a throne of gold and precious stones,
over which a golden crown, enriched with precious stones and pearls, is
suspended on high, the value of which is beyond computation, and its lustre
so great, that it shines, and may be seen in the night. There are other
things in this palace of such value and profusion as are quite incredible,
and immense tributes are brought yearly into it, by which the towers are
filled with scarlet and purple garments and gold, so that the like example
of sumptuous buildings, and enormous riches, can nowhere else be found in
the world.
It is affirmed, that the revenue of the city only, from its markets,
harbour, and tribute of merchants, amount to 20,000 crowns daily. The Greek
inhabitants of this city and country are exceedingly rich in gold and
jewels, and are sumptuously dressed in crimson garments, intermingled with
gold, or splendidly embroidered, and are all carried on horses, as if they
were the children of kings. The country itself is very extensive, and
abounds with all sorts of fruits, and has great plenty of corn, wine, and
cattle of all kinds, and a finer country is nowhere to be found. The people
are learned also, and skilful in the philosophy of the Greeks: but giving
themselves up entirely to luxury, they eat and drink every man under his
own vine, and under his own fig-tree. They have mercenary soldiers, hired
from all nations, whom they call Barbarians, to fight against the soldan,
king of the children of Togorma, who are commonly called Turks; for the
Grecians themselves, through sloth and luxury, have become quite effeminate
and unfit for wars, and entirely devoted to pleasure.
No Jews are permitted to dwell in the city, but are obliged to reside in
Pera, on the other side of the sea of Sophia, and are not even allowed to
come to the city, except in boats, for the sake of commerce. In Pera there
are about 2000 Jewish Rabbinists, disciples of the wise men; among whom are
Abtalion the Great, Rabbi Abdias, Aaron Cuspus, Joseph Starginus, and
Eliakim the governor, who have the chief authority. Besides these, there
are 500 Karaites[8], who are separated from the Rabbinists by a wall. Among
the Jews there are some manufacturers of silken garments, and many very
rich merchants. No Jew is permitted to ride on horseback, except Solomon,
the Egyptian, who is physician to the Emperor, and through whose interest
the Jews are comforted and eased in their captivity, which is very
grievous; for they are much hated by the Grecians, who make no distinction
between the good and the evil among them, and insult and beat them in the
streets. They are worst used by the tanners, who pour out the filthy water
in which they have dressed their skins into the streets before their doors.
Yet, among the Jews there are some very rich men, as I have said before;
good and merciful men, who observe the commandments, and who patiently
endure the miseries of the captivity.
From Constantinople, Benjamin continued his journey to Tyre, Jerusalem, and
the Holy Land, and thence to Damascus, Balbeck, and Palmyra, which he calls
Tadmor, and in which, he says, there then were 2000 Jews. He next gives an
account of Bagdat, the court of the caliph, and the condition of the Jews
there. He afterwards gives an account of a country which he calls Thema,
where he places a whole nation of Jews, which some have deemed an entire
forgery[9]. He next proceeds to Botzra, Balsora or Bassora, on the Tigris,
and thence to Persia, of which he gives the following account.
The river Samoura[10] is esteemed the limits of the kingdom of Persia, and
near it stands the city of the same name, in which there are 1500 Jews.
Here is the sepulchre of Esdras, the scribe and priest, who died in this
place on his return from Jerusalem to the court of Artaxerxes. Our people
have built a great synagogue beside his tomb, and the Ismaelites, Arabians,
or Mahometans, have built a mosque close by, as they have a great respect
for Esdras and the Jews. It is four miles from hence to Chuzestan, which
is the same with the ancient city of Elam, now almost ruined and
uninhabited. At one end, surrounded by ruins, is the castle of Susa,
formerly the palace of Ahasuerus, of which there are still some remains.
In this place there are 7000 Jews and fourteen synagogues, before one of
which stands the tomb of Daniel.
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