990 - 1055 SAMUEL IBN NAGHRELA (Granada, Spain)
Known as Samuel ( HaLevi) Hanagid, he was a great diplomat, military adviser, scholar and poet as well as vizier to King Habus al-Muzaffar of Granada ( r.1019-1038). Ibn Naghrela’s poetic works include "Ben Tehillim" (Son of Psalms), "Ben Kohelet" (Son of Ecclesiastes), and "Ben Mishlei" (Son of Proverbs), He is also the author of a Biblical Hebrew dictionary written in Arabic. Samuel Hanagid did everything in his power to encourage Jewish learning including establishing a Yeshiva ( where Maimonides’ father would study) , and making copies of the Talmud available to students who couldn’t afford them.His son, Joseph, succeeded him for eleven years, until he was deposed during an attack on the Jews (see 1066).
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