Exploring 13th Century Sephardic Jewish personas: Nahmanides

You can create your SCA persona by studying period role models. Therefore, I will begin offering links to historical biographies. I suggest that you do further research if you are interested in the subject.

In the 13th century there was a remarkable Sephardic Jewish rabbi by the name of Nahmanides. As a rabbi he was a learned man. He studied the Torah and the Talmud extensively and wrote many books on these subjects. However, what made him remarkable was the fact that he was allowed to freely argue against a Christian scholar about the nature of the Messiah and Christianity.

His story gives us a look at Sephardic Judaism in Spanish Christian kingdoms. For more information, please click on the following sites:

1. Wikipedia
2. Bookrags.com

-Cristobal

Sephardic Jews

Greetings:

Chaiya's Sephardic World is a site created by a woman who has a Sephardic Jewish persona. It seems to be a good resource for those trying to create a Sephardic Jewish persona.

-Cristobal

A SCA group in Spain

Greetings:

I found a link to the Shire of Alcazar, an SCA group in Spain. Take a look at some of the photos on the site. Wouldn't it be great to be able to do events at an actual medieval castle in Spain?

-Cristobal

Period Role-Models

Greetings:

I found a short article written by Etienne de Montagu on the Ansteorran Rapier Combat website titled "Period Role-Models." Although it was written about how to develop a period rapier persona, I found it to be a good article about persona research in general.

The article has short biographies of certain historical persons such as Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra and Hernan Cortez. The page also has a helpful bibliography of selected sources.

-Cristobal

Al-Andalus

"Al-andalus for Historical Recreationists" is a good site to go to find links about Islamic Spain. It has everything that a creative anacronists needs in order to create a persona from this period: history, culture, religion and garb.

The Unofficial Spanish SCAdian Book Club: Don Quixote

Greetings:

One of the ways to develop a Spanish persona is to read about Spain. But what books should you read? Well, we're here to help. Welcome to the first listing of "The Unofficial Spanish SCAdian Book Club."


Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.

I once heard the character of Don Quixote described as "the first anachronist." Quixote is actually a gentleman by the name of Quixada (or is it Quesada or Quixana?) who has become disillusioned by the inequities and injustices of life. He reads romantic books about the chivalrous lives of Knights and ladies. He slowly goes mad reading these books until one day he fashions together his great-grandfather's armor, picks out a broken-down horse and renames the steed Rozinante, and begins his new life of knight-errantry.

Don Quixote is a satire on Spain in the early 17th century seen though the eyes of a man who believes he is living in earlier, more heroic times. It is a fantastic read.

I have to admit I have not read the entire book. only about a quarter of it. It was originally two books written decades apart therefore the unabridged version is around 1000 pages long. Every so often, though, I pick up the book and read a chapter or two. If you are like me and are not a fast reader I suggest that you find an abridged version.

-THL Cristobal

If you wish to post a review for the Book Club, please send me an Email.

-Xptobal