Moses Montefiore

by Green, Abigail

• ISBN13: 9780674064195
• ISBN10: 0674064194
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-05-07
• Publisher: Belknap Pr

Summary

Humanitarian, philanthropist, and campaigner for Jewish emancipation on a grand scale, Sir Moses Montefiore (1784-1885) was the preeminent Jewish figure of the nineteenth century-and one of the first truly global celebrities. His story, told here in full for the first time, is a remarkable and illuminating tale of diplomacy and adventure. Abigail Green's sweeping biography follows Montefiore through the realms of court and ghetto, tsar and sultan, synagogue and stock exchange. Interweaving the public triumph of Montefiore's foreign missions with the private tragedy of his childless marriage, this book brings the diversity of nineteenth-century Jewry brilliantly to life-from London to Jerusalem, Rome to St. Petersburg, Morocco to Istanbul. Here we see the origins of Zionism and the rise of international Jewish consciousness, the faltering birth of international human rights, and the making of the modern Middle East. With the globalization and mobilization of religious identities now at the top of the political agenda, Montefiore's life story is relevant as never before. Mining materials from eleven countries in nine languages, Green's masterly biography bridges the East-West divide in modern Jewish history, presenting the transformation of Jewish life in Europe, the Middle East, and the New World as part of a single global phenomenon. As it reestablishes Montefiore's status as a major historical player, it also restores a significant chapter to the history of our modern world.

Author Biography

Abigail Green is Tutor and Fellow in History, Brasenose College, University of Oxford.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	p. vii
List of Illustrations	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Note to Readers	p. xv
Introduction	p. 1
Livorno and London	p. 9
Making a Fortune	p. 24
A World beyond Business	p. 43
The Road to Jerusalem	p. 60
Rise, Sir Moses	p. 85
The Land of Milk and Honey	p. 112
The Damascus Affair	p. 133
Unity and Dissent	p. 158
Winds of Change in Russia	p. 174
Trial and Error	p. 199
The Crimean War and After	p. 228
The Mortara Affair	p. 258
Grief and Sore Troubles	p. 282
Mission to Marrakesh	p. 300
Building Jerusalem	p. 320
Crisis in Romania	p. 339
Fading Glory	p. 359
The Final Pilgrimage	p. 380
End of an Era	p. 403
Conclusion	p. 421
Barent-Cohen Family Tree, Showing Judith's Cohen and Rothschild Relatives	p. 426
Montefiore Family Tree	p. 428
Notes	p. 431
Archives Consulted	p. 517
Index	p. 519
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