Elijah Capsali

Elijah ben Elkanah Capsali (Hebrew: אליהו בן אלקנה קפשאלי; born c. 1485 - after 1550) was the first Hakham Bashi (Chief Rabbi) of the Ottoman Empire, as well as a notable historian.

Biography[]

Born c. 1485 in Crete, into a distinguished Sephardic family, the Capsalis had served as heads of the Jewish community on several occasions and distinguished themselves in the study of the Torah and Talmud. His father , served as the head of the Cretan Jewish community, and taught Elijah in his early years. In 1508 Elijah went to Padua, to study in the yeshivah of Judah Minz, who soon died after Capsali's arrival. Although, his studies were interrupted by the occupation of Padua by German troops in 1509, after which he moved to Venice. In 1510 Capsali returned to Crete, were he studied under Isaac Angelheiman.^[1] In c. 1528 he became the Chief Rabbi of Crete, during which he associated himself with several great scholars of his time such as, Jacob Berab and Joseph Karo. Additionally he wrote several notable historical works, which were praised for their vivid and detailed descriptions of Ottoman Jewry, many of which provide interregnal accounts used by modern historians. Later in his life, Capsali developed a close relationship to Ottoman Sultan, Mehmet II who established the position of Hakham Bashi, which Capsali served as for two years from 1452–1454. Following his death c. 1550, his uncle Moses Capsali continued his position as Hakham Bashi.^[2][3]

Works[]

Some of his most famous works are as follows:^[2]

• Seder Eliyahu Zuta - a short history of the Ottoman Empire up to his lifetime, with special reference to the Jews.
• Divrei ha-Yamim le-Malkhut Venezia - a contemporary account of Venice and the condition of Venetian Jews.
• No'am Ḥoblim - a contemporary account of the ongoings and lives of the great rabbis of his lifetime.

References[]