Looks like we have some true scholars on line tonight and I have another question for you?

Question

During the Crusades, as explained to me by a jewish scholar that the Semitic Jews began setting up trade routes between the ME and Europe. It was my understanding that this is how europe became the home of so many Jews. Neither Christians nor Muslims were warring with the Jews, so they had the freedom to move back and forth relatively safely. Can you give me more information on this?

Where did all the thinking people go??????

Answer 1

To stockpicker2010:
It's well known that the crusades to the middle east were mainly in search for money and warefare, that means that the Muslims had the richest lands in the world at that time, so, they weren't in need to the money paid by the Jews.
The Jews had the opportunity to go anywhere all through the Islamic lands without being harmed and I think you must give as a single reliable reference saying that Bedouin tribes were ready to take them off.
As for the taxes paid by the Jewish, the weren't excessive at all. Old people, women and the disabled all didn't pay taxes. At times of warefare, poor Jewish were given money to help them.
The Jewish lived in the Middle East simply because they love money and the ME gives them money and the freedom to increase their wealth. Also some Jewish lived in the holy land and they were sure they are safe and respected under the rule of the Muslims.

To answer the question:

All is about the Islamic religion itself: 1-We don't hurt Jews nor Christians as long as they don't hurt us. 2-We respect their religion and beliefs even if they offended ours. 3-Non-Muslims living in the Islamic country are in the protection of this country with all its institutes and citizens. If a muslim causes any harm to a non-muslim the Muslim must be punished and the non-Muslim must regain his rights. 4- Any taxes paid by the Non-muslims to the Islamic government are either taxes for the army protecting them or for their trading activities.

That's why Jewish, Christians and Muslims lived peacfully among each other under the Islamic Flag. It's all about Justice.

Answer 2

I don't think that's right. The Crusades was a crappy time to be Jewish. If you are a good Crusader ridding the world of nonbelievers, why bother going all the way to the Holy Land when you could kill Jews right here in Europe! The center of world Jewry at the time was France/Germany. The Romans had moved most of the Jews out of the Holy Land and that's why Europe became home to so many.

Answer 3

The Jews were not killed by the Muslims because they needed the Jews to pay excessive taxes. Being kinda stuck in the desert, particularly in Iraq and Iran, it was dangerous as a Jew to try to move away. There was always some Bedouin tribe ready to take your head off.

After the Crusades got under way, the Knights Templar were able to protect the Jews in their travels ( for a fee, of course...) and they even learned many banking techniques from the Jews.
The Jews moved to Europe, the Knights Templar got rich and the Crusades fell on hard times.

Answer 4

I believe there where 7 crusades. Each was different, and the covered many of years. The first was more like a defense against the Islamic (Ottoman?) empire. The rest like going into the ME for some booty. Not all where started by the church, though they got blessings none the less. There were times when Jews would be killed, and times when more discretion was used. There was a reasonably safe route for travelers and merchants though, so it is likely that many peaceful ME people would have come to Europe in this way.

Answer 5

Let's see, I git my pepper from da supermarket & Letterman has been replaced by Quizzmania in Australia so here I am wondering why the middle-east trade routes & Jewish travellers are subject for Yahoo!Answers by a level 5 participant? Oh yeah, 'YAHOO!'!! [sorry, no offense but 'gee people'...]...

Answer 6

This was prior to that good ole' American Democratic Expansionism that seems to separate and divide, arrived in the Mideast ... people don't like being told how to live, when they were living "just fine" until then.

Ask the Native Americans ... they'll tell you about "Colonists." Why do you think they're called Colonists, anyway?

Answer 7

No. It's too darn late and I've had too many glasses of wine to even contemplate answering such a boring question. Excuse me while I swithch categories- nothing personal.