Joshua Ibn Elazar, the eager son of a Jewish merchant, travels to al-Andalus (the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule) to prove himself in his father’s business. But he finds an unwelcoming, degrading society waiting for him, and begins a journey of misfortune and anger in James Hutson-Wiley’s historical fiction novel, The Merchant from Sepharad.
Shortly after arriving in the city of Lishbunah, al-Andalus, Joshua is tricked out of the gold for his living expenses. Worse yet, he learns that Jews in Lishbunah suffer under oppressive laws, holding far less status than Muslim citizens. He can only find help in Lishbuna’s Jewish community, meeting Rabbi Hiyya al-Daudi and his son Yaish, who house and feed him.
They tell him that his father’s colleague, Essua, who was to help Joshua manage a shipment of flax and sugar, has been arrested. Though Essua is eventually released, Joshua fails to secure storage for his goods, as the makhzan (warehouse) he rented is given to a Muslim merchant instead. In his fury at the city’s prejudice, he sets fire to the makhzan, and is forced to flee.
Thankfully, Rabbi al-Daudi has secret connections to Alfonso Henriques, the Christian King of Portugal.
Joshua travels with Blazh, a Slav who was enslaved as a boy when his village was raided. They deliver a message of Lishbunah’s weaknesses to Alfonso, who plans to march on Lishbunah with the help of the Crucesignati (crusaders). Al-Daudi hopes that Alfonso’s conquering of the city would be better for the Jews in Lishbunah than the encroaching threat of the Almohad, a Muslim power that demands either conversion or death.
Joshua travels on to the city of Qurtuba and becomes a student of Rabbi Maimon ben Joseph. However, Joshua’s troubles have only begun. He becomes involved with Karaites, Jews who reject Rabbinical authority, and shares in their far-off dream of retaking Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). Together they leave Qurtuba, only to suffer at the hands of a band of Christian soldiers. Joshua’s fury at the world of Muslims and Christians grows with each misstep in his journey, as he watches friends be killed, loses his father’s respect, and is told over and over again to accept these pains as God’s plan.
He travels through al-Andalus, across the Mediterranean to Sicilia (Sicily) and Al-Misr (Egypt), and down the Red Sea as he tries to redeem himself in his father’s eyes. He can’t forget the cruelties he suffers, and they weigh on his shoulders. But so too does each kind act keep his spirit alive. As he sees more and more of the world, he measures his desire for retribution against the ideals of his faith.
The Merchant from Sepharad offers an in-depth, fascinating look into twelfth-century Iberia, the Mediterranean, and the Red Sea.
From Lishbuna to Qurtuba to al-Yaman, Joshua encounters the subtleties of social life amongst peoples with vastly different histories. Rather than taking a broad view of the dynamics between different cultures in al-Andalus and al-Misr, author James Hutson-Wiley fills this book with specific struggles and clashes. A helpful glossary at the end of the book explains the terms and language of this time and place.
This dedication to detail makes each new city feel unique, as they were in real life. The people speak and treat each other differently, the pains and joys are weighed out in different amounts, and the ever-turning wheels of history threaten to crush one people while enriching another. As a Jew, Joshua remains an outsider along much of his journey, giving him a fascinating view of the conflicts in his world. Readers will learn much about the power struggles of the twelfth century as they follow him from region to region.
Joshua becomes an engrossing protagonist through his struggle to succeed as a merchant – and often just to survive.
His anger drives him to make rash, but understandable, choices. Despite all of the social forces arrayed against him, he hopes to make some kind of change in the world. But when his very life is threatened, more than once, how can he hold on to his ideals and his rage at the same time?
Friends and teachers on Joshua’s journey show a more hopeful side of humanity. The kind Blazh, patient Maimon, passionate Simon, stalwart Wallo, and others help to shape Joshua’s emotional path. He comes to understand that oppression is shared amongst many people, and one of the few strengths they have is solidarity with one another. Without the generosity of others, Joshua would never have survived. But, of course, the cruelty of the world stings worst when it takes good people from him.
At the heart of the story lay Joshua’s faith, and sometimes lack thereof.
He learns from Rabbis, explores the Karaite philosophy, and tries to take solace in his beliefs. Much of his life is shaped by being a Jew, how could it not be in a place like al-Andalus? But while teachers like Maimon urge him to be patient and understanding of God’s plan, others like Simon insist that God demands them to act against their oppressors. He struggled to believe that God could want him to accept all of the pain and death he’s seen. Should he not take up his sling against the forces of Amalek?
As he learns of new people and their struggles, he considers what unity there is in faith. While his hope of taking Yerushalayim remains far out of reach, perhaps there are still some ways that he can help those who share his hardships?
The Merchant from Sepharad not only provides lessons on history, but an exploration of Jewish philosophy and scripture. Fans of historical fiction and religious history will adore this story, the third installment in the Sugar Merchant series.
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