Language:
English
Year of publication:
2023
Titel der Quelle:
Studia Rosenthaliana
Angaben zur Quelle:
49,1 (2023) 61-79
Keywords:
Diplomacy Religious aspects
;
Judaism
;
Jewish communities
;
Jews History 17th century
;
Jews Political activity 17th century
;
History
Abstract:
Historians have rarely studied early modern Jewish diplomacy, of which Jewish petitioning was a part. They hypothesize that early modern antisemitism and their minority status as a group without its own state prevented early modern Jewish communities from having any form of political power. However, according to historian David Biale, a typical example of ‘Jewish power’ is Jewish influence on political policy. This article demonstrates that the Jewish community used petitions directed at the city government of Amsterdam, the provincial states, and the stadholder. Their arguments were based on economics, legal precedent, loyalty, and the narrative of exile. As I show, these rhetorical techniques were successful.
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