Description
Book SynopsisThe story of Bodo begins in the ninth century around the time of the death of Charlemagne in 814. It centres on a young Aleman aristocrat and his conversion to Judaism in 838, followed by his flight to the Muslim world of Al-Andalus. His apostasy constitutes an arresting footnote in the history of the Carolingian period, his change of faith viewed as a shocking episode attributed by some to an overly lax policy towards Judaism and its powerful merchants. Another factor could be ascribed to the study of Judaism and its links with Christianity, which was a feature of the time.
Bodo moved from a monastery on the Rhine, where he went as a small boy, to the imperial court, where he was now a gifted young scholar groomed for a top position. His unexpected abandonment of Christianity challenged his background and learning, and this was seen as a rebuke of the court network to which he belonged. Bodo left behind a growing conflict over succession between the emperor, Louis the Pi
Trade Review
‘Scholars interested in the nature of conversion in the early Middle Ages will find this book stimulating’ - Ruth Mazo Karras, Reading Religion
'This erudite and engaging reconstruction of the life of Bodo/Eleazar situates its elusive protagonist at the intersection of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish worlds in flux, providing a sweeping account of the political and religious transformations of the ninth and tenth centuries and shedding new light on the meanings of inter-religious conversion' - Paola Tartakoff, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
'This is a nuanced and well-written study of Bodo/Eleazar, a ninth-century Christian convert to Judaism. As the first book dedicated to him and his journey from the Carolingian empire to the caliphate of Cordoba, it will be of great interest to scholars of medieval religious history, literature, and Jewish-Christian relations. Riess draws on a wide array of evidence, including archival documents, poetry, letters, and contemporary polemics to paint a fine-grained portrait of Bodo/Eleazar’s life and times. The richness of the historical account and attentive reading of relevant sources make this a valuable new study of an extraordinary yet overlooked figure' - Ryan Szpiech, University of Michigan
Table of ContentsList of maps and plates; Acknowledgements; Permissions; List of abbreviations; Chronology of events; Overture; 1 God’s gift; 2 Father and sons; 3 The Messiah who never was; 4 What the emir saw; 5 Córdoba relics and the archbishop’s letter; 6 The Talmud and the Academy; 7 The answer of Maimonides and Judah Halevi; 8 Afterlives; Coda; Bibliography; Index
