Golden+Age+of+Spanish+Jewry

Golden Age of Spanish Jewry

When the Muslims conquered Spain in the 8th century, the Jews welcomed the change in leadership from the oppressive Christian regime that was previously in place. Under Muslim rule, Jews enjoyed relative freedom due to inclusion in the protective class called “dhimmi.” Jews paid a special tax called jizha and lived in independent and self-regulated separate communities called //aljamas//. The Beit Din functioned as the governing body with Rabbis serving as the authorities. The “Golden Age” of prosperity and progression included the life of Moses Maimonides and Yehuda ha Levi.