Category: Makhir of Narbonne Legend
Categories: Legends | Jewish Exilarchs
In 1161 or thereabouts, a Jewish writer in Narbonne named Abraham ibn Daud included in his writing, sefer ha-kabballah (Voice of Tradition) that a Jewish rabbi named Makhir was brought from Babylon at the request of Charlemagne. This Makhir was an exilarch who ruled the Jewish community in Babylon on behalf of the Muslim caliph, and as an exilarch Makhir could trace his ancestry back to King David. Charlemagne gave Makhir a prominent place in the governance of Narbonne, a port on the southern coast of France, from where Makhir produced descendants in both Christian and Jewish communities.
The legend serves to provide descendants with an impressive heredity. However, while there may or may not have been an actual person named Makhir in Babylon, there is no record of such a person being brought to Europe, given privileges in Narbonne, or producing descendants in the local aristocaracy. Detail of the legend, its development, and its impact, with sources, is provided in the Space: Legend of Makhir of Narbonne.
This category is intended to group the profiles in Wikitree of both real and legendary persons who have been touched by this legend.
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