Ibrahim ibn Yaqub (Arabic:إبراهيم بن يعقوبIbrāhīm ben Yaʿqūb al-Ṭarṭūshi oral-Ṭurṭūshī;Hebrew:אברהם בן יעקב,Avraham ben Yaʿakov;fl. 961–62) was anAndalusi Jewish traveler fromTortosa known and esteemed in the 10th century for his knowledge in science, medicine, and geography.[1] He visited the court of theUmayyad Caliph ofCórdoba,Al-Hakam II, who enlisted him to travel to several European countries, especially theHoly Roman Empire ofOtto the Great.[1]
He was probably amerchant, who may have also engaged in diplomacy and espionage. His travelogue,Kitab al-Istibsar includes descriptions of various cities and regions as well as accounts of the customs and daily life of the people he encountered on his travels.[2]
Ibrāhīm ben Yaʿqūb was known and respected in his time for his scientific, medical, and geographic knowledge. He went to Cordova, to the court of Caliph al-Ḥakam II, who sent him on missions to several European countries, and in particular to the German emperor Otto I. His reports and descriptions of Europe were used by Arabic geographers.
His family hailed fromUmayyad-ruledṬurṭūšah (nowTortosa) close to the mouth of theEbro: he may also have lived inCórdoba. Some written and oral history and his writings suggest that he had a Jewish background. Nonetheless, it has also been argued by most historians that he was a Muslim of Jewish background, andBernard Lewis states: "There is some uncertainty to whether he was a professing Jew or a Muslim of Jewish origin."[3]
Sent by theUmayyad Caliph ofCórdoba,Al-Hakam II,[1] in 961–62 he travelled inWestern andCentral Europe and inItaly at least as far asRome, where he was received with an audience withOtto I, Holy Roman Emperor during the first week of February.[citation needed]
Nothing is known about his return toal-Andalus (the Muslim-ruled part of the Iberian Peninsula), nor of any further travel. The memoirs and commentaries of his journey, possibly first presented to the Cordoban caliphAl-Hakam II (961–976), have been lost; only excerpts by later authors have been preserved, principallyAbu Abdullah al-Bakri'sBook of Highways and of Kingdoms and the work ofZakariya al-Qazwini, possibly via the writings ofAl-Udri.[4]
His work is widely known as providing the first reliable description of thePolish state underMieszko I, the first historical ruler of Poland. He is also noted for his description of theVikings living inHedeby; of theNakonid fortification atMecklenburg Castle; and of what was, in all likelihood, the nucleus of the later ducal castle and palace atSchwerin. Ibrahim ibn Yaqub has a unique place inCzech history as the first person to mention the city ofPrague and its Jewish community in writing. He also mentioned CzechBoleslaus I, Duke of Bohemia andKraków as part ofDuchy of Bohemia.
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