Mamluk Rule Timeline (1291-1516)

Return to Timeline of Jewish History: Table of Contents

1300-1517	Italian Renaissance.
1306-1394	Expulsions of Jews from France.
1328-1384	John Wycliffe (Christian dissident leader).
14th century	Rise of the Ottoman Muslim dynasty in Turkey.
1333	Casimir the Great takes power in Poland and brings with him a sympathetic attitude toward the Jews, who benfit as a result.
1348	Black Death reaches Europe and Jews are accused of poisoning Christian wells.
1336-1405	Timurlane/Tamurlane, Turkic ruler in central Asia.
1360	King Pedro of Portugal arrests and tortures to death Samuel Ben Meir Abulafia. No charges were ever given and the King confiscated Abulafia's lands and great wealth.
1400	Damascus sacked by Timurlane.
1424	Jewish physician, Y'en Ch'eng is given the surname "Chao" as an honor by the Emperor. This family, which probably originated in India and Babylon, became on of the leading Chinese Jewish families.
1437-1509	Philosopher, financier and scholar, Don Isaac Abravanel intercedes many times on behalf of his fellow Jews, including trying to stop Ferdinand from expelling them. This time he was foiled by Torquemada and he followed them into exile. His commentaries cover the major and minor Prophets. Consistent with his belief that the Messiah would come in his lifetime, he also wrote three messianic texts called Migdal Yeshu'ot (Tower of Salvation).
1452-1454/55	Gutenberg prints Europe's first book with movable type.
1447	Following a fire in Posen where the original charter (written by Casimir the Great) granted the Jews "privileges," Casimir IV renews all their rights and makes his charter one of the most liberal in Europe. This charter lasted less than a decade before it was revoked.
1452-1515	Astronomer and historian, Abraham Zacuto creates tables used by Columbus. After the explusion of 1492, Zacuto went to Portugal where he developed the metal Astrolab used by Vasco Da Gama. In 1498 he was forced to flee or convert. He left and reached Tunis where he wrote a history of the Jews from creation until the sixteenth century.
1453	Fall of Constantinople (Istanbul) to Ottoman Muslims.
1454	Casimir IV of Poland revokes the Jewish charter, at the insistence of Bishop Zbignev. The Bishop had correctly predicted Casimir's defeat by the Teutonic Knights backed by the Pope, and succeeded in convincing the King that it was due to the Jews.
1463	Pope Nicholas V authorized the establishment of the Inquisition to investigate heresy among the Marranos.
1479-15	Isabella's severe anti-Jewish learnings influence Ferdinand and lead to the final expulsion of the Jews from Spain.
1486	First prayer book published in Soncino, Italy.
1488	The first complete edition of the Hebrew Bible is printed in Soncino, Italy.
1492	Christian expulsion of Muslim Moors from Spain.
1492	Columbus sets sail.
1492	Christian expulsion of Jews from Spain, sending over 200,000 Jews fleeing: 137,000 Jews forced to leave Sicily.
1494	Polish King Jan Olbracht's orders Jews to leave to leave Crakow for Kazimierz after they are blamed for a large fire that destroyed part of the city.
1496	Manuel of Portugal expels Jews from Portugal.
1516	The closed Jewish Quarter in Venice, Italy, is dubbed the Geto Nuovo (New Foundry). "Geto" will later become the basis for the word "ghetto".
1505-1584	Kabbalist and author of "Lecha Dodi" (Come My Beloved), Solomon ben Moses Alkabetz.

Timeline of Jewish History

3800 B.CE - 2001 BCE - The Dawn of “History”
2000 B.C.E. - 587 BCE - Context of Ancient Israelite Religion
538 BCE - 70 CE - Judaism After the Babylonian Exile
230 BCE-400 CE - Rule of Rome
70 - 500 - Rabbinic Jewish Period of Talmud Development
325 - 590 - Consolidation & Dominance of Classical Christianity
600 - 1500 - “Medieval” Period in the West
570 - 1258 - Reception & Classical Development of Muhammad's Islamic Message
1095-1258 - Crusades
1258-1500 - Further Transitions and Rebuilding of Political Islam
1291-1516 - Mamluk Rule
1517-1569 - Reformation and Post-Reformation Christian Period
1500-1920 - Dominance of Ottoman Muslim Empire in Turkey
1700-1917 - Jewish Modern and Contemporary Periods
1914-1918 - Islamic Unrest and Realignment in the Middle East
1918-1947 - British Rule in Palestine
1947-Present - Modern Israel & the Diaspora

Timeline for the History of Jerusalem - 4500 B.C.E.-Present