[Avodah] Provence

[Eli Turkel]

<<Provence counts as Ashkenaz (as opposed to Sefarad), just as France does.
The line between A and S seems to correspond to that between Christendom
and Dar-al-Islam.  Communication within each empire was easier than with
each other.  When Spain became Xian its Jews might eventually have merged
with Ashkenazim, but soon after there were no Jews there. >>

In the middle ages Provence both in Jewish life and in Xtian life was
separate from both Ashkenaz and Sefard.
People like Raavad, Baal Hamaor, Meiri were neither Ashkenaz and Sefard.

see reconquista in wkipedia
By 1252 most of Iberia was back under Christian rule and the Emirate of
Granada <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirate_of_Granada> was the last
Muslim state left in the peninsula. Granada became a
vassal<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassal> state
of Christian Castile <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_of_Castile>

I am not sure what the term "eventually" meabs, but Ramban, Rashba, Ritva,
Ran etc. all lived under Xtian rule and were not merging with Ashkenazi
Jewry.
In fact Ashkenazi Jewry were kicked out of France much earlier (Rosh moved
to Spain) and by 1492 most of Ashkenazi Jewry was far away in Poland.

-- 
Eli Turkel
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