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“Judaism was the religion of ancient Africans for a long time, and succeeded by Christianity, but Mahometanism, prevail’d in the 108th year of the Hegyra, when all the Jews, Christians, and Professors of the African Religion that could be found, were put to death; yet in process of time their intestine quarrels made them neglect Mahomet’s law, and revolt from the Caliph of Bagdat, for which they were severely punish’d by the Mahometan Caliphs, who caus’d all their books to be burnt, on suspicion that the knowledge of the arts and sciences prompted them to contemn Mahomet’s law.” (p 39)
The 108th Hegyra is a reference to 108 AH on the Islamic calendar. It refers to 726 AD – 727 AD.
Jews Inhabiting The Niger River Area
“The present Christians in Africa are partly strangers, and partly natives, some of them slaves to the Turks and Barbarians, and others free. Some of the Jews who inhabit both sides of the Niger derive themselves from Abraham. Others fled hither from Asia when Vespasian destroy’d Jerusalem; or from Judea when ’twas wasted by the Romans, Persians, Saracens, and Christians. Some were banish’d from Italy in 1342, from Spain in 1462, from the Low Countries in 1350, from France in 1403, and from England in 1422. These all differ in Habit, and are divided into several wealthy and numerous Tribes, but have no Dominon, are despis’d of all Nations, and so abominated by the Turks, that they are not admitted to be Mahometans unless first baptiz’d; and then made use of only to receive their customs, and gather in their Taxes.” (p39)
Quoting From Ogilby
Nutt quotes extensively from Ogilby, but does not always make note of it. The above quote is almost word for word what Ogilby wrote in his 1670 book,
“Many Jews also are scatter’d over this Region; some Natives, boasting themselves of Abraham’s seed, inhabiting both sides the River Niger: Others are Asian Strangers, who fled thither either from the desolation of Jerusalem by Vespa∣sian; or from Judea wasted and depopulated by the Romans, Persians, Saracens, and Christians: Or else such as came out of Europe, whence they were banish’d, viz. Out of some parts of Italy in the year 1342. Out of Spain in the year 1462. Out of the Low-Countreys in 1350. Out of France in 1403. Out of England in 1422. These all differ in habit, and are divided into several Tribes, having no Dominion, though both wealthy and numerous, but despised of all Na∣tions, and so abominated by the Turks, that they are not admitted to be Mahumetans, unless first Baptized: And then no otherwise made use of, than to receive their Customes, and gather in their Taxes.”1
Sources
- Ogilby, John. 1670. Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines, p 34. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A70735.0001.001/1:8.2?rgn=div2;view=fulltext ↩︎
