Misplaced Pages

Yahia Ben Bakr (born in the 9th century) was an important Mozarab (Iberian Christian or, in some instances, a Christianized Iberian Jew, living under Muslim domination) figure in the al-Gharb al-Andalus. He was a member of a family of muladís who revolted in the year 879 in Xantamarya, Al-Gharb (now the city of Faro in Algarve, Portugal) against the power of the Emir of Cordoba, remaining independent for about 50 years. The Bakr government spanned three generations, personified by Yahia Ben Bakr, his son Bakr Ben Yahia, and later Calafe Ben Bakr.

Yahia Ben Bakr was of Jewish descent, the son of a Bakr Ben Yahia (not to confuse with Yahia Ben Bakr's son, also called Bakr Ben Yahia) and an ancestor of Yahia Ben Yahi III, a Sephardi Jew who would be later entrusted by King Afonso I of Portugal, in 12th century, with the post of supervisor of tax collection and was nominated the first Chief-Rabbi of Portugal.

Yahia Ben Bakr was succeeded in office by his son, Bakr Ben Yahia. Both Ben Bakr and Ben Yahia held political office and executed important construction in Faro. Bakr Ben Yahia is credited with constructing the walls, as well as the iron gates around the perimeter of Faro. It is during this time that he brought the image of Mary as it would be stated much later in the songs by King Alfonso X of Castile (1221 – 1284).

References

1. A revolta dos Muladis de Xantamarya Al-Gharb (Histórias de Portugal em Marrocos) https://historiasdeportugalemarrocos.com/2014/02/03/a-revolta-dos-muladis-de-xantamarya-al-gharb/
2. Histórias de Portugal em Marrocos "BANU BAKR . Família de muladis que se revoltam no ano de 879 em Xantamarya Al-Gharb, actual cidade de Faro, contra o poder do Emir de Córdoba, mantendo-se independentes cerca de 50 anos. O governo dos Bakr percorreu três gerações, personificadas por Yahia Ben Bakr, Bakr Ben Yahia e Calafe Ben Bakr" https://historiasdeportugalemarrocos.com/os-mouros/
3. "Fortaleza de Faro, incluindo todo o conjunto de elementos ainda existentes das muralhas". Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
4. História de Faro (montejunto.net) "Ao revoltoso Yahia Ben Bakr sucede seu filho Bakr Ben Yahia, que executa importantes melhoramentos na cidade. Constroem-se as actuais muralhas, guarnecidas por portas em chapa de ferro, aumentando-se o perímetro da Vila-a-Dentro. Terá sido nesta altura colocada entre as ameias a imagem de Santa Maria, como nos canta Afonso X de Castela, o Rei Sábio. É de crer que neste período a cidade tenha adoptado o nome de Santa Maria do Ocidente ou simplesmente Santa Maria Xanta Maria." http://www.montejunto.net/historia-de-faro

This Portugal biographical article is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e

• Portuguese Roman Catholics
• Converts to Roman Catholicism from Judaism
• Medieval Portuguese Jews
• 9th-century Jews from al-Andalus
• 9th-century people from al-Andalus
• 9th-century Portuguese people
• Portuguese people stubs