The Nasi, the Judge and the Hostages: Loans and Oaths in Thirteenth-Century Narbonne

The Nesi’im, or Jewish “princes,” in Narbonne have aroused the curiosity and imaginations of people – Jewish and Christian alike – for centuries. As described by their earliest chronicler, the so-called Proven􀄂al addition to Sefer ha-Kabbalah (The Book of Tradition), the Nesi’im were characterized by a combination of worldly wealth, political clout and rabbinic expertise. Their wealth and political status faded during the thirteenth century, but their status as respected aristocrats endured until the expulsion of the Jewish community in 1306.