Jews of the North: A look at the Tsaphonim from original sources
Im following the example of the yemenites for this story. Their entire people are made up of converts. Also Im basing it on the conversions my Rebbe runs. I was at one and they ran had to be sixty people through that week. And I know from a friend that he would have converted all 90 that week if some hadn't finalized their conversion in another place or dropped out.
The Hasmoneans engaged in the forcible conversion of the Idumites from home Herod descended and the Talmud condemns such and says that their destruction at the hands of Herod is their punishment.
In my headspace the Jews make up five percent of Denmark being over represented in the interior and in the tradesmen and being under represented in peasants along the coast or in the nobility. There's a reason why the Jewish Jarl was discussed in the sagas. There at this time would be only a small handful of Jarls. The Norse gods are on their way out no matter who moves in. And us Jews do love our alchohol. Thanks for the follow!
His name was Cyril and he would be proud I’m sure, funnily enough I’m from reading appreciate the shout out aswellNot if Satmar is in charge ITTL
Want a cameo? He canEnd a certain OTL great king with a random arrow. I'm sure he would appreciate ending the OTL British Empire before it could get started
Entry 8
Chapter 7
This is the letter of Rabbi Daniel Ben Asher to the Roskilde Beis Din. During the spring, King Rhodri and his army completed the subjugation of any noble that refused to bend the knee. Much land was seized by the king and distributed to Jewish nobles. All of the men I brought with me were granted land with men to work it from defeated nobles. In the mid summer before tish baav we marched south to Wessex and found that the subjugation had been completed. The men were upset and there was nearly a fight. However, Rabbi Shimon managed to calm the issue and proposed that a campaign be made upon Mercia. The plan he proposed and which is also explained in the letter included with this one, was to march into Mercia until we found a place to winter. In the early spring we would then march into Mercia further and subjugate them. We all agreed as to this and marched to Gloucester and took the city. All in all we numbered around 3000 men over half of which were welsh. Around 300 of these men were Jews from their father and mother. 200 of the men, mostly welsh, were Jews by water. It should be noted that halachah classes were full to bursting, and any lecture given by a Rabbi was well attended. Around 700 men were norse by blood.
During the winter, King Rhodri purchased one of the three sefer Tioroth that we had brought for 10 pounds of gold and 30 of silver. He also commissioned the construction of an ark and sent it back to his capital with a force of fifty men. The owner also went with them as the gold was in his capital.
It passed uneventfully and in the spring we met King Burgred in battle. He had previous subjugated many of the welsh so they fought to be in the center. The battle was won as we outnumbered them and we drove them back. We marched upon Tamworth to lay siege and then march to Nottingham. The army of King Burgred returned however, and we were forced the retreat. We met them again in battle, however this time he put us to flight. We retreated to Reading. We received messengers that King Ivar the Boneless and his brothers were marching into the north.
Thus we nursed our wounds, and have wintered in Reading to await his march into the north of Mercia. We have raised 100 converts here, some of which are bearing these letters as they wish to learn in the Roskilde Yeshivah. As my teacher is here I will not write anymore letters until we have again separated.
Chapter 8
We in the summer met with the forces of the king of Wales Rhodri. He had converted to Judaism along with many of his nobles. Many of his soldiers were ready to convert however due to reasons of you can only teach so many they hadn’t. I found the King wise, and passionate. He fully believed in the principles of our religion and was able to speak about halachah and chumash with me. I observed him over the Shabbos. I found his observance well and he has been following my student to the letter he tells me. I must confess a felt a bit of simcah upon seeing a Jewish king. We had a copy of tractate Sanhedrin with us which I borrowed in order to teach him the laws of kings. He had been aware of them because of my student but was very happy to learn with me. I have enclosed several responsa based upon his questions that are sadly not to my liking due to the circumstances. (Teshuvos of Rabbi Shimon 49-62 are dedicated towards questions asked by King Rhodri) I hope to complete them when I can return to my studies rather than this pointless distraction. His nobles also impressed them with their zeal and observance. A convert has to be more righteous than a Jew and they fit the bill. Among them a man named Cadfael seemed determined to learn from me. He uninvited sat in on my teaching King Rhodri the Talmud and has attended any lecture or study session. I was teaching a complicated lecture on the Talmud and found him in the back listening. He knows Welsh, English, Dannish, Latin, French, and is learning Hebrew and Aramaic at a rapid rate. He bears this letter to you with my highest recommendation to learn at the Roskilde Yeshivah.
The King and his men were upset that we had finished the subjugation without them. It nearly came to blows until my student Rabbi Daniel proposed the destruction of Mercia by the combined force as a compromise. We marched north to Gloucester and seized the city. That winter, King Rhodri succeeded in his mission to acquire one of the Sefer Toiroth. He payed a kings ransom for it and with joy sent it back to his capital.
In the spring we marched north to confront the Mercians. We confronted King Burgred at Worcester and put him to flight. The Welsh proved themselves capable soldiers, being at our center and pushing the enemy back with glee. However, the Mercians fought bravely. Despite being outnumbered, they prevented themselves from being flanked and retreated in good order. We continued north subjugating the country side as we went. We sacked Bridgenorth and marched to Tamworth to reach Nottingham and winter there before completing our subjugation. However, King Burgred met out far outside of Tamworth with a new army including veterans from Wessex who had fled. Our numbers were comparable though we still outnumbered him. His mounted horse forced us on the defensive though our soldiers having been through many battles stood firm and they were forced to withdraw. We then formed up into four divisions. I had marched with my men, and King Healfden his, however the Welsh had marched as one and as such were slower to separate, indeed some marched forth while they were still confused, and they remained confused for the battle. I commanded the one on the left and held back to ascertain the situation. I do not know how his army was divided however as my men were credited with the destruction of the Wessex army, I know the veterans were afraid of facing my soldiers, so they faced the Welsh instead. When we saw them on the horizon, we marched forth singing Ashrei with ash on our heads as has become our custom.
We dealt ourselves well and pushed back the Mercians. However, on our flank the Welsh found themselves overwhelmed and pushed back. They fought bravely but with our center collapsing we found ourselves isolated on the field and were forced to retreat. I spoke to the Danes and Norse in the other division, and the Welsh in their divisions. King Rhodri lead one and one of his nobles Islwyn ben Avraham lead the other. The final division was lead by King Healfden. The division of Islwyn ben Avraham lead the division next to men, then was King Rhodri and on the right was King Healfden.
The cavalry which had harassed us, withdrew and continued to skirmish with Islwyn’s men attempting to disrupt their formation. His men grew angry and chased after the cavalry who promptly retreated. Islwyn attempted to stop them, but one cannot stop the blood of an angry man. With the shield wall broken, the Mercians and Saxons were able to defeat them. They had ran ahead of King Rhodri and King Healfden so they were outnumbered. King Rhodri saw what was happening and attempted to join the battle to assist and thus saved Islwyn’s division from complete destruction. However, the disorganized state of his division meant that the Mercians and Saxons forced him back. With my flanks under threat, I was forced to retreat. King Healfden was unaware of what was happening until the Mercians, and Wessex attacked him. He had been fighting a smaller detachment of Mercians. He had his flank anchored to a forest and won the first confrontation. Messengers having reached him, he pulled back and we all retreated to Reading. We wintered here to await the coming of Ivar the boneless in the spring to defeat the Mercians.
A.D. 872. This year went the army from Gloucester to Worcester. They defeated King Burgred and sacked both Worcester and Bridgenorth. Outside of Tamworth, King Burgred met the army with both his army and some soldiers from Wessex. He put their center to flight and thus were able to force the men that defeated the Saxons off the field. They retreated to Reading and made peace with the Mercians. There they wintered.
Illustrated Guide to the great Judeo Heathen Army (Note I cannot draw)
Stage one of the conflict was the result of the cavalry of the Mercians blundering into the Tsaphonish army. They failed in their skirmishing and retreated. However they would return to skirmish with the welsh. Both sides would form into divisions and march towards each other to present battle.
Rabbi Shimon’s forces would meet the Mercians first and slowly push them back. Meanwhile the Welsh would have managed to divide into two divisions. The cavalry would skirmish with Islwyn’s division until they charged at the cavalry. The cavalry then retreated, drawing the troops after them.
The major part of the Mercian army then confronted the Welsh. They succeeded in pushing back the Welsh divisions due to their disorganized and exhausted state.
Despite the joining of the other Welsh division, they are pushed back, though their addition saves the first Welsh division from complete destruction. No source mentions the cavalry after this so its presumed they dismounted and joined the rest of the army as infantry.
Due to the loss of their center and the threat to their flanks, the divisions of Tsaphonim are forced to reatreat as well. A delaying action is fought by King Healfden’s division as they had a secure flank against the forest. This would herald one of the greater victories of the Mercians in their defense against the Great Judeo-Heathen Army.
A/N: My first attempt at adding maps to my timeline. I appreciate all advice to how to make them better. Hopefully, they are clear enough.
This is the letter of Rabbi Daniel Ben Asher to the Roskilde Beis Din. During the spring, King Rhodri and his army completed the subjugation of any noble that refused to bend the knee. Much land was seized by the king and distributed to Jewish nobles. All of the men I brought with me were granted land with men to work it from defeated nobles. In the mid summer before tish baav we marched south to Wessex and found that the subjugation had been completed. The men were upset and there was nearly a fight. However, Rabbi Shimon managed to calm the issue and proposed that a campaign be made upon Mercia. The plan he proposed and which is also explained in the letter included with this one, was to march into Mercia until we found a place to winter. In the early spring we would then march into Mercia further and subjugate them. We all agreed as to this and marched to Gloucester and took the city. All in all we numbered around 3000 men over half of which were welsh. Around 300 of these men were Jews from their father and mother. 200 of the men, mostly welsh, were Jews by water. It should be noted that halachah classes were full to bursting, and any lecture given by a Rabbi was well attended. Around 700 men were norse by blood.
During the winter, King Rhodri purchased one of the three sefer Tioroth that we had brought for 10 pounds of gold and 30 of silver. He also commissioned the construction of an ark and sent it back to his capital with a force of fifty men. The owner also went with them as the gold was in his capital.
It passed uneventfully and in the spring we met King Burgred in battle. He had previous subjugated many of the welsh so they fought to be in the center. The battle was won as we outnumbered them and we drove them back. We marched upon Tamworth to lay siege and then march to Nottingham. The army of King Burgred returned however, and we were forced the retreat. We met them again in battle, however this time he put us to flight. We retreated to Reading. We received messengers that King Ivar the Boneless and his brothers were marching into the north.
Thus we nursed our wounds, and have wintered in Reading to await his march into the north of Mercia. We have raised 100 converts here, some of which are bearing these letters as they wish to learn in the Roskilde Yeshivah. As my teacher is here I will not write anymore letters until we have again separated.
Chapter 8
We in the summer met with the forces of the king of Wales Rhodri. He had converted to Judaism along with many of his nobles. Many of his soldiers were ready to convert however due to reasons of you can only teach so many they hadn’t. I found the King wise, and passionate. He fully believed in the principles of our religion and was able to speak about halachah and chumash with me. I observed him over the Shabbos. I found his observance well and he has been following my student to the letter he tells me. I must confess a felt a bit of simcah upon seeing a Jewish king. We had a copy of tractate Sanhedrin with us which I borrowed in order to teach him the laws of kings. He had been aware of them because of my student but was very happy to learn with me. I have enclosed several responsa based upon his questions that are sadly not to my liking due to the circumstances. (Teshuvos of Rabbi Shimon 49-62 are dedicated towards questions asked by King Rhodri) I hope to complete them when I can return to my studies rather than this pointless distraction. His nobles also impressed them with their zeal and observance. A convert has to be more righteous than a Jew and they fit the bill. Among them a man named Cadfael seemed determined to learn from me. He uninvited sat in on my teaching King Rhodri the Talmud and has attended any lecture or study session. I was teaching a complicated lecture on the Talmud and found him in the back listening. He knows Welsh, English, Dannish, Latin, French, and is learning Hebrew and Aramaic at a rapid rate. He bears this letter to you with my highest recommendation to learn at the Roskilde Yeshivah.
The King and his men were upset that we had finished the subjugation without them. It nearly came to blows until my student Rabbi Daniel proposed the destruction of Mercia by the combined force as a compromise. We marched north to Gloucester and seized the city. That winter, King Rhodri succeeded in his mission to acquire one of the Sefer Toiroth. He payed a kings ransom for it and with joy sent it back to his capital.
In the spring we marched north to confront the Mercians. We confronted King Burgred at Worcester and put him to flight. The Welsh proved themselves capable soldiers, being at our center and pushing the enemy back with glee. However, the Mercians fought bravely. Despite being outnumbered, they prevented themselves from being flanked and retreated in good order. We continued north subjugating the country side as we went. We sacked Bridgenorth and marched to Tamworth to reach Nottingham and winter there before completing our subjugation. However, King Burgred met out far outside of Tamworth with a new army including veterans from Wessex who had fled. Our numbers were comparable though we still outnumbered him. His mounted horse forced us on the defensive though our soldiers having been through many battles stood firm and they were forced to withdraw. We then formed up into four divisions. I had marched with my men, and King Healfden his, however the Welsh had marched as one and as such were slower to separate, indeed some marched forth while they were still confused, and they remained confused for the battle. I commanded the one on the left and held back to ascertain the situation. I do not know how his army was divided however as my men were credited with the destruction of the Wessex army, I know the veterans were afraid of facing my soldiers, so they faced the Welsh instead. When we saw them on the horizon, we marched forth singing Ashrei with ash on our heads as has become our custom.
We dealt ourselves well and pushed back the Mercians. However, on our flank the Welsh found themselves overwhelmed and pushed back. They fought bravely but with our center collapsing we found ourselves isolated on the field and were forced to retreat. I spoke to the Danes and Norse in the other division, and the Welsh in their divisions. King Rhodri lead one and one of his nobles Islwyn ben Avraham lead the other. The final division was lead by King Healfden. The division of Islwyn ben Avraham lead the division next to men, then was King Rhodri and on the right was King Healfden.
The cavalry which had harassed us, withdrew and continued to skirmish with Islwyn’s men attempting to disrupt their formation. His men grew angry and chased after the cavalry who promptly retreated. Islwyn attempted to stop them, but one cannot stop the blood of an angry man. With the shield wall broken, the Mercians and Saxons were able to defeat them. They had ran ahead of King Rhodri and King Healfden so they were outnumbered. King Rhodri saw what was happening and attempted to join the battle to assist and thus saved Islwyn’s division from complete destruction. However, the disorganized state of his division meant that the Mercians and Saxons forced him back. With my flanks under threat, I was forced to retreat. King Healfden was unaware of what was happening until the Mercians, and Wessex attacked him. He had been fighting a smaller detachment of Mercians. He had his flank anchored to a forest and won the first confrontation. Messengers having reached him, he pulled back and we all retreated to Reading. We wintered here to await the coming of Ivar the boneless in the spring to defeat the Mercians.
A.D. 872. This year went the army from Gloucester to Worcester. They defeated King Burgred and sacked both Worcester and Bridgenorth. Outside of Tamworth, King Burgred met the army with both his army and some soldiers from Wessex. He put their center to flight and thus were able to force the men that defeated the Saxons off the field. They retreated to Reading and made peace with the Mercians. There they wintered.
Illustrated Guide to the great Judeo Heathen Army (Note I cannot draw)
Stage one of the conflict was the result of the cavalry of the Mercians blundering into the Tsaphonish army. They failed in their skirmishing and retreated. However they would return to skirmish with the welsh. Both sides would form into divisions and march towards each other to present battle.
Rabbi Shimon’s forces would meet the Mercians first and slowly push them back. Meanwhile the Welsh would have managed to divide into two divisions. The cavalry would skirmish with Islwyn’s division until they charged at the cavalry. The cavalry then retreated, drawing the troops after them.
The major part of the Mercian army then confronted the Welsh. They succeeded in pushing back the Welsh divisions due to their disorganized and exhausted state.
Despite the joining of the other Welsh division, they are pushed back, though their addition saves the first Welsh division from complete destruction. No source mentions the cavalry after this so its presumed they dismounted and joined the rest of the army as infantry.
Due to the loss of their center and the threat to their flanks, the divisions of Tsaphonim are forced to reatreat as well. A delaying action is fought by King Healfden’s division as they had a secure flank against the forest. This would herald one of the greater victories of the Mercians in their defense against the Great Judeo-Heathen Army.
A/N: My first attempt at adding maps to my timeline. I appreciate all advice to how to make them better. Hopefully, they are clear enough.
