Renowned Jewish historian David Abulafia passes away at 76
Former Head of the history department at the University of Cambridge described as 'a remarkable colleague and friend'
The Jewish former chair of the University of Cambridge history department has died at the age of 76, with colleagues describing their “shock and sadness” at the news.
Professor David Abulafia CBE, who was Emeritus Professor of Mediterranean History at the university, is understood to have passed away suddenly on Saturday evening, with his college, Gonville and Caius, announcing the news on Sunday.
The Master of the College, Professor Richard Gilbersonn, said: “There is a sense of shock and great sadness to learn of David’s sudden passing on Saturday evening. We all knew David to be a remarkable colleague and friend. On behalf of the College, we send our deepest condolences to Anna, Bianca, Rosa and family.”
Simon Sebag Montefiore, a fellow Jewish historian, who studied at the same college, responded by saying he had “lost a friend and a mentor”, describing Abulafia as “both an outstanding historian of world history, author of several masterpieces and also an academic who campaigned for free speech and against anti-Jewish racism in the public realm.
“His two master works, ‘The Great Sea: a Human History of the Mediterranean’ and ‘The Boundless Sea: a Human History of the Oceans’ – along with his earlier ‘Frederick II’ – were outstanding works of literature and scholarship, distinguished by a genuine, rarely-equalled polymathic knowledge of world history and culture, a superb instinct for anecdote and data, and a beautiful writing style, breath-taking span and depth and boldness of vision.”
Montefiore described how Abulafia was “himself was the heir to some of the worlds he wrote about: he was the scion of an ancient Sephardic dynasty of Jewish rabbis and leaders, starting in medieval Andalus and Castile, including a Jewish chief minister of King Pedro the Cruel, poets, kabbalists, merchants from Cordoba and Toledo to Constantinople Thessalonica and Jerusalem including a succession of famed charismatic rabbis of Tiberias and Safed…Condolences to Anna, Bianca, Rosa and family. The books will be timeless. May his memory be a blessing.”
Gonville and Caius, where Abulafia was a fellow for more than half a century, announced that its flag would be flown at half mast for three days, and said that “funeral and shiva arrangements would be announced in due course.”
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