Norman Roth

Medieval Hebrew secular poetry apparently had its beginning in Muslim Spain under the direct influence of secular Arabic poetry, which reached its zenith in Iraq and continued to develop in al-Andalus. The secular Hebrew poetry produced elsewhere, in Egypt, North Africa, and Italy, was very likely influenced by the poetry written in Spain. This development of secular poetry was part of a conscious renaissance of the Hebrew language, itself a reaction to Muslim influences. Hebrew poetry and literature in Spain was not, of course, confined to the Muslim period, but its greatest peaks of development occurred then. Accordingly I shall concentrate on that era, giving particular attention to the four greatest Hebrew poets of Spain: Samuel Ibn Nagrillah, Solomon Ibn Gabirol, Moses Ibn Ezra, and Judah ha-Levi.