The Lord judges nations

Solomon ben Joseph ha-Kohen

1077

Aged parchment with four columns of Hebrew script written in black ink.
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Solomon wrote this martial poem to celebrate the Fātimid victory over the Seljuks in Cairo in 1077, a remarkable instance of interreligious relations. The Fātimid caliphate was Shī‘ī, and the poet notes that God has benefited “the house of ‘Alī.” Among many striking features, Solomon’s description of God’s protection of the Muslim leadership is particularly noteworthy.

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Related Guide

Early Medieval Poetry

7th to 12th Century

Creator Bio

Solomon ben Joseph ha-Kohen

Solomon ben Joseph ha-Kohen was a judge and poet active in late eleventh-century Fustāt (Old Cairo). Until at least 1098, Solomon served as the head of the rabbinic court for the Jerusalem academy, and he appears as a signatory on several Geniza documents, including on the marriage contract of an important Karaite leader.

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