David Reubeni

David Reuveni (Traditional frequently: David Reubeni, Hebrew דוד הראובני; * 1485 in Khaybar, † 1538 in Llerena ) was a Jewish adventurer and Messiasprätendent.

Life

Little is known about the origin of David Reuveni. He was swarthy, dwarfish figure, claiming that he had come as a messenger from his brother Joseph, who reign as king of the lost tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh in the Arab Khaibarwüste.

In his diary, which is obtained in large parts, he reported that he spent a few years in Alexandria and Jerusalem, before he traveled to Venice in 1523. With the help of the Jews living there, he went to Rome, where he einreitet on a white horse and proclaims to have an important message for the Pope.

So he granted an audience with Pope Clement VII. After the Turks had occupied Belgrade taken and Malta is the Roman Catholic Church in trouble. Why does the Pope, on the advice of his astrologers, the offer to Reuvenis, in alliance with his brother Joseph, the ruler of the legendary Jewish kingdom in the east, to drive out the Ottoman Turks ( 1524).

With a papal letter of 1525 Reuveni goes to the court of Portugal. It asks Clement VII King John III. to modern weapons and ships for the Jewish warriors from the depths of Asia to fight the Ottomans. Reuveni spends two years at the Portuguese court in the status of an ambassador.

The clerk of the king, Diego Pires, a Marrano, feels attracted by Judaism Reuvenis and examined its proximity. As Pires suggests, to want to return to Judaism, Reuveni sees the danger for himself and his mission to the king. To impress Reuveni, located Pires circumcise himself and called henceforth Solomon Molcho.

Then he advises Reuveni, to flee to Jerusalem immediately, because on reconversion is death by fire. Johann III. is beside himself. Reuveni must leave Portugal and is taken prisoner in Provence, where he native Jews ransom.

1530 he appears again in Venice. Although considered by some Jews as a real leader, he is viewed by others as an impostor. Federico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, leads the accusations of Clement VII and Emperor Charles V on.

1532 hits Reuveni Molcho in Venice. The two decide to travel to the Diet of Regensburg, and search for a meeting with the Emperor after. Charles V, it does not receive, they can arrest and takes on his way to Italy to Mantua with them where Molcho is made as recurrent Marranos of heretics process. As a Jew, Reuveni remains in prison. Later he was sent to Spain, where he died in 1538.

Literary afterlife

The story of David and Shlomo Molcho Reuveni found multiple literary use, such as in a trilogy of novels by Aharon Avraham Kabak (Hebrew 1913-1927 ) or in the novel The Messiah by Marek Halter (French 1996, German translation 1999). In German language Brod focused on the subject under the title " Reubeni, Prince of the Jews" (novel, 1925; later drama).