Mendel (Hungarian family)
Encyclopedia
The Jewish Hungarian family of Mendel is the name of a prominent Hungarian
family which flourished in the latter half of the 15th century and in the first half of the sixteenth in Ofen (Buda
). Members of three generations of it are known; namely, Jacob, Israel, and Isaac Mendel, who held the office of "Princeps Judæorum", "Supremus Judæorum," or "Præfectus Judæorum" between 1482 and 1539. This office, which seems to have existed only during that period, was created by King Matthias Corvinus in order to give the Jews
an accredited representative at court, who at the same time should be responsible for the payment of their taxes. The "Præfectus Judæorum" was empowered to impose fines and other penalties on the Jews. As an official of the crown he was exempted from wearing the Jews' hat.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
family which flourished in the latter half of the 15th century and in the first half of the sixteenth in Ofen (Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
). Members of three generations of it are known; namely, Jacob, Israel, and Isaac Mendel, who held the office of "Princeps Judæorum", "Supremus Judæorum," or "Præfectus Judæorum" between 1482 and 1539. This office, which seems to have existed only during that period, was created by King Matthias Corvinus in order to give the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
an accredited representative at court, who at the same time should be responsible for the payment of their taxes. The "Præfectus Judæorum" was empowered to impose fines and other penalties on the Jews. As an official of the crown he was exempted from wearing the Jews' hat.