In the entire history of mankind, there have been many famous cities. However, the most mysterious of them was Jerusalem. The history of this place knew more wars than any other settlement on the planet. Despite this, the city survived and continues to prosper today, being a shrine to the three religions.
History of the Ancients: Jerusalem in the Pre-Canaan Period
According to archaeological finds on the territory of the holy city, the first settlements of people were here 3000 years before the birth of Christ. The first written mention of the name of the city of Rushalimum dates from the XIX-XVIII centuries BC. e. Probably, the inhabitants of Jerusalem at that time were at enmity with the Egyptians, since the name of the city was recorded in ritual inscriptions of curses for the enemies of Egypt.
There are different versions about the origin of the name of the settlement. So, the earliest name is considered to be Irushal, meaning that the city was under the protection of a certain ancient deity. In other manuscripts, the name is associated with the word "peace" ("shalom"). But in the first book, the Bible, Jerusalem is called Chalem, which means "Canaanite." This is due to the fact that before the Jews the city belonged to Canaan pagan tribes.
Jerusalem in Canaan
The history of Jerusalem at that time, although it contains little written evidence, is full of interesting events. So, having turned into a city-state, Jerusalem played an important role in its region. They were ruled by a dynasty of kings, who simultaneously performed the role of priests of an unknown deity - the patron of the city.
In the XIV-XII centuries BC. e. twelve tribes of Israel are returning from Egypt. Under the leadership of Joshua, they conquer the city-state, breaking the resistance of the five neighboring kings united against them. However, the resistance of the local population was too active, and, not being able to keep the city, the Jews give it to the people of the Jebusites.
Jerusalem is the capital of King David
For many years Jerusalem remained under the rule of the Jebusites. The history of the city at that time did not contain particularly striking events - the constant wars between Jews and Jebusites exhausted it. However, only in the X century BC. e. under the leadership of King David, the city was finally subjugated by the Jews. The Jebusites were expelled from the central part of Jerusalem, but for a long time still remained on the outskirts.
Having conquered Jerusalem, David declared the city the property of the tribe of Judah, to which he himself belonged. Moreover, over time, Jerusalem received the status of the royal capital. With the transfer to the city of Jewish shrines, the Ark of the Covenant, the history of Jerusalem as a religious center began.
King David has done much for the development of the city during the years of his reign. However, Jerusalem became a real “pearl" under the rule of his son, Solomon. This king built the majestic Temple, in which the Ark of the Covenant was kept for many years. Also under Solomon, the Jebusites were finally expelled from the city, and Jerusalem itself turned into one of the richest settlements in the region. However, after the death of Solomon no worthy successor was found, and the kingdom of the Jews split into two states: the North and the South. Remained in the possession of the dynasty of David, ruling the southern kingdom, Jerusalem.
The history of the holy city in subsequent years is a list of wars. So, not even ten years after the death of Solomon, as the Egyptian king attacks Jerusalem. To save the shrine, the reigning king Rehoboam pays a huge ransom, thereby destroying the city’s economy.
Over the next two hundred years, Jerusalem was captured and partially destroyed by the ruler of the Northern Kingdom of the Jews, and later by the Syrians. During the Egyptian-Babylonian war, the holy city belonged to the Egyptians for a short time, and after it was conquered by the Babylonians. In revenge for the rebellion of the Jews, the ruler of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed the city almost to the foundation, and resettled most of the population into his country.
Second Temple Period
After the destruction of Nebuchadnezzar, Jerusalem was empty for seventy years. The history of Jews resettled in Babylon over the years is full of amazing examples of heroism and loyalty to their religion and traditions. Jerusalem became a symbol of freedom for them, and therefore they dreamed of returning there and restoring it. However, the Jews received this opportunity only after the conquest of the Babylonians by the Persians. Persian king Cyrus allowed the descendants of Abraham to return home and engage in the restoration of Jerusalem.
88 years after the destruction of the holy city, it was partially restored, especially the Temple, in which ceremonies began to be held again. In the next five centuries, until the birth of Jesus, Jerusalem passed from one conqueror to another. The history of the holy city in this period is the ongoing struggle of the Jews for independence, which was never crowned with success. In the IV century BC e. Jerusalem was captured by Alexander the Great, and later by his successor Ptolemy I. Despite their dependence on the Greeks and Egyptians, the Jews had autonomy, which allowed Israel to flourish.
In the II century BC e. Hellenization of the population of Jerusalem begins. The temple is robbed and turned into a sanctuary of the Supreme God of the Greeks Zeus. Such an act provokes mass protests among the Jews, which develop into an uprising led by Jude Maccabees. The rebels manage to capture part of Jerusalem and clear the Temple of pagan cult objects.
Jerusalem in the time of Jesus Christ. Roman and Byzantine periods
In the middle of the 1st century BC e. becomes one of the provinces of the Roman Empire Jerusalem. The history of the city during this period is full of events important for one of the most widespread and influential world religions - Christianity. Indeed, during the reign of the Roman emperor Octavian Augustus (King Jerusalem Herod the Great ruled in Jerusalem), Jesus Christ was born. Having lived only 33 years, because of the envy and intrigues of the Jewish spiritual leaders, He was crucified in Jerusalem on Mount Calvary.
After the resurrection and ascension of Christ, the disciples began to spread His creed. However, the Jews themselves reacted negatively to the new religion and began to oppress their brothers who profess it. Continuing to dream of independence, in the second half of the 1st century, Jews revolted. For 4 years they held Jerusalem until Emperor Titus came to power in Rome, who brutally crushed the rebellion, burned the Temple and destroyed the city. The next few decades, Jerusalem was in ruins.
During the reign of Emperor Hadrian, the Roman colony Eliya Capitolina was founded on the ruins of the city. Due to the desecration of the holy city, the Jews revolted again and held Jerusalem for almost 3 years. When the city passed again to the Romans, Jews, under pain of the death penalty, were forbidden to live in it, and the temple of Venus (Aphrodite) began to be built on Calvary.
After Christianity became the official religion of the empire, Jerusalem was rebuilt again by order of Emperor Constantine. Pagan temples were destroyed, and Christian temples were erected at the place of execution and burial of the body of Christ. Jews were now allowed to visit the city only on rare holidays.
During the reign of the Byzantine rulers Julian, Eudokia and Justinian, Jerusalem blossomed again, becoming the capital of Christianity. Jews began to be treated better and were sometimes allowed to settle in the holy city. However, in the 7th century, Jews, united with the Persians, captured Jerusalem and destroyed many Christian sanctuaries. After 16 years, the capital was conquered by the Byzantines, and the Jews were expelled.
Jerusalem ruled by Arabs
After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, admirers of the religion he founded, Islam, led by Caliph Omar, take possession of Jerusalem. Since then, for many years, the city has remained in the hands of the Arabs. It is noteworthy that when erecting mosques, Muslims did not destroy the shrines of other religions. They also allowed Christians and Jews to live and pray in the capital of the three religions now. Since the eighth century, Jerusalem has gradually lost its status as a capital for Arabs. In addition, until the arrival of the Crusaders, religious wars in the city did not abate.
The conquest of Jerusalem by the crusaders. Mameluke period
At the end of the 11th century, the head of the Catholic Church, Urban II, initiated the conquest of Jerusalem by the Crusader Knights. Having taken possession of the city, the crusaders declared it their capital and slaughtered all Arabs and Jews. In the early years of the rule of the Knights Templars, the city was in decline, but soon managed to stabilize the economy of Jerusalem at the expense of numerous pilgrims from Europe. Jews and Muslims were again forbidden to live here.
After the conquest of the religious capital by Saladin, she again became Muslim. Attempts by the crusaders to conquer Jerusalem were unsuccessful. In the 30-40 years of the XIII century, the city was divided between Christians and Muslims. But soon the Khorezm army captured the city and ruined it.
From the middle of the 13th century, Egypt was subjugated by Mamluk Muslims. For more than 60 years, they belonged to Jerusalem. At that time, the Jews again had the opportunity to return to their homeland. However, the city did not receive huge economic development during this period.
Jerusalem as part of the Ottoman Empire. City ruled by the UK
The 16th century was marked by the heyday of the Ottoman Empire. Sultan Selim I was able to conquer the holy city of three religions, and his son Suleiman for a long time was engaged in the reconstruction of Jerusalem. Over time, this sultan allowed Christian pilgrims to visit the holy city.
Years later, Jerusalem ceased to be perceived by the Turks as a religious center and gradually faded away, turning into one of the fortresses for defense against nomadic tribes. But in later eras, his economy knew both ups and downs. Over the years, pilgrims became the main profit item, which became more and more. The shrines of Muslims, Jews and various Christian denominations were built here.
The capital of the three religions belonged to the Turks until 1917, when the Ottoman Empire, having lost the First World War, was destroyed. From that time until 1948, Jerusalem was ruled by Great Britain. The British government tried to provide an opportunity for all believers to live peacefully in the city, regardless of denomination. In addition, Jews could now settle in their ancient capital. Therefore, over the next decade, their number increased, which contributed to the economic development of the city.
However, by the beginning of the 1930s, Muslims, having noticed an increase in the Jewish population and fearing to lose their privileges, began to rebel. In the following years, hundreds of people died in the city due to numerous Arab-Jewish conflicts. Ultimately, the British, with UN assistance, decide to make Jerusalem a free city where both Jews and Arabs can live.
The return of Jerusalem by the Jews. Modern jerusalem
Declaring the holy city international could not stop the Arab-Israeli conflicts, which soon turned into a war. As a result, in 1948, Israel became an independent country, which West Jerusalem occupied, but at the same time, the area called the Old City remained in the power of Transjordan.
After years of war and various treaties that neither Arabs nor Jews complied with, in 1967 Jerusalem was again united and named the capital of the State of Israel. It is noteworthy that in 1988, Israel was declared the capital of the Palestinian state and is still officially part of it. However, both decisions are still not recognized by most countries of the world, including the UN.
Today, despite numerous disputes about the city, representatives of most nations live in it. In addition to Jewish, Arabic, German and English, there are also Russian communities. As the capital of the three religions, Jerusalem is full of Jewish and Christian temples and Muslim mosques built in different eras. Thanks to tourism and an organized city management system, Jerusalem is on the rise today.
Wall of Tears
One cannot but mention the legendary Wailing Wall, considering the history of the holy city, because everyone who comes to Jerusalem seeks to visit this place. The Kotel (the history of the Jews knows it as the Western Wall) is the only part of the structure of the Second Temple that has survived to this day. It is located near the Temple Mount in the Old Town. It is believed that on this very mountain, once the ancestor of the Jews Abraham was going to sacrifice his son Isaac.
Despite the repeated destruction of the city, the Wailing Wall stood and became a symbol of hope and firmness for the Jews. Since the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman emperor Titus, the Western Wall has become a place of prayer and sorrow for Jews. For 19 years (since 1948) the Arabs did not allow Jews to this sacred place. But with independence every year, millions of pilgrims of all religions come here. According to Jewish tradition, the space near the wall is divided by a small wall so that men and women pray separately. Also popular among tourists is the tradition of leaving notes with cherished desires in between ancient bricks.
New Jerusalem Museum: History of the Convent
With the adoption of Christianity in the Roman Empire, interest in Jerusalem increased. After the construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher there, many rulers wished to build churches similar to Jerusalem in their countries. Since then, every temple or monastery built in the likeness of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was called the “New Jerusalem”. History knows many of these New Jerusalems, later called the Calvaries. It is worth noting that the European Calvarias often copied the sacred city itself, and not the structure of the temple.
But in Russia at the beginning of the XVII century, Patriarch Nikon near Moscow built a copy of the Jerusalem Church of the Holy Sepulcher, as well as a monastery called “New Jerusalem”. The history of the monastery has more than three and a half centuries. It was then, in 1656, that the construction of the monastery complex began, which was to be an exact copy of the holy places for every Christian in Jerusalem. For ten years, Nikon led the construction and design of the monastery. However, later the patriarch fell into disgrace, and the last stages of the construction of the monastery ended without him.
Being not only one of the most beautiful, but also the richest monasteries in the Russian Empire, the New Jerusalem regime has repeatedly tried to deprive land ownership. But this was only possible during the reign of Peter I. Fortunately, with the ascension to the throne of his daughter Elizabeth, who took the monastery under personal protection, the monastery flourished again. This period of prosperity, when the monastery owned 22 thousand acres of land and more than 10 00 peasants, was short-lived. After the accession of Catherine II during the reform of the seizure of land from the ownership of churches and monasteries, the monastery lost most of its possessions and existed only at the expense of pilgrims and donations. Fortunately, their number increased from year to year. And with the construction of the railway at the end of the 19th century, the number of pilgrims per year exceeded thirty thousand people.
After the Revolution, in 1919, the story of the “New Jerusalem” is interrupted since it is being closed. Three years later, the Kunsthistorisches Museum was opened in its place. During the Second World War, German occupants blew up many structures on the territory of the museum complex, in particular, the Resurrection Cathedral. After the victory, many buildings were restored, and since 1959 the museum was again open for visitors.
After the collapse of the USSR in 1993-1994, after long negotiations, the museum was turned into a man’s monastery. However, the Museum and Exhibition Complex under the name “New Jerusalem” continued to exist on its territory. Today, like a century ago, pilgrims from all over the world come here not only to admire this amazing architectural monument, but also to pray.
Because of the love of mankind for war, many of the great cities of the past were destroyed, and today only ruins stand in their place. Fortunately, a different fate befell the capital of the three religions - Jerusalem. The history of this city has sixteen serious destruction, and each time, like a mythical bird, the Phoenix, Jerusalem rose from the ashes. And today the city is flourishing, inviting everyone to see with their own eyes the places where Jesus Christ lived and preached.