1. Samson Wertheimer was chief rabbi of Hungary and Moravia, and rabbi of Eisenstadt.
14 Facts About Samson Wertheimer
1. 2.
Samson Wertheimer was a powerful Austrian financier, court Jew and Shtadlan to Austrian Emperor Leopold I With the help of Samuel Oppenheimer, he helped finance the Spanish War of Succession on behalf of the Empire.
3.
Samson Wertheimer was known by the title of Judenkaiser.
4.
Samson Wertheimer was born in Worms, the son of Joseph Josel Samson Wertheimer, and received his education at the yeshivas of Worms and Frankfurt am Main.
5.
Under Emperor Joseph I, Samson Wertheimer maintained his position as a financier and creditor of the state.
6.
Samson Wertheimer was in personal relations with Prince Eugene of Savoy, to whom he paid 300,000 florins promised by Joseph I, Charles VI adding another 100,000 florins.
7.
The title of "Landesrabbiner", which the Jews of Hungary had bestowed on Samson Wertheimer, was made effective by Charles VI.
8.
Samson Wertheimer established schools, and distributed large amounts of money in Europe and in the Holy Land.
9.
Samson Wertheimer delivered many funeral sermons on the deaths of distinguished rabbis, as Simchah Cohen and David ben Israel, rabbi of Trebitsch and son-in-law of Rabbi Menachem Krochmal, Rabbi of Nikolsburg.
10.
Samson Wertheimer's reputation spread even to the Orient, where he was described as a "prince of the Holy Land" and given the title of "rabbi of Hebron and Safed".
11.
When Eisenmenger's Entdecktes Judenthum appeared in Frankfurt in 1700, Samson Wertheimer addressed to Emperor Leopold a petition in which he warned of the grave dangers which it would bring upon the Jews.
12.
When, in consequence of Rakoczy's insurrection, the Jewish congregation of Eisenstadt had been dispersed and the wealthier members had taken refuge in Vienna, Samson Wertheimer persuaded them to return or to help their poorer brethren rebuild the congregation.
13.
Samson Wertheimer's embarrassment was ended by Elector Maximilian, who liquidated his debts.
14.
In 1769 the grandchildren of Samson Wertheimer secured the donation of 150,000 florins, and Wolf's heirs added thereto 40,000 florins, in compensation for unpaid interest.