History • Medieval IndiaMedium
What was the primary historical significance of the Jewish Copper Plates of Quilon, issued during the reign of the Kulasekhara monarch Bhaskara Ravi Varman I?
A. Granting hereditary royal rights and commercial immunities to the Jewish merchant Joseph Rabban✓ Correct Answer
B. Establishing a military alliance between the Chera empire and the Chola dynasty against maritime invaders
C. Imposing heavy customs tariffs on foreign merchant vessels anchoring at the port of Muziris
D. Transferring administrative control of Buddhist monastic lands to Brahmanical temple authorities
💡 Solution & Explanation
The Jewish Copper Plates of Quilon, issued by Bhaskara Ravi Varman I in the early 11th century, granted the Jewish leader Joseph Rabban the status of an autonomous chieftain along with tax-free land and toll exemptions. This epigraph highlights the high degree of religious tolerance and commercial encouragement extended to foreign mercantile communities in medieval Kerala. The plates remain a prized artifact of the historic Jewish diaspora in Malabar.
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