Joseph Ben-joshua Ben-meir
Joseph Ben-Joshua ben-Meir (surnamed Ha-Sefardi, i.e. "the Spaniard"), was born in 1496 at Avignon, whither his father had retired on leaving: Spain. He is the author of a historical work, entitled דַּברֵי הִיָּמַי, Chronicles of the Kings of France and the Ottoman Sovereigns, in two parts, the first from the creation till 1520, and the second of transactions from Athat time till 1553 (Venice, 1554; Amsterdam, 1733). Disinterested, and contemporary with those events, he must be regarded as an impartial historian. This work has been translated in part into Latin by Louis Ferrand, Synopsis sive Conspectus Libri Hebraici, etc. (Paris, 1670). An English translation of the whole, by C.H. Bialloblotzky, has made this interesting work accessible nito English- readers, The Chronicles of R. Joseph ben Joshua Meir, the Sephardi (Lond. 1836, 2 volumes). See Furst, Bibl. Jud. 2:115; Etheridge, Introd. to Hebr. Lit. page 453; Lindo, History of the Jews of Spain and Portugal, page 451; Jost, Geschichte des Judenthuns, 3:124. (B.P.)