Ibrahim ibn Yaqub

Ibrahim ibn Yaqub (Arabic: إبراهيم بن يعقوب Ibrāhīm ben Yaʿqūb al-Ṭarṭūshi or al-Ṭurṭūshī; Hebrew: אברהם בן יעקב, Avraham ben Yaʿakov; fl. 961–62) was an Andalusi Jewish traveler from Tortosa known and esteemed in the 10th century for his knowledge in science, medicine, and geography. He visited the court of the Umayyad Caliph of Córdoba, Al-Hakam II, who enlisted him to travel to several European countries, especially the Holy Roman Empire of Otto the Great.

He was probably a merchant, who may have also engaged in diplomacy and espionage. His travelogue, Kitab al-Istibsar includes descriptions of various cities and regions as well as accounts of the customs and daily life of the people he encountered on his travels.

Ibrāhīm ben Yaʿqūb was known and respected in his time for his scientific, medical, and geographic knowledge. He went to Cordova, to the court of Caliph al-Ḥakam II, who sent him on missions to several European countries, and in particular to the German emperor Otto I. His reports and descriptions of Europe were used by Arabic geographers.

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