The Kings of Septimania Were Also Exilarchs!

Male descendants of David from the Middle East had come to Narbonne in southeast France and been given the Kingdom of Septimania. As well as being the temporaral rulers of this semi-autonomous region they were also the spiritual heirs of the Exilarchy. Like the Jewish Kingdom of Mahoza, the new Jewish Kingdom of Septimania in Southern France and Northern Spain did not last long. As a Kingdom or Principality Septimania was to last three generations or so but as the seat of the Western Exilarch it lasted for three centuries when the head of the male line transferred to Barcelona, Spain. The Jewish female line descendants continued in Narbonne until the expulsion in the 14th century. Ermengarde the Viscountess of Narbonne in the 12th century married into the Halevi family and from then on the Jewish leaders in Narbonne were only of the Davidic family on the female line. The male line of the Exilarchs continued in Barcelona and then Toledo and transferred to Portugal at the time of the expulsion in 1492. Joseph Nasi the Duke of Naxos was the last great Nasi Exilarch of the Royal House of David. Solomon Abenaes, Duke of Mytilene, succeeded him.