Saul Wahl

Saul Wahl Katzenellenbogen
Temporary King of Poland (rex pro tempore)
None
Coronation	August 18, 1587

Saul Wahl Katzenellenbogen (1541–1617) was a wealthy and politically influential Polish Jew who is said to have briefly occupied the throne of Poland and thus has historically borne the nickname, "Le roi du jour" (king for a day). Jewish historians maintain that that day was August 18, 1587. Wahl had thirteen children, including the renowned Polish rabbi, Meir Wahl Katzenellenbogen.

Saul's father was Samuel Judah Katzenellenbogen.

The story that Saul was briefly king of Poland is rejected by historiographers because there is no physical evidence to prove its veracity one way or the other, but it has gained a firm place in the folklore of the Jewish people.

The version of the story set forth in the Jewish Encyclopedia reads as follows:

"At a point in his life, Lithuanian noble Mikołaj Krzysztof "the Orphan" Radziwiłł (1549–1616) wished to repent for the numerous sins he had committed when he was younger. He commenced a pilgrimage to Rome in order to consult the pope as to the best means for the propitiation of his misdeeds. The pope advised him to dismiss all his servants and to live for a few years as a wandering beggar. When the prescribed period ended, Radziwill was penniless in the city of Padua, Italy. He pleaded for help, but his claims of being a noble fell on deaf ears.

Radziwiłł decided to appeal to Samuel Judah Katzenellenbogen, the rabbi of Padua. Katzenellenbogen treated him kindly and provided him with the means to return to Lithuania. To allow Radziwiłł to repay the favor, Shmuel asked that he help find his son Saul, who years before had left to study in a yeshiva in Poland. When Radziwiłł visited Poland, he inquired at all yeshivas until he found Saul in Brest-Litovsk (now Brest, Belarus).

Radziwiłł was impressed with Saul's intellect and offered to board (feed) him in his own castle, where Saul could pursue his studies. Radziwill's court personnel were similarly impressed with Saul, and his reputation spread throughout Poland.

Stephen Báthory, who was king of Poland, died in 1586, and the Poles were divided between wishing to be ruled by the Zamoyski family and the Zborowski family. Polish law at that time stated that if electors could not agree upon a king, an outsider should be appointed "rex pro tempore" (temporary king). Radziwill proposed that Saul Wahl Katzenellenbogen be appointed temporary king, and Wahl was elected to shouts of "Long live King Saul!"

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Wikipedia