Go to top

1643/4 CE Jerusalem Quake(s)

1643 CE and/or 1634 CE

by Jefferson Williams








Introduction & Summary

Paisios Ligarides reports that an earthquake was felt in Jerusalem on or before 2 April 1643 CE. In what may a misdated report on the same earthquake, al-'Umari reports that a mighty earthquake struck the town (sic.) of Filistin [Palestine] between 10 March 1644 CE and 26 February 1645 CE (A.H. 1054). al-'Umari went on to state that the earthquake destroyed some houses and resulted in five fatalities. Ambraseys (2009) suggests that the town (sic.) of Filistin [Palestine] probably refers to Jerusalem and that the account by al-'Umari probably refers to the same earthquake as one reported by Paisios Ligarides in 1643 CE.

Textual Evidence

Text (with hotlink) Original Language Biographical Info Religion Date of Composition Location Composed Notes
Paisios Ligarides Greek
Background

Greek Orthodox 2 April 1643 CE Jerusalem A letter composed by Paisios Ligarides on 2 April 1643 CE describes the earth shaking and some soldiers falling. The earth shaking could have occurred on 2 April 1643 CE or at an earlier date.
al-Umari Arabic
Biography

18th century CE ? al-'Umari reports that, between 10 March 1644 CE and 26 February 1645 CE (A.H. 1054), the town (sic.) of Filistin [Palestine] was shaken by a mighty earthquake which destroyed some of the houses and five people perished beneath the ruins. Ambraseys (2009) suggests that the town (sic.) of Filistin [Palestine] probably refers to Jerusalem and that this account by al-'Umari probably refers to the same earthquake as one reported by Paisios Ligarides in 1643 CE.
Text (with hotlink) Original Language Biographical Info Religion Date of Composition Location Composed Notes
Letter written by Paisios Ligarides

Background

Background

Excerpts
English from Ambraseys (2009)

When the earth was being shaken, and some of the soldiers, out of fear, fell on their faces on the ground. Some of them were driven out of their minds, marvelling and staring here and there like madmen; and they all cried out with one voice, “The Christian Faith is true!”. (Paisios, iii. 55) Letter dated a.M.(Byz.) 7152, 23 March

Chronology
Year Reference Corrections Notes
On or before 2 April 1643 CE Letter was dated to 23 March A.M.Byz7152 none
  • A.M.Byz7152 ran from 1 Sept. 1643 to 31 Aug. 1644 CE. For March/April, this places the letter in 643 CE - calculated using CHRONOS
  • 1643 CE is after the Gregorian Calendar Reform in 1588 CE however the Greek Orthodox Church never converted to the Gregorian Calendar and continues to use the Julain Calendar to this day. Hence, 23 March 643 CE needs to be converted to a Gregorian date. The equivalent Gregorian date is 2 April 643 CE - Julian to Gregorian conversion calculated using CHRONOS
  • The earthquake may have struck on an earlier date
Credible Seismic Effects Locations Online Versions and Further Reading
References

al-Umari

Background

Background

Excerpts
English from Ambraseys (2009)

(a.H. 1054) The town (sic.) of Filistin [Palestine] was shaken by a mighty earthquake which destroyed some of the houses. Five people perished beneath the ruins. (al-’Umari, f. 212r).

Chronology
Year Reference Corrections Notes
10 March 1644 CE - 26 February 1645 CE (A.H. 1054) none
Seismic Effects Locations Online Versions and Further Reading
References

Archeoseismic Evidence

Tsunamogenic Evidence

Paleoseismic Evidence

Notes

Ambraseys (2009)

1643 CE Jerusalem

AD 1643 Mar 23 Jerusalem

An earthquake was felt strongly in Jerusalem, apparently causing great anxiety.

This event is reported in a letter written by Paisios, the future Patriarch of Jerusalem, on 23 March a.M.(Byz.) 7152 (1643). While the story about the soldiers may be apocryphal, it is most probably based on a genuine case of an earthquake in the city, probably the same earthquake as that of 1644.

Note

When the earth was being shaken, and some of the soldiers, out of fear, fell on their faces on the ground. Some of them were driven out of their minds, marvelling and staring here and there like madmen; and they all cried out with one voice, “The Christian Faith is true!”. (Paisios, iii. 55) Letter dated a.M.(Byz.) 7152, 23 March
References

Ambraseys, N. (2009). Earthquakes in the Mediterranean and Middle East: a multidisciplinary study of seismicity up to 1900. Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.

1644 CE Jerusalem

AD 1644 Jerusalem

A damaging earthquake in Palestine caused houses to collapse, resulting in the deaths of five people, probably in Jerusalem.

This event is reported by al-’Umari, a late author, who dates it to a.H. 1054 (10 March 1644 to 26 February 1645). The expression ‘the town of Filistin’ probably refers to Jerusalem

Note

(a.H. 1054) The town (sic.) of Filistin [Palestine] was shaken by a mighty earthquake which destroyed some of the houses. Five people perished beneath the ruins. (al-’Umari, f. 212r). March
References

Ambraseys, N. (2009). Earthquakes in the Mediterranean and Middle East: a multidisciplinary study of seismicity up to 1900. Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.

Paleoclimate - Droughts

Footnotes

References