Simon Sebag-Montefiore

Simon Jonathan Sebag Montefiore born 27 June 1965 is a British historian television presenter and author of popular history books and novels Simon Sebag Montefiore was born in London His father was psychotherapist Stephen Eric Sebag Montefiore 19262014 a greatgrandson of the banker Sir Joseph SebagMontefiore 18221903 the nephew and heir of the wealthy philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore3 considered by some the most important Jew of the 19th century Simons mother was Phyllis April Jaffé 19272019 from the Lithuanian branch of the Jaffe family Her parents fled the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 20th century They bought tickets for New York City but were cheated being instead dropped off at Cork Ireland Due to the Limerick boycott in 1904 her father Henry Jaffé left the country and moved to Newcastle upon Tyne England4 Simons brother is Hugh SebagMontefiore The Montefiore family are descended from a line of wealthy Sephardi Jews who were diplomats and bankers all over Europe and who originated from Morocco and Italy After the Alhambra Decree was issued against the Jews in Spain of 1492 some of Montefiores ancestors stayed in the country whilst remaining secretly Jewish During the reign of Philip II of Spain one of them became governor of a province of Mexico where he and his family were denounced by a political rival and tortured by the Inquisition Two teenaged girls were burned alive in Mexico City while a son escaped to Italy and changed his name to Montefiore Sebag Montefiore was educated at Ludgrove School and Harrow School where he was editor of the school newspaper The Harrovian In the autumn of 1983 he interviewed Margaret Thatcher for The HarrovianHe won an Exhibition to read history at Gonville and Caius College Cambridge where he received his Doctorate of Philosophy PhD