In northern Europe, <black> has sometimes meant swarthy. When
Charles II was in hiding during the Civil War, the arrest warrant
described him as a <black man>.
Regards,
Jim Kerbaugh
Christopher Crockett wrote:
>
> Bill East wrote:
>
> >The term would seem to go back at least to the 1st century, for in the
> Acts of the Apostles (13:1) we find reference to one "Simeon called
> Niger" (i.e. "the black") which I assume refers to the colour of his
> skin. It could, I suppose, refer to the colour of his hair, but black
> hair would hardly be a distinctive feature in the middle east.
>
> otOh, whenever i've come across (rarely) the cognomen _niger_ in 11-12th cc.
> Chartres documents i've always assumed that there is no question of "race",
> i.e., that the fellow (e.g., Hugo _niger_, a provost of the Countess Adela at
> Blois, c.1100) was of sub-saharan origin.
>
> Black hair, perhaps; or, just as likely, of a "swarthy" complexion.
>
> A third possibility, of course, would be some kind of qualitative
> statement about the state of the guy's soul. Turns out that this particular
> Hugo the Black was murdered, as i recall.
>
> it's just offa hard to tell, most times; and i wouldn't touch offa's dyke with
> a pole.
>
> best from here,
>
> christopher
>
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