1809: French Document says Black Jews in the Kingdom of Judah Were Best & Most Expensive Negroes in Africa (jan 1, 1812 – jan 1, 1812)

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"The blacks of Judah are the best and most expensive of all the African negroes. They are esteemed in America, above all because of their dexterity and willingness to learn everything in a short time. The kingdom of Judah has suffered great revolutions. Dahomet, who came out of the woods at the head of a hundred thousand men in 1727, seized it, after having swept away, chased away or taken prisoners its owners, who were more traders than warriors. This negro prince depopulated the whole country. In December of each year, he invited the Europeans to the court to attend his father's birthday. There, he would immolate a large number of men, women, horses, cows, sheep, goats, chickens, etc. to his males, have their heads cut off, and throw them into a hole dug in the ground to serve his father in the next world. They also threw in brandy, corn, handkerchiefs, silk, and all kinds of food and cloth. Then the hole was closed again, and the people were given brandy and some merchandise. The Europeans witnessed this dreadful spectacle, and Dahomet was surrounded by the three French, English and Portuguese directors. He immolated up to 900 men and women on his father's birthday; but afterwards, as he only had around 11,000 men left, and was in bad terms with all his neighbors, he immolated only a few more. The inhabitants of this kingdom are called Judaics."


According to a book written by French Lexicographer Jean Baptiste Ladvocat, the Blacks of the kingdom of Judah (Whydah) on the Slave Coast of West Africa were the best and most expensive of all the negroes in Africa and highly esteemed in America because of their dexterity and ability to learn everything in a short time. Not only this, but he also wrote that they were called Judaics (Jews). The definition of the word "Judaic" is: "Relating to Judaism or the ancient Jews." Jean Baptiste Ladvocat was also a Hebraist scholar, among many other things.

The book was published in the year 1809 but Jean Baptiste Ladvocat died in 1765, so this information was obviously written long before 1809 and sometime before his death in 1765. In this book he also wrote about how the Black Jews of Judah on the Slave Coast were defeated and conquered by the negro prince of Dahomey in the year 1727.

Source: "Dictionnaire geographique portatif, ou Description des empires, royaumes, republiques, provinces,..." by Jean Baptiste Ladvocat, page 315 (1809)
https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_p1PJ_9Mp-4QC/page/n19/mode/2up

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