My sibling and myself were quite excited when she traced some of our ancestors back to Charlemagne several years ago. However, when I really thought about it, I realized that we might not be all that unique, and that half the planet is probably related to Charlemagne in some fashion, although not everyone can trace it back. I realized it would probably be more rare or extraordinary to be related to someone like Mozart, or George Sand. Recently, I came across a a very intriguing family genesis story in a library book...
"My father once told me that we Nusseibehs came from a long line of thieves. All family dynasties, he explained with an expression between earnest and jest, can trace their histories back to some act of brigandage....My family's story in Jerusalem begins with Mohammed's Night Journey. By the time the Prophet took his legendary pilgrimage to Jerusalem, he and his few companions had already been forced out of Mecca to Medina. It was on the outskirts of this desert town that he was met by his first followers: fourteen tribal leaders....four of the fourteen tribal leaders were women, and one of these was Nusaybah, from the warrior tribe of Khazraj...Nusaybah, the progenitor of my family was a fierce fighter who, on horseback, skillfully defended the Prophet...In one battle she lost two sons and a leg, yet continued fighting."
--Once Upon A Country
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