The Portuguese Conspiracy
In 1640, the Duque de Braganca (King Joao IV) succeeded in throwing off Spanish rule in Portugal. Portuguese settlers were now seen as potential subversives. In Lima, the Inquisition conducted a … Continue reading
Portuguese Crypto-Jews in New Spain
Crypto-Jewish activity in New Spain is often characterized as a Portuguese Crypto-Jewish phenomenon. I Mexican Inquisitional documents note the following: 73% descended from Portuguese born grandfathers 57% from Portuguese born … Continue reading
Unorthodox Kin: Portuguese Marranos and the Global Search for Belonging
A soon to be released book titled Unorthodox Kin: Portuguese Marranos and the Global Search for Belonging reviews the relationship between descendants of Portuguese Conversos and their interaction with contemporary Jewish communities … Continue reading
Returning to Egypt: Conversos who Returned to Spain and Portugal
While it is easy to focus on the Conversos who escaped Spain or Portugal and successfully reintegrated in Jewish life, there were others were not so successful. There were also many … Continue reading
A Portuguese Town Tries to Amend the Past
The Portuguese town of Monsaraz is looking to make amends for one aspect of its history by opening a Jewish cultural center. 80 residents of this town were persecuted hundreds of … Continue reading
The Dutch Republic and Conversos
The Dutch Republic Conversos settled in various Dutch cities including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Middleburg. The settlement to the Netherlands was precarious from a religious standpoint. Judaism was not officially tolerated … Continue reading
