Title: Os últimos criptojudeus em Portugal
Description: At the time of the expulsion of 1492, Spanish Jews were allowed transit through Portugal but those who remained in the country were enslaved. King Manuel ordered the expulsion of Portuguese Jews in 1496, but most of them were forcibly converted and prevented from leaving, in order to serve the country's economy. The old hatred of Jews was then directed against New Christian economic rivals and accusations of Judaizing incited the Lisbon pogrom of 1506. The Inquisition was founded in 1531, more to protect the privileges of the Old Christian upper class against the fast rising New Christian bourgeoisie than to fight heresy. Although the "Roes dos Fintas" (Converso lists) were abolished in 1765 and the Inquisition lost its power, the Conversos continued to live as Christians (up to the present day) for fear of persecution for returning to Judaism. Pp. 63-164 describe the history and customs of the Converso community in Belmonte, Portugal. With appendix and documents (pp. 191-251).
Subjects: Jews, History, Marranos, Crypto-Jews, Ethnic relations
Places: Portugal, Belmonte