Title: Processi del S. Uffizio di Venezia contro ebrei e giudaizzanti
Description: Documents of trials conducted by the Inquisition in Venice against Jews, Marranos, and New Christians. Emphasizes that the punishments meted out by this Tribunal were relatively light. The documents are in Italian, Latin, and Portuguese.

Vol. 5 contains the proceedings of trials conducted by the Inquisition of Venice against members of the Portuguese Converso family Ribiera, accused of secretly practicing the Jewish faith. The documents reveal, also, the Inquisition's concern to reduce the extent of good relations between Christians and Jews. Vol. 6 continues with the proceedings of other trials. Pp. 63-64 include a censor's report on the existence of a Hebrew commentary on the Talmud, despite the papal bull of 1553 which called for prohibition and burning of the Talmud or other books related to it. The documents are in Italian, Latin, and Portuguese.

A collection of documents selected from the proceedings of trials against Conversos accused of secretly practicing Judaism by the Inquisition in Venice (see the abstract for previous volumes in Vol. 1, no. 209, and Vol. 3, no. 274). The documents are in Italian and Latin.

During the decade 1587-98 the number of trials decreased after economic hardships imposed a more liberal attitude toward Converso merchants who proved to be vital for Venetian trade. A growing number of them were permitted to reside in Venice as Jews after 1577, provided they wore the yellow badge and lived within the ghetto. However, there were a series of Inquisitorial trials for Judaizing, for offenses against Christians, and for breaking the prohibition of relations, including sexual, between Jews and Christians (including New Christians). The control over Jewish printing was severe; unauthorized books were confiscated or burned. There were suspects of heresy and witchcraft brought to trial who were accused of having relations with Jews. Includes documents in Italian and Latin.

During the 16th century in Venice, there was a decrease in trials against Spanish-Portuguese Conversos suspected of Judaizing, and an increase of trials against descendants of Italian Jews who, for one reason or another, converted to Catholicism. Some of them were accused of apostasy (in varying circumstances), mainly because they used to visit Jewish relatives who remained in the ghetto.

During the first third of the 17th century, the authorities of the Venetian Republic were rather tolerant towards the Portuguese Conversos who returned to Judaism and lived among Jews in the ghetto, despite the protests of the Inquisition. This did not prevent, nevertheless, a multitude of denunciations investigated by Inquisition officials and a number of trials for Judaizing, involving mainly Jews who converted to Christianity on Italian soil and then returned to Judaism.

During the period between 1642-81 the Venetian Inquisition showed a special interest in Spanish and Portuguese Conversos who either lived in the Jewish ghetto or were integrated in Christian society, but its anti-Converso measures were limited by the growing preeminence of state institutions. As a consequence, most of the accusations of Judaizing and, increasingly, of magic practices resulted only in denunciations or inconclusive inquiries rather than in formal trials against the Conversos. Includes documents in Latin and Italian.

During the period between 1682-1734 there was a decrease in the Venetian Inquisition's processing of Judaizers. There is no record of actual trials for Judaizing, but only of denunciations on those grounds. No Spanish or Portuguese Conversos were involved - only Italian Jews who had converted to Catholicism. In all, no more than three cases of inquiries for Judaizing are documented, along with some cases of Conversos accused of magic practices or other minor offenses.

Contains additional documents relating to the Venetian Inquisition's persecution of Judaizers, covering the period 1553-1655. These describe numerous cases of Spanish and Portuguese Conversos who were accused of Judaizing or of having returned to Judaism. The introduction (p. 7-29), describing Ioly Zorattini's research on the subject, and summarizing his findings, also describes the methods employed by the Inquisition to spy on and discover Judaizers, manuals on how to identify apostates (e.g. one written by the Portuguese priest Crisostomo della Visitazione), and compilations of lists of different names, Jewish and Christian, used by the Conversos.

Between 1571-80, 17 trials against Conversos took place in Venice. Only in two cases were the accused condemned - for Judaizing, printing prohibited books, and magic. Asserts that the main concern of the Inquisition was the struggle against Lutheranism and against the circulation of banned books. The plague of 1575-77 made its activities more difficult. Includes documents in Italian, Latin, and Portuguese.

Between 1582-85, the Inquisition of Venice dealt with 13 denunciations and conducted only four trials: against Conversos accused of Judaizing, and Jews accused of practicing magic and exorcism on Christians. Includes documents in Latin and Italian.

This volume contains an essay by Massimo Prada, "La lingua dei 'Processi' tra Cinque e Seicento" (p. 15-86), a glossary, also by Prada (p. 89-170), a bibliography (p. 171-190), the indexes to volumes I-XIII - persons and places (p. 191-389), and errata and corrigenda (p. 391-416).
Subjects: Inquisition, Sources, Jews, Marranos, Ethnic relations, History, Crypto-Jews, Inquisitie, Marranen, Joden
Places: Venice (Italy), Venice, Italy
Time periods: 16th century