Converso

A converso was a Jew who converted to Catholicism in Spain or Portugal, especially during the 14th and 15th centuries. Many Jews made this change to stay safe and live normal lives in a place where their original faith was not always welcomed.

The leaders of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, wanted to make sure everyone who changed their religion truly believed in Catholicism. In 1492, they passed a law called the Alhambra Decree, which forced many Jews to leave Spain or change their faith. Because of this, over 200,000 Jews turned to Catholicism, while many others had to leave the country.

Some conversos still held onto parts of their Jewish traditions in secret. These people were sometimes called judaizantes or, in a less kind way, marranos. They had to be very careful because the Holy Office of the Inquisition was created to watch over new converts and make sure they were true to their new faith.

Conversos were important in many parts of life, including a big uprising called the Revolt of the Comuneros in 1520–1521, where people in Castile stood up against the ruler Charles V. Their story shows how people tried to balance their old beliefs with new rules in a changing world.

History

Ferrand Martínez, Archdeacon of Écija, began a campaign against Jewish people in 1378. He gave speeches that upset many and led to violent riots. In 1391, several synagogues in Seville were burned, and many Jewish people either fled, converted to Christianity out of fear, or were sold to others.

These conversions created a new group of people called conversos. They were now Christian but still faced unfair treatment and suspicion from others. Tensions grew, leading to more riots, especially in Toledo in 1449. To watch over these new Christians, the Spanish crown created the Inquisition in 1478 to check on their loyalty to Christianity.

Some conversos and Jewish people left Spain for Portugal, but they faced similar problems there and many moved to the Netherlands. Others kept their Jewish traditions hidden while publicly acting as Christians. In 1485, a man named Pedro de Arbués was attacked in a church in Zaragoza. Some conversos were blamed for this, and many were arrested and faced severe punishment.

Description

Conversos were Jews who converted to Catholicism in Spain or Portugal, especially during the 14th and 15th centuries. They often faced suspicion and unfair treatment from both their old Jewish communities and their new Christian ones. Some kings made laws to protect conversos and their property, but they still did not have full legal equality.

During times of trouble, like sickness or natural disasters, conversos sometimes became targets of unfair attacks. Even some noble families included conversos or their descendants. Recent studies show that many people in modern Spain, Portugal, and Latin America have genetic ancestry tracing back to these conversos, showing their lasting impact on the region's history.

Conversos and the Spanish Golden Age

Conversos were important in shaping Spanish culture, especially during a time called the Spanish Golden Age. Their influence started in the 1400s, before this golden period began. A great example is the book La Celestina from 1499, written by Fernando de Rojas. It is considered the first modern play in any language. Conversos helped create many types of literature, including poems, stories, history books, and philosophical writings.

Religious identity and assimilation

Many conversos did not know much about Jewish religious practices. Some writers and poets among them showed little knowledge of Jewish teachings. Scholars say claims that Hebrew or Talmudic ideas influenced converso literature, like in the works of Juan de Mena or Juan Álvarez Gato, are not supported.

Some well-known conversos knew little about their Jewish heritage. For example, Pedro de la Caballería called Maimonides "Moses the Egyptian," thinking he lived in Egypt instead of Spain. He also wrongly gave advice to the Catholic Monarchs to Vicente Ferrer, who had died long before. Even conversos with Jewish education, like Pablo de Santa María, chose Christian views over Jewish ones. In his writings, de Santa María told bible stories in a Christian way, such as saying the serpent was Lucifer and Eve led Adam wrong, even though this isn’t in the Hebrew bible.

In Burgos, conversos were seen as loyal Christians, especially those from the important Santa María family. In cities like Calahorra, Osma, and Salamanca, some people doubted their faith, but serious accusations were more common in Toledo and Seville. Some conversos helped start religious and charity groups, like the Santa María la Blanca group in Toledo, begun in 1478. The members included doctors, shop owners, craft workers, and officials, many of whom were conversos. In 1488, another group of Toledo conversos started a chapel in the San Agustín monastery.

Some conversos still hoped for a messiah, a leader who would save their people. In the 1400s, writer Alonso de Palencia said many conversos in Andalusia thought unusual events, like seeing a whale near Setúbal which they linked to the bible’s Leviathan, were signs that the messiah was coming soon. But it’s not clear if they meant the Jewish messiah or Christ’s second coming.

Perpetuation of Jewish heritage

Conversas helped keep Jewish traditions alive. They celebrated important Jewish holidays like Shabbat and prepared special meals for the Sabbath, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Passover. During these times, they might attend a seder or eat matzah. They also made sure to eat only kosher food, just like Jewish families did.

Conversas and Jewish communities shared books and learning. Some conversas even worked on Sundays to show they did not fully follow church rules. They celebrated Purim by calling it the Festival of Santa Esterica, blending their Jewish practices with Christian appearances.

Spanish Inquisition discipline

The Spanish Inquisition worked with government leaders to punish people they thought were not following the Christian rules. The church could not kill people directly, so instead, they would hand these individuals over to the government to handle punishments. One well-known way of punishing people was by burning them, which was a method used only by the church.

Public punishments, called autos-da-fé ("acts of faith"), were big shows that included walking through the streets, reading out the punishments, and long speeches. Many people would come to watch, and sometimes even kings and queens would view these events from special places.

People who admitted to their actions after being questioned were called reconciliados (reconciled to the church). They had to wear special clothes called sambenitos with red crosses and listen as their wrongdoings were read out loud in public. These clothes, with the people's names on them, were hung in churches to remind everyone of the shame they brought, and this shame could stay with their families for a long time. Sometimes, people who had already passed away or had run away were punished by burning copies of them in public. The bones of people who had died were sometimes dug up and burned as well.

By country

In Spain

See also: Xueta Christianity

The Chuetas are a group of people living on the Spanish island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea. They are descendants of Jews from Mallorca who either became conversos or kept their religion hidden. They married only within their own group.

The Chuetas have faced unfair treatment in the Balearic Islands. In recent times, as people gained more freedom to practice any religion, these unfair ideas lessened. Today, around 18,000 people on the island have family names linked to this group. Two important churches in Palma de Mallorca, Saint Eulalia and Montesión (Mount Zion), have been closely tied to these families.

In Italy

After the Spanish Inquisition in 1492, many conversos left Spain and Portugal for Italy and other parts of Europe. In Italy, they were often watched and treated unfairly. Many did not openly follow their Jewish beliefs, hoping to benefit from being part of Christian society.

The cities of Florence, Ferrara, and Ancona were the first to accept conversos who chose to return to Judaism. Most of these people came from Portugal after 1536 and settled in Florence. In 1549, the ruler of Florence allowed Portuguese conversos to live and trade there. By 1705, there were 453 Jews living in Florence's ghetto.

In Ferrara, conversos arrived in 1535 and were allowed to mix with locals, perform certain religious practices, and openly return to Judaism. After a disease in 1505 and Ferrara's decline in 1551, many moved to Venice, which became a center for conversos traveling to or staying in Turkey. Venetian leaders let them practice Judaism openly to keep their trade.

Many conversos in Ancona had hard lives and moved to Ferrara in 1555. Portuguese conversos in Ancona were told they could return to Judaism, but Pope Paul IV imprisoned those who refused to follow certain rules. Later, when offered a chance to stay in Ancona, they declined.

Notable conversos and their descendants

Some well-known people were descendants of conversos. These individuals came from families who had converted to Christianity but still had Jewish heritage.

First-generation conversos

• Abraham Senior – A religious leader who converted to Christianity later in life.
• Alfonso de Cartagena – A bishop, diplomat, historian, and writer.
• Paul of Burgos – A religious leader who became an archbishop.
• Petrus Alphonsi – A doctor and writer.

Later generations

• António José da Silva – A playwright.
• Fernando de Rojas – A playwright.
• Hernán Pérez de Quesada – An explorer.
• Isaac Orobio de Castro – A philosopher and doctor who returned to his Jewish faith.
• Luis de León – A poet, monk, and scholar.
• Luis de Santángel – A finance minister for the rulers of Spain.
• Tomás Luis de Victoria – A composer, priest, and chaplain.
• Teresa of Ávila – A respected Catholic saint.
• Uriel da Costa – A philosopher who returned to his Jewish faith.

Possible/debated

• Christopher Colombus – A famous explorer.
• Joan Miró – A painter.
• Miguel de Cervantes – A famous writer.