The most fortunate of the expelled
Jews from Spain, succeeded in escaping to Turkey. Sultan Bajazet welcomed them
warmly. Among the most unfortunate refugees were those who fled to neighboring
Portugal. In 1496, King Manuel of Portugal concluded an agreement to marry
Isabella, the daughter of Spain's monarchs. As a condition of the marriage, the
Spanish royal family insisted that Portugal expel her Jews. King Manuel agreed,
although he was reluctant to lose his affluent and accomplished Jewish
community.
In the end, only eight Portuguese
Jews were actually expelled; tens of thousands of others were forcibly
converted to Christianity on pain of death. The chief rabbi, Simon Maimi, was
one of those who refused to convert. He was kept buried in earth up to his neck
for seven days until he died. In the final analysis, all of these events took
place because of the relentless will of one man, Father Tomas de Torquemada...
KALLE
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