1/ Inquisitorial Trials can contain unexpected finds #2. In 1542, the Portuguese Inquisition arrested Diogo de Leao, a cobbler, on suspicion of being a crypto-Jew. For historians, his trial dossier contains an unexpected historical treasure.
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2/ Among his possessions, they found a hoard of documents in Hebrew (wills/marriage contracts) dating from before the forced conversion of the Jews of Portugal by King Manuel in 1497.
3/ Some more examples....
4/ For historians, these are exceptionally rare pre-1497 document. They were doubtless kept by Diogo as precious/significant family records despite the risk.
5/ In the eyes of the Inquisition, this was evidence of suspicious beliefs. King Manuel had ordered the seizure of all books in Hebrew in 1497 (copies of the Talmud were the main target, it is less clear what happened to other documents).
6/ In July 1501 the Portuguese Crown ordered the seizure of the property
of a convert named Thomas Lopez for the crime of continuing to write
books and letters in Hebrew “in defiance of our ordinances". A.N.T.T., Chancelaria de D. Manuel I, bk. 17, fol. 70.
of a convert named Thomas Lopez for the crime of continuing to write
books and letters in Hebrew “in defiance of our ordinances". A.N.T.T., Chancelaria de D. Manuel I, bk. 17, fol. 70.
7 and final/ The trial of Diogo de Leao has been digitized by the Portuguese National Archives and is available online: digitarq.arquivos.pt/details?id=230…
