The second persecution .281673-1695.29 Xueta

1 second persecution (1673-1695)

1.1 precedents
1.2 conspiracism
1.3 cremadissa (mass burning)
1.4 final trials

the second persecution (1673-1695)

the reasons why inquisition returned act against judaizing majorcans after 130 years of inactivity, , in era in inquisition in decline not clear: preoccupation of decadent economic sectors before ascent , commercial dynamism of converts, resumption of religious practices in community, rather limited domestic context, new growth of religious zeal, , judgment against alonso lópez have been influential factors.

the precedents

in july 1672, merchant informed inquisition jews of livorno had made inquiries jews of majorca names forteses, aguilons, tarongins, cortesos, picons .

map of banquet of act of faith of 1675 in mallorca.

in 1673, ship group of jews expelled oran spanish crown , headed livorno, called in @ palma. inquisition arrested youth of 17 years went name isaac lópez, had been born in madrid , baptised name of alonso, , small boy fled berber lands 2 converso parents. alonso refused repent , burnt alive in 1675. execution provoked great commotion among judaizers, while being object of great admiration persistence , courage.

the same year lópez arrested, servants of conversos informed confessor had spied upon masters participating in jewish ceremonies.

in 1674, prosecutor of majorca tribunal sent report supreme inquisition in accused majorcan crypto-jews of 33 charges, among them refusal marry cristians de natura ( natural christians ) , social rejection of did so; practice of secrecy; imposition of old testament names children; identification tribe of origin, , arrangement of marriages function of fact; exclusion in homes of iconography of new testament , presence of of old; contempt , insults toward christians; exercising professions related weights , measures in order trick christians; holding positions in church in order later mock them impunity; applying own legal system; taking collections own poor; financing synagogue in rome, had representative; holding clandestine meetings; complying jewish dietetic practices, including of animal sacrifice , of fast days; observance of jewish sabbath; , avoidance of last rites @ time of death.

conspiracism

map of headquarters of inquisition of mallorca, built in charge confiscation of convicted persons in 1678.

four years later, in 1677, supreme inquisition ordered majorcan inquisition act on case of confession of servants. according servants, observants, called themselves, in reference torah, met in garden in palma observed yom kippur. led detention of of leaders of crypto-jewish community of majorca, pere onofre cortès (also known moixina), master of 1 of servants , proprietor of garden, along 5 other people. point on, proceeded arrest 237 individuals in course of single year.

helped corrupt functionaries, accused able arrange provide limited information in own confessions , denounce few of co-religionists possible. of accused solicited opportunity return church, , reconciled.

part of penalty consisted of confiscation of of goods of condemned, valued @ 2 million majorcan lliura which, according usual procedures of inquisition, had paid in actual currency. constituted exorbitant quantity era and, according protest of gran general consell, there not hard cash on entire island.

finally, in spring of 1679, 5 autos-da-fé took place, first of preceded demolition of building in garden , salting earth conversos met. before expectant multitude, condemnation pronounced against 221 conversos. afterward, condemned prison transported serve out sentences in new prisons erected inquisition, , had goods confiscated.

the cremadissa (mass burning)

inquisition condemned (francisco de goya).

once jail penalties served, great part of persisted in jewish faith, clandestine practices noticed, harassed inquisitorial vigilance , vexed society considered responsible economic crisis provoked confiscations, decided gradually flee island in small groups.

in middle of process, anecdoctal event precipitated new wave of inquisitions. rafel cortès, (also known cap loco or crazy head), had remarried, time woman converso surname, miró, catholic. family did not congratulate him on getting married , censured him having married not of jewish ancestry. hurt in pride, denounced of correligionists before inquisition of maintaining prohibited faith. suspecting had made general denunciation, agreed upon mass escape. on 7 march 1688, large group of converts embarked clandestinely on english vessel, unexpected rough weather prevented them leaving , @ daybreak, returned houses. inquisition notified of , of group arrested.

the trials lasted 3 years , cohesion of group weakened strict regime of isolation, prevented joint action, perception of religious defeat due impossibility of escape. in 1691, inquisition, in 3 autos de fe, condemned 73 people, of whom 45 turned on civil authorities burnt, 5 burnt in effigy; 3 deceased had bones burned, 37 punished; of these, 3 — rafel valls , siblings rafel benet , caterina tarongí — burned alive. 30,000 people attended.

the sentences dictated inquisition included other penalties maintained @ least 2 generations: in household of condemned, children , grandchildren, not hold public offices, ordained priests, marry persons other xuetes, carry jewelry or ride horse. these last 2 penalties not appear have been carried out, although others continued in effect force of custom, beyond 2 generations stipulated.

the final trials

the inquisition opened, , closed, several trials of individuals denounced accused of autos de fe of 1691, majority dead, single auto de fe brought in 1695 against 11 dead people , 1 living woman (who reconciled). also, in 18th century, inquisition carried out 2 individual trials: in 1718, rafel pinya spontaneously inculpated himself , reconciled, , in 1720, gabriel cortès, (also known morrofés) fled alexandria , converted formally judaism; burnt in effigy last person condemned death majorcan inquisition. there no doubt these last cases anecdotal; trials of 1691 came end of crypto-jewry of majorca, effect of escape of leaders, devastation of mass burnings, , generalized fear made impossible sustain ancestral faith. after these events, can begin speak of xuetes.