Massacre of 1391

Massacre of 1391

The Massacre of 1391, also known as the pogroms of 1391, was a very bad time for the Jews of Spain. It happened in the lands of Castile and Aragon in the year 1391. Many Jewish people were hurt or killed by others who followed the Catholic religion.

Because it was dangerous, many Jewish people were forced to change their religion to Roman Catholicism just to stay safe. These people were called conversos or Marranos.

Even after changing their religion, some people still did not trust them. This made life very hard for these families. Later, in 1492, the leaders of Spain, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, made a rule that any Jewish person who would not change to Catholicism must leave Spain. This caused many Jewish families to leave their homes and move to other places, which is called a diaspora. These families became known as the Sephardic Jews.

History of the Jews in Spain to 1391

Main articles: History of the Jews in Spain and Reconquista

The first signs of Jewish people living in Spain come from a gravestone from long ago in Mérida. After the Visigothic Kingdom rulers decided on one way of thinking in the late 6th century, life became harder for Jewish people.

Later, when Umayyad rulers took over Spain, Jewish people lived under a system called dhimmi. This time, from the 10th to the 11th century, is remembered as a "Golden Age" when Jewish culture, learning, and daily life grew strong. But things changed when new rulers came in the 12th century, and many Jewish people moved away.

For seven centuries, Spain was split between Christian kingdoms in the north and Muslim rulers in the south, called Al-Andalus. This time was known as the Reconquista, meaning "Reconquest." By 1391, life for Jewish people had become much harder, with unfair rules and unfair treatment from others.

Background to violence: 1350-1390

Peter the Cruel and the Fratricide

Main articles: Peter of Castile and Henry II of Castile

Peter of Castile was the king of Castile and León from 1350 to 1369. He protected Jewish people. His half-brother Henry of Trastámara was a rival and hurt many Jewish people in Asturias in 1355. When Henry became king in 1369 as Henry II of Castile, Jewish people lost their protection. Henry was not kind to them and made many hard rules. He also took away their property.

Archdeacon Martínez

Main articles: Ferrand Martínez and Medieval antisemitism

Ferrand Martinez was a church leader in Andalusia. He spoke out against Jewish people and urged others to hurt them. His speeches began in Seville and continued for years. Even when leaders asked him to stop, he did not. After some leaders died in 1390, Martinez kept encouraging people to hurt Jewish communities. This led to riots and violence in Seville in 1391.

Violence in 1391

Archdeacon Martínez told people to force Jews to change their religion. On June 6 in Seville, angry people attacked many Jews and destroyed their homes. Those who survived were forced to change their beliefs. Over the year, this violence spread across Spain.

Soon, more than seventy cities and towns had similar attacks. Jews were told they must change their beliefs or face danger. Their homes were often attacked, and leaders did little to help. In Aragon, about 100,000 Jews changed their beliefs to stay safe. In Valencia, even though there were orders to protect Jews, attacks happened anyway. Many were hurt, and most chose to change their beliefs to avoid more danger.

Aftermath

Before the terrible events of 1391, only a few Jews in Spain chose to become Catholics. After the violence, many more Jews decided to convert to Catholicism. This created a large group of people known as Marrano. Even though they converted, many kept strong ties to their Jewish culture and family. Some Jewish leaders still saw them as Jewish people, even after they converted. This made things difficult for them, as many Catholics did not trust them. Over time, this led to more strict rules and unfair treatment for these converted families. Eventually, in 1492, all Jews were forced to leave Spain.

Sephardic Jews

Main article: Sephardic Jews

Sephardic Jews, also called Sephardim, are the Jews from Spain and Portugal. Their name comes from the Hebrew word for Spain, Sefarad. In 1492, they were forced to change their religion or leave Spain. Many stayed in Spain and Portugal, and their descendants live there today.

Some Jews left Spain and moved to many places, including Europe, the Ottoman Empire, and even as far as the Indian subcontinent. Today, Sephardic Jews are one of the main groups of Jewish people, along with Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Jews.