Editing Marrano (section)

==Portugal==
{{Main|History of the Jews in Portugal}}
{{More citations needed|section|date=December 2019}}

Some Portuguese ''conversos'' or ''cristãos-novos'' continued to practice as crypto-Jews. In the early 20th century, historian Samuel Schwartz wrote about crypto-Jewish communities discovered in northeastern Portugal (namely, [[Belmonte, Portugal|Belmonte]], [[Bragança, Portugal|Bragança]], [[Miranda do Douro|Miranda]], and [[Chaves, Portugal|Chaves]]). He claimed that members had managed to survive more than four centuries without being fully assimilated into the Old Christian population.<ref>Ruth Almog, [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtVty.jhtml?sw=Russia&itemNo=64697 "Cryptic, these crypto Jews"], nda, last update 02/12/2005, haaretz.com, in English; review of Hebrew translation of Schwarz's 1925 ''Hanotzrim Hakhadashim Beportugal Be'meah Ha'esrim'' (''New Christians in Portugal in the 20th Century'')</ref> The last remaining crypto-Jewish community in Belmonte officially returned to Judaism in the 1970s and opened a [[synagogue]] in 1996. In 2003, the [[American Sephardi Federation]] founded the Belmonte Project to raise funds to acquire Judaic educational material and services for the Belmonte community, who then numbered 160–180.{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}}

Two documentary films have been made in north-eastern Portugal where present-day descendants of marranos were interviewed about their lives. In 1974 for ''The Marranos of Portugal'', the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) sent reporter [[Ron Ben-Yishai]] to conduct interviews with families about their religious practice. After being asked to prove he knew Hebrew before they would talk, he found people still reluctant to speak openly. Nevertheless, he did eventually gain a remarkable insight into their version of Jewish customs, prayers and songs. The film was commended at the 1976 Jerusalem Jewish Film and TV Festival. Another documentary, ''The Last Marranos'', was made by the New York Jewish Media Fund in 1997.

After the expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spain (1492) and the Forced Conversion by Portugal's King [[Manuel I of Portugal|Manuel I]] in Portugal (1497), ''conversos'' continued to be suspect in socially strained times. In Lisbon in 1506, a months-long plague caused people to look for scapegoats. Some became suspicious that ''conversos'' might be practicing Judaism and therefore be at fault. On April 17, 1506, several ''conversos'' were discovered who had in their possession "some lambs and poultry prepared according to Jewish custom; also unleavened bread and bitter herbs according to the regulations for the [[Passover]], which festival they celebrated far into the night." Officials seized several but released them after a few days.

On the same day on which the ''conversos'' were freed, the [[Dominican Order|Dominicans]] displayed a crucifix and a [[reliquary]] in glass from which a peculiar light issued in a side-chapel of their church, where several New Christians were present. A New Christian who tried to explain the miracle as due to natural causes was dragged from the church and killed by an infuriated woman. A Dominican roused the populace still more. Friar João Mocho and the [[Aragon]]ese friar Bernardo, crucifix in hand, were said to have gone through the streets of the city, crying "Heresy!" and calling upon the people to destroy the ''conversos''.{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}} Attracted by the outcry, sailors from [[Holland]], [[Zeeland]] and others from ships in the port of Lisbon, joined the Dominicans and formed a mob with local men to pursue the ''conversos''.

The mob dragged ''converso'' victims from their houses and killed some. Old Christians who were in any way associated with New Christians were also attacked. The mob attacked the [[Farm (revenue leasing)|tax-farmer]] João Rodrigo Mascarenhas, a New Christian; although a wealthy and distinguished man, his work also made him resented by many. They demolished his house. Within 48 hours, many "conversos" were killed; by the third day all who could leave escaped, often with the help of other Portuguese. The killing spree lasted from 19 to 21 April, in what came to be known as the [[Lisbon massacre]].

King [[Manuel I of Portugal|Manuel]] severely punished those who took part in the killings. The ringleaders and the Dominicans who encouraged the riot were also executed. Local people convicted of murder or pillage suffered corporal punishment and their property was confiscated. The king granted religious freedom for 20 years to all ''conversos'' in an attempt at compensation. Lisbon lost ''[[Foral]]'' (municipal) privileges. The foreigners who had taken part generally escaped punishment, leaving with their ships.

New Christians were attacked in [[Gouveia, Portugal|Gouveia]], [[Alentejo]], [[Olivenza|Olivença]], [[Santarém, Portugal|Santarém]], and other places. In the [[Azores]] and the island of [[Madeira]], mobs massacred former Jews. Because of these excesses, the king began to believe that a [[Portuguese Inquisition]] might help control such outbreaks.

The Portuguese ''conversos'' worked to forestall such actions, and spent immense sums to win over the ''[[Curia (Catholic Church)|Curia]]'' and most influential cardinals. Spanish and Portuguese ''conversos'' made financial sacrifices. Alfonso Gutierrez, Garcia Alvarez "el Rico" (the rich), and the Zapatas, ''conversos'' from Toledo, offered 80,000 gold crowns to Holy Roman Emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]], if he would mitigate the harshness of the Inquisition.<ref>''Revue des Etudes Juives'', xxxvii, p.&nbsp;270 et seq.</ref>

The Mendes of Lisbon and [[Flanders]] also tried to help. None were successful in preventing the [[Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith|Inquisition]] Papal Bull Meditatio Cordis of July 16, 1547, Inquisition in Portugal. This Bull Meditatio Cordis still did not have the "Power of Confiscation". Portuguese Marranos continued, with many bribes of the Popes in Rome, and with prolonged negotiation against this "Power of Confiscation" succeeded to delay it 32 years, but finally conceded this "deadly weapon" in 1579. The Portuguese Inquisition now had been endowed, 101 years after the Spanish Inquisition of November 1, 1478, with the same extremities of rigor as the Spanish prototype. The {{lang|es|conversos}} suffered immensely both from mob violence and interrogation and testing by the Inquisition. Attacks and murders were recorded at [[Trancoso, Portugal|Trancoso]], [[Lamego]], Miranda, [[Viseu]], [[Guarda, Portugal|Guarda]], and [[Braga]].

At [[Covilhã]], there were rumors that the people planned to massacre all the New Christians on one day. In 1562, prelates petitioned the ''Cortes'' to require ''conversos'' to wear special badges, and to order Jewish descendants to live in [[ghetto]]s (''judiarias'') in cities and villages as their ancestors had before the conversions.

In 1641, João IV of Portugal ennobled the [[Curiel family]], a Marrano family who initially served the Crown of Castile, defecting to Portugal after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1498. They went on serving the King of Portugal in diplomatic positions across Europe until the late 18th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/curiel|title=Curiel {{!}} Encyclopedia.com|website=www.encyclopedia.com|access-date=2019-10-02|archive-date=2020-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923192247/https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/curiel|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the 1970s, the Marranos of [[Belmonte, Portugal|Belmonte]] officially rejoined [[Judaism]] and reestablished ties with the Jews of Israel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Criptojudaismo de Belmonte |url=https://cm-belmonte.pt/criptojudaismo-de-belmonte/ |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=Município de Belmonte |language=pt-PT}}</ref> The Museu Judaico de Belmonte was opened in 2005 in Belmonte, it is the first Jewish museum in Portugal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Museu Judaico |url=https://www.cm-belmonte.com/?q=node/126 |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=Belmonte |language=pt-pt}}</ref>