Jewish, converted and inquisition in Galicia (centuries XI-XVIIth)

Abstract

After more than four centuries of presence documented in Galicia, some Jews chose to turn and try, thus, the integration in the Christian society. In occasions, some of these converted were accused of continuing being Jewish privately, which was threatening the unit of Faith that the Kings Católicos wanted to establish in their kingdoms. After successive and fruitless attempts of preaching in order that the converted ones were leaving the Judaic rites, the kings chose to request the Pope the creation of a court, controlled by the monarchy, to act against heretics and converted that were continuing practise Judaic rites. The bulla Exigit Sincerae Devotionis granted in 1478 by Sixto IV supposed the creation of the Court of the Holy Office of the Inquisition. In Galicia, nevertheless, the establishment of this court was very late and the first reference dates back of 1520.