“En Mallorques han venguts de Portugal ”: a compilation of notes on the arrival of Jews from Portugal in Palma de Mallorca (1394)

Abstract

Beginning in November 1391, King John I of Aragon took a range of measures for the restoration of Majorca’s aljama (a Spanish term of Arabic origin used in old official documents to designate the self-governing communities of Moors and Jews living under Spanish rule). One such measure was aimed at repopulating the aljama by encouraging the Jews who had left the island to return and offering those from elsewhere refuge. In 1394, a group of Jews from Portugal arrived at Palma de Mallorca. Long known to scholars, this has always been viewed as a one-off event of little consequence, mainly because it soon ceased to be mentioned in documents. This article sets out to see how much can be gleaned from what little information is available and to look at its meaningfulness as a whole, with a view to placing the event in the context of the circumstances in both the Kingdom of Portugal and Palma de Mallorca at that time.

Keywords: Kingdom of Portugal, Palma de Mallorca, Majorca’s aljama, Jewish quarter, 14th century, 1396