Characteristics and identities of Jewish converts from Lleida, according to records of late 15th-century inquisitorial trials

Abstract

This paper analyses records of the inquisitorial trials of 15 secondgeneration Jewish converts from Lleida in the final decade of the 15th century. The individuals on trial were largely modest artisans, the majority of them women, from families of considerable importance in the city. The documents studied reveal that the tried converts shared certain characteristics in relation to the most common observances, such as the celebration of the Yom Kippur fast, Passover and the Sabbath, as well as various practices involving culinary habits and almsgiving, which generally reflected cultural conventions and served as a channel for socialisation and the expression of personal identity. While the practices in question were not acquired in a family context during childhood, parental prompting was a major factor in engaging in them. The records also point to substantial scepticism about Christianity’s principles among the accused, many of whom secretly believed in the Mosaic religion as the true path to salvation.

Keywords: Lleida, Lerida, aljama, Inquisition, Jews, converts, ceremonies