History: The History of Jews in Medieval Catalunia & Spain - Essay Sample

Introduction

Jewish are the people who have ancestry origin from present-day Israel. They have moved to a different part of the world. The community is one of the most widespread cities in the world. The Jewish community’s rise was not easy in the ancient ages as it faced persecution and many other bad things even death. Christianity and Muslims were the primary threat to the region till the end of the Jews’ persecution. It did not only happen in Spain, but it was all over Europe. The Jews did not have a chance to do business or worship freely. The paper explains the rise of the Jews in Spain, their rights, treatment, and how it is now.

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The rise of the Jews in Spain

Spanish Jewry was one of the largest communities in the world. It dominated Europe, and it occupied many parts of Spain. The success of the Jewish community in Spain was until the Alhambra Decree that gave the Jews the option to convert or face exile or death. Many Jews between 200,000 and 300,000 had to denounce their religion, and between 40,000 and 100,000 were forced into exile. Today estimated population of Jews who live in Spain is around 13,000 and 50,000 in the following areas; Madrid, Barcelona, and Malaga (Watson, 2020). A Spanish-speaking group came from Northern Morrocco and the Ashkenazi who arrived in Spain from different parts of the world, such as Latin America.

The Events

The arrival of Jews in Spain was around the sixteenth century. Some say it was King Solomon’s time, while others say that it was the consequence of the exile ordered by Nebchardrezzar. Historians explain the first Jew to come to Spain was after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 C.E. They first settled on the Mediterranean coast and then spread to other parts such as the Iberian Peninsula. The oldest landmark of Jewish in Spain is the trilingual inscription in Tarragona (Watson, 2020). Little is known about the Spanish-Jewish communities before the eighth century. The Romans ensured the Jews had the same treatment. The reign of Visigoth tolerated the Jews, and many made a living through farming. In 586, when King Recardo converted to Christianity, Jews started to face trouble for close to one century.

The Arabs came in 711, and the Jews cooperated with them because they needed allies in the new land. The caliphate of Cordoba in 926 introduced the golden age of Judaism on the Islamic earth (Watson, 2020). The relationship between the Arabs and the Jews led to the translation of many Greek contents into Arabic. It contributed to tremendous cultural prosperity. In the 11 century, Arab Spain was Granada, and the leader was Nagid, who emphasized the development of literature, art, and tradition (Watson, 2020). The invasion of Almohads of Morocco in 1146 led to the prohibition of Judaism, forcing the Jews to hide the relation or convert.

Alfonso VII established a promising new frontier that protected the Jews using the Christian Monarchs. Jews grew wealthy, and they did thrive in all the business. As early as the 12th century, the whole of Spain except Granada were Christians. At the time, Toledo became the new Jerusalem, the Jewish capital city, and many people such as the Rabbis, Talmudists, and financiers lived there (Watson, 2020). The Fourth Lateran Council implied the anti-Jewish measures, and it caused a lot of problems because the Jews were taken out of numerous positions. The anti-Jewish campaign was launched in 1378. In 1391, the riot led to the destruction of the Juderia. Many Jews had to convert to save their lives.

After the conquest of Granada, Isabella, and Fernando, the signing of the decree of 31 March 1492 was very challenging even though the Jews had to choose between two things exile or conversion (Watson, 2020). Many Jews at the time preferred exile to baptism. After the Jews, mass exile, Duque came up with a stimulating plan for the Spanish economic development. In the eighteenth century, some thinkers became aware of the losses resulting from the departure of the Jews. King Charles VI canceled the act but remained vigilant. In 1862 the management of the different parts of the city was allowed to the Jews.

History of Judaism in Catalonia

The life of the Jews who lived in the North-Eastern Spanish Province of Catalonia is a topic explained by many people. The Jews experienced less time during the Moslem occupation, and the Christian rulers impacted it very much. In the part of Spain, the call and the Aljamas controlled the lives of the Jews. The Greek rules guided the culture and practice of the Jews. The story of famous leaders such as Rabbi Israel and Rabbi Solomon played a huge role in the community’s success. In Catalonia, in the 12 century, there were five centers:

The Barcelona center was active between the 12th century and 1391, and it comprised small zones such as Sant Honorat, Sant Sever, La Fruita, and Marlet. The Synagogue was at the 7 Calle de Sant Domenec del Call. It was next to the house of Rabissi Nissim. The synagogue of Barcelona is one of the oldest synagogues in Spain. It is one of the great synagogues built in the 6th century. Gerona was the second most crucial community because of the quality of scholars. Gerona, a center of the Jews in Catalonia, had three synagogues, and the first stood near the cathedral till its demolition in 1312. The second was Carrer de la Forca closed in 1415. The third synagogue stood at 10 Carrer de la Forca where the municipal official set up the Port Center for Jewish Studies (“JGuide Europe,” 2020).

In the fall of Carcassone 1209, the Jews took the community and rebuilt it. The small town of Olot is known for its Jewish communities and maintained the commercial, cultural, and religious activities of the Jews. In the 13th century, Catalonia absorbed many Jews fleeing the war from Languedoc. The Jews’ traces in the city are the hard-only dedication of the new synagogue found in 1940. The synagogue was burned at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War (“JGuide Europe,” 2020).

Tortosa was home to Jews, one of the oldest communities as seen in the headstone discovered in the 19th century. Today’s evidence is the inscription in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that features David’s two stars. The Jewish community thrived during the rule of the Arabs, and in the reign of Berenguer, the Jews obtained the right to build houses. Benedict XIII, who hoped to have Jews convert to Christianity, wanted the Tortosa to settle for Jeronimo of Santa Fe or other rabbis. Finally, the call that stood between Tarragona and Lerida (“JGuide Europe,” 2020). It is the other center of the Jews that was not as prominent as the rest.

Jewish Rights and Treatment

Over the centuries, the Jewish community grew in number and influence. Jews faced widespread persecution and were forced to convert to Christianity during the reign of Henry III. The pogroms in Spain threatened the peace of the Jewish community. It was a matter of life, and the Jews had to choose between baptism and death. The locals killed many Jews, and those who converted to Christianity, known as Conversos, faced suspicion and prejudice. The Marranos remained as the converted Jewish who practiced Jewish teaching in secret. The Marranos could become a danger to Christians in Spain after Ferdinard and Isabella’s Marriage in 1469 (Vose, 2009).

The Roman Empire ruled Europe, and it allowed no other religion. Unlike other people, the Jews did not have the right, and the rulers restricted their freedoms and rights. The Jews did not have freedom of movement and could only reside in strictly controlled areas. Many rulers at the time closed their interaction and did not allow Jews to enter their countries. In many states, Jews could not buy land or even houses (Vose, 2009). The Jews had to stay in assigned areas referred to as “ghettos.” It clearly shows the type of life they lived in the ghettos, which means there were no suitable living conditions in those places. Jews had restrictions on the kind of job they would take. The proper job was not for Jews in Spain. It was worse in some countries where they did not do any job except trading and lending money.

Compared Spain with the rest of Europe

The treatment of the Jews in other parts of the world was worse. In a country like Germany, the leader at the time killed the Jews to eliminate the religion. The Nazis did not treat the Jewish fairly. Jews were not to participate in civil service and those in law and teaching professions. The school’s lesson that favored the Jews got Untermensch. The Germans boycotted the Jewish Shops and other businesses (Lindemann, 1997). People and the government offers were not allowed to enter the Jewish places of work. The government denied the Jewish people citizenship, and marriage was illegal. Promising professions like Medicine were not for the Jewish people, and they had to carry I.D.s with a J mark (Lowney, 2006). The children did not have access to education. The Jewish men had to add the word Israel to their name and the women had to add Sarah. The killing of Jews was the order of the day, for example, the well-known Kristallnacht.

The Current Situation of the Jews in Spain

The current population of Spanish-speaking Jews in Spain resides in provinces to the northeast of Spain. The reduced biases towards the Jewish-speaking communities are a result of regional integration and immigration. Spanish people understand the existence of differences in language and cultural practices among the different communities in Spain. These cultural significances create grounds for respect and understanding, especially in social platforms where all the Spanish provinces count in national decisions.

Jews faced expulsion from European countries between the 13th to 15th centuries. Over time, the Jewish-speaking communities found their way to Europe due to regional integration and textile trade. Most of these had Spanish and Portuguese descent but did not establish their residency in Spain because of the fear of religious discrimination. It was not until the national campaigns and advocacy by Doctor Angel Pulido to nationally accept these small groups’ existence in the early 1900s that the Jews and other communities linked to the Sepharad (i Mabres, 2009). Since then, Jews have gradually acclimated to the Spanish populations, adopting and accepting their cultures while pursuing their religious activities.

Differences between Spain/Catalonia/Europe

Spain received its sovereignty to rule over its 50 provinces and people, and for the longest part of history, Spain’s leadership fell under kings and autonomous rulers. Religious practices have seen change and transition. The Jews suffered for their faith in all European continents forced into conversion, slavery, or death sentences. The country, also called the Kingdom of Spain, is a member of the European Union and NATO.

Spain vs. Catalonia

Catalonia is a province in the northeast of Spain which holds significant differences among the people. It is an autonomous province where the Catalan people are alienated from the national government because of the contemporary issues surrounding culture, religion, and political practices. The language in Catalonia is Catalan, but over the past seasons of immigration, national integration, and social interactions, the Spanish populations have continued to increase thei...