Maghreb Jews in the Portuguese Empire (16th Century)

Abstract

This paper aims at analyzing the relationship of exception between Portugal and the Jewish communities of some Portuguese regions in the North of Africa in the XVI century. It expresses a legal perspective of the intentions and decisions of the Portuguese crown in face of Jews and the Maghreb Jewish communities during Portuguese overtaking. Despite the intolerance to which this religious minority was treated inside the kingdom and other parts of the Portuguese Empire, on the coast of Morocco, the relationship between jews and the Portuguese government was of dialogue, negotiation and exchange. Whether in the kingdom they had been targets of persecution, expulsion or forced religious conversions, in the Portuguese region of Maghreb they were protected and had their religious and communitary identities respected. Being a place of difficult access and dominium by the Portuguese, the Jewish communities served as a support for the conquering and the upkeep of Portuguese possessions in the region. Mainly constituted by inhabitants of Iberian familial origin, the Jewish communities of Portuguese squares in the North of Africa were part of the political and commercial connection between Christians and Muslins in Morocco and favored Portuguese interests in the regions.