The Portuguese Inquisition’s general history has yet to be written. This article explores the reason of such a surprising dearth, in a close comparison with the Italian and Spanish cases.
A wide range of works is here discussed in order to promote a perspective from which the first critical synthesis on the Portuguese Inquisition could come to light. Firstly, classic historiography will be analyzed up to the ‘Carnation Revolution’ (1974). Since then, modern historiography has remarkably developed. So, the focus will be on the three main lines of research on a court that marked the religious life of early modern Portugal: the relationship of the Inquisition with State and society; the collaboration between the inquisitors and other ecclesiastical agents, as well as the forms of resistance from inside the Church; the multifaceted action of the Inquisition in the colonial empire. 56 The state of art about the Portuguese Inquisition is radically different than about the Spanish one. 57 It is available only a list elaborated by Maria do Carmo Jasmins Dias Farinha, ‘Ministros do Consel22Moving from the inquisitorial apparatus to the upper hierarchies, the scenario is surprisingly disheartening. There are few available works, which are often outdated and until now have not shed any light on the role of the delicate power balances in the functioning of the higher bodies of the tribunal or that of clientary ties in the selection of internal personnel.
There is still no overview of the activities of an inquisitor-general, while the working of the General Council of the Holy Office also remains unexplored. Although they have often been claimed, prosopographic studies have never been fully developed, despite the fact that the Torre do Tombo has a wealth of documents that could easily enable scholars to recreate almost every stage of an inquisitorial career. 96 Bruno Feitler, ‘L’Inquisizione universale e le Inquisizioni nazionali: tracce per uno studio sui r33A promising sector for research has been opened up in recent years, that of direct relations between the Portuguese Inquisition and its Spanish counterpart, as well as with the Roman Congregation of the Holy Office.
University Of Lisbon
This offers possible perspectives not just for the history of concrete relations between the three modern tribunals, but also for a comparison of their institutional forms and judicial strategies. For the moment, it presents an as yet blurred image of a general collaboration between the tribunals, albeit one that did not lack friction, sometimes due to a show of force or even due to profound procedural differences.
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( June 2008)Jewish populations have existed in the area even before the, back to the (province of ), even though an attested Jewish presence in Portuguese territory, can only be documented since 482 CE. With the fall of the, Jews were persecuted by the and other European Christian kingdoms which controlled the area after that period.In 711, the of the Iberian Peninsula was seen by many in the Jewish population as a liberation, and marked as the beginning of what many have seen as the (the ), even if the Jews, as well as the Christians (the of the ), under Muslim rule were considered, and had to pay a special tax.Rapidly in the 8th century, the Christian kingdoms of the north mountainous areas of the Iberian Peninsula started a long military campaign against the Muslim invaders, the. The Jews, since many knew the, were used by the Christians as both spies and diplomats on this campaign that took centuries. This granted them some respect, although there was always prejudice. InteriorPorto The Jewish Community of was officially recognized in 1923. It brings together the Jews from Porto.
Its headquarters are located in Rua de Guerra Junqueiro, no. 340, in Porto, where the 'Mekor Haim' (Fountain of Life) is located, the largest synagogue in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the largest in. According to the official website of the Jewish Community of Porto, it is ruled by the philosophy of and among its members one finds Jews from sources as diverse as, Portugal, Mexico and Venezuela. Kadoorie Mekor Haim synagogue. InteriorBelmonte The Jewish community of was officially recognized in 1989. It brings together the and its surroundings.
Its headquarters are located in Rua Fonte Rosa, 6250-041, Belmonte, where the Synagogue Beit Eliahu (House of Elijah) was built. According to the official blog of the Jewish community of Belmonte, this is the only community in Portugal that can be considered truly. Its members are descendants of that managed to preserve many of the rites, prayers and social relations throughout the period of the Inquisition, marrying inside a community constituted by a few families. Beit Eliahu synagogue.