In 1391, a wave of anti-Jewish riots swept through Christian Spain, leaving thousands dead and leading many thousands more to accept Christianity (sometimes by force) or to flee the country. As a result, the Church became increasingly suspicious of the sincerity of these former Jews’ conversions, which were then duly investigated by the Inquisition. Ecclesiastical authorities were particularly exercised about the possible influence of Spain’s large Jewish population on their former coreligionists, a concern that eventually led to the expulsion of the remaining Jews in 1492.
Maya Soifer Irish explains the background to this outburst of violence, which marked the beginning of the end of what was then the world’s largest Jewish population, and delves into the specific constellation of political, economic, and religious factors that set off the riots in Seville, the city where they began. (Interview by Nachi Weinstein. Audio, 88 minutes.)
Read more on Seforim Chatter: https://seforimchatter.com/2023/07/12/spanish-jewry-through-the-ages-episode-7-prof-maya-soifer-irish-the-spanish-riots-of-1391-in-the-kingdom-of-castile/