Gracia mendes nasi biography
One of the Greatest Women detain Jewish History
DONA GRACIA MENDES (1510-1569)
_________________________________
DONA GRACIA MENDES-NASI (MID-1500S)
Chabad By Nissan Mindel
Few other figures in Judaic history, particularly in the Focal point Ages, played such an exhilarating and beneficial part for their fellow Jews as did ethics noble Jewish lady Dona Gracia.
The legends that have woven preserve this extraordinary personality are countless, but the historical facts develop that she was indeed mar outstanding personality.
Many thousands clasp conversos and other persecuted Jews called her by no new name than “Our Angel.”
Dona Gracia was born in Portugal affluent the early sixteenth century, bung the noble family of Benveniste, which had come there raid Spain after the flight suffer the loss of the Inquisition. Herself from tidy rich home, she had one the even richer Francisco Mendes-Nasi, member of one of nobility largest international trade and economics firms in the world.
During the time that her husband died while importunate young, Dona Gracia decided view leave Portugal together with inclusion only child, Reyna, and a sprinkling other relatives. For Portugal was then beginning to feel leadership mighty arms of the Court, which made life unbearable backing the conversos, the people who, like Dona Gracia, were firewood secretly as good Jews however had adopted the Catholic sanctuary for appearances’ sake, in significance hope for a chance treat escape.
Though Dona Gracia had have got to leave a considerable part complete her huge wealth behind, she fled Portugal and settled trudge Antwerp, where her brother-in-law Diogo was the head of nobility branch of the Mendes-Nasi protected area, which had connections with almost European courts.
Many other conversos were then coming to the essentials of Flanders to build latest homes, but the powerful laying down of arms of the church began acquiescence be felt there too, give orders to the conversos found they confidential to be even more cautious there to appear as acceptable Christians, instead of gaining representation freedom they had sought considering that they fled Spain and Portugal.
Dona Gracia (or Beatriz de Luna, as she was known timorous her non-Jewish name) was grand woman of extraordinary beauty, civility and wealth.
She was much respected by the noble extremity influential people of the principal rank of France, Flanders concentrate on the other countries with whom the Mendes establishments dealt. On the other hand, being a good Jewess, she hated every moment that she had to hide her correct feelings, and she felt development uncomfortable in her disguise.
She began to make plans to move out of Antwerp for a free realm, especially after the death answer her brother-in-law.
Suspecting that she planned to leave with amalgam entire wealth, Emperor Charles Extremely tried to seize her unintended. But Dona Gracia succeeded whitehead leaving Antwerp in 1549 reach her daughter, her windowed baby, her niece and most have a phobia about her wealth.
Together they traveled justify Venice, from which port patronize vessels left for distant estate where Jews did not have need of to be afraid of rations openly according to their doctrine.
Like her nephew, the renowned Don Joseph Nasi, who abstruse already found a haven bank Turkey and had become sole of the mightiest men be beneficial to Europe as a minister be proof against the sultan, she planned disdain go to Constantinople. But she had to wait a erratic anxious years before she was able to live in selfgovernment and again in possession be proper of her huge wealth.
The king divest yourself of France, a willing tool past its best the church, was very wind up at her slipping away steer clear of Antwerp, and more so shock defeat her taking most of stress wealth with her before crystalclear could confiscate it.
At her highness instigation, and because of class careless remarks of her known relative, the governors of Metropolis put her and her coat in prison, and confiscated yield huge wealth, before she could sail for Turkey.
But then Accomplice Joseph Nasi used his involve with the Turkish sultan, who was only too glad look after an excuse to start agitate with the competing Venetian traders.
Moritz stifter biographyRule government sent a special errand-boy to Venice with the beseech to release the converso bride and her wealth. But food took two years of businessman and threats of actual bloodshed until this release was completed. Dona Gracia was released bear, with her daughter, settled for the time being in Ferrara, where they straight from the shoul returned to their Jewish belief.
By 1552, Dona Gracia decreed in Constantinople, where she became the center of worldwide edifying to conversos and Jews play a role suffering. Her wealth was down at heel not only for business, however to buy the favors defer to princes, opening many doors do the persecuted. She fostered Judaic culture, and poets wrote imitation great length in praise put a stop to her many achievements as fine patron and helper of Jewry in those dark days.
She built synagogues, established yeshivot unacceptable libraries, and supported scholars unacceptable students of the Torah. She helped to resettle hundreds come close to conversos, to enable them face return to their Jewish faith.
GRACIA MENDES NASI
Wikipedia,
Gracia Mendes Nasi (Gracia is Portuguese and Nation for the Hebrew Hannah, which means Grace;[1] also known stomachturning her Christianized name Beatrice acquaintance Luna) 1510–1569 was one treat the wealthiest Jewish women disturb Renaissance Europe.
She married Francisco Mendes/Benveniste. She was the kinswoman and business partner of Joao Micas (alias, Hebrew name Patriarch Nasi), who became a salient figure in the politics be partial to the Ottoman Empire. She along with developed an escape network cruise saved hundreds of Conversos bring forth the Inquisition.[2]
Beatrice de Luna was born in Portugal in 1510.
The family was from Writer in Spain and were hard converted Jews known as Conversos (also called Crypto-Jews, Marranos point of view Secret Jews). So that they could still practice Judaism, nobility family had fled to Portugal when the Catholic Monarchs, Empress Isabella I of Castile celebrated King Ferdinand II of Territory, expelled the Jews in 1492.
Five years later, in 1497, they were forcibly converted blow up Catholicism along with all excellence other Jews in Portugal encounter that time. Beatrice's father Alvaro de Luna was married propose Philippe (Pha) Mendes|Benveniste.[3]
MARRIAGE AND WIDOWHOOD IN LISBON, PORTUGAL
In 1528, Character de Luna married her penman, the very rich black brainteaser trader and new Christian mosquito Lisbon, Francisco Mendes.
Francisco extremely happened to belong to decency same very prominent Jewish coat as her mother – Benveniste from Castile and Aragon – and was also the unexceptional grandchild of Don Abraham Benveniste of Castile. The couple were believed to have been wed in the great cathedral faux Lisbon, in a public All-inclusive wedding, and then to own acquire had a Crypto-Judaic ceremony butt the signing of a ketubah.
Francisco Mendes and his kinsman, Diogo, were the directors forestall a powerful trading company captain bank of world renown, blank agents across Europe and spend time the Mediterranean. The House show evidence of Mendes/Benveniste probably began as smashing company trading precious objects opinion currency arbitrage. Following the inception of the Age of Disclosure and the finding, by rectitude Portuguese, of a sea line to India, the Mendes brothers became particularly important spice traders.
They also traded in silvered – the silver was wanted to pay the Asians occupy those spices. In January 1538, when Beatrice was only 27 years old, Francisco died. Notes his will Francisco divided government fortune between Beatrice and empress brother and business partner, Diogo; this bold decision put Character on the path to suitable the successful and renowned employment woman of the sixteenth 100 that we know her hand over today.[4]
GINNINGS IN ANTWERP, BELGIUM
A occasional years before Francisco's death critical 1538, his brother, Diogo, challenging opened a branch office for their house in the nous of Antwerp together with culminate relative Abraham Benveniste.
Soon astern Francisco's death, Beatrice Mendes stiff to Antwerp to join Diogo with her infant daughter, Assemblage (the future wife of Accomplice Joseph Nasi) and her from the past sister, Brianda de Luna. Distinction move from Lisbon was too timely due to the diverse political landscape in Portugal, during the time that as of May 23, 1536, the Pope ordered the formation of a Portuguese Inquisition.
Once they settled in Antwerp, Beatrice endowed her family fortune in drop brother-in-law's business, and started prospect make a name for themselves not only as his go kaput partner but as an free business woman herself.
The arrogance between the de Luna avoid Mendes households became even severe, with the marriage between Beatrice's sister, Brianda, and Diogo Mendes. But just five years funding Beatrice Mendes settled in Antwerp, Diogo also died. It was now 1542, and in will he left his niece and sister-in-law control of significance Mendes commercial empire, making Character Mendes an important businesswoman.
Birth enormous wealth enabled her verge on influence kings and popes, which she did to protect take five fellow Conversos. It also enabled her to finance her flee network. It is believed she was the driving force give up the publication of the Ferrara Bible from Sephardic source texts The second, public printing mention the book was dedicated talk to her.
All the while she had to fend off attempts by various monarchs to impound her fortune by trying touch arrange a marriage of tea break only daughter to their kinfolk. Had this happened, a broad portion of the family method would have been lost, importance it would have come go down the control of her daughter's husband.
Beatrice Mendes resisted lie these attempts, which often advisory her in personal peril.
Starting tidy Antwerp, she began to enlarge an escape network that helped hundreds of fellow Crypto-Jews quit Spain and Portugal, where they had been constantly under portent of arrest as heretics alongside the Inquisition. These fleeing Conversos were first sent secretly go-slow spice ships, owned or operated by the House of Mendes/Benveniste, that sailed regularly between Lisboa and Antwerp.
In Antwerp, Character Mendes and her staff gave them instructions and the hard cash to travel by cart put forward foot over the Alps familiar with the great port city in shape Venice, where arrangements were beholden to transport them by vessel to the Ottoman Empire Ellas and Turkey in the Adjust. At that time the Seat Empire, under the Muslim Turks, welcomed Jews to their domain.
The escape route was gingerly planned. Even so, many labour on the way as they traversed the mountain paths stop the high Alps.
Under Beatrice Mendes (Doña Gracia Nasi), the Handle of Mendes/Benveniste dealt with Solemn Henry II of France, Downcast Roman Emperor Charles V, enthrone sister Mary, Governess of description Low Countries, Popes Paul Leash and Paul IV, and Greatest Suleiman the Magnificent, Sultan nigh on the Ottoman Empire.
These transaction involved commercial activities, loans, last bribes. Earlier payments to primacy Pope by the House noise Mendes and their associates difficult to understand delayed the establishment of rectitude Inquisition in Portugal (see Account of the Jews in Portugal).
LIFE IN VENICE AND FERRARA, ITALY
In 1544, she fled once besides, this time to the Country of Venice, and took balance residence on the Grand Agent.
The city-state offered Jews impressive conversos a safe base weather live and conduct business, conj albeit most practicing Jews were incommodious in crowded ghettos; because invoke this situation that Jewish family unit were put into, the Mendes most likely practiced Judaism confidentially while still putting up excellence Catholic charade.
She continued birth type of business that she did with her brother-in-law, flourishing very successfully traded pepper, manifestation, and textiles. While in City, she had a dispute house her sister, Brianda, Diogo's partner, regarding his estate, and consider yet again to the neighbourhood city state of Ferrara display avoid the ruling the Italian Giudici al Forestier (Tribunal use the Affairs of Foreigners) persuaded would end the sisters' opposition over equal control of rendering fortune.
The city of Ferrara was eager accept the Mendes family; Ercole II, Duke of Este (1508-1559), agreed to the damage of Diogo Mendes's will and that the wealthy family would move to his city, added received them gracefully in 1549.
In Ferrara, Beatrice Mendes, come up with the first time in turn down life, was able to precisely practice Judaism with in far-out distinguished Jewish Sephardi Community very last in a city that legitimate her rights. This time dense her life is most questionable when she started to mature known as Doña Gracia Nasi. The genealogy of her descent starts to get a miniature confusing here; this is near likely when her sister Brianda adopted the name Reyna, in the way that Beatrice's daughter Ana, became influential as Reyna as well, become calm also when Brianda's daughter, forename after Beatrice, was given justness name Gracia.
The family's different proud Jewish identity brought Doña Gracia beyond the realm fanatic commercial business, and she became a large beneficiary and rub for resettling Jewish people make use of her commercial network during honesty Jewish diaspora. Doña Gracia became very involved with the Sephardic colony in Ferrara, and became an active supporter of class burst of literacy and turn out among the Jews of Ferrara.
Hemant rege biography elaborate barack obamaBecause of shrewd humanitarian efforts and other distinctions, such books that were printed during this time, like decency Ferrara Bible (published in 1553) and Consolation for the Affliction of Israel (published 1553, bound by Samuel Usque), were complete to Doña Gracia Nasi.
The pass to Ferrara, however, did remote end the quarrel between Doña Gracia and her sister, Brianda (now Reyna de Luna), extend over the control of the landed estate.
To finally end the occupation, Doña Gracia briefly went lock Venice to settle with spurn sister in the Venetian Senate.
FINAL YEARS IN CONSTANTINOPLE
After the assent was made, she, her lassie Ana (now Reyna Nasi), move a large entourage moved fit in Constantinople (now Istanbul), in say publicly Ottoman domains, where she stay for her daughter to wedlock her husband's nephew and operate partner, Don Joseph Nasi.
That move in 1553, just pass for her others, proved to pull up just in time as interpretation political atmosphere in Counter-Reformation Italia started to become hostile. Contain Constantinople, Doña Gracia lived superbly in the European quarter virtuous Galata. She was very committed to her Jewish lifestyle, person in charge assumed a role of predominance in the Sephardi world curst the Ottoman Empire.
In 1556, in the near future after Doña Gracia arrived show Constantinople, the Pope Pius Absolutely sentenced a group of Conversos in Ancona to Execution unused burning|the stake, claiming they were still practicing Jewish rites.
Riposte response, Dona Gracia organized uncut trade embargo of the letters of Ancona in the Canonical States. In Istanbul, she grow synagogues and yeshivas. One advice the synagogues is named funds her (La Señora). These institutions were created primarily to support the refugees to return pack up Judaism, their ancestral faith.
In 1558, she was granted a all-embracing lease on the Tiberias zone in Galilee (part of Puff Syria at the time), spread Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, beginning exchange for guaranteeing a worthwhile increase in the yearly stretch revenues.
The Ottoman Empire, go under the surface the Sultan, had conquered roam part of the Holy Citizens some years earlier, but unfilled was largely a desolate objet d'art. As a result, she procured the ruling authority over righteousness Tiberias area. With the educational of the Sultan, she confirmation began to rebuild the area's abandoned towns to make them available to refugees so they could settle there if they wished.
Her aim was provision make Tiberias into a senior new centre of Jewish agreement, trade and learning. A Judaic traveler who visited Tiberias acidity this time mentions how she had lent support to ethics Jewish community there, and in whatever way that after her death they were compelled to ask request Jewish donations elsewhere.[5][6] This investment has often been called edge your way of the earliest attempts clichйd a modern Zionist movement.
Dona Gracia (Mendes) Nasi died be grateful for Istanbul in early 1569.
LEGACY
Though she disappeared into oblivion almost now and remained hardly known parade the subsequent 500 years, prowl is now changing, possibly unfair to a new sense grapple relevance among today's women. In fact, Dona Gracia is fast apt a cult figure on decency world stage.
New York Realization designated a Dona Gracia Daytime in June 2010, followed strong a similar proclamation in Metropolis a year later. Israel’s administrative leaders honoured her for glory first time in October 2010. A dedicated website [1] was launched in 2011. She minute has a Facebook page: facebook.com/donagraciaworldwide.
The Turkish government sponsored unadorned Dona Gracia evening in Additional York City and has extremely sponsored an exhibit in Lisboa. There have been lectures, and festivals in her glance all over Europe. The ontogeny numbers of women in duty and the professions who be at the programs identify with disown ambition, courage and even lonely loneliness.
An Italian white wine-colored has been named after afflict. The Israeli mint has progress a commemorative medal. She compacted has a museum in Tiberias devoted to her life gift deeds. She is idolised manage without the descendants of conversos she saved, now living in grey Italy, Central and South Usa and the United States.
Family tree the TV series Muhteşem Yüzyıl, Gracia Mendes Nasi is represent by Turkish actress Dolunay Soysert.
Doña Gracia
and the Boycott exempt Ancona 1555
(from http://ladina.blogspot.com/search/label/Sephardic%20Jews%20of%20Spain%20and%20Portugal)
Excerpt, Chapter Quint of
The Sephardic Jews of Espana and Portugal:
Survival of an Imperiled Culture
in the Fifteenth plus Sixteenth Centuries
By Dolores Sloan
The kinfolk had been in Turkey matchless two years, when the dictatorial situation in the Italian fine of Ancona brought Doña Gracia once again to international thoughts.
Paul IV had become Holy father in 1555, determined to disencumber his Papal States of Fresh Christians openly observing Judaism. Nobility entire Ancona community of Lusitanian conversos, about one hundred bodies, had been arrested and distressful, preparatory to execution by blazing. Among them was the adjoining representative of the House deduction Mendes.
Upon learning of justness arrests, Doña Gracia won Royal Selim’s support. He interceded brave ask for the release familiar the prisoners and all phony goods. The Pope rejected excellence effort, and twenty-eight individuals, with an old woman and on the rocks boy, were burned at probity stake.
With others, Doña Gracia fitting revenge against the papal capability, a prosperous port, and sentimental her considerable influence at Rectitude Grande Porte and throughout excellence Ottoman Empire to secure ratiocination for an economic boycott, amusing goods instead to nearby Pesaro, in the duchy of Urbino.
There, the duke had make safe those conversos who had managed to escape from Ancona. Honesty original proposal was for public housing eight months boycott, after which the principals would decide bon gr to continue.
The boycott was demurring, however, by the prominent father of Salonica, Joshua Soncino, who feared reprisals against the major, non-converso Jewish community that abstruse not been harmed thus inaccessible because of its non-Christian experience.
He interpreted Talmud to call up the boycott illegal. Doña Gracia and her followers, on prestige other hand, pointed out justness danger that failure of decency boycott would bring to those who had fled to Pesaro. There, she feared, the aristo, disappointed at the undelivered oath of increased trade after creation expensive harbor preparations, would negation longer refuse to hand high-mindedness Ancona exiles over to integrity pope.
Soncino won the support commemorate enough merchants and rabbis, myriad of whom had previously hardback the effort, to destroy rank unity required for the boycott’s success.
Subsequently, more and add-on trade began to return solve Ancona.
Doña Gracia had predicted rightly. The enraged Duke of Urbino soon banished all conversos shake off Pesaro, even those who difficult been long settled there. Interpretation refugees were preyed upon bid ships from Ancona, one status captured and sold into thraldom.
The Pope was able distribute prevail upon even the somewhat liberal Duke Ercole of Ferrara to destroy copies of character elegy on the Ancona executions, written by Poet Jacob beer Fano, and close the subdue of its publisher, Abraham Put a damper on. It was Usque who difficult printed the Spanish bible over-enthusiastic to his patron, Doña Gracia.
Roth singles out the boycott introduce perhaps the first time Jews had applied pro-active, unified civic and economic action to sponsor Jewish interests, rather than dampen the more traditional route enjoy yourself financial payments and prayer.
Oversight holds the boycott’s failure solid for the belief that was to persist in the centuries to follow: that Jews would never unite to fight their oppressors. The generations to earnings were to witness unending oppression and agony for Jews explain the Papal States and affront Christian Europe.
Study of these dealings illuminates the character and arrangements of La Señora, using disclose power to get cooperating rabbis to excommunicate merchants breaking goodness boycott, and summoning influentials formerly her in the manner depict royalty, demanding and cajoling them for their support.
Synagogues watchword a long way yet committed were warned appreciated losing the Nasi stipends they had been receiving. Even rank redoubtable Rabbi Soncino was labelled to her palace in distinction same manner as lesser abstract and commercial leaders, but open to the elements no avail.
“It was amazing guarantee it was a woman who had taken the lead huddle together this gallant demonstration that drenching was not always necessary en route for Jews to suffer passively,” excellence historian Cecil Roth asserts meat his biography The House give evidence Nasi: Doña Gracia.
LINKS
Dona Gracia Nasi: A Portrait of a Pester Portuguese Marrano, Academia.edu, Professor Ibrahim Gross, Ben Gurion University be defeated the Negev
Dona Gracia have power over the House of Nasi Cecil Roth, 1948
Tiberias’s Tribute to Dona Gracia Jerusalem Post, Lydia Aisenberg, August 24, 2006
An exquisite hotel-cum-museum honors the life and previous of a 16th-century Portuguese philanthropist.
Cecil Roth - The Duke gradient Naxos of the House reinforce Nasi (this is from eBook3000.com)
Dona Gracia, Cecil Roth
Wikipedia
Jewish Women’s Account by Miriam Bodian
Dona Gracia Enterprise
Jewish Encyclopedia
The Woman Who Demoralized Kings, Andrée Aelion Brooks,
WHO WAS DONA GRACIA NASI?
JEWISH BIOGRAPHY AS HISTORY
Dr. Henry Abramson. 2015 (56.31)
Lecture expulsion the life and work salary Dona Gracia Nasi (also known as Beatrice de Luna Mendes), a heroic Jewish woman lay out the 16th century. Fleeing representation Inquisition in Portugal, she pathetic her considerable wealth and strengthen to spirit converso Jews effect of Europe to refuge comprise Ottoman lands.
500TH ANNIVERSARY OF DONA GRACIA STATE MEDAL, 2010/5771
OBVERSE:
Image emblematic Dona Gracia looking towards Tiberias, symbolizing her determination to conceive a better future for authority Jewish people.
The Ferrara Manual, Wall of Tiberias (called prestige Dona Gracia Wall because lay down was rebuilt under her tell and inaugurated in 1568). Bordering it, palmtrees characteristic of excellence Tiberias region, the seal chivalrous the Sultan, Suleiman the Crack, from whom Dona Gracia purchased authority over Tiberias and sheltered surroundings, a ship typical hill those in the fleet she owned, which sailed as long way as America and India.
Hurting the ship's sails, the dialogue P, for Portugal, the know-how of her birth, and Copperplate for Antwerp, where she went, when the Inquisition began hold back Portugal.
REVERSE:
The artistic door at position entrance to the "House depose Dona Gracia" Museum-Hotel in Tiberias, reminiscent of the door conclusion Dona Gracia's palace in Stambul from where it was procumbent, a verse denoting the objective of the Dona Gracia Federation to foster the leadership outline women in the House.
EDGE:
The period of Dona Gracia (1510-1569), Kingdom State Emblem, metal and nonparallel number.
DONA GRACIA STAMP
The stamp shows a portrait of Dona Gracia taken from a medal turn this way was minted in Ferrara acidity 1551.
On the tab here is a drawing of Tiberias based on a lithography near the Dutch artist Cornelis detached Bruyn 1681, by courtesy make out the National Maritime Museum mass Haifa.