Nope . . . This has nothing to do with Christopher Columbus packing his bags and leaving for America. It does, however, have everything to do with Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. You’ll most likely remember them as the Spanish royal duo who provided the financing for Columbus’ westward excursion, because that’s what you were taught in your earliest history classes.

But did you know that there were other famous — or, rather, infamous — acts attributable to them? For example, on this date — March 31st — in that same year of 1492, Ferdy and Izzy issued an edict known as the Alhambra Decree, which ordered the expulsion of all practicing Jews from the Crowns of Castile (Isabella’s domain) and Aragon (Ferdinand’s) within four months.

What had the poor Jewish people done this time? Actually nothing, as usual, beyond existing. In this instance, the royals were afraid that the practicing Jews — those remaining despite the Spanish Inquisition (more about that below) — would influence former Jews who had already converted to Catholicism (thanks to the aforesaid Inquisition) to re-convert to Judaism. So of course, they had to go . . . right?

Of course, right. But no big deal . . . the Jews had had a lot of practice packing up and schlepping around the world since biblical times. What’s one more diaspora?

*. *. *

Now, about that infamous Inquisition. I know you’ve heard about it. It had been established some 14 years earlier, in 1478, by the selfsame Ferdinand and Isabella. It was a religious “court” created to combat whatever they deemed to be heresy, specifically targeting Jews, Muslims and Protestants — basically, all non-Catholics. And it lasted for more than three centuries, finally ending in 1834 . . . by which time some 150,000 had been prosecuted, of whom between 3,000 and 5,000 were executed by the most unimaginably grisly means.

*. *. *

Those clearly were not Spain’s finest years. But there are a few lessons to be learned from their experience . . . aside from the all-important one concerning religious tolerance:

First, that a little digging can turn up fascinating details that completely change our perception of history as we have always believed we knew it;

Second, that today’s actions can have far-reaching consequences . . . as, for example, the fact that Jews, even today, represent less than one percent of the population of Spain; and

Third, that all dark times — no matter how terrible — eventually come to an end.

Just, hopefully, in less than 300 years.

Or, as my beloved Bubbe would have said: From my mouth to God’s ears.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/31/25