The edict of expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 is one of the greatest crimes carried out in the name of Christianity. The words of the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans: “Do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, ‘Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.’ That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud...” (Romans 11:18–20), were never more disregarded than by those who called themselves “continuators” of the church of Rome.

Below, we present the content of the edict, where you will see in plain letters the main reason for the expulsion: “The attitude of converted Jews to continue practicing the commandments given by God at Sinai, which the church interpreted as ‘diabolical’.” Perhaps due to that Gnostic interpretation thinking that the Scripture, which Paul called holy, was obsolete or perhaps an invention of a demiurge.

I invite you to approach history and draw from it the best…

Edict of Expulsion:

“The Kings Ferdinand and Isabella, by the grace of God, King and Queen of Castile, Leon, Aragon, and other dominions of the Crown, to Prince John, Dukes, Marquises, Counts, religious orders and their Masters, lords of Castles, knights, and to all Jewish men and women of any age, and to whomever this letter concerns, health and grace to him.

It is well known that in our dominions, there exist some bad Christians who have Judaized and apostatized against the holy Catholic faith, mostly due to relations between Jews and Christians. Therefore, in the year 1480, we ordered that the Jews be separated from the cities and provinces of our dominions and that they be assigned separate quarters, hoping that with this separation the existing situation would be remedied. We ordered the establishment of the Inquisition in these dominions; and within twelve years it has functioned, and the Inquisition has found many guilty persons. Furthermore, we are informed by the Inquisition and others of the great harm persisting to Christians from their relations with Jews. These Jews, in turn, try in every way to subvert the Holy Catholic Faith and obstruct believing Christians from adhering to their beliefs. These Jews have instructed those Christians in the ceremonies and beliefs of their laws, circumcising their sons, giving them books for their prayers, declaring to them the fasting days, and gathering them to teach them the stories of their laws, informing them when their Passover festivities are and how to observe them, giving them unleavened bread and ceremonially prepared meats, and instructing them on what foods and other things they should abstain from according to the laws of Moses, making them fully aware that there is no other law or truth outside of this. And so it is made clear from their confessions that these Jews, who they have perverted, have resulted in great harm and detriment to the holy Catholic faith. Knowing the true remedy for these damages and difficulties lay in severing all communication between these mentioned Jews and Christians and sending them out of all our dominions, we were content to order that those Jews from all the cities and towns and places of Andalusia where they had evidently caused the most harm, and believing this to be sufficient, so that in those and other cities and towns and places in our kingdoms and our possessions it would be effective and they would cease from committing the aforementioned. And because we have been informed that none of this, neither the case nor the justices made for some of the aforementioned Jews, finding them very guilty for the aforementioned crimes and transgressions against the holy Catholic faith, have been a complete remedy to overlook and correct these crimes and offenses. And to the Christian faith and religion it appears every day that the Jews increase in continuing their malice and objective harm wherever they reside and converse. And because there is no place where our holy belief is more offended, we have protected these people until today and those who have been influenced, the duty of the Holy Mother Church to repair and reduce this situation to its previous state. Due to the fragility of the human being, it could occur that we may succumb to the diabolical temptation that continually fights against us, so that, if the principal cause called Jews are not converted, they shall be expelled from the kingdom. Since when a detestable and powerful crime is committed by some members of any group, it is reasonable the group should be absolved or annihilated and the lesser by the greater will be punished for one another and those who allow the good and honest in the cities and in the towns and by their contact may harm others should be expelled from the group of people and despite lesser reasons, they shall be detrimental to the Republic and the more by the majority of their crimes would be dangerous and contagious. So that the Council of eminent men and knights of our reign and other persons of conscience and knowledge of our supreme council and after much deliberation, it was agreed to dictate that all Jews and Jewesses must leave our reigns and it shall never be permitted to return. We further order in this edict that the Jews and Jewesses of any age residing in our dominions or territories depart with their sons and daughters, servants and family members small or large of all ages by the end of July of this year and they shall not dare to return to our lands and they shall take no steps forward to cross over in such a manner that if any Jew who does not accept this edict if they are found in these dominions or return shall be guilty of death and confiscation of their goods. And we have ordered that no person in our reign regardless of their social state including nobles shall hide or guard or defend a Jew or Jewess either publicly or secretly from the end of July and subsequent months in their homes or in another place in our region with risks of losing as punishment all their fiefs and fortifications, privileges, and hereditary goods. Let the Jews dispose of their homes and all their possessions within the stipulated period and therefore we provide our commitment to protection and security so that by the end of July they may sell and exchange their properties and furniture and any other article and dispose of them freely at their discretion that during this period no one should harm, hurt or injustices to these persons or their property which would be unjustified and those who transgress this shall incur the punishment of those who violate our Royal security. We give and grant permission to the aforementioned Jews and Jewesses to carry with them outside of our regions their goods and possessions by sea or land except gold and silver, or coined currency or any other article prohibited by the laws of the reign. So we order all councilors, magistrates, knights, guards, officers, good men of the city of Burgos and other cities and towns of our kingdom and dominions, and all our vassals and persons, to respect and obey with this letter and with everything contained in it, and to provide the kind of assistance and help necessary for its execution, subject to punishment by our sovereign grace and by confiscation of all goods and properties for our royal house and that this shall be notified to all and that none shall pretend to ignore it, we order that this edict be proclaimed in all the squares and meeting places of all cities and in the main cities and towns of the dioceses, and be done by the herald in the presence of the public notary, and that none or no one shall do otherwise than what has been defined, subject to punishment by our sovereign grace and the annulment of their offices and confiscation of their goods who do otherwise. And we order that it be evidenced and proven in court with a signed testimony specifying the manner in which the edict was carried out. Given in this city of Granada on the Thirty-First day of March in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 1492. Signed I, the King, I the Queen, and Juan de Coloma secretary of the King and the Queen who has written this by order of their Majesties.”

Author: Dr. Liber Aguiar.