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Lisbon Massacre (1506)

Type Event Region Europe Time 1506

From April 19 to 21, 1506, Lisbon saw collective persecution and massacre of converted Jews (New Christians), triggered by religious fervor over a 'E…

Timeline

  1. 1506Santarém · PortugalA New Christian woman claimed to have witnessed a miracle of the glowing Host in a church at Santarém; Franciscan friars interpreted this as a condemnation of secret Jewish belief and incited the faithful to blame the 'heretical' behavior of converted Jews, with religious fervor spreading rapidly from Santarém to Lisbon.
  2. 1506Lisbon · PortugalMobs led by Franciscan friars and some lower-class townspeople attacked Lisbon's New Christian quarters, looting property, burning houses, and killing thousands. The municipal authorities and garrison were initially unable to stop it; King Manuel I was absent from the capital, and the riot lasted about three days.
  3. 1506–1507Lisbon · PortugalAfter returning to Lisbon, Manuel I ordered the execution of the main instigators and restored order, but compensation for the victims' families was limited. Although the king at times protected New Christians, within the framework of the 1496 expulsion of the Jews he intensified religious inquisitions after 1506, paving the way for the Inquisition's later strengthened control.

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