The month of November holds deep historical significance for the Portuguese Jewish community and to Portugal, as it marks the critical turning point that ended open Jewish life in Portugal through royal decrees of expulsion and forced conversion.
In November 1496, King Manuel I signed a marriage agreement with the Spanish Catholic Monarchs (Ferdinand and Isabella). A key condition of the political alliance and marriage to Princess Isabel was the removal of Jews from the Portuguese realm. Just a few days later, on December 5, 1496, the formal decree was issued, ordering all Jews to convert or leave the country.
The transition of Portugal from a global maritime empire to a modern, small-sized European nation is a classic historical trajectory of rise, overextension, and structural shifting. The kingdom became a global empire through pioneering naval technology, a strategic geographic position, and the financial and scientific contributions of its Jewish elite.
Their flight to places like Amsterdam, London, and the Ottoman Empire drained Portugal of the capital, trading networks, and intellectual talent needed to sustain an empire. The tragic Portuguese defeat at Alcácer Quibir completed a landscape of devastation and national loss.
Ever since, Moroccan Jews—many of whom trace their origins to Portugal—have celebrated what is known as "Purim Sebastiano," a tradition that continues to this day. The *megillah* (scroll) associated with this celebration is on display at the Jewish Museum of Porto.
A succession crisis led to the King of Spain taking the Portuguese throne. This dragged Portugal into Spain’s costly wars against the Dutch and the English. The Dutch East India Company systematically targeted and seized vulnerable Portuguese trading posts in Asia.
Not everyone lost with the expulsion of the Jews. Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II famously criticized and mocked Iberian Kings for the foolishness of the expulsion of Jews.
