Limpieza of sangre

In Spain and with the Portugal, the limpieza of sangre , or purity of blood or Limpeza of sangue (in Portuguese) a series of decrees published at the beginning of 16th century concerns and aiming at prohibiting the access to certain warheads or ecclesiastical to the new converts, with their sons or grandsons.

The installation

Historical context

ORIGINAL TEXT Whereas during eight centuries, during the reconquista, the three religions manage to cohabit in a relative tolerance, during the centuries takes shape a certain hardening.

TEXT PROPOSE' It does not have there strictly speaking a policy of State to the departure, but fine of the 13th century, under the influence of the orders franciscains in particular the rabble imposes the baptism to the Jews (1391) and massacres number of them. .c' is the creation of a new category: new Christians. It should be stressed that these Christians will be finally well accommodated during the 20-30 following years: insertion is done extremely well. But their economic success is not without consequences and the Christians of stock start to express their disappointment and express it by showing the New Christians of judaiser, under the influence of the always present Jewish communities. Moreover, one sees many new Christians occupying of public employment, in particular in finance!!! Tolede creates in 1449 a statute of purity of blood which prohibits these stations with the new Christians (themselves resulting from new Christians!) it THUS HAS THERE 2 CATEGORIES OF CHRISTIANS. .que the expulsion of the Jews in 1492 will not remove; The installation of the Enquiry will aim at the supposed heretics judaisants and this until the 19th century. It is the father of the current king (XXeme century) who will return to the Jews which will want it their Spanish nationality while returning in Pays.Quel symbol! Bibliography: I. Baer has History off the Jews in Christian Spain The Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia 1961-66 M.Kriegel" The making of a Decision: the expulsion of the Jews of historical Re-examined Spain t.102 1978 pages 49-90

TEXT ORIGINAL' the Spain tries to constitute a political and religious unit. It is the time of forced conversions and the Massacre S (particulierment in 1391). Then creates for itself a new class, that of the new Christians in opposition to the old Christians (old Spanish catholics). These ouveaux converts, called in a pejorative way marrane S (for old the Jewish S) or Morisque S (for the former Moslems) are often looked with suspicion by the catholics of stock . One shows them to live only one Christendom of frontage, not to seek the interest of the Spain but their own interest, of evil adviser the king in his policy options, in short not to be integrated in the news Spain. Temptation is then large to create discriminatory laws. Those will put nearly one century to be established.

Insurrection of Tolède

One in general locates the first steps of the decrees on the purity of blood at the insurrection of Tolède in 1449. At that time, the Castille is in war against the Aragón. It is a question of collecting subsidies to maintain the troops. When the town of Tolède learns the loan which one requires of it (nearly a million maravedíes), it revolts and takes for target Alonso Cota, a converted Jew suspected of being at the origin of this puncture. This insurrection, carried out by the Mayor of the city, Pedro Sarmiento, led to the retirement of the royal army. Master of the places, Pedro Sarmiento drives out by decree ( Sentencia estatutos ) all the new converts of the important stations of the town of Tolède (advisers, judges, mayors…).

The answer of the Church

Following this first decree, a theological and political debate begins on its legitimacy.

Alonso Diaz de Montalvo, then Don Alonso de Cartagène, which publishes beginning 1450 a test Defensorium Unitatis Christianae (On the defense of the Christian unit), take the defense of the new converts. They ensure that the decree of Tolède undermines the unit of the Église. It is not possible, according to them, to prohibit with a new convert the loads in question because “very new baptized, by its Baptême, enters the Christ and was then any more neither Jew, nor nice”.

Don Alonso de Cartagène calls some with the Pape to cancel the decree of exclusion of Tolède. In September 1449, Nicolas V answers this demand for publishing a bubble specifying that very new Christian, whatever his origins, if it acts as a true Christian, must be able to reach all the ministries and dignities and can carry testimony, and can exert all the loads with the same rights as the old Christians.

The decision of Alexandre VI

The bubble of Nicolas V does not close therefore the debates. In second half of the 15th century, the writings abound taking the defense of the new converts (Alonso de Oro Pesa) or charging them with all the faults (Franciscain Alonso de Espina)

The role of the Inquisition is made more present with creation in 1478 of the the Holy Office, whose principal intention is to continue the Juif S and the Moors relaps. The discovery of crypto-Jews (new Christians practitioner in secrecy the Jewish religion) which had taken refuge in the monastery of Guadalupe (close to Caceres, in Spain) and which are carried out in 1485 throw suspicion on the whole of the new Christians.

The polemic intensifies in 1486 during the meeting of the clergy. Two clans clash: those favorable to the full integration of the converts (Rodrigo de Orenes), the other wanting to establish restrictions on their access to certain ecclesiastical loads (Gonzalo de Toro). Once again, one calls upon the Pape, which at that time, is Alexandre VI. This one, in a bubble of 1496, contrary to Nicolas V, validates the access controls to the loads of vicar, prior and confessor.

The breach is then opened and the decrees multiply: prohibition to reach the universities, prohibition to hold warheads or political, prohibition to return in the orders, prohibition to emigrate in Americas and, a fortiori, to hold loads there. The decrees, aiming the new converts initially are extended to their sons and grandson.

In 1535, under the pressure of the king Charles Quint, the pope Paul III takes, after much reserve, the party of the purity of blood: any person wishing to obtain a station remunerated in Spain must from now on show that it did not have any Jewish or Moslem member in his family since at least four generations. In 1547, the decrees on the purity of blood are approved in the cathedral of Tolède.

Certificate of purity of blood

To be able to reach positions of responsibility or to return by the marriage in the family of a old Christian , it was necessary to have this certificate. To obtain it, it had to be proven that none of its ancestors on two generations were a convert. Witnesses had to be provided, to subject themselves to an often ruinous investigation and to swear fidelity with the Église and its king.

The concept of purity of blood in Spain of

to supplement

Abrogation

These decrees of purity of blood, become law, fully are repealed only on May 13rd 1865, with a short interruption during the reign of Joseph Bonaparte (1808 - 1812).

Another meaning

Limpieza of sangre is a novel of Arturo Pérez-Reverte

See too

Internal bonds

black Legend Spanish

crucial Year: Decree of Alhambra;

Sources

Spanish Site on Limpieza de Sangre
Of the purity of the faith towards the purity of blood

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