The Secret Society: Descendants of Crypto-Jews in the San Antonio ...

to India so he thought it would be wise to bring someone who could speak Hebrew, as not
many people in India spoke Romance languages, but there were Jews who spoke
Hebrew.) Another example of New Christian involvement in the first explorations of the
New World is the conquistador Hernando Alonso. Despite being one of the first people
to the Americas by joining Cortes on his expeditions to Mexico, Alonso was among the
first people in the New World burned for reverting back to the Jewish faith. 12
In Spain, immigration into the New World initially proved difficult since a
certificate of “limpieza de sangre,” or “pure blood,” was required by the Spanish
government. It was not in the nature of the Spanish Kingdom to allow crypto-Jews to
escape to the New World and evade persecution or, even worse, become prosperous.
However, despite their feelings toward New Christians, Spain made some compromises
to better their own economic situation. In 1509 a deal was made between the conversos
and the crown to allow the former to travel to the New World for 20,000 ducats; the deal
was withdrawn by Charles V in 1518. 13 In a similar situation, the New Christians tried to
buy their freedom from Philip III in 1601 which would give them “irrevocable
permission” to leave the kingdom and go to the New World; this was revoked in 1610. 14
Despite the laws and failed negotiations, and to the displeasure of the Spanish Empire,
New Christians managed to make their way across the ocean and flourish. According to
the historian Cecil Roth, “judaizers […] spread in increasing numbers throughout the
Spanish Main. They were especially numerous in Mexico, where a group existed in
almost every town.” 15
Ironically, the Portuguese conversos were in the opposite position; many were
exiled to the New World with the underlying prerogative to help the economic situation.
The king of Portugal knew the Jews to be essential for the economic stability of the
kingdom (which is why he mass converted the Jews instead of evicting them from
Portugal); the Spanish royalty was not as astute. However, in 1579 the Portuguese line
disappeared and Philip II of Spain took control of the Portuguese Empire. This change in
leadership spurred another mass migration to the New World, and according to the
historian Seymour Liebman:
[New Christians] reasoned that there would be a concentration of effort by
the Inquisition to apprehend those in Portugal; the hunt within Spain
proper would consequently be less arduous and sanctuary could be more
readily obtained. Their reasoning was correct. [At the end of sixteenth
century] where in earlier years they had come in tens, they now began to
come in the hundreds. 16
It may be obvious now that there is a large number of Portuguese conversos in the New
Empire, which did not go unnoticed by the Inquisition. Due to the large number, the term
Portuguese because synonymous with New Christian or crypto-Jew.
Not only would moving to New Spain save the conversos from persecution, or so
they thought, but it would also help them financially. Liebman suggests:
12 Ibid, 273-4.
13 Ibid, 273.
14 Seymour B. Liebman, New World Jewry, 1493-1825: Requiem for the Forgotten (New York, Ktav
Publishing House, Inc, 1982) 51.
15 Ibid, Roth, A History of the Marranos, 275.
16 Ibid, Liebman, The Jews in New Spain: Faith, Flame, and the Inquisition, 135.
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