Jews of Madeira, Portugal

Ilha da Madeira cristãos-novos sephardim

histórico
Madeira (Ilha da Madeira) was discovered in 1419 by João Gonçalves Zarco, Tristão Vaz Teixeira, and
Bartolomeu Perestrello, three captains in the service of Prince Henry the Navigator. The families of the
discoverers began to settle the island about 1420. Later settlers were drawn from the general population of
Portugal, together with a dominant class of Genoese merchant families. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the
island played a role in the international wine trade and in the colonization of Brazil.
Jews in Spain and Portugal were compelled to leave the country or convert to Christianity in 1492 and
1497, respectively. The converted Jews were called New Christians (cristãos-novos). There was general
suspicion that they continued to practice Judaism in secret--and some did.
There are no reliable estimates of the number of secret Jews in Madeira. Some experts believe the
proportion was significantly higher than in mainland Portugal, while others believe the percentage was
small, perhaps only five percent of the population.
Inquisition
Portuguese Inquisition records show trials of Jews from Madeira as early as 1558. There may be 60-100
Inquisition files on judaisers from Madeira. There seems to have been heightened Inquisition activity from
the 1580s to 1613, and then from the 1630s to 1670s.
Below is a list of names (and arrest dates) of people possibly connected with Madeira, and accused of
judaizing by the Portuguese Inquisition. See Sephardim in Madeira.
João Madeira …
Teresa Madeira …
Afonso Mendes 1558
Catarina Henriques 1558
Andresa Dias 1558
Isabel Dias 1558
Guiomar Fernandes 1558
Margarida 1558
Leonor Fernandes 1562
Inês Lopes 1581
Francisco Tomás 1582
Leonor Jácome 1582
António Pereira 1586
Isabel Gomes 1586
Catarina Dias 1588
Fernão de Álvares 1591
Catarina Garcia 1591
Violante Pereira 1591
Diogo Nunes 1591
Ana Roiz ou Ana Rodrigues? 1591
Leonor Ribeiro 1591
Ana Mendes 1591
Margarida Ribeira 1591
Ana Dias 1591
Leonor Álvares 1591
Leonor Álvares 1591
Beatriz Mendes 1591
Isabel Rodrigues 1591
Isabel Gomes 1592
Pedro Gonçalves 1592
Justa Pereira 1592
Isabel Pereira 1592
Branca Mendes 1593
Maria Rodrigues 1593
Isabel Gomes 1593
Nicolau Nunes 1594
Isabel Gomes 1594
Maria Jácome 1594
Rodrigo Fidalgo 1594
Catarina Peres 1594
Afonso Fidalgo 1595
Leonor Nunes 1596
Leonor Gonçalves 1596
Francisco Peres 1597
Grácia Rodrigues 1597
João Nunes Baião 1598
Brasia Pinto 1599
Paula Duarte 1600
Isabel Dias 1600
Inês Franca 1600
Manuel Rodrigues 1600
Henrique Pereira Tenório 1601
António Pereira 1601
Filipa Nunes 1611
Joana de Bastos 1613
Jorge Fernandes de Faria 1613
Maria da Fonseca 1634
Maria da Fonseca 1634
Maria Pacheco 1634
Lourenço Madeira 1634
André do Canto de Almeida 1636
Helena Correia 1636
Francisca Rodrigues 1638
Manuel Madeira 1640
Maria Fernandes 1640
Águeda Dias 1640
Isabel de Bivar 1643
Clemente Fernandes 1644
Fernão Vaz de Álvares Madeira 1644
Inácio Madeira 1645
Isabel Madeira 1646
Manuel Madeira 1646
Maria Bugalha 1646
Catarina Mendes 1646
Manuel Madeira 1649
Isabel Madeira 1649
Joana Gomes 1649
Inês Madeira 1651
Maria Martins Madeira 1651
Catarina Henriques 1652
Gaspar Rodrigues 1654
Maria Lopes 1654
Catarina Henriques 1655
Beatriz Calaça 1657
Estêvão Madeira Benito 1657
João André 1660
Inês da Guerra 1664
Inês Madeira 1665
Ângela Carrasca 1666
Leonor Madeira 1666
Joana de França 1666
Inês Mousinha 1668
Maria Álvares 1669
Catarina Silveira 1669
Catarina Fernandes 1671
Inês Madeira 1672
Maria Madeira 1672
Inês Rodrigues 1673
Catarina Madeira 1673
Sebastião Madeira 1673
Luzia Rodrigues 1674
Sebastião Madeira 1706
Manuel Madeira 1706
Mariana Madeira 1708
Francisca Madeira 1708
Inês Madeira 1710
Maria Madeira 1717
Diogo Dias Correia 1728
Damásio Tavares 1734
Joana Soares 1736
António Fróis Nunes 1737
André Mendes da Silva 1737
Rita Maria Fouta 1752
Francisca Fouto 1752
João Caetano 1752
Teresa Maria Fouta 1752
Manuel Madeira Arisco 1752
Francisco Gonçalves Madeira 1755
Isabel Madeira 1755
Maria Madeira 1756
Álvaro Ornelas 1779