Meyer Kayserling (1829 – 1905) was a rabbi and historian, who studied the history and literature of the Jews of the Iberian Peninsula.
In 1894 a translation of Kayserling's book on Christopher Columbus and Spanish Jews was published--- "Christopher Columbus and the Participation of the Jews in the Spanish and Portuguese Discoveries" (translated by Charles Gross [1857-1909]).
The curious relationship which Columbus' discovery has with the Jews in Portugal and Spain, is the subject of this book. As Kayserling notes there is some evidence that Columbus himself was of Spanish-Jewish origins; Kayseling gives a full review of this evidence. The forced contributions of the Jews, historians have made note of before this, but Dr. Kayserling, who has carefully studied the records in Spain, produces much new evidence relating to individual Jews, who by their teachings or personal exertions were of singular help to Columbus. The work is distinguished for its impartiality.
Kayserling writes:
"FEW mortals have been honored by posterity as much as Christopher Columbus. The question whether the Jews assisted in these discoveries has already heretofore been propounded, but it has never before been carefully investigated. Entrusted with this honorable but difficult mission, I determined to visit Spain in order to complete my collection of material by exploring the Spanish archives and libraries. Such documents as I found there, I transcribed. They have been used with care in the text. I trust that I have succeeded in making a contribution to the history of the discovery of America and to the history of the Jews, to whom America has been a land of refuge, a land of freedom and of equality."
Contents
CHAPTER I.
THE EARLIEST PARTICIPATION OF THE JEWS IN THE NAVAL AFFAIRS OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL—JEHUDA CRESQUES, OR JAIME RIBES—JoAo II. AND HIS ASTRONOMICAL JUNTA.
CHAPTER II.
COLUMBUS IN LISBON, AND HIS RELATIONS TO THE JEWS OF THAT CITY—His SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT — His NEGOTIATIONS WITH KING JOAO—JOSEPH VECINHO—THE PORTUGUESE EXPEDITION TO INDIA; ABRAHAM OF BEJA AND JOSEPH ZAPATEIRO—COLUMBUS IN SPAIN.
CHAPTER III.
COLUMBUS IN SPAIN—POLITICAL CONDITION OF ARAGON AND CASTILE—FERDINAND AND ISABELLA—ABRAHAM SENIOR— STATUS AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF JEWS AND MARRANOS —THE INQUISITION AND ITS VICTIMS.
CHAPTER IV.
COLUMBUS'S FIRST APPEARANCE AT THE SPANISH COURT—THE JUNTA OF CORDOVA AND THE CONFERENCE AT SALAMANCA —ABRAHAM ZACUTO—ISAAC ABRAVANEL.
CHAPTER V.
Columbus In Santa Fe—The Fall Of Granada—The Position OF THE SANTANGELS; THEIR PERSECUTION BY THE Inquisition—Luis De Santangel's Interposition In Favor Of Columbus—The Queen's Jewels, And Santangel's Loan For The Equipment Of The Expedition.
CHAPTER VI.
EXPULSION OF THE JEWS FROM SPAIN—AGREEMENT OF SANTA Fé—EXODUS OF THE JEWS—COLUMBUS'S PREPARATIONS AND DEPARTURE—PARTICIPATION OF THE JEWS IN THE EXPEDITION—GUANAHANI—LUIS DE TORRES—INDIANS AND ISRAELITES.
CHAPTER VII.
COLUMBUS'S RETURN—His LETTERS TO SANTANGEL AND SANCHEZ—PREPARATIONS FOR THE SECOND EXPEDITION; THE MONEY OF THE JEWS UTILIZED—THE SECOND VOYAGE— PORTUGUESE DISCOVERIES—VASCO DA GAMA AND ABRAHAM ZACUTO—GASPAR DA GAMA—FRANCISCO D'ALBUQUERQUE AND HUCEFE, OR ALEXANDER D'ATAYDE.
CHAPTER VIII.
COLUMBUS'S DOWNFALL—ROYAL FAVORS GRANTED TO LUIS DE SANTANGEL—DEATH OF SANTANGEL AND OF GABRIEL SANCHEZ; THEIR DESCENDANTS — EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS OF MARRANOS IN ESPANOLA AND IN THE PORTUGUESE COLONIES—THE INQUISITION AND ITS VICTIMS IN THE COLONIES.
In 1894 a translation of Kayserling's book on Christopher Columbus and Spanish Jews was published--- "Christopher Columbus and the Participation of the Jews in the Spanish and Portuguese Discoveries" (translated by Charles Gross [1857-1909]).
The curious relationship which Columbus' discovery has with the Jews in Portugal and Spain, is the subject of this book. As Kayserling notes there is some evidence that Columbus himself was of Spanish-Jewish origins; Kayseling gives a full review of this evidence. The forced contributions of the Jews, historians have made note of before this, but Dr. Kayserling, who has carefully studied the records in Spain, produces much new evidence relating to individual Jews, who by their teachings or personal exertions were of singular help to Columbus. The work is distinguished for its impartiality.
Kayserling writes:
"FEW mortals have been honored by posterity as much as Christopher Columbus. The question whether the Jews assisted in these discoveries has already heretofore been propounded, but it has never before been carefully investigated. Entrusted with this honorable but difficult mission, I determined to visit Spain in order to complete my collection of material by exploring the Spanish archives and libraries. Such documents as I found there, I transcribed. They have been used with care in the text. I trust that I have succeeded in making a contribution to the history of the discovery of America and to the history of the Jews, to whom America has been a land of refuge, a land of freedom and of equality."
Contents
CHAPTER I.
THE EARLIEST PARTICIPATION OF THE JEWS IN THE NAVAL AFFAIRS OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL—JEHUDA CRESQUES, OR JAIME RIBES—JoAo II. AND HIS ASTRONOMICAL JUNTA.
CHAPTER II.
COLUMBUS IN LISBON, AND HIS RELATIONS TO THE JEWS OF THAT CITY—His SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT — His NEGOTIATIONS WITH KING JOAO—JOSEPH VECINHO—THE PORTUGUESE EXPEDITION TO INDIA; ABRAHAM OF BEJA AND JOSEPH ZAPATEIRO—COLUMBUS IN SPAIN.
CHAPTER III.
COLUMBUS IN SPAIN—POLITICAL CONDITION OF ARAGON AND CASTILE—FERDINAND AND ISABELLA—ABRAHAM SENIOR— STATUS AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF JEWS AND MARRANOS —THE INQUISITION AND ITS VICTIMS.
CHAPTER IV.
COLUMBUS'S FIRST APPEARANCE AT THE SPANISH COURT—THE JUNTA OF CORDOVA AND THE CONFERENCE AT SALAMANCA —ABRAHAM ZACUTO—ISAAC ABRAVANEL.
CHAPTER V.
Columbus In Santa Fe—The Fall Of Granada—The Position OF THE SANTANGELS; THEIR PERSECUTION BY THE Inquisition—Luis De Santangel's Interposition In Favor Of Columbus—The Queen's Jewels, And Santangel's Loan For The Equipment Of The Expedition.
CHAPTER VI.
EXPULSION OF THE JEWS FROM SPAIN—AGREEMENT OF SANTA Fé—EXODUS OF THE JEWS—COLUMBUS'S PREPARATIONS AND DEPARTURE—PARTICIPATION OF THE JEWS IN THE EXPEDITION—GUANAHANI—LUIS DE TORRES—INDIANS AND ISRAELITES.
CHAPTER VII.
COLUMBUS'S RETURN—His LETTERS TO SANTANGEL AND SANCHEZ—PREPARATIONS FOR THE SECOND EXPEDITION; THE MONEY OF THE JEWS UTILIZED—THE SECOND VOYAGE— PORTUGUESE DISCOVERIES—VASCO DA GAMA AND ABRAHAM ZACUTO—GASPAR DA GAMA—FRANCISCO D'ALBUQUERQUE AND HUCEFE, OR ALEXANDER D'ATAYDE.
CHAPTER VIII.
COLUMBUS'S DOWNFALL—ROYAL FAVORS GRANTED TO LUIS DE SANTANGEL—DEATH OF SANTANGEL AND OF GABRIEL SANCHEZ; THEIR DESCENDANTS — EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS OF MARRANOS IN ESPANOLA AND IN THE PORTUGUESE COLONIES—THE INQUISITION AND ITS VICTIMS IN THE COLONIES.
