Crypto-Jewish Identity in the Inquisition of Mexico City

Abstract

Crypto-Jewish Identity in the Inquisition of Mexico City by Suzanne E. Skinner, Master of Arts Utah State University, 2018 Major Professor: Dr. Susan Cogan Department: History The Spanish Inquisition was an aggressive Roman Catholic Church court that operated throughout the Spanish Empire beginning in the sixteenth century and was antagonistic toward all forms of religious practice that it defined as heretical. It was because of the influence of this court system that the Jews of Spain were forced to convert to Roman Catholicism or flee the Kingdoms of Spain in 1492. Often, those that converted secretly practiced Judaism. These secret practitioners are called Crypto-Jews. The Holy Office of the Inquisition considered the secret practice of Judaism to be heretical and sought out Crypto-Jews to try them for heresy in Inquisition courts. The plethora of records that exist for Crypto-Jewish heresy attest to the fact that the Office of the Inquisition was diligent and effective at finding Crypto-Jewish heretics. Many Crypto-Jews escaped the first waves of prosecution and ended up in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. The Inquisition also traveled across the Atlantic and continued to search for and prosecute secret Jews. The communities that Crypto-Jews formed were often found and tried in their entirety. Two of these Mexican communities were tried in 1595 and 1647 and are the subjects of inquiry for this thesis.