http://www.saudades.org/GraciaMendes.htm
(site also includes an excellent timeline of her life)
Dona
Gracia Mendes
was one of the most remarkable women in Jewish history which
included a boycott of the Italian city of Ancona following torture
and burning of Jews there.
Her family remained in Portugal after the 1497 forced
conversions, and lived as secret Jews. Her name to the outside world is
Beatrice de Luna. She is married to Francisco Mendes, one of two
brothers who controls a growing trading company. The House of Mendes
probably began as a company trading precious objects, but with the boom
in spice trade following the Portuguese explorations leading to the sea
route to India, they become important spice traders. When her husband
dies she takes over his role in running the business with his brother Diogo, and when Diogo later dies she takes charge of the business. She
later brings her nephew, who is to eventually become the illustrious
Joseph Nasi, Duke of Naxos, to help her.
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As head of
this large international enterprise she has two secret goals.
One is to reach a land where she can be free of the threat of
the Inquisition and practice her Judaism openly. The other is to
help as many of her fellow crypto-Jews reach freedom. For a
former Jew, attempting to leave Christian lands is prima facie
evidence of heresy. She assists many others in doing so, but it
is easier for poor person to slip away from Christian lands than
for someone as important as Gracia. Not only are her movements
more visible. But her wealth creates two special problems. She
wants to retain control of her company, and knows that assets
that she leaves behind will be confiscated. Also, she is caught
in the classical double-bind created by the desire of the
Christian kings to retain the advantages of housing the head,
and hence the administrative home, of such a large business. |
Through a series of
careful moves she takes her business and family to Antwerp, Venice,
Ferrara (where she declares her Judaism), and finally Constantinople. In
the process she is taken by the inquisition, accused of heresy by her
own sister (Diogo’s widow), and provokes international incidents when,
while she is still in Italy, the Sultan of Turkey places her under his
protection.
In Constantinople she uses her considerable wealth to help individuals
and communities, to support academies of learning as far away as in
newly revived Jewish settlements in Palestine, and sponsored printing
presses, which were invaluable in keeping Jewish texts alive.
After a particularly heinous torture and burning of Jews in the Italian
city of Ancona, she uses her wealth and influence to attempt a worldwide
boycott by all Jewish merchants of the port of that city. Unfortunately,
both from fear of reprisals and conflicting Rabbinic opinions this
effort was not successful, even though Gracia had the support of such
figures as the great scholar Joseph Caro.
Gracia was universally venerated for her strength and courage and good
works. Rabbi Moses di Trani, after Proverbs 31:29, said of her "many
daughters have done virtuously, but Hanna hath excelled them all
Today in memorium, the House of Dona Gracia in
Tiberias is a unique hotel, cultural center and museum attractively
rolled into one. whose goal is to emphasize the involvement and
contribution made by women to humanity and the Jewish people in
particular.
see also http://www.sefarad.org/publication/lm/049/html/page46.htm
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