Jewish Portugal Timeline

The Romans conquer the Iberian Peninsula after the native population, Lusitans, have already been occupied by Celts, Greeks and Carthaginians. They call the territory of present-day Portugal Lusitania.

The only documented record of Jewish settlement, although Jews were in the Iberian Peninsula as traders along with the Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans.

After the fall of Rome, tribes of Swabians and Visigoths occupy the Peninsula. Jews are persecuted by the Visigoths and other Christian rulers.

Moors from North Africa conquer the peninsula. The Moorish invasion is seen by many Jews as liberation and marks the beginning of the Golden Age of Jewish culture, though under Muslim rule Jews and Christians were Dhimmi and paid a special tax.

The Christian war of Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula begins. Jews are used by the Christians as spies and diplomats in the campaign that takes centuries. While subject to prejudice, they are respected.

The region of Portucale, north of the Mondego, is liberated.

King of Castile and León, Alfonso VI, asks French knights to help reconquer Castile and La Mancha. After defeating the Moors he marries his daughter Teresa to Henry of Burgundy, who becomes the first Count of Portugal. After Henry's death Teresa reigns, then is overthrown by her son Afonso Henriques.

Afonso Henriques breaks vassalage to Castile and proclaims himself King Afonso I of Portugal. He appoints Yahia Ben Yahi III as supervisor of tax collection and nominates him Chief Rabbi of Portugal. Afonso's son Sancho I will make Yahia's grandson High Steward of the realm.

Castile agrees to Portugal's independence.

The Crown of Aragon recognises independence of Portugal.

King Dinis I founds the University of Coimbra. While the monarch is protective towards the Jews, after the Fourth Lateran Council the clergy exerts pressure on them. He also establishes what will become Lisbon's Large Jewish Quarter.

First Treaty of Alliance with England is signed in London.

King Ferdinand I marries his only daughter Beatriz to the King of Castile Juan I.

After Ferdinand I's death his son-in-law Juan of Castile claims the succession, but his half-brother is proclaimed King João I by the Cortes in Coimbra and defeats Juan. João marries Philippa of Lancaster, sealing the alliance with England.

Jews achieve prominence in Portuguese political and economic life. Isaac Abarbanel is treasurer to King Afonso V. Lisbon and Évora have important Jewish communities.

João I captures the port of Ceuta in Morocco. Portuguese expansion begins.

The Portuguese acquire Madeira and the Azores.

King João II promotes maritime exploration. In 1488 Bartolomeu Dias sails around the Cape of Good Hope.

The Spanish Inquisition and the Catholic Monarchs expel the Jewish population. Tens of thousands of Spanish Jews flee to Portugal. King João II grants asylum in return for payment but after eight months decrees the enslavement of Jews who have not left.

King João II deports several hundred Jewish children to the new colony of São Tomé on the African coast, where many perish.

João's successor Manuel I restores freedom to the Jews. The Treaty of Tordesillas divides the New World between Portugal and Castile.

Manuel I marries Isabella, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. Under pressure from the Church and Spain he decrees that Jews convert to Christianity or leave the country—without their children.

Vasco da Gama discovers the sea route to India. Among the investors are Marran Gonçalo Mendes and Diogo Mendes of the Benveniste family.

Pedro Álvares Cabral lands in Brazil.

More than 3,000 Jews are documented as massacred in Lisbon; many more are deported to São Tomé (where a Jewish presence continues).

The Portuguese Inquisition is established, making life harder for converts (Marranos, Conversos, New Christians).

The Inquisition holds its first Auto da Fé in Portugal and extends its activity to the whole empire. It concentrates on rooting out converts who do not adhere to Catholic orthodoxy.

Tribunals in Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra and Évora record 1,175 persons burned, 633 in effigy, and 29,590 doing penance (an underestimation). Many converted Jews continue to practise Judaism in secret; others, like Spinoza's family, leave for Amsterdam, London or Livorno. The Belmonte Jews practise in strict secrecy.

Spanish King Philip II invades and wins the throne of Portugal. Spanish domination lasts 60 years.

After a successful uprising, the Duke of Bragança becomes King João IV. The Bragança dynasty rules until 1910.

Spain recognises Portuguese independence.

Pedro II signs the Methuen Treaty with England for trade and shipping of port wine.

An earthquake, tsunami and fire destroy much of Lisbon.

Portugal refuses to renounce its alliance with England; Spain and France invade. Napoleon is repelled with British support. Gibraltarian Jews are invited back to Portugal.

The Portuguese Inquisition is abolished by the General Extraordinary and Constituent Court. Some affluent Sephardic families of Portuguese origin return, mainly from Morocco and Gibraltar.

Brazil proclaims independence.

Civil wars between liberals and absolutists end with the Évoramonte Convention.

In Lisbon, Shaare Tikva—the first synagogue built in Portugal since the 15th century—is inaugurated.

Abdication of Manuel II and proclamation of the Republic. Jews are fully emancipated as equal citizens.

A Jewish community is registered in Porto by Barros Basto. He encourages many descendants of conversos to reclaim their Judaism.

Salazar becomes Prime Minister and introduces a corporative, dictatorial (but not racist) regime.

Salazar instructs the Portuguese Embassy in Berlin to inform the Reich that Portugal does not distinguish by race and Portuguese Jewish citizens must not be discriminated against.

Portugal proclaims neutrality; it remains neutral in WWII and becomes a refuge for thousands of Jews.

In Porto, Barros Basto's Kadoorie Synagogue opens.

The Carnation Revolution leads to withdrawal from African colonies.

Portugal joins the EEC.

President Mário Soares asks forgiveness from Jewish communities of Portuguese origin for Portugal's responsibility in the Inquisition and past persecutions.

Portugal's first new synagogue in 70 years is dedicated in Belmonte. The ceremony is attended by Israeli President Ezer Weizman and Portugal's President Jorge Sampaio.

Trancoso's synagogue is dedicated in July as part of the Isaac Cardoso Center for Interpretation of Jewish Culture.

An amendment to Portugal's nationality law specifies that the government will give nationality to Sephardic Jews of Portuguese ancestry who belong to a tradition of a Portuguese-descended Sephardic community, based on objective prerequisites (names, language, ancestry).

The Portuguese law of return for descendants of Sephardic Jews is enacted on February 27 (Decree-Law 30-A/2015).

Chabad in Cascais opens; Rabbi Eli and Rebetzin Raizel Rosenfeld relocate from Lisbon.

On October 8, anti-Israel protests begin around Portugal.

The original right of return for descendants of Sephardic Jews to obtain Portuguese citizenship is effectively ended (approved late 2023; legal changes in force January 2024). The government stated the program had fulfilled its purpose of historical reparation.