Brief History of the Ha-Levi of Burgos

Excerpted from "New Light on the Jewish-converso Ancestry of Don Juan de Oñate: A Research Note"

by José Antonio Esquibel

in

Colonial Latin American Historical Review

7:2 (1998), 175-90

Almost nothing is known about Abraham Ha-Levi except that he was the father of Isaac Ha-Levi with whom he apparently settled in the Coty of Burgos having come from the realm of Aragón by 1352. Isaac Ha-Levi was married with Doña María and they had as many as eight children born between 1352 and 1380, presumably all born in Burgos. One of their sons was Salomón (aka Selemoh) Ha-Levi (b.ca. 1352-1355) who was a leading rabbi of the Jewish community of Burgos.

In 1376, Rabbi Salomón Ha-Levi married Doña Juana, a young Hebrew woman by whom he fathered five children. Known as the maestre de las aljamas (master of the Jewish administrative councils), he was also an accomplished physician who was recognized by and received payment from the City Council of Burgos in April 1388 for his medical services. Sometime prior to this he had traveled to the Papal court personally to address concerns about abuses against the Jewish population committed by Christians in Castile.¹

Rabbi Salomón experienced a profound spiritual crisis resulting in his acceptance of the Christian faith and he received the sacrament of baptisms at the Cathedral of Burgos on 21 July 1390.² Also receiving baptism on the same occasion were his five young children, his mother, his brother Alvar, and his sister, Doña María Núñez Ha-Levi. His wife, Doña Juana, kept her Jewish faith until the final days of her life but was baptized near her death in 1430. Upon his baptism, Rabbi Salomón was christened Don Pablo de Santa María. The conversion of this highly regarded rabbi and Jewish leader provoked sorrow and opposition in some members of the Jewish community but convinced others to convert to Christainity.³

Initially, the Ha-Levi converts were accused by other Jews of trying to avoid the predictable and unpleasant outcomes of the negative climate of persecution of Jews in Castile. Strong anti-Semitism sentiments peaked in 1391, resulting in outbreaks of violence against Jews throughout the kingdom, the worst of which occurred in Seville and Cordoba. The Jewish community at Burgos was spared because of the long-standing positive social and economic relations with leading Christian families of the city. Enrique III (ruled 1390-1406), issued several decrees defending the rights of his Jewish vassals to live in Castile without molestation. In particular, the city council of Burgos was ordered to ensure and provide adequate protection for the city’s Hebrew community. Nonetheless, the overt persecution of the Jews by the general Christian population throughout the Castilian realm brought about two major consequences: the depopulation of Jews in Castile; and the conversion of a large number of Jews to the Christian faith.⁴

While the newly converted Jews embraced Catholicism outwardly, there were some who in fact kept their faith and traditions in secret. It would appear, however, that this was not the case with the Ha-Levi family. The better known converts of this family were quickly integrated into the upper social class of the Burgos Christian community. Their sincere and complete acceptance of the Christian faith was solidly confirmed by the decision of Don Pablo de Santa María (Salomón Ha-Levi) and two of his sons to join the clergy as ordained Catholic priests.⁵ Just over a decade into his ecclesiastical career, on July 30, 1403, Don Pablo was ordained as bishop of Cartagena from which his offspring acquired the surname of Cartagena. His eldest son, Gonzalo, became bishop of Astorga, Plasencia and Sigüenza, while his youngest son Alonso, became bishop of Burgos.⁶

Further evidence of the sincere conversion of the Ha-Levi family members and their quick integration into the Christian society of Castile is found in the public work and life of Don Alvar García de Santa María (b. 1380, Burgos), the youngest brother of Don Pablo, who enjoyed a highly distinguished career beginning in the court of Enrique III.

Other members of the Ha-Levi family also prospered and contributed significantly to the Christian society of Burgos and Castile. Among them was the great-great-great-grandfather of Don Juan de Oñate, Don Alvar Rodríguez de Maluenda, son of Doña María Núñez Ha-Levi (sister of Salomón Ha-Levi/Don Pablo de Santa María) and Don Juan Garces (Rodríguez) de Maluenda. Don Alvar served as regidor of Burgos and also as the Alcaide (Warden) of the town of Lara (1429), and during his career, he acquired the titular status and privileges as "Señor de las Medubas", lord of the properties of Las Medubas. His wife was Doña Teresa Ruiz, and one of his sons was Don Hernando de Maluenda, born circa 1440, who held the position of Tesorero de la Casa de Moneda (City Treasurer) of the city of Burgos.⁷

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