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Donna Gracia Mendez Nassi(mid 1500's)  | ||||||
| Few other figures in Jewish history, particularly in the Middle Ages, played such an inspiring and beneficial part for their fellow-Jews, as did the noble Jewish lady Donna Gracia. The legends that have woven around this extraordinary personality are numberless but, the historical facts prove that she was indeed an outstanding personality. Many thousands of Marranos and other persecuted Jews called her by no other name than "Our Angel." Donna Gracia was born in Portugal in the beginning of the Sixteenth century, in the noble family of Benveniste which had come there- from Spain after the flight from the Inquisition. Herself from a rich home, she had married the even richer Francisco Mendez-Nassi, member of one of the largest international trade and banking firms in the world. When her husband died while still young Donna Gracia decided to leave Portugal together with her only child Reyna and several other relatives. For Portugal was then beginning to feel the mighty arms of the Inquisition which made life unbearable for the Marranos, the people who, like Donna Gracia, were living secretly as good Jews but had adopted the Catholic church for appearances' sake, in the hope for a chance of escape. Though Donna Gracia had to leave a considerable part of her huge wealth behind, she fled Portugal and settled in Antwerp, where her brother-in-law Diogo was the head of the branch of the Mendez-Nassi firm which had connections with most European courts. Many other Marranos were then coming to the capital of Flanders to build new homes, but the powerful arms of the church began to be felt there too, and the Marranos found they had to be even more careful there to appear as good Christians, instead of gaining the freedom they had sought when they fled Spain and Portugal. Donna Gracia (or Beatrice de Lune, as she was known by her non-Jewish Marrano name), was a woman of extraordinary beauty, culture and wealth. She was highly respected by the noble and influential people of the highest rank of France, Flanders, and the other countries with whom the Mendez establishments dealt. But, being a good Jewess, she hated every moment that she had to hide her true feelings, and she felt very uncomfortable in her disguise. She began to make plans to leave Antwerp for a free country, especially after the death of her brother-in-law. Suspecting that she planned to leave with her entire wealth, Emperor Charles V tried to seize her fortune. But Donna Gracia succeeded in leaving Antwerp in 1549 with her daughter, her widowed sister, her niece, and most of her wealth. Together they traveled to Venice, from which port many vessels left for distant lands where Jews did not need to be afraid of living openly according to their religion. Like her nephew, the famous Don Joseph Nassi, who had already found a haven in Turkey and had become one of the mightiest men of Europe as a minister to the Sultain, she planned to go to Constantinople. But she had to wait a few-anxious years before she was able to live in freedom and again in possession of her huge wealth. The king of France, a willing tool of the church, was very angry at her slipping away from Antwerp, and more so at her taking most of her wealth with her before he could confiscate it. At his instigation, and because of the careless remarks of her own relative, the governors of Venice put her and her family in prison, and confiscated her huge wealth before she could sail for Turkey. But then Don Joseph Nassi used his influence with the Turkish Sultan who was only too glad of an excuse to start trouble with. the competing Venetian traders. His government sent a special envoy to Venice with the request to release the Marrano woman and her wealth. But it took two years of negotiations and threats of actual war, until this release was effected. Donna Gracia was released, and, with her daughter, settled temporarily in Ferrara, where they openly returned to their Jewish religion. By 1552, Dona Gracia settled in Constantinople, where she became the center of worldwide help to Marranos and Jews in suffering. Her wealth was not only used for business, but to buy the favors of princes, opening many doors to the persecuted. She fostered Jewish culture, and poets wrote at great length in praise of her many achievements as a patron and helper of Jewry in those dark days. She built synagogues, established Yeshivoth and libraries, and supported scholars and students of the Torah. She helped to resettle hundreds of Marranos, to enable them to return to their Jewish faith. [thanks to Chabad.org] Many Blessings , RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL JEWISH RENEWAL HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC BLUFFTON, SC SAVANNAH, GA MEMBER: TEMPLE OSEH SHALOM A Short Snap Shot of Rabbi Arthur Segal
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