Le discours sur les minorités religieuses aux Cortès portugaises du Moyen Âge

Abstract

This is an analysis of the speeches to the Cortes by the representatives of the Portuguese communes between the reigns of D. Alfonso IV and D. Joa˜o II (1325– 1495) from the perspective of their concerns about religious minorities (the Jews and the Moors). The article begins with an overview of the arrival of these minorities in the Kingdom of Portugal, followed by an analysis of the grievances or demands of the communes in relation to the Jews and the Moors. These were substantially concerned with economic, juridical or social issues and rarely touched religious matters. These parliamentary sources indicate that relations between Christians, Jews and Moors in Portugal were intense, even though, according to the laws of the Church and the kingdom, they were to live apart. In the majority of grivenaces or demands, we can identify a strong rivalry between wealthy Christian mercantile elites and the Jews, who were able to compete with them because they had access to greater capital and culture, particularly in the most developed urban centres. In order to achieve their objectives, the Christians were able to make use of religious arguments which they used to defend the dominance of the Christian majority. In their responses to the demands from the communes, the kings sought to reconcile the interests of the Christians and those of the minorities in the context of their own political programmes whose priorities altered over time.