Jewish Migration to Portugal Amid the Almohad…
1149 CE
Jewish Migration to Portugal Amid the Almohad Conquest (Mid-12th Century)
As the Almohads expanded their rule over Muslim Spain in the mid-12th century, they imposed a far stricter interpretation of Islamic law, leading to the persecution of religious minorities, including Jewish communities. Facing forced conversions, expulsions, and violence, many Sephardic Jews fled Al-Andalus, seeking refuge in more tolerant Christian territories.
Portugal, under the rule of Afonso I, welcomed these Jewish refugees, offering them protection and opportunities to contribute to the kingdom’s economic, intellectual, and administrative development. Over time, the Jewish presence in Portugal would become a vital part of the nation’s commercial and scholarly life, playing a significant role in its early urban and financial growth.