Podcasts · The Story of Malta: The Fortress Island of the Mediterranean — Fexingo History
Malta's Forgotten Jewish Quarter and the Inquisition
· 9:11 · S5 E246
Episode Malta's Forgotten Jewish Quarter and the Inquisition
Long before Valletta’s limestone walls rose to defend Christendom, Malta was home to a vibrant, complex Jewish community that thrived under Norman and Aragonese rule. In this episode of The Story of Malta, we peel back the layers of religious tolerance to reveal the daily lives of the island’s Jewish merchants, physicians, and scholars who lived in the Ghetto Vecchio near Birgu. We explore how King Peter III of Aragon granted them rights in 1280, allowing them to practice their faith openly for over a century. But that freedom ended abruptly in 1492, mirroring the expulsions from Spain and Portugal. We follow the tragic journey of those who refused to convert, facing the Spanish Inquisition and eventual exile or forced baptism. Through the eyes of figures like Isaac ben Reuben and the broader community records, we uncover the quiet resilience of Maltese Jews, their contributions to medicine and trade, and the lasting scars left by one of Europe’s most brutal religious purges. This is a story of coexistence, betrayal, and survival in the heart of the Mediterranean.
#MaltaHistory #JewishMalta #Inquisition #GhettoVecchio #Birgu #AragoneseRule #PeterIIIofAragon #1492Expulsion #MalteseJews #MedievalMediterranean #ReligiousTolerance #SpanishInquisition #NormanMalta #ForcedConversion #Exile #MedicalHistory #MediterraneanTrade #History #FexingoHistory
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Transcript
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