Converso Non-Conformism in Early Modern Spain : Bad Blood and Faith From Alonso De Cartagena to Diego Velázquez

This book examines the effects of Jewish conversions to Christianity in late medieval Spanish society. Ingram focuses on these converts and their descendants (known as conversos) not as Judaizers, but as Christian humanists, mystics and evangelists, who attempt to create a new society based on quietist religious practice, merit, and toleration. His narrative takes the reader on a journey from the late fourteenth-century conversions and the first blood purity laws (designed to marginalize conversos), through the early sixteenth-century Erasmian and radical mystical movements, to a Counter-Reformation environment in which conversos become the advocates for pacifism and concordance. His account ends at the court of Philip IV, where growing intolerance towards Madrid’s converso courtiers is subtly attacked by Spain’s greatest painter, Diego Velázquez, in his work, __Los Borrachos__. Finally, Ingram examines the historiography of early modern Spain, in which he argues the converso reform phenomenon continues to be underexplored. Preface 6 Acknowledgments 13 Contents 14 List of Figures 15 Chapter 1: Introduction 17 Velázquez’s Cross 17 Bad Blood and Faith 24 Chapter 2: From Toledo to Alcala 27 Converso Humanists and the Noble Courts 34 The Conversos and Religious Reform 39 The Alumbrados and Other Mystics 48 Ignatius of Loyola and the First Jesuits 56 Chapter 3: From Alcala to Seville and Beyond 66 Fernán Pérez de Oliva (1494?–1532) 74 Juan De Ávila (1499?–1569) 82 Converso Non-Conformism in Seville 90 Protestant Cells 94 Valladolid 99 Chapter 4: The Road Out of Trent 105 A Spanish Solomon 118 Chapter 5: Four Humanists 131 Benito Arias Montano (1527–1598) 132 A New Solomon’s Temple 146 The Lead Books Fraud 153 Benito Arias Montano’s Private Faith 156 Francisco Pacheco (1540?–1599) 162 Pablo De Cespedes (1548?–1608) 168 Pedro De Valencia (1555–1620) 177 Chapter 6: Diego Velázquez and the Subtle Art of Protest 192 Velázquez’s Family Canvas 193 Private Subtexts 200 At the Court of the Count-Duke 215 The Portrait of the Artist As a Nobleman 227 Chapter 7: The Converso Returns 238 Notes 255 Chapter 1: Introduction 255 Chapter 2: From Toledo to Alcala 258 Chapter 3: From Alcala to Seville and Beyond 277 Chapter 4: The Road Out of Trent 292 Chapter 5: Four Humanists 298 Chapter 6: Diego Velázquez and the Subtle Art of Protest 320 Chapter 7: The Converso Returns 336 Select Bibliography 344 Works Cited 344 Primary Sources 344 Secondary Sources 347 Index 367 "This book examines the effects of Jewish conversions to Christianity in late medieval Spanish society. Ingram focuses on these converts and their descendants (known as conversos) not as Judaizers, but as Christian humanists, mystics and evangelists, who attempt to create a new society based on quietist religious practice, merit, and toleration. His narrative takes the reader on a journey from the late fourteenth-century conversions and the first blood purity laws (designed to marginalize conversos), through the early sixteenth-century Erasmian and radical mystical movements, to a Counter-Reformation environment in which conversos become the advocates for pacifism and concordance. His account ends at the court of Philip IV, where growing intolerance towards Madrid's converso courtiers is subtly attacked by Spain's greatest painter, Diego Velázquez, in his work, Los Borrachos. Finally, Ingram examines the historiography of early modern Spain, in which he argues the converso reform phenomenon continues to be underexplored."--Provided by publisher Front Matter ....Pages i-xx Introduction (Kevin Ingram)....Pages 1-10 From Toledo to Alcala (Kevin Ingram)....Pages 11-49 From Alcala to Seville and Beyond (Kevin Ingram)....Pages 51-89 The Road Out of Trent (Kevin Ingram)....Pages 91-116 Four Humanists (Kevin Ingram)....Pages 117-177 Diego Velázquez and the Subtle Art of Protest (Kevin Ingram)....Pages 179-224 The Converso Returns (Kevin Ingram)....Pages 225-241 Back Matter ....Pages 243-370