Abraham Senior facts for kids

Abraham Seneor (born in Segovia in 1412, died 1493) was a very important Jewish leader, banker, and politician in Castile, Spain. He was the last main rabbi for the king and queen of Castile. In 1492, when he was 80 years old, he changed his religion from Judaism to Roman Catholicism. He took the new name Fernando Pérez Coronel and started a new noble family called Coronel.

The Seneor Family's Influence

The Seneor family became very powerful in Castile starting in the 1460s. They were the biggest group involved in collecting taxes for the king and queen. The family also played a role in politics, helping to protect the interests of craftsmen and workers in central Spanish cities.

Abraham Seneor was connected to important people like Andrés Cabrera, who worked for King Henry IV of Castile. He was also related to Beatriz de Bobadilla, who was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Isabella. In 1488, Seneor became the treasurer of the Holy Brotherhood, a group that helped keep peace and order.

Working with Queen Isabella

Abraham Seneor had a very important position in the royal court. His job was not just collecting taxes. In 1469, he played a big part in arranging the marriage of Princess Isabella of Castile to Ferdinand of Aragon. He even helped provide the engagement gifts!

In 1473, he helped Isabella and her brother, King Henry IV, make up after they had problems. In 1474, he helped Isabella hide in the Alcázar of Segovia castle after her brother died. Queen Isabella trusted Seneor so much that she gave him a large sum of money every year for life as a thank you for his services.

Seneor was also made the chief justice of the Jewish community in Segovia. He became the main rabbi for the royal court of Castile. He was highly respected by other important Jewish leaders. He was also a close friend of Isaac Abravanel, and they worked together to collect taxes.

During the War of Granada, Seneor and Abravanel were very helpful. They raised money and supplied Queen Isabella's army. They also supported Christopher Columbus in his efforts to get Queen Isabella to support his trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Edict of Expulsion

Abraham Seneor actively tried to help the Jewish community, which was facing increasing pressure. He and others managed to raise a lot of money to help free Jews who had been captured in Málaga.

However, they could not stop the decree that forced all Jews to leave Spain. This decree, called the Edict of Granada, was issued on March 31, 1492. Despite offering a large sum of money, their efforts failed.

Abraham Seneor, being 80 years old, chose to change his religion to Catholicism along with some of his family. His friend Abravanel, who was 55, chose to keep his religion and left Spain for Naples.

Abraham Seneor's Conversion

Abraham Seneor's conversion was a big event for the king and queen, so it was planned very carefully. On June 15, 1492, in a monastery in Guadalupe, Seneor was baptized. He took the Christian name Fernando (after his godfather, King Ferdinand himself) and the last name Perez Coronel.

Soon after his conversion, he became a ruler of Segovia, a member of the Royal Council, and a chief accountant for Prince Juan. Even after the expulsion of the Jews, Seneor continued to help other Jewish people who were forced to leave Spain by providing financial assistance.

The Coronel Family

The Coronel family became one of the most important families in Segovia during the 1500s. In 1493, Abraham/Fernando's children, Juan Perez Coronel and Inigo Lopez Coronel, took over his business. Inigo also became a ruler of Segovia.

A daughter, Maria Coronel, married Juan Bravo in 1510. Juan Bravo later became a leader in the Castilian Revolt of the Comuneros, a rebellion against the king.

A man named Pedro Fernandez Coronel, likely a relative, joined Christopher Columbus on his second voyage. Columbus spoke highly of him. Pedro was later appointed Constable of the Indies, a high position in the new lands. He also acted as a godfather at the baptism of the first Native American Indian in Spain.

Abraham Seneor's house in Segovia, located in the Jewish quarter, became a Franciscan convent in 1902. Today, it is an educational center for the Jewish quarter. The Monastery of Santa María del Parral still has the Coronel family's chapel, where Abraham/Fernando and other family members are buried.

Not all of Abraham Seneor's descendants fully embraced Catholicism. Some were accused of secretly practicing Judaism and were punished by the Inquisition. Others fled to places that were more welcoming to Jews, like Holland and Brazil. For example, Duarte Saraiva (born 1572) went to Holland and later Brazil, where he became very wealthy.

Today, descendants of Abraham Seneor are found all over the world, including in Israel, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Venezuela, Holland, and the United States.

Notable Descendants

• Benjamin Cardozo, an American lawyer and judge who served on the highest court in the United States.
• David Senior Coronel, a Dutch businessman who helped start the Jewish community in Recife, Brazil.
• Fernando Coronel, an Ecuadorian contractor who helped British Petroleum drill Ecuador's first oil well.
• Gabriel Coronel, a Venezuelan actor, singer, and model.
• María Josefa Coronel, an Ecuadorian journalist.
• Tim Coronel, a Dutch car racing driver.
• Tom Coronel, a Dutch car racing driver and Tim's twin brother.
• Uri Coronel, a Dutch sports director for the AFC Ajax soccer club.
• Nassau Senior, an author of an important law about poverty in Britain in 1834.
• Nachman Nathan Coronel, a Jewish scholar from the 1800s.
• Jaap Nunes Vaz, a Dutch journalist who worked for an underground newspaper during World War II.
• Candido Pinheiro Coren de Lima, a Brazilian writer.

See also

In Spanish: Abraham Senior para niños