Antonio Fernandez Carvajal facts for kids

Antonio Fernandez Carvajal (born around 1590 – died November 10, 1659) was a successful merchant from Portugal. He was Jewish and became the very first Jew to be officially recognized as an English subject. This was a big deal because, for a long time, Jewish people were not allowed to live openly in England.

Carvajal, along with other important Jewish leaders, bravely asked Oliver Cromwell, who was then the leader of England, for the right to practice their religion freely. Cromwell agreed, and Carvajal became a key person for the Jewish community in England.

A Merchant's Life

Early Life and Business

Antonio Carvajal was born around 1590 in Fundão, Portugal. He likely left Portugal because of the Portuguese Inquisition. This was a time when people were persecuted for their religious beliefs. He moved to the Canary Islands and became very successful in business there.

Around 1635, he moved to London, England, and settled on Leadenhall Street. He traded many different goods, like gunpowder, wine, and corn. He was especially known for bringing a lot of silver to England, about £100,000 worth each year. This was a huge amount of money back then!

Facing Challenges and Gaining Rights

When Carvajal first lived in England, he had to hide his Jewish faith. He even went to a Catholic church to avoid trouble. In 1645, he was accused of not attending church, but powerful London merchants helped him. The House of Lords stopped the case against him.

His importance grew, and in 1649, the government chose him as one of five people to supply corn to the army. By 1653, he owned many ships that sailed all over the world. These ships traded with places like the East Indies, West Indies, Brazil, and the Levant.

In 1655, Carvajal and his two sons were officially made English subjects. This meant they had the same rights as other English citizens. When England went to war with Spain, Carvajal's property in the Canary Islands was at risk. But Oliver Cromwell helped him, arranging for his goods to be safely moved to England.

Helping the Jewish Community

In 1655, a Jewish scholar named Menasseh Ben Israel came to England. He asked the English Parliament to allow Jewish people to return openly to England. This was important because King Edward I had formally expelled all Jews in 1290.

Even though Carvajal's own position was safe, he strongly supported this request. He was one of three people who bought the first Jewish burial ground in England. This cemetery, called the Velho Cemetery, was in Mile End. Carvajal leased the land in 1657. He was one of the first people buried there when he died just two years later.

A Spy for Cromwell

Carvajal was also very helpful to Oliver Cromwell in other ways. He lent money to Parliament and gathered important information. He had servants and relatives, like Alonzo di Fonseca Meza, who acted as spies for Cromwell in Holland. They reported on the activities of the Royalists, who supported the king.

Cromwell trusted Carvajal greatly. He even made sure that Jewish people had the right to stay in England because of Carvajal's influence. A diary entry from 1657 noted that Cromwell helped Carvajal because he was a valuable source of information.

Death

Antonio Carvajal passed away on November 10, 1659, in London. He had surgery for gallstones. Samuel Pepys, a famous diarist who had the same surgeon, even attended his funeral.