Isaac Cardoso facts for kids

Isaac (Fernando) Cardoso was a Jewish doctor, thinker, and writer who strongly argued for his beliefs.

Early Life and Studies

Isaac Cardoso was born in a town called Trancoso, in Portugal, around 1603 or 1604. His parents were Marranos, which meant they were Jewish but had to pretend to be Christian because of the Inquisition (a religious court that persecuted non-Christians). He later died in Verona, Italy, in 1683. He had an older brother named Abraham Miguel Cardoso.

Isaac was very smart and studied many subjects at the University of Salamanca in Spain. He learned about medicine, philosophy (the study of knowledge and existence), and natural sciences.

Career in Spain

After finishing his studies, Isaac became a doctor in Valladolid, Spain, in 1632. Soon after, he was called to Madrid to be a chief physician. While working there, he wrote several important books and papers:

• In 1632, he published a lecture about the volcano Vesuvius and why earthquakes happen.
• In 1635, he wrote about the color green. He dedicated this work to Isabel Henriques, a very intelligent woman in Madrid.
• He also wrote a speech for the funeral of a famous writer named Lope de Vega.
• In 1637, his book about the uses of cold water was printed. He dedicated this book to King Philip IV of Spain.

Moving to Italy and Embracing Judaism

Isaac, whose Christian name was Fernando, decided to leave Spain. He probably did this to escape the Inquisition, which was dangerous for people with Jewish roots. He went to Venice, Italy, with his brother Miguel, who was also a doctor. In Venice, both brothers openly returned to their Jewish faith. Fernando changed his name to Isaac. After a short time in Venice, Isaac settled in Verona, where he lived until he died. He was highly respected by both Jewish and Christian people there.

Important Writings

Isaac Cardoso wrote many important books. Two of his most famous works are:

Philosophia Libera

In 1673, Isaac published a large book in Venice called Philosophia Libera in Septem Libros Distributa. This book covered many topics, including how the universe began (cosmogony), physics, medicine, philosophy, and religion. In this work, Isaac clearly disagreed with some ideas like the Kabbalah (a mystical form of Judaism) and the teachings of Sabbatai Zevi, who claimed to be the Messiah. This was interesting because his own brother, Miguel, actually followed Sabbatai Zevi. Isaac also made fun of the idea of the transmigration of souls, which is the belief that souls can move into new bodies after death.

Las Excelencias y Calunias de los Hebreos

One of Isaac's most important books was Las Excelencias y Calunias de los Hebreos, published in Amsterdam in 1679. In this book, he defended Jewish people against false accusations.

The book had two main parts:

• The "Excelencias" (Good Qualities): In ten chapters, he wrote about the special qualities of Jewish people. He explained how they were chosen by God, had unique laws, showed compassion for others, were kind, pure, and had strong faith.
• The "Calunias" (False Accusations): In another ten chapters, he argued against common lies told about Jewish people. These included false claims that they worshipped fake gods, smelled bad, were cruel to other people, changed religious texts, disrespected holy images, or even killed Christian children for rituals.

This book was highly praised by many, including a rabbi named J. Brieli. Isaac sent a copy to Rabbi Samuel Aboab in Venice, who thanked him for the wonderful gift. Isaac also wrote another letter to Aboab, sharing his ideas about where some Spanish words came from in the Bible. It is also believed that Isaac Cardoso published a book of poems called Varias Poesias in 1680.

See also

In Spanish: Isaac Cardoso para niños