Jaime de Montesa facts for kids
Jaime de Montesa (who died on August 20, 1487) was an important Spanish legal expert and a top official in Zaragoza until 1485.
Protesting the Inquisition
Jaime de Montesa was a New Christian, meaning he had converted from Judaism to Christianity. Along with other important New Christians, including knights and royal officials, he spoke out to King Ferdinand the Catholic against the growing power of the Inquisition in Zaragoza.
They explained that the Inquisition was causing problems in their kingdom. They argued that because most people in the kingdom were Christian and there were very few people with different beliefs, anyone suspected of having different ideas should only be given warnings and advice.
However, their protests didn't change anything. The king simply replied that since the Aragon was very Christian, the Inquisition shouldn't cause any trouble. He believed it wouldn't have much to do there.
His Arrest and Trial
On October 17, 1485, about a month after the killing of the inquisitor Pedro de Arbués, Jaime de Montesa was accused of being part of a secret plan. A man who knew a maid in Montesa's home made the accusation. Montesa was arrested and removed from his job.
The court of the Inquisition questioned him two days later. Even though he said he was not guilty, he was put in prison. He stayed there for 22 months, waiting for his trial.
He was questioned again on August 10, 1487. During this questioning, he was treated very harshly to make him confess. Because of this, he confessed, perhaps falsely, that he had helped plan the inquisitor's murder. He also said he had offered 600 gold florins to whoever would kill him.
He was later tried and found guilty of different charges. These charges were not related to the murder plot. Instead, he was accused of secretly following the Jewish Law, attending Jewish weddings, eating Jewish food, and practicing Jewish ceremonies after he had converted to Christianity.
The Sentence
Jaime de Montesa was found guilty of these charges. Because he confessed late, he was sentenced to death.
On August 20, 1487, Jaime de Montesa, who was in his seventies, was beheaded in Zaragoza's Market Square. On the very same day, his aunt, Leonor de Montesa, was burned at a stake in the same square. She was punished for performing Jewish ceremonies and for fasting for fifty years on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
See also
In Spanish: Jaime de Montesa para niños
