Moses da Costa facts for kids
Moses Mendes da Costa (who passed away in 1747), also known as Anthony da Costa, was an important English banker. He is remembered for standing up for his rights against a big company.
In 1727, Moses da Costa took legal action against the Russia Company. This company refused to let him join because he was a Jew. The attorney-general, a top legal official, decided that the company had to let him in. After this, the company asked Parliament (the government's law-making body) to change its rules so they could refuse people based on their religion.
Who Was Moses Mendes da Costa?
Moses Mendes da Costa was a successful banker in England during the 1700s. He was part of a well-known family with a long history. His story shows how people worked to gain equal rights in society during that time.
His Family Background
Moses was the son of Jacob da Costa. Jacob arrived in England with his family in 1655. In 1675, a member of their family bought a famous house called Cromwell House in Highgate. Moses's mother was Leonora (also known as Rachel) Mendes. Her brother, Fernandez Mendes, was a doctor for King John IV of Portugal.
Moses's Marriage and Children
In 1698, Moses married his cousin, Catherine Mendes. Catherine had been baptized at Somerset House. She was named after Catherine of Braganza, who was the wife of King Charles II. Catherine da Costa was an artist. She painted a watercolor picture of her father. This painting is now in the Bevis Marks Synagogue. Moses and Catherine had children, including a daughter named Sarah (also called Simha) Mendes da Costa. Sarah later married Ephraim Lópes Pereira d'Aguilar, 2nd Baron d'Aguilar.
