Abraham Senior

Abraham Senior (* 1412 in Segovia, † 1493 ) was a Jewish magnate and financier. Under the reign of the Catholic Monarchs Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, he was advisor to the crown and chief royal tax collector. The king granted him the title of Rab do la Corte ( Hofrabbi ) of Castile.

Life

Abraham Senior was like Isaac Abravanel to the influential " court Jews " at the court of the Spanish kings. Because of his wisdom, his wealth and his aristocratic lifestyle he enjoyed high reputation among the grandees of Spain.

He was involved as a mediator essential in bringing about the marriage of Isabella and Ferdinand, which led to a national agreement in Spain later. Beginning of 1473 he reached a reconciliation between Isabella and their unloved half brother Enrique. Senior enjoyed throughout his life high esteem by the queen. Isabella sat him for services rendered with a lifetime pension of 100 000 maravedis per year.

Together with Abravanel was Abraham Senior essential to finance the war against the Moors in that permanent after ten Years, costly and bloody combat actions on January 2, 1492 had to vacate the Alhambra Palace, their last stronghold on Spanish soil, final.

On March 31, 1492, the " Catholic Kings ", the Alhambra Decree, where the expulsion of the Jews was arranged from all territories of the Spanish Crown as of July 31 of the year issued, if they were not previously converted to Christianity. Although senior and Abravanel intervened with the Queen, was the edict - in spite of their great merits for the crown - even for them. Contrary to convert as Abravanel, who refused and left Spain, the 81 -year-old Abraham yielded to senior and was baptized along with his son on March 31, 1492 in Valladolid. The King and the Queen took as " mentors" to the baptism part. With baptism senior took the Christian name Ferrad [ Fernando ] Perez Coronel.