Solomon Molcho

Solomon Molcho, actually Diogo Pires (* around 1500 in Lisbon, † 1532 in Mantua ) was a native of Portugal Kabbalistic preacher and cult leader, who was burnt as a relapsed Marrano 1532 at the stake.

Life

Molcho was the son of Portuguese Marranos and baptized in the name Diogo Pires. He was clerk of the Portuguese King John III. , Met in 1525 at the court of Lisbon David Reuveni know and was impressed by him. As Pires suggested to want to return to Judaism, Reuveni saw it as a threat to Pires and of itself. Therefore, Pires circumcised himself and called himself henceforth Solomon Molcho ( " melech " in Hebrew means "king" ). As rekonvertierter Marrano threatened him in Portugal, the fiery death, so he fled to Turkey.

There he studied the Kabbalah and published in 1529 in Thessaloniki a Hebrew book in which he, the sack of Rome by the mercenaries of Charles V, as a sign of impending liberation of the Jews interpreted the Sacco di Roma. Later he worked as a preacher in Palestine, especially in the center of the Oriental Kabala, which was created after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in Safed. Here he prophesied Messiah's Kingdom for the year 1540.

Later he appeared in Italy and began to preach in the Jewish community of Ancona, but was denounced to the ecclesiastical authorities. He walked on, first to Rome ( 1530), then to Venice ( 1531) and finally returned to Rome. He was sentenced to death, but released on personal intercession of Pope Clement VII out. It is said that he predicted a flood of the Tiber. 1532 he met David Reuveni in northern Italy again. Both decided to ask at the Diet of Regensburg Emperor Charles V for assistance. They wanted him to propose the publication of a declaration, which aimed to use the Jewish people for the fight against the Ottomans. Reuveni and Molcho were not admitted, but was arrested on the orders of the Emperor. Molcho was brought to Mantua, tried and burned as relapsed Marrano at the stake, after he had a pardon of Charles V in the event of his return to the Catholic faith rejected.

Molcho influence extended as far as Poland, where many Jews saw him as the true Messiah.

Effect

The story of Solomon Molcho found multiple literary use, such as in a trilogy of novels by Aharon Avraham Kabak (Hebrew 1913-1927 ). In German language Brod focused on the subject under the title Reubeni, Prince of the Jews (novel, 1925; later eponymous drama).