WI Jewish colonization of the New World
- Thread starter Fire God
- Start date
The Sandman
Banned
Obviously, or I wouldn't be posting from there. 
Though admittedly, my ancestors settled here late enough that there was a country waiting here for them.
Though admittedly, my ancestors settled here late enough that there was a country waiting here for them.
Hmm good idea.
Would they go to England also (provided that a POD(s) is a tolerant king) then be expelled by a non-tolerant king and forced to go somewhere... hmm maybe Argentina?
The non-tolerant king gives them that land for the glory of England while they have to defend themselves against the Spanish.
Ehhh ASB I know but it is an idea, and usually someone else would pick-up on it.
Would they go to England also (provided that a POD(s) is a tolerant king) then be expelled by a non-tolerant king and forced to go somewhere... hmm maybe Argentina?
The non-tolerant king gives them that land for the glory of England while they have to defend themselves against the Spanish.
Ehhh ASB I know but it is an idea, and usually someone else would pick-up on it.
Stephen
Banned
Hmm good idea.
Would they go to England also (provided that a POD(s) is a tolerant king) then be expelled by a non-tolerant king and forced to go somewhere... hmm maybe Argentina?
The non-tolerant king gives them that land for the glory of England while they have to defend themselves against the Spanish.
Ehhh ASB I know but it is an idea, and usually someone else would pick-up on it.
You could even use the same King invites them in, in order to borrow money of them (usually the motive) then expels them when he decides he cant be bothered repaying them. For some reason puts them in somwhere like Jamaica the there is a fasion for expelling jews all across europe that leads to the colony growing.
The Sandman
Banned
Actually, all you need is for the Spanish expulsion of the Jews to be delayed by a few years (logistical reasons, perhaps; an attempt to make sure that the expulsion is thorough and that the victims are properly looted). Once Columbus comes back with word of lands to the West, that would be seen as a convenient solution for dealing with the Jews and the Moors: send them west to establish colonies and then squeeze them for money. It also helps deal with the key problem of most European colonial efforts; namely, that finding willing colonists was extremely difficult.
Of course, a Jewish/Muslim Caribbean and Brazil (once the Portugese join in on the expulsions) would be interesting, to say the least. Especially since they'd probably still have a body of religiously acceptable Spaniards to keep them under control and sending wealth back home, rather than taking the chance to rebel...
Of course, a Jewish/Muslim Caribbean and Brazil (once the Portugese join in on the expulsions) would be interesting, to say the least. Especially since they'd probably still have a body of religiously acceptable Spaniards to keep them under control and sending wealth back home, rather than taking the chance to rebel...
Colonization wasn't even in the minds of Europeans when they hear of the New World at that time, especially before the Reformation. Portugal (and later France, England, and Netherlands) used it for trading. Spain and Portugal only wanted to exploit the resources (gold, silver, crops) via using Native labor (later African slaves) and thanks to the timing of the Columbus Voyage and the Reconquista, prostelyzation.
England got into the colonizing game because of all the groups of undesirables and North America was a convenient dumping ground for all of them.
Probably more likely is that the Jews find someplace to colonize and try to establish a settlement. They'd need to be on a side though, maybe England since they weren't much fans of the Spanish or French.
England got into the colonizing game because of all the groups of undesirables and North America was a convenient dumping ground for all of them.
Probably more likely is that the Jews find someplace to colonize and try to establish a settlement. They'd need to be on a side though, maybe England since they weren't much fans of the Spanish or French.
Errr... There's a reason that F&I didn't fund Columbus until after Granada was conquered. Oh, you're not suggesting the conquering take longer, but that there is some dithering on just what to do with the Jews and Moors. OK.
This is a very interesting idea, and, if it had been implemented, it might have let to a more diverse, tolerant, productive and interesting Spanish America.
However, it would have required a significant change of the Spanish King's policy. In 1493 there were still Moors in Spain (forced conversion of Granada's Muslims only occured around 1500 IIRC), and a lot of forcely converted Jews who secretly practiced Judaism.
The Spanish Kings could have send them to America if they had wanted to, but they were entirely against the idea. They didn't allow anyone who wasn't an "Old Christian" (somebody whose ancestors had been Christians for more than 200 years) to go to the New World.
The ideological justification of colonization was the conversion of Amerindians. They feared Jews and Moors could gave natives wrong ideas about religion. That's the reason why, a few decades later, they extended the prohibition to travel to the New Words to "heretics" (Protestants).
The other reason was that they probably weren't sure of how loyal would Jews, Moors or Protestants be.
Of course, some Jews managed to came in the colonial era. There are a few comunities in Central America who have been practicing a form of secret Judaism since the XVI century. In the recent years some of these have began to practize it openly again, re-converting to their ancestors faith.
Other (converted) Jews went to Brazil, as Portugal was less serios in terms of controling who left to the New World. Some of these later went to Spanish colonies such as Buenos Aires.
Others probably managed to pass Spanish controls and immigrate.
But they where always very few and isolated. To get more, you'd need a real change in the Spanish King's minds.
This is true, but Spain was probably the first to find out that some form of colonization was necesary to exploit the resources (gold, silver etc.) and to achieve the goal of prostelyzation of Christianity.