Contribute by: dr. Benedetto Ligorio, Ph.D. Post-Doc Modern History.
Department of Philosophy in Villa Mirafiori – Sapienza University of Rome.
Full Member of “Società di Storia Patria per la Puglia – Palazzo Ateneo”.
Scientific Bureau Societas Spinozana Italy
At the beginning of the Early Modern Era the synagogues of the ‘giudecca’, the Jewish quarter of Trani, were involved in dynamics of supersessionism and become catholic chuches dedicated to “Sant’Anna, Santa Maria Scolanova, San Leonardo Abate and San Pietro because of the expulsion of the Jews and the “New Christians” from the Kingdom of Naples in 1531 and 1541. The expulsion of Jewish etnicity was a cultural shock and the ethnic mosaic of South Italy was definitely compromised, with serious damage to the economic and social structure of the peninsula.
The Franciscans Monti di Pietà supplied to the necessity of microcredit guaranteed before by the Jewish presences, but the trading communities lost productive elements of connection between the Mediterranean markets. The Jews tried to procrastinate the departure from South Italy: on 6 september 1541 the ‘Camera Summarie’ of the Kingdom of Neaples informed the regents and judges of the ‘Gran Corte della Vicaria’ that the viceroy had extended until the end of October the deadline for the departure of the Jews from the kingdom in order to allow the Jewish delegates to discuss before the same Camera, within by 20 September, their reasons for opposing the Royal Treasury. The notice is made at the request of the proti of the Jews.[1]
Pro Ebreis.
Multo magnifici Regenti et Iudici dela Gran Corte de la Vicaria. Li dì passati per questa Camera fo proferito decreto del tenor sequente, videlicet: Die XVIIII mensis augusti 1541. Facta relatione per excellentes et magnificos dominos Locumtenentes et Presidentes Regie Camere Summarie ill.mo domino Viceregi in Regio Collaterali Consilio de partitis pretensis per Ebreos qui steterunt in Regno contra Regiam Curiam, audito magnifico Fisci patrono et advocatis eorundem Ebreorum, fuit conclusum partiter et decretum prout presenti decreto decernitur et declaratur quod predicti Ebrei per totum vicesimum mensis semptembris precise et peremptorie debeant in eadem Regia Camera producere et allegare ac verificare omnia eis incumbentia super dictis partitis ut possit per eandem Cameram liquidari et declarari ut iuris fuerit, et propterea idem ill.mus dominus Vicerex prorogavit prout presenti decreto prorogatum esse decernitur eisdem Ebreis tempus eorum descessus a Regno per totum mensem octobris proxime futuri. Et quod intimetur etc. Consensu Iohannes Coscolinus. Però ad instantia deli prothi de dicti Ebrei ve damo notitia delo dicto decreto acciò possate observarlo et farlo observare quanto tocca ala dicta prorogatione del termino per tucto octubro secundo sua Ex.a lo ha provisto. Datum Neapoli etc. die VI mensis septembris 1541. B(artholomeus) Cameraria Magni Camerarii locumtenens. Iohannes Paulus Crispus magister actorum. Consensu Iohannes Consolinus.
After 20 September 1541 The Jews suddenly lost the traditional protection of the State and were forced to migrate. While the Synagogues of Trani, among the oldest of Europe, remained empty were reconverted into churches. Ultimately the Jewish architectonical heritage of Trani – like in the other cities of South Italy – was forfeited by the Diocesis. The church of Sant’Anna and Santa Maria di Scolanova are the only two of the four synagogues that have come down to present days; of the other two we have only some documented memories at the end of the 14th century and it seems that the synagogues were located near the streets of S. Anna and via Cambio.
The characteristic toponyms of the Jewish quarter have been preserved, and still today the church of S. Anna overlooks Via Della Giudea and that of Scolanova on ‘Piazza Sinagoga’. This square is today the result of the demolition of the building known as the rabbi’s house, whose façade, with a late 14th century mullioned window, looked towards the synagogue.
[1] State Archive of Naples (A.S.Na.), Sommaria, Partium 215, fol. 227v.; C. Colafemmina, Documenti per la storia degli ebrei in Puglia, Bari 1990.
European Jewish History Project 