Nov. 2, 1510

Edict of Expulsion of the Jews from the Kingdom of Naples November 2, 1510 [Italy]: “Considering the harms that affect the most Christian city of Naples and all the Kingdom by the cohabitation with Jews, infidels and enemies of the holy Catholic religion, and particularly by the contact between Jews and those recently converted, for the peril to the latter that derives from it, as has been demonstrated by the happy experience of the Kingdom of Spain, recently purged of every heresy with the expulsion of the Jews: We, Ferdinand, out of the deep love we harbor for all the Kingdom of Naples, and for the well being and good Christian name of said Kingdom, deem necessary the perpetual expulsion of all the Jews who live there. As a consequence we order all Jews, male and female, with their children, servants and familiars of whatever age to abandon the Kingdom within the month of March of the coming year 1511. To transgressors will be applied the death penalty and confiscation of goods, without formal trial or conviction. We warn all the inhabitants of said Kingdom against receiving Jews into their lands or houses after that date, at the penalty of confiscation to the Treasury of their movable and immovable goods. And so that the Jews may be able to sell in the best way possible their goods and businesses by the stated term, we assure them of our royal protection against whoever might hazard to molest them, with threat to the transgressors of the expected penalty for such cases. This is so that they might come and go freely to order their possessions in the best way possible. Power is also given to said Jews to export freely by sea and land all their goods, save for valuables in silver, gold and coins.”