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Secrets & Mysteries of the Sephardim

Ilyasov Roman

Roman Ilyasov

INTRODUCTION

The book “Secrets & Mysteries of the Sephardim”1 focuses on events on the Iberian Peninsula2 in the 15th century.

It is based on historical facts about the lives of the Portuguese and Spanish monarchs.3 These facts are partially or fully opposite to the legends created by the monarchs and influential political figures of the Holy Roman Empire4 of that time.

It is also based on the archival data of papal bulls5 found in the Vatican Apostolic library and many other archival sources.

And, of course, it is based on the genetic research of Christopher Columbus’ brother and son’s genes. This research and Columbus’s writing style questioned Columbus’s Italian origins and revealed his Portuguese-Sephardic origin. It also proves that Columbus’ birthplace was not Italy or Spain but Portugal. Readers can find a detailed description of the research in the book, “Christopher Columbus was Portuguese!” by Dr. Manuel Luciano da Silva.

Another mystery is where the name Columbus originated. There were many cases in history where people took the surnames of those who influenced their lives significantly.

In the opinion of this book’s author, Christopher Columbus might have taken the name of a person whose identity he could not reveal because of sensitive circumstances. But who was this person? And what heroic deed did this person perform that affected him so profoundly?

Along with the great Sephardim, such as Columbus and other prominent Sephardim who glorified the Sephardim throughout the world with their deeds, the first book includes characters from the time of Columbus who dishonored their Sephardic origin with their actions. These people are inhumane and include, among others, Thomas Torquemada.6

CHAPTER I. Portugal 1444 – 1459

It’s early morning in the palace, and two dozen servants are bustling about in the breakfast room.

The butler, standing at one of the large hall windows, was restlessly wiping the moisture from his pale face. His hand was half-trembling, and he often glanced through the window at the chapel. He motioned to the servants, setting the food on the table to hurry, and irritably made remarks to them when he saw they were not placed neatly.

According to traditions established by Pedro,7 Duke of Coimbra,8 all members of the royal family, both adults and children, must gather for a family breakfast every Sunday after morning prayers. Because of his busy schedule, Pedro wasn’t able to see his family every day. Therefore, a few hours during breakfast allowed him to meet them and discuss any concerns or problems that arose during the week.

“Thank God, we seem to have time,” the butler sighed with relief. He walked around the table again and ordered the servants to straighten the chairs. Then, he excused everyone and had 10 servants from the adjacent hall enter. These servants were more qualified in serving and were specially trained in court ma

The butler again went to the window, crossed himself, and said, “Thank God,” as he saw members of the royal family leaving the palace chapel. Shortly after that, the door opened widely, and Duke Pedro, his wife, Duchess Isabella of Urgell,9 a prince, four infantes10, and three infantas appeared on the threshold.

With a broad smile, the butler approached the incoming monarchs. He bowed and said in a monotonous tone, “I ask your royal highnesses and your lordships to the table.”

The servants, dressed in elegantly starched clothes, immediately approached the carved oak chairs and bowed. Holding on to the high backs of the chairs with one hand and with beautiful movements of the other, they indicated to each family member to take their places according to position and age.

Duke Pedro was the guardian of his nephew, Prince Afonso,11 who was to become the king of Portugal in a year and a half on his coming of age. Pedro was the second son of the late King of Portugal, João the Great.12 After João’s death, the throne was inherited by Pedro’s older brother, Edward I.13 He ruled Portugal for only five years until he died of the plague at 46.

After Edward’s death, his wife, Queen Eleanor of Aragon,14 was denied the regency15 of her minor son, and Pedro temporarily inherited the throne.

He was elected the trustee of the king’s two minor sons, Prince Afonso and infante Fernando.16 The rules of the Portuguese court say a prince who reached 14 (the age of majority) had the right to rule.

After Duchess Isabella took her place at the table, the duke sat to her right. The seat next to the duke belonged to 12-year-old Prince Afonso. Afonso’s brother, 11-year-old Infante Fernando, sat next to him. The duke and duchess’s children held the following places: infantes Pedro,17 João,18 James19 and infantas Isabella,20 Beatrice,21 and Philippa.22

After everyone took his or her seat, the duke told the butler, who looked sickly, to leave. Then, he a

The servants approached the tables and began serving the meal. The duchess, who never had much to eat, finished her breakfast first. She turned to Afonso with a smile and said, “I asked your teachers how you were doing in your classes. All your teachers praised you highly, your highness. They enthusiastically said you were ahead of your pla

“Wonderful!” the duke exclaimed. He raised his glass to toast the prince. “All your efforts in your studies, my dear nephew, will bring you great success and be beneficial to our country.”

Turning to the duchess, he continued, “I thank you, my dear, for your curiosity about the prince’s academic progress, which pleases me excessively. It also reassures me since I have been very concerned about my dear nephew’s ability to rule such a complex state as our Portugal. But now I am relieved. I will soon be able to transfer the kingdom to a successful person who can cope with his duties. He will quickly become as great as my beloved brother, Edward, was.”

Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews, also Sepharadim or Hispanic Jews are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the Iberian Peninsula. The term, derived from the Hebrew Sepharad (lit. 'Spain'), can also refer to the Mizrahi Jews of Western Asia and North Africa, who were also influenced by Sephardic law and customs. Many Iberian Jewish exiles also sought refuge in Mizrahi Jewish communities, resulting in integration with those communities.

The Iberian Peninsula (/aɪˈbɪəriən/), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defining the westernmost edge of Eurasia. It is principally divided between Continental Portugal and Peninsular Spain, comprising most of the region, Andorra, Gibraltar, and a small area of Southern France (French Cerdagne).

A monarch is a head of state for life or until abdication. Therefore, a monarch is the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power in the state, or others may wield that power on behalf of the monarch. Usually, a monarch either personally inherits the lawful right to exercise the state's sovereign rights (often referred to as the throne or the crown) or is selected by an established process from a family or cohort eligible to provide the nation's monarch.

The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 until the 12th century, the Empire was the most powerful monarchy in Europe.

A papal bull is a type of public decree, letters patent, or charter issued by a pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the leaden seal (bulla) traditionally appended to the end to authenticate it.

Tomás de Torquemada (Oct. 14,1420 – Sept. 16, 1498), also anglicized as Thomas of Torquemada, was a Castilian Dominican friar and first Grand Inquisitor of the Tribunal of the Holy Office (otherwise known as the Spanish Inquisition). The Spanish Inquisition was a group of ecclesiastical prelates created in 1478 and charged with the somewhat ill-defined task of “upholding Catholic religious orthodoxy” within the lands of the newly formed union of the crowns of Castile and Aragon. The lands of this newly formed royal union are now known as the Kingdom of Spain.

Infante D. Pedro, Duke of Coimbra (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpedɾu]; English: Peter) (Dec. 9, 1392 – May 20, 1449) was a Portuguese infante (prince) of the House of Aviz, son of King John I of Portugal and his wife, Philippa of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt. In Portugal, he is better known as Infante D. Pedro das Sete Partidas [do Mundo], “of the Seven Parts [of the World]” because of his travels. Possibly the best-traveled prince of his time, he was regent between 1439 and 1448. He was also 1st Lord of Montemor-o-Velho, Aveiro, Tentúgal, Cernache, Pereira, Condeixa and Lousã.

Coimbra is a city and a municipality in Portugal. Coimbra District in the Centro Region, Portugal. It was the capital city of the country during the 12th century.

Isabella of Urgell, Duchess of Coimbra (Spanish: Isabel) (March 12, 1409 – Sept. 17, 1459) was a Catalan noblewoman of the Urgell branch of the House of Barcelona. She was the wife of Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra.

Infante, (masculine), feminine infanta, the title borne from the 13th century by the children of the Spanish and Portuguese monarchs. The title infante was borne by the sons of the sovereign, and the title infanta was given to the daughters and to the wife of an infante.

Afonso V (Jan. 15, 1432 – 28 Aug. 28, 1481), known by the nickname the African (Portuguese: o Africano), was King of Portugal from 1438 until he died in 1481, with a brief interruption in 1477. His nickname refers to his military conquests in Northern Africa.

João the Great (Portuguese: João) (April 11, 1357 – 14 Aug. 14, 1433), also called John I or John of Aviz, was King of Portugal from 1385 until he died in 1433. He is recognized chiefly for his role in Portugal's victory in a succession war with Castile, preserving his country's independence and establishing the Aviz (or Joanine) dynasty on the Portuguese throne. His long reign of 48 years, the most extensive of all Portuguese monarchs, saw the begi

Edward (Portuguese: Duarte) (Oct. 31 1391 – Sept. 9 1438), also called Edward the Philosopher King (Duarte o Rei-Filósofo) or the Eloquent (o Eloquente), was the King of Portugal from 1433 until his death. He was born in Viseu, the son of John I of Portugal and his wife, Philippa of Lancaster. Edward was the oldest member of the "Illustrious Generation" of accomplished royal children who contributed to the development of Portuguese civilization during the 15th century. As a cousin of several English kings, he became a Knight of the Garter.

Eleanor of Aragon (May 2, 1402 – Feb. 19, 1445) was Queen of Portugal as the spouse of Edward I of Portugal and the regent of Portugal as the guardian of her son. She was the daughter of Ferdinand I of Aragon and Eleanor of Alburquerque.

A regent (from Latin regens ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state pro tempore (Latin: “for the time being”) because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated, or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy, or the throne is vacant, and the new monarch has not yet been determined.

Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu and Beja (or Fernando, Portuguese pronunciation: [fɨɾˈnɐ̃du], Nov. 17, 1433 – 18 Sept. 18 1470) was the third son of Edward, King of Portugal and his wife, Eleanor of Aragon.

Pedro of Coimbra (also known as Peter the Constable) (Portuguese: Pedro, pronounced [ˈpedɾu]; c. 1429 – Granollers, June 30, 1466), sometimes known as Peter V of Aragon, was the son of Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra, who became the fifth Constable of Portugal and third Grand Master of the Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz.

João or John, Prince of Antioch (1431–1457), was the second son of Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra, and Isabella of Urgell, Duchess of Coimbra.

James of Portugal (Sept. 17, 1433 – 27 Aug. 27 1459), also known as James of Coimbra, James of Lusitania, was a Portuguese infante (prince) of the House of Aviz and a bishop and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.

Infanta Isabel of Coimbra (Isabella of Portugal) (March 1, 1432 – Dec. 2. 1455) was a Portuguese infanta and Queen of Portugal as the first spouse of King Afonso V of Portugal.

Infanta Beatrice of Coimbra (1435–1462) was the fifth child of Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra, and Isabella of Urgell.

Infanta Philippa of Coimbra (1437–1497) was the youngest child of Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra, and Isabella of Urgell. She became a nun in the Convent of Odivelas, where she died in 1497.