History
Communities of port Jews and their contacts in the Dutch Atlantic World
Document Type
Article
Abstract
In the late 16th century, Jews and conversos created a trading network that tied together ports in Portugal, Brazil and the Netherlands. This network became the chief Dutch commercial circuit in the first quarter of the 17th century and offered benefits to Jews and conversos that were not solely economic ones. This circuit made it possible for Brazilian New Christians to return to Judaism in Amsterdam and Amsterdam Jews to establish a community in Brazil. In the process, the port Jews of Recife (Brazil) and Amsterdam became closely connected, especially after warfare closed off access to Portuguese ports in the network. Amsterdam Jews arrived in force in Recife during the 1630s, but traveled back to Amsterdam during the years 1645-54, since the Dutch colony in Brazil was shrinking and, eventually, was captured by Portuguese troops. Jews contributed commercially, financially, and militarily to this short-lived colony and were rewarded with privileges, which, for this time, were remarkable. © Springer 2006.
Publication Title
Jewish History
Publication Date
2006
Volume
20
Issue
2
First Page
129
Last Page
145
ISSN
0334-701X
DOI
10.1007/s10835-005-9001-0
Keywords
Dutch Republic, Jewish, Jews, conversos. Atlantic world
Repository Citation
Klooster, Wim, "Communities of port Jews and their contacts in the Dutch Atlantic World" (2006). History. 59.
https://commons.clarku.edu/historyfac/59
