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C. 1440 - 1510 GASPAR DA GAMA (Goa, India - Portugal)
A Jew, whose real name and origins are unknown, though some claim he was originally from Poland. He was captured and sold as a slave in India. While he was serving the ruler of Goa in 1498, the visiting Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama took him prisoner, forced him to convert, and gave him a new name. Using his vast knowledge of languages, Gaspar accompanied many Portuguese voyages, meeting Amerigo Vespucci and Pedro Cabral.
1444 AVIGNON (France)
A partnership was formed between a gentile goldsmith named Procop and a member of the Jewish community named Davin to form a "publishing house". This was ten years before Gutenberg. Unfortunately, there are no known manuscripts from their partnership, which soon dissolved.
1445 ISAAC MORDECAI NATHAN (France)
A French physician Published the first Hebrew Concordance called Meir Netiv. One of its purposes was to make it easier for Hebrew-speaking Jews to reply to Christians.
1447 August 14, CASIMIR IV (Poland)
Following a fire in Posen which decimated the community , Casimir IV renewed all the rights and made his charter one of the most liberal in Europe. This charter lasted less than a decade before it was revoked under pressure by Cardinal Zbignyev Oleshnitzki the Archbishop of Cracow ( see 1454)rnrn
1449 January 27, TOLEDO ANTI-CONVERSO RIOTS (Spain)
New Christians (Conversos) were attacked during a revolt against taxation. Three hundred of them decided to band together and defend themselves. During the attack one Christian was killed. In response, 22 Marranos were murdered and numerous houses burned.
1449 June 5, TOLEDO (Spain)
The town council decided not to allow New Christians to hold any public office. Pope Nicholas V condemned the decision, claiming that all Catholics "constitute one body".
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