Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 2.pdf/491

441 441

"Kleine Schriften,"iii. 282 etseq. suggests that "Moses of Cliorene as a court historian was forced to dissemble the real origin of the Armenian dynasty in the interests of Shabat Bagrutuni, who led the revolt against Persian domination). I. Berkhin, in his "Rod Bagratuni," in comparing the two different accounts, shows (1) that the sources of Sebeos were known to Moses, who (book i., ch.

warns his readers not to believe " such foolish words, which have not even a semblance of truth" (2) that the vast acquaintance with the historical literature of his time and the conscientiousness of Moses of Chorene, "the Tacitus of the Armenians," are thoroughly proved, while about the character of the material of Sebeos we have no basis upon which to judge; (3) that Moses of Chorene, being affectionately disposed to the family, would have been glad to give them a pedigree as descending from Haik, the father of the nation, if his conscience would allow him to believe it to be the truth (4) the typical Jewish names of the Bagratuni family (quoted above). Emin, the Russian translator of Moses of Chorene, one of the best authorities on Armenian history, expressed himself, at the Fifth Archeological Congress, 1880, as follows: "Vaharshak gives his attention to the Jew Bagarat, the descendant of Shambat," etc. It should not be forgotten, however, that, according to Gutschmidt and other critics, Moses of Chorene's work is of a later date than the fifth century, and that his statements are open to question. See also Armenia. xxii.)

Bibliography ii.,

Bagnol Bahia

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

iil.;



Moses ol Chorene, History of Armenia, hooks

Shopen,

Novyya Zamyetki na Drevniya

Istorii

St. Petersburg, 1866; A. Harkavy, Ob Izuchenii Istorii Busskikh Yevreyev, in Bazsviiet, 1880, No. 50; I. Berkhin, Bod Bagratuni, in Voskhod, Nov.-Dec,

Kavkaza,

etc.,

1883, pp. 138-153.

H. R.

g.

BAGRIS.

See Bacchides.

BAHAMONTE, BENITO LOPEZ:

Spanish

author of a Hebrew grammar for school Gramatica de la Lengua Hebraica, Escrita en Castellano," Madrid, 1818 (Kayserling, Christian



use, entitled, "

"Bibliotheca Espafiola," p.

16).

M. K.

t.

BAHDAH BANTJ, Jewish tribe in Arabia.

See

Ben Bahdal.

A (the Bay) or SAN SALVADOR on the eastern coast of Brazil founded by the Portuguese in 1549. Its official name became Cidade do San Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos (The

BAHIA



city

City of the Holy Savior in All Saints' Bay). Although the year 1624 is generally assigned as the date of the earliest mention of Jews in Brazil, investigation shows that they lived there at a much earlier period.

1610 mention is made of the physicians are described as being mainly New Christians, who prescribed pork to lessen the suspicion and charges of Ruled Judaizing. Pyrard, the historian, who by the visited the place in 1610, states that Portuguese. a rumor was then afloat that the king of Spain " desires to establish the Inquisition here, on which account the Jews are greatly

As early as

of Bahia,

who

frightened."

Whether the persons referred to by Pyrard were observers of the Jewish faith is doubtful he probably meant persons of Jewish race. Certain it is that the open profession of Judaism was not tolerated at the time. The beginnings of Jewish history at Bahia, as well as in other portions of Brazil, are wrapped in obscurity, mainly for the reason that the earliest Jew;

were Maranos or New Christians. They had left Portugal, when it became too dangerous for them to remain there, on account of the extreme vig-

ish settlers

ilance of the Inquisition.

Though

the Inquisition was never established in were there almost from the very beginning, and at a very early period New Christians were sent back to Europe to stand trial beforethe Holy Office. On this account it soon became necessary for the Maranos in the New World towear the mask, much as they had done in their native land. Usually they kept their Judaism secret, particularly at Bahia, for that city soon becamethe seat of the Jesuits and the most Catholic place in the colony, numbering more than sixty-two churches, at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Brazil, its agents

The secret Jews at Bahia seem to have been very numerous at the beginning of the seventeenth century. In 1618, Don Luiz de Sousa was especially charged by the Inquisition to send home a list of all New Christians in Brazil, with the most exact information that could be obtained of their property and place of abode. They were then among the wealthiest inhabitants of Bahia, some of them being worth from 60,000 to 100,000 crusados. "But," observes, the historian, " they were despised by their bigoted countrymen, and were in constant danger of losingtheir property through the agents of the Holy Office."

At this period the Dutch commenced their ambiIn contious schemes for the conquest of Brazil. nection with some of the earliest intrigues, special mention is made of one Francisco Ribiero, a Portuguese captain stationed near Bahia, who is described as having Jewish relatives in Holland. It was only when some great upheaval took place, or when some Protestant power obtained the upper in Brazil, that the Jewish population appeared On such occasions the New distinctively as Jews. Christians threw off the mask, joined the deliverer, and openly proclaimed their adherence to the ancient

hand

While hundreds of secret Jews had lived at Bahia almost from its foundation, it was only at the period of the Dutch invasion that they appear as. adherents of the Jewish faith. The Dutch war came faith.

them as a relief, for it alone prevented the introduction of the Inquisition. The Dutch relied for assistance on the Jews of Bahia and the comparatively large Jewish population of Brazil, when they prepared Friendly to their plans for the conquest of the the Dutch, country. The Dutch West India Company was formed in 1622 in furtherance of the project, and it is significant to note that one of the chief arguments in favor of the organization was, "that the Portuguese themselves, some from their hatred of Castile, others because of their intermarriage with New Christians and their conse-

to