Molcho, Solomon

Molcho, Solomon
orig. Diogo Pires

born с 1500, Portugal
died 1532, Mantua

Portuguese Jewish martyr.

Born into a Marrano family, he became royal secretary in a Portuguese high court of justice. When an Arabian adventurer, David Reubeni (d. с 1532), arrived in Portugal, mystic visions convinced Pires that Reubeni was a herald of the messiah. After circumcising himself and changing his name, he preached the coming of the messiah in Turkey, Palestine, and Rome. In 1532 he and Reubeni were imprisoned by Charles V and turned over to the Inquisition. Molcho refused to recant his faith and was burned at the stake.

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▪ Portuguese Jewish martyr
original name  Diogo Pires  
born c. 1500, , Portugal
died 1532, Mantua [Italy]

      martyr who announced the messiah, arousing the expectations of European Jews.

      The son of Marrano parents (Portuguese or Spanish Jews forced to become Christians), Pires attained the position of royal secretary in a Portuguese high court of justice. When an Arabian adventurer, David Reubeni (Reubeni, David), arrived in Portugal, Pires became possessed by mystic visions and was convinced that Reubeni was an augur of the Jewish messiah, the divinely chosen leader who would destroy the enemies of the Jews and initiate the Golden Age. Reubeni, claiming to be the brother of an Arabian Jewish king, had asked the Portuguese king for weapons so that he could lead a Jewish army to drive the Turks out of Palestine.

      Pires circumcised himself, took the name Solomon Molcho, and approached Reubeni, telling him of his conversion and desire to openly espouse Judaism. He was rebuffed, however, by Reubeni. Molcho left Portugal and for a time lived in Salonika, Tur., where he joined a circle of Kabbalists (believers in the Kabbala, Jewish mystical writings). He began to preach that the messiah would arise in 1540 and published several sermons. After dwelling for a time in Safed, Palestine, he went to Rome (1529) and managed to win Pope Clement VII's protection from the Inquisition. Preaching at the great synagogue in Rome, Molcho accurately predicted two natural catastrophes—a flood in Rome (1530) and an earthquake in Portugal (1531).

      In the meantime, Reubeni had come to Rome and joined forces with Molcho. In 1532 they went to Regensburg, Ger., to see Emperor Charles V in a vain attempt to persuade him to arm the Marranos against the Turks. Charles imprisoned them and turned them over to the Inquisition in Mantua. Given the choice of returning to Christianity, Molcho refused and was burned at the stake. Reubeni died in prison, probably poisoned.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Molcho, Solomon — (c. 1500–32)    Pseudo messiah. Molcho was born Diogo Pieres in Lisbon, of Marrano parents. It seems that he studied Hebrew, rabbinic literature and maybe the Cabbala as a boy. On the arrival of David REUVENI in Portugal in 1525, Molcho was swept …   Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament

  • Molcho, Solomon — (c. 1500 32)    Italian kabbalist and pseudo messiah. He was born in Lisbon of marrano parents, and his given name was Diogo Pires. He became secretary to the King of Portugal s council and recorder at the Court of Appeals. After meeting David… …   Dictionary of Jewish Biography

  • Molcho, Solomon — orig. Diogo Pires ( 1500, Portugal–1532, Mantua). Mártir judío portugués. Nació en una familia de origen marrano, se convirtió en secretario real de un tribunal superior de justicia portuguesa. Cuando un aventurero árabe, David Reubeni (m. 1532) …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Solomon Molcho — Stylized signature of Solomon Molcho. Source: Manuscript owned by the Alliance Israélite Universelle Born Diogo Pires 1500 Portugal Died …   Wikipedia

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  • AMARILLO, ḤAYYIM MOSES BEN SOLOMON — (1695–1748), halakhic authority and preacher; brother of aaron amarillo . Born in Salonika, Ḥayyim Moses studied under his father Solomon, who before his death appointed him his successor as preacher in the Talmud Torah congregation. The… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

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