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Abstract
The humanist and polymath Duarte Gomes, born in 1510 to a prominent New-Christian family in Lisbon, underwent three processos by the Portuguese and Italian Inquisitions in his lifetime. His encounters and escapes from these tribunals are at once extraordinary and representative of the experience of many Portuguese Jews and suspected Judaizers who were compelled to flee abroad when the Inquisition initiated proceedings in their homeland. While their existence was precarious, it was made more bearable by a complex network of coreligionists and sympathizers in commercial, diplomatic, and humanist circles. In Gomes's case, the Inquisition itself proved vulnerable to influences from these networks. This paper makes use of previously unstudied documents which reveal important information concerning when and how Gomes left Lisbon for Antwerp while the initial inquiry into his alleged marranismo was still taking place. The details of this and the subsequent processos against Gomes reveal, on the one hand, Inquisitions that wielded very real power to intimidate even those who, like Gomes, ostensibly enjoyed royal and episcopal favour; on the other hand, in comparison with Gomes's own connections, the Inquisition's manifest significant limitations of geographical reach and influence.
O humanista e polímato Duarte Gomes (n. Lisboa, 1510), membro de uma importante família de Cristãos-Novos, foi sujeito a três processos perante as Inquisições portuguesa e italiana. Os encontros com estes tribunais e a forma como conseguiu escapar-lhes são, simultaneamente, extraordinários e representativos da experiência de tantos judeus portugueses e suspeitos de práticas judaizantes, forçados a fugirem para o estrangeiro quando a Inquisição dava início a investigações no país de origem. Ainda que precária, a vida destes exilados tornava-se mais tolerável graças a uma rede complexa, formada por quantos partilhavam a mesma fé e por simpatizantes em círculos comerciais, diplomáticos e humanísticos. No caso de Gomes, a Inquisição revelou-se vulnerável a influências destas redes. Este artigo recorre a documentação nunca antes estudada que revela informações importantes sobre quando e como Gomes partiu de Lisboa rumo a Antuérpia, enquanto o inquérito sobre as denúncias de marranismo que lhe eram imputadas ainda decorria. Os detalhes deste episódio e dos outros processos contra Gomes ilustram, por um lado, como as Inquisições tinham efectivamente o poder de intimidar até os que gozavam ostensivamente do favor do rei e de membros do episcopado, como era o caso de Gomes; e, por outro, como as Inquisições revelavam limitações significativas, a nível geográfico, no alcance do seu poder e influência.
The humanist and polymath Duarte Gomes, born in 1510 to a prominent New-Christian family in Lisbon, underwent three processos by the Portuguese and Italian Inquisitions in his lifetime. His encounters and escapes from these tribunals are at once extraordinary and representative of the experience of many Portuguese Jews and suspected Judaizers who were compelled to flee abroad when the Inquisition initiated proceedings in their homeland. While their existence was precarious, it was made more bearable by a complex network of coreligionists and sympathizers in commercial, diplomatic, and humanist circles. In Gomes's case, the Inquisition itself proved vulnerable to influences from these networks. This paper makes use of previously unstudied documents which reveal important information concerning when and how Gomes left Lisbon for Antwerp while the initial inquiry into his alleged marranismo was still taking place. The details of this and the subsequent processos against Gomes reveal, on the one hand, Inquisitions that wielded very real power to intimidate even those who, like Gomes, ostensibly enjoyed royal and episcopal favour; on the other hand, in comparison with Gomes's own connections, the Inquisition's manifest significant limitations of geographical reach and influence.