Lorca historical background: the Jewish presence in Lorca

The Jewish population played a vital ròle in an era divided by the battles between Christians and Moors

The discovery of an important Jewish presence in Lorca.

Lorca is a city immersed in history, its modern aspect flavoured by the many cultures which have inhabited and controlled the strategic position of the city and its rich natural resources.

This strategic advantage, visible today in the imposing fortifications which dominate the skyline from every direction, made the city a vital part of the defensive systems of any who had aspirations to rule in the Guadalentín Valley and Lorca found itself a key element in the frontier wars between the last vestiges of the Moorish population in Granada, which controlled the whole area for 500 years from 711 AD and the Christian forces of the Reconquista in the 13th century who re-took the lands in the name of Christianity.

The whole story of Lorca at this point in history can be read in more detail in two of the sections of the extensive history of Lorca: part 1 deals with the prehistory to the Iberians, part 2 covers the arrival of the Romans, Moorish occupation and Reconquist, with part 3 picking up the story as the Reconquist was consolidated and the perpetual battles for control of the area dominated the Mediaeval era.

It was long known that there had been a substantial Jewish presence in Lorca and the remains of the area they inhabited was extensively excavated during the construction of a new Parador hotel in Lorca alongside the castle, when a 14th-century synagogue was discovered, the only one so far found in the Region of Murcia.

This discovery highlighted the importance of the Jewish community in the Middle Ages in the city, as well as awakening increased interest in learning more about the checkered history of the Jewish population in the region of Murcia.

In the Iberian peninsula after the Reconquist the Jews were of great importance in Mediaeval society. They were an integral part of the life of most cities, and along with the Moslems they received special treatment on account of their religion. They were dependent on the Monarch, who gave them direct and explicit protection, in exchange for which both Moslems and Jews paid a special tax to the Crown.

As well as being, therefore, an important source of income for the royalty, this protection of ethnic minorities was justified in the face of the social exclusion they were subjected to on the part of the Christian church.

An eminently urban community

The Reconquist wrought extensive change for the Moors who chose to remain within the areas inhabited prior to the arrival of Christian armies from the north of Spain, when the decision was taken in 1243 to capitulate to the forces led by Alfonso of Castilla.

Initially Alfonso respected their ways, customs and religion, but within 20 years there was open rebellion due to his failure to abide by the terms agreed in the capitulation treatment and Alfonso only held onto power thanks to the intervention of his father, Jaime I of Aragón, who imposed order and sent any Muslims who were unwilling to adapt to the ways of the conquerors across the border into Granada, which remained under Nazrid control until 1492 when the Reconquist was completed.

The Moors worked principally within the agricultural sector and out in the fields, but the Jewish community, principally engaged in commercial activities, found it both necessary and advantageous to live in the city, protected within its walls and safe also under the watchful eye of the city council.

However, within the city they lived separated from the rest of the community, in their own quarter, which was known as the "judería" or "aljama". This area was clearly divided from the other quarters of the city by walls, which enclosed the Jewish population into their own dedicated area of accommodation. In the case of Lorca, the Jewish quarter was within the walls of the fortified citadel, high above much of the Mediaeval town and access to it was only through the Puerta del Pescado (the Fisheries Gate).

One of the aims of this physical separation of the different quarters of the city was of course to protect the Jews, but at the same time it also caused clear ethnic division within the community. It was made overtly clear that the "real" citizens of Lorca were the Christians, and the Jews were accepted as necessary, but were not part of the everyday life or the decision-making processes of the city.

The Jewish community of Lorca

In the 14th century the Jews were an active community who brought considerable wealth to Lorca. They mainly earned their living by craftsmanship and financial activity, and moved freely over the frontiers between kingdoms, making it possible for them to further trading activities where Christians often found it more difficult, specifically in the neighbouring kingdom of Granada.

Despite times being difficult for the Jews in Spain as a whole towards the end of the 14th century, when they were attacked frequently, in Lorca they flourished until 1492, when the Catholic Monarchs expelled the Jews from all their kingdoms, following the conquest of the last Moslem kingdom in Spain in Granada.

Jews living in Lorca, along with those throughout the united kingdom of the "Catholic Monarchs" were given a bleak choice; convert to catholicism, or leave the country.

Most decided to leave and the Judería, along with its synagogue, was abandoned.

The site was never re-occupied and over time simply disappeared beneath vegetation as the buildings deteriorated and then collapsed, leaving remains which were never dismantled or intentionally destroyed.

This resulted in many of the artifacts recovered from the site being in remarkably complete condition when excavations were undertaken, and the municipal archaeological museum in the centre of Lorca holds a superb collection, glass lights from the synagogue being amongst its most prized, and rare, exhibits.

The actual synagogue itself is in extremely good condition and is an important heritage site for the modern day Jewish population of Spain, the only building of its type known to remain which has never been converted for use or re-used. Click for more information about the synagogue in Lorca.

Extensive work has been undertaken to restore the synagogue and excavate other areas of the Jewish quarter, which can now be visited as part of a guided visit to the castle itself. (See Lorca castle for more details.)

The scrolling feed below contains details of any specific tours within the monthly programmes prepared by Lorca Taller del Tiempo and the Tourist Information Office in Lorca.

Click here to read more information about the Lorca municipality, including what to visit, agenda and Tourist Information: LORCA TODAY