The essence of our family’s five-century oral history is simply this: Our direct ancestor was the Court Treasurer of Spain.
That singular statement is repeated today as if it was yesterday. Or 500 years ago.
Abraham Seneor was the Court Treasurer of Spain. He had been the Chief Rabbi of Seville and, together with Isaac Abravanel, became the leader of the Jewish community in Spain. Don Seneor had personally facilitated the marriage of Princess Isabella of Castile to Prince Ferdinand of Aragon. He played a major role in both funding and facilitating Christopher Columbus’s voyages to the New World. Late in life, he became the Crown Rabbi of Castile.
The Alhambra Decree in 1492 by then-King Ferdinand, all of forty years old, and then-Queen Isabella, of similar age, set forth the requirement of the Expulsion of all Jews from Spain… within just three months. The efforts of Don Seneor, and Don Abravanel, to have the Alhambra Decree withdrawn by the King and Queen fell on deaf ears. Chief Inquisitor Torquemada’s insistence on “cleansing” Spain prevailed with the royals.
533 years ago, Spanish Jews were left with but two choices: immediately convert to becoming a Catholic or immediately leave the country. Don Abravanel was 55 years old then, 25 years Don Seneor’s junior, and he immigrated to Italy. Don Seneor was age 80 and was just too old to pick up and literally go over seas, in what would have been an arduous and treacherous journey.
Don Seneor converted to Christianity, at least outwardly, and changed his last name to Coronel. He died but a year later.
Had he converted in his heart? Had he converted within his own home? A man who was a rabbi, let alone then a Chief Rabbi, for over five decades? Or was he a converso, a “marrano,” who secretly maintained his Jewish faith while outwardly acting as a Christian?
We’ll never know. What we do know is this: Even today, his home still stands in Segovia and is open to the public. In it, on the second floor… is a small, private synagogue.
This is the best our family can tell: At least one of Don Seneor’s children or descendants chose not to convert, or later reclaimed his Judaism, and emigrated from Spain. He too changed his name. Out of respect for his lineage as a Seneor, he became Benseneor. Ben – Hebrew for “son of.” Benseneor – the son of Seneor.
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