Published in Mirabilia 3 (2003)

Keywords: Keywords: Jews, Liberty of Faith, Medieval times in Portugal.

In december of 1496, the king of Portugal D. Manuel I (1495-1521) ordered the expulsion of jews from the kingdom in a period of ten months –decree that would be transformed, in 1497, in forced convertion to the catholicism. It was the beginning of the catholics’ monopoly in the portuguese world, finishing the time of free faith that was a characteristic of Portugal during the Medieval age. This article should make an analysis about the "Jews’ time" in Portugal, in a period that includes since the beginning of the jewish presence in the Iberian Peninsula – during the Flavio Vespasiano’s governement – until the expulsion from Spain and Portugal, in the end of the XV century – moment that deserves more attention -, giving importance to the relations between jews and christians, the contributions of jews to the portuguese society, the causes of the proihibition of free faith and the general changes to jews – converted in new-christians – and to the kingdom.