SAMUEL ABRAVANEL - JUAN SÁNCHEZ DE SEVILLA
(14th century)
Samuel Abravanel was a Jewish financier and administrator whose date of birth is unknown but who developed his career in the second half of the 14th century. Although his place of birth is also uncertain, it is known that he was the son of Judah Abravanel, who held the position of chief almojarife during the time of Ferdinand IV of Castile. The anti-Jewish climate that broke out during the Castilian civil war between Pedro I and Enrique de Trastámara forced Samuel to adopt the Christian faith, taking the name of Juan Sánchez de Sevilla.
Samuel Abravanel was a Jewish financier and administrator whose date of birth is unknown but who developed his career in the second half of the 14th century. Although his place of birth is also uncertain, it is known that he was the son of Judah Abravanel, who held the position of chief almojarife during the time of Ferdinand IV of Castile. The anti-Jewish climate that broke out during the Castilian civil war between Pedro I and Enrique de Trastámara forced Samuel to adopt the Christian faith, taking the name Juan Sánchez de Sevilla.
Fountain decorated with Mudejar tiling found in the archaeological excavation that took place in the Altamira Palace. It is believed to have belonged to the house where José Pichón and Samuel Abravanel lived successively.
Menahem b. Zerah wrote of him that he was intelligent, loved the wise, befriended them, was good to them, and was eager to study whenever the stress of time permitted. He and his family apparently later fled to Portugal, where they returned to Judaism and held important government posts. His son, Judah was in the financial service of Infante Ferdinand of Portugal.
