Jewish communities in the Crown of Aragon

Jewish communities played a significant and influential role in the medieval Crown of Aragon, where they had been present since at least the ninth century. They lived in major cities such as Zaragoza, Jaca, Huesca, and Lleida, often under special local laws (fueros) that granted them certain protections and autonomy. During the reign of Jaime I (13th century), their situation closely resembled that of Jewish communities in southern France, marked by periods of relative stability and intellectual vibrancyJewishEncyclopedia.com. Jews in Aragon contributed to administration, finance, scholarship, and medicine, and some even held high public offices.

However, their history was also shaped by moments of tension, including religious disputations and, later, violent persecutions such as the 1391 massacres that devastated many Jewish quarters across the region. Despite these hardships, the Jewish presence in Aragon left a lasting cultural and historical legacy.