Demography, Wealth, and Cultural History of the Jews in Castile

In 1463, 26.5% of the 464 taxpayers of the Castilian town of Peñafiel, namely 124, were Jews. Far from being exceptional, a similarly high rate of Jews, unusual by Western European standards, is repeated in other cities and towns in Castile. According to Jewish sources, it was in that same year in Peñafiel that rabbi Isaac Campanton passed away, a learned community where rabbi Judah Hayyat’ family lived. The purpose of this communication it to present this exceptional payroll together with demographic analysis and a study of the wealth of the Jews in that town, differentiating social groups against the backdrop of the cultural history of Jews in mid-fifteenth century Castile.