The Jews in Sicily, 1490-1497

Ending with this volume, items 5237-6102, in his chronological collection of primary documents, or abstracts of them, Simonsohn (emeritus, Jewish history, Tel Aviv U.) focuses mainly on government sources; subsequent volumes will contain records from notarial deeds. The tumultuous period covered here witnessed the rule of the Catholic monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella following the unification of Spain, the years leading up to the expulsion of Jews from Spain, the expulsion itself (1492), and a few years after. We know now that it was the final years of Jewish presence on Sicily. Some items are in the original language, and others translated. A few documents are appended that were missed in earlier volumes. The eight volumes are paged together, and indexed here. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Shlomo Simonsohn is Professor Emeritus of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University. He is a former rector of the university and former chairman of the Rectors and Presidents Conference of Israel. He has published extensively on the history of the Jews in Italy, the Papal See and the Jews, and cognate subjects.