On This Day

Jews are expelled from Portugal by order of King Manuel I

On 5 December 1496, King Manuel I of Portugal signed the decree of expulsion of Jews and Muslims to take effect by the end of October of the next year.

On 5 December 1496, King Manuel I of Portugal signed the decree of expulsion of Jews and Muslims to take effect by the end of October of the next year.

Historical Significance

On 5 December 1496, King Manuel I of Portugal signed the decree of expulsion of Jews and Muslims to take effect by the end of October of the next year.

Events Before

  1. Juw Dekama is elected Potestaat of Frisia

    Potestaat was the title of a supposed governor of medieval Friesland. According to the legendary Karelsprivilege, a 14th-century forgery, Charlemagne had first granted the title of potestaat to…

  2. Treaty of Tordesillas: Spain and Portugal divide the New World along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islan

    Treaty of Tordesillas: Spain and Portugal divide the New World along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa

  3. First written record of Scotch whisky appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, Friar John Cor is listed as the distil

    First written record of Scotch whisky appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, Friar John Cor is listed as the distiller

  4. King Ferdinand II returns to Naples

    King Ferdinand II returns to Naples

  5. French viceroy of Naples Montpensier surrenders

    French viceroy of Naples Montpensier surrenders

Events After

  1. Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci leaves for his first voyage to the New World (disputed)

    Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci leaves for his first voyage to the New World (disputed)

  2. John Cabot claims parts of North America for England in what is now Eastern Canada, believing he has found Asia in Newfo

    John Cabot claims parts of North America for England in what is now Eastern Canada, believing he has found Asia in Newfoundland

  3. Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama departs on his first voyage and becomes the first European to reach India by sea

    Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama departs on his first voyage and becomes the first European to reach India by sea

  4. Italian explorer John Cabot returns to Bristol from North America (Newfoundland), becoming the first European to do so s

    Italian explorer John Cabot returns to Bristol from North America (Newfoundland), becoming the first European to do so since the Vikings

  5. Explorer John Cabot tells King Henry VII of his trip to "Asia"

    Explorer John Cabot tells King Henry VII of his trip to "Asia"

More from the 1490s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on December 5, 1496?
On 5 December 1496, King Manuel I of Portugal signed the decree of expulsion of Jews and Muslims to take effect by the end of October of the next year.
Why is Jews are expelled from Portugal by order of King Manuel I significant?
On 5 December 1496, King Manuel I of Portugal signed the decree of expulsion of Jews and Muslims to take effect by the end of October of the next year.

Explore More