Dos judíos en una encrucijada histórica: nuevos datos sobre las actividades económicas y financieras de Isaac y Yuçaf Abravanel en Castilla antes de la expulsión (1483-1492)

Abstract

This study, based on unpublished archival sources, explores the financial and entrepreneurial activities of the Jewish Abravanel family—particularly Don Isaac Abravanel and his son-in-law and nephew, Don Yuçaf Abravanel—during the decade they spent in Castile following their exile from Portugal in 1483, until their departure to Naples in 1492. The research focuses on their interactions with Christian authorities, especially Cardinal Mendoza and circles close to the royal court, and analyzes their integration into extensive Jewish financial networks dedicated to the farming of royal revenues and other fiscal operations throughout the Crown of Castile. Within these networks, both Isaac and Yuçaf Abravanel held key positions that enabled them to advance their business initiatives and consolidate their economic influence in the region.