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Consequently, a multiplicity of questions emerge regarding the why and how these Se-
phardic Jews arrived in the New World. Questions such as who led them here? How did they ever
get this far west into the Americas and how they wound up as far north as Texas and New Mexico
by the 14th Century? More importantly, why and how did the "Holy Inquisition" in Spain ever
wind up with a High Tribunal in Mexico City? And, is there a possibility that the early Catholic
Missions were somehow instructed to keep as eye on these Western Jews of Spain and the Iberian
Peninsula?

The Jews of Spain

From the time of King Solomon Jews traveled to Tarshish to bring back gold, silver, exotic
fruits and wild life. Some Bible scholars agree that Tarshish was Spain. Other historians believe
that Jews founded Spain as early as the Babylonian exile when some fled there before or during
the siege of Jerusalem. Others agree that it wasn't until the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the
Temple when Jews chose to go west towards Spain. Conversely, secular Spanish historians tend
to believe that Jews founded Sepharad, which is Spain, in 70 CE. Interestingly, this is the year the
Roman Empire overtook Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple.

The fact is that by the 5th Century CE, Church Councils began to create legislation against
Jews. These Church Councils were primarily made up of high-ranking officials of the Church,
which was dominated by the Roman Catholic system. Unfortunately for the Jews of Sepharad was
the fact that Toledo, Spain became a primary headquarters for approximately 17 Church Councils
over a hundred-year period. The legislations issued increased in frequency and intensity, with
horrific ramifications for the Jewish communities. The Catholic kings indulged in these Inquisition
procedures as early as the 8th Century up until the official expulsion of all Jews from the land of
Spain in 1492.

The first major exodus from Spain occurred in 1391, with Sephardic Jews fleeing in every
direction by land and by sea. The day after the first expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492,
Christopher Columbus set sail upon his voyage into the New World. Interestingly, it is common
knowledge that he was of Sephardic Jewish ancestry himself. The question has always been and
still is -- who were the passengers on each of his four voyages? Is it possible that some of the
gente prohibida, those prohibited from entering the New World were actually part of his human
cargo? After all, within just twenty years, the Franciscan missionaries who were vested with
Spanish Inquisition powers were reporting increasing numbers of Jews in the New World. The
Franciscans, however, transferred their powers to the Dominican missionaries in 1527; and, the
first Auto de Fe (forced/coerced conversion) took place in Mexico City on October 17, 1527. It
featured four Crypto-Jews also known as marranos ("pigs") and today as anusim (meaning "co-
erced, forced, abused, raped"). Two of whom were burned at the stake.

Conquistadors and Luis de Carvajal

Within three decades, Hernan Cortez led the procession of Spanish explorers and Conquis-
tadors into the New World. It is documented that some of these explorers, soldiers and early set-
tlers were, in fact, Sephardic Jews. Some of these had faithfully served the Spanish Crown -- men
such as Captain Alberto del Canto, Diego de Montemayor, Gaspar Castano de Sosa and many

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