Dublin Core
Title
Fermosa, the widow of Juce Axevili: Zaragoza, 1418
Subject
Fermosa, née Macho, widow of Juce Azevili
Description
Living life in Zaragoza, Fermosa and her husband had two children, a daughter named Astruga who predeceased her, and a son named Acach who converted to Christianity and became known as Juan de Embun. Astruga left a daughter, Merian. Merian would be named Fermosa's executor (here: espondalera; spondalera) and universal heir in her will.
Fermosa begins her will by revoking all previous testaments or codicils she had made. She asks to be buried in the Jewish cemetery. She gives Merian, her granddaughter, the power to decide how much to give as charity, i.e. gifts for Fermosa's soul.
Fermosa also leaves an amount "por legitima" (a phrase that tends to mean "enough to fill my statutory requirements") to her now-Christian son, and also leaves the same amount to her brothers, one who had become Christian, and one who remained Jewish. The rest she leaves to Merian.
The wills expresses Fermosa's fear that her son would try to grab Merian's inheritance. In such a case, Fermosa orders that her son Juan must pay Merian 400 sueldos, noting that Merian had spent the last three years of her life caring for Fermosa during Fermosa's illness.
Fermosa made her will on the same day in the same town as another testator, Tolosana de la Caballeria, though they used different notaries.
On the same day that Fermosa made her will, she also used the same notary to contract a sale which appears immediately after the will in the notary's records: she sells 500 sueldos worth of moveable goods to Merian, in return for Merian's care for her during the last four years. (The will mentions three years; the sale contract mentions four years.)
Fermosa begins her will by revoking all previous testaments or codicils she had made. She asks to be buried in the Jewish cemetery. She gives Merian, her granddaughter, the power to decide how much to give as charity, i.e. gifts for Fermosa's soul.
Fermosa also leaves an amount "por legitima" (a phrase that tends to mean "enough to fill my statutory requirements") to her now-Christian son, and also leaves the same amount to her brothers, one who had become Christian, and one who remained Jewish. The rest she leaves to Merian.
The wills expresses Fermosa's fear that her son would try to grab Merian's inheritance. In such a case, Fermosa orders that her son Juan must pay Merian 400 sueldos, noting that Merian had spent the last three years of her life caring for Fermosa during Fermosa's illness.
Fermosa made her will on the same day in the same town as another testator, Tolosana de la Caballeria, though they used different notaries.
On the same day that Fermosa made her will, she also used the same notary to contract a sale which appears immediately after the will in the notary's records: she sells 500 sueldos worth of moveable goods to Merian, in return for Merian's care for her during the last four years. (The will mentions three years; the sale contract mentions four years.)
TRANSCRIPTION
Testament.
Die lune prima augusti.
Eadem die, que yo; dona Fermosa, muller de don Juce Axevili, jodio quondam, revoco todos et qualesquiere testaments et codiciellos.
Primo quiero que mi cuerpo sia enterrado en el fossar de los jodios.
Item quiero que sia dado por mi anima aquello que sera visto a mi espondalera dius scripta.
Item lexo por part et por legitima de todos mis bienes a Johan d'Enbun, fillo mio que quando era jodio le dezian Ascah Axevili, yes assaber, cinquo solidos et . una rova de terra en el mont, en las quales etc. Et a Johan d'Eredia, que le solian dezir Juce Macho, et a Abraham Macho, hermanos mios, cada, cinquo solidos et sendas rovas de terra en el mont.
Item todos los otros bienes mios mobles, doquiere que trobados seran, lexolos a Merian, nieta mia, filla de Astruga, filla mia, por fer de aquellos a sus propias voluntades. Enpero si el dito fillo mio geta los ditos bienes mios que yo a ella lexo, en aquell caso quiero que el dito fillo mio sia tenido dar a la dita Merian, nieta mia, quatrozientos solidos, que ha espendido de tres annyos ya passados et espiende de present en mi enfermedat, etc.
Item lexo spondalera a la dita nieta mia. Testimonios: Anthon Oliver et Davit Alquoqui, jodio.
[Transcribed in Asunción Blasco Martínez, “Mujeres judías,” 119]
Testament.
Die lune prima augusti.
Eadem die, que yo; dona Fermosa, muller de don Juce Axevili, jodio quondam, revoco todos et qualesquiere testaments et codiciellos.
Primo quiero que mi cuerpo sia enterrado en el fossar de los jodios.
Item quiero que sia dado por mi anima aquello que sera visto a mi espondalera dius scripta.
Item lexo por part et por legitima de todos mis bienes a Johan d'Enbun, fillo mio que quando era jodio le dezian Ascah Axevili, yes assaber, cinquo solidos et . una rova de terra en el mont, en las quales etc. Et a Johan d'Eredia, que le solian dezir Juce Macho, et a Abraham Macho, hermanos mios, cada, cinquo solidos et sendas rovas de terra en el mont.
Item todos los otros bienes mios mobles, doquiere que trobados seran, lexolos a Merian, nieta mia, filla de Astruga, filla mia, por fer de aquellos a sus propias voluntades. Enpero si el dito fillo mio geta los ditos bienes mios que yo a ella lexo, en aquell caso quiero que el dito fillo mio sia tenido dar a la dita Merian, nieta mia, quatrozientos solidos, que ha espendido de tres annyos ya passados et espiende de present en mi enfermedat, etc.
Item lexo spondalera a la dita nieta mia. Testimonios: Anthon Oliver et Davit Alquoqui, jodio.
[Transcribed in Asunción Blasco Martínez, “Mujeres judías,” 119]
Creator
Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Date
1 August 1418
Source
Archivo Histórico de Protocolos de Zaragoza
AHPZ, not. Juan Doto, 1418, fols. 103v-104r.
See: Asunción Blasco Martínez, “Mujeres judías..."
See: Asunción Blasco Martínez, “Testamentos de mujeres..."
See: Asunción Blasco Martínez, “Testamentos de mujeres..."
Language
Spanish
Coverage
Spain
Contributor
Rena Lauer