Dublin Core
Title
Estelina, widow of Isaac de Piera: Girona, 1470
Subject
Estelina, widow of Isaac de Piera; Estelina, widow of Salomon Salon
Description
Estelina, a Jewish widow, testates in 1470, before a Catalan notary, who records the will in Latin. She identifies herself as twice a widow, first the widow of Salomon Salon from Perpignan, and then Isaac de Piera of Girona. She has two children: a daughter Margarita, with her first husband, who is now Catholic; and a son, Vidal, with her second husband, who remained Jewish.
The will contains a long preface referencing Jewish themes through the lens of God's great acts: the will is written in the name God, the creator who created from nothing using words; who had Noah build the ark; who blessed Abraham; who brought his people across the Red Sea; who sustained them in the desert for forty years; who gave His law to Moses on Mount Sinai; who freed Shadrac, Mesach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace (Daniel ch. 3); and who saved Daniel from the lion's den.
Estelina names as her executor (albacea) her son Vidal de Piera (shared with her second husband), and in a long set of boilerplate, Vidal is granted extensive power over her estate. She gives instructions to be buried in the Jewish cemetery of Girona, and leaves 50 sous to charity for the sake of her soul, with the recipients to be chosen by her executor/son.
She then gives a bequest of another 50 sous to her daughter Margarita, whom she shared with her first husband, Salomon. She also recounts moneys already given to Margarita upon her own first marriage (Margarita was married, widowed, and remarried), and given to Margarita for the dowries of Margarita's daughters Catalina and Margarita, both now married and living in Perpignan.
She leaves 5 sous to each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who are alive at the time of Estelina's death.
A fascinating clause appears here, noting that she desires most of all that her children, "Margarita, my daughter, Christian" and "Vida de Piera, Jew, my son and heir" treat each other well, getting along in peace, union, and good love, avoiding all difference, question, and quarrel.
Estelina next turns to her residence and other goods and moneys, noting that her wealth has greatly decreased in light of recent war, an apparent reference to a civil war that took place the year before she testated.
Seven Christian witnesses sign the will.
***
TRANSLATION of this will into SPANISH from E.C. Girbal attached here as a file.
The will contains a long preface referencing Jewish themes through the lens of God's great acts: the will is written in the name God, the creator who created from nothing using words; who had Noah build the ark; who blessed Abraham; who brought his people across the Red Sea; who sustained them in the desert for forty years; who gave His law to Moses on Mount Sinai; who freed Shadrac, Mesach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace (Daniel ch. 3); and who saved Daniel from the lion's den.
Estelina names as her executor (albacea) her son Vidal de Piera (shared with her second husband), and in a long set of boilerplate, Vidal is granted extensive power over her estate. She gives instructions to be buried in the Jewish cemetery of Girona, and leaves 50 sous to charity for the sake of her soul, with the recipients to be chosen by her executor/son.
She then gives a bequest of another 50 sous to her daughter Margarita, whom she shared with her first husband, Salomon. She also recounts moneys already given to Margarita upon her own first marriage (Margarita was married, widowed, and remarried), and given to Margarita for the dowries of Margarita's daughters Catalina and Margarita, both now married and living in Perpignan.
She leaves 5 sous to each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who are alive at the time of Estelina's death.
A fascinating clause appears here, noting that she desires most of all that her children, "Margarita, my daughter, Christian" and "Vida de Piera, Jew, my son and heir" treat each other well, getting along in peace, union, and good love, avoiding all difference, question, and quarrel.
Estelina next turns to her residence and other goods and moneys, noting that her wealth has greatly decreased in light of recent war, an apparent reference to a civil war that took place the year before she testated.
Seven Christian witnesses sign the will.
***
TRANSLATION of this will into SPANISH from E.C. Girbal attached here as a file.
Creator
Girona, Spain
Date
1470
Source
AWAITING PRECISE ARCHIVAL INFORMATION.
Notary Nicolas Roca
Notary Nicolas Roca
Enrique Claudio Girbal, "Un testamento hebreo de la Edad Media," Revista de Gerona V (1881): 104-108. Reprinted in David Romano, Per una história de la Girona jueva, 382-386. Girona: Ajuntament de Girona, 1988.
Language
Latin
Coverage
Spain