Samuel Nunez - The Nunis Family Caught By The Inquisition

The Nunis Family Caught By The Inquisition

Such a family was the Nunez family. For many generations, this family kept up its Jewish faith in secret, and some family members met a violent death at the hands of the Inquisition. (A Clara Nunis was burned in Seville, Spain, in 1632; and in the same year, Isabel and Helen Nunis also were condemned to death for loyalty to their Jewish faith.)

One branch of the family, living in Portugal, was among the most distinguished of noble families. Although it was a little more than 200 years after the Expulsion from Spain, this family secretly still observed the Jewish religion. Born in Portugal, Diogo Nunes Ribeiro (later known as Samuel Nunis) was the head of this family who became a great physician. He was appointed Court Physician to the King of Portugal and even served as the physician to the Grand Inquisitor, also a member of the Royal Family. In addition to his services to the Royal Family, all of the nobility considered it a privilege if he attended them.

Dr. Nunis was still quite a young man when he reached attained success in professional and social circles. His prominence naturally created jealousy among his competitors, and the Inquisition gave them an excellent opportunity of trying to get him into trouble.

Although on the surface, Dr. Nunis was as good a Catholic as any churchgoing Christian, the leaders of the Portuguese Inquisition took note of the warnings given to them by the doctor's enemies. They managed to smuggle an "agent" into the household of the Nunez family in the guise of a servant, so they would be informed of what went on within the family circle.

Eventually, the agent reported that the Nunis family definitely was practicing the Jewish religion in secret. Every Saturday, they all retreated to a synagogue in an underground part of their mansion on the Tagus River in Lisbon. There they threw off their pretense of being Christians and worshiped in true Jewish fashion.

Dr. Nunez, his mother Zipporah, his wife Gracia (later known as Rebecca); their three sons Joseph, Daniel and Moses; their three daughters Rachel, Esther and Zipra; and servant Shem Noah were apprehended by the "Familiars of the Inquisition" during a Passover Service, "while seeking the Lord according to their prohibited faith."

Thrown into jail, they were tortured repeatedly and soon would have perished except for the intervention of the Grand Inquisitor. The Catholic Ecclesiastical Council reluctantly agreed to release Dr. Nunez so that he could treat the Grand Inquisitor who was afflicted with a prostate obstruction of the bladder.

There was one condition, however, which marred the happiness of the Nunez family in their release from prison. Two officials of the Inquisition were to take up residence with the Nunez family to make sure they would not practice their Jewish faith. This imposition led Dr. Nunez to contrive a daring escape plan for himself and his family.