This volume in the series Documentary History of the Jews in Italy illustrates the history of the Jews in Sicily from 1478 to 1489. It is the sequel to the first six volumes and covers the events during the first years of the rule of King Ferdinand II. These include the prelude to the expulsion, which witnessed a further deterioration in the position of the Jews on the island. At the same time, the Jewish community on the island reached the points of its greatest expansion in population as well as economic prosperity. Some 900 documents–many of them published here for the first time–record the fortunes of the Jews and their relationship with the authorities and their Christian neighbours. Much new information has come to light, and many facets of Jewish life in Sicily have been uncovered.
The abundance of historical records in the archives of the Crown and of local authorities again compares favourably with the relative scarcity of surviving documentation in earlier centuries. Therefore, many documents had to be reported in summary form. The volume is provided with additional bibliography and indexes, while the introduction will appear at the end of the series on the history of the Jews of the island.