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Jewish Benveniste family of Narbonne

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Graham Milne

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May 17, 2010, 10:29:24 AM5/17/10
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Does anyone have any information on the genealogy of the Benveniste
family of Narbonne, who are later found in Aragon and Castile, and
particularly the links between these branches? An Abraham Benveniste
was Court Rabbi under Juan II of Castile and several were referred to
as 'Nasi' ('Prince'), including Sheshet Benveniste of Narbonne (d.
about 1209). Is there any link between the Benveniste family and the
Todros/Kalonymos family of Narbonne? See
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=777&letter=B for
further info, which says that Sheshet Benveniste and Nasi Kalonymus b.
Ṭodros corresponded.

Graham Milne

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May 17, 2010, 10:59:30 AM5/17/10
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On 17 May, 15:29, Graham Milne <grahammilne...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> Does anyone have any information on the genealogy of the Benveniste
> family of Narbonne, who are later found in Aragon and Castile, and
> particularly the links between these branches? An Abraham Benveniste
> was Court Rabbi under Juan II of Castile and several were referred to
> as 'Nasi' ('Prince'), including Sheshet Benveniste of Narbonne (d.
> about 1209). Is there any link between the Benveniste family and the
> Todros/Kalonymos family of Narbonne? Seehttp://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=777&letter=B for

> further info, which says that Sheshet Benveniste and Nasi Kalonymus b.
> Ṭodros corresponded.

PS One of my ancestors Don Abraham Senior of Castile (1412-1493) is
described by Heinrich Graetz in his 'History of The Jews' (Vol. IV p.
228) as 'an influential Jew, Abraham Benveniste, surnamed Senior'. I
think this identification is incorrect (it equates Don Abraham with
Abraham Benveniste, Court Rabbi under Juan II) but Abraham Senior may
well have been a member of the Benveniste family in any event.

J.L.Fernandez Blanco

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May 17, 2010, 7:05:10 PM5/17/10
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On May 17, 11:59 am, Graham Milne <grahammilne...@btinternet.com>
wrote:

> On 17 May, 15:29, Graham Milne <grahammilne...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
(snip)

According to data from Hernán C. Lux Wurm (well-known Argentine
genealogist), the following (if English translation needed, please let
me know a.s.a.p.)
"Antiquísima familia judía aragonesa [links to Narbonne not
mentioned], que se tenía por proveniente de la tribu real de Judah.
Comienza su genealogía con Benveniste Porta, hermano que fue del
célebre rabino Nahmanides (1195-1270), reputado filósofo y talmudista.
(Jewish Enciclopeldia). Dicho Benveniste da Porta fue banquero del rey
don Jaime I, el Conquistador. La filiación documentada comienza con
dos hermanos:
A) Don Vidal Benveniste [towards the end of XIV century]. Luego
bautizado como Gonzalo de la Caballería. Casado con doña Beatriz, dama
también conversa. Fueron padres de dos riquísimas herederas, cónyuges
respectivas de Ciprés de Paternoy y de Gaspar Ruiz, ambos aragoneses,
ricos y conversos. Con larga posteridad Paternoy en el reino de
Aragón.
B) Don Bonafós Benveniste. Luego bautizado Micer Pedro de la
Caballería. Famoso jurista, autor de "El Celo de Cristo", donde relata
que fue bautizado de niño (circa 1380). Fue procurador General del
Reino de Aragón y obtuvo Privilegio de Nobleza fechado en Gaeta, el
20.02.1438, por don Alfonso V de Aragón..., "donde se hacía referencia
a los servicios de sus ancestros a la corona aragonesa y a su real
ascendencia de la tribu de Judá". (Amador de los Ríos, Historia
social, política y religiosa de los judíos de España y Portugal).
De su primera cónyuge judía (innominada), tuvo dos hijas, casadas
respectivamente con don Rodrigo de Zayas y con Mosen Pedro de Ayerbe,
con larga posteridad en la alta nobleza aragonesa.
Casó Micer Pedro en segundas nupcias, esta vez cristianas, con doña
Violante de Daroca, hija y heredera de los ricos conversos Alonso Ruiz
de Daroca y de doña Violante de Arborea, siendo padres de:
1) Micer Alfonso de la Caballería. Casado con una dama de apellido
Erazo, "descendiente de los señores de Vizcaya".
2) Micer Pedro de la Caballería. Casado con una dama [de la gran
familia feudal aragonesa de] Urríes.
De ambos vienen todos los Caballería aragoneses, con muchos caballeros
de hábito.
Los Caballería tomaron por Escudo de Armas [...]. Existen otras ramas
de Benveniste, que continuaron con la Ley Mosaica, en Provenza y en
Amsterdan, hasta nuestros días.
(Revista del Instituto Argentino de Ciencias Genealógicas, nº 24,
Buenos Aires, República Argentina, 1991).
Also, in my ancestry:
A) NN Benveniste (sister of Nair Benveniste), married to NN Ha Leví in
Burgos. From them the Santamaría family (among which, the [in]famous
Pablo de Santamaría [né Salomóm Ha Leví]. These data from a thorough
study of the ancestry of D. Alonso de Herrera y Guzmán, one of the
most distinguished conquistadores in Argentina.
(Source, same as above, article: "Los Antepasados de D. Alonso de
Herrera y Guzmán [caballero de las órdenes de Santiago y San Juan de
Jerusalén, conquistador del noroeste argentino]," by Jorge F. Lima
González-Bonorino, pp. 27-79).
Hope this helps,
Best,
JL

Graham Milne

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May 17, 2010, 7:37:13 PM5/17/10
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On 18 May, 00:05, "J.L.Fernandez Blanco" <jfernandezbla...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

JL,

Many thanks. A translation would be most useful. I can make out the
general sense but not the detail.

Graham Milne

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May 18, 2010, 5:55:12 AM5/18/10
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PS 'Abraham Senior may well have been a member of the Benveniste
family in any event' - possibly Abraham Benveniste's (Court Rabbi
under Juan II) son, called Abraham Benveniste the Elder or his
grandson, another Abraham Benveniste.

J.L.Fernandez Blanco

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May 18, 2010, 9:27:08 PM5/18/10
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On May 17, 8:05 pm, "J.L.Fernandez Blanco"

Okay, I'll translate it this weekend...kinda busy right now.
JL

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