The Marranos--The Satirists--Pero Ferrus of Alcala, Diego de Valencia, and Villasandino--Astruc Raimuch and Solomon Bonfed--Paul de Santa Maria and his Zealous Campaign against the Jews--Joshua Ibn-Vives--Profiat Duran (Efodi)--Meïr Alguades--The Philosophy of Crescas--Death of Henry III of Castile and Unfavorable Change in the Position of the Jews-- Messianic Dreams of the Kabbalists--Jews seek an Asylum in Northern Africa--Simon Duran--Geronimo de Santa Fé, Vincent Ferrer and Benedict XIII--Anti-Jewish Edict of Juan II-- Special Jewish Costume--Conversion of Jews owing to Ferrer's Violent Efforts--Disputation at Tortosa--The Jewish Spokesmen at the Conference--Incidents of the Meeting--Geronimo instigates the Publication of a Bull for the Burning of the Talmud--Pope Martin V befriends the Jews. 1391-1420 C.E. The baptized Jews who had abandoned their faith during the terrible persecution of 1391 became a source of considerable trouble to their Spanish brethren. They had embraced the cross only to save their lives, or the lives of those dear to them; for, surely, they had found no convincing demonstration of the truth of the Christian religion in the violence of its missionaries, or in the death agonies of their brethren in race who had perished rather than apostatize. Dazed and broken-hearted, these forced converts (Anusim) to Christianity felt more intense antipathy to their new religion than when they had been openly opposed to it. It was natural for them to resolve to take the first opportunity of casting away their disguise, and returning to Judaism with increased zeal. Many of these new Christians emigrated to the neighboring Moorish countries; to Granada or across the straits to Morocco, Tunis, or Fez, where the people, wiser and more tolerant than Christian Europe, gladly opened their doors to a wealthy and industrious race. The majority, unable to leave Spanish territory, yet averse to wholly discarding their ancient faith, joined in Jewish ceremonies and celebrations whilst outwardly appearing Christians. The kings of Castile, Aragon and Majorca, who had disapproved of conversions by mob violence, allowed the Jews to do as they pleased. The authorities either did not or would not see their relapse into Judaism, and the Inquisition had not yet been established in Spain. These forced converts gradually formed themselves into a peculiar class, outwardly Christians, at heart Jews. By the populace, who nicknamed them Marranos, or "The Damned," they were regarded with more distrust and hatred than the openly observant Jews, not because of their secret fidelity to Judaism, but on account of their descent and inborn intelligence, energy, and skill. Baptized Jews, who had been glad to disencumber themselves of their Judaism, shared in these feelings of aversion. They were the worldlings who valued wealth, rank, and luxury above religion, or the over-educated whose philosophy had