Setubal

SETUBAL, port in S. central Portugal; third largest city of continental Portugal. During the reign of John III (1521–57), Setubal became an important crypto-Jewish center as a result of the activities of the so-called Messiah of Setubal, Luis *Dias. Although poor and uneducated, Dias won the devotion of numerous *Marranos and even Christians. Unlike those of the remote districts, Setubal's Marrano community had become extinct by the 20^th century (see *Portugal). A dozen Jewish families settled in Setubal after the liberal realignment of 1910.

Sources: Encyclopaedia Judaica. © 2007 The Gale Group. All Rights Reserved.