[katana]

Conversos (Jews who converted to Christianity to stay in Spain) real or suspected "Crypto-Jews" (kept their traditions alive but in secret) were among those most persecuted during the Spanish Inquisition which occurred in large part (started in 1478 and ended in the 19th century) after the finish of the reconquest of Spain and expulsion of the Muslims and Jews in (can you guess?) 1492.

So it's logical that Jewish Conversos would have been among the first to seize an opportunity to leave Old Spain for New Spain starting in the middle and latter half of the sixteenth century. Their only alternatives would have been tiny but tolerant Holland or continued dhimmitude in Muslim North Africa and the Ottoman Empire. Jews were not allowed back into Britain till after Cromwell took power in the 1600's.

[JerseyanExile]

Their only alternatives would have been tiny but tolerant Holland or continued dhimmitude in Muslim North Africa and the Ottoman Empire. Jews were not allowed back into Britain till after Cromwell took power in the 1600's.

There was also the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.