Benvenida Abrabanel

Merchant and banker
Benvenida Abrabanel was one of the most influential and wealthiest Jewish women of early modern Italy. She married Samuel Abrabanel, bringing a very large dowry. After the Spanish expulsion of Jews in 1492, Benvenida and much of the family had settled in Naples, where her father and then her husband led the Jewish community.

She was very educated, and was teachers to Eleonora de Toledo (1522-1562), the daughter of Spanish viceroy, don Pedro de Toledo, who became Viceroy of the Spanish rulers of Naples in 1532. In 1533 an expulsion was declared for the Jews of Naples, but Benvenida and several Neapolitan princesses successfully petitioned Emperor Charles V (r.1519-1556) to delay the expulsion for ten years. After 1541 when the Jews were required to wear a badge, the Abrabanels left Naples and ultimately settled in Ferrara, a major Sephardi refuge.

Samuel Abrabanel died in 1547 leaving a will in which Benvenida was made general heir to all his movable and immovable property. Although the will was challenged by Samuel’s illegitimate son, Benvenida took over Samuel’s business affairs, receiving permission from the Florentine authorities to open five banking establishments in Tuscany with her two sons, Jacob and Judah.

Besides being a successful businesswoman, Benevida was also a famous philanthropist who ransomed at least a thousand captives.