Disputation of Barcelona 1263: Dominicans force Nachmanides into a public debate, have him banished for blasphemy and his account burned; Clement IV orders the censorship of the Talmud

The baptised Dominican Pablo Christiani wanted to convert the Jews of Aragon by force and persuaded the master of the order, Raymond of Penyafort, to arrange a debate with the scholar Nachmanides. In July 1263 Nachmanides had to dispute in Barcelona before King James of Aragon and Church dignitaries. When he published his account, he was charged with blasphemy at the instigation of the Dominicans, banished and his pamphlet ordered to be burned. The sources contradict each other on whether the banishment was for two years or for life. In 1264 Pope Clement IV ordered all copies of the Talmud to be examined by Dominicans and Franciscans; censors struck out every passage they considered hostile to Christianity.

Period

1263-1269 (6 years)

Country

France, Spain

Institutions

Dominican Order
Holy See
Diocese of Tarragona

Category

Anti-Judaism, Heresy trials, Censorship

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Background

Course of events

1. Nachmanides was summoned to Barcelona in 1263 to answer Christiani's questions. The disputation took place in the royal palace before the whole court and many ecclesiastical dignitaries and lasted from 20 to 24 July. According to the Britannica Nachmanides was forced to enter the debate. As it turned in his favour, the Jews of Barcelona, fearing the resentment of the Dominicans, begged him to stop; the king had him continue.
   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Christiani, Pablo

   „Naḥmanides was summoned to Barcelona, in 1263, to answer Christiani's questions“

   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Christiani, Pablo

   „in the presence of the whole court and many ecclesiastical dignitaries, and lasted four days (July 20-24)“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Nachmanides

   „In 1263 Naḥmanides was forced to enter into a public disputation with a Jewish-Christian, Pablo Christiani, in the presence of King James of Aragon.“

   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Christiani, Pablo, Nahmanides Victorious

   „fearing the resentment of the Dominicans, entreated him to discontinue“

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

1. Pablo Christiani, a baptised Jew from Montpellier, joined the Dominican Order. Having failed to make converts in Provence, according to the Jewish Encyclopedia he planned the conversion by force of the Jews of Aragon and persuaded Raymond of Penyafort to bring about a debate with Nachmanides, in which he felt assured of victory.
   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Christiani, Pablo

   „After having been baptized, Christiani joined the Order of the Dominicans and attempted to convert his former coreligionists.“

   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Christiani, Pablo

   „Christiani planned the conversion by force of the Aragonian Jews“

Response of the Church

1. With letters of protection from the king, Christiani compelled the Jews to listen to his sermons in their synagogues and to answer his questions; they even had to pay the costs of his mission. Following his denunciation Pope Clement IV in a bull of 1264 ordered the Bishop of Tarragona to submit all copies of the Talmud to examination by Dominicans and Franciscans. A royal commission with Christiani as a member struck out all passages that seemed hostile to Christianity. In 1269 Christiani obtained from Louis IX the enforcement of the canonical edict requiring Jews to wear badges.
   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Christiani, Pablo, Christiani's Proselytizing Tour

   „compelling the Jews everywhere to listen to his speeches and to answer his questions“

   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Christiani, Pablo, Christiani's Proselytizing Tour

   „They were even required to defray the expenses of his mission.“

   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Christiani, Pablo, Christiani's Proselytizing Tour

   „commanding him to submit all the copies of the Talmud to the examination of the Dominicans and Franciscans“

   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Christiani, Pablo, Christiani's Proselytizing Tour

   „they obliterated all passages which seemed to them to be hostile to Christianity“

   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Christiani, Pablo, Christiani's Proselytizing Tour

   „obtained from him the enforcement of the canonical edict requiring Jews to wear badges“

See also

• 1215-1592 · 377 years

  Fourth Lateran Council: compulsory badge for Jews

  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Hungary
  • Vatican City
  • United Kingdom
  • Austria
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Persecution
• 1239-1559 · 320 years

  Burnings of the Talmud 1239 to 1559: On papal orders Dominicans, Franciscans and the Inquisition seized Jewish books and burned them in public

  • France
  • Italy
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Censorship
• 1411-1415 · 4 years

  Spain 1411 to 1415: mass conversions by Vicente Ferrer, exclusion law at his request, the forced Disputation of Tortosa and a papal bull against the Jews

  • Spain
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Persecution
  • Censorship

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906): Christiani, Pablo (Richard Gottheil, Isaac Broydé). Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911): Nachmanides, 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.