For more than a century before their final dissolution in 1492 the Jewish communities of Spain and southern France had suffered severely from increasing animosity and repression. Already in 1378 changes of farreaching importance were taking place: the archdeacon of Ecija, Ferrn Martnez, came to Seville and in fanatical sermons demanded the destruction of the twenty-three synagogues of the city. He asked the population of Andalusia to expel the Jews from their midst and to attack them whenever they could. In 1390 the archbishop of Seville died and Martnez succeeded him. In the same year also king Juan I died, leaving a minor as heir. Nobody could guarantee the political protection of the Jews any longer and the conditions in which a pogrom could be launched were easily created by a combination of clerical fanaticism, popular prejudice and economic considerations. The languishing state of the economy caused famine and high prices for which the Jews were blamed.

In 1391 popular riots commenced in Seville, and spread through the entire Iberian peninsula in little over two months. The progress of the disturbances can be followed from day to day and from city to city. On 6 June 1391 a crowd entered the judería, directly encouraged by Ferrán Martínez. There was a series of murders and robberies and two synagogues were converted into churches. Many Jews were forced to accept baptism. From Seville the violent movement spread rapidly to Cordoba and, on 18 June, to Toledo, Madrid and Cuenca.