Leiria

City of Portugal. In 1378 its Jews complained to the king that they were attacked and maltreated by the Christian inhabitants, especially during Holy Week. A Hebrew printing-press was established here in the house of Samuel d'Ortas, who together with his son Abraham issued on July 25, 1492, at the expense of a certain Solomon, an edition of Proverbs, with Targum and commentary. Two years later he printed the Earlier Prophets with the commentaries of Ḳimḥi and Levi ben Gershon. In 1495 the same press issued an edition of Jacob b. Asher's "Ṭur Oraḥ Ḥayyim." Affonso d'Orta, who was a printer at Valencia in 1496, was probably Samuel's son. Leiria, which became later the rendezvous for many Maranos, was the native place of the poet Manuel de Leaõ (Leon).

Bibliography:

  * Kayserling, Gesch. der Juden in Portugal, pp. 27, 90;
  * Ersch and Gruber, Encyc. section ii., part 28, p. 37;
  * Steinschneider, Hebr. Bibl. ix. 80;
  * idem, Cat. Bodl. col. 2820;
  * Freimann, Ueber Hebr. Inkunabeln, p. 9.



G. M. K.