Kingdom of Aragon
The 13th century was the golden age of the Jews of Aragon. The Jewish minority was eminently urban, engaging in all kinds of occupations, but excelling in medicine, administration, tax collection and lending. The Jews were considered property of the crown, and the king provided them with protection in exchange for special contributions. The same century saw the arrival of Cathar refugees from Occitania, fleeing religious persecution. The situation of the Jews worsened at the end of the century due to pressure from the Catholic hierarchy, and they were forbidden to hold public office. Many Aragonese Jews converted to Christianity, with greater or lesser conviction, to avoid high taxes and persecution. These converts were integrated into the Christian population, even mixing with noble families. This could explain the significant frequency of Jewish haplotypes in the contemporary Aragonese population.