MELAMED, MEIR

MELAMED, MEIR (second half of 15th century), financier in Spain during the period of the expulsion. A Hebrew author of the period calls him the "king's secretary," apparently because he held office in one of the royal accounting departments. In official documents he is referred to as "Rabbi" and not "Don," as were most of the other Jewish tax farmers, which indicates that he was a scholar. He lived mainly in Segovia. In 1487 he succeeded his aged father-in-law abraham seneor as chief administrator of tax farming in the kingdom. On June 15, 1492, he and Abraham Seneor were baptized with great ceremony at Guadalupe, Ferdinand and Isabella acting as godparents. As a Christian he adopted the name Fernándo Núñez Coronel. On June 23, 1492, he was appointed chief accountant (contador mayor). He also became a permanent member of the royal council and was town councillor (regidor) in Segovia. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Baer, Spain, index, S.V. Meir Melamed Baer, Urkunden, index; Suárez Fernández, Documentos, index. ADD. BIBLIOGRAPHY: C. Carrete Parrondo, in: Sefarad, 37 (1977), 339–49.