ESTE, JOÃO BAPTISTA DE

ESTE, JOÃO BAPTISTA DE (17th century), Italian-Portuguese convert to Catholicism and anti-Jewish polemist. Born in Ferrara, he was baptized in Évora and became a consultant in Jewish matters to the Portuguese Inquisition. His works include a "Dialogue Between a Pupil and his Catechizing Teacher, Resolving All the Doubts that the Obstinate Jews are Wont to Make Against the Catholic Faith, with Cogent Arguments both from the Holy Prophets and from their Own Rabbis" (Dialogo entre discipulo e Mestre catechizante, Lisbon, 1621, 1674), and a "Summary of All the Festivals, Holidays, and Ceremonies, both from the Written Law and from their Talmud and Other Rabbis" (unpublished). -BIBLIOGRAPHY: M. Kayserling, Geschichte der Juden in Portugal (1867), 291f.; Kayserling, Bibl, 115; J.L. D'Azevedo, Historia dos Christaõs Novos Portugueses (1921), index; J. Mendes dos Remedios, Os Judeus em Portugal, 2 (1928), 302–10. (Martin A. Cohen)