Forged antisemitic letters spread by circulating as neutral curiosity entertainment

Evidence

Just as was the case with the legend of Rabbi Meir Alguadex’s supposed poisoning of Enrique III, the widespread diffusion of the forged letters can be observed in the fact that they were copied and reprinted verbatim even in works with no declared antisemitic aim. They appeared, for instance, in the collection of intriguing stories entitled La Silva curiosa and compiled by Julián de Medrano, which printed in the town of Zaragoza in 1580. — James Renton, Ben Gidley (eds.), Antisemitism and Islamophobia in Europe, 387

Categorization

• SHARE: A niche typography/print-culture detail — forged conspiracy material reproduced as harmless curiosity literature — perfect for a historian of early modern pamphlets.