Pimentel

Pimentel may refer to: a Portuguese, Spanish, Sephardic/Jewish surname. This name was likely adopted by Portuguese Jewish merchants who bought and sold pepper and other spices. Portugal once had a monopoly on the spice trade. In Europe, it was always said that one could not buy or sell spices unless he had a 'Portuguese' partner - Portuguese meaning 'Jewish'. The king of Portugal at the time ordered that the coat of arms of the 72 most noble and distinguished Portuguese families be painted on the ceiling of the king's palace in the town of Sintra, Portugal. The Pimentel coat of arms was one of the ones that was painted on the ceiling of the 'Sala dos Brasoes' - meaning, coat of arms room. The Jewish Pimentel's were always closely aligned with the Portuguese kings, to the extent that the king allowed the Portuguese Jewish Pimentel's to use the Pimentel coat of arms as their own. The Pimentel's were always known as 'New Christians' - Portuguese Jewish Pimentel's who converted to Christianity. Most Pimentel's were part of Portugal's intelligentsia. They were: physicians, cartographers, scholars, merchants, scientists, bankers/financiers, etc.

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