Vincenzo, per la gratia di Dio, Duca di Mantova e di Monferrato

(ITALY)

Mantua

17 January, 1588

Seal of Duchy. Historiated initial

Proclamation Issued by Duke Vincenzo I, Prohibiting the Baptism of Jewish Children without the Consent of Their Parents From the fact that the Dukes of Mantua - (earlier Guglielmo in 1554, and later Vincenzo I in 1588) - issued proclamations interdicting forced conversions, historian Shlomo Simonsohn deduces that during that period of time, such cases of baptism of Jewish babies must clearly have occured. Duke Vincenzo threatened offenders with a fine of 300 scudi, or three stripes. See Simonsohn, History of the Jews in the Duchy of Mantua, pp. 26-27; see also Simonsohn, pp. 778-779, no. 19 (full text of proclamation)