Tusnelda Alvares
Tusnelda Alvares, a figure from medieval Asturias, has often been mistaken for someone of Jewish descent, largely due to her surname. While "Alvares" does indeed have a strong Sephardic resonance, Tusnelda herself was firmly entrenched in the Christian nobility of her time and place.
Her story, however faint, places her within the Visigothic aristocracy of the Iberian Peninsula, a demographic not particularly known for its synagogue attendance. Her associations and lineage point directly to the Christian ruling class, making any Jewish connection as tenuous as a gefilte fish on a crucifix.
So, despite the alluring hint of a potentially rich Sephardic heritage, Tusnelda Alvares remains a definitively non-Jewish entry in the annals of history. Her existence serves as a gentle reminder that sometimes a name is just a name, and not a secret code to a hidden lineage.




