Samuel HaLevi

1320 – 1360 in Seville), was the treasurer of king Pedro I "the Cruel" of Castile and founder of the Synagogue of El Transito in Toledo, Spain.

First he worked as administrator to the Portuguese knight Juan Alfonso de Alburquerque and became recognized enough to achieve employment at the court of Pedro I of Castile, first as camarero mayor (chamberlain) and later as almojarife (treasurer) and as oídor (judge).

His employment ended when the enemies of Pedro I led by Henry of Trastámara organized a pogrom against the Toledan Jewry, which enabled them to assume possession of the royal treasures.

[1] Constantly criticized by his rivals for his permissive stance towards Jews, eventually the King turned against Samuel and had him incarcerated and tortured on suspicion of embezzlement in 1360.

And even Samuel's career shows that the opportunities for Jews were restricted to certain offices and positions whereas other forms of advancement were denied to them.

Plaque in Toledo commemorating Samuel Ha-Levi with the inscription "Samuel Levi, treasurer to the king, who preferred to die by torture than confess where he hid his treasures". In fact Ha-Levi did confess under torture, and was executed along with his family.
Sculpture of Samuel ha-Levi in Toledo