Forced conversions of Muslims in Spain

The forced conversions of Muslims in Spain happened in the early 1500s. These changes were made by three Spanish kingdoms: the Crown of Castile, Navarre, and the Crown of Aragon.

After the Christian kingdoms took over the land called Al-Andalus in 1492, many Muslims lived there. At first, these Muslims, called "Mudéjar", could practice their religion freely.

Later, things changed. The Archbishop of Toledo, Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, began forcing people in Granada to follow Christianity. This caused a rebellion, which was stopped. After that, rules were made to ban Islam in some areas. By 1502, Queen Isabella I of Castile made a law that no one could practice Islam in her lands. Similar laws were later made in other parts of Spain.

Even though these people were forced to look and act like Christians, many still kept their Muslim beliefs in secret. This secret practice continued until many of these people, known as the "Moriscos", were eventually forced to leave Spain between 1609 and 1614.

Background

Further information: Al-Andalus, Reconquista, and Mudejar

Islam has been part of the Iberian Peninsula since the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in the eighth century. By the early twelfth century, many people in the Iberian Peninsula – called "Al-Andalus" – practiced Islam. This included Arabs, Berbers, and people who had chosen to follow Islam.

Over time, Christian kingdoms moved south in a process called the reconquista. This caused the Muslim population to shrink. By the late fifteenth century, after the fall of Granada, there were between 500,000 and 600,000 Muslims in Spain. Many of these Muslims lived in the area that was once the Emirate of Granada. Others lived in places ruled by the Crown of Castile or the Crown of Aragon. These Muslims under Christian rule were known as the Mudéjars.

At first, after the conquest of Granada, Muslims were allowed to practice their religion. This was promised in agreements such as the Treaty of Granada in 1491. Kings like Ferdinand II and Charles I also promised to protect Muslims' religious freedom.

In 1492, the Alhambra Decree said that all Jews in Spain must leave or change their religion. Later, in 1497, Portugal also made Jews and Muslims leave the country. Most Portuguese Muslims moved to Spain.

Conversion process

After the Christian kingdoms took control of the lands called Al-Andalus in 1492, many Muslims lived in Spain. Over the next few years, different parts of Spain made rules that forced Muslims to change their religion.

First, from 1500 to 1502, the Crown of Castile made these rules. Later, Navarre did the same from 1515 to 1516, and the Crown of Aragon from 1523 to 1526. These rules said that Muslims had to change their religion or leave their homes.

In some places, people were treated harshly to make them change their religion. After these events, most Muslims in Spain had changed their religion.

Muslim reaction

Further information: Morisco § Islam, and Crypto-Islam

For those who could not leave their homes, changing their religion was the only way to stay safe. However, many people kept their original beliefs in secret. These people, called "Moriscos," lived their whole lives hiding their true faith. They were pressured to follow the new religion in public, like going to church or eating different foods. This led to a special way of practicing their faith, where what they believed privately mattered more than following all the outer rules.

Some important Muslim leaders thought Muslims should leave places where they could not practice their religion freely. But Christian leaders made it very hard for people to leave. Only the wealthiest people near the coast could sometimes escape, and even that was very difficult. Many tried to leave but faced many obstacles, and most had to stay and convert.

The efforts to force people to change their religion led to some uprisings. In one area, people fought back but were defeated and forced to convert. In another place, a longer fight happened in a mountainous region. After many months, the fighting ended with many people losing their lives, and the survivors either converted or fled to other lands.

Some people converted because they truly believed in the new religion. For example, one man in a village refused to join the fighting against the new rulers and suffered losses. In another town, the whole community decided to convert together, possibly to live equally with their Christian neighbors after many years of contact.

Main article: Oran fatwa

The Oran fatwa was an important decision made in 1504 to help Muslims who were forced to change their religion. It gave advice on how to survive while appearing to follow the new religion. This decision helped many people stay connected to their beliefs in secret.