Summary Of Spain's Ethnic Cleansing

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Matt Carrs Spain’s Ethnic Cleansing (2009) discusses the mass expulsion of Moriscos across the country of Spain. Moriscos were previous followers of the Muslim faith that were forced to convert to Christianity by Spanish rulers. Years before Morisccos were coerced into converting to Christianity the Spanish Jews were given an ultimate to convert or leave Spain. In 1502 queen Isabella ordered Muslims in Castile to convert of leave the country as she did to her Jewish subjects. “Muslims of Valencia, Aragon, and Catalonia were transformed into the ‘New Christians’ when Spain’s first Habsburg monarch, Charles of Ghent, approved the forced conversions of thousands of Muslims carried out during a vicious anti –feudal rebellion in Valencia” (Carr …show more content…
Mosrisco parishes were left deserted for months by priest and were swindled by corrupt officials and fined fees for misconduct. Secular and ecclesiastical authorities never resolved these issues of mistreatment. Not surprisingly the two authorities were unsuccessful is nullifying the anti-Muslim prejudice from the old Christians of Spain. Although, disdain for the New Christians was prevalent, the old Christians valued the sobriety and industriousness of Moriscos were considered valuable economic assets to Spanish employers and landowners and at the same time shamed for previously being of Muslim and reminded that the were not from Spain’s authentic Christian heritage. The almalafa worn by Morisco women was an obsession, because they face of a female was covered it was thought to represent promiscuity among the Morisco women. Even the public bathing that Muslims would partake in was associated with sensuality and Islamic religious rituals. Spanish authorities forced assimilation by eradicating the cultural differences of Moriscos. If Moors did not comply with assimilation they were fined, and imprisoned. Sometimes the Moricos were executed for not drinking wine, eating couscous, and bathing in their

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