Our study deals with a period in which the Andalusian Muslims began to descend rapidly from the summit. We intend to examine from socio-cultural and religious perspectives the history of the Moriscos, the Berber, Arab, Jewish or Spanish Muslims, who witnessed the fall of Gnrata after choosing Islam as a religion. Then, exposed to deportations and repressions, but had to stay in Andalusia for various reasons, officially accepted Christianity but have sought to transfer the Islamic faith they have hidden to the next generations.
If the 16th and 17th century Europe is well studied, it can be seen that the Spanish struggle against the Moriscos is not only a religious war. The Protestant war which was fought inside against the Germans that began to strengthen in the north, the rivalry with the British beyond the ocean, and the Ottoman threat in the Mediterranean and Europe, which could extend to their
vicinity at any time, pushed the Spaniards to cooperate with the Vatican, and they tried to establish Catholic Spanish union as a strong backbone against the threats outside.
A Morisco was seen as an Ottoman spy, a Protestant as a German spy and a Jewish as a British, Ottoman or French spy. Spaniards could not have a problem with just a muslim Morisco. The Christianization and expulsion of Muslims, who work more, who are more educated, who have technical staff and paid more taxes, took too long because of the strategy instabilities of the Spanish Kings on the way to the Great Spain.
Morisco is the name given by the Spaniards to a nation that either was converted by will or by force from Islam to Christianity, in Spain or Portugal at the time when the Iberian peninsula was occupied by the Spaniards. This word was also used for people who did not adopt Christianity but had to profess Christian faith, and who secretly and operatively continued to be a Muslim.
Similarly, in Spain, people who seemed to have accepted Christianity, but who maintained the belief in Judaism, were called "Marranos" or "Jews of Seferad".
With the Reconquista and the recapture of the peninsula in just the beginning of the 1500s, Muslims began to be forced to become Catholics. Those who did not accept were sentenced to death, while some lucky ones managed to escape to Morocco. During this difficult period, a number of people preferred to accept the Catholic faith and save their lives.
Table of Contents
PREFACE
ABBREVIATIONS
INTRODUCTION
SOURCES OF THE RESEARCH
TERMINOLOGY
CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY OF MORISCOS
1. ARRIVAL TO THE IBERIAN PENINSULA
2. ISLAMIZATION OF SPANIARDS
3. CHRISTIANIZATION OF MUSLIMS
4. THE EXPULSION
CHAPTER TWO: SOCIO-CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE LIGHT OF FETWAS
1. THE FATWAS
1.1 The Fatwa of Oran
1.2 The Fatwa of Venşerîsî
1.3. The Fatwa of Egypt
2. SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS LIFE
2.1 Social Life
2.2 RELIGIOUS LIFE
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Objectives and Research Themes
This study examines the history of the Moriscos in Spain from the fall of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada through their subsequent forced conversion to Christianity, their life under surveillance, and their final expulsion. The primary objective is to investigate the socio-cultural and religious strategies employed by this population to preserve their Islamic identity in an increasingly hostile environment, as documented through contemporary historical sources and religious fatwas.
- The history of Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula and their gradual conversion.
- The socio-political dynamics of the 16th and 17th centuries that led to the Expulsion.
- The role of Islamic fatwas in guiding the religious practices of Moriscos living under forced conditions.
- The transformation of social life and the preservation of secret Islamic identities (taqiyyah).
- The economic and cultural impact of the Moriscos on Spanish society.
Excerpt from the Book
1. ARRIVAL TO THE IBERIAN PENINSULA
Before the Muslims set foot on the Iberian Peninsula, where today's Spain and Portugal are located, the Visigoths conquered Toledo in 468 and declared their sovereignty in Spain. These conquerors, which were subject to the sect of Arius, became Catholics in 586 by submitting to the dominant culture. About a century later, the country would become a country experiencing internal turmoil. With an imperial order issued in 694, all Jews living in the territory of the country were turned into slaves. The Jewish misfortune was once again repeated, and the tradition of the Inquisition acquired new experiences for the coming centuries.
In the years when the division and integration of Iberian peninsula were carried out together, Amr b. el-Âs completed the conquest of Egypt in 642. In 643, again under the command of the same companion, Tripoli was conquered. While, in 648, Georgios Subeytılâ'da was defeated by Abdullah b. Sâd, the conquest of Libya, which was called the Near Maghreb was completed in 675. In the same year, the Central Maghreb opened the doors of Tunisia and Algeria to Muslims.
In 705, Moses b. Nusayr was assigned to the governorship of Ifriqiya by Sultan Velîd b. Abdülmelik. After having completed the conquest of Maghrib-i Aksa (Morocco and Mauritania), the old commander Musa b. Nusayr sent his freedman, Tariq b. Ziyad to Tangier. With the fall of Tangier, North Africa became completely under Muslim rule. In the same year, Moses sent the first expedition unit to the Peninsula, which was to the Cezirat'ul-Hadrâ in the emirate of Tarif b. Malik. The news reaching Moses was telling that the suitable environment for the conquest was established.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY OF MORISCOS: This chapter outlines the timeline of Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula, from the initial conquest by Umayyad-led forces to the eventual fall of the Kingdom of Granada and the institutionalized efforts to force the population into Catholicism.
CHAPTER TWO: SOCIO-CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE LIGHT OF FETWAS: This chapter analyzes the internal and external realities of the Morisco community, focusing on how they balanced an outward appearance of Christianity with an inward commitment to Islam, and how legal opinions (fatwas) provided guidance for their unique, precarious situation.
Keywords
Moriscos, Andalusia, Expulsion, Reconquista, Islam, Christianity, Inquisition, Fatwa, Aljamíado, Mudéjar, Iberian Peninsula, Religious Identity, Cultural History, Granada, Taqiyyah.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research?
The book focuses on the history of the Moriscos—Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula who were forced to convert to Christianity—and explores their socio-cultural and religious experiences between the fall of Granada and their final expulsion in the early 17th century.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the political struggles of Spanish monarchs, the legal status of religious minorities, the survival strategies of Moriscos through secret practices, and the long-term cultural impact of the expulsion on both Spain and the broader Islamic world.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The study aims to provide an in-depth analysis of how a minority population maintained their identity while under systemic pressure, utilizing both historical documents and religious legal opinions (fatwas) to understand their daily life and spiritual resilience.
Which scientific methods were used in this research?
The author employs a historical-analytical method, examining early Spanish records, Inquisition archives, and Islamic legal literature (fatwas) to reconstruct the living conditions and socio-religious realities of the Moriscos.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body is divided into two parts: a historical overview of the rise and fall of Islamic rule in Spain, followed by a detailed investigation into the socio-cultural daily life of the Moriscos, specifically addressing their education, family structure, and religious practice in a context of oppression.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Moriscos, Expulsion, Inquisition, Andalusia, Aljamíado, Fatwa, religious identity, and cultural assimilation.
How does the author interpret the "Fatwa of Oran"?
The author views the Fatwa of Oran as a practical response to the extreme pressures faced by Moriscos, arguing that the mufti provided necessary religious concessions (ruhsat) to ensure the safety and survival of the believers while they lived in a land dominated by non-Muslims.
How does the book address the use of the term "Morisco"?
The author notes that "Morisco" was a term imposed by the dominant Spanish culture, often carrying pejorative connotations, and explores its evolution from a descriptor of social standing to a label for a marginalized religious group.
- Quote paper
- Hüseyin Gökalp (Author), 2010, The History of Moriscos. Socio-cultural and Religious Aspects, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/500199
