Every time the Christians conquered a large Muslim region, the conquerors (who needed people to run the country, farm it, trade it, manage it) promised toleration to everyone faithful to the new king. The promises were usually kept for a generation or two. But gradually the Muslims moved south and new Christians (many from France or England or the sparsely-inhabited Spanish north) arrived, lured by great deals in land and less onerous feudalism. Granada was no exception. It was some years before Muslims of Granada were obliged to convert, and even then "apparent conversion," baptism and so forth, were accepted in the villages of the mountainous hinterland. The remaining Muslims were not driven out -- and it took several fierce and counterproductive military campaigns -- until the reign of Philip III in the seventeenth century.
Well, I guess one forced conversion deserves another... 🙄
Hey James, small typo in the date line:
I think it is supposed to be 1492 rather than 1942.
Otherwise, great post, as always!
Every time the Christians conquered a large Muslim region, the conquerors (who needed people to run the country, farm it, trade it, manage it) promised toleration to everyone faithful to the new king. The promises were usually kept for a generation or two. But gradually the Muslims moved south and new Christians (many from France or England or the sparsely-inhabited Spanish north) arrived, lured by great deals in land and less onerous feudalism. Granada was no exception. It was some years before Muslims of Granada were obliged to convert, and even then "apparent conversion," baptism and so forth, were accepted in the villages of the mountainous hinterland. The remaining Muslims were not driven out -- and it took several fierce and counterproductive military campaigns -- until the reign of Philip III in the seventeenth century.