Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
1499-1610 · 111 years · show in timeline

Spain 1499 to 1610: forced baptism, persecution and expulsion of the Moriscos

The capitulation of Granada in 1491 guaranteed the Muslims freedom of worship. From the end of 1499 Cardinal Ximenes imposed coercive measures in Granada: imprisonment in chains, the burning of 5,000 books, baptism or punishment for 50,000 to 70,000 people. In 1524 Clement VII released Charles V from his oath not to force the Muslims of Valencia into baptism; after that they too were baptised. The Inquisition persecuted the baptised ("Moriscos") for customs such as abstaining from pork, or cleanliness. Archbishop Ribera pressed for their expulsion, which the king carried out in 1609 and 1610; estimates of those driven out range from 300,000 to 3 million.

Period
1499-1610 (111 years)
Country
Spain
Institutions
Cardinal Ximenes
Spanish Inquisition
Pope Clement VII
Archbishop Juan de Ribera of Valencia
Category
Heresy trials, Persecution, Censorship
Level of evidence
B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?
Persons
Ximenes (cardinal, imposed coercive measures and mass baptisms in Granada in 1499, inquisitor-general from 1507)
Clement VII (pope, released Charles V in 1524 from his oath not to convert the Muslims by force)
Alfonso de Manrique (inquisitor-general, announced the validity of the forced baptisms in 1525)
Juan de Ribera (Archbishop of Valencia from 1568, pressed for the expulsion)

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

  1. By the pragmática of 12 February 1502 Queen Isabella ordered the Muslims of Castile to leave the country by the end of April, abandoning sons under fourteen and daughters under twelve. According to Lea she acted under the influence of her spiritual counsellors, of whom Ximenes was probably the most influential. Those who nevertheless wanted to emigrate were not allowed to and were forced to become Christians.
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „Yet it was this that Isabella was led to do, under the influence of her ghostly counsellors, among whom Ximenes can probably be reckoned as the most influential.“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „abandoning their children, the males under fourteen and the females under twelve years of age, who were to be detained“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „preferred to risk the perils of emigration they were not allowed to do so, but were forced to become Christians“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
  2. The number of those expelled is uncertain. According to the Britannica, estimates vary between 120,000 and 3,000,000. According to Lea, contemporaries gave 300,000 to three million; Danvila y Collado arrived from the official statistics at something under 500,000, and the envoy of Lucca gave 600,000 in 1610. Many who sailed on chartered ships were robbed and murdered by the masters and never arrived.
    Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Moriscos
    „The number driven out has been variously estimated at 120,000 or at 3,000,000.“
    Moriscos, Artikel Moriscos. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „Contemporary estimates of the number of exiles vary from three hundred thousand to three millions“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „after a careful comparison of all official statistics, reaches an estimate of something under five hundred thousand souls“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „placing the number at six hundred thousand“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „the masters of the vessels chartered by them had no scruple in robbing and murdering them, despite the regulations adopted for their safety. Many who sailed were never accounted for as arriving.“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original

How were they charged and sentenced?

  1. Ximenes had Muslims who tried to dissuade their fellow believers from baptism imprisoned in chains. He ordered the alfaquíes (Muslim scholars) to surrender all their religious books; 5,000 of them were publicly burnt. After a rising in the Albaicín he offered the population the alternative of baptism or punishment, while a royal judge executed or imprisoned the more active rioters. In this way an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 people in the city and the Vega were baptised.
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „The stricter Moslems became alarmed and endeavored to check the movement by persuasion, whereupon Ximenes had them imprisoned in chains“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „he summoned the alfaquíes to surrender all their religious books, of which five thousand“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „were publicly burnt“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „offered to the people the alternative of baptism or punishment, while a royal judge, sent for the purpose, sharpened their apprehension by executing or imprisoning the more active of the rioters“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „The number thus rudely inducted into the faith, in the city and the Vega, was estimated at from fifty to seventy thousand“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
  2. In Valencia in 1521 the leaders of the Germanía revolt had Muslims baptised by force in order to weaken the nobility. Although leading theologians, headed by the canonist Jaime Benet, denied the validity of these baptisms, Inquisitor-General Manrique on 23 March 1525 announced to the emperor the decision that the baptised must remain Christians, willingly or unwillingly; their children were to be baptised. In September 1525 Charles V declared that he would allow no Moor to dwell in his dominions except as a slave; commissioners armed with full powers as inquisitors enforced baptism, and the Korans were burnt.
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „To cripple the nobles, the leaders of the Germanía conceived the idea of baptizing by force the Moors“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „with Jaime Benet, the most eminent canonist of Spain at their head, denied the validity of the baptisms. Still, the inevitable conclusion was that, as the neophytes had made no resistance or complaint, they must adhere to the faith, willingly or unwillingly.“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „On March 23, 1525, the emperor attended a meeting, in which Manrique announced to him the decision“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „declared the baptized Moors to be Christians, and ordered their children to be baptized“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „informing them of his irrevocable resolve not to allow a Moor or an infidel to dwell in his dominions except as a slave“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „The commissioners, armed with full powers as inquisitors“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „the pulpits of their alfaquíes were torn down, their Korans were burnt“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Moriscos
    „by 1525 it was everywhere suppressed“
    Moriscos, Artikel Moriscos. Original

What happened to those affected?

  1. The Inquisition persecuted the Moriscos for everyday customs. Abstinence from pork and wine alone was sufficient to justify prosecution; nails stained with henna, songs and dances at weddings and even cleanliness were adduced as evidence of apostasy. According to Lea, torture was used freely. In the district of Toledo there were 190 cases against Moriscos from 1575 to 1610; in Almagro 25 Moriscos were punished, four of whom were relaxed (handed over to the secular arm for execution).
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „Under skilful management, including the free use of torture, arrest for these simple observances might lead to further confessions“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „Abstinence from pork and wine was amply sufficient to justify prosecution, and we hear of cases in which staining the nails with henna“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „and even cleanliness, were gravely adduced as evidences of apostasy“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „in all twenty-five Moriscos of Almagro suffered, of whom four were relaxed“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „In the Toledo record, from 1575 to 1610, there are a hundred and ninety cases of Moriscos“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
  2. The expulsion itself was a measure of the crown; the edict represented it as purely secular. It was published in Valencia on 22 September 1609: within three days all Moriscos had to go to the port, taking only what they could carry on their backs. Old Christians robbed and murdered many of them on the way. In the Val del Aguar royal troops slew 3,000 almost weaponless Moriscos with only one Spaniard killed; many women and children were stolen by the soldiers and sold as slaves. Over 150,000 people were carried away from Valencia in three embarkations, followed in 1610 by Aragon, Andalusia and Castile. According to the Britannica, the expulsion was carried out with great cruelty.
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „the edict of expulsion represented the measure as purely secular“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „within three days after publication in the several towns and villages, all Moriscos were to depart for the port of embarkation designated by a commissioner. They could take such portable property as they could carry on their backs“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „Troops escorted them to protect them from the savage greed of the Old Christians, who gathered in bands, robbing and often murdering those whom they encountered.“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „In the Val del Aguar it was a massacre of the weaponless wretches, rather than a battle; three thousand Moriscos were slain and only one Spaniard“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „many women and children were stolen by the soldiers and sold as slaves“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „In all there were three embarkations, occupying about three months and including, according to lists kept at the ports, over a hundred and fifty thousand souls.“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Moriscos
    „The expulsion of the whole body of Moriscos was decided on in 1608, and the edict was published on the 22nd of September 1609. The expulsion was carried out with great cruelty.“
    Moriscos, Artikel Moriscos. Original

Background

Course of events

  1. The capitulation of Granada of 25 November 1491 guaranteed the Muslims their religion, property, freedom to trade, laws and customs. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the policy of the Catholic sovereigns and the influence of the Church soon led to violations of this treaty; at the end of 1499 Cardinal Ximenes insisted on adopting coercive measures.
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „Religion, property, freedom to trade, laws and customs were all guaranteed“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Moriscos
    „and the influence of the Church, soon led to violations of the treaty.“
    Moriscos, Artikel Moriscos. Original
    Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Moriscos
    „But at the end of 1499 Cardinal Jimenez insisted on adopting coercive measures.“
    Moriscos, Artikel Moriscos. Original

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

  1. When the baptised asked for instruction in their own language and Archbishop Talavera had the offices and parts of the gospels printed in Arabic, Ximenes objected: it was, he said, casting pearls before swine. According to Lea, he cared little for heartfelt conversion so long as he could secure outward conformity.
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „Ximenes objected; it was, he said, casting pearls before swine“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „He cared little for heart-felt conversion so long as he could secure outward conformity.“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
  2. As late as 1607 the royal junta in charge recommended simply allowing those who would not convert to leave for Barbary. According to Lea this was too sensible and humane to suit the ecclesiastics, who were bent on getting rid of the obnoxious apostates by expulsion or extermination. After 1601 Archbishop Juan de Ribera of Valencia urged expulsion in memorials; in 1609 the king wrote to him expatiating on the influence he had had in leading him to his decision. Ribera had at first wanted expulsion only from the rest of Spain, because the churches, monasteries and nobility of Valencia lived on the Moriscos. When in 1609 they were willing to stay on condition of free exercise of their religion, Ribera declared this a concession beyond the power of king or pope to grant, for they were baptised.
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „favored the plan of allowing all, who would not accept Christianity, to betake themselves to Barbary“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „This was too sensible and humane to suit the ecclesiastics, who were bent on getting rid of the obnoxious apostates by expulsion or extermination“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „Its failure, in 1601, was followed by the memorials of Archbishop Ribera urging expulsion“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „He bore a letter from the king to Ribera, expatiating on the influence which the latter had had in leading him to a decision.“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „His somewhat selfish theory had been that, by expelling the Moriscos from the rest of Spain, those of Valencia and Aragon could be controlled“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „the churches, hospitals, monasteries, brotherhoods, pious bequests, nobles, gentry and citizens depended on their services“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „The only condition they would accept was the free exercise of their religion; the Duke applied to the viceroy, but Ribera declared it to be a concession beyond the power of king or pope to grant, for they were baptized.“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original

Who received the assets, who profited?

  1. The tithe, which they had never paid before, was imposed on the baptised; according to Lea these were spoils which all who saw a chance for gain hastened to grasp. In 1571 the Inquisition in Valencia negotiated an agreement: in return for 2,500 ducats a year to the tribunal, the property of the contributors was exempt from confiscation. This assured the Inquisition a settled income; in addition it continued to levy fines, even beyond the agreed limit.
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „and in the tithes, which were now imposed as a fresh burden upon the converts. These were spoils which all, who saw a chance for gain, hastened to grasp.“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „in consideration of an annual payment of fifty thousand sueldos, or twenty-five hundred ducats, to the tribunal, the property of those contributing to it should be exempt from confiscation“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „This suited the Inquisition as assuring it a settled income“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „The tribunal naturally took care to increase its assured income by exploiting to the fullest its remaining power of inflicting fines, and it did so with little regard to the limitation.“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original

Response of the Church

  1. In 1518 Charles V had sworn not to expel or forcibly convert the Muslims of the crown of Aragon. At his insistence Clement VII released him from this oath by a brief of 12 May 1524, which was at first kept secret, and absolved him from all penalties for perjury; the pope is said to have at first refused the request as scandalous. The brief provided that Muslims who refused baptism were to be expelled under pain of perpetual slavery; the revenues of the mosques were to provide endowments for benefices.
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „applied to Clement VII to absolve him from the oath taken in 1518 not to expel or make forced conversions, and Clement is said to have at first refused the request, declaring it to be scandalous“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „the brief was issued, May 12, 1524, though for a time it was kept secret“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „The fateful brief concluded by formally releasing Charles from his oath of 1518, absolving him from all penalties and censures for perjury“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „in case of obstinacy, he was to designate a term after which they should be expelled, under pain of perpetual slavery, to be rigorously enforced“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original
    Evidence: Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“
    „while the revenues of the mosques should provide endowments for benefices“
    Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907), Bd. 3, Buch 8, Kap. 2 „Moriscos“. Original

See also

Scholarly literature and reference works

  1. Scholarly literature
    Macmillan; Project Gutenberg (eBook 46509): Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of Spain, Bd. 3 (New York 1907). Original (retrieved 23 Oct 2026)
  2. Reference work
    Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911): Moriscos, 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 23 Oct 2026)
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