Muslims/Moriscos; the Reconquista; Jews/conversos and anti-Semitism
Ferdinand and Isabella used religion to unify Spain. They expelled or forcibly converted Muslims and Jews, completing a centuries-long Christian conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
Real World
The 1492 expulsion of Jews from Spain echoes later episodes of state-mandated ethnic cleansing; historians compare it to the Huguenot expulsion from France in 1685, which similarly devastated skilled urban economies.
Exam Focus
When evaluating religious unity, weigh economic damage from expulsions against political cohesion gained — mark schemes reward this tension.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
How well did you know this?