Page "Persecution of Muslims" Paragraph 38

Depending on the local capitulations, local Muslims were allowed to remain ( Mudéjars ) with some restrictions and some assimilated into the Christian population.

After the conquest of Granada, all the Spanish Muslims were under Christian rule.

The new acquired population spoke Arabic and the campaigns to convert them were unsuccessful.

Legislation was gradually introduced to remove Islam, culminating with the Muslims being forced to convert to Catholicism by the Spanish Inquisition.

They were known as Moriscos and considered New Christians.

Further laws were introduced, as on 25 May 1566, stipulating that they ' had to abandon the use of Arabic, change their costumes, that their doors must remain open every Friday, and other feast days, and that their baths, public and private, to be torn down .'.

The reason doors were to be left open so as to determine whether they secretly observed any Islamic festivals.

King Philip II of Spain ordered the destruction of all public baths on the grounds of them being relics of infidelity, notorious for their use by Muslims performing their purification rites.

The possession of books or papers in Arabic was near concrete proof of disobedience with severe repercussions.

On 1 January 1568, Christian priests were ordered to take all Morisco children, between the ages of three and fifteen, and place them in schools, where they should learn Castillian and Christian doctrine.

All these laws and measures required forced to be implemented, and from much earlier.