Page "Spanish people" Paragraph 12

In the first two centuries of Al-Andalus, Muslims formed a ruling minority.

Another minority, present since Roman times, were the Jews.

In the 10th century a massive conversion of the population from Christianity to Islam took place, so that muladies ( native Spanish / Iberian Muslims ) comprised the majority of the population by the century's end.

However, the process began to reverse as the Christian reconquest gathered pace.

Ultimately, Jews and Muslims either converted to Catholicism or were expelled from Spain in 1492 and 1502, following the completion of the Reconquista.

Between 1609 and 1614, approximately 300, 000 Moriscos — new Christians forcibly converted from Islam who continued to speak, write, and dress like Muslims — were expelled.