The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-10

| IL More than ono,. all the bullion imported for
| the account Of private merchants was seized by
| the King. under the pretonca Of a forced loan;
the money would never DO repaid. and the mor-
chants would have 10 60 into bankruptcy.
Before noting tho circumstances under which
tho Moriscos or Christ'anized Moors, were OK
PEELED from Andalusia, we should glance at the
origin Of the Spanish Inquisition. This institu-
ton was introduced in CASTLE 70 cope with
peculiar conditions not existing in other coun-
tries II ro-established in the towns the doc
trina order which was threatened by the mixed
| character OF the population. Both religion and
nationality were considered 10 be imperiled. In
the latter half OF the fifteenth century, 1t was
recognized that purity Of blood well as OF doc
trinc being impaired, especially in the upper
classes, by intormarriage with Jews The con-
tagion was spreading throughout society. Ju-
daism was the peculiar heresy OF Spain, TO meet
which the Inquisition was established. Tho
powers of the institution were centred, as il Is
well known, in the Dominican order reinforced by
some secular lawyers Its original victims were not
avowod Jews, but nominal Christians, accused
OF rclapsng from professed faith in Christianity
10 Judaism. The institution needed TO be strong,
because the Jews and Judaizcrs were powerful,
farming professions, and backed by an industrial
population which. under Ferdinand and Isabella,
Was prosperous The Judalzers were numerous
in the municipal bodies, and were protected by
nobos many Of whom were descended from jew
cssea Some OF the upper clergy also, were OF
Jewish descent notably Talavcra, Isabella's
confessor and Archbishop of Granada Seville
was the centre Of Judaism. and here, therefore,
was the original centre OF the Inquisiton. II
was presently found that Judaism could not be
checked 80 long as reapsed Christians only were
assailod, and the avowol Jews went scatheess
Hence in 1902, the sphere Of the Inquisition was
extended IL Jews, who were compelled 70 choose
between conversion and exile The movement and
its motives compared in the book before us
to the recent measures of the Russian Govern
ment tho object OF which 10 purge not only
orthodoxy but nationality of an alien clement
Tho conquest of Granada widely extended the
functions OF the Inquistion. The Crown guar
anteed religious liberty 10 the Moors, and, at FIRST
propagandism among the Moslems was solely
persuasive. This method was too slow for Car
dinal Jimenez, VINO, by veXauous regulations
drove the Moors to revolt The guarantees of
rcligiousiibcrty were then CA d. 1900 withdrawn,
aud forced conversion applied. The Crown
had direct interest in the rapidity Of the CON
version process, for. upon il depended the pecu-
one reason, it was joyful moment at the Cas-
titan court when Jimenez declared that not an
unoonverted Moor remained in the kingdom of
Granada The 1nquistion cannot be described
as purely Spanish institution, because tho Pope
confirmed the Inlusitor General whom the Crown
nominated and claimed powers OF regula-
ton; more than once Popcs interfered TO mitigate
the Inquisitor's severity II was practically
controlled, however, by the Crown. II gave tho
King a complete hold Jews and Morscos
| and brought TO him considerable financial profit;
as II was hold, too, in ferrorem, over the mobiles,
whose blood seldom frcs from Jewish I'D
mixture, 1t always threatened 10 become secular
| engine OF monarchical oppression.
We have seen that on the capture Of Granada,
full religious liberation had been promised TO tho
Moors, but that the bgoted zeal OF the churchmen
| had subsequently, prevailed. and al outward
uniformity at loast Of faith and customs had been
gradually forced upon the inhabitants of Moorish
| descent Nearly all the South Of Spain was oc-
cupiod by peoples of pure OF mixed Moorish blood
| industrious, thrifty and poaceable, outwardly
| conforming to the Christian creed, garb and man
ners but secretly following, to a great extent in
the footsteps Of their forefathers They were
in process OF amalgamation, and, il they had
| been left alone they would, in time, have been
merged In the rest OF the population. Their thrift
|
odium and jealousy to the Christians. who con-
stanuy accused them Of sympathiZing with the
| Turk In tho Mediterranean, and such sympathies
| they probably felt Some Of the oiicts OF tho En-
| peror Charles V. against them had boom allowed
to fall into allegiance during his long abseuoo from
| the lberian Peninsula, but as soon as his son,
| Philip II. returned 10 Spain from England and
the Low Countries, the Castilian Cortos began
TO clamor for frcsh restrictions on the Morisoos.
First in 1850, the importation OF slaves from Africa
was forbidden. In 1858, the MoriscoS were pro
hibitod from possessing arms. an enactment
which caused much discomfort When Cardinal
Espiuosa was made Inquisitor General, systoma-
tic oppression Of the poor people was begun. In
1857. the Moriscos were forbidden 10 wear any
distinctive garb and their women were TO appear
with faces uncovered. They wero not allowed
10 have looks 70 their doors and their warm baths
were made illegal; above all. they might use no
other language but tho Castilian, and acknow
| ledge no other faith but the Christian. All Of
these prohibitions were 10 be enforced with brutal
penalties In vain the moderate party at Court
headed by Ruy Gomez, Portuguese by birth
protested and cNpostulatod; in vain the Marquis
OF MOndear the Governor of Granada, pointed
out the impossibility Of carrying out such docroo
suddenly; tho churchmen would haVo nc
half measures, and at length. on the night Of
| Christmas 1868 came an outburst Of rebellion.
From the Apuiarras the Moorish mountainous
bounced upon the plain of Granada, and called
upon the mon Of their race To rise against the
tyrant Through all Audalusia the fever fol
freedom spread. and centuries Of hate wcre con
centrated In a woek Of slaughter. The Governor
ofGranada, ultimately, defeated the royoluionists
and then tho shedding Of blood began upon Tho
part Of the ChristinnA In the spring Of 1860
the Marquis de los Vclez- at the head OF another
foroa was despatched a mission Of massacre
determination without pity or distinction Of az,
or sax was tho order Of tho day. In a single place
Velez's soldiers killed SIX thousand women Ant
children In tho courso Of q few hours and kop
four thousand more slaves Later in the year
tho higoted etTehmon imposed upon Don Juan