Part 12/19:
Spain’s Jewish history reflects the oscillation between tolerance and persecution. Initially, Jews thrived under Roman rule; later, Visigothic policies turned oppressive, leading to expulsions and persecutions. The Moorish conquest brought some relief, with Jews working as administrators and merchants, but subsequent Christian reconquests and the eventual Reconquista reinstated harsh policies.
The 1492 conquest of Granada marked the end of Muslim rule, coinciding with the expulsion of Jews by the Spanish monarchy and the establishment of the Inquisition. This policy aimed for national unity and purity of Christian blood but stifled cultural and scientific development for centuries.