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Tuesday, 03 November 2009 |
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Marranos -- The Original Crypto Jews
'After Christians took back Spain from the Moors in the 14th Century, they wanted "to root out all non-Catholic elements in the country and unite it under Catholic rule." (Prinz, The Secret Jews, p.25) Jews had lived in Spain since the 4th Century BC and had prospered under the Moors. The Church demanded that the more than 400,000 Jews convert or leave. Because thousands had been massacred in anti-Jews riots of 1391, more than 250,000 Jews agreed to convert and became known as "conversos."
However, the Church soon realized it had made a fatal blunder. As you would expect, the majority of these converts were not sincere. These were called "Marranos" (pigs.) But now that they could pass as Christians, they were exempt from the taxes and restrictions that governed Jews. They were more influential and powerful than ever.'
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