An English captive blamed wild Arabs for corrupting Spanish-bred Moriscos

Evidence

In an account written by the English Jesuit William Atkins of his captivity in Sallee (Murphy 1994, 246–47) we read: Though manie of the Mores of this place were brought up in Spaine, and are therefore of a well-tempered naturall disposition, and Christianlike behaviour, yet the great infection which this place receives from the Alarabes or wilde Arabians that much infest this barbarous cuntrie hath brought a generall corruption into their manners and an utter disorder into their civill government. — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 1680

Categorization

• SHARE: The claim that North African Arabs ‘corrupted’ Spanish-reared Moriscos encapsulates the early modern European hierarchy of ‘civilized’ Moors versus ‘wild’ Arabs — perfect for a colleague working on orientalism or early modern race.