An export embargo made Muslim emigration from Castile practically impossible

Evidence

Once the conversion had been forced through, it became increasingly difficult to prevent movement and mingling among the New Christian populations all over Spain. Tapia, for example, speaks of the convert community of ´Avila as being characterized by great mobility (Tapia 1991, 145), with some of them moving to Andalusia. The Moriscos knew better than to draw attention to themselves, so we cannot hope for firm statistics (although what the diligence of an acute investigator like Tapia is able to extract from the records is remarkable). In general, we only hear about the population drift incidentally, as, for example, when the count of Aguilar uses the fact that some estates were losing essential workers to support his argument that further “edicts of grace” (i.e., partial exemption from the Inquisition’s attentions) should be granted to the new converts (Tapia 1991, 223; Lea 1901, 52). — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 390 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The Castilians blocked Muslim emigration to keep their labor; Castile deliberately blocked Muslim emigration to retain their labor — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 265; Legal restrictions on emigration forced virtually all Spanish Muslims into conversion — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 304 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Forced conversion paradoxically increased Muslim population mobility across Spain #complicates (0.72) — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 390