Spain’s overseas wars delayed expelling the Moriscos due to lack of domestic military force

Evidence

The debates in council in Lisbon in 1581 and after had ushered in the final period of Morisco history, thirty years or so when the Spanish authorities felt an ever increasing urgency to settle this matter. But obstacles stood in the way of practical action. In the first place, there were powerful strategic considerations, such as a lack of military force to police the operation within Spain. Beset as it was by its troubles overseas, the country would have to wait for a window of opportunity before exposing itself unnecessarily at home. — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 1372