The Alhambra Decree: Exile and Conversion in 1492

In March 1492, just months after the fall of Granada, the Catholic Monarchs signed an edict that would reshape Spanish society for centuries: the Alhambra Decree. This episode explores the decree's origins, its implementation, and the human stories behind the expulsion of Spain's Jewish population. We discuss the role of Inquisitor Tomás de Torquemada, the debate among the monarchs, the economic and social impact on Jewish communities, and the migration routes into Portugal, North Africa, and the Ottoman Empire. We also examine the category of conversos—Jews who converted to Catholicism—and the subsequent suspicions they faced. Touching on the Sephardic diaspora, the Ladino language, and the decree's modern-day annulment, this episode tells a story of faith, power, and the limits of religious tolerance in early modern Spain. Key figures include Ferdinand and Isabella, Torquemada, Isaac Abravanel, and Abraham Senior. The decree itself is read and dissected, and we reflect on the long shadow it cast over Spanish identity. #AlhambraDecree #1492 #SephardicJews #SpanishInquisition #CatholicMonarchs #Torquemada #Converso #Expulsion #JewishHistory #Spain #FerdinandAndIsabella #SephardicDiaspora #Ladino #IssacAbravanel #OttomanEmpire #ReligiousIntolerance #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo